Different pen-names for erotica?

thethinker42

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KathleenParker said:
This relates to a pen-name issue I have.
My current WIP is decidedly erotic. But other stories I'm working on is set in the same universe/setting, but not of an erotic nature (hard sci-fi).
I can understand that readers may expext the same genre from one author, or even same world from that same author. But what if that's ot what I want to tell from that world? Add in some sex to satisfy those readers? Add a warning on the front page "Bevare, no sex inside!", Or maybe just write it all under one name, and warn for heavy sex in those titles it will occur in, and stay true to the world and characters? Or am I missing something here?
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I write all over the place (erotic, sweet, suspense, romance, SFF, contemporary, etc), and use pen names for branding. The suspense novel I have coming out this week is definitely not one that I would market to a romance audience, so it's under my mainstream SFF/suspense pen name, BUT it's no secret that all the names are me. Same social media accounts, same website, etc. I use different names to signal to readers that while it's still me, they'll be getting something very different. For example, L.A. Witt writes gay male romance, usually with a fair amount of sex, but Ann Gallagher writes the same genre without any on-screen sex. Some of my readers read all of my pen names, some read only one or two.

If your books are within the same universe, make it a marketing thing. State upfront that both authors are the same person writing in the same universe, but that Author X writes the smuttier books. The only thing I'd recommend against is trying to claim you're really two different people. Unless you're doing something like children's books under one name and erotica under the other, it's probably best to be as upfront as possible that this is a branding thing to differentiate between types of content, rather than an author possibly misleading their readers. (Only because there's been a lot of backlash in recent years about a single author name turning out to be ten people, for example, and readers generally prefer that we just be straight with them)

So TL;DR - brand your one author name as heavy on the smut, and one less so (let your blurbs and cover art convey it rather than putting up a warning, IMO), and just be open and honest that you're one person writing different types of content within the same world.

Hope that helps!
 

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I must admit I had to do some light googling for your terms there, only to realise I think I understand exactly what you mean.
The erotic stories can probably all be described as SFR, maybe with only one exception. While the non-erotic ones would be SF.

If I understand you correctly, you suggest merging atleast some of the stories into longer ones, and thus be able to stick to one genre, like SFR. Absolutely an interesting idea, but it scares me. So far, the stories I've been working on, and been able to flesh out with plots and characters and subplots and such, is also short enough that I can pull off writing them. Smaller bite-sized chunks so to say.
But merging a few of them realy would solve my issue there. I've got quite a bit of reworking to do to make it work though.
 
lizmonster

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KathleenParker said:
If I understand you correctly, you suggest merging atleast some of the stories into longer ones, and thus be able to stick to one genre, like SFR.
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Actually, that's not what I meant at all. :)

What I was suggesting was having the SF series branded something like "An Andromeda Tale," and having the erotica stories branded "An Andromeda Erotic Adventure." Clunky examples, but do you see what I mean? Tied together by common branding, but clearly marked as having a different character. The idea is to make the difference clear to the reader before they click "Buy."

Merging books can be fun! (My first book started out as two books. :)) But I don't think it's necessary in this case unless it's something you've been dying to do anyway.
 

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thethinker42 said:
I write all over the place (erotic, sweet, suspense, romance, SFF, contemporary, etc), and use pen names for branding. The suspense novel I have coming out this week is definitely not one that I would market to a romance audience, so it's under my mainstream SFF/suspense pen name, BUT it's no secret that all the names are me. Same social media accounts, same website, etc. I use different names to signal to readers that while it's still me, they'll be getting something very different. For example, L.A. Witt writes gay male romance, usually with a fair amount of sex, but Ann Gallagher writes the same genre without any on-screen sex. Some of my readers read all of my pen names, some read only one or two.

If your books are within the same universe, make it a marketing thing. State upfront that both authors are the same person writing in the same universe, but that Author X writes the smuttier books. The only thing I'd recommend against is trying to claim you're really two different people. Unless you're doing something like children's books under one name and erotica under the other, it's probably best to be as upfront as possible that this is a branding thing to differentiate between types of content, rather than an author possibly misleading their readers. (Only because there's been a lot of backlash in recent years about a single author name turning out to be ten people, for example, and readers generally prefer that we just be straight with them)

So TL;DR - brand your one author name as heavy on the smut, and one less so (let your blurbs and cover art convey it rather than putting up a warning, IMO), and just be open and honest that you're one person writing different types of content within the same world.

Hope that helps!
Click to expand...

I'd like to stick to only one pen-name if possible. And I don't mind releasing different genre stories from the same one. Mostly because I allways read the blurb on the back of the book before I buy, and if there is none, I don't buy. I sort of expected many do the same. But it seems like I've been wrong there.

This becomnes an issue when I review the notes I've got for a few of the stories I have planned. They stand out like vacuumed, sore thumbs, sort of.
Two in particular, where I've done the research, I have the numbers, the orbits, ship designs worked out, relative dates etc. I really want to tell those stories, and they would be hard pressed to fit outside of the world I've built (alternative history is a good reason).
So, someone reads a couple of stories with heavy BDSM, and a ponygirl story, while the tech and infrastructure of that society evolves. Then suddenly there's a story about an accident, lifes are threatened, a small, un-experienced construction crew imrpovises and comes to the rescue. Building suspense with realistic, technical problems that needs to be resolved, with time and resources pressing on. Possible ethical issues etc.

That would be a rather substantial jump in type of story, while the world and setting is the exact same.
I totaly agree though, a reader should be able to to a degree be aware of what sort of story they're about to devour.
 

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lizmonster said:
Actually, that's not what I meant at all. :)

What I was suggesting was having the SF series branded something like "An Andromeda Tale," and having the erotica stories branded "An Andromeda Erotic Adventure." Clunky examples, but do you see what I mean? Tied together by common branding, but clearly marked as having a different character. The idea is to make the difference clear to the reader before they click "Buy."

Merging books can be fun! (My first book started out as two books. :)) But I don't think it's necessary in this case unless it's something you've been dying to do anyway.
Click to expand...

Yes, that does sound like a good idea. I'd have to be carefull when handling development over time, between books. But I suppose I can do that twice if necessary, when applicable.

Thanks to all of you for helping me sort this out here. I think I've got an idea hiw this will not turn into a too messy jumble now.
 
dangerousbill

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Cyath said:
So what do you think - one pen-name to rule them all, or different pen-names for different genres? How do you guys (and girls) go about this? What are your own experiences?
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By all means, use a pen name to insulate your erotica writing life from your 'real' life.

On another group, I knew a woman who insisting on publishing her erotic romances 'honestly', under her real name. At work, a holy person somehow found out her avocation and made a point of shaming her in front of all her coworkers. Her boss didn't fire her, but warned her to stop publishing dirty stories.

Here is an article I wrote several years ago for the ERWA blog (under a pseudonym):
https://www.erotica-readers.com/insider-tips/the-art-and-science-of-pseudonyms-and-character-names/

Dangerous Bill (my real name)
 
mf1438

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I use a pen name for my erotica. My wife would kill me if I used my real name. She looks at erotica writing as some kind of kinky act of perversion. She doesn't read it and doesn't want friends and family to know I write it. So if someone asks what I do in my spare time, I can say I'm a fiction writer but nothing about erotica.
 
Maryn

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A whole lot of us use a pen name. It takes a particular kind of family, employer, friends, neighbors, etc. to be cool with a person who writes graphically about sex. (Sh, we're supposed to pretend we don't do it or even think about it. How'd I get these kids, again?)

Maryn, whose name isn't Maryn
 
thethinker42

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Maryn said:
A whole lot of us use a pen name. It takes a particular kind of family, employer, friends, neighbors, etc. to be cool with a person who writes graphically about sex. (Sh, we're supposed to pretend we don't do it or even think about it. How'd I get these kids, again?)
Click to expand...

This is so true. I write under my real name, or at least variations of it, and post about my books on social media. Everyone -- friends, family, former coworkers, my husband's coworkers, etc -- are well aware of what I write. There hasn't been backlash per se, so in that respect I've been very fortunate, but there are definitely people who think it's a big joke. I have found that the more they realize I take it seriously (and since I'm making a solid living at it), the more they're willing to respect what I do, but some giggly comments are inevitable.

The best part is when people look at my mom and say "How do YOU feel about what she writes?" And she answers, straight-faced, with, "I buy every book the day it comes out. You might really like [title] or [other title]."

There was some concern early on about how this could affect Mr. TheThinker42's military career, especially once he started getting into the senior ranks where image becomes important when you want to get promoted. But we've pretty much already torpedoed his chances of climbing very high thanks to our decision to not have kids (it's not impossible but very difficult to ascend the upper ranks without the perfect Christmas card family and white picket fence). So we both agreed, to hell with it, and everyone knows what I do.

So I've been very fortunate to have a family and social circle that doesn't act like a bunch of asshats about what I write. Jokes, yes, but it hasn't caused any drama or problems.

Lori, whose name is Lori
 
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