From what you described, I would go with using #3, especially if there is going to be cross-over.
Which pen name should I use? Ack!
Hi guys -- I have a dilemma, and I'm hoping all you smart folks here will lend me your thoughts. I'll try to keep the explanation concise. 
Currently, I have three pen names. They are:
Pen name 1: My real name. Two trade published urban fantasies (Simon & Schuster), a few years old and never really sold well. Two unrelated self-pubbed paranormal romances, not performing too great (single digit sales / month).
Pen name 2: A hybrid pen name (the one in my sig). One self-pubbed thriller series, performs meh (permafree, double digit monthly sales, mostly on the boxed set), plus one trade pubbed M/M paranormal romance series that did really well for quite a while but is now trickling down to meh. Some slight crossover between audiences for this one, as I have a handful of readers who'll follow this name regardless of genre.
Pen name 3: Relatively new (launched in December '14) self-pubbed, solid performing pen name. Contemporary romance series (steamy, but not erotic), very branded, in KU and about 40/60 sales to borrows, decent sales that are ebbing but hopefully will pick up with my new release next week.
Pen name 3 is the most active (the other two haven't had new releases in a year and almost two years, respectively). So one would think that would be the natural choice for something new, but...
I'm starting a new series (actually a serial) which I'm going to write concurrently with the pen name 3 series. The serial will be M/F sweet paranormal/gothic romance, based on Arthurian legend and set in modern day. It will have marginal crossover with pen name 2's M/M paranormal series, mostly a bit of the world-building, but possibly one or two characters will make an appearance. Probably just the Seelie King.
So... which pen name should I use for the serial? 1, 2, 3, or (ugh) make a new pen name? I'll do option 4 (new pen name) if it's the best choice, but I will be a sad panda for a bit.
Any and all thoughts are much appreciated. Thanks!
Currently, I have three pen names. They are:
Pen name 1: My real name. Two trade published urban fantasies (Simon & Schuster), a few years old and never really sold well. Two unrelated self-pubbed paranormal romances, not performing too great (single digit sales / month).
Pen name 2: A hybrid pen name (the one in my sig). One self-pubbed thriller series, performs meh (permafree, double digit monthly sales, mostly on the boxed set), plus one trade pubbed M/M paranormal romance series that did really well for quite a while but is now trickling down to meh. Some slight crossover between audiences for this one, as I have a handful of readers who'll follow this name regardless of genre.
Pen name 3: Relatively new (launched in December '14) self-pubbed, solid performing pen name. Contemporary romance series (steamy, but not erotic), very branded, in KU and about 40/60 sales to borrows, decent sales that are ebbing but hopefully will pick up with my new release next week.
Pen name 3 is the most active (the other two haven't had new releases in a year and almost two years, respectively). So one would think that would be the natural choice for something new, but...
I'm starting a new series (actually a serial) which I'm going to write concurrently with the pen name 3 series. The serial will be M/F sweet paranormal/gothic romance, based on Arthurian legend and set in modern day. It will have marginal crossover with pen name 2's M/M paranormal series, mostly a bit of the world-building, but possibly one or two characters will make an appearance. Probably just the Seelie King.
So... which pen name should I use for the serial? 1, 2, 3, or (ugh) make a new pen name? I'll do option 4 (new pen name) if it's the best choice, but I will be a sad panda for a bit.
Any and all thoughts are much appreciated. Thanks!
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Whoops, I was not clear! Sorry about that. The crossover is with pen name 2, but pen name 3 is my best performer... and the genre of the serial most closely matches pen name 1.
Ack. Thanks for replying!
Ack.
Thanks for replying!
Ooooh! I didn't even consider that! What a fantastic idea...thank you!Evenstar said:
Not sure if I could pull it off, at least as soon as I'd like -- because the pen name 2 series that will have crossover with the serial is currently available through a publisher. But the contracts have renewed a few times, and sales are at a trickle... so the pub might be willing to revert the rights to me now. Can't hurt to ask, right?
If not, well, maybe I'll go with pen name 3 anyway and just re-release the M/M series as I get the rights returned (the contracts expire yearly, but I've been letting them auto-renew). I really need to keep as much momentum as possible... I kind of quit my job recently, so my writing income is it. Very motivating, that.
This is going to sound weird, but I'm on my first cup of coffee.
I ask who wrote it. I usually get a gut sense of where it belongs.
I have three pen names, too, and I've run up against that issue of where to position a new project. Mine are all self-published, so I don't have the rights issue that you do, though.
Evenstar's suggestion has the advantage of simplifying things. I read something on Dean Wesley Smith's website about his process of putting his pen name works under his own name. I suspect I'll do that eventually.
In the meantime, I use the same publishing name for everything and I'm moving toward doing some of the promotion under the publishing name to keep things simple -- I have no interest in having separate websites and accounts for every pen name.
I wish you well with your new releases, whoever wrote them.
I ask who wrote it. I usually get a gut sense of where it belongs.
I have three pen names, too, and I've run up against that issue of where to position a new project. Mine are all self-published, so I don't have the rights issue that you do, though.
Evenstar's suggestion has the advantage of simplifying things. I read something on Dean Wesley Smith's website about his process of putting his pen name works under his own name. I suspect I'll do that eventually.
In the meantime, I use the same publishing name for everything and I'm moving toward doing some of the promotion under the publishing name to keep things simple -- I have no interest in having separate websites and accounts for every pen name.
I wish you well with your new releases, whoever wrote them.
Thanks, Secret Pen Pal! I definitely like the idea of simplifying and streamlining -- it's just been drilled into my head that Thou Shalt Not Cross Genres. But I have had (limited) success with pen name 2, and some readers enjoying both of those series in very different genres (thriller and M/M paranormal romance).
Pen name 3 has a mailing list (haha) of 20 whole people (yay, readers!), but I would probably make a separate signup for the new serial and hopefully maintain two separate lists, since the contemp series and the serial will be so different. And then, like Evenstar suggested, when I get the rights back to the M/M series I'll republish it under pen name 3. With loads of labels and warnings about it being previously published under a different name, which people will ignore and then one-star me for.
Thanks for the responses, everyone! I am still open to thoughts on the evolving plan.
But I have had (limited) success with pen name 2, and some readers enjoying both of those series in very different genres (thriller and M/M paranormal romance).Pen name 3 has a mailing list (haha) of 20 whole people (yay, readers!
), but I would probably make a separate signup for the new serial and hopefully maintain two separate lists, since the contemp series and the serial will be so different. And then, like Evenstar suggested, when I get the rights back to the M/M series I'll republish it under pen name 3. With loads of labels and warnings about it being previously published under a different name, which people will ignore and then one-star me for. Thanks for the responses, everyone! I am still open to thoughts on the evolving plan.
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