To think I’d get taken more seriously if I pretended to be male?

[MrsPortious]

I’m writing a novel. AIBU to think I’d have more chance of being published if I pretended to be male when I send off to publishers?

I think it depends on the type of novel.

However for certain genres YANBU. Life hasn’t really moved on since the Brontes. Depressing.

Is your surname Bronte?

Well, it worked for the Brontes.

I could only hope to be as good as the Brontes 😂
It’s a horror novel.

You could always do a J K Rowling and use your initials.

High fives Drama!

It’s a horror novel

I would release as a male or an ambiguous initialled name.

How depressing that this is still the case.
Quite exciting that I get to reinvent myself though. Now I need a cool sounding blokes name. I’m thinking Jack ... Jack Jackson? 😁 or is that too obvious? Jackson is in my family though ...

J Jackson?

I do have a relative with those initials though, she might be a bit freaked out if I went under that pen 😂

I'm an author myself, and honestly I don't think it's necessary. About 75% of the publishing workforce is made up of women. There are loads of successful female horror authors. The times they are a-changin', but use your initials if you feel the need.

Mary Shelley did ok in that genre without pretending

Mary Shelley did ok in that genre without pretending

She did...but Franenstein was first published anonymously.

OP - go “anon” very cool

Frankenstein obviously 🙄

This is depressing - but I have a gender neutral/leaning towards a boy name and I think it’s helped me.

More than once turned up at job interviews/work events etc to ‘oh, I was expecting a guy’ - but by that point I was in the door - which with the publisher thing is what you’re looking for.

Also MANY times had men apologise to me for how they’ve corresponded with me over email (ie. casual, friendly) when realising in person/on phone that I am a woman. So interesting.

It’s been a lifetime of seeing into a different world.

I don't think it would make any difference at all. Do you know your market? Have you read books by women as well as men?

I have decided to "initialise" my name for this very reason.
I write fantasy and science fiction and have been told this to my face.

World is getting more sexist at the moment, not less.

Why would that make any difference? It worked for the Bronte sisters because they were writing novels during the 19th century,a time in history when women authors were not deemed to be as credible as male authors. Hopefully,we've moved on somewhat since then!