Degreed author?

It's been my limited expereince that fiction editors are far more interested in the quality of your work. I've never been asked by an agent or editor if I had a degree. A string of letters behind a name does, however, add credibility to non-fiction material and career-specific novels like J. Grisham's books.

degrees

auteur said:

Are editors partial to authors with a degree? I like to read author bios and most of them have degrees in something. Not all have English or Journalism degrees. Does having a college degree really matter in getting published? Or just having the ability to write a good book? I am currently pursuing a Written Communications degree and am wondering if it would help me in getting published.

I have written stories since age eleven. I have three unfinished novels. My problem is that 1) I get intimidated when I hear how hard it is to get published, 2) finding time to finish a story, 3) my lack of experience in sending out stories to publishers, 4) my lack of experience of the writing business.

Thanks for your help....

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Most of the time, it's sort of the othr way around. The majority of novelists have degrees of one sort or another, most often an English or journalism degree, because these tend to let a writer do his job better. Other degress show up because simply because people with degrees are, on average, both a bit samrter and a good deal better informed than those without degrees. So it isn't always that degrees impres editors, it's the degrees likely below to those who will probably be better writers.

Having said this, yes, sometimes a degree does make an agent or editor ask to see something they might not consider without the degree. So can job experience. Anyting that makes an agent or editor think you know a great deal and the subject of your novel can draw a "Yes, let me see it."

But degrees do not sell novels. At best they simply give an agent or an editor an excuse to ask for the novel.

Fiction? Not really, I'd say. Non-fiction? Probably would be good if you're an expert on something, like if you're writing a book on psychology, it's probably a good thing that you have a PhD in Psychology or something.

That's true. For fiction, it doesn't matter at all.


BTW, I can't remember which publisher it was, but I was looking at their guidelines for self-help manuscripts, and they came out and said if you don't have a PhD, don't bother. They say self-help won't sell unless you have those three little letters after your name. Go figure.

degree

Jens22 said:

That's true. For fiction, it doesn't matter at all.


BTW, I can't remember which publisher it was, but I was looking at their guidelines for self-help manuscripts, and they came out and said if you don't have a PhD, don't bother. They say self-help won't sell unless you have those three little letters after your name. Go figure.

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Even in fiction, a degree can make a huge difference. If you write a hard science fiction novel, and you can tell an agent or editor that you have a degree in the field, it's highly likley they'll ask to see the novel. If you write a mystery, and you have a degree in ciminology, it's more likely they'll ask to see the novel.

And an English degree alone gives you a better chance, if only because it tells an agent or editor they probably won't receive a manuscript full of grammar errors.

In the end, a novel has to sell itself, but before this point, a degree can help a great deal, even in fiction. A degree can determine whether or not an agent or editor asks to see the novel in the first place, so if you have a degree, do not be shy in using it to full advantage.

And an English degree alone gives you a better chance, if only because it tells an agent or editor they probably won't receive a manuscript full of grammar errors.


Is this why, when I was a secretary in a school, I often had to correct the teachers' grammar? There I was, a lowly secondary school graduate;there they were, with their B.Eds . . .

I have a plethora of degrees unrelated to writing and am sure to never mention them. I think it generally comes across as pretentious.

Andrew Crumey's PhD in theoretical physics was always mentioned in articles about Mobius Dick and I think makes the book more attractive to people who aren't the usual sci-fi reader.

And an English degree alone gives you a better chance, if only because it tells an agent or editor they probably won't receive a manuscript full of grammar errors.

Hardly. Is grammar even studied on the typical English Literature course?

A degree in Latin or Greek tells an agent or editor a writer is at least "grammatically aware".

A degree in English warns an agent or editor they will probably receive a manuscript full of magical realism.

For self-help or other nonfiction books that offer specific advice (parenting, dieting, etc.), most publishers want an author or consulting author or editor with letters after their name. It lends legitimacy to the book, whether warranted or not.

So for my book on retailing, which would be more appropriate:

Steven Pollack, J.D.
Steven Pollack, B.S.B.A. Economics
Steven Pollack, Owner/Operator Bath Plus Inc.

The economics degree probably has more to do with my advice but the J.D. degree is more recognizable. The last one is probably the most important credential for this book but it looks goofy behind my name.

Thanks,

Steve

I think for a book on retailing, the most important credentials are that you have owned and operated a successful business. In this case, practical experience and advice is probably more valuable than a degree.

broughcut said:

A degree in Latin or Greek tells an agent or editor a writer is at least "grammatically aware".

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I have a degree in Latin and Greek and I find it a bit hard to work into a query letter.

Dear Editor,

My book "Sadomasochist's Wristwatch" is a hard sci-fi novel....I also spent $100,000 educating myself at a private university in two dead languages.

Sincerely,
Me

Although I'd probably have more luck in the book world than the job world when it comes to the percentage of people who knows what "Classics" is.

zeprosnepsid said:

I have a degree in Latin and Greek and I find it a bit hard to work into a query letter.

Dear Editor,

My book "Sadomasochist's Wristwatch" is a hard sci-fi novel....I also spent $100,000 educating myself at a private university in two dead languages.

Sincerely,
Me

Although I'd probably have more luck in the book world than the job world when it comes to the percentage of people who knows what "Classics" is.

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Ha! I love it. I don't think any editor cares whether or not someone has studied Latin or Greek (sorry, zeprosnepsid). I, like most editors, expect good spelling and grammar and get really, really irritated when I don't see it in a manuscript.