![]() ![]() You have to put yourself front and center and use your book to build visibility, establish credibility, and spread knowledge. In order to do that, you can’t hide behind a fake name. Publishing a nonfiction book isn’t about selling books. Regardless of whether you’re hoping to make money, gain clients, enhance your visibility, or make an impact, you want your brand to be about you, not some false version of you. ![]() Most successful Authors make money from their books in other ways. They’re also not the best way to make money off a book. Not to mention, your launch week will probably be your highest sales point, so you can’t bank on an equally steady stream of sales.īut sales are not an accurate way to assess your book’s success. In fact, it’s pretty good!īut-and it’s a big but-many books bring in far less than $10 a copy, and many sell fewer than 174 copies a week. Let’s say you make a $10 profit per copy and your sales hold steady for a month. In fact, in 2019, Scribe’s median title sold 174 copies in the first week. Most nonfiction Authors don’t make a lot of money from book sales. You’ll Make More Money USING Your Book than SELLING Your Book Why Nonfiction Authors Should NOT Use a Pen Name 1. If you want readers to trust you, they have to know your background, hear about your first-hand experience, and connect with you under your real name. They want expert solutions to real-life problems, which means they need a real-life expert with know-how. People buy nonfiction books because of the Author’s real identity. ![]() Thus, if you’re writing nonfiction, you need to do it under your own name. You’re writing to build your brand or expand your business. If you’re writing nonfiction, you’re specifically writing to share your knowledge or tell your story. Seuss.īut if you’ve been paying close attention to these examples, you’ve noticed a common theme here. Think of whimsical children’s Authors like Lemony Snicket, Pseudonymous Bosch, and Dr. That’s why “Rocky Flintstone,” the subject of the hit podcast My Dad Wrote a Porno, adopted his nom de plume.įinally, some fiction Authors create alter-egos that are more suitable to their brand. For example, if you have a day job as a respected builder, you may not want your clients to know you also write erotica. Some Authors don’t want to reveal their true identity for personal reasons. Rowling submitted a manuscript as Robert Galbraith to see how publishers would respond to her latest work, apart from the hype.įamous Authors often adopt pseudonyms if they want to branch out into different genres, as was the case with romance-writer Nora Roberts, who took on the name J.D. That’s why he published books under the Richard Bachman pseudonym.Īfter the immense success of Harry Potter, J.K. Stephen King’s publisher discouraged him from writing more than one book a year so he wouldn’t oversaturate the market. That was the case for George Eliot, whose actual name was Mary Ann Evans. Historically, women would often write under pen names so their work would be taken more seriously. There are many reasons fiction writers use pen names. Rowling’s other pen name, Robert Galbraith, or Stephen King’s alias, Richard Bachman. Rowling, a.k.a., Joanne Rowling.īut sometimes they’re nothing alike, as is true with J.K. Sometimes pen names are close to the Author’s real name. You’ll occasionally hear people refer to it as a pseudonym or nom de plume. This post will explain what a pen name is, why some Authors use them, and 5 reasons you should not use a pen name if you’re publishing a nonfiction book.Ī pen name is an assumed name an Author uses in place of their real name. No matter how common, complicated, or controversial your real name is, you’d do best to stick with it. If you’re writing a nonfiction book, you should not use a pen name. Norman” is a lot easier to spell than “Milosz Wiśniewski.”īut let me help you here: you should resist the temptation. ![]() Plus, it’s hard to deny that “Carl McFlintock” is a lot catchier-and a lot easier to find on Google-than “Bob Smith.” Or that “C.S. After all, what if people hate your book? Or, what if your family members get upset that you told an embarrassing story about them in your memoir? There’s something intriguing about picking a flashy new name to go with your flashy new book.Īnd for some people, there’s a certain appeal to keeping yourself out of the limelight. Maybe you’ve even used one of those online generators to come up with a larger-than-life alter ego. Some Authors want to use a pen name for their first book. ![]()
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