# Advice on choosing an Erotica Pseudonym?



## jjsays (Mar 20, 2014)

Hi everyone, I'm new here so please forgive me if I've posted this in the wrong section. I wasn't sure where to post it.

I'm having trouble choosing a suitable pen name for the erotica niche and was wondering if anybody who has experience in this area can help me out.

Can you use names that would be uncommon? For example names like "Destiny" and "Trinity", or should I avoid these all together?

Any advice/suggestions would be appreciated!


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## Paranormal Piper (Sep 24, 2012)

Destiny or Trinity would be fine. I don't think there's any 'set in stone' rule about erotica pen names. Some sound like fairly generic names... like mine, for example, while others play with words (Scarlett Cox). Just make sure there's not already somebody publishing under that name.


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## jjsays (Mar 20, 2014)

mjshaw said:


> Destiny or Trinity would be fine. I don't think there's any 'set in stone' rule about erotica pen names. Some sound like fairly generic names... like mine, for example, while others play with words (Scarlett Cox). Just make sure there's not already somebody publishing under that name.


Thanks for the advice. I was a bit afraid of my pen name sounding silly and out there and that people would see through it and know it's a pen name if you know what I mean? But I may be just over thinking it too much.


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## jjsays (Mar 20, 2014)

StevenCampbell said:


> We were kicking these around last night and had a good laugh about the possibilities. Because I pointed out that just about everyone agrees you have to use a female pseudonym.
> 
> Chala Isadude
> I. M. Aguy
> ...


I've heard a lot of people saying that too. I guess because the readers are women and they are more likely to buy an erotica book written by another woman. Or so they say. But I don't know if that's entirely true or not.


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## Charnell (Mar 28, 2014)

It's okay to be fun about it. Just do a google search for Raminar Dixon.


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## zoe tate (Dec 18, 2013)

mjshaw said:


> Just make sure there's not already somebody publishing under that name.


And that you can register the *.com* domain-name. That's quite restricting but potentially rather important, too.


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## Paranormal Piper (Sep 24, 2012)

zoe tate said:


> And that you can register the *.com* domain-name. That's quite restricting but potentially rather important, too.


Oh yes. very good point.


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## Paranormal Piper (Sep 24, 2012)

VC said:


> It's okay to be fun about it. Just do a google search for Raminar Dixon.


Raminar is awesome. I hate that I didn't think of this name. Very cute and memorable.


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## Briteka (Mar 5, 2012)

The Dominant Female niche is begging for a Misty Reigns.


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## jimbro (Jan 10, 2014)

jjsays said:


> ... I was a bit afraid of my pen name sounding silly...


This is one genre where a silly-sounding pen name is _absolutely not_ a drawback (it may even be a positive).


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## AndreSanThomas (Jan 31, 2012)

Pick a name that has meaning to you and/or pick something that helps set the mood of your erotica.  If you're writing the sort of cheesy, low plot high sex stuff, you can have a name that matches that, perhaps something with a clever double entendre in it.  If you're doing something more sophisticated then a more sophisticated name would work better.  Sweet erotica would suit a sweeter name, edgy stuff, an edgy name.

You may want to consider whether a male or female name suits your customer expectation better, or something ambiguous. 

As always when picking pen names, you also want something that is either so generic it could be anyone, or so unique it can only be you.  Be sure to google it first, and finally, if it is important to you to keep this identity private, then make sure that you do NOT put the pen name and the real name together in any posts, blogs, websites.  Make sure that the only name that appears in any of the front matter or Amazon fields related to the book is the pen name (the actual Amazon account with be in your business name or legal name).


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## Matt Ryan (Nov 16, 2012)

Ifu Seek Amy

Though, Britney may have rights.


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

I am probably a different kind of erotica reader because I won't pick up erotica with cheesy names on it. You know, the ones that are some word play on body parts or sound like out of a cheesy porn movie. But there are as many different readers of erotica as there are books I guess. In my mind, rational or not, I expect low quality stuff with such names, or porn and not erotica.  Might not be fair, but it is what it is. I am just one of many readers though, so we are all different. 

I am often mighty amused browsing the store looking at erotica and seeing the names. Amused, but not tempted to click and check it out that is.


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## AndreSanThomas (Jan 31, 2012)

Atunah said:


> I am probably a different kind of erotica reader because I won't pick up erotica with cheesy names on it. You know, the ones that are some word play on body parts or sound like out of a cheesy porn movie. But there are as many different readers of erotica as there are books I guess. In my mind, rational or not, I expect low quality stuff with such names, or porn and not erotica. Might not be fair, but it is what it is. I am just one of many readers though, so we are all different.
> 
> I am often mighty amused browsing the store looking at erotica and seeing the names. Amused, but not tempted to click and check it out that is.


And that's exactly my point. If that's what you're writing, then that kind of name suits it. Lots of people do mean to be writing that and there are readers that look for exactly that.

If you're writing more sophisticated stuff, however, then you don't want that sort of name because it is out of sync with the mood you're going for and therefore out of sync with the reader expectation.


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