A Weird Dislike

Posted on March 25, 2010 by Victoria Janssen

It’s very weird and pointless, I know, but I have an aversion to the phrase multi-published.

I understand what it means. It means you sold more than one story, or one book, and had it published. It’s usually used to describe writers who are making a living from their work, but not always.

But why does it matter? If it does matter, why don’t we say double-published and triple-published and on and on?

And does it count if you sell, say, one novel and one nonfiction essay? How about two short stories? Two pieces of flash fiction?

I just don’t think it tells you anything, really. And it sounds like you’re trying too hard to be accepted. “I’m not just any writer. I’ve been published multiple times.”

Isn’t published enough? Or professional writer? Or even just writer?

Am I missing some subtlety here?

About Victoria Janssen

Victoria Janssen [she, her] currently writes cozy space opera for Kalikoi. The novella series A Place of Refuge begins with Finding Refuge: Telepathic warrior Talia Avi, genius engineer Miki Boudreaux, and augmented soldier Faigin Balfour fought the fascist Federated Colonies for ten years, following the charismatic dissenter Jon Churchill. Then Jon disappeared, Talia was thought dead, and Miki and Faigin struggled to take Jon’s place and stay alive. When the FC is unexpectedly upended, Talia is reunited with her friends and they are given sanctuary on the enigmatic planet Refuge. The trio of former guerillas strive to recover from lifetimes of trauma, build new lives on a planet with endless horizons, and forge tender new connections with each other.
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9 Responses to A Weird Dislike

  1. Sela Carsen says:
    March 25, 2010 at 1:08 pm

    Alas, poor Harper Lee. She may have written an American classic, but ha! I'm MULTIpublished! *snort* Yeah. That makes me feel worthy.

  2. Rowan says:
    March 25, 2010 at 1:17 pm

    I agree it's a silly term. But! …I think a lot of writers often think that first publication deal was a "fluke". Once you have that second, third…twelfth? contract, that's when you sit back and realize it's not just luck. Maybe you…deserved it. Maybe you have talent!
    At some point, the numbers will be enough to convince any skeptical author that being published can no longer just be luck.
    So, "multipublished" to me suggests the author is/has worked/working through the idea that first contract wasn't a fluke. They're validating themselves to themselves, and/or others.

    That said, I still think it looks silly. ;)

  3. Victoria Janssen says:
    March 25, 2010 at 1:41 pm

    Sela, ROFL!

    Rowan, that's a good idea to ponder.

  4. Bryn says:
    March 25, 2010 at 2:22 pm

    I can't wait to add "publishing" to the number of things I can do multiple times.

  5. Victoria Janssen says:
    March 25, 2010 at 2:44 pm

    That sounds…kinky, Bryn.

  6. Elise Logan says:
    March 25, 2010 at 3:14 pm

    I agree with Rowan. It's intended to be a signal to people that "Hey! It wasn't just blind, stupid luck!"

    And, to further agree with Rowan, it's still silly.

    Maybe we can do terms like the recording industry. A Gold-book author. A Platinum-book author. Because OBVIOUSLY sales means everything. (or maybe, just maybe, it doesn't matter as much as some people think it does. *gasp*)

  7. Victoria Janssen says:
    March 25, 2010 at 3:20 pm

    or maybe, just maybe, it doesn't matter as much as some people think it does. *gasp*

    Shocking!

  8. Kate Pearce says:
    March 25, 2010 at 5:27 pm

    I like it :) I worked hard for it, :)
    It matters to me personally for the reasons Rowan mentioned, but I don't feel like I have to go around telling everyone LOL

  9. Victoria Janssen says:
    March 25, 2010 at 6:38 pm

    Maybe there should be t-shirts. Or tattoos.

Comments are closed.