Should I include this in my query letter?

Prawn · Jan 20, 2007

I posted this over in query letters, and they suggested I should post it here. Sorry for the double post:

My ms is a political thriller set in Israel and the West Bank. I wish I could include bunch of writing credits at the end of my query letter, but I have none. Should I inlcude any of the following things in my query letter?

I travelled to the Middle East twice during the course of writing this book.

I have a Ph.D. in Semitic Linguistics.

I incorporated comments from both Palestinian and Isreali beta readers.

Thanks!

Carmy · Jan 20, 2007

I think you should. It shows you have a background and have visited the places you're writing about. I think it validates you.

triceretops · Jan 20, 2007

Yes, it does give you some platform to work with.
Tri

jkorzenko · Jan 21, 2007

I might leave off the beta readers ... but I think everything else adds a very personal flair and shows that you know exactly what you're writing about.

Best of luck.

J.

PattiTheWicked · Jan 21, 2007

I'd definitely include the first two. It tells potential editors and agents that you're not just pulling stuff out of your butt, but that you actually know and understand the area about which you are writing.

However, I'd leave off the third, simply because I'm not sure editors care what beta readers think. I suspect they look at it right up there with "my mom says I'm the next JK Rowling".

stormie · Jan 21, 2007

I agree with all of the above. Include the first two statements, not the third. Beta readers don't count (with agents and editors, I mean).

JerseyGirl1962 · Jan 22, 2007

And yet one more post to include just the first two. Like another poster said, I don't think an agent or publisher is going to care one way or the other about beta readers.

FWIW.

~Nancy

Should I include this in my query letter?

Prawn

Writing is finite,revising infinite

Carmy

triceretops

jkorzenko

PattiTheWicked

Unleashing Hell.

stormie

storm central

JerseyGirl1962

I heart Malamutes! :-)