Pen Names and Part-Time Writing - The Sell More Book Show Episode 635

What’s a permission you could give yourself that you think would radically change both your joy and your results? Today’s top story is… Making a tough decision easier. Question of the week is… What’s a permission you could give yourself that you think would radically change both your joy and your results? Join the Sell More Books Show Afterparty group on Facebook and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. Be sure to leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. Top Story: 1. Making a tough decision easier https://kindlepreneur.com/how-to-choo... Using a pen name doesn’t have to be a hard decision. “When I first started writing,” says Kindlepreneur’s Dave Chesson, “I wanted to keep my professional life separate from my writing life. I worried about those worlds colliding, so publishing under a different name felt like the right move for me.” Privacy might be the most cut and dried reason, but it can also be advantageous to have different names for different genres, particularly if they are vastly different. “But regardless of your reasoning on choosing [to have a] pen name,” writes Chesson, “your pen name shouldn’t be random.” Unfortunately, choosing a name might be harder than choosing to have one in the first place, but if you choose wisely, a good pen name can be a strong part of your marketing and branding. The first step is to choose a name that feels right for your audience. “Readers often make subconscious assumptions about an author based solely on their name, including age, style, and even genre,” says Chesson. Looking at the names and naming conventions of the popular authors in your genre, can generate ideas. Do they stick to long names or short names? Do they use initials? Then, make sure the name isn’t taken and that social media handles and domains are still available. Before you make a final decision, keep in mind that every pen name means more marketing and maintenance work. Unless your pen name needs to be secret, consider using slightly different versions for each pen name, instead. It will allow you to keep your books separated in stores, but let you continue to market as the real you! #selfpublishing #podcast