Qualifications questions.

If the information pertains to what you are submitting I cannot see it hurting you.

Mensa, no. RWA, maybe.

I was previously unpublished when I queried, so I didn't put anything too specific about me in the query. If an agent requests a small bio or an About Me section, put in whatever details feels pertinent to writing--do you have a lit degree? Is your day job in a writing-related field? Those sorts of things.

They don't want to hear that you have three kids, two dogs, and a goldfish named Skippy, or that you are on the district school board.

I am an unpublished hack, so please bear that in mind when weighing my words, but I am also pretty adamant about not compromising myself.

If you feel that Mensa or RWA, or even the fact that you may be a parent of children and/or goldfish, is important to who you are, I say include it. Sure the agent may not give a shit, but I submit, who gives a shit? I would hope that agents or their lackeys who read their submissions would not reject your idea simply because you added some information about yourself. I know I would want an agent who at least has some idea of what kind of person you are.

It seems that the agent/writer relationship is the bizarre dance of fear-of-rejection and wooing that is the basic foundation for most sales-client relationships. I guess the best advice I can get is try your best to find one that will be straight with you and spare the head-trips so that you both can get down to the business of your business.

(Agents, feel free to check out my blog! I would love to hear what you think - that is if this was appropriate to ask...oh, I'm gonna be 'jected.)

When I've subbed to Harlequin, I've mentioned how long I've been a reader of Romance as well as the particular line I'm subbing to, particularly mentioning authors I enjoy, because it shows my familiarity with the genre and the house.

If the book I'm subbing won or finaled in a RWA chapter contest, I mention that because it's a writing related acheivement with that book.

If there's nothing to say regarding that book or publisher, than I skip the paragraph entirely.

JoshPatton said:

If you feel that Mensa or RWA, or even the fact that you may be a parent of children and/or goldfish, is important to who you are, I say include it. Sure the agent may not give a shit, but I submit, who gives a shit?

Click to expand...

Would you put the fact that you are a parent or the proud owner of a goldfish on a resume?

A query letter is, first and foremost, a business communication. It's snazzy and reflects your personal voice, but it's still a professional exchange.

Also, one of the advantages of not including frivolous information is that you have more room to include information of value to the agent -- information that shows why you have chosen to query them, the fact that you know the genre, or information about the work itself.

Hmmm, good point about the resume. However, I lie like crazy on those...I like to keep my writing pure.

Seriously, I do get where you are coming from Kathleen and that is a good point.