May 28, 2015 using author pen names on facebook and getting locked out. How to use the pen on your windows 10 laptop dummies. Why i write under a pen name the writing cooperative. How would this work if the author plans to publish him or herself. However, if the author with your ideal pen name exists but has not published many books recently or hasnt sold many books, you may want to just use that pen name anyway. But writers should take a few commonsense steps to avoid. Having a pen name does hurt or help in terms of getting a publisher to take you seriously. The series name field will show up after your book s title on your detail page. You should have a solid reason for using a pen name to selfpublish your book. I will register the with the office using my real name but will also write what my pen name is, but i dont want to put that on the book as i want that kept private. By using a pen name, she protected her joyce carol oates brand from the stigma of low book sales, the inevitable result of an novel that is experimental. This is a common question that i get, with a fairly simple answer. When sending queries to editors or literary agents, use the name you want to publish under for the byline and use your real name in the information block.
If you see an item titled change tablet pen settings, your laptop can use a digital pen. Working with amazon author pen names publishing with kindle. Each pen name requires different types of marketing and has different reader expectations. Nov 28, 20 trade publishers are notoriously wary of using the same author name across different genres, or of using a name that they feel is inappropriate for a particular book hence the morphing of joanne rowling into the more masculine j k rowling, even though she doesnt have a middle name. Do not include the series number or the title of the book.
How to change your author name to a pen name when selfpublishing. Mar 29, 2019 how to register and legally use a pen name. How and why to use themwhen my first book was being published, i toyed with the idea of using a pen name for about. Boy do i have a story to tell and fortunately, the solution that finally worked to get my facebook access back after they locked my access to both my profile and page due to my not using my real name. This can work very well for nonfiction writers, in particular, but also genre fiction writers. Avoid any name already used by a writer, since that is likely. Mar 29, 2019 using a pen name can also complicate selling subsidiary and reprint rights to your work, your heirs inheritance of your rights and foremost, the processing of your advance and royalty payments. The only thing that can help with that is good writing. An author is still bound by the contractual obligations, whether they signed using their legal name or pen name. At this stage you are linking the pen name to the book. Sep 20, 2012 using a pen name as a marketing tool on amazon is about putting a clue to your work into your name. When you see a familiar authors name on a book cover, you probably feel confident.
But regardless of why one chooses to use a pseudonym, creating a pen name can play an important part in your books marketing. Using a pen name does not provide any special legal privileges, nor shield a writer from say, a breach of contract claim see no. Pen name generator choose from over a million pen names. Writers reasons for using pen names range from rules of their jobs, to wanting to protect their. You can help by expanding it with reliably sourced entries. When i release my nonfiction books, the name will be willow shire or another version. Many writers use pen namesbut theres a right way and a wrong way to publish your book, stories, poems, or essays under a. Note that this is done from within your kdp account you are the publisher and will receive the royalties for sales of your book regardless of the author name. When a pen name is being used, am i being deceived into buying a book, which, if i knew the authors real name, i wouldnt purchase. Id just written a childrens story called lucy the diamond fairy under another. Many writers choose to use a pen name for many reasons, including to protect their identity when writing a memoir or to write in different genres. Example, lets say my real name is jane smith and my pen name is denise smithers. As was said in the other answers, the person getting paid being different from the name on the cover is business as usual. Jun 15, 2017 im a book blogger and unpublished writer, and have been using the pen name meredith rankin for about 11 months.
Pseudonyms, and also professional ghostwriters hired to help a celebrity push out a book, are such common things that publishers and agents have contracts and legal departments to accommodate them. Apr 21, 2020 interact with your surface in new ways using surface pen. A pair of sunglasses is on top of books by famous authors on a beach table. Should you write your book under your own name, or should you use a pen name. Literary agents and editors will expect a certain protocol for writers using pen names, especially if submitting a query using a pen name.
And there are very few of us who use aliases in our everyday livesat least, very few of us who are not violating parole. On the hardware and sound screen, look under the pen and touch category. In this blog longtime book editor kelly notaras lays out the. Jun 08, 2010 pen name is a nice way of saying fake name. If youre not sure which pen you have, go to identify your surface pen and features. If theres another author with that pen name already, you may want to find a new pen name. The answer is yes, you can publish a kindle book under a pen name. If so, rush out to the battery store right now to buy a spare battery or two. Because titles are the most often used search attribute, your series name must adhere to the book title guidelines above. It could be for marketing purposes or it could just be for their own comfort. The authors real name is likely known to the publisher but not to the public. You can actually publish a kindle book under whatever name you want. Using author pen names on facebook and getting locked out.
Dec 11, 2018 cons of using a pen name can be confusing if youve got too many. Recently, i realized that i may have made a big mistake in choosing this particular name. Because you have to hide your identity to maintain your pen name, readers cannot relate to you. This is a list of pen names used by notable authors of written work. The bottom line signing a contract using a pen name is possible. In fact, some readers are outright suspicious about pseudonyms. How to choose a pen name kindlepreneur book marketing for. You wouldnt introduce yourself at a job interview using a fake name, and since a cover or query letter acts as an introduction, the same rules apply. As paul gram mentions in the post above this one, another thing to consider is changing your pen name when you change niches. Using a pen name can also complicate selling subsidiary and reprint rights to your work, your heirs inheritance of your rights and foremost, the processing of your advance and royalty payments. A pen name may be used to make the authors name more. It can also be confusing for your readers if youre not consistent. Oct 25, 2017 longterm loyalty is very difficult to establish with a pen name.
Can you use a pen name instead of your real name on your. An author of a ed work can use a pseudonym or pen name. So there is no need to let using a pen name stop you from marketing your books. A pen name is a name an author uses in place of their real name when publishing. To separate the authors books into different types. A maiden name, your initials, or using your middle name as your first or last. So the more you have, the harder it is for you to juggle. For example, you cannot do the today show to pitch your book that was written by a pen name. If you are publishing with kindle direct publishing kdp, using a pen name on amazon is very easy. But most of the reasons for using a pen name dont matter much anymore.
When you enter a series name, enter only the name of the series. Xgens with hyphenated surnames opt for something short. Seven legal myths about pen names sidebar saturdays. Before deciding to use a pen name, consult a lawyer for assistance in avoiding these issues. My first adult book was a bit racy so we needed to keep the genres separate. Like brand names, they are designed to be catchy, memorable and suited to the genre.
Rather, it is a fictitious name that can become associated with a real person. Your pen name will be with you forever, so be sure its meaningful and makes sense for your career. This is done by signing contracts with the publisheragent using the real name corresponding to the pen name. Janet reid talks about using a pen name specifically to conceal your identity, while scott mccormick goes a bit broader with pen names and how and why to use them. A pen name is whats listed as the authors name on a published book, and readers often do not know the real name or identity of the author. The only other downside of using a pen name is that it limits the marketing you can do with that title. Rest your hand on the screen, like you would on a piece of paper.
And authors can always selfpublish books between big releases. When uploading your book to kdp or listing it for sale on amazon, enter your pen name as the author name. Using a pen name when writing a book is neither good nor bad. Always be sure to do your research before selecting a pseudonym. To see which apps to start with, go to the section try these apps with your pen.
There are lots of reasons for using a pen name, but in todays world it seems to boil down to three main categories. The pros and cons of using a pen name kn literary arts. Pros and cons of using a pen name writing a book chatebooks. Many writers consider a pen name for various reasons. Why do authors use pseudonyms surprising authors behind famous pen names key criteria to come up with the. How to register and legally use a pen name with pictures. Jun 19, 2008 kasha, whether or not you use a pen name, you should always interact with publishing industry professionals like literary agents and editors using your real name.
Michael, what are your dos and donts when it comes to using a pen name. This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. To confirm that your tablet pc can use a digital pen, open the control panel. Youve written something terrific, but what should you call yourself. A pen name may be used to make the authors name more distinctive, to disguise the authors gender, to distance the author from their other works, to protect the author from retribution for their writings, to combine more than one author into a single author. Also file a fictitious business name statement if you will be getting payments made out. Kickstart your writing career with this pen name generator that boasts over 1 million fake names. But regardless of why one chooses to use a pseudonym, creating a pen name can play an important part in your book s marketing.
All you need to do is add your new name as the authors name in the contributors section when you are preparing the book for publication. Use your surface pen in any app that supports inking. How to use them effectively and avoid problems pea, bruce on. A work is pseudonymous if the author is identified on copies or phonorecords of the work by a fictitious name. Now, if the authors real name is dudley swineburp and he wants to write historical romances, i can understand him using the pen name anthony romano. By definition, a pen name it is not considered ones legal name. I know that an author can use a pen name pseudonym instead of a true name when publishing the traditional way. Depending on your reasons for using a pen name whether you are concealing your identity altogether, or simply developing a few different writerly personas you may have to strike a few things off the promotion to do list, such as live events. Why i use a pen name and how i created one the writing.
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