Thank you for your show. I agree that in this day and age people should not be using pen names simply to disguise an ethnic name. However, that’s sometimes easy for people who have easy to remember and Anglo names to say as they don’t experience what it’s like to have many people constantly mispronouncing and misspelling your name. I can see the case of choosing an easier to remember name if someone, for example, has a long Polish name (or any other ethnicity) that has no vowels and most American or English speaking people cannot pronounce or even remember. It’s one thing if you are native to that country or culture but if you’re an American with a difficult name, I can see the benefit or justification of changing it to a shortened version and I don’t see it as trying to hide one’s ethnicity. I had a Polish dentist and unfortunately I just could not remember or pronounce his last name, so he went by “Dr Peter”. Had nothing to do with disrespect.
Great point! When I saw your comment, I immediately thought of Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. I know I have to look it up every time I think about his wonderful books. You're right, it has nothing to do with disrespect. But it is a consideration, depending on the audience you wish to reach. Thank you so much for adding that perspective to the conversation! Have a great day!
I really don’t know where to begin with self publishing and it is causing a ton of confusion for me. I want to sell my book of poetry on Amazon and kindle, but also I want to sell physical books too! Can you direct me to some of your videos that talk about that? I’m very happy I found this page, thank you for the info!
Hi Katerineee! Luckily, if you want to self publish your poetry on Amazon/Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), you can also self publish your print book there, too, with print on demand. I've done both eBook and print books on KDP for many years and have been very happy with it. Instead of directing you to my videos for the answer, I'd suggest you check out KDP's Jumpstart page where you can learn everything you need to know--step by step--about self publishing both eBooks and print books on KDP. kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/topic/G202187740 It looks like you subscribed to my channel. Thank you! I post a video at least once a week on some self publishing topic. There are about 100+ to watch. So stop by and browse the topics and stay tuned for more videos. Thanks for watching and commenting! Have a beautiful day!
@@HeidiThorneChannel You’ve led me to a goldmine of information that I’ve been looking for for so long! Thank you so much! I will be tuning in regularly to your videos and I’ll be binging the ones already up!
The pastor may have the talent and skill. But you have to ask what is the motivation for writing these novels? Because they have writing skills? Lots of people have writing skill. And how was that skill level assessed? There's also the question of whether the stories of people encountered in their pastoral duties are used. Remember that it is very difficult these days to stay totally anonymous. Your pastor friend should do a little more soul searching to understand why they want to do this, and consult with an intellectual property and media liability attorney.
@@HeidiThorneChannel The story could be compelling and impactful, but at the same time reach an audience that may not be possible by attaching a pastor to it. Everyone isn’t opened to hear what a pastor has to say, therefore this could be used as a strategy to save lost souls. As the late great legendary Tupac stated, “you have to enter into someone’s world in order to lead them out”. Not only that, it’s understandable that God is the only true Judge, but everyone that’s saved, Christian, and is a believer is not going to agree what a pastor writes within urban stories even though it’s based off truth. That is unnecessary warfare. Besides, if the book is successful, the funds could go to something greater than what’s imagined, such as to shelters, churches, schools, non-profit organizations, etc.
@@512ent Rell, I hear this kind of mission all the time. It is difficult to change the world with a book. Here's a video I did on that th-cam.com/video/Kcn-CK8Btuo/w-d-xo.html Plus, the audience has to BUY the book. What is the audience for this book? Do they buy and read books? Not everyone reads books, and not everyone who reads books actually buys books (library, Kindle Unlimited, etc.). And how will your audience discover your book? Take into consideration that around 75% self published authors make less than $1K per year from their books. Here are the stats on that: th-cam.com/video/6ZlLbu1R64Q/w-d-xo.html That's before your expenses to publish (editing, legal, etc.) and market (you will need to market and advertise in some way in today's competitive book markets). Likely, you'll end up with little or no profits to fund good deeds. Massive self publishing financial success is rare. And if you're thinking about trying to get a book deal with a publisher or agent instead, good luck with that! I know authors who struggle for years to get a deal, if they get one at all. Again, more soul searching is needed to clarify your motivations for this book, and if it is the best way to achieve your ultimate objectives. Then do your homework to determine your market and marketing plan. On top of that, you have to consider the consequences to your career if people find out it's you behind whatever pen name you choose.
I plan to use pen name but I'm wondering how to indicate I'm the author (for legal purposes) without doing so as part of the public record. Do you have any ideas?
What you did not mention is when you have a name like Joe Brown and there are a million other Joe Browns in the world, you probably should use a pen name.
Good point! However, there are a lot of big name authors who have quite common names. Take Dan Brown for instance. There's gotta be millions of Dan Browns in the world. Yet he didn't even seek to differentiate himself from them by using his full name (Daniel Gerhard Brown or Daniel G. Brown or some variation). Even James Patterson and Stephen King have quite common names. This is such a tough decision for authors, especially those with common names as you noted. It really is a personal choice, and is so dependent on how successfully an author can market himself. Thanks for adding that point to the conversation!
I am writing a nonfiction self-help book and I'm almost positive I will be adding onto it in the future, as in making a second version. Do you think I should put "first edition" on the cover of this first version? It's an ebook. Thanks
Good question. I would hesitate putting first edition on a book, even if it is a first edition. With nonfiction, it's common to have second and succeeding editions. On those editions, you would indicate what edition it is. On the cover is fine and/or indicate it on the copyright page (that's what I did on my 2nd edition). If you don't indicate it, most people will presume it's the first edition.
To be honest, I was planning to have one pseudonym by genre of my books, I had no idea how that was going to be. This video has helped me a lot, thank you.
If I want to use a pen name, it's my understanding we don't need to do anything for registration or anything for legal reasons, however this leaves us open to infringing upon someone else's name or someone else might be infringing upon our name?
You bring up a great point about infringing on pen names. But pen names can't be copyrighted; only creative works can. Here is a great article that spells out the pen name process very well. Also, I'd recommend the book by the article's author, Helen Sedwick (Self Publisher's Legal Handbook). It's a great resource on the legalities of the publishing game. www.janefriedman.com/choose-set-pen-name/ Good luck with your publishing adventures!
@@HeidiThorneChannel ...thanks for the article. She says to buy the domain...but for what reason? This article also says to buy the domain and also trademark the name.. why must we trademark it?
@@sweetbeep I typically recommend that authors buy their name or pen name domain, too, to help protect your brand. Even if you just forward the domain to one of your social media profiles. The article didn't recommend getting a trademark, but doing a trademark search to make sure you're not using something that's trademarked. It's good advice. If you're talking about the Fictitious Name statement, that's if you're going to do business as that pen name. Take your time to review all these issues, and consult an attorney if you have questions. Good luck with your research and planning!
@@HeidiThorneChannel ...the article states "You will want to buy a domain for your name and register it as a trademark before using your pen name for self-publishing." What exactly does this mean?
@@sweetbeep Suggest reading the article again. www.janefriedman.com/choose-set-pen-name/ What I see on the article is "2. Buy available domain names. You will want to buy a website domain for your pen name." I've read the article multiple times, on more than on device just to check, and the text you quote is nowhere to be found on that page. A domain name for your author name or identity is usually recommended. Trademarking is a completely different issue. The article only suggests that you do a trademark search for your intended name to make sure you don't infringe on an existing trademark.
Thank you for your show. I agree that in this day and age people should not be using pen names simply to disguise an ethnic name. However, that’s sometimes easy for people who have easy to remember and Anglo names to say as they don’t experience what it’s like to have many people constantly mispronouncing and misspelling your name. I can see the case of choosing an easier to remember name if someone, for example, has a long Polish name (or any other ethnicity) that has no vowels and most American or English speaking people cannot pronounce or even remember. It’s one thing if you are native to that country or culture but if you’re an American with a difficult name, I can see the benefit or justification of changing it to a shortened version and I don’t see it as trying to hide one’s ethnicity. I had a Polish dentist and unfortunately I just could not remember or pronounce his last name, so he went by “Dr Peter”. Had nothing to do with disrespect.
Great point! When I saw your comment, I immediately thought of Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. I know I have to look it up every time I think about his wonderful books. You're right, it has nothing to do with disrespect. But it is a consideration, depending on the audience you wish to reach. Thank you so much for adding that perspective to the conversation! Have a great day!
I am so tempted to create a book called "99 Ways to Cook With Cheese" by Val Vita.
😉😂 Thanks for the chuckle!
I really don’t know where to begin with self publishing and it is causing a ton of confusion for me. I want to sell my book of poetry on Amazon and kindle, but also I want to sell physical books too! Can you direct me to some of your videos that talk about that? I’m very happy I found this page, thank you for the info!
Hi Katerineee! Luckily, if you want to self publish your poetry on Amazon/Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), you can also self publish your print book there, too, with print on demand. I've done both eBook and print books on KDP for many years and have been very happy with it. Instead of directing you to my videos for the answer, I'd suggest you check out KDP's Jumpstart page where you can learn everything you need to know--step by step--about self publishing both eBooks and print books on KDP. kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/topic/G202187740
It looks like you subscribed to my channel. Thank you! I post a video at least once a week on some self publishing topic. There are about 100+ to watch. So stop by and browse the topics and stay tuned for more videos.
Thanks for watching and commenting! Have a beautiful day!
@@HeidiThorneChannel You’ve led me to a goldmine of information that I’ve been looking for for so long! Thank you so much! I will be tuning in regularly to your videos and I’ll be binging the ones already up!
But what if the author is a pastor with a talent and skill for writing urban gangster type novels?
The pastor may have the talent and skill. But you have to ask what is the motivation for writing these novels? Because they have writing skills? Lots of people have writing skill. And how was that skill level assessed? There's also the question of whether the stories of people encountered in their pastoral duties are used. Remember that it is very difficult these days to stay totally anonymous. Your pastor friend should do a little more soul searching to understand why they want to do this, and consult with an intellectual property and media liability attorney.
@@HeidiThorneChannel The story could be compelling and impactful, but at the same time reach an audience that may not be possible by attaching a pastor to it. Everyone isn’t opened to hear what a pastor has to say, therefore this could be used as a strategy to save lost souls. As the late great legendary Tupac stated, “you have to enter into someone’s world in order to lead them out”.
Not only that, it’s understandable that God is the only true Judge, but everyone that’s saved, Christian, and is a believer is not going to agree what a pastor writes within urban stories even though it’s based off truth. That is unnecessary warfare. Besides, if the book is successful, the funds could go to something greater than what’s imagined, such as to shelters, churches, schools, non-profit organizations, etc.
@@512ent Rell, I hear this kind of mission all the time. It is difficult to change the world with a book. Here's a video I did on that
th-cam.com/video/Kcn-CK8Btuo/w-d-xo.html Plus, the audience has to BUY the book. What is the audience for this book? Do they buy and read books? Not everyone reads books, and not everyone who reads books actually buys books (library, Kindle Unlimited, etc.). And how will your audience discover your book?
Take into consideration that around 75% self published authors make less than $1K per year from their books. Here are the stats on that: th-cam.com/video/6ZlLbu1R64Q/w-d-xo.html That's before your expenses to publish (editing, legal, etc.) and market (you will need to market and advertise in some way in today's competitive book markets). Likely, you'll end up with little or no profits to fund good deeds. Massive self publishing financial success is rare. And if you're thinking about trying to get a book deal with a publisher or agent instead, good luck with that! I know authors who struggle for years to get a deal, if they get one at all.
Again, more soul searching is needed to clarify your motivations for this book, and if it is the best way to achieve your ultimate objectives. Then do your homework to determine your market and marketing plan. On top of that, you have to consider the consequences to your career if people find out it's you behind whatever pen name you choose.
I plan to use pen name but I'm wondering how to indicate I'm the author (for legal purposes) without doing so as part of the public record. Do you have any ideas?
What you did not mention is when you have a name like Joe Brown and there are a million other Joe Browns in the world, you probably should use a pen name.
Good point! However, there are a lot of big name authors who have quite common names. Take Dan Brown for instance. There's gotta be millions of Dan Browns in the world. Yet he didn't even seek to differentiate himself from them by using his full name (Daniel Gerhard Brown or Daniel G. Brown or some variation). Even James Patterson and Stephen King have quite common names. This is such a tough decision for authors, especially those with common names as you noted. It really is a personal choice, and is so dependent on how successfully an author can market himself. Thanks for adding that point to the conversation!
I am writing a nonfiction self-help book and I'm almost positive I will be adding onto it in the future, as in making a second version. Do you think I should put "first edition" on the cover of this first version? It's an ebook. Thanks
Good question. I would hesitate putting first edition on a book, even if it is a first edition. With nonfiction, it's common to have second and succeeding editions. On those editions, you would indicate what edition it is. On the cover is fine and/or indicate it on the copyright page (that's what I did on my 2nd edition). If you don't indicate it, most people will presume it's the first edition.
To be honest, I was planning to have one pseudonym by genre of my books, I had no idea how that was going to be. This video has helped me a lot, thank you.
Hello Paola! Glad you found it helpful. Thank you for watching. Good luck with all your books!
If I want to use a pen name, it's my understanding we don't need to do anything for registration or anything for legal reasons, however this leaves us open to infringing upon someone else's name or someone else might be infringing upon our name?
You bring up a great point about infringing on pen names. But pen names can't be copyrighted; only creative works can. Here is a great article that spells out the pen name process very well. Also, I'd recommend the book by the article's author, Helen Sedwick (Self Publisher's Legal Handbook). It's a great resource on the legalities of the publishing game. www.janefriedman.com/choose-set-pen-name/ Good luck with your publishing adventures!
@@HeidiThorneChannel ...thanks for the article. She says to buy the domain...but for what reason? This article also says to buy the domain and also trademark the name.. why must we trademark it?
@@sweetbeep I typically recommend that authors buy their name or pen name domain, too, to help protect your brand. Even if you just forward the domain to one of your social media profiles.
The article didn't recommend getting a trademark, but doing a trademark search to make sure you're not using something that's trademarked. It's good advice. If you're talking about the Fictitious Name statement, that's if you're going to do business as that pen name.
Take your time to review all these issues, and consult an attorney if you have questions.
Good luck with your research and planning!
@@HeidiThorneChannel ...the article states "You will want to buy a domain for your name and register it as a trademark before using your pen name for self-publishing."
What exactly does this mean?
@@sweetbeep Suggest reading the article again. www.janefriedman.com/choose-set-pen-name/ What I see on the article is "2. Buy available domain names. You will want to buy a website domain for your pen name." I've read the article multiple times, on more than on device just to check, and the text you quote is nowhere to be found on that page. A domain name for your author name or identity is usually recommended. Trademarking is a completely different issue. The article only suggests that you do a trademark search for your intended name to make sure you don't infringe on an existing trademark.
These are really good, Heidi. I'm glad I found you.
Glad you found them helpful! Good luck with your writing adventures!
@@HeidiThorneChannel thank you.