Pen Name, or Not?

[Cat Laurelle]

I'm new. I have a common pseudonym I use on-line all over the place. I am unsure I want my real or that pseudonym name known or for close family/friends to know the existence of my intended erotic-based writing(it's going to be mostly designed for men and overtly graphic in nature). I'm also writing regency romance. I'm in a quandry over if I should have two pen names one for each, or if it would be easiest to just use one? But using two would be even easier to keep my identity a secret and let interested friends/close relatives like elderly mom read the regency stuff.

[soullesshuman]

If you want to hide behind a pen name in order to protect your identity tha by all means go ahead, I personally don't see the reason to need two of them. One will do the job to keep your identity fine, unless you want a different pseudonym per genre of writing you're going into?

[Cat Laurelle]

Originally Posted by soullesshuman

If you want to hide behind a pen name in order to protect your identity tha by all means go ahead, I personally don't see the reason to need two of them. One will do the job to keep your identity fine, unless you want a different pseudonym per genre of writing you're going into?

I wonder if publishers/editors will care? I'm assuming the regency romance work will go through a seperate group anyway, so I may very well use two.

[dangerousbill]

Originally Posted by Cat Laurelle

I'm new. I have a common pseudonym I use on-line all over the place. I am unsure I want my real or that pseudonym name known or for close family/friends to know the existence of my intended erotic-based writing(it's going to be mostly designed for men and overtly graphic in nature).

I have two pseudonyms, and I've learned to take precautions to keep them separate from my real name. Google has a long reach, so I try to avoid using any two of my names in the same document or post.

I have family and business contacts, and I know I'm googled all the time, as I google them. They don't need to know I write erotica.

[Cat Laurelle]

You get my picture. LOL my erotica name will be different that the one I use on here then. *Ha, I can use the old porn star game name: take your first dogs name and your mother's maiden name* it will totally work!

[dreamcatcher]

I agree with using two.

[VoireyLinger]

In your situation, I'd use two. You have two very different markets, so it would make sense. Whether or not you want people to know the two names are the same person is up to you.

[Stacia Kane]

Ditto. Two such separate genres would really require two different pen names; imagine how angry someone looking for graphic erotica would be to open a book and discover it's a Regency romance instead.

[TAR11]

For two separate genres I would agree with using two, and especially if you don't want others to see your work and know it's you. I've always thought using my real name would help sales, but in your case I would agree with two.

[Layla Nahar]

I agree with using two pen names. If nothing else, you'll be able to feel better about keeping your identities isolated.

[bonitakale]

Two sound good to me, and more fun. Grit Palsey and Marianne McKay.

I've been wondering about pen names--do those of you who use them find them freeing?

[htrent]

Great question. I've been pondering this lately.

I don't write erotica, but there's enough heat in some of my stuff that little old ladies would clutch their pearls. I could just imagine a press release coming out identifying my hometown and the little visitor center running out to pick out a box of my books to sell only to be completely scandalized by the contents.

I also write stuff that has almost no heat, but it's not nearly as fun.

I'd kind of like to have my real name on the fantasy stuff and use a pen name on the other genre work. Sounds bass-ackwards, but it's how I roll. I'll probably get disowned by an entire county.