Thoughts on bios?

Mercurio Cavaldi · Aug 8, 2009

Hi all -- an agent has requested a partial of my YA novel (yay!), but they also want to see a bio. I'm really struggling with this... I've consulted books, blogs, etc. and am getting conflicting advice. Some say you should only include in your bio what's relevant to your writing career, but I feel I already included that in a single paragraph in my original query letter. So how do I expand on that without adding unnecessary elements. Then again, others say this is your chance to tell the agent a little more about yourself: where did you grow up, what are your hobbies, what inspires you, etc.

Any thoughts??

Mumut · Aug 8, 2009

Mercurio Cavaldi said:
Then again, others say this is your chance to tell the agent a little more about yourself: where did you grow up, what are your hobbies, what inspires you, etc. Any thoughts??

I've done this because I write historical YA fantasy and was brought up on the site of an ancient castle in a village that is equally old. My family is Manx thus the link with superstition. So I say a bit more about myself but it still has some relation to what I write.

And best wishes for your book.

vroth · Aug 8, 2009

From what I've seen, it really does just have to be relevant to your writing career. And if your hobbies/experiences/whatever are related to your writing, you can probably include them. But if, say, you write historical fiction and you really like video games...that's probably not something you should include.

Thoughts on bios?

Mercurio Cavaldi

A shrubbery!

Mumut

Well begun is half done...

vroth

...yep.