Hi all. Quick question. I'm published through PA (I know, I know, I should have done more homework before signing that contract). And that poses a stumbling point for me. I am querying agents for a new novel. Most agents ask for any previous publishing credits - self published or otherwise. Here is my problem: I did not pay to publish my book, so I'm technically not self published by industry standards. However, many agents/publishers do not consider PA an actual publisher (not my words, but much to what I've read on various blogs, etc.), only a vanity publisher. So my question is: Do I put down that I am published or self published? Right now this is the only thing hamstringing my query letters to be sent. I'm not certain how to proceed at this point, and I hoped someone might have some advice. Thanks, B
Only list paid publishing credits. Even if you have credits in different genres or markets, it is probably best to omit them. Unless your publishing credits are comparable to what the prospective publisher will add to your resume/CV, leave them out and let the synopsis, and later the manuscript, speak for itself.
Thanks, Cogito. So, if I understand correctly... Since I was paid royalties by PA (had to claim them on my taxes and all), I should go ahead and list myself as being published, not self published. I appreciate all the help you give!! B
If you consider PA to be on a par with the publisher you are submitting to. Personally, I would probably not list them. Just ask yourself: Will they be impressed?
see my post in the other thread where you posted this question... in the literary/agent's world, PA is considered to be on a par with poetry.com... the problem is that, like the poetry.com scam, they take anything that's sent to them, no matter how bad it may be and print it as is, with little to no editing... they make their money on the writers and their family/friends buying the books, not on sales in real book stores [most of which will not stock their books, even if you give some to them]... and they do no promotion, marketing, etc., which you have to do all on your own... agents and legit [traditional/paying] publishers see writers who use PA as 'marks' [to put it kindly] and victims, not as 'published authors'...
If you're saying you should have done your homework before going with PA, here in this forum, why would you want to open the door to letting an agent or editor know you've gone with PA? Everyone is entitled to a mistake or two, but best to move on rather than draw attention to it, or try to construe it into something it really isn't--a legitimate writing credit. Just my two cents. Terry
Thanks all! I simply did not want to exclude anything that, after the agent does his homework on me, might find I omitted. I suppose that I can always say that I did not find PA to be on par with the agent's level. I know some agents/publishers might find being "a mark" for PA might be bad; however, I was also thinking that I've evolved and matured as an author (like doing my homework, etc.) and learning from my mistakes, moving forward. Also, I can show my sales (from legitimate bookstores who did order my book and I did sold out signings at, etc.) and that, since PA does NO marketing or helps authors, that I can be successful and a go-getter as far as promotion goes. Right now, I'm submitting to agents, not publishers, so I'm not sure where that leaves me on considering PA on par with the current publisher I'm submitting to. (Personally, due to all my research, I've avoided all publishers that MIGHT be considered on par with PA.) My problem is that I don't want to omit and the agent come back with, "Why didn't you mention you're published through PA?" But I don't want someone looking at my query letter saying, "Oh, a PA author. Oh no." Perhaps I'll ask an agent on their blog? B
Sure. Keep on "anonymously" asking the same question (until you get the answer you want). All the while using your picture and name. It's not like agents or publishers would ever Google it to find B. B. Walter's PA-printed book, Sister Light Book One: Of Shadows. (Interesting punctuation in that title, by the way.) If you ever want to be taken seriously as a writer, you must disassociate yourself from PA. You're going about that in a bass-ackwards way. You've left evidence of that association all over the net. Your last post reveals you still have much to learn about the business of writing. Check out the sites of Agent Query, Preditors & Editors and Writer Beware. Bookmark them. Study them. And I'd suggest using a pen name for your next opus.
FrankB, B.B. is a pen name, firstly. Secondly, I'm sorry if I'm asking questions that seem in bad taste (judging from the feel of your post). After my bad deal with PA, I began slowly learning the business better, reading the forums, etc. I am familiar with all the sites you recommended; I've read through them extensively. But I am still learning. Also, I never said that I was asking "anonymously". I have made mistakes as an author in the past; I won't deny that, and I am trying to learn from those mistakes. I did not plan to keep asking until I got the answer that "suits me", or some such. But I thought that, while you are all published and experienced in the business, I should probably consult an actual agent as to what they thought. The thought had not occurred to me before I posted the last time, and I was running it by everyone who had been kind enough to input here. (As for the punctuation on the title of the book, that was not my doing. It was one of the many many things printed wrongly in the manuscript I'd sent to PA after final proof changes were sent and I'd returned them edited.) I apologize, but I was always informed that the only stupid question was an unasked one. Thank you for your time and attention. B
asking 'an' agent is not likely to give you any better advice than you're getting here, bb... and if you ask one who's not a legit agent, you could even get bad advice... all agents don't agree on everything, in any event, which is why it's always best to err on the side of caution, if you want to maximize, not minimize your work's chances of being published...
Very good point, mamma. Think I'll stick with not mentioning it. If the agent asks, I can simply say I did not consider being essentially self published as a legitimate credit. You always have good advice! Thanks for sharing it so freely B
