Including experience in bio

[Susan Illene]

Though I'm still doing some revions on my MS, I've begun writing my query letter so as to give plenty of time for working out any rough spots. One thing that has plagued me is the brief bio portion. I don't have any writing accomplishments or awards.

The one thing I think might be important is my background. I served for over a decade in the miltary intelligence/special ops community. The main character of my book is an Army veteran who left the service a couple years before the story takes place. I wanted her to have a background where she had combat experience and could apply that to dealing with the supernatural world. My genre is Urban Fantasy, so there are some elements at play that would never occur in real life, but I imagined what it would be like if they did exist for the sake of the story. The thing is, the story doesn't revolve around the military, that is just a part of my character's background.

Would it be pertinent to include my Army experience in this case?

[Maryn]

I'm no expert, but I listen to those who are (honest, experts, I do!) and they agree that real-life experience relevant to your book can be a plus if it's something uncommon.

So while my years as a mom won't win me any favors, your background and its relation to your character's skill sets might.

Maryn, glad to meet you

[Susan Illene]

Thanks, Maryn. I felt like it was a tricky situation due to the genre.

[cairnchime]

Originally Posted by Susan Illene

Though I'm still doing some revions on my MS, I've begun writing my query letter so as to give plenty of time for working out any rough spots. One thing that has plagued me is the brief bio portion. I don't have any writing accomplishments or awards.

The one thing I think might be important is my background. I served for over a decade in the miltary intelligence/special ops community. The main character of my book is an Army veteran who left the service a couple years before the story takes place. I wanted her to have a background where she had combat experience and could apply that to dealing with the supernatural world. My genre is Urban Fantasy, so there are some elements at play that would never occur in real life, but I imagined what it would be like if they did exist for the sake of the story. The thing is, the story doesn't revolve around the military, that is just a part of my character's background.

Would it be pertinent to include my Army experience in this case?

Well, I just submitted something to Asimov's (a mostly sci-fi magazine) and their submission guidelines explicitly say that if you have relevant real-world experience, include it in your cover letter. The example they give is if you've written a story about a medical catastrophe and you happen to be an ER nurse. So I'd say including your army background is a definite yes.