The Bio

A.REX · Dec 16, 2010

I did a search and drew blanks. An agent asked for my 3 chapters, a synopsis and bio. My synopsis is so-so but it might do the trick, however, the bio! ? What do I put in there? I've never done anything consequential with writing to list. I work full time at a dull job, and write at night. Should I include a small picture next to my name? like a business card would do, or does this send off bad signals?
Thanks. I finally got the call for my work and I owe a lot to the advice on this board!

hillaryjacques · Dec 16, 2010

If you don't have any writing credits, contest wins or an MFA, don't worry about it. Come up with a clever line or two that will set you apart from the herd.

OneWriter · Dec 16, 2010

One paragraph: say what you do for a living (I wouldn't mention it's dull

), that you write at night (can say what it is you like to write), and what you enjoy in life. Hobbies are nice to mention, especially if they are extravagant and funny. Or, you can mention you collect salamanders and exotic toads. I mean, who doesn't?

Susan Coffin · Dec 17, 2010

My understand is if you don't have writing credits, or a work history or something that relates to your book, not to say anything at all on bio and/or credits.

Wayne K · Dec 17, 2010

If your synopsis is so-so you have worse problems than the bio

Serious

IceCreamEmpress · Dec 17, 2010

Your bio might just be "Joe Jones lives in Omaha with his Labrador retriever." Don't sweat that at all.

The synopsis, on the other hand, has to be AWESOME, as Wayne K says. Drag it over to SYW and let folks help you jazz it up.

Kathleen42 · Dec 17, 2010

Susan Littlefield said:
My understand is if you don't have writing credits, or a work history or something that relates to your book, not to say anything at all on bio and/or credits.

For a query letter, yes, you are correct.

If an agent requests a bio, however, I would send one. I had one agent request a bio when she asked for a partial and my agent needed one when I went on sub (though I have no previous writing credits).

I kept it short with some details about what I did for a living and what influenced my writing.

A.REX · Dec 17, 2010

THANKS for the advice. I'll visit SYW and post my synopsis there (when I'm not mobile) and link it here.

Should I add a pic? Like Kathleen's post above mine, a little picture with the bio or forget it?

>>>where did the SYW thread go? didn't it used to be in the lab?

Kathleen42 · Dec 17, 2010

A.REX said:
THANKS for the advice. I'll visit SYW and post my synopsis there (when I'm not mobile) and link it here.

Should I add a pic? Like Kathleen's post above mine, a little picture with the bio or forget it?

>>>where did the SYW thread go? didn't it used to be in the lab?

Well that's not actually my photo... If you're writing fiction, I would not include a picture. Not sure about non-fiction.

Susan Coffin · Dec 17, 2010

Kathleen42 said:
For a query letter, yes, you are correct.

If an agent requests a bio, however, I would send one. I had one agent request a bio when she asked for a partial and my agent needed one when I went on sub (though I have no previous writing credits).

I kept it short with some details about what I did for a living and what influenced my writing.

Thank you, Kathleen.

When an agent asked me for any writing credits, I did include them even though they were small press magazines. I also put in a line about myself, I think, but not much, because what I write is in no way related to my career.

The Bio

A.REX

hillaryjacques

Undercover, sort of...

OneWriter

Ubi dubium ibi libertas

Susan Coffin

Tell it like it Is

Wayne K

IceCreamEmpress

Hapless Virago

Kathleen42

crushing on fictional characters