Is it acceptable (or bad form) to include books you have written/published but that have gone out of print in your bio-blurb of your next book?
Many thanks,
hopeful
Many thanks,
hopeful
including out of print books in your bio that appears on the back of your next book
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Most publishers insert a "backlist page" that lists the other books the author has written, so it's pretty common. It usually appears as part of the "front matter" prior to the title page. It's VITAL to include this if the book is part of a series. I think it's fine to include it, and would just add a notation of (out of print) after the title. That's how one friend of mine did hers (for some reason, the publisher decided to put SECOND book in the series out of print, while the rest are still in print. 
)
)Thanks very much for your input, CathyC.
What I'm actually thinking about specifically is the little "author bio" that appears on the back cover of the book. Like is it okay to say, "hopeful is the author of ---. She lives in --- with her family."
Even if the book in question has gone out of print?
I am a professional counselor and writer of nonfiction books in the self help genre, if that makes any difference.
Thanks again,
hopeful
What I'm actually thinking about specifically is the little "author bio" that appears on the back cover of the book. Like is it okay to say, "hopeful is the author of ---. She lives in --- with her family."
Even if the book in question has gone out of print?
I am a professional counselor and writer of nonfiction books in the self help genre, if that makes any difference.
Thanks again,
hopeful
- Joined
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Is it on a different subject or in a different category (like, as you say, an NF book and your current book is fiction) that you were well known for? Will a reader glance at the name and say, "Oh yeah! I remember that guy!" if they see the title?
If it relates to the current subject, then by all means. If it doesn't relate to the current book, what purpose does it serve to bring it up?
If it relates to the current subject, then by all means. If it doesn't relate to the current book, what purpose does it serve to bring it up?
Yes, all the books in question are nonfiction (and in the self help genre), and would therefore be "relevant" items to include in the forthcoming bio-blurb.
Nonfiction/self help books are the only things I know how to write, so there is never any "genre-hopping" with me.
Thanks again for your great input!
-hopeful
Nonfiction/self help books are the only things I know how to write, so there is never any "genre-hopping" with me.
Thanks again for your great input!
-hopeful
Personally, I prefer to include still-in-print books, the idea being that if someone is flipping through the current book, sees the bio, goes "Aha! I have been wanting to read about kicking people!" (I write about martial arts), I'd like that person to go buy a book that will put a royalty in my pocket.
That said, I can't see any great harm in including an out-of-print book as long as it is directly relevant to the book in hand or is a book the reader is likely to know.
Jennifer Lawler
That said, I can't see any great harm in including an out-of-print book as long as it is directly relevant to the book in hand or is a book the reader is likely to know.
Jennifer Lawler
I'm now thinking there might be other ways that I can "jazz up" my bio, without including the out of print titles.
Thanks for helping me process this stuff...
-hopeful
Thanks for helping me process this stuff...
-hopeful
As long as these books were published by a reputable house--not self published or POD--I would include everything, especially in a query. Few books stay in print very long these days. So if you can be thought of as the author of five books instead of one, so much the better. The fact that the books went out of print won't be held against you. If your next book is a whopping success, the publisher may want to bring your out of print titles back into print (I hope you got the rights back).
Hi Popmuze,
Thanks for your sage advice. You are wise to get so specific about the types of publishers in question. One of my two previously published books was in print for eight years. It was published by a small but well respected niche publisher of counseling/self help books that has been in existence for well over two decades (and is most definitely not a POD press). The other book in question WAS in fact published by a POD publisher that went out of business after only a few years.
This new book that will be coming out some time in 2008 is my first venture into "big publishing house" NYC publishing. I think that in my bio that will appear on the back of the forthcoming book, I will probably include the book that was in print for eight years (and was published by a regular, non-POD publisher), and I will probably exclude the POD out-of-print book. At least that's how I'm leaning right now.
And yes, I did remember to get the rights back (in writing)! Thanks for mentioning that, too.
Thanks!
-hopeful
Thanks for your sage advice. You are wise to get so specific about the types of publishers in question. One of my two previously published books was in print for eight years. It was published by a small but well respected niche publisher of counseling/self help books that has been in existence for well over two decades (and is most definitely not a POD press). The other book in question WAS in fact published by a POD publisher that went out of business after only a few years.
This new book that will be coming out some time in 2008 is my first venture into "big publishing house" NYC publishing. I think that in my bio that will appear on the back of the forthcoming book, I will probably include the book that was in print for eight years (and was published by a regular, non-POD publisher), and I will probably exclude the POD out-of-print book. At least that's how I'm leaning right now.
And yes, I did remember to get the rights back (in writing)! Thanks for mentioning that, too.
Thanks!
-hopeful
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