Question about "Pen Names"

KayMitch · May 30, 2018

First off, the reason I put pen name in quotes in the title is because it's not so much a pen name as my future name? I want to publish my novels under my future last name, one because it sounds better, and two because it will be my name for most of my life, it just isn't quite my name yet.

By this I mean, my name is currently Kayla Mitchell but my lovely boyfriend and I have been dating for near 4 years now (and known each other and been friends for.... 17 years) We plan on getting married, just waiting on him getting a better job so we can afford a wedding and honey moon and all that fun stuff, so my last name will very soon be Kayla Erickson. It's what my twitter is under, and my email.

My question is when I send out query letters should I be sending them under Kayla Mitchell or Kayla Erickson?

Aggy B. · May 30, 2018

Like with any name that is not yet (or just isn't) a legal name you sign the letter with Legal Name writing as Pen Name. Any agreements or contracts have to be with whatever your legal name is at that point. (Unless you've registered a Pen Name as an Entity, I think. Which some folks do with Pen Names for privacy reasons. But there has to be a record so that you can sign the paperwork without it being a fake name essentially.)

If you don't have to sign paperwork until after your name changes you just change queries, etc at that point. If you do, then discuss it with the offering agent and they'll explain what they will need to see from you once your name changes. (Legal names or legally registered personas/entities being important for things like having checks issued and reporting taxes, in addition to be able to grant the rights attached to an intellectual property like a manuscript.)

KayMitch · May 30, 2018

Aggy B. said:
Like with any name that is not yet (or just isn't) a legal name you sign the letter with Legal Name writing as Pen Name. Any agreements or contracts have to be with whatever your legal name is at that point. (Unless you've registered a Pen Name as an Entity, I think. Which some folks do with Pen Names for privacy reasons. But there has to be a record so that you can sign the paperwork without it being a fake name essentially.)

If you don't have to sign paperwork until after your name changes you just change queries, etc at that point. If you do, then discuss it with the offering agent and they'll explain what they will need to see from you once your name changes. (Legal names or legally registered personas/entities being important for things like having checks issued and reporting taxes, in addition to be able to grant the rights attached to an intellectual property like a manuscript.)

Awesome. That's what I figured but I wanted to be sure. As it stands now I have no idea when my name is going to change (or when I'll be published XD) so it's all a fun guessing game.

WeaselFire · May 30, 2018

KayMitch said:
My question is when I send out query letters should I be sending them under Kayla Mitchell or Kayla Erickson?

Kayla Mitchell.

Jeff

Question about "Pen Names"

KayMitch

Aggy B.

Not as sweet as you think

KayMitch

WeaselFire

Benefactor Member