Former Editor Says Requesting Or Receiving Author Headshots Isn’t Widespread Practice

Former St. Martin’s Press editor Jason Pinter objects to yesterday’s tipster’s assertion that “male writers are being asked for headshots now with their manuscript submissions, from major houses.” “It’s disingenuous to run a quote saying that “male writers are being asked for their headshots.” “That statement–without any sort of caveat or context–implies this practice is widespread and common, when I can attest to the fact that it is anything but. This is not to say that editors don’t look at attractiveness as an unexpected bonus, but I’ve never heard of a fiction writer being asked to submit any kind of photo until after their book was already acquired. If this did happen (this story was told “anecdotally,” remember), one instance hardly constitutes an epidemic,” Jason writes. Fair enough.

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