Reader's Response
If a book is good, if it’s artful, entertaining, and informative, should it matter who the author is? This is the question explored in the article, Literary Hoaxes and the Ethics of Authorship. Ultimately, the answer to this question is going to be different for everyone. Some female authors use just their initials or change their name to something more gender neutral so they will be taken seriously as a writer. It is effective. It works. Other authors tell stories from the perspective of a race, gender, or ethnicity they are not, sometimes with remarkable accuracy as in Danny Santiago's Famous All Over Town. The bigger questions here are, Who gets to decide if something is right or wrong? Who gets to tell the stories?
Personally, I am not impressed with authors that hide behind pseudonyms. I’m the type of reader who is interested in the author as much as the stories they tell and finding out that an author isn't who they say they are is off putting to me. At the same time, I am in awe of authors who use their writing to explore different perspectives, even ones they have no possibility to fully understand.
The current literary climate demands intersectionality. Individuals own their identities therefore, “a person who is not defined by them cannot tell the world what it is like to be a person who is” (Menand, 2018, para 11). I think this has idea has gained momentum because the insurgence of fake news in the 21st century has inspired a need for a more authentic presence in art and information.
Many of the literary hoaxes from times past (Go Ask Alice, Danny Satiago) have been defended using the literature professor’s defense, “The identity of the writer is irrelevant, What matters is the content” (Menand, 2018, para 25). This may have been true at one time, but I don’t believe this defense is effective anymore. Readers crave authenticity. People are tired for feeling duped. Integrity is a tall order, but one that pays off.
Great perspective - I feel like pseudonyms are no longer effective - it's so easy to find out who the author is so why try to hide? Joe Hill I understood - not wanting to piggyback after his father's name and make it on his own. But generally speaking.... use your name! People will find out! Full points!
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