How to be anonymous

[pseudonymyname]

The only way to make sure would be to withhold your real name from the publisher and agent. But would you not legally need to use your name for tax purposes and payments ?

I know it's still really early days

You’re putting the cart ahead of the horse in a big way. First write the book as best you can, as if no one is ever going see it. You know the old saying that the first draft is for yourself, the second for your agent, the third for your reader. Once you have an agent and are putting together a submission package, then is the time to think about this.

Just keep writing. Lock the document with a password and lock the door to the room you write in if you can and if it helps, whatever gets the word count rising.

I have the same issue with needing to be in stealth mode so I use my middle name plus a nature noun eg Kate Maple, Louise Rivers, Jane Summers etc. It hasn’t been a problem, agent knows my real name and bank details.

Perhaps if you self publish you can simply pay for advertising. For now just keep going.

HNRTT but don't conflate public anonymity with disclosing your name to the agent and publisher. I'd be astonished if you could progress to publication without signing contracts in your real legal name though that won't stop being published under a pseudonym. Whether the publisher would be content for an author to have no public profile, no social media and no publicity activities might be a different kettle of fish.

I suppose your alternative would be to self-publish under a pseudonym where the only legal use of your real name would be the agreement with, say, Amazon and the payments into your personal or company bank account. All the social media could presumably be managed under your pseudonym.

Good luck.