"I am Uniquely Qualified..." (in query letter)

Susan Coffin · Nov 14, 2011

Rhoda Nightingale said:
Obviously as an unpublished, unagented writer, I don't know how "qualified" I am throw in my opinion here, but this rings the truest if all my query-writing research is to be relied upon.

Everybody is qualified to give their opinion, whether or not they agented and/or published.

The "I am uniquely qualified" thing is akin to "my previous publishing credits include," far as I'm concerned. If you have unique qualifications, then go ahead and list them. If you have been published, especially in a similar genre, then list that. Otherwise, it's better to leave the whole thing out.

I agree. Even though I have a few publications under my belt, I still am not comfortable that they are "enough," so to speak. I'm not sure I would list them.

skylark · Nov 15, 2011

I wouldn't be comfortable saying I was "uniquely qualified" to write (or do) anything. To me, it has connotations of "my book must be good because I am so special."

shaldna · Nov 15, 2011

Susan Littlefield said:
Any thought on the subject of putting "I am uniquely qualified" in your query letters?

On a planet with 7 billion people no one is Uniquely qualified.

I wouldn't put it in because I think it sounds arrogant, as well as being untrue.

seun · Nov 15, 2011

Personally, I'd stay away from the uniquely angle. Sounds a bit precious to me. In any case, I can't see it working that well in fiction. Especially if you write horror.

"I'm uniquely qualified to write this horror story because I like to come back from the dead and eat brains."

Terie · Nov 15, 2011

shaldna said:
On a planet with 7 billion people no one is Uniquely qualified.

Well, there are a few. 'Reigning monarch' of any country wherein one stops being the monarch only when one dies (therefore leaving only one alive at any given time) would be one. So would 'seven-time winner of the Tour de France'.

But there are very VERY few qualifications for which there's only one person in the whole world.

OTOH, while we've been focusing on the hubris of using the word 'uniquely', I do think that the essence of what the author to whom the OP is referring said has a lot of truth to it. If one has direct experience of something that appears in their book, they should mention that in their query.

For example, I wrote a novel about bike racing, and in my query, I mentioned that I used to race bikes at an amateur level. This indicates that I have knowledge about bikes, bike riding, bike training, and bike racing that would be relevant to the novel. I would obviously NOT include the line about being a bike racer in queries for my fantasy novels.

gothicangel · Nov 15, 2011

I wouldn't say that I'm uniquely qualified, but when I start subbing my Roman thriller I will mention my Classical Studies degree in the query.

Not that I would be niave to think that would change the mind of a agent/reader who didn't like the concept. At the most it would probably encourage one who did like the idea, to think 'oh, she'll know what she's talking about.'

Susan Coffin · Nov 15, 2011

seun said:
"I'm uniquely qualified to write this horror story because I like to come back from the dead and eat brains."

Susan Coffin · Nov 15, 2011

Terie said:
OTOH, while we've been focusing on the hubris of using the word 'uniquely', I do think that the essence of what the author to whom the OP is referring said has a lot of truth to it. If one has direct experience of something that appears in their book, they should mention that in their query.

For example, I wrote a novel about bike racing, and in my query, I mentioned that I used to race bikes at an amateur level. This indicates that I have knowledge about bikes, bike riding, bike training, and bike racing that would be relevant to the novel. I would obviously NOT include the line about being a bike racer in queries for my fantasy novels.

Excellent point. Uniquely qualified does make it sound like I am the only one and, like you said, there are a few instances of this being true.

Susan Coffin · Nov 15, 2011

Shaldna and Gothic, excellent points.

Al Stevens · Nov 15, 2011

I am uniquely qualified to write this spy assassination thriller, but if I told you my qualifications, I'd have to kill you.

JSSchley · Nov 15, 2011

I need to go hunt for the specific posts, but several times now I've seen Janet Reid and Jessica Faust in query critiques say that such a statement helped (or even that such a statement would help). In the would help instance, it was a query where the writer basically demonstrated that her story didn't map on to what JR knew of the music industry, and JR said that if the query was full of stuff like that but at the end the author said, "I've been a touring musician for twenty years," it would make JR think that her intuitions were wrong, since she's not in the music industry.

I think this is one of those situations where, if you've truly got it, and it's truly relevant, you should flaunt it. But there's a thin line between, as was pointed out above, being a nun and once thinking about nuns. Terie's bike racing example is exactly what I'd think would be good. In my own world, for instance, I'm querying a book about a young, soon-to-be-professional pianist. It would be really nice to be able to say, "I've been on the international piano competition circuit," but all I've got in the way of real-life cred on this front is that I can play the instrument okay. So I say nothing, and let the book speak for itself.

Libbie · Nov 15, 2011

I think if you honestly do have a platform (I wouldn't specifically say "uniquely qualified" because I think it sounds cheesy, but that's just a personal preference) you should mention it in your query. But if you have to stretch to make it look like you're "qualified" to write the book, then it's going to look like a stretch, and you'll come off looking unprofessional and/or desperate.

What that segment of a query letter is meant to do is to show the agent that you can generate sales on this particular book just by virtue of the fact that you are you. If you have an extremely popular blog, for example, with thousands of followers, then any book you write may be of interest to them, because they're already interested in you. If you are a doctor and you've written a medical thriller, then letting the press know about your medical knowledge may add a little excitement to your book's release that will jump up sales.

The first book I queried was a historical novel set in ancient Egypt. I don't have a history degree, I have never studied Egyptology or worked as an archaeologist. Trying to make it seem as if I had some kind of special qualification to write this would have made me look kind of silly, so I just listed where my short fiction had been published and called it a day.

The novel I'm working on now, which I will soon be querying, is different. It deals with atheism, and I am the co-host of a very popular radio show and podcast with a big international audience, and the show is about atheism. Our listeners will be interested in reading a novel with an atheist character, and I am in a position to tell a lot of potentially interested readers about this book. So with the next query letter I write, you can bet I'll mention that I have a platform! It's information that may convince an on-the-fence agent or editor that I'd be worth taking on, because there is the potential for big sales in my platform.

That's the kind of situation that warrants a mention of unique qualifications. If you don't have any, don't try to make it seem like you do. NOT having a platform won't make your novel NOT sell. It's just that having one might give you a small boost.

Scribe4264 · Nov 15, 2011

I would use that for non-fiction. For example, I am thinking about writing a book about a former MLB player and since I have 20 years experience as a sports writer that would probably make a publisher take note.

But as others have said, I am not so sure how I could use it for my sci-fi writing. Maybe: I have been watching and reading sci-fi for 40 years and that makes me uniquely qualified to write this book?

I don't think that will get me far, lol.

Susan Coffin · Nov 15, 2011

Al Stevens said:
I am uniquely qualified to write this spy assassination thriller, but if I told you my qualifications, I'd have to kill you.

Susan Coffin · Nov 15, 2011

Libbie said:
The novel I'm working on now, which I will soon be querying, is different. It deals with atheism, and I am the co-host of a very popular radio show and podcast with a big international audience, and the show is about atheism. Our listeners will be interested in reading a novel with an atheist character, and I am in a position to tell a lot of potentially interested readers about this book. So with the next query letter I write, you can bet I'll mention that I have a platform! It's information that may convince an on-the-fence agent or editor that I'd be worth taking on, because there is the potential for big sales in my platform.

That's the kind of situation that warrants a mention of unique qualifications. If you don't have any, don't try to make it seem like you do. NOT having a platform won't make your novel NOT sell. It's just that having one might give you a small boost.

Sounds interesting, and certainly worth mentioning in your query letter.

My initial question arose from my concern that putting that the term "uniquely qualified" comes across as a bit presumptuous, maybe even a bit arrogant. However, the authors/speaker meant it as a way to show your experience in the subject matter written about.

If I had some type of special or unique qualifications for my subject matter in my novel, I would include it as something like, "I have...."

Susan Coffin · Nov 15, 2011

Scribe4264 said:
I would use that for non-fiction. For example, I am thinking about writing a book about a former MLB player and since I have 20 years experience as a sports writer that would probably make a publisher take note.

I think you are right about it working better for non-fiction.

But as others have said, I am not so sure how I could use it for my sci-fi writing. Maybe: I have been watching and reading sci-fi for 40 years and that makes me uniquely qualified to write this book?

I don't think that will get me far, lol.

If you are from another planet, it might.

Al Stevens · Nov 15, 2011

Each fiction genre work can benefit from the knowledge of those who do what the book's characters do. (ScarlettPeaches, for example.

)

What might make someone more qualified than others who have experience with the activity is that they can write, too.

Having edited many books and articles written by computer programmers, I can safely say that most of them aren't qualified to write the books and articles. They know their subject; they don't know how to convey it.

Al Stevens · Nov 15, 2011

I am uniquely qualified to write this novel about alien abductions. See this aluminum foil liner in my hat?

richcapo · Nov 15, 2011

I'm a thirteen year Freemason (Blue, Chapter, Council, and Commandery) with a background in foreign affairs and national security issues; my novel in progress involves Freemasons, foreign affairs, and national security issues. I'm not the biggest dog on the block, but I'm still pretty well qualified to write fiction on those topics, I think.

Ruth2 · Nov 15, 2011

I'm qualified to write about a lot of things. I'm uniquely qualified to write my autobiography.

Mark G · Nov 15, 2011

I was going to say this!

Shadow_Ferret said:
I thought we were supposed to avoid adverbs.

And I guess it would work if you were, in fact, uniquely qualified. But I write fantasy. What's my unique qualification? The fact that I live in my own world and don't interact well with reality?

I'd remove the adverb to avoid punishment from a critique...

The Lonely One said:
I'm bucketfuls more comfortable with

"My qualifications for writing this novel include"

But does fiction even warrant something like this? Would we do well to include it with a humorous angle?

"My qualifications for writing this space fantasy include that everyone thinks I'm out of this world."

"My unique qualifications for writing this novel include dressing for the Ren Faire and talking with an accent."

Susan Coffin · Nov 15, 2011

richcapo said:
I'm a thirteen year Freemason (Blue, Chapter, Council, and Commandery) with a background in foreign affairs and national security issues; my novel in progress involves Freemasons, foreign affairs, and national security issues. I'm not the biggest dog on the block, but I'm still pretty well qualified to write fiction on those topics, I think.

Rich, I would say so. Except, would you be uniquely qualified?

richcapo · Nov 15, 2011

Susan Littlefield said:
Rich, I would say so. Except, would you be uniquely qualified?

I don't think so. There are many people with similar, and many with MUCH better, backgrounds in my area (DC-metro). But how many of them write historical revision and magical realism?

shaldna · Nov 16, 2011

Terie said:
OTOH, while we've been focusing on the hubris of using the word 'uniquely', I do think that the essence of what the author to whom the OP is referring said has a lot of truth to it. If one has direct experience of something that appears in their book, they should mention that in their query.

Totally. I think that if you have experience or a background in what you are writing about, especially if that will give you a deeper insight, or a new perspective, then you should totally mention it.

gothicangel said:
I wouldn't say that I'm uniquely qualified, but when I start subbing my Roman thriller I will mention my Classical Studies degree in the query.

Not that I would be niave to think that would change the mind of a agent/reader who didn't like the concept. At the most it would probably encourage one who did like the idea, to think 'oh, she'll know what she's talking about.'

It can be weird the things that people take interest in though, especially in queries and stuff. For instance, when I was applying for my MA they were more interested in my science degree than in my literature one. When I was querying my first novel an editor I sent it to was more interested in the fact that I lived in Belfast (and was therefore clearly bombproof and potentially owned a balaclava) than about any of my experience or background that was actually relevant to the novel.

People can be weird like that sometimes.

gothicangel · Nov 16, 2011

shaldna said:
It can be weird the things that people take interest in though, especially in queries and stuff. For instance, when I was applying for my MA they were more interested in my science degree than in my literature one. When I was querying my first novel an editor I sent it to was more interested in the fact that I lived in Belfast (and was therefore clearly bombproof and potentially owned a balaclava) than about any of my experience or background that was actually relevant to the novel.

People can be weird like that sometimes.

I'm hoping to gain some archaeolgy work experience at Vindolanda next summer. Fingers crossed that will work as one of those weird things.

"I am Uniquely Qualified..." (in query letter)

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