Author's Name Just Initials

Women in ancient England did not write books. Their job was to get pregnant and produce heirs. Other than that, they did not do anything serious. 

Amusement only, like dancing the waltz. After elaborate Jubilee dinners supervised by butlers, they left the dining room to powder their noses, apply lipstick, refresh facial powder and pat be-jeweled wigs.

The publishing world might be predominantly female in this century, but it was all-male back then. It finally dawned on some publishers that signing on female writers was not a bad idea, but they had to tread softly. Society was still not receptive to the idea, so some of them wrote under pen names that looked male, or used initials.

There are still female authors who use initials instead of their full name, but arguably, they are not more than fingers on your hand. The reading world is familiar with J.K. Rowling, but both female and male authors, write for fame and fortune.

They imagine themselves on movie posters: ‘based on Ocean Compton’s book, GPS. That’s right. That is a nice girl’s name, Ocean.

Then came the internet. Publishers want followers. The more followers an author has, the more books they can sell. Male or female? Publishers don’t care. Internet presence, that is what they want from authors.

By: Nonqaba waka Msimang.