Published on Poets and Writers (http://www.pw.org)

Jennifer Carlson of Dunow, Carlson & Lerner

Posted 1.28.13

I’m a self-published author who just completed his second novel. An agent once told me I shouldn’t state that I’m a self-published author in my query letter because it shows that no one has taken an interest in my writing and therefore I had to publish my own books. Apart from being rather insulting, does this agent have a point?

Ammanuel

from

Baltimore

Maryland

[2]

Jennifer Carlson [2]

Dunow, Carlson & Lerner Literary Agency

27 West 20th Street

Suite 1107

New York, NY 10011

Yes, it’s a little slighting. Am I guilty of countless acts of the same? Um, yes. This may change as the definition of self-publishing evolves, but we’re not all the way there yet. So unless you’ve sold a zillion copies of your self-published book, best not to bring it up too soon.

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Source URL: http://www.pw.org/agent_advice/jennifer_carlson_of_dunow_carlson_lerner_1

Links:
[1] http://www.pw.org/agent_advice
[2] http://www.pw.org/literary_agents/jennifer_carlson