Publishing stories with spouse’s name (Arabic) even though i’m white
@azurlys asked:
I am a white author who plans to publish using a pen name with my significant other's last name. We are legally married but I have not (and cannot) legally change my name. (We don't live in the USA.) They have supported and nurtured my writing like no one else, and the use of their name is to honor them. However, the last name is an Arabic last name. What are some ways to be up front and honest about this when it comes to putting my writing out there?
Assume Assumptions Will Be Made
People will make assumptions about your background based on your name and there’s no real way around that. If you are writing books with Arab characters, people will probably assume you’re representing your own community and experiences. You can be upfront about it by mentioning your background in your author bio and generally in any place where you introduce yourself or talk about your writing. You can also make sure to correct any mistakes that may occur if you are offered opportunities reserved for authors of color, or placed on lists of authors of color. Still, you won’t be able to entirely avoid misleading some people, so it’s up to you to decide whether you’re okay with that.
-Niki
Your intentions can be as pure as a baby's giggle, but there will always be strangers who flat-out won't believe it. Unless you are very comfortable with some people believing the worst of you, I'd advise against it.
Plus, there really isn’t a way to make sure every single reader sees you being “up-front and honest about this,” because plenty of people don’t have Twitter or read author bios on the book or whatever. --Shira
I agree with the above points. However, I especially want to emphasize what Niki and Shira’s are saying: You can be as well-intentioned and transparent as you wish. It will likely not make a difference. You can no more stop people from forming their own assumptions about you than you can stop them from thinking. Thus, I strongly think the alternative suggestions by Emme below for honoring your partner are worth considering.
- Marika.
Politics of Race and Race-faking in Publishing
Providing my own thoughts from a discussion that Mod Niki facilitated!
Considering how so many people with “ethnic” non-white names must assimilate in order to be seen as palatable for western audiences, I do not feel comfortable with white people doing the inverse, despite any good intentions. Too often we have “racefaking” and intentional deceit when it comes to exploiting opportunities set aside for people of color.
--Emme
I agree. I don’t think it is realistic to assume that you are operating in a world where the identity suggested to your audience by your pen-name won’t impact:
How editors interact with your story
The likelihood of your being published
Who your audience believes you are
Lastly, from a professional standpoint, you should consider that once your body of work is associated with a given pen-name, it will be difficult to switch should you need to for any reason.
- Marika.
Alternatives?
There are certainly ways to honor your significant other aside from publishing your work under their surname (as Mod Niki and Mod Shira described above):
A dedication page?
Creating a main character (of SO’s ethnic background) sharing that surname in your story?
These, in my opinion, are much more solid ways to honor people in your writing and allow for a natural progression of explanation (i.e. People will be interested in what you have to say about creating your world, a heartfelt message you have for your SO before you story begins).
I emphasize Mod Niki’s suggestion above, if you did continue to publish under your spouse’s surname. How transparent are you being about your own race? Is your reasoning for writing under an Arabic surname clear to your readers and publishers?
--Emme
Partner’s Perspective?
You’ve talked a lot about why you want to use your partner’s pen-name for your writing. How does your partner feel about this? If it is known that the two of you are married, anything you write with your partner’s name will also be linked to them in the public’s eye. How do both of you feel about that? Are either of you active on social media? How will you both cope if there is public outcry over the optics of a white, Westerner publishing under an ostensibly non-Western name (I recognize that sentiments might differ between different international markets, but twitter, instagram and tumblr being what they are, let’s not kid ourselves).
As a mixed person who regularly has to be tactful about which identity I present to different audiences, I view this question more as an opportunity to give advice than to tell you what to do, so please take everyone’s responses to heart and then make the choice best for you, your partner and your conscience.
- Marika.
