Hey everyone!
I created a downloadable PDF that takes you through how to change your pen name on your book and still keep your reviews. I hope this is useful for you. I just went through this process in March 2025, and this is exactly how I did it.
I created the pretty version of my guide below using Canva, but I’m having trouble sharing it here on my website. Since I don’t know if the pretty version will last, I’m also providing a plain text version below it.
To get to the pretty version, click the blue text below it that reads:
ow to Change Your Pen Name on Kindle Published eBooks and Keep Your Reviews
How to Change Your Pen Name on Kindle Published eBooks
A Complete Step-by-Step Guide
By Sheri Edmondson/Sheridan Jeane/Sheri Tyler
Introduction
Changing your pen name on already published Kindle books involves several steps to ensure a smooth transition. This guide will walk you through the entire process, from preparing new book files to transferring reviews and linking editions.
Follow these steps carefully to maintain your book’s visibility, reviews, and rankings while transitioning to your new author identity.
Getting Ready
1. Get a New Cover with Your New Pen Name
Create or commission a new cover that displays your new pen name. Ensure it maintains your brand identity while clearly showing the new author name.
2. Assign a New ISBN
Since you’re essentially creating a new edition of your book, you’ll need a new ISBN. If you’re publishing exclusively on KDP, Amazon will provide a free ISBN, or you can purchase your own through Bowker.
Preparing the Book Interior
1. Reformat the Book Interior
Update your book’s interior with:
- New cover
- New pen name throughout
- New ISBN
- Updated book links
- Updated social media links
Note: If you registered the copyright under your real name, you don’t need to change the copyright information.
2. Update Content (Optional)
If desired, this is a good opportunity to update your book with any edits or improvements.
3. Update Website “Coming-Soon” Page (If Applicable)
Create stubs for upcoming books and grab the page link for inclusion in your book interior.
4. Use Evergreen Link Services
I strongly suggest using an evergreen link service. You can use services such as Readerlinks (by Author Helper Suite), or one of the other services like Books2Read or GeniusLink. Update your links at the back of this new version of your book and include a “Coming Soon” page on your website for any books you haven’t published yet. You can then skip updating your interior file once the book comes out and just edit where the link points in your evergreen link service.
5. Create Book Stubs (If Applicable)
Make stubs for new books in services like Author Helper Suite pointing to your coming soon page and add them to the interior.
6. Generate and Upload the New File
Generate the new file (using tools like Vellum or other formatting software) and upload the book as a 2nd edition to KDP under your new pen name.
7. Add Required Disclosure
IMPORTANT: When uploading to KDP, you MUST include this text at the TOP of the description field:
After the Book is Uploaded – Amazon Author Central
1. Access Author Central
Go to Amazon Author Central and click on the Books tab.
2. Search for Your New Book
Search for the new book using the new ISBN number.
3. Claim the Book
Select the book, then claim it. Amazon will ask if you are creating a new pen name – select “yes”.
4. Wait for Confirmation
Wait until you receive an email from Amazon confirming your new pen name has been set up. You might need to refresh your Amazon Central page for the link to appear. You should be able to select your new pen name by clicking the dropdown in the upper right-hand corner of the page.
5. Set Up Your Author Profile
Set up your bio on your new pen name and add an author photo. Remember not to include any HTML or website addresses in your bio.
6. Update your Newsletter Signup Page
If you have your newsletter set up, make sure you update this as well. I chose to only create a single newsletter for both pen names after polling my subscribers. My newsletter now lists both pen names.
How to Link the Editions
Amazon provides a way to link different editions of your books. For detailed information, visit:
https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/topic/GZ2V6D5HSNUFTQZY
Process Example:
- If there’s no “link existing kindle ebook” option for your new version, you can click “link existing series.”
- Link it to your series (e.g., “Way to a Woman’s Heart series”) and specify which book number it is (e.g., book 1).
- Repeat the same process for other books in the series.
Transferring Reviews
- After all books are uploaded and you’ve received confirmation that KDP has them for sale on Amazon, open the KDP dashboard and initiate a chat session.
- Explain that you’ve changed your author name and followed the directions about including the disclaimer on the first line of the description.
- The customer support representative will ask for the ASINs of both the old book and the new one. Provide all sets of ASINs if you have multiple books.
- The representative will transfer the reviews, which should appear within 24 hours.
Final Checklist
- New cover with new pen name
- New ISBN assigned
- Book interior updated with new information
- “Previously published as…” disclosure added to description
- New author profile set up in Author Central
- Books linked to appropriate series
- Reviews transferred via KDP support
- Newsletter signup pages updated with correct pen name
Disclaimer: All of this information was accurate as of March 2025, but Amazon changes their rules from time to time, so please proceed at your own risk.
© 2025 – Guide to Changing Your Pen Name on Kindle Published eBooks