And a whole new personality is spawned...

[jl_merrow]

On the urgings of a friend, I wrote something that can only be described as mainstream. A gentle romance between two persons of pensionable age and of different genders. There is not the merest whiff of sex, although there are cricket, children, a dog and cooking.

Somehow, it didn't seem appropriate to submit it to a magazine under the name of JL Merrow, purveyor of gay porn to the discerning reader.

And thus was Cathie Culver born. But now I have a quandary; on submitting to a new market, normally I'd do everything I could to big myself up by mentioning previous publications. But... Cathie Culver hasn't done anything!

Soooo... should I mention her relatively racy alter ego? Or would it be better just to sweep all that under the figurative carpet, as far as this new market is concerned?

Comments

[an-sceal.livejournal.com]

My view on it is that in submitting to the publisher, you are talking up the fact that you've been published, not WHAT you've published. It's what I've been told by friends, when I mentioned my nerves over submitting my more mainstream work with mentions of my racier work in the cover letter.

[jl_merrow]

Thanks for the advice! Mmm, I know this particular mag gets an awful lot of dross sent, so I suspect you're right!

[minervasolo.livejournal.com]

I tend to go with "this is the first time I have submitted as (a) but I have previously been publishing under another pseudonym/the name of (b)" depending on how the market in question is likely to feel about the other name's writing. It shows you've been published - hence, you can string sentences together - but doesn't draw too much attention to what you've published, since as far as they're concerned just because you can write one genre doesn't mean you'll be a shoo in for another.

[jl_merrow]

Mmm, I eventually went with giving my pseudonym, as really, anyone could say they'd been published if they didn't give a name, couldn't they? Plus the email addy sort of gave the game away anyway! ;D

But yeah, this particular market is likely to throw up its hands in horror at my more usual fare!

[vashtan.livejournal.com]

Yes, I'd mention it - it'll show you're a pro, your quality is good enough to be published, and publishers only care for quality and sellability and not moral (OKAY, maybe some Christian weirdoes do) - maybe call it "romance" rather than porn in the query. :)

Good luck. I love it how the Muse screws with us. :)

[jl_merrow]

Thanks! Actually the muse is not to blame for this one and sat sulking in a corner the entire time I was writing; it's all down to that friend (and she knows who she is!) ;D

[gina-stormgrant.livejournal.com]

By all means mention your publication credits. As they said above, just say it was written under another name.

Good luck!

[jl_merrow]

Thank you! *g*

[alex-beecroft.livejournal.com]

I fifth everyone else. From a publisher's POV previous publication credits establish you as a professional rather than a first time writer, which is as useful for them to know as it is for you to put in :)

[jl_merrow]

Thanks! Mmm, that does seem to be the consensus. :D