Do I need to get a pen name?
I'm a self-published author, who is going to get a traditional publishing contract. They say it's my choice, but I have a doubt.
I have published a thriller novel, two mystery short stories, and also YA and some children short stories. If I'm going to write in different genres like thriller, sci-fi, also screenplays, and do this in... let's say, in a different format. do I need to get another name for that?
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1 answer
First of all, congratulations! If your publisher says it's up to you, then they're not seeing any red flags that would make a pen name advisable.
Lots of adults write for both children and adults and in different genres. While it can be hard to build a following for every genre, having a pen name will not help that because you'll be starting from scratch every time. With your real name, at least you'll have the opportunity to draw in some readers who liked your other books.
Most people advise not to use the same name for erotica as for children's books, but if you're just writing regular adult fiction, it shouldn't be a problem. Judy Blume is an example of a popular author who is famous for both YA and adult fiction.
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