What if you don't want to list yourself as the author of the book you wrote?

[Dwayne, Head of Lettuce]

Hey gang,

I had a weird inspiration a few minutes ago and wanted to run a question by all of you.

I've been working for nearly two years on a novel. It's gone through a number of titles, but some of you who have been here a while have heard it called FairyTale Village, Fear Near, and / or Seven Little Pigs, to name a few. Right now I'm cooling it with a working title Creeps.

So. The premise is this: A group of paranormal investigators (Creeps) have decided to investigate a closed down kiddie theme park (FairyTale Village). Rumors have abound for years and years about hauntings and other terrible things going on in the park.

Now. One of my favorite horror films is The Blair Witch Project. I love the found footage thingy they do with it. What I'm considering is prequeling (a word I just now coined, apparently) the novel with something called FairyTale Village: A Creeps Casefile which would read as if the various characters in my novel are writing up stories they have heard about FairyTale Village. To give it that "found footage" feel, I am thinking about putting it out with my name as the editor and compiler, but not the author.

Does anyone know if such a thing is allowed on Amazon? I could research it, and I will, but I'm feeling lazy today so I thought I'd ask you fine gentlefolk if you've heard of anyone doing this, or maybe you've done it yourself.

Thanks.

[Ian]

Presumably it would need an "author", but people write under pseudonyms all the time so I don't see why that would be a problem if you want to list the author as someone other than yourself.

[Dwayne, Head of Lettuce]

Thanks, Ian!

[Robert]

Take a look at Kindle Vella. That might be a good way to drum up an audience.

[Dwayne, Head of Lettuce]

Robert wrote: "Take a look at Kindle Vella. That might be a good way to drum up an audience."

That might work for a different kind of project. I'm nearly two years into writing this novel. It's far too late to bust it up into small "episodes". I wouldn't even know where to begin with that.

I don't have the kind of mind to write series or even trilogies.

[B.A.]

I've not heard of that, but I'm sure your idea of being the editor and and compiler of the 'fictional' stories could be done. I'd make sure that people understood it is the prequel to the novel. It would make a great reader magnet for that novel.

Looking forward to reading it. Keep us posted on when it comes out.

[Dwayne, Head of Lettuce]

B.A. wrote: "I've not heard of that, but I'm sure your idea of being the editor and and compiler of the 'fictional' stories could be done. I'd make sure that people understood it is the prequel to the novel. It..."

Yep. It's going to have to be clear this is a prequel to something, or the reader will feel ripped off. It will raise a ton of questions, but provide zero answers. It'll have to be obvious from the get-go. I don't want people buying it, thinking it's a full story, when it's really more of a teaser for the novel.

[Ian]

My guess is you could try saying you found this manuscript (you need to say where and make that sound interesting) so the prologue or whatever is you saying you found it, and that would be fine, except that when you submit it to Amazon, there is the form you fill in, and you have to state the name of the author apart from a pen name, and you have to state you have the rights to publish. My guess is if you don't assert you are the actual author but someone else is, they will refuse. Just asserting you have the rights would require the author to transfer rights, and you would end up committing fraud.

So my advice is, you can say what you like on the cover, but you had better be honest on the submission form

[Anna]

At a quick glance, I think Ian has it right in his last sentence.

[Dwayne, Head of Lettuce]

Oh, yeah. Yeah. I assumed I'd have to be straight with Amazon as to the true authorship. If for no other reason than I want them to send the royalties to me, not my characters.

[Allyssa]

Maybe an extra Amazon account with the pseudonym as the name? I haven't published anything, but just thinking about how it could work. You'd have to set it up right, though, with link to real profile.

[Allyssa]

Anna wrote: "At a quick glance, I think Ian has it right in his last sentence."

:)

[Anna]

Dwayne wrote: "Oh, yeah. Yeah. I assumed I'd have to be straight with Amazon as to the true authorship. If for no other reason than I want them to send the royalties to me, not my characters."

lol - thanks!

[Jay]

Maybe it's me, but I see no problem. When you set up for the pubishing there's a box for the author's name. Use whatever name you care to.

The cover has the name you choose, as does the inside.

So where's the problem?

[Ian]

Allyssa wrote: "Maybe an extra Amazon account with the pseudonym as the name? I haven't published anything, but just thinking about how it could work. You'd have to set it up right, though, with link to real profile."

I don't think you'd need to set up a separate Amazon account. They might even frown on that. The account would be in your name, but when you load up the book details you get to specify the author name. Under "Author" on the book details page it actually says "pen names are allowed".

[Dwayne, Head of Lettuce]

Jay wrote: "Maybe it's me, but I see no problem.

So where's the problem?"

There is none. I was asking a question. That's what this forum is for.

[Dwayne, Head of Lettuce]

Thanks everyone. I have decided what I'm going to do, so I'm closing this thread and archiving it. Thanks again!