Start a separate KDP account for specific genre?

[Eric S. Kim]

So I'm already using my current KDP account to publish sci-fi & fantasy. But I'm about to start writing romance & erotica. I figure I'll create a different KDP account strictly for romance & erotica. I use my own name for SF&F, but I'll be using pen names for R&E.

I asked Amazon about this earlier on, and they said that, while it's okay for me to use a separate KDP account, it would be better to publish them on my current account.

What do you think?

[Simon Haynes]

I have four 'adult' novels under a pen name associated with my current KDP account, all published many years ago as a failed (but fun) experiment.

For years I've wondered whether having those four in my account, even under a pen-name, affected the visibility of my other books. Especially my middle-grade novels.

So, last week I unpublished them all. It's too early to know whether it's made a difference, but to answer your question, yes I'd set up a completely separate KDP account.


ETA: As someone pointed out below, setting up another KDP account is against the TOS.

[TimothyEllis]

So I'm already using my current KDP account to publish sci-fi & fantasy. But I'm about to start writing romance & erotica. I figure I'll create a different KDP account strictly for romance & erotica. I use my own name for SF&F, but I'll be using pen names for R&E.

I asked Amazon about this earlier on, and they said that, while it's okay for me to use a separate KDP account, it would be better to publish them on my current account.

What do you think?

Either they didn't understand your question, the person you got was a moron, or you misinterpreted the answer. Or all 3.

KDP only allow you to have ONE account.

What you need to do is come up with a pen name, but everything goes on your one KDP account. The pen name can have it's own author central account, but you can have 3 pen names operating on one AC account. (no idea how.)

You only need one KDP account and everything you write goes on it. The name on books is just metadata. And as long as you don't add the wrong book to the wrong pen name in AC, no-one will know pen names are you.

[Jeff Tanyard]

I have four 'adult' novels under a pen name associated with my current KDP account, all published many years ago as a failed (but fun) experiment.

For years I've wondered whether having those four in my account, even under a pen-name, affected the visibility of my other books. Especially my middle-grade novels.

So, last week I unpublished them all. It's too early to know whether it's made a difference, but to answer your question, yes I'd set up a completely separate KDP account.

I've never heard of multiple pen names on the same account being an issue for anyone.  One would think the algorithms wouldn't "see" an account as part of their pattern recognition, only books and metadata.  Please keep us updated about this, because I'm suddenly curious.

[TimothyEllis]

How do you get a KDP account for a pen name?

The tax and bank account details have to match the name on the account.

The only way I see of doing that is with an LLC, but is the time and expense of setting one up even worth it? Not to mention doubling the accounting and tax side of publishing?

Plenty of erotica authors only use a pen name. As long as you don't do anything stupid, no-one should ever know the pen name is on your KDP account.

[Simon Haynes]

I have four 'adult' novels under a pen name associated with my current KDP account, all published many years ago as a failed (but fun) experiment.

For years I've wondered whether having those four in my account, even under a pen-name, affected the visibility of my other books. Especially my middle-grade novels.

So, last week I unpublished them all. It's too early to know whether it's made a difference, but to answer your question, yes I'd set up a completely separate KDP account.

I've never heard of multiple pen names on the same account being an issue for anyone.  One would think the algorithms wouldn't "see" an account as part of their pattern recognition, only books and metadata.  Please keep us updated about this, because I'm suddenly curious.

You'd hope so, but there's the thing call the amazon 'adult dungeon' which some erotica is moved into, and then never shows in any searches at all.


https://sydneyjanebaily.com/promotion/no-sales-dungeon-amazon/1149/

Sadly, the tool which used to show whether your books were in the adult dungeon has been closed down.


Anyway, the rumour was that if you had a title in the dungeon, it might also carry over to other pen names on the same KDP account. No idea whether it's true, and I don't know how many years it is since I read that.  Only one of my four titles ended up in the dungeon (something in the description or cover), and I fixed it and got it removed again.

[Leegreg]

Having more than one KDP account is a TOS violation and can lead to loss of all your accounts. Pen names are the way to go.

For tons more advice specific to erotica and romance, you could check out the erotic authors subreddit on Reddit. It’s a business side oriented discussion form with many erotic and romance authors participating.

They even have a FAQ with this very question: absolutely do not publish under two KDP accounts.

[Simon Haynes]

Well if it's against the TOS then my original post was incorrect, so apologies for that.

[notthatamanda]

Well I suddenly understand the point of AuthorCentral.

[She-la-te-da]

I don't know who you talked to, but it's against TOS to have more than one account.

What you could do is start a new Author Central account for the pen name. I know some who do that so they don't mix up blogs and stuff.

But, absolutely, positively, no way, no how, do you start another KDP account. You could be terminated, and you won't be allowed to ever start another KDP account.