Lars Eighner's Homepage Writers' Workshop FAQ: Q. Is it wise to put my social security number on my manuscript?

Q. Is it wise to put my social security number on my manuscript?

A. Very wise.

Most publishers will insist upon having it before they will cut you a check. The manuscript is a handy place for it: the editor will always be able to locate it even if other paperwork -- and there will be other paperwork if you are paid very much or become a regular contributor -- goes astray in the accounting department.

You would be required to provide your social security number on every application if you were seeking employment -- and these days you would probably have to show your card as well before your application would be considered. While there are legitimate security concerns about giving the number to just anyone, this is the wrong place to be overly cautious. You should not be sending your manuscript at all to an organization that you can't trust with your social security number.

Sure, you should worry if you are sending your manuscript to some sleazy "poetry contest" that offers you a chance to pay to have your poem included in a book, or to some little magazine you have never heard of before. But you shouldn't be sending manuscripts at all under such circumstances. If you are just sending manuscripts out to every address you can find, your social security number might be compromised, but you certainly will be wasting your postage and the time you spend writing.