Pseudonyms, how are they agreed upon during the publishing process?

[dneuschulz]

Does a request for your byline to be under a pseudonym go in a cover letter? Or does that detail get worked out later in the publishing process?
If you do put it in a cover letter, is an explanation for the pseudonym considered a professional thing to include?

I imagine the editors and publications you work with know your legal name; otherwise, how would you cash the check?

If I am way off-base in my assumptions, edify me please. Thanks.

 

[tinkerdan]

In all instances I have dealt with they first want your legal name for payment and tax purposes and they always have a provision of what name or form of your name you wish to publish under.

presently amazon allows--i think--two pen names in your account information..

 

[alexvss]

Does a request for your byline to be under a pseudonym go in a cover letter? Or does that detail get worked out later in the publishing process?
If you do put it in a cover letter, is an explanation for the pseudonym considered a professional thing to include?

I imagine the editors and publications you work with know your legal name; otherwise, how would you cash the check?

If I am way off-base in my assumptions, edify me please. Thanks.

When you send in a cover letter, you normally sign it with your byline, but I don’t think that’s binding. Also, in standard manuscript format, there’s a place for your legal name and your byline too, although I don’t think that’s binding either.

What’s binding is what you put in the contract. There will be forms for your legal name and your pseudonym (if you choose one).

 

[dneuschulz]

Thanks, folks!

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

If you are using a pseudonym, they might want some input into what that name will be. They are less likely to want to have a say if you are using your actual name, but once pen names enter the picture they start thinking strategically.

 

[RBKelly]

I've always put it into any cover letter I send, in the first line of my biographical info - literally just, "I write as RB Kelly..." and then whatever bio info I want to include.