Mention in query?

glutton

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Would it be helpful at all to mention writing awards (with a monetary sum attached) received in college, in a query letter? Or would it just make me look amateurish, since I've hear agents and editors don't tend to care much about your school credentials?
 

Stijn Hommes

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If people were willing to award you with money, I'd say it's worth mentioning, but it depends a lot on the award. How many people entered? How many were short-listed. Did you happen to be in college when you received the award, or did the school organize it?
 

ORION

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Writing awards that hand out prizes are never a bad thing - it just shouldn't be "In high school I won fifty dollars in a "How much do I love my country" essay contest"
But say one from the University of Iowa writing program would be different!
 

Alexandra Little

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I guess I can add my question to this thread.

I got one of my short stories published in my community college's literary magazine. I will definitely search out more publishing opportunities, of course, but I wonder if it is appropriate to add this as a publishing credit. I know some college magazines are pretty much thrown together, but ours is pretty nice and has the same type of editing and selecting process as other magazines (we even won an award for college lit mags, but to my shame I cannot remember the name of the award).