Q: How many pen names can I create?
A: You can create an unlimited number of pen names.
Q: How many pen names can I have per Author Central account?
A: Each Author Central account can have three pen names. So, if you have fifteen pen names, you'd still only have one Amazon account but five Author Central accounts, each with three pen names.
Q: How do I create my pen name’s bio (what can/can’t I say about my pen name)?
A: You cannot lie about your pen name’s credentials or expertise. Calling yourself an up-and-coming writer in your niche with the passion to help others in that area is a great start. You do not need 20 years of experience in a field for readers to trust your word. If the information inside your book is great, that is enough for them to view you as an authority on the topic. Any other credentials you can apply on top of that are the cherry on top.
Q: What gender should my pen name be?
A: Your pen name can be the same gender as most of your target audience. Remember that your pen name’s gender is insignificant to your publishing business’s success.
Q: How do I create a pen name?
A: It ultimately matters not. Pick a name, any name. You can make it up! As long as it follows general naming principles in line with the place/culture that your pen name “comes from,” you are good to go!
Great examples: John Wilkins, Patti Monroe, Leslie Doyle, Stefan Belanger
Q: Can I use a brand name as my pen name?
A: Yes, that is a great idea if that’s what you would like to do. The advantages are that you can easily hire many writers without readers noticing a different writing style in your books because they understand multiple writers are likely to write all the books. A disadvantage is that some readers would rather read books from an individual person rather than a brand name because there’s a more personal connection.
There is no right or wrong in the pen name vs brand name discussion; it is a matter of personal preference. Ultimately, it will have a very small impact on your business.
Q: Should my narrator be the same gender as my pen name?
A: Ultimately, your narrator’s style should fit the theme of your book.
Q: Should I join Facebook groups with my pen name’s Facebook page or on my personal account?
A: Facebook has recently limited the abilities of Facebook pages. You can’t directly message anyone in other Facebook groups, as your page and groups can also limit whether pages are allowed to join. Therefore, you will be limited to the number of groups you can join and what you can do inside those groups. For this reason, it's recommended that you contact people using your personal Facebook account. People will not be suspicious about your name not matching your pen name if you are upfront about writing using a pen name.