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bocabum

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I was just wondering, an agent requested a partial from me today, but she wants me to include an author bio along with the other material, the only problem is, I'm unpublished, and none of my life's experience has lent itself to the writing of my book. (wow, that wasn't great english, but I'm typing and feeding my baby at the same time, so please excuse the aweful grammar!!)

Should I just include a short, my name is ____, I live in ____, I'm married and have x amount of kids, 2 cats and live in the country, type of thing, or just omit the bio altogether??

Any opinions would be greatly appreciated!!
 

Deccydiva

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I was in a similar situation recently and I did mine along the lines of what you suggest, but I brought in why I was writing now - always loved writing but career/motherhood/sporting stardom got in the way, now I have the opportunity to return to it... just so they knew it wasn't an idle whim.
I'm not expecting a response before March so time will tell if it was adequate! :)
 

Maryn

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I tailor mine to the tone of the story they bought, usually, making sure I withhold enough information that nobody could possibly show up at my door.

Maryn lives in the Great Lakes region in a pleasant suburb with her husband, the requisite two children, and the minivan. The family devoured the golden retriever last winter. Worked for a light macabre story I sold a long time back.

Maryn began plotting murders in 1986 as her babies sweetly napped. As the last stay-home wife and mother around, she rarely bakes cookies or maintains a spotless home, preferring to spend precious school hours conjuring means, motive, and opportunity. She co-founded a mystery and suspense critique group, 13th Precinct, X years ago; all its original members have since been published. Story Name is her first paid publication in a national market. Submitted to my first big-deal sale, but the magazine scrapped it and wrote their own when they learned I took a couple classes from somebody they had published many times.

Anyway, you get the idea, giving a little information about yourself and your writing which is in keeping with the tone of what will appear below that bio. You don't want to be witty for a dark piece, or all dramatic when the story is fun.

Maryn, rarely witty or fun
 

Brindle Chase

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Depends on the genre and the agent. If it were me, I would send the partial as requested and a brief bio sort of like what you exampled. Agents understand that writers don't always have twenty previous publications! *lol*
 

Teriann

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Here's one idea: Think author blurb on a book. Go to a bookstore and read the jacketflaps for first time writers in your genre. Usually there are a few sentences about the author. This might give you ideas.
 
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