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Why does S.E. Hinton use just her initials rather than her full name?

Susan Eloise Hinton wrote The Outsiders when she was in high school and published her novel at the age of seventeen. Though her publishers were happy to print the novel, they were concerned her name might be a deterrent to potential readers. Especially for a story which deals so heavily with machismo, Viking Press felt a feminine name would discourage the target audience. As a result, Hinton chose to publish using her first and second initial alongside her surname. This decision is one many woman authors make, even today. Authors may fear having a feminine name implies their books are only for women, or only about topics which interest women. Of course, that's not necessarily true! Some women do write for a feminine audience, but many more are seeking to write to a more inclusive experience. Another famous author who chose to use a gender neutral pen name to prevent a gendered effect on book sales is J. K. Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter series.

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