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Joined: 3/14/2011
Posts: 15
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I have several books published with a small publishing house. This an e-publisher that does not pay advances, just royalties. I have been told that to mention these in a query letter doesn't help me at all, in fact it may even hurt. One agent (on a forum I frequent) even said that if a publisher didn't pay (with an advance) to publish your work then they risked nothing and gives no value to your work. ( I am paraphrasing here)
Just curious about opinions on this. I want an agent this time around and always thought my publishing creds would help, but I am learning that might not be the case.
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Joined: 3/3/2011
Posts: 68
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I'd say they're worth noting if the books have moved a good number of units. If you've sold 5000 copies of your epub book, that's totally worth noting. However, I suspect that your books would have to be doing rather well for it to be a worthwhile mention in querying for another project.
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Joined: 2/27/2011
Posts: 353
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Sheadakota -
It depends upon the publisher, really, There are a lot of really great small publishers - both print and ebook only - who don't offer advances of any kind. But they'd certainly count as as publishing credit. Lots of things factor in to this: How was the book acquired? Did you work with an editor to improve your book or was it published as is? Is it a publisher that an agent is likely to have heard of? Did you ever actually receive any royalties? All these are important questions.
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Joined: 3/14/2011
Posts: 15
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Colleen,
Thanks for chiming in- I submitted the book via a query, they offered me a contract and yup several rounds of copy amd line edits then galley proofs. I have recieved royalties every month some in the four digits- But the pub is small, probably not one an agent might know-
But you have given me hope- that perhaps I should mention my creds after all- but should I mention the above ina query- seems wrong to do that to me-
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Joined: 2/27/2011
Posts: 353
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Then I would say yes, this counts as a legit publishing credit.
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Joined: 3/14/2011
Posts: 15
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Very cool- thank you!
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Joined: 4/26/2011
Posts: 54
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Dear Sheadakota
Firstly congratulations on your publications. They certainly sound legit.
Secondly, I am wondering whether you would share the love and let us know the name of your publisher
Thanks
Annabelle
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Joined: 10/18/2011
Posts: 3
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I seem to find myself in a similar circumstance. I have one book with a small publisher, and I just get royalties. They approached me to publish it, but all the editing and everything else was on my shoulders. They just took it and put it into print. So, would I leave that out of queries? I know it's not much but a lot of agencies and publishing houses won't even look at you if you have nothing in print.
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Joined: 5/12/2011
Posts: 240
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There does seem to be an explosion of these small, e-only, or e-mostly presses all of a sudden. Or maybe I've just discovered them since I got interested in going that route with some of my work.
Thanks, Colleen for giving some point to consider when choosing which presses to try and what will or won't further a more traditional route for other work.
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