You know the drill: Times are perennially tough, some publishers are closing shop, lists are shrinking, blah blah I don’t want to repeat it but I have to for purposes of this post blah.
As a result, authors constantly find themselves on the lookout for new homes, and as a result of that result, agents see more and more queries from previously published authors.
Which is great! Agents want to hear from previously published authors.
UPDATED 5/30/19
The challenge for previously published authors
But these queries often take this form:
Dear Agent,
I published this book, it got these reviews, etc. etc. etc.
I teach here, I have a blurb by this person, etc. etc. etc.
I am a professional writer, I am back in the game, looking for new representation, etc. etc. etc.
Did I mention my previous book that was most definitely published? Here’s more about it etc. etc. etc.
And oh by the way I have a new project.
Sincerely,
Previously Published Author
Often the new project is not even described, or if it is described, it’s the barest of bare descriptions. Essentially: the author is banking on their credentials carrying the day. And by going about it this way they are either inadvertently or er, advertently projecting an attitude that they have it made in the shade.
I wish credentials carried the day
Look: I wish you had it made in the shade. I really do. I wish a published book or two, especially a successful published book or two, were a guarantor of an agent taking you on or of your next book also finding publication. You’re talented! You got published! I don’t blame anyone for being proud of that and thinking they have an advantage.
But it’s often easier to place a debut than it is a book by an author with a mixed sales track. A previously published book is not necessarily an advantage. It can be an advantage! But not always.
The reasons for this: chains basing their ordering on previous book sales even if the new book is different and/or much better, publishers wanting sure bets and shying away from mixed or quiet track records, and agents knowing all of this and following the publishers’ lead because, well, they’re the people agents have to sell to and agents can only sell what they will buy.
Now, before all previously published authors jump out the window (hopefully you’re reading this on the ground floor anyway), let me just say that all hope is not lost. Far from it!
You may not have a full leg up, but you have some leg up. Like, to the knee at least. A publisher liked your writing enough to pay you for it. An agent’s eyes are going to prick up when they see your query.
But it’s so important to recognize that your previously published book isn’t going to be what sells your new book. Instead, what’s going to sell your new book is… well, your new book.
Your new book is the key
So yes – by all means mention your previously published book(s).
But focus the query on your new book. Instead of inadvertently projecting the belief that you have it made in the shade: know the reality of the situation. Focus on your terrific-sounding and actually-terrific new project. That’s what’s going to sell or not sell or attract an agent or not attract an agent. Project yourself as a writer on the rise.
You want to build off of your last book, but it’s going to be the new book that does the building.
Need help with your book? I’m available for manuscript edits, query critiques, and coaching!
For my best advice, check out my online classes, my guide to writing a novel and my guide to publishing a book.
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Art: Allegory of teaching by Juriaen Jacobsze
Congrats, Mira. For the i-Phone, of course… and for surviving grad school thus far. Oh, and good luck with the felony thing. 🙂
Aw, Nathan, as a previously published author….it is a bit depressing.
sigh.
Shelley
Actually anon@6:33, while Dan Brown has gone through multiple publishing houses his editor (Jason Kaufman) moved with him. So this was really truly one of those old-school publishing relationships where an editor really believed in an author and built him up through multiple books. It's both really admirable and a shame that it doesn't happen more often.
anon@4:14-
I encourage authors to square things with their current agent before contacting me.
So the use of pen names has come up several times in this discussion.
I had thought pen names were mostly an author's attempt to shield his/her regular life from the fallout of their writing life, but now it sounds like they are being used as a marketing tactic.
Nathan, how do agents/other parts of the publishing industry think about pen names? Are they a normal part of business, a necessary evil? Does anyone feel duped when a previously published author adopts a pen name and is re-launched as a debut?
This is considered ethical? Doesn't anyone notice?
I've read that aside from the (rare) successful debut, most books are sold because the customer recognizes the author from previous work, which supports the career-building, stick-with-improving-under-one-name approach.
But maybe that's outdated now that sales numbers are so widely available and the chains are under financial pressure to order inventory based on projections (with the midlist therefore penalized for mediocre sales)?
Thanks!
Re: pen names:
It's all case by case. Tough to generalize across different situations.
Debut authors rejoicing over their advantage over previously published authors with mixed sales records had better be prepared for their turn at "one and done." And since a lot of success is sheer luck, think about having your first effort be the one you're passionate about, the one you want the whole world to see, because you may not get another chance.
Hate to be anonymous for this one, but my debut novel, published by a struggling indie press, was a *spectacular* failure, and it's only because my editor loved my next manuscript that he gave me a second chance. The new one is doing much better and I hope through it to find an agent and a publisher with more marketing support.
Still, DB got dropped. It wasn't a perfect wait-it-out-thru-4-books situatton.
Laura, thanks! That was sweet. 🙂
Yes, good things are happening. I didn't jump off a building, so I can chalk this week up as successful…..except I can't get the I-phone to work. How do you turn this thing on?
Dumb I-phone.
You know, I'm realizing I'm glad Nathan turned down my first query. I would not want that to be my debut book.
Let's not get too crazy over the Debut Factor. It's important, but there are plenty of (genre) authors who just turn out a steady stream of midlisters without ever hitting one outta the park. Some of 'em have dayjobs, though.
It's real simple, kids:
Write stuff that doesn't suck!
Slightly different question – suppose you have some novels and short stories published by a small, independent, royalty-paying publisher. They aren't in any bookstores, and all sales are either web-based or achieved by the author/publisher at a variety of public events. What is the advantage/disadvantage in mentioning them in a query letter?
Most of your commenting audience must consist of unpublished authors… who have no idea what to say today.
Well, I have a day job and a new story out, so I just got around to reading this post.
Anon said – "Should we mention self-published work, regardless of sales?"
Nathan said – "Yes, I'd mention it."
Really??? I thought you said the exact opposite a while back. That unless your sales were really good, or you had a credible explanation for why you self-pubbed (i.e. that it targeted a niche audience) that you *shouldn't* mention self-published works.
Can you elaborate on that? Or am I thinking of someone else?
P.S. As an unpublished author, I don't find this post either depressing or encouraging. I take the point to be that each new book has to be sold on it's own merits, regardless of the author's past success.
Okay.
Laura ~ You are not unpublished! Stop saying that, you silly ninny. Do you have any idea how green I turn when I read that you are working on revisions for your publisher?
And can you imagine how cool it will be when your novel is done and sold and you can say, "Laura Martone, the well-known travel writer, takes you on an adventure of a different kind, deep into the world of Ruby Hollow…"
All I've written are lesson plans!
As the author of the query letter you mention (or something very much like it), I feel the need to play devil's advocate here. The object of the game is to get the agent to request a full, or at least a partial. To me, the query is designed to weed out non or hopeless or beginning writers. By throwing my credits up at the top, I have at least proven myself capable of meeting deadlines, working with editors, and completing a published (if not profitable) book (or books). I don't feel ending with only a sentence or two about the new project is arrogant. I'm sure you can tell within a sentence if a story or genre is something you might want to handle. The proof, of course, is in the writing of the book. But I've got to get the book into your hands, one way or another, before it can get to that.
(My latest round of seven queries, resulted, within two days, in requests for three fulls and a partial).
As a previously pubbed author (PPA) who is about to embark on the Great Agent Hunt, Nathan's observation (debut author easier than PPA) is no big surprise. Debut authors are like trophy wives, new and shiny and Could Be The Next Big Thing, while we PPAs … well, we're the first wives club.
I am one of the few, the ashamed (as opposed to The Few, The Proud): PPA/FA — previously pubbed, formerly agented.
I'm shaking in my boots about the prospect of querying again.
Haha, Mira! You crack me up, girlfriend! That's exactly why I don't have an iPhone… I have a hard enough time with my laptop, reluctant techno-phobe that I am.
Glad that grad school hasn't pushed you over the edge yet… and that you can look at your query woes in a positive light. While I'm still determined to publish the same novel I briefly (and unsuccessfully) queried, I've learned a few lessons since then, and after addressing the ms's issues, I'll give it another go!
Author Guy – I was only half-serious earlier. I just thought it was interesting that there were fewer comments than usual… Believe me, I know how busy we all are. Sometimes, I don't read Nathan's blog till really late at night.
Besides, after some thought, I think D.G. is right – there's little more to say re: this post. It's common sense. No matter an author's past successes (or not), it's still all about the present project.
Christine – Thanks for the support… but I'm hardly "well-known" as a travel writer, though I'm working on it. I'm working on it!
When it comes to fiction, you and I are still in this boat together. Let's share a life jacket! 🙂
anon-
I wasn't referencing any one particular query – this is a very common occurrence.
Also I don't doubt that the method that you used is reasonably effective. Credentials are good for a reason, and like I said, I want to hear from previously published authors. If the query had the words "I am Michael Chabon," it doesn't really matter what the rest of the query says, I'll request it.
But all of those things that you mention (deadlines, editors, paid, etc.) can really be dispensed with in a line. And depending on the impressiveness of the credentials, you're probably going to get some requests. But I still think the query would be more effective if it focused on the new project.
And I'm sorry, I still feel that there is in fact a bit of arrogance in being coy about a new project and assuming an agent will request it just because an author is previously published. It presumes that the previous works are going to carry the day, when that's not always the way it works.
"To me, the query is designed to weed out non or hopeless or beginning writers."
Wow. How grand is that?
I guess it's how you look at things. I've always been under the impression the query letter was designed to sell new work and past experience is secondary.
I post regular comments here, but I'm posting anon today. I'm a published writer who has always believed you're only as good as your last book. And if you want to get better, you think forward instead of backward. If I were querying for a new agent, I'd be pushing the new book and playing down the old.
Yeah, I'd also have to second anon on that. The point of the query isn't simply to weed out the "hopeless." I get way more good queries from good writers than I could reasonably request.
Nor should the goal of an author be to simply rack up the most possible number of manuscript requests. The point is to help the agent figure out if they would be the right fit. If a previously published author is completely coy about their next work they may well get some requests simply because they're published, but being vague means they're just making work for a lot of agents — agents have to request it to even see what it is, when they might not have even been interested if they even knew what it is.
And that just doesn't do author or agent any good. Manuscript requests are not the be-all end-all. It's better that the people who request your work are excited to consider it because they know what it is rather than mildly annoyed that they have to request a partial to figure out what the project is about because of a vague query.
christine h-
Did I? I think I usually tell people to mention self-published works in the query.
And also, for others who asked about when to mention a previous agent or previously published works, please don't forget about the When to Mention X to an Agent from the FAQ section.
I had a lot of success getting requests for my first post-published query letter by 1) telling the agent in one sentence why I was interested in them specifically; 2) describing the actual project (this was the whole letter, basically); 3) one sentence with name, publisher and year of my book w/major publisher 4) the platform I have/had to get a deal in the first place.
Worked like a charm.
That's exactly the formula I would recommend.
I would like to announce that my new pseudonym is Michael Chabon.
In direct opposition to that statement, I would also like to announce that I am giving up trying to control this process. I love agent blogs; I learn so much from them. I feel extremely lucky as a new writer to have access to them and to agents.
But they do drive me nuts sometimes. They stir up so many feelings. I need to surrender. This is not a process I can control.
I know the first two books I want to write, and I've picked my first one. It will be ready in two years. I'll write the best darn book I can possibly write, and I'll then let go of the results, and submit it to agents.
Under the name Michael Chabon, of course. But other than that, I'm letting go.
Great information, and reassuring to know that no matter where you are in your career, you've got to keep the eye on the next book, not the last.
It seems to have worked for Ralph Nader, a previously published non-fiction author and celebrity. Some people have such popularity that they could write a novel about a ham sandwich and get it published.
DCS,
That's "platform", a whole different kettle of fish.
Hmmm, I came here looking for the week's publishing news/links and found this instead. Which is quite fortuitous 'cause this issue is a concern of mine! This is one less question I'll be asking tomorrow (ahem) during your guest speaker stint for Sisters in Crime Nor Cal (and if anyone is a Bay Area writer and interested in attending, please email me at zhadi@aol.com for more details!), leaving room for OTHER people to ask questions. 🙂
As an unpublished writer, I'm actually not discouraged by this. I like that the playing field is level, even if it's a tough playing field.
If I were to be published (I'm kinda giggling just thinking about it), though, I'd want it to be based on the merit of my work rather than my name. That said, I think it makes sense to lead with the story in a query rather than credentials. Ultimately, an agent has to believe in and sell your *work*. Yes, your name may (especially if it's graced book covers before) be part of that, but for me it's a small part. There are only a handful of authors whose books I'll pick up just based on their name, and I suspect that none of them will have to look for new agents anytime soon (i.e., they're very, very popular). But perhaps that's me…
Oh! And since Mira already snatched up the pen name I was going to use, I'd like to furthermore be known as JK Rowling 🙂
Well, Laura, (grinning sheepishly), you're the only one I know well, so… that makes you well-known to me.
Oh, and, uh, Rick Steves. I see him on TV a lot. ;o)
Stick to the standard Query Format no matter who you are:
1. into (want you to prepresent new book TITLE, compelted at X words
2. pitch
3. About you: Here's where you mention past credits if you feel they sold well enough or were critically acclaimed enough to be worth it
4. closing (inlcuding sample pages, look forward to hearing from you blahblhablhab)
No reason to deviate from this no matter who you are.
Remember: If you're in the position of needing to send out letters, you ain't all that!
Nathan Said =
"The reasons for this: chains basing their ordering on previous book sales even if the new book is different and/or much better, publishers wanting sure bets and shying away from mixed or quiet track records, and agents knowing all of this and following the publishers' lead because, well, they're the people we have to sell to and we can only sell what they will buy."
My question is whether a pseudonym is effective in combating this. Would an agent feel obligated to disclose the previously published name when representing the new project? And, should a previously published author who is trying to "re-debut" via a pseudonym disclose their previous publishing history to their prospective agent nonetheless? Could it be subject to confidentiality, like what you tell an attorney?
Just wondering,
-Steve
Yuck. I agree with Ink on the Stormtroopers. Ah well. I’ve got to continue chasing the dream, regardless of any possible future outcome.
Great, so I published a book that did not do well. My publisher did little to promote it and being ,green as a gourd, new to the business I did not know what to expect. I have had quite a few readers that are anxiously awaiting the sequel but I am skeptical of finishing it. BTW if anyone else is interested it is called "Dying to Believe". Cheap shot but what the heck. I realize I am no 'King' or 'R.E. Howard' but I believe I have a talent. If there is someone out there willing to assist me it would be greatly appreciated.
Otherwise, it was worth a try.
I hope all of you writers are having better luck at this than I.
Again, Great! The last post was from 2009, has the blog been abandoned?
Just my luck!