How To Properly Copyright And Use A Pen Name
Choosing a great pen name to use for your books, poems, or short stories is the hardest part of this process .
To properly choose, copyright, and use a pen name:
How Long Does It Take To Register A Domain
The registration itself will only take you a few minutes. Once submitted, the time until you can use your domain depends on the extension you have applied for, as some country specific extensions are manually verified by the registry. Please check your emails regularly for any updates we may need to contact you for further documentation to move the registration forward.
Can You Use Your Business Name
The Brandings team gets asked everyday if one business name or another is already trademarked. Is that name taken, or can I use this name for my business, are questions that we get too often.
Well, our team will dispel the myths and any confusion. Our team will show you how to check if a business name that youre interested in using is currently being use and what its used for. This blog will be devoted to a few different ways how to find out if a business name is taken.
Learning if you can you a business or product name comes down to just 3 simple things. First, develop the perfect name for your small business, company, brand or product. Second, you need to find out if anyone is using that name. Third, you need to find out, what theyre using it for.
To begin, the easiest way how to find out if a company name is taken is to just do a simple search in any search engine.
Open any Search Engine in your computer, we use Google but, there are other great ones. Search Engines such as Bing, Yahoo!, or even Ask will work perfect. Next, key in your business name idea right in there. After that, see what comes up.
Nothing, if so great, sounds like no one is really using the name and you will probably have good luck trademarking the name.
If something or a lot of things start coming up youre going to have to go through the list but, dont worry yet, as we about to discus, just because someone is using the name doesnt mean you cant.
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The Best Pen Name Generators
Still not set on a good pen name? Try a pseudonym generator or anagram name maker below to create cool pen names.
A pen name generator is a piece of software that randomly goes through a database and finds legitimate-sounding names. If you used the steps above, you likely have a first name in mind.
However, it can be difficult to figure out an interesting last name that doesn’t scream I’m a fake. This is where a pen name generator can come into play.
One that I like is the Fake Name Generator. This pseudonym generator is above and beyond any other. Not only will it generate legitimate names, but it will also create a real address, phone number, occupation, and even a fake credit card number so you can give your new persona supporting context and a backstory, if you like.
The Fake Name Generator is one of the only pen name generators that lets you specify gender and culture. How about them apples?!
If you want to try more alias name generators, choose from the list below one that best fits your genre and needs:
Reedsys Pen Name Generator Pick a first letter, gender , and spoken language to find a fun author pen name.
Masterpiece Pen Name Generator Get a list of pen name ideas after adding details and fun words from a few prompts. Masterpiece will give you multiple options by literary genre based on your answers. You can even choose zombie, vampire, or wizard names.
Evil Name Generator This creative tool gives random creepy names for all your evil naming needs.
Use A Domain Name Search Tool
The last place on the Internet where you can check the availability of a domain name is through websites that offer domain name search tools or a domain name generator. While this tool functions much like the search bars on domain registration and web hosting sites, some platforms offer more information other than the availability and price of the domain name.
Domain search tools also have a search bar where you have to type in the domain name you want to get your hands on. The results page will then tell you of its availability and price. If you want to purchase it right away, you can click on the link next to the results which will lead you to a domain registrant or web hosting company. Other domain search tools may process the domain registration within their website.
Some of the most reliable domain name tools in the market today are:
One of the advantages of using a domain name generator and other similar tools is it lets you quickly replace the domain name you are aiming for in case its not available. The tool can generate suggestions from your chosen keywords which often allows you to stick with the branding strategy you are trying to develop.
Additionally, websites like WhoIs.net provides ample information about the domain name or web address. If someone already owns the domain, the website tells you their background and contact information allowing you to reach out to the owners in case you want to make an offer to buy the domain name.
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Why Do You Need A Domain Name
There are several reasons for this, the most obvious being that its good for branding. Nothing looks more unprofessional than a brand that hosts its website at brandname.wordpress.com. This is because as a general rule, the websites that buy and maintain a domain name tend to be those that are more reputable and more established.
But your domain name is so much more than that. Often, the reason why people start a website in the first place is so that theres something they have full control over. When you use social networking sites or free blogging providers, or even if you make a living selling on Amazon and eBay, youre fully reliant on those other sites. If they change their terms of service or the service goes down completely, youre in trouble.
When youve registered a domain name, though, you dont have to rely on anyone else. That domain name belongs to you and you alone, and you have full control over what you do with it. You can control any associated email addresses, determine which server the site accesses and even sell it or transfer ownership if thats what you want to do.
Make Sure Your Pen Name Isnt Similar Or Identical To Another Authors
Beware of choosing a pseudonym that’s similar to a famous author, person, or character. Leeching off someone else’s fame is not a good tactic. More than likely, you:
- Wont get your author name URL,
- Might get into hot water with the famous person, and/or
- It will be nearly impossible to or Google for your name
People who search for you will have to go through pages and pages about the famous person before they can even find your work or website. Having a name that’s close to someone else who is more popular than you can be a real killer.
You can also search the United States Patent and Trademark Offices Trademark Electronic Search System for any existing trademarks using the name you want to use. Using someone elses registered trademark will earn you a fast cease-and-desist letter.
Before you choose a pen name, do a Google search and look through the results. When I do this for Dave Chesson, it turns out there is a famous skateboarder in the UK who has the same name. Luckily, he isnt uber-famous or else we would be in major competition for Google space.
Were safe on Amazon since he hasn’t . Hopefully, he doesn’t get mad at me for overtaking the Dave Chesson search sorry, bro!
You should also say the name out loud to make sure it doesnt sound like another famous authors name. Mark T. Wayne may not belong to another author, but it sounds a whole lot like Mark Twain.
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What To Do If Your Dream Domain Is Taken
Sometimes you may want a specific domain, but you find out that its currently in use by someone else. When that happens, there are a few routes you can take.
In some circumstances, you can still purchase the domain. If not, there are a variety of ways to get a domain thats similar and just as appropriate for your site. Lets look at four options that are available to you, so you can select the one that fits your situation.
How Do I Use The Domain Checker
Domain checker usually works best if you start out with a list of potential site names in mind to begin with. Dont worry about the extension too much – just list out the names and have them at hand so you can check different variations to find one thats available.
Lets say youre searching for yourexamplesite as a potential domain name. When we pop that into the domain name checker search box and click check it, we get a response to say that yourexamplesite.xyz is available. Beneath that, it shows us that while yourexamplesite.com is taken, its available as a number of other extensions including yourexamplesite.org and yourexamplesite.net.
But heres where it gets interesting. As well as simply checking the term that you entered, the domain checker will also offer up suggestions. With the example above, we get yes.it and yoexsi.com, both of which could make for interesting alternatives. We often find that the suggestions prompt new ideas and that even if people dont go with the exact domain name thats suggested, they end up with a variant.
You can use domain checker to look up as many domain names as you want, so dont be afraid to be creative. And dont forget that once you find the ideal domain name.
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Determine What Youre Willing To Pay
Now that you know the domain is available, and before you contact the owner, decide what youre willing to pay for it. This can be tricky since theres no agreed-upon value of a domain, but you can get an idea of what prices are by searching through a domain marketplace like Flippas.
Here are some factors to pay attention to when figuring out how to buy a domain that is taken:
- Keywords Domains with popular keywords in them are worth more because of their ability to rank high on Google and other search engines.
- Generic value A domain that can be used by almost any business within a given industry has generic value.
- Brandability When a domain lacks generic value or a strong keyword, its main value lies in its brandability. Short, memorable names that are easy to spell are easy to build a brand around.
- Age Older domains are generally considered more valuable.
- Length Or rather shortness. The shorter the domain, the more valuable. Usually, landing your hands on a three-letter .com will cost you a lot.
Before you approach the current owner of the domain you want, choose both the base amount youre willing to offer and the maximum amount youre willing to pay they can even be the same number if you want for the domain before you approach the owner.
Look for domains of similar length, similar keyword value, generic value, and similar age, this should help you estimate the price to a degree, and also decide if you can actually afford that domain in the first place.
How To Check Domain Name Availability
Last updated on March 26th, 2021 by Editorial Staff | Disclosure: Our content is reader-supported. This means if you click on some of our links, then we may earn a commission. See how WPBeginner is funded, why it matters, and how you can support us.
Choosing a domain name can be overwhelming because first you need to come up with an idea, and then you have to check domain name availability.
Since a lot of good domains are already taken, often beginners feel stuck.
Wouldnt it be nice if you can check domain name availability faster and even find new ideas while you do it?
In this article, well show you how to check for domain name availability with some of the easiest domain search tools.
New: We created an AI-powered business name generator tool that not only helps you come up with creative business name ideas, but it also helps you check domain name availability. Try WPBeginners free business name generator.
1. Domain.com
Domain.com is one of the best domain registrars on the market. They offer a wide range of domain extensions at discounted rates, and have the best domain management tools for beginners.
Most importantly, they have a powerful domain search tool that lets quickly check domain name availability. Simply go to their website and enter your desired keywords or phrase.
If the domain you are looking for is not available, then it will show you different combinations to help you brainstorm and come up with a unique idea.
2. Nameboy
3. IsItWP
4. Blog Tyrant
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Domain Name Is Already Taken What Should I Do
If the domain is unavailable, dont fret as there are still other alternatives. You can remove or add letters or words to the keyword of your choice so that it only deters slightly to your original branding effort.
For example, if you want to sell footwear and targets shoesonline.com but it isnt available you can instead try shuzonline.com or shuz.com. They do sound similar but with a different spelling.
However, if you really want a specific domain name and nothing else the next best thing is to first review their contract. Research online if the domain names contract is expiring. If it does, mark your calendar and revisit the domain registrar if the owner resigns the contract. If not, then its up for grabs and you can call dibs on it.
Another option is to contact the current owner of the domain name and ask them if they are willing to sell you the right to own the domain name. Some web hosting companies also offer this service of contacting the website owner, but for a reasonable cut or commission of the sale.