Jen's Writing Journey

Should writers use different names for different genres? Using me as an example, I have a non-fiction book coming out in July, I have an idea for a fantasy novel, I’m working on a paranormal romance, I’ve submitted erotica, and I came up with a fun idea for a children’s book this morning. Should all of those appear under one name?

I’m not sure. Judy Blume used one name for all of her writing (at least all that I know about). She wrote kids books and adult books. I never “accidentally” read any of her adult books until I was ready emotionally to handle the subject matter. The fact that she wrote things that could serve me well at all stages of my life is appealing to me. I find the right stories by looking in the right section of the bookstore or library.

But, this was quite a few years ago. Publishing seems to have changed in such a way that it is essential to brand a variant of your name for each genre—or a completely different name, as is the case with Jessica Bird and J.R. Ward. The goal is not to shield yourself from what you write in each genre, but to let readers know what to expect when they pick up one of your books. In my example, that would be 3-5 different author names, each with its own platform.

Thoughts? I’d love to hear from authors who did it both ways. And from agents and editors who have worked with authors who pseudonymed and those who didn’t.

• Book Covers The things I am writing straddle genres to some extent, but I think the best category right now is paranormal romance.I am trying to read more paranormal romances to get a good idea of what is good in the genre and what isn't so good. The first not-so-good? The book......
• Planning a Blog Tour I've been working for the last few months to plan a virtual tour to promote my book The Best of Learning & Leading with Technology. It is a lot more work pulling it all together than I would ever have dreamed. I've learned a few lessons about this monumental organizing......
• Set Yourself Up for Success We all know that there is no magic formula for success. It comes down to hard work and good timing. You can't control timing, but you can control how hard--and smart--you work. 1. Research If you want to write for a particular magazine, subscribe to it and visit the local......
• Dealing with Rejection On Monday, I talked a little about the stigma attached to vanity presses. We all seemed to be in agreement that self-published books are not viewed with the same level of respect as traditionally published books, even if the writing is of the same or better caliber. Writer's Digest has......
• Writing Roundup, September 11 Here is a handy table of contents that will help you quickly reach the topic of your choice. Let me know if you like it this way. The Business of Writing Craft Fiction Freelancing Platform The Business of Writing Freemium for Writers Is Two Debates Don Holloway provides interesting insight......

• Keep A Sketchbook And Have Fun A sketchbook is like diary for an artist, a place where you can just let out all your art without any worries. Any person who...
• Get Into Bed With Jamaica Layne (Author Interview) LRP: I just read Market For Love and I was impressed by your details of the work atmosphere. Granted I have no background in finance...
• How Orange is Your Book? A few days ago I glanced up at my shelf of recently-read books. Scanning the titles brought a smile to my face until a sudden...
• Audio Review: Artemis Fowl (Book 1) by Eoin Colfer by First Mate Keira, guest reviewer. Title: Artemis Fowl (Book 1) Author: Eoin Colfer Narrator: Nathaniel Parker # CDs / Minutes: 5 CDs (approximately 72...
• Book Giveaway: $1,000 Dollars & An Idea - Entrepreneur To Billionaire. THIS CONTEST HAS ENDED. This month's giveaway is for a copy of "$1,000 Dollars & An Idea" by Sam Wyly. Mr. Wyly wrote this book...