by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
I wrote a post on January 10th about the benefits of being a novelist…one being that you can write whatever you want to write, under different names. It’s a fantastic way to get the opportunity to experiment with other genres or styles while not disappointing readers who might be accustomed to particular types of books.
The downside is actually promoting those different names.
This post is for those of you who write under two names—but want to link your pen name to your real name (in case you have readers who want to take the leap to another genre or series with you.)
There are some things that I’ve done that seem to work well for linking two names:
Having both names as my Blogger profile (I comment on my own blog and others’ blogs as Elizabeth Spann Craig/Riley Adams)
Email signature: My email signature includes the two names that I write under.
Facebook: I make sure that both names are on my Facebook page.
Website: The fact that I write under two names is prominent on the home page.
Amazon Central author page: This is probably one of the most important places to include both names.
More painful, time-wise, for pen name promo:
Having a separate Facebook page for the pen name. Which I do have. It doesn’t get updated often, but readers sometimes contact me there.
A separate Twitter profile for the pen name: It didn’t take long to give this idea up.
Separate Goodreads account: I’m bad to keep up with Goodreads, even with my real name.
Something to try for promoting your pen name:
Be on a rotation for a group blog—as your pen name. This is something I did for several years (as a once-a-week blogger on a food blog for my culinary mystery), although lately I’ve run out of time even for that. But, if you can spare the time, being a regular on a group blog that focuses on the genre you’re writing can be a way to reach new readers.
Do you use a pen name or have you thought about using one? How have you promoted it?
When I get there…I plan to use variations of my name. One for adult fiction and a different pen for children’s fiction.
Thanks, Elizabeth!
Teresa
Elizabeth – Oh, those look like very good ways to do promo for both names. I’ve honestly never really thought of using a pen name; that’s principally because I haven’t written outside my sub-genre. I think pen names really can be useful, though, for authors who write outside the (sub)genre most closely associated with their real names. It helps get a new audience.
Thank you for the advice. I have a twitter account under Georgina Lee, that I hardly have time to check. But I do enjoy the two different sides to my writing.
Lydia Sharp is a pen name that I’ve already established, so developing a new one would have to be worth the work. But I have considered using a different pen name for my SF/F vs my contemp novels.
Thanks for the tips!
I have started out with a pen name, so I have a facebook, blog, twitter, and good reads account, all with my pen name, so it would be harder to have both by now. Some good ideas though, should I ever think of revealing my real name for a separate genre. Great post!!
My genres are close enough (and I have only one mystery) that I’m glad I don’t have to think about creating a new identity. Yet, somehow, people seem to assume that because I’m a writer, I can’t possible be using my own name on my books.
Terry
Terry’s Place
Romance with a Twist–of Mystery
I too use a pen name. I use my pen name for my fiction and my real name for my nonfiction. I was thinking about adding twitter sites for various aspects of my writing, but after reading what you had to say, I think that perhaps I should just stick to what I already have in the works. I really enjoyed your perspective.
There are two distinctive types of writing I enjoy. I have a light side and a dark side. I might possibly create a different pen name for these two sides.
I’ve looking for information and posting questions in groups about how to build a platform (for fiction book) for a pen name. My alter ego has no friends:( I’ve created a blog and social networking accounts, but am having a heck of a time getting traffic and friends. Any tips?
I also use a pen name for my novels. I use another for my commercial writing ~ websites, brochures etc. It separates the two parts of my writing life.
Very interesting, Elizabeth. I would have thought a writer might not want one name associated with the other, like …I’m a cozy writer and don’t want readers to know I also write horror (or vice-versa). But it sure would be easier if you could have both your names “share” the marketing.
Interesting post. I have no plans either way (at this point), because I’m working on my first ms, but you have provided good food for thought. I can see where marketing might be challenging if you kept pen names completely separate.
Journaling Woman –That makes a lot of sense, I think.
Margot–You and I are sticking with mysteries! (For now, anyway…)
Donna–Thanks! When I was *thinking* about the different social media for the pen name, it didn’t seem like that much extra work. The reality was, unfortunately, different.
Laura–Sounds like a good plan. :)
Barbara–That’s the way mine was! In fact, I don’t even remember the Twitter handle for my pen name anymore…
Lydia–It’s time-consuming, but it could help you bridge a gap from your established readers to a new genre.
Valentina–That makes a lot of sense. Otherwise, it would be too confusing for your commercial customers.
Helen–I think it would work sometimes…like a cozy writer hooking old readers into their lit fic or women’s fiction. But it would be a lot more of a gamble for huge shifts in genre.
Charlie–It would be a real pain to build a brand under your real name after putting all the work in on your pen name. You could always just put your real name on all those accounts…in your “About Me.”
Terry–Ha! Yes, because they think they should have *heard* of us. Like there aren’t thousands of us…
I can barely keep up with one Twitter account – can’t imagine two!
Definitely a lot to think about when using a pen name. I don’t use one.
Ann
Jenna–The writers that I know who’ve done it well are folks like Avery Aames/Daryl Gerber and Jennifer Stanley/Ellery Adams. They have a fantastic rapport with readers on Facebook, in particular. They’ll say what they’re cooking for dinner and ask what everyone else is cooking, share pictures of their pets, that type of thing. Ellery/Jennifer blogs on a group blog with other writers of the same genre and it’s a reader-oriented blog (they’re not blogging on writing tips) Another great thing to do is to comment on a variety of blogs as your pen name and make sure that profile links back to your blog. Good luck!
Alex–It’s not good to imagine!
Tracy–It just seems like such a shame to waste perfectly good branding/platform building. At least this way, readers have a choice…they can learn that you write other genres and, if they’re interested, they can look you up.
Ann–Which makes life a lot easier!
I use a pen name. Can’t tell you why, though. Since I barely have time to network or write as one identity right now, my pen name gets all the credit.
I’ve thought about a pen name and I’ve played around with it but something tells me that I can’t really do any better than my real name — Icess Fernandez Rojas. If that ain’t exotic, I don’t know what is! ;-)
That is a lot of work, Elizabeth.