Any tips on merging authors?

[Tanya]

I've been writing under a pseudonym for a few of my books and I have decided it's too much work to keep up the second social media account, marketing efforts and generally everything else on top of working on the books under my own name. I've been doing the same work twice and, with a full time job, I'm letting one slip and I figured I might as well let it go all together.

I'm trying to figure out the best and simplest way to merge the old name into my name on all the places they show up. Goodreads, Amazon, what have you. Should I remove the old books and reupload them with my own name on them fresh, or just change the cover and any text? There are a few reviews attached to them, though not all particularly glowing. Other than the reviews, is it easier to just change the names as opposed to starting new ones entirely?

If anyone's done this before or just has any suggestions, I could use all the help I can get!

[[deleted user]]

Since an author's platform (name recognition) is the best marketting tool you can have, merge both pseudonym and real name into one. If you have copyrighted your works under a pseudonym, with your leagal name as the holder of the copyright, all well and good. I think you can resubmit the copyright and change from pseudonym to your real name, howver that may not really be necessary. I submitted a copyright change simply to make clear that my novel, "Warzone: Nemesis" was written by Morris E. Graham, rather than Morris Graham, as there was already a copyrighted author with that name.

I would change the bookcover by changing the author name and text only, so those that see them realize it is the same book. Then I would put in the title page, Tanya xxxxx, formerly published under my pseudonym xxxxx. Then I would update my website explaining that you and your pseudonym are indeed the same, and proclaim the same to every social media link you are on. Then, I would do an author interview with anyone that will give you one. In short, I would also give a short on the "about the author" on Amazon that says in the first sentence, I am Tanya xxxxx, who also wrote under the pseudonym xxxx until 2015 when I merged all my works under my real name. You may have to check Amazon's policy about a name change, though you would not have to change your banking or account information otherwise. The key is to get this out on the internet hard, so that any google search looking for either identity finds statements that the two are the same.

Best regards, Morris

[Tanya]

Thanks Morris! I'll keep all that in mind.

Any tips on the actual book changes? Should I upload new versions entirely or just modify the old ones for the sake of keeping those reviews?

[Riley, Viking Extraordinaire]

I personally would just modify the old ones.

[[deleted user]]

Do they need editing? If they do, message me privately and we'll talk. If they do not, then just change the credits in them, but do by all means keep those hard won reviews. Uploading a change doesn't wipe out your reviews. I know, I've made an addition 3 editions of my own novel and it doesn't hurt anything.

[Tanya]

Thanks! I'm good on the editing, but I'm iffy on the reviews. Most are good, though I am wondering if it's worth keeping that one star review around or getting a chance to start fresh without it.

On the other hand, so long as Goodreads and the like will pick up the change in author, I might as well keep it. Thanks for the help!

[[deleted user]]

Check out famous authors. They sometimes get 1-2 star reviews, too. You just can't please everyone, and readers know this.

Morris