Writing Fiction Under a Pen Name: Living in Two Writing Worlds

TL;DR — Quick Answer

In this article, Dr. Madhuri Kanojiya reflects on writing literary fiction under the pen name Dr. M. K. Wise, alongside her academic non-fiction. She explores why an author might adopt a pen name, how separating two bodies of work can free each to be itself, the very different demands of fiction and academic writing, and what crossing between these two worlds has taught her. It is a personal, reflective account for anyone curious about pen names, writing across genres, or the relationship between analytical and creative work.

I write in two worlds. Under my own name, Dr. Madhuri Kanojiya, I write academic non-fiction — works grounded in research, analysis, and scholarship. Under the pen name Dr. M. K. Wise, I write literary fiction — stories that explore human experience through narrative and imagination. These two kinds of writing are profoundly different, and maintaining both, under different names, has taught me a great deal about writing, identity, and the relationship between analytical and creative work.

People are often curious about pen names and about writing across such different genres. In this reflection, I want to share, honestly and personally, why I write fiction under a pen name, what the two kinds of writing demand, and what crossing between them has taught me. If you are curious about pen names, drawn to writing in more than one genre, or interested in the relationship between creative and analytical work, I hope my experience offers something of value.

Why Write Under a Pen Name?

The decision to write fiction under a pen name — Dr. M. K. Wise — rather than my own name was deliberate. There are several reasons an author might adopt a pen name, and in my case, the separation of two very different bodies of work was central.

My academic non-fiction and my literary fiction are different in nature, purpose, and audience. By writing them under different names, each body of work can stand on its own, with its own identity, without one being confused with or overshadowing the other. A reader of my academic work and a reader of my fiction encounter distinct authorial identities suited to each kind of writing.

This separation also frees each kind of writing to be fully itself. My academic name carries the expectations of scholarship; my fiction pen name carries the freedom of creative expression. Each identity is suited to its work. The lesson I draw is that a pen name can be a way of honouring the distinctness of different kinds of writing, allowing each to exist on its own terms.

Two Different Kinds of Writing

The most striking thing about writing in both academic non-fiction and literary fiction is how different the two are. They demand different skills, different mindsets, and almost different parts of oneself.

Academic writing is analytical, evidence-based, formal, and precise. It demands rigour, clear argument, support for every claim, and careful structure. The goal is to communicate knowledge and arguments clearly and to contribute to understanding through reasoned analysis.

Literary fiction is imaginative, emotional, evocative, and expressive. It demands creativity, attention to language and rhythm, the ability to evoke emotion and create vivid experience, and a feel for character and story. The goal is to illuminate human experience through narrative and to move and engage the reader.

Moving between these two modes is like switching between different ways of thinking and being. The analytical discipline of academic writing and the imaginative freedom of fiction draw on different capacities. Learning to do both has stretched me as a writer in ways that doing either alone would not have.

How Each Kind of Writing Informs the Other

Although academic writing and fiction are very different, I have found that each informs and enriches the other in unexpected ways.

The discipline and precision of academic writing bring rigour and care to my fiction — attention to craft, structure, and clarity even within creative expression. The clarity I have developed in academic work serves the fiction, helping me write prose that is both expressive and controlled.

Conversely, the creativity and feel for language developed in fiction enrich my academic writing — bringing a sensitivity to expression, rhythm, and engagement that makes even scholarly work more readable and alive. The creative side helps me communicate with more vividness and humanity.

I have come to believe that the analytical and the creative are not opposed but complementary. Each develops capacities that enrich the other. Far from being in conflict, my two kinds of writing strengthen each other, making me a more complete writer than either alone would. The lesson: do not see analytical and creative work as opposed. Each can deepen the other, and practising both can make you richer in both.

What Writing Fiction Has Taught Me

Writing literary fiction, alongside my academic work, has taught me things that have value well beyond the page.

It has taught me empathy — fiction requires imagining and inhabiting others’ experiences, deepening one’s understanding of human beings. It has taught me attention to language — a sensitivity to the sound, rhythm, and feel of words that makes all writing more alive. It has taught me emotional honesty — fiction draws on genuine emotional truth, requiring a kind of honesty different from academic objectivity. And it has taught me the value of creative freedom — the liberation of writing without the constraints of evidence and argument, simply following imagination and feeling.

These lessons have made me not only a better writer but, I believe, a more complete person — more attuned to human experience, language, and emotion. The creative work nourishes something that the analytical work alone does not.

Maintaining Two Writing Identities

Maintaining two distinct writing identities — Dr. Madhuri Kanojiya for academic work, Dr. M. K. Wise for fiction — is itself an interesting experience. Each identity has its own voice, its own body of work, and its own relationship with readers.

I have found that holding both identities allows me to fully inhabit each kind of writing without compromise. When I write as Dr. M. K. Wise, I am fully in the creative mode, free from academic constraints. When I write as Dr. Madhuri Kanojiya, I am fully in the scholarly mode. The two identities give each kind of writing its own space to be itself. Rather than feeling divided, I find that the two identities let me honour the full range of what I want to write, with each name suited to its work.

The lesson, for any writer drawn to more than one genre: distinct identities can be a way of giving each kind of writing the space and freedom to be fully itself, rather than forcing very different work under a single identity that suits one better than the other.

Reflections for Writers Considering a Pen Name or Multiple Genres

For writers considering a pen name or writing across genres, here are my reflections:

A pen name can honour the distinctness of different kinds of writing, letting each stand on its own terms with its own identity.

Different genres demand different capacities — moving between them stretches and develops you as a writer.

Analytical and creative work can enrich each other — far from being opposed, each can deepen the other.

Writing fiction teaches empathy, language, and emotional honesty — lessons of value well beyond the page.

Distinct identities give each kind of writing its space to be fully itself, without compromise.

Writing in two worlds, under two names, has been one of the most enriching aspects of my creative and intellectual life. It has stretched me, taught me, and allowed me to honour the full range of what I want to write.

Conclusion

Writing literary fiction under the pen name Dr. M. K. Wise, alongside my academic non-fiction as Dr. Madhuri Kanojiya, has taught me a great deal about writing, identity, and the relationship between analytical and creative work. The pen name honours the distinctness of two very different bodies of work, allowing each to stand on its own terms. The two kinds of writing demand different capacities, yet each enriches the other, making me a more complete writer than either alone would.

For anyone curious about pen names, drawn to writing across genres, or interested in the relationship between creative and analytical work, I hope this personal reflection offers insight. Writing in two worlds has been deeply rewarding — stretching my capacities, deepening my understanding, and allowing me to honour the full range of what I am moved to write. The analytical and the creative, far from being opposed, have proven to be complementary parts of a single writing life.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why do authors write under a pen name?

In Dr. Kanojiya’s experience, one key reason to write under a pen name is to separate different bodies of work that are different in nature, purpose, and audience. She writes academic non-fiction under her own name and literary fiction under the pen name Dr. M. K. Wise. By using different names, each body of work can stand on its own with its own identity, without one being confused with or overshadowing the other. This separation also frees each kind of writing to be fully itself — the academic name carries the expectations of scholarship, while the fiction pen name carries the freedom of creative expression. A pen name can honour the distinctness of different kinds of writing.

Q: How is writing fiction different from academic writing?

According to Dr. Kanojiya, who writes in both, the two are profoundly different. Academic writing is analytical, evidence-based, formal, and precise, demanding rigour, clear argument, support for every claim, and careful structure, with the goal of communicating knowledge through reasoned analysis. Literary fiction is imaginative, emotional, evocative, and expressive, demanding creativity, attention to language and rhythm, and a feel for character and story, with the goal of illuminating human experience through narrative. Moving between these modes is like switching between different ways of thinking and being, drawing on different capacities. Learning to do both stretches a writer in ways that doing either alone would not.

Q: Can analytical and creative writing enrich each other?

Yes — in Dr. Kanojiya’s experience, although academic writing and fiction are very different, each informs and enriches the other. The discipline and precision of academic writing bring rigour and care to fiction, helping produce prose that is both expressive and controlled. Conversely, the creativity and feel for language developed in fiction enrich academic writing, bringing a sensitivity to expression and rhythm that makes scholarly work more readable and alive. She has come to believe the analytical and creative are not opposed but complementary, each developing capacities that enrich the other. Practising both can make a writer richer in both, rather than the two being in conflict.

Q: What does writing fiction teach you?

In Dr. Kanojiya’s experience, writing literary fiction teaches empathy (fiction requires imagining and inhabiting others’ experiences, deepening understanding of human beings), attention to language (a sensitivity to the sound, rhythm, and feel of words that makes all writing more alive), emotional honesty (fiction draws on genuine emotional truth, requiring a kind of honesty different from academic objectivity), and the value of creative freedom (the liberation of writing without the constraints of evidence and argument). These lessons have value well beyond the page, making her not only a better writer but a more complete person, more attuned to human experience, language, and emotion. The creative work nourishes something the analytical work alone does not.

Q: Is it difficult to maintain two writing identities?

In Dr. Kanojiya’s experience, maintaining two distinct writing identities is an enriching rather than dividing experience. Each identity — Dr. Madhuri Kanojiya for academic work and Dr. M. K. Wise for fiction — has its own voice, body of work, and relationship with readers. Holding both allows her to fully inhabit each kind of writing without compromise: when writing as Dr. M. K. Wise, she is fully in the creative mode, free from academic constraints, and when writing as Dr. Madhuri Kanojiya, fully in the scholarly mode. Rather than feeling divided, she finds the two identities let her honour the full range of what she wants to write, with each name suited to its work.

Article reviewed, edited, fact-checked and approved before publication. — Empire Research Press Editorial Standard