Can/should I query under a different name?

writera · Dec 20, 2019

So there's a couple of reasons, I'm wondering if I should query my next book under my own name.

1. A couple of years back, I queried my first book to agents as well as a lot of publishers. I didn't know any better and was a bit overzealous. I was very polite and accepted rejection, so I definitely wasn't rude in anyway. But I did email several editors at publishers that don't accept unsolicited submissions. Most didn't respond. A few did, just to recommend I get an agent. One even read the book and liked it but didn't offer. I'm a bit concerned I might be blacklisted or blocked by some people, though. Probably not. But I'm still a bit worried and not sure if I should mention that. I know better now and wouldn't do that with the next book.

2. But the main reason is some family members of mine are published writers. One of them - a cousin I don't know - shares my exact first and last name. They're not famous, but they are VERY prolific online. When you Google my name (I don't really have any online presence except a Twitter account - no website, etc.) all you really find is my cousin's name. They're mentioned as a novelist from my country and even have a Wikipedia page. It is likely any future agents or publishers would think this was me. Should I mention that in every query? Also, there's a couple of other family members who are also published, one with a Big 5 publisher, and another person who is quite prolific and whose name is my middle name. Suffice to say, googling my name or a combination of it would bring up these other writers. So I thought using a different name might make this less confusing.

So for both of these reasons, I was wondering, should I query under a pen name? A different version of my name, with initials (although the unusual surname will still bring up the other writers)? And if I do decide to do this, can you even do this or does it get tricky if an agent wants to take you on or a publisher makes an offer?

Kat M · Dec 20, 2019

The more knowledgeable will be along shortly to help you out, but here's what I know:

You can absolutely take a pen name for reason #2, if you want to. But when you query, you'll need to use your real name. You would sign the letter something like, "Writera, writing as Violet Meadows" or whatever.

Which brings us back to reason #1, which I do not feel qualified to answer, but a million people on this site can.

Good luck!

lizmonster · Dec 20, 2019

So I don't know for sure, and if you can I'd try to get an answer from a working agent. It's an interesting problem - you've got a name that might give you an advantage because it'll likely get you mistaken for someone else, but you want to be honest that you're not that person and aren't trying to get attention for something other than your work.

I'd probably go Kat's way, and query under your own name, but maybe with an email that isn't FamousName@whatever. And in the housekeeping, I'd add something like: Please note, I'm not the FamousName who wrote Big Famous Series.

Alternatively, I think you're good querying under a pen name, but I'd also disclose in the housekeeping that FamousName is your real name, and you're querying under a pseud to avoid confusion.

You're going to have to sign contracts under your real name, so it's going to come up no matter when you disclose. I favor honesty in the query, but I don't think you have to tie yourself up in huge knots over how you do it.

writera · Dec 20, 2019

Thanks for the responses!

The other writer(s) aren't famous, just very prolific online. The one who has my exact name is self-published/runs their own publishing house. I suppose if you Googled them, they might look known/famous - but an agent/publisher would probably be able to tell they're not. And I'm not knocking them. They might be very well known in certain regional circles or among certain writing groups, etc. But they're not, like, Stephen King. The agent is likely to never have heard their name at all, but if they google my name, they will think there's a body of work there and a Wikipedia page, maybe a few writing awards too. Then the other two people in my family I could be mistaken for, well, they're not really famous either (depending on how you define that). They have had some success - one is published by a Big 5, the other did have a lot of newspaper articles - so definitely impressive, but again not like Stephen King.

I can see it helping me with some agents - if they think I have a good track record. But it could also hurt me if it looks like I'm already established and/or self-published if they're looking for a debut author. I'm not sure? Anyway, let's just say the other cousins aren't famous enough (not even nearly) that I'd feel comfortable saying "by the way, I'm not the ______ _______" on Google. I might if my name was SK or Agatha Christie, but I'd feel a bit silly doing it in this case, plus it might draw attention to the fact that I don't have a web presence?

So, yeah, no idea what to do! I might just use my initials.

As for #1, I'm probably just being silly/paranoid, but I suppose I could just use a new email address.

Thank you for the responses. Some very good advice overall. I wonder if anyone has queried using a pen name or even just used their maiden name/married name or something else like a nickname to distinguish themselves.

Siri Kirpal · Dec 20, 2019

Sat Nam! (Literally "Truth Name"--a Sikh greeting)

Siri Kirpal Kaur Khalsa is not only my pen name, but also my preferred use name. When I query, it's Siri Kirpal Kaur Khalsa (pen name, preferred name) as the first signature, then I sign my legal name beneath that and label it so. I haven't had problems with agents about that.

Blessings,

Siri Kirpal

Guerrien · Dec 21, 2019

writera said:
I can see it helping me with some agents - if they think I have a good track record.

I'd be cautious about this. I don't think there's anything wrong with a case of mistaken identity or if an agent thinking you have a proven track record influences their decision to request a full and, then, to offer a phone call (not in this case, at least, where you wouldn't have purposefully led them to think that). And I don't think an agent is likely to suddenly decide not to offer representation when they--inevitably--find out otherwise. But I'd be cautious about this mindset, because if an agent did feel like you'd in any way led them to believe you had any kind of track record that you don't, I think you're far more likely to get blacklisted for that then for querying publishers that don't accept non-agented submissions.

What about just linking to your own social media in the signature line when you query? Your twitter handle or website if you have either? No guarantee an agent would use them instead of whacking your name into Google, of course, but maybe a higher chance that they'd notice the account handles or URLs didn't match when they found your cousin's stuff.

Paul Lamb · Dec 21, 2019

I use a pen name, though as others have said, I'm forthcoming about it being a pen name when I am querying. It's clean and painless. (There is actually a very prolific photographer in Australia with my same real name, though that isn't why I use a pen name. My concern is more for privacy -- not that I've achieved anything like fame.)

Any agent or publisher who is interested in your writing is going to do an extensive online search about you. If they find your cousin's references and mistake them for yours, there may be some embarrassment and/or hard feelings of being mislead. So be upfront. That's what I think. Create your body of work with its own origin story, so to speak.

Putputt · Dec 21, 2019

I have always queried under a pen name. Years ago, before the We Need Diverse Books movement, I queried under a pen name because I felt that querying as a PoC, with a name that's very clearly "foreign", was hurting me. Later, after the movement gained traction, I still queried under a pen name for various reasons. I've signed with several agents, and I just tell them my legal name when they draft the contract and none of them has ever asked me why my legal name is different from my pen name. It's really not a big deal.

Gillhoughly · Dec 21, 2019

Former acquisition editor here.

1. Trust me, they are NOT going to remember you. Publishers and agents get 100s a queries every week. They don't have the energy to blacklist anyone unless that writer made themselves memorable in an unpleasant way. They are not going to bother sharing such info with other publishers/agents over lunch unless the writer threatened them in some way, in which case they call the cops. So stop being paranoid. Stick to being professional and remember that less is more in a query/cover letter.

2. Use your real name in the query and let them know upfront that you are a relative of writer X, not writer X, and you will be using a pen name. One sentence in the first paragraph is sufficient.

They will have seen both these issues many, MANY times and be focused on the submission. Will it make money for them is all they want to know at this stage.

Once in a while some idiot writes in "I'm really (famous writer) but want to start using (pen name) now", thinking it will fool some grizzled editor with a thousand yard stare.

J.K. Rowling did this, but her agent and publisher were fully informed on the pen name. The idea was the new book was for the adult market, not for kids. She figured, rightly, that kids might assume it was another Potter book and be disappointed.

Can/should I query under a different name?

writera

Writ Era

Kat M

Ooh, look! String!

lizmonster

Possibly A Mermaid Queen

writera

Writ Era

Siri Kirpal

Swan in Process

Guerrien

Fire Bad, Tree Pretty

Paul Lamb

Putputt

permanently suctioned to Buz's leg

Gillhoughly

Grumpy writer and editor