Double Pen Names/Double Trouble
By Ann Everett
Have you considered writing under more than one pen name? If so, what I have to say may help you.
First, let’s talk about why you want to write under a penname, much less multiple pen names.
It’s common practice to use different pennames for different genres as in Agatha Christie/Mary Westmacott, Anne Rice/Anne Rampling, J.K. Rowling/Robert Galbraith, and many more. Some well-known authors, like Dean Koontz, have written under numerous pennames.
There are other reasons. Maybe you don’t want your family and friends to know you’re writing…in case you fail. Maybe your real name is too hard to spell or pronounce…or it’s too common. Or, perhaps, someone already has your name and you don’t want to be confused with them. Although, if my legal name was Nora Roberts, I think I’d use it. Reaping a few sales off her sway wouldn’t be a bad thing, and hey, since I write romance, some of her readers might like my work!
Or, you might use my reason. I don’t have a pretty name. Pattie Ball sounds like something you’d order at a concession stand. “Give me a corn dog, a Frito pie, and a couple of Pattie balls.”
Ann, (my middle name) and Everett, (my husband’s middle name) is a much prettier…IMO. I had no trouble choosing it. But once I decided to add an additional pen name, it was a much harder decision. I wanted to reverse the initials. Instead of AE, go with EA. So, I made a list of all the combinations I liked, then researched Amazon to make sure the names weren’t already in use. I decided on Emma Ames. That also reversed the syllables which I liked.
Second, why did I want another name? Well, for many years, a couple of Christian fiction members from my local critique group, suggested I clean up my steamy romances and release them under a different pen name. They thought I could tap into a different market. The s-e-x scenes were the only thing keeping them from recommending my books to their readers.
I started with a small-town humorous romantic mystery series I’d written back in 2006, but didn’t publish until 2011. Editing the books into a milder story wouldn’t be as difficult as some of my contemporary romances. The hardest part, which I’d not thought about, wasn’t re-writing the stories, but everything that came later.
I’d been so focused on editing the books, deciding on new titles, and covers, rebranding never crossed my mind! Holy Moly!! What was I thinking?
Emma needed social media accounts, an email address, a website or at least a page added to Ann Everett’s site. When you say all of that really fast it doesn’t sound like much, but it is!
Because of the time I was putting in trying to ‘clean up’ Ann’s books so Emma could get them out into the world, I was already neglecting Ann’s social accounts along with her website. Up until 2019, I’d been consistent in blogging each week, but that fell by the wayside once Emma came on board.
I’d vowed to have all of Emma’s 4 planned books in place by the time 2020 rolled around. I almost met that goal. In 2019, I published 3 books for Emma and 1 for Ann. I’m currently working on the last of Emma’s books and should have it completed by March…fingers, eyes, legs crossed!
I feel like I went about this in reverse. I really should have had Emma’s social media accounts, email, and website in advance of the books. If you’re planning to add an additional pen name to re-release some of your published books, my advice is:
Set up social media (I’m still working on this)
Get a website in place or at least add a page to one already in existence. If you have plans to add a site later, go ahead and purchase the URL, that way, you’ll have it in place.
Add an email
Order bookmarks, business cards, etc. If you only have two author names, you can order two-sided…one for each name.
If you do book shows/fairs, consider your table set-up to separate the two genres.
If you’re re-doing a series, you’ll need to change the series names. The steamy contemporary romance series I’m currently ‘scrubbing’ is Bluebird, Texas Romances, the clean versions are Sparrow, Texas Romances.
Naturally, if you’re re-releasing a book, you’ll want to find a new cover. In my case, something that depicted the ‘sweetness’ of the story…no naked bodies!
Start looking for blog opportunities early and have some in place by the time the book is ready for release.
You’ll also need a new tag line, logo, bio, and headshot to brand your new name.
If you already have an account set up with KDP, you’ll need to link your new name so that you just have one account. Both of my accounts are set up under my ‘real’ name. Easier for tax and royalty payments!
When choosing a pen name, you might also consider where your book will be shelved. I didn’t think of that when choosing mine, but it so happens, Evanovich and Everett will be shelved close together. Emma Ames didn’t work out that well. No romance bestsellers near her…maybe she’ll be the first! Hey, I can dream.
And, if you’re re-publishing a different version of a previously published book, be sure and add that as a disclaimer in the front of the book so readers know you’re not trying to pull a fast one…. because publishing the same story in two versions is anything but fast!
Ann’s Bio
Ten things about award-winning and Amazon bestselling author, Ann Everett.
She’s married to her high school sweetheart.
She loves shopping at thrift stores.
She doesn’t remember her first kiss.
She hates talking on the telephone.
A really sharp pencil makes her happy.
She secretly wants to get a tattoo.
She’s thankful wrinkles aren’t painful.
She thinks everyone should own a pair of cowboy boots.
She sucks at math.
Ann’s social media:
Swan, A Bluebird, Texas Romance
A small-town girl rising to fame.
Swan Malone never imagined leaving Bluebird, Texas, but when her college cheerleading gig leads to fame, and her first film becomes the top-grossing movie of the year, she realizes dreams really do come true. However, not everything in her life is as good as a fairytale.
A soldier barely hanging on.
Nothing could have prepared Army Sergeant Teague Shanahan for what he endured while held hostage in enemy hands. Battered and scarred, he returns home hoping to put his life back together but finds he’s still a prisoner of his past—too broken to be fixed, even by the woman he loves.
Welcome to Bluebird, Texas
Where a girl with stars in her eyes fights to save a man with demons in his soul.
Book links:
Good advice! And good reads under either names!
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by, Susan.
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