posted
My novel is ready to go and I've done the synopsis. Now I need to write the query letter. Years ago I self published 2 gaming books (fantasy role-playing.) Should I mention them and the small gaming magazine I edited in my bio?
posted
Most of the advice I've heard is to only reference related material. Personally, I think fantasy gaming books would likely be considered non-fiction and irrelevant. Unless the novel itself is somehow about fantasy gaming, perhaps.
Posts: 696 | Registered: Sep 2005
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posted
Mentioning that you edited a small gaming magazine couldn't hurt. I'd shy away from the self-publishing, though (unless it was absurdly successful), those aren't publishing credentials/credits.
[This message has been edited by InarticulateBabbler (edited October 18, 2007).]
posted
I'm inclined to say "don't mention the self-published stuff," unless you have reason to believe it might be something they might know about. The gaming magazine sounds okay, unless you were self-publishing that, too.
(They say "every writer" edited his high school newspaper---but I didn't, though I contributed some stuff.)
I've seen a lot of agents' blogs say the "self-pubishing" credit is a kiss of death to a query. Why? Because: (1) most self -published don't get a lot of sales; and (2) there is a decent amount of prejudice against self-publishing. So self-pubishing isn't necessarily a reflection on your marketability.
Exceptions, IMHO, would exist if you had great - not good but great - sales or the self-published work was in a small niche AND that niche is relevant to what the current work is. Some self-published have pretty decent sales because the publisher has deals with bookstores and Amazon to get them out into the market.
Ask yourself:
1)What were the sales; 2)Is the role playing game relevant to the novel; 3)Does listing it help you?
posted
I addition to the other considerations, I have seen an agent say in a blog that they consider self-publishing to be an indication of not having the patience to deal with the slow-pace and frustration of "real" publishing. So it's just all around safer not to mention it.
Posts: 1588 | Registered: Jul 2007
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posted
Yeah I agree, it wouldn't look too good, even though from what I understand self-publishing is pretty normal in the gaming industry. (It's how Tracy Hickman got his start) But Novels are a whole different world (even if it is the same world as the games).
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