Dear O'Abby: Can I sign queries with my preferred name?

Dear O'Abby,

I'm an agender writer currently preparing to seek representation for my novels. My preferred name is different from my legal name. How do I sign my query letters? Would it be unprofessional to put something like (Preferred name: such and such) after my legal name? I don't know how to navigate the situation and would appreciate any advice!

Yours,

Two Names

Dear Two Names,

I really don't feel like you need to use your legal name at the query stage.  You're beginning a relationship here, and you want to relate to the agent the way you feel the most comfortable, as the person you see yourself as.  Until you're signing any legal paperwork, there is no reason not to use the  name you use in your everyday life.  It's not a pen name you are using, its the name you identify yourself with.

When you get an agent, you're starting a relationship with someone who is going to work very closely with you, hopefully for a very long time.  Why would you start a relationship with a name you don't use?

If you are an #ownvoices author and want to mention this in your query because it's relevant to the story you are pitching, you could reference that this is your preferred name, not your legal name, and the reason why, but don't feel like you have to.  It's something you can talk to the agent about if you get to the point of having "the call".  And even then, only if you feel comfortable doing so.

The only time you need to use your legal name in this circumstance is when you are signing legal documents.  And by the time you get to that point, your agent will already know you by your preferred name, and will continue to identify with you using that name.

Hope that helps!  And good luck with the agent search.

X O'Abby

Pseudonym or No Pseudonym...That is the Question

I write historical romances for Entangled Publishing. But I am also getting ready to turn in proposals for two paranormal romances. I know several authors who write different genres under different names and also some who write different genres under the same name.

I have no idea what I should do :D

Do you have a preference? If you had a favorite author who wrote Genre A, and then you did a search to find more Genre A and found Genre B, would you assume they no longer write Genre A and not keep up with their books? Would you try a different genre by an author you like even if it's not one you usually read?

Or does the name not matter at all? My main concern has always been confusion when trying to build my "brand" or for my readers when looking for my books. However, maybe that isn't such a big concern anymore (at least when it comes to searching.) After all, when you search for an author on Amazon or google, it pulls up all their books.

I'm just not sure :) I can see the merits for both using a pen name and keeping everything under my own name. This is a question I've bounced around a lot over the years, but it's something I may have to make a decision on soon and I'm a little stumped :)

If you were to write more than one genre, would you write them under separate names? Why or why not?