Quick Query Question

[WillSmall]

Hi everyone, I'm submitting to an agent with the following guidelines:

A convincing and carefully thought-through covering letter, giving a short outline of your plot (no more than 500 words) and its intended readership
A paragraph on your background, giving any other relevant information about yourself or your work
The first three chapters of your proposed book, typed in double-line spacing and with wide marginsI have no relevant writing credits. Should I skip the bio, or should I put in something like this?

I have a juris doctorate, and I have earned a CALI Award in legal writing.

[JeanneTGC]

Agents only want to see relevant credits. If your book is a legal thriller, or involves a lawyer, paralegal, judge, jury, etc. in it in a big way, then yes, list those credits. Otherwise, agents know that not everyone has credits.

[ORION]

I will disagree. I put that I was a PhD student. My agent said that fact showed her something about my professionalism. I say put that line in. (The bio on my book is nearly word for word what I gave to my agent when she was reading my full and asked for the bio...FYI.

[JeanneTGC]

Orion's had an agent 'way longer than me, so listen to her! :D

[allenparker]

Some things are relevant to writing if only for the experience. Although I do not have a PhD in anything, I would imagine it takes a great bit of skill in writing to succeed. The fact that a person has advanced to that degree of learning establishes the fact that someone liked what the candidate wrote.

But if I listed on my bio that I was schooled in making moonshine, the agent would probably not be impressed, unless of course, he was throwing a party later.

What qualifies as a relevant point in a bio is whether or not it makes the agent believe you can do the job of inspiring a readers to buy the book. All other items are just so much news for yesterday's paper.

[CaroGirl]

I'd put it in. It would take up no more than 2 lines of the query. Not a lot of space. My query includes my BAH in Eng. Lit., my journalism diploma and that I'm a technical writer by trade. None of those things particularly pertains to my novel, but I hope they show I know something about writing and the English language.

[WillSmall]

Thanks for the advice. I'm going to include it. :)

[Enraptured]

When I send queries, I omit the "author background information" part, even if they specifically ask for it. I don't have publishing credits, and I don't have any degrees or career experience that would be relevant to my novel. If you really don't have anything relevant to put in that spot, I think it's probably better to omit it than to try to fit in something irrelevant.

[job]

Well ... they asked for, specifically,
<i>A paragraph on your background, giving any other relevant information about yourself or your work </i>

To me this means, 'add a pargraph about yourself. If you have relevant experience, put it here.'

Having set themselves up to receive a para of bio, they are unlikely to go postal if you add it.

At worst, the information is neutral. At best, it particularizes you. Your query becomes, 'Oh. The one from da Judge.'

[scope]

I would put it in if for no other reason than it shows you didn't forget to include a page they requested. One way or the other they will know you don't have any publishing credits to list.