Support for Indie Authors discussion

Does anyone have examples of authors who publish across different markets and keep with the one pen name? For example they write children's books and young adult or murder mystery etc

I can understand why you'd want different pen names but does it really matter when the listing and blurb would categorize the work for separate markets. Also I would think having the same pen name would show the diversity and creativity of the author? But I suppose if a child is searching by author name they will get the whole gamut of books, child friendly or not - and in the least case a book cover might spook a child. What are your thoughts?

I found out in the biography of some classical SF authors that they were using different pen names for different magazine (I can't remember who exactly, too long ago sorry). I suppose that at the time, writing SF wasn't something people wanted to advertise.
Personnally (and I am still trying my hand), I have right now one book for children published, with my own name. I have a second coming, that will be also with my name because it will also be a child book.
But at the moment I am writing a romance and I consider using a different pen name. My idea is to not mix the two type of works, leaving me some leeway if I want to go 'extreme' (sexy, gore, etc) in the novel.
I have to admit I would be curious to know authors that have kept their names.

I'm with Alex on this.

So far I have written Time Travel Romance and Historical Fiction with romance.

But - oh dear, I am really branching out with the wip and it will be published under the same name. I did wonder momentarily if that would be the right thing to do but it would be like starting all over again and I can't face that!

I've already given you a clue, Alex, in saying I can't find a ready-made genre for it!

That's one of the good things about being an Indie, Leon, we can write whatever we like without an Agent making demands.

And, if our brains aren't functioning, we can let them sleep! Or laugh.

guess Alex is sayin' he can't see too much difference in a time travel romance and historical fiction with romance - apart from the time travel? one is science fiction romance and the other historical fiction romance? :) I can see keeping the same pen name for these.

I am considering producing a children's picture book this half of the year and later this year a young adult thriller. I've already published middle grader fantasy novella. I am 90% convinced to keep one pen name for marketing - but there is an element of doubt that one book may tarnish the other depending on how they are received? :P

I think that in cases where your pen name is not a secret and you are not selling erotica, the most compelling reason to use a separate pen name is to keep your Amazon also-bought clean and genre-appropriate.

Amazon is a search engine, and it tries to serve up to you the books that you like to read. If an author writes in, say, children's social stories, train engines, and writing craft, then Amazon algorithms are going to have more problems deciding who to suggest your books too. If someone is looking for children's social stories, does Amazon show "train engines of the world" to them in the also bought section? Will people who have bought "How to Write Damn Good Books" want to read "Suzie uses the Potty"?

If someone clicks on the author name and is served up a mishmash of three widely variant genres, do they stick around to browse through them, or click away? If you sell children's books, but your last three books are dark thrillers, then which do you want people to see when they click your name? All of them? Or if they are browsing children's books, do you want just your children's books to be served up to them?

Using different pen names for different (widely variant) genres doesn't mean that you have to have separate websites, social media channels, etc. You can separate genres on your website. You can use hashtags on your social media. We are really just talking about Amazon and other retailers. What do you want them to see when they click your name?

Your names don't have to vary widely across genres, and they can be similar. You can use John Smith for thrillers, Johnny Smith for children's, John T Smith for writing craft, etc. You can indicate on your Amazon Author Central profile bio and your Goodreads account what names they can find your other genres under. Joanna Penn/J.F. Penn and many others use this tactic.

If your genres are similar, I wouldn't go to the trouble. But if they vary widely, I would consider it. I write crime fiction, and though it runs the gamut from cozy mystery to thriller to YA gritty contemporary, my readers tend to cross these genres without a problem. If I started publishing in children's, romance, sci-fi, etc. I would probably use a different name.

P.D. Workman (Pamela) wrote: "I think that in cases where your pen name is not a secret and you are not selling erotica, the most compelling reason to use a separate pen name is to keep your Amazon also-bought clean and genre-a..."

Thanks Pamela, that's a great answer and something I hadn't considered. You have swayed me to use a different pen name for the children's book. I don't know if I'll create too many of them but for all the reasons you've explained it makes sense to do so.

Alex wrote: "Anna Faversham wrote: "I've already given you a clue, Alex, in saying I can't find a ready-made genre for it!"

But that would require me to get my brain functioning, lol."

And if there are any NEW genres, would like to know of them.

Leon wrote: "Does anyone have examples of authors who publish across different markets and keep with the one pen name? For example they write children's books and young adult or murder mystery etc

I can unders..."

I can tell you, once I've established in the english speaking world of books. ;) I started to publish in 2015 in my motherlanguage which is German. My fantasy series sold rather well, so I dared and have it translated.

I always keep one name, which is my true name, for I don't see any reason, to use a pen name or not to be proud of my writing, even though I work in a totally different field to earn my living. ;)

If you have any question on the German bookmarket just ask freely and I try to help further. :)

Sylvia wrote: "Leon wrote: "Does anyone have examples of authors who publish across different markets and keep with the one pen name? For example they write children's books and young adult or murder mystery etc
..."

That sounds great Syliva to have your work in two languages. I could imagine it would be difficult to have some phrases and meanings translated or expressed from how you intended them in you German.

I like to keep a buffer from my day to day life with my writing and have a pen name. Just a safety net I guess incase of the unknown.

Thanks for the offer, and likewise if you need any help with English translation or beta read, let me know :).

Leon wrote: "Sylvia wrote: "Leon wrote: "Does anyone have examples of authors who publish across different markets and keep with the one pen name? For example they write children's books and young adult or murd..."

Thank you very much. I can offer you to read it, but the work is done. ;)
I was extremely lucky to find a very good translator who is fluent in German but native American. Some phrases yes were tricky and the worldbuilding. You can't translate some names just word by word. It was really fun and I hope it will find some readers who enjoy and value all the effort.