The Use of a Pseudonym

The use of a pseudonym is not to hide your identity from an agent.

Your real, legal name should appear on your query, as that's the name that will be on your contracts.

Ima Writer (penname for Ura Scribbler)

or

Ura Scribbler
writing as: Ima Writer

popmuze said:

Many writers want to use a pseudonym when they're changing genres. Or if they're too prolific. But let's say you want to use a pseudonym to reinvent a stalled career. When should you inform prospective agents about this decision? If you query them under your old name, advising them you're writing this latest work under a new name, wouldn't that defeat the purpose? On the other hand, if you reveal your true identity (and track record) only after they fall in love with the book, would they feel you'd committed a cardinal sin?

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Well, using a pseudo to restart a flagging career is a hard one. The agent will know your sales history, as will the publisher, so generally that doesn't work out so well.

You always use your real name on any and all correspondence you engage in with agents, editors, and publishers in general. Once you've gotten past the agents, editors, etc., and are talking with a seriously interested publisher, then you're in the 'here's my pseudonym' territory.

If you want the book published under a pseudonym include that in your ms.. You use your first line on the ms. to show your real name, followed by contact info, ect., skip a few lines then your title, another line 'by', another line, and then your pseudo.

The first step is to get an agent to want to represent you.

Once you've done that, you need to find a publisher which wants to publish your book.

At that point, you discuss using a pseudonym so that your new books are kept separate from your old ones, in the eyes of the public.

You don't use a pseudonym to deceive agents or publishers. Not at any point.