Topic: When is one a "published author"?

[Scucci]

Hi Friends,

When submitting to publishers that only accept work from agents or "published authors", does this mean hard-copy book authors only? Or if someone has, say, a rebus in an on-line magazine, are they a "published author" too?  Right now, I'm limiting myself to publishers that accept unpublished authors, even though I have some pieces in on-line magazines.  Thanks for your input.

[cdb]

           Thank you, Succi, for posing this question. I don't know the answer, but am curious as well.

           Also, I'm wondering 'how' to submit to said publishers. Does one identify on the outer envelope that they are published?

          I tried subbing once this way (without anything written on the envelope) and it was returned to me unopened.
     
          What's 'the rule'?


                  Carole ( who tries hard to follow rules, but enjoys breaking them)

[Verla Kay]

Each house has its own set of rules. When in question, contact the house and ask.  A quick phone call might be the easiest and fastest way to get the information.  When you get the receptionist, just say something like this, "Your guidelines say you only accept published authors' submissions. I need to know if online sales count towards publication credits.  Could you please direct me to the correct person to answer this question?" 

If the receptionist knows the answer, she can give it to you right then, and if not, she will immediately know who to connect you with that can answer your question -- or at least someone who will know who to contact to answer the question. LOL!  BEWARE!  You MIGHT end up talking to an editor!  Be SURE to have your questions and a "sound bite" of your current story written out ahead of time, so that you don't babble and blubber and sound like a total idiot if you do get ahold of an editor.  :x <been there, done that!>

And for those who don't know what it is, a "sound bite" is a very tight synopsis of your story or article. It's like the blurb of a story you read on a jacket cover to see if you want to read a book or not when you first pick it up. I recommend writing a "sound bite" of no more than 15 or 20 words for your story. That way, you can pitch it to an editor in one quick sentence. 

When writing a sound bite you will give almost NO details of the story.  Names don't matter,(except in the case of a biography, like with my book example below) relationships between characters don't matter, (unless that's the whole point of the story -- like if a girl fights with her brother to avoid losing herself in drugs,) all the plot points of the story are left out except the one main one. The only thing you tell is the "heart" of the story -- the main "idea" behind the story.

Examples:  If you wanted to write a sound bite for the children's classic story of "The Three Little Pigs," you could say, "A big, bad wolf tries to eat three little pigs by blowing down their homes." For the Harry Potter series, you could say something like this, "A young boy battles a most evil warlock while attending school to learn the craft of sorcery."  In my newest book, "Rough, Tough Charley," I would say this, "In my non-ficiton biography of Charley Parkhurst, a runaway orphan becomes a celebrated stagecoach driver, then gives the world a huge surprise when he dies."  (The sound bite is the part beginning with "a runaway orphan.")

Hope this helps a little....

[anita]

I would only add to Verla's comments that unless you are published in the genre/type of work the publisher wants, they probably won't consider you published, for purposes of accepting queries from you.

I worked for a trade journal as an editor and did plenty of writing in that capacity years ago.  However, when submitting fiction, whether YA or adult, while I will say in my query that I was published in non-fiction trade magazines, or whatever, I won't submit to a publisher/agent who only wanted submissions from published writers.  They aren't looking for anyone who's been published in any form, they are looking for someone who has been previously published in the same/similar genre already.

I think it becomes murky when you  are published say in non-fiction historical works, and then write a historical novel.  That they may be interested in. 

I'm looking at this from my perspective as a YA fiction author though, and don't know much about non-fiction children's writing or PB.

As Verla indicated, if you aren't sure, call.

anita

[ohmylorelei]

I'm going to disagree with Anita a little. I was able to get people to read things with publishing credits that had nothing to do with children's lit.  But the credits were national publications, literary magazines, newspapers, NPR commentaries, etc.

Honestly, I think it actually *is* a case by case thing, however much we try to come up with rules for it... so I'd suggest calling, as someone suggested, and finding the best possible way to spin what you do have. 

If you have a lot of clips, but in not-such-fancy places, I'd say something like, "I've published more than 20 stories in online publications".  If you only have one, but it's a major online site, I'd say, "With publications in major online outlets like X".

And in truth, if what you have is one online clip from a site your cousin edits... I'd try sending to editors who DO take unagented/unpublished authors.

[mariwho]

And for those who don't know what it is, a "sound bite" is a very tight synopsis of your story or article. It's like the blurb of a story you read on a jacket cover to see if you want to read a book or not when you first pick it up. I recommend writing a "sound bite" of no more than 15 or 20 words for your story. That way, you can pitch it to an editor in one quick sentence. 

When writing a sound bite you will give almost NO details of the story.  Names don't matter,(except in the case of a biography, like with my book example below) relationships between characters don't matter, (unless that's the whole point of the story -- like if a girl fights with her brother to avoid losing herself in drugs,) all the plot points of the story are left out except the one main one. The only thing you tell is the "heart" of the story -- the main "idea" behind the story.

Examples:  If you wanted to write a sound bite for the children's classic story of "The Three Little Pigs," you could say, "A big, bad wolf tries to eat three little pigs by blowing down their homes." For the Harry Potter series, you could say something like this, "A young boy battles a most evil warlock while attending school to learn the craft of sorcery."  In my newest book, "Rough, Tough Charley," I would say this, "In my non-ficiton biography of Charley Parkhurst, a runaway orphan becomes a celebrated stagecoach driver, then gives the world a huge surprise when he dies."  (The sound bite is the part beginning with "a runaway orphan.")

Hope this helps a little....

Thank you, Verla, for that explanation.  I've been trying to wrap my brain around the "sound bite" concept for some time, and I finally understand.

[cdb]

        Boy, Verla, where were you when I needed you? I did call a house a month ago and yes, I was transferred to an editor and yes, she did ask
        about my book and yes, I think I made a blubbering, idiotic statement. Glad to know I'm not the only one and glad now to know how to do
        it gracefully, like a true professional instead of a goof ball stuttering in shock over speaking to a real live editor. I'm 54 years old and can reduce
        myself to a giddy childlike posture when the unexpected happens.

         Still learning at 54,

            Carole (who will have sound bites ready if I EVER do that again)   

[KateMessner]

This post made me laugh because it's been the subject of conversation at our house recently.  SCBWI considers you published and a full member when you've signed your first contract.  My first book, SPITFIRE, is due out in September, but my 10-year-old insists that I'm not a published author until he sees it at Borders.  He's supposed to make a list of all the books he's read this year for school, and when I suggested he add SPITFIRE (he read at least 3 drafts of it), he flat out refused, saying it doesn't count until people can buy it.  Who knew that a fifth grader would be tougher than SCBWI?  I am officially humbled...

[Inspired]

I'd ground him and make him write "My mom is a published author." 50 times.

[KateMessner]

Now there's a thought... I'm going to show him your post!

[Debs]

This post made me laugh because it's been the subject of conversation at our house recently.  SCBWI considers you published and a full member when you've signed your first contract.  My first book, SPITFIRE, is due out in September, but my 10-year-old insists that I'm not a published author until he sees it at Borders.  He's supposed to make a list of all the books he's read this year for school, and when I suggested he add SPITFIRE (he read at least 3 drafts of it), he flat out refused, saying it doesn't count until people can buy it.  Who knew that a fifth grader would be tougher than SCBWI?  I am officially humbled...

Kate,

Thanks for posting this.  It reminds me of the time a student I worked with said, "No, Miss Debbie!  You need a "hook" for your story.    

Blessings,
Debbie

[Scucci]

Kate,
I love reading your comments now that you're on AMAZON!
Scucci

[rjschechter]

I'd agree that it's likely to be a case-by-case assessment. 

I think that publishers who only want to consider "published" authors are simply trying to reduce the number of submissions they receive, and that they probably don't have in mind any particular litmus test of what it means to be "published."   They could easily have specified in their submission guidelines that they wanted submissions only from authors with "commercial book publications," or some other similar formulation.  They are editors, after all, and ought to know how to be specific and clear if they have something specific and clear in mind.  So if you have non-book publication credits, such as in magazines or literary journals, then go ahead and submit with your head held high.  The publisher will not be able to resent you for failing to follow the guidelines, as would be the case if you never published anything anywhere at any time, and by the time they get to the paragraph in your query/cover letter detailing your credits, they will have read the most important part of the letter , the part where you pitched the book you're trying to sell.  If they liked that part of the letter, that's what ought to count.  And what's the harm in trying?

[Heidi]

So it doesn't count the time I wrote "MAMA IS MEAN" on the side of the house when I was seven?
I got a reaction from it, anyway.
:-)

[Diane]

So it doesn't count the time I wrote "MAMA IS MEAN" on the side of the house when I was seven?

Ahhh! I carved a similar sentiment in the maple tree. I have always wanted to climb back up that tree to see if you can still read it. But so far, I've left it off my resume...

[Heidi]

Ahhh! I carved a similar sentiment in the maple tree. I have always wanted to climb back up that tree to see if you can still read it. But so far, I've left it off my resume...

Yeah. On top of that, my reviews weren't too favorable. So maybe I should delete that from the resume -- though it did cause quite the controversy and caught my audience's attention!