A literary alias is a name used by an author that differs from their real name. Writers often adopt these pseudonyms for various reasons, such as privacy, branding, or to separate different genres of their work. For example, the famous author Samuel Langhorne Clemens is better known by his pen name, Mark Twain. Using a literary alias can also help authors reach different audiences or explore new styles without the baggage of their established identity. Some authors, like J.K. Rowling, have even created aliases, such as Robert Galbraith, to write in a different genre and maintain anonymity.