A ROOKIE MISTAKE

The One Phrase You Should Never Use In Querying An Editor

Five alternatives to two words that are worse than none at all

Certain phrases in queries are red flags for editors. One is “published author,” as in “I’m a published author.” Every buying editor I know has seen it — and groaned — at some point.

The obvious problem with “I’m a published author” is that it’s redundant. To editors at major media or publishing companies, authors are by definition published, unless they say they’re an “unpublished author.”

To understand your credentials, editors need specifics: at a minimum, the title, subtitle, and publisher of a book or article you wrote. You can provide them in a line like: “I wrote Easy Ways To Go Broke As An Author: How I Lost A Fortune By Writing Cringe-worthy Queries” (Destitution Press, 2023).

Yet I sympathize with authors who reach for “published authors.” Its overuse suggests a larger challenge for writers. Now that it’s so easy to self-publish, what exactly should you call yourself, not just in queries but on a website and in talking with editors, other writers, or your great-aunt Edna?

The best answer may depend on your audience. A phrase that might put off a top literary agent or Random House editor — like “published author” — might delight your grandparents. And if your friends laugh when you call yourself an “almost famous writer,” a publisher could take your words the wrong way and see you as an arrogant blowhard.

But finding satisfying alternatives can involve navigating a minefield of clichés. Here are some that you hear often.

• “Struggling writer” heads the list of overworked phrases. CartoonStock sells cartoons on many topics, and if you search for “struggling writer,” you’ll get — as of today — 27,898 results. “Struggling writer” also suggests that some writers don’t struggle when, in fact, all writers struggle with something, whether it’s with getting published or finding the mot juste, the phrase Gustave Flaubert coined for the exact or perfect word.
• “Aspiring author” is another cliché, but it conveys your goals clearly and unpretentiously. It’s not redundant if you do, in fact, aspire to write or publish a book. It usually works best if you suggest what you’ve accomplished along with what you aspire to, such as “blogger and aspiring novelist” and or “copywriter and aspiring screenwriter.”
• “Emerging writer” typically refers to writers who are moving up. They’ve shown a strong commitment to their work but are in the early stages of a career. The Center for Fiction offers “emerging writer fellowships,” and the National Book Critics Circle honors “emerging critics.” The catch is that while publishing pros may know what you mean, the phrase may confuse your Uncle Harry, the offensive line coach for a local football team.
• “Journeying writer,” like “emerging writer,” has been gaining traction in publishing. The difference is that “emerging writer” generally refers to people who’ve had some success in the field, while “journeying writer” can refer to those just starting out. But you have to use “journeying writer” carefully or people may think you’re a travel writer.
• “Fledgling writer” has a lovely poetic ring, suggesting that you’re a new writer. You resemble a young bird that has just grown the feathers it needs to fly. The phrase might work if you have a few publication credits and are working toward more. It also has the advantage of a certain modesty when humblebragging can hurt writers badly.

If none of these phrases seems to fit you, why not invent one that does? And consider whether you need to need to use one at all instead of just describing what you’ve written or published. You’ll rarely lose points — with editors or anyone else — for an honest statement like, “This is my first novel, and I’d be thrilled if you’d publish it.”

Janice Harayda is an award-winning critic and journalist who has been a writer and editor for Glamour, the book editor of Ohio’s largest newspaper, and a vice president of the National Book Critics Circle.

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