Throughout history, authors have frequently used pen names. The practice has deep roots in publishing history and is especially common in children's literature. 

Louisa May Alcott, author of "Little Women," wrote gothic thrillers under the pseudonym A.M. Barnard. More recently, J.K. Rowling has written under the pen name Robert Galbraith for her adult crime novels, wanting to separate this style of work from her beloved Harry Potter series. 

Daniel Handler writes adult literary fiction under his real name but became famous as Lemony Snicket, the fictional narrator of "A Series of Unfortunate Events." To no one's surprise, Dr. Seuss is a pen name for Theodor Seuss Geisel who used various other pseudonyms, including Theo LeSieg throughout his career. Even the great Lewis Carroll, the author of "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland," is a pen name for Charles Lutwidge Dodgson.

For children's authors specifically, pen names serve the additional purpose of protecting different reading levels and age groups. A children's author might write chapter books for early readers under their given name, middle grade mysteries under a pen name, and young adult novels under a second pen name. This helps ensure that a curious eight-year-old who loves the author's chapter book series doesn't accidentally pick up a more advanced or mature title from the library shelf. 

Pen names allow authors to compartmentalize their work and target different audiences effectively, and when writing across multiple genres, pen names are an excellent marketing strategy and allow for creative freedom. In addition, publishers and booksellers often prefer authors to maintain a consistent brand identity within specific genres, as readers develop expectations about the type of content they'll find under a particular author's name. 

Some authors choose to keep their nom de plume secret for their own personal reasons; however, most children's writers disclose their pen names. 

As I state in my bio, I write middle grade fiction under the pen name T. K. Wilder. In fact, T. K. Wilder's paranormal thriller, Ghost Wolf: The Shard of Fenrir, will be out in just a few months (late 2025) and a second middle grade sci-fi thriller, Deadly Frequencies, will release mid-2026.

Writing across varied genres and interests is a lot of fun for writers. I also think it's a good idea, every so often, to challenge yourself to read something way out of your normal TBR comfort zone. 

Here's to trying something new!