Am I Paranoid?

Hedgetrimmer

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When I was 24 (16 years ago), I wrote a narrative nonfiction book. A small press published it a year later. The book dealt with some pretty heavy topics, namely drugs, sex and race relations. It did okay, I guess, selling about 3000 copies over two years. The publisher then went out of business.

Now that I'm trying to break into the children's market, I often wonder if agents, when considering my work, are put off by this book. When I Google my name, several links come up: Newspaper editorials and plays I've had workshopped, but the book, despite being out of print for many years, is the first thing shown as a result of Amazon still listing the book.

Should I be concerned about this at all or am I simply being paranoid?
 

MJWare

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No sure about your question (my guess is they don't bother to google you). But if you have a fairly common name you might add or remove your middle initial. The publisher wouldn't know it was you then.
If you have an unusual name, or ethic name not common in the US, than it might now work.
 

AlishaS

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Can't say for sure but if you are really that worried about it I agree with the above, you change parts of your names or even use a pen name. But I doubt they will google you.
 

Night Owl

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Or you could just use your first two initials instead of your first name--then they'd have to guess your gender too.
 

lonestarlibrarian

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Another vote for either a pen name or formatting your real name in a different way. It's common for one person to write for two or three different audiences with two or three different names. But unless it was something very extreme, I doubt that the existence of a previous book, written for a different audience, would be anything to worry about.
 

Hedgetrimmer

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My last name is very unusual, so using initials or adding a middle name and such wouldn't work. And I don't think I would want to ever use a pseudonym. It's like I'm trying to hide something, which I never want to do. I make no apologies for anything I write.

I recall reading an agent's blog in which she admitted she actually looked for reasons to reject writers when she received a query. Now, of course she meant things pertaining to the writing itself, but I still question the logic some people might hold. With kids being so Internet savvy these days, they might read my MG novel, go on line to see what else I've written and have their little innocent minds shattered and corrupted.
 

Hedgetrimmer

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But unless it was something very extreme, I doubt that the existence of a previous book, written for a different audience, would be anything to worry about.
No, it wasn't extreme, just quite candid about drug use, womanizing and a few tirades about some of America's social mores. But, yeah, I'm hoping because it was for an entirely different audience it may not be an issue.
 

abctriplets

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Another vote for either a pen name or formatting your real name in a different way. It's common for one person to write for two or three different audiences with two or three different names. But unless it was something very extreme, I doubt that the existence of a previous book, written for a different audience, would be anything to worry about.

A pen name might be well and good once you get it published, but when your shopping it around, you shouldn't hide your identity from a potential agent. They'll eventually find out, and, as mentioned on the ask the editor board, who would they make your check out to?
 

suki

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Hedgetrimmer,

I don't think you are going to like my response, but I'll add it anyway for some perspective.

Unless an agent tells you that the prior book is a turn off, you'll never know. And I think if the book you are shopping wowed the agent, the prior book would be irrelevant.

But, more to the point, even if it is an issue, there is really nothing you can do about it. You can't hide your identity as you query - you risk starting off on the wrong foot and losing the agent anyway...

So, just keep writing and querying, and if the book wows the agent or editor, the prior book shouldn't be an issue.

good luck.

~suki
 

lonestarlibrarian

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Writing under more than one name isn't necessarily to hide something-- it's also used as a handy tool for an author to let her audience know what to expect from a particular book. Sort of like if you read a Barbara Mertz book, you expect to get something academic, but if you read a Barbara Michaels book, you'll probably get a gothic thriller, and if you read an Elizabeth Peters book, you'll probably get a historic-adventure-mystery. If you don't expect to be as prolific or as broad in depth as that, pen names might be overkill... but it doesn't automatically equate to shame. :eek:)
 

Hedgetrimmer

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Suki, there's no reason to think I would not like your response. You're absolutely right. There isn't anything I can do about it but keep writing and let my current work speak for itself.

Lonestarlibrarian, you're right too. There are occasions when writing under a pen name would make sense, as your example makes clear. I was simply speaking from my own POV. I would hate for an agent to think I was deliberately trying to keep her in the dark about the book by pretending not to be the author.
 

MJWare

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Now that I think about it, if I were an agent, I might ask you to use a Pen name (if I was worried), but I'd still represent you.

If your agent is too turned off by drug use and such, they might not be the right agent for you anyway.
 

Smish

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Honestly, Hedge, I wouldn't worry myself over this. Agents know that writers often write in more than one genre. As others have said, an agent may recommend you use a pseudonym for your children's work, but that's common for lots of reasons (I'll probably have to use a pseudonym because my last name is easily misspelled and mispronounced, for example). So, if you submit a children's novel they fall in love with, I don't see any reason why the content in your NF book will be a concern.

Good luck!
 

eyeblink

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Jacqueline Wilson wrote some adult crime novels early in her career, and used her own name on them. Nowadays, she has to warn her many teenage fans away from them if they find them in the library. :)
 

Stijn Hommes

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Yes, you're paranoid. Use a pen name if you don't want kids to mix up that old book with your new work, but for the agent and publisher the fact you had something published (and pretty good sales) can only be a good thing. Milk that publication for all it's worth.
 

Angela_785

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I think ultimately a publisher or agent will tell you if you need to distance yourself from this other book. My feeling is they would request a slight change in your name as others here have said.

But would that book keep publishers from considering this one? I don't think so. After all, they might not readily assume that you are the same author--many of us have names shared by other writers or artists (I assume you don't link to this old book of yours on any of your online stuff (blog, website, etc). They might ask you about it though, if things got to the interested in picking up the book stage.