When You’re Embarrassed by Your Old Work

If they're minor credits, and you don't like them, don't mention them.

pharm said:

I couldn’t tell if this belonged here since it is a querying question, but: let’s say you used to write a lot of short fiction back in high school and college a million years ago, and some of that was published. Is it worth mentioning in a query letter bio for your first novel even if you’re now extremely embarrassed by the quality of writing in those works, and some of it can be found easily online?

I would be mortified if an agent read my query, googled my name + a magazine mentioned, and read something that immediately turned them off of me without ever having read a sample of the novel I’ve worked so hard on. I’ve learned so much about writing since the last time I actually published anything.

Is this a likely scenario, or am I obsessing over something an agent isn’t likely to bother with anyway? Am I better off just leaving out what are relatively minor credits anyway?

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I know the feeling, most of my work I don't want people to look at. Especially my old stuff. It's a good question.

Good. Your embarrassment means you've improved. Embrace your failures. At least one of mine, much rewritten, became one of my successes.

If it's something you're not happy with, I don't know why you'd tell them about it. Leave it off, an agent is more likely to be interested in what you're currently pitching anyway, they're not going to reject you for not having credits - especially minor ones. BUT do see if they come up if someone Googles your name only (like a potential agent might), just so you know if they might come across them!

As someone who has no skin in the publishing game, I'd think if nothing else mentioning the credits shows you're dedicated and you have the ability to entertain as an author. I would also think an agent wouldn't immediately throw out your query because of something written when you were younger and presumably less practiced - if that's the case there's a 10 year old 25k fanfic of mine that needs to be blasted from the internet ASAP. For what it's worth, the thing you're querying and the pitch accompanying it are going to be worth more than whatever was written as a teenager. Laer Carroll is right about embarrassment, but the choice is yours.

Editors and agents are well aware of this issue. Do not sweat it.

They are ONLY interested in whether or not an editor paid you for those words. Not in copies, but REAL MONEY.

If you didn't get paid, the old work doesn't matter. Just focus on making new work worth their time and money.

If you did get paid, then your resume should say "I sold "X" and other works to "Y" -- and leave it at that.

I would be mortified if an agent read my query, googled my name + a magazine mentioned, and read something that immediately turned them off of me without ever having read a sample of the novel I’ve worked so hard on.

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An editor or agent getting in 50-100 submissions per day doesn't have time to look up your old work and read it. They will be looking only at the current submission and whether it is something they can use.

When I read the slush pile I skipped the cover letters and went straight to the submission. Only--and ONLY--if the sub was up to snuff did I go back and read the cover.

A few years ago I sent a sub to a magazine that publishes outside the genre in which I usually write. I did not know if they'd even heard of me and my 20+ novels and 25+ stories. I did not mention each work by name, just said I'd sold to this or that publisher and gave the word count of the submission. It was about two lines.

That's all an editor/agent really wants: Have you sold anything and how long is the sub?

As for your bio, if one is required, then keep it simple. Ainsbury Stemplehoof lives in Borneo, Iowa with 15 cats and a grouchy hedgehog named Spiny Norman. She is currently working on her next novel.

The time to be embarrassed is 25 years down the line when you have a string of fantastic writing and a fan comes up with an old copy of a magazine they want signed.

And then it doesn't matter.