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Using Pen Names
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Sam
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Jul 29, 2015 06:22AM
Do you use pen names for any of your books? And how do you go about marketing and promoting them under your pen name?
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I use the pen name Jack July. I do that for two reasons. One, some of the content in my books is controversial and I want it separated from my family. Two, my real 15 letter name won't fit on the License Plate of a Ferrari California T. What can I say, I'm an optimist. In -so-far as legal aspects, you do everything under your real name. You just have to be careful that when you are on say, Amazon, your real name on your account doesn't pop up next to your pen name like it did me. Kind of blows the whole pen name thing.Also you will want business cards, book marks and whatever other swag you hand out with you pen name. Also a separate Gmail account with your pen name, a separate facebook account etc.
No. Thought about it, but someone convinced me that Morris E Graham sounded nicer than what I was trying to come up with
I wrote my trilogy under my real name. The books are funny fantasy thrillers which would suit any age.My latest project is an amusing adult adventure so it's aimed at a completely different audience. I plan to publish it under a pen name so as not to confuse readers. The big problem is that this'll be the début novel by a 'new' author, so it'll be like starting my writing career all over again.
Morris wrote: "No. Thought about it, but someone convinced me that Morris E Graham sounded nicer than what I was trying to come up with"That is a cool name.
I'll use a pen name when I am in need of an organ transplant and have to write books that might upset those with delicate constitutions. Until then, I'm me.
I write under the pen name J.D. Cunegan (my first and middle initials and the Scottish root of my surname), and it's purely for aesthetic purposes (as in, I hate the way my given name looks laid out on a book cover).
Jack wrote: That is a cool name.
Why thank you, Jack
Why thank you, Jack
Jack, your reason is in part aligned with why I asked. I have a series of books that is more controversial than other books I am planning. The problem is, sooner or later your real name and status as author is revealed, blowing the cover. However, I assumed the pen name helps at least for a while to protect those other works.
The virtue of the pen name is that if you want to write in two genres it reduces the risk of a reader accidentally buying a book they don't like.Have a look at
https://electrashepherd.wordpress.com/
Mod
I use a pen name that is an abbreviation of my full name for my main YA stories. But I have a children's book in the works also that would be under another name so as to not confuse readers. I use different names for different audience bases, but all of which are different versions of my birth name so that way it's all still me.
Yes, my first two books and the final one of my trilogy are under my first initial, my real middle and last names. I'll probably use A. Louise Robertson for all of my books - even though they will be diverse in content.
Well I'm not exactly a successful author (yet I hope) and started considering this indie-publishing thing seriously a month ago. At the moment, I do use a pen name because I don't want to have my writing and career influenced by one another, but I go on with it as if it's an entirely different person, although if you dig a little you'll easily figure it out.
I use a pen name because i have a regular job and i like to keep things separate although not too separate. I have a page for my pen name on fb ran by my real account and my friends know I write but i dont push people to read it. i just liked the pen name better than my real one.
Another angle I think a lot of authors are wondering: IF one uses a pen name, does that author promote the book or mention it in any way with her/his real name? For example, being interviewed about one's writing projects, which include the pen name books. The idea would be to boost sales with a real persona over a fake one.
S. wrote: "Well I'm not exactly a successful author (yet I hope) and started considering this indie-publishing thing seriously a month ago. At the moment, I do use a pen name because I don't want to have my w..."You'd be surprised though. It has a lot to do with branding. By picking that name and advertising a certain genre or type of writing surrounding it, you give it a brand. That's what I think sells books over time. Like Gena Showalter. I know what I'm going for when I use that name. She's my go to for a certain brand of books. With marketing, any of us can put that kind of association to our pen name.
I use a pen name. Denae Christine is actually my first and middle names, but my last name was too difficult for everyone to spell/pronounce. It also makes me feel like I have a secret identity.
For German projects I use my abbreviated middle name and my real last name. It sounds catchy, and I don't plan to translate the book into English.For my English projects I use a pen name because my real surname is difficult to spell/pronounce for English-speaking audiences.
I still wanted it to be me somehow, so I used my first and last name, then re-arranged the letters until I came up with a believable first and last name that look and feel like they could be American.
I also took care that the pen name started with a letter in the middle of the alphabet, just in case I do make it into large bookstores some day. (So I'll be in the middle of the shelf, because that's where people start browsing. Nobody accidentally stumbles upon the shelved A's or Z's)
Sam wrote: "Another angle I think a lot of authors are wondering: IF one uses a pen name, does that author promote the book or mention it in any way with her/his real name? For example, being interviewed about..."It really depends on why you're using a pen name. A lot of established authors use(d) them for separating their work in different genres. If that's the case, then you're not doing it for anonymity, but rather for marketing focus: You don't want purist Romance readers to accidentally buy one of your Fantasy or Science Fiction works, for example.
Kristin Kathryn Rusch is a good example of that. She's up front about using pen names and wrote a good blog post about their use:
http://kriswrites.com/2013/10/02/the-...
However, she does conclude that pen names are unnecessary for Indie writers:
"Indie writers don’t need pen names. For a while, I thought they did because I’d been raised in traditional publishing with traditional publishing genre expectations. But indie publishing is a whole new game, and you could probably name that game Trust The Reader.
As Scott William Carter says in his blog about getting rid of pen names, readers are smart enough to figure out for themselves what they want to read. If they don’t like fantasy novels, they won’t pick up Scott’s fantasies. If they don’t like mysteries, they’ll ignore his mysteries.
I stumbled into this one on my own with my short stories. While I played the pen name game with my novels, I never did with my short fiction. So I have romance short stories mixed with mystery short stories mixed with science fiction short stories, all under my Rusch name. And as WMG Publishing started releasing my entire backlist, including all of my short stories, I watched the sales jump around—by story, not by genre."
Now, if you're doing it for anonymity, then all I can say is...Good luck.There's only so much you can really do to stay anonymous. But as soon as you need a web page for your pen name, you're pretty much hosed unless you can get a friend or someone else to be the actual owner of your web page.
Even if you've ever posted a photo of yourself online, you're pretty much hosed. Apps like Google's image search will likely reveal your picture associated with your pen name.
There's really no such thing as online anonymity. If someone wants to find you badly enough, they will.
Morris wrote: "No. Thought about it, but someone convinced me that Morris E Graham sounded nicer than what I was trying to come up with"I agree with you there.
My co-author does. It's a chance to pick a name you like better than what your folks came up with. If you have a very common name, a pen name might make your work a little easier to find. And it does provide a little distance and enhance privacy. (Yes, people can track you down -- but why would they want to?) I agree that pen names don't seem to matter much for separating work into genres. I think part of that is the new ballgame we're in. The rest might be that unless you sell as many books as Steven King, it doesn't matter much. Steven King is a "brand" -- Owen O'Neill is not (and never likely to be).
Mod
This is for multiple reasons really.
- My last name is short, but completely unpronounceable by nearly everyone.
- If a prospective employer, or a family member googled my name, I wouldn't want any books to show up, regardless. It is easier to have a pen name, because then you can tell people you actually want to know about your novels. No Great Aunt Betty reading something she found on the internets! (I am sure you could trace me if you really tried, but simple curiosity googles will not yield sexy book writer alerts.)
- My name didn't fit the style of book in the slightest. The entire thing is such a parody of fantasy books, so I went with something obviously om nom nom de plume. There is an archer on the cover and the name is sort of a joke. That is how much I care about my readers, I made my own name a jab at myself. For you! :D
If I had gone with my other non-sexy book idea way back when, I may have used my actual name. I probably wouldn't have though. Pen names are mysterious! Who doesn't like a good mystery!?
Jolie wrote: "S. wrote: "Well I'm not exactly a successful author (yet I hope) and started considering this indie-publishing thing seriously a month ago. At the moment, I do use a pen name because I don't want t..."It makes sense, actually, according to all marketing rules I know of, sadly of which few are about books.
C.B. wrote: "I think pen names are more common in certain genres! Am I proud of my work? Of course! So very proud that I could burst! Did I want my real name used on something called Elfrotica? No, no I do not...."Now you've made me curious about your real name. I have a neighbor whose last name is short and unpronounceable, or so he thought until he spelled it for me and I got it right. ;)
My last name is Kenklies. In London I got letters addressed to Ms King-Cleese.I almost chose that as a pen name :)
Kat wrote: "My last name is Kenklies. In London I got letters addressed to Ms King-Cleese.I almost chose that as a pen name :)"
You seriously missed your chance on that one.
By KAT KING-CHEESE
You win!
I have been considering using a pen name for my next book as it is a romance and not set locally as were the other five.However, perhaps I am underestimating my readership and maybe they won't be disappointed if it is very different from the other books.
I was having fun picking a name but as I wasn't trying to hide, just change genres, I may not do it.
Since I had previously written non-fiction articles using my full name, and do artwork under my maiden name, I opted to use my initials for my fiction.
I'm using the pen name Charles Freedom Long for a number of reasons. One: I think it's cool. Two: I write science/spiritual fiction that deals to a great extent with what I feel is a realistic viewpoint of what happens to personalities after death and the pen name tends to make a connection to spiritualism. Three: I've had my fifteen minutes of fame. I do not wish to be locally "famous" again, will not do the "local author" bit, so the pen name should be useful for that. I live in a tiny little rural village. I realize that online anonymity is a very long shot, but at least someone will have to work at it. Four: I want my writing to stand on its own.
The first book in what I hope to be a series will be out in August or September.
The first book in what I hope to be a series will be out in August or September.
Charles, I'm with you on the local author business. Good for you for setting your sites higher. I like the name Charles Freedom. It has a noble, literary, super-hero ring to it!
I think to avoid the pitfall of brand extension for a best-selling author is a real enough reason to use a pen name. Look at Nora Roberts (synonymous for romance) and her books as J.D. Robb (mystery/suspense). It allows her to work without diluting her previously established name in a different genre. There are, of course, many other times that I would consider or want to use a pen name, but I think the only thing that matters is whether or not it's true to you. If you identify through that pen name, use it. If it's some kind of ploy, maybe it's best not to use it?
I first changed my name when using a stage name while doing standup comedy. Reason: Every single announcer had a different pronunciation for my real name.If it works for you, and you're comfortable with it, I see nothing wrong with using a pen name, regardless of your reason.
I don't think the reason that one decides to use a pen name is as important as consistency. If you consider it a brand, keep the product consistent (same genre, etc.) so that readers can become comfortable with the product - your book.
Micah wrote: "KAT KING-CHEESE"All the cheese is mine now.
I use a pen name, largely for privacy. I live in a conservative area and my parents are employed at religious organizations. News that their daughter writes erotica could affect their employment.I'm aware that my real name could get out, especially if I become very commercially successful. Hopefully if that happens I'll be successful Enough can support them so losing their jobs won't be such an issue.
I'm using a pen name that is actually my real first name and my last name initial. The reason I chose to do this is because I just didn't think my last name sounded like an author's name (whatever that is). Sounds kind of silly now that I try to explain it.
I use the gender neutral M. F. Sullivan writing in the field of transgressive fiction because I think people will have an easier time buying such a heavy book if they believe it was written by a man. The author's identity is completely secondary to the content of their story and should only be considered in a thorough literary analysis, like the essay your English teacher made you write about F. Scott Fitzgerald and the influence of his life on The Great Gatsby.Now, that's not to say that fans shouldn't get to know they author if they enjoy their work. They should--but only after they have enjoyed their work. At least, that's how I operate, I understand others may feel differently, but the Internet is a crazy place and I'd rather hedge my bets.
The internet is indeed a crazy place. I'm relatively open about my life other than my name on my blog because I want to strike a balance between engaging with readers and protecting my family. I know my work is never going to be studied as classic literature and I'm good with that. I just want to entertain and hopefully make a few bucks in the process. Readers do seem to like to see the author as a person. I noticed a huge uptick in emails after I posted about my colon cancer scare (all clear, yahoo!). Gone are the days where the author is a shadowy figure in an ivory tower.
Kat wrote: "Micah wrote: "KAT KING-CHEESE"All the cheese is mine now."
All my cheese are belong to you!
I wrote a lot of adult books under a pen name and I didn't market them because I didn't want my brand to include those kind of books.However, I'm not doing it like that anymore. I am working on my first novel and I will use a pen name but be totally open about the whole thing.
If you are wondering why I don't just post under my real name: my real name is very unique and I'd like freedom of being somewhat anonymous.
Mod
M.F. wrote: "I use the gender neutral M. F. Sullivan writing in the field of transgressive fiction because I think people will have an easier time buying such a heavy book if they believe it was written by a man."That you have to do this says a lot about what is still wrong in the world of literature.
Yeah, Ceebs, you've probably destroyed your credibility as an elfrotica man of the people.... (PS am halfway between amused and disturbed re the minotaurs). And I don't think I'll ever look at a cake turntable the same way again.
Mod
More authors in my genre area tend to be female, and I almost made a female pen name to fit in Better.
Honestly, thinking about it, I've bought more books written by women than men in the last... well... since the year 2000 at least. I even found out that some of my older favourite authors from the time of being a kidlett were women with initial names, which I thought was pretty cool.
Be who you are! :D If someone will not read your book because you're a woman, or a man, or gay, or of a certain religion, or race or anything else... you probably didn't want them to read it anyways! :D
Side note: (The last thing I ever wanted to ruin for anyone ever was cake! I love cake! Frosting and all!)
Don't worry you haven't ruined it. Just makes it a little awkward to use my turntable these days.
I use a pen name, but now I am not really sure why I created a false name. It might actually be confusing for people who might want to purchase my book, but can't find it, because they are looking under my real name. I thought it would be better for me, because of my job, but not sure it would matter. My books are not controversial or inappropriate in any way. http://www.amazon.com/Hot-Summer-Nigh...
I like publishing under my real name. It's so much easier that way. When I did a lot of music it was all under the name emdot_ambient and it was annoying trying to tell people how to find my stuff.Now when a friend or acquaintance at work finds out and asks where they can find my books, I just say "go to amazon and search my name; you'll find it."
Easy-peasy.
I use a pen name for ficion and my real name for non-fiction. My husband was Czech and for marketing purposes using my real name for fiction is impractical. My pen name is simple to spell and remember and it is near the beginning of the alphabet. I use the same first name for both, that way when I am making public appearances and someone calls me by name, I respond. I do copyright my books with my real name. I am not keeping my name a secret, just a marketing decision.
Before you use a pen name I would recommend having a long think about the kind of writer you want to be. Hopefully, there will only be a small selection of genres that you aim to write in, and each genre should have a different pen name so that your readers don't get confused.These names don't have to be drastic, though. For example, Iain Banks also wrote under Iain M. Banks, which I believe was the name for his more sci-fi heavy works. It just made it clear to his readers that, if they didn't like sci-fi, don't read the titles with a "M" in his name.
