Using Dr. title?

Fizgig

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So, I have a Ph.D. in anthropology, which directly pertains to the subject of my novel. In most of my correspondence, twitter name, etc, I haven't really been using my Dr. title for fear that it makes me seem arrogant and/or kind of jerky.

I do clearly state in my query letter that I have a doctorate and that I have field experience pertinent to my novel. But now I'm wondering if I should just plaster Dr. on all my social media stuff? I see a number of people doing this from various fields and I can't quite decide if it seems slightly wrong or if its just using every advantage possible? Very curious about thoughts on this!
 

Kerosene

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List in your bio/accomplishments that you have a Ph.D in Anthropology--though, it should also be important that the query reflects that this would be helpful.
 

quicklime

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ymmv, I probably won't use it in mine even if I write something bio-thriller, because of the same "dickishness" fears you mentioned above.....

that's just me, in real life I rarely tell people what I do anyway unless asked for the same reason.
 

Alpha Echo

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I wouldn't use it for a novel. Definitely list it in the bio, but for a novel, I'd keep the PhD out. If it were a non-fiction, I think it would be more important to add it to your name.
 

aus10phile

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I don't have a doctorate, so no personal experience here. But I think it's probably a question of your own personal brand management. Who do you want to be to the world?

If you're posting about anthropology-related stuff, then yes definitely. If you want to be a regular person who writes books and just happens to have a doctorate in anthropology, I could go either way. On people's Twitter bios, they list all kinds of personal facts. I don't think it comes across as arrogant if it's in the list. It's one part of who you are.
 

shaldna

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So, I have a Ph.D. in anthropology, which directly pertains to the subject of my novel. In most of my correspondence, twitter name, etc, I haven't really been using my Dr. title for fear that it makes me seem arrogant and/or kind of jerky.

I do clearly state in my query letter that I have a doctorate and that I have field experience pertinent to my novel. But now I'm wondering if I should just plaster Dr. on all my social media stuff? I see a number of people doing this from various fields and I can't quite decide if it seems slightly wrong or if its just using every advantage possible? Very curious about thoughts on this!


I've seen a couple of fiction books with 'Dr' in the authors name, and I have to be honest that it put me off. I, irrational though it might seem, felt somehow that the author might be preaching to me.

On the other hand, I'm a scientist by training and I have many, many text books and manuals with 'Dr' on the cover.
 

alexaherself

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I'm wondering if I should just plaster Dr. on all my social media stuff?

I wouldn't - and certainly don't intend to, myself, if I ever manage to graduate with my very slow-moving PhD.

I think it looks a bit "precious".

(Obviously you should mention it to agents, etc., if it's relevant to the genre of your novel, but I appreciate that's not what you were asking.)
 

Jamesaritchie

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If it relates to the novel, you'd be an idiot if you didn't take advantage of it.
 

Maryn

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I agree with Jamesaritchie. If your novel involves your field of study, having the PhD is a plus. If your novel never touches on anthropology, then it cannot help you and has the potential to seem pretentious, at least to some.

Maryn, un-pretentioused after too much exposure to 'em
 

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ymmv, I probably won't use it in mine even if I write something bio-thriller, because of the same "dickishness" fears you mentioned above.....

that's just me, in real life I rarely tell people what I do anyway unless asked for the same reason.

Ha. Me too.
 

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If it's for a novel and the field is relevant, I think it's worth mentioning you have a doctorate in that field. However, I'd avoid use of "Dr." in your handles or in your query. Just my opinion, of course, but the authors I know who are physicians or other doctoral-level professionals (including myself) tend not to because 1) it's unnecessary and 2) often off-putting, however unintentionally so.
 

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Exactly what James said. It's a very prestigious accomplishment and if anything an agent will notice your title. On top of that, you said your novel pertains to your background. Many mistake a bio as an all or nothing. This is absolutely not true. I've received requests based on what I've put in my bio because agents have mentioned it. If the title gets you an extra request, then it's done its job. Good luck.
 

quicklime

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..... It's a very prestigious accomplishment and if anything an agent will notice your title. On top of that, you said your novel pertains to your background. ....

how much it pertains in fiz' case is somewhat up in the air, and she'll have to decide on her own.

that said, running a 5-minute mile, learning three languages, or being able to inject cobra venom like Bill Haas are all prestigious accomplishments. But agents aren't life coaches or adoring mothers, they're book-buyers. So the only accomplishment that matters in most cases is if you can write. I have a PhD, work with other PhDs, etc....I can promise you the degree does not assure that in the least.
 

TerryRodgers

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how much it pertains in fiz' case is somewhat up in the air, and she'll have to decide on her own.

that said, running a 5-minute mile, learning three languages, or being able to inject cobra venom like Bill Haas are all prestigious accomplishments. But agents aren't life coaches or adoring mothers, they're book-buyers. So the only accomplishment that matters in most cases is if you can write. I have a PhD, work with other PhDs, etc....I can promise you the degree does not assure that in the least.

Or course the writing matters most, but if I'm a secret service agent and wrote about a presidential conspiracy, or was stationed on a nuclear submarine and wrote about a captain defecting to America, or have a Phd in Anthropology and wrote about something in that field, then it makes the credibility of the novel much stronger. It's the same when people earn their MFA and put it in their bio. Doesn't mean they can write, but it does mean they have something special in their background.
 

quicklime

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except here's what fiz said:

I do clearly state in my query letter that I have a doctorate and that I have field experience pertinent to my novel.

personally, I have no idea how pertinent pertinent is. That's said with no disrespect to the OP, who I've noticed around here before, but in your nuclear sub analogy, you'd be one of a few hundred or less people with that experience....and if you were the cook, I would still say "don't bother." Likewise I have a PhD in biology and studied cell signaling and transformation--unless I was writing about something incredibly specific, my bio background may be "pertinent" to a biomedical thriller, but no moreso than any decent writer's due diligence ought to get them in researching it. And being a secret service agent would only matter if the conspiracy involved a very deep discussion of how security details work, etc.....not if it was a plot by a sniper or a military coup.

ymmv, but most agents I've seen comment tend to be ambivalent unless it is a VERY unique position that qualifies you to write that book. Coupling that with the number of PhDs I have seen who appear convinced they can do XYZ because they have one, I've been strongly inclined to lean on the writing instead and leave the degree out of it. And I HAVE seen certain agents comment certain qualifications ARE a turnoff....I know from personal experience bio-writing is if anything a hurdle to being able to construct grammatically pleasant novel-type sentences, and the guy who wrote The First 5 pages, for example, said he had an aversion to journalists....to paraphrase Cary Elwes in The Princess Bride, he'd known too many journalists. So the credit wasn't even benign, it was a sort of anti-credit.


Derail aside, Fiz, if your book leans really heavily on the minutiae of anthro fieldwork, for example, I'd add it. If it is more "Indiana Jones," I'd leave it out. That's what I meant about how pertinent pertinent is.... And as always, YMMV.
 
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Fizgig

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Thanks all for the thoughts! It's confirmed my gut instinct to leave titles off my social media and such. I tend to cring when I see others use dr but wasn't sure if that was my own issue.

In terms of my book, it is about an archaeologist in the jungles of Central America where I ran a dig for nine years so my experience is probably about location more than anything else. I suspect the amount of time I spent there is more important than my actual degree but mention it in the query just in case :)
 

Fuchsia Groan

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If it's for a novel and the field is relevant, I think it's worth mentioning you have a doctorate in that field. However, I'd avoid use of "Dr." in your handles or in your query. Just my opinion, of course, but the authors I know who are physicians or other doctoral-level professionals (including myself) tend not to because 1) it's unnecessary and 2) often off-putting, however unintentionally so.

I agree with this.

I have a PhD in comparative literature and never mention it or anything academic in my queries. If it were directly relevant to the subject of a novel, I would. I think it makes total sense to mention the length of time you spent on the dig — and that you ran it. That's pretty cool! (At least to me, because as a reader I love strong, detailed settings.)

I do mention I'm a journalist, since I do that now and have gotten awards for it. I didn't know that was an anti-credit for some agents! :cry:
 
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Roxxsmom

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Generally, you don't put your professional honorific or degree on your publications. When an academic publishes a paper in a journal, or publishes a book, they don't have Dr. T.A. Smith, Ph.D., M.D. or whatever in the title credits, the cover or title page, just T.A. Smith. Their credentials would be mentioned in the author bio, if present.

Now people may call someone with a doctorate Dr. Whoever (or Professor, if they're a professor--of course this title has different meanings in the US and UK) when addressing them in a professional context, or if they're students (or patients for an MD, Vet, or Dentist). When I was in college, it was considered appropriate to call your instructors Dr. Whoever if they had a doctorate. Asking someone to call you doctor whoever (or Mr. or Ms. for that matter) in strictly social situations seems a bit stuffy and formal by modern standards.
 
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mayqueen

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Generally, you don't put your professional honorific or degree on your publications. When an academic publishes a paper in a journal, or publishes a book, they don't have Dr. T.A. Smith, Ph.D., M.D. or whatever in the title credits, the cover or title page, just T.A. Smith. Their credentials would be mentioned in the author bio, if present.
Depends on the discipline and the journal. Some fields and journals do list authors as Dr. Jane Doe or Jane Doe, PhD (or even Jane Doe, MSc; Jane Doe, MA; Jane Doe, PhDc).