Question about credits and credentials

It has nothing to do with your writing. So, no.

I'm going to disagree with maestrowork and say mention it.

I wouldn't dwell on it, but it does show that you more than likely have a familiarity with books.

As most here do, I know books. Especially current books. I'm in the bookstores every week, sometimes multiple times. I spend most of my money on books. This was something that my agent had me tell editors during the auction process for my novel.

And that had nothing to do with my writing, obviously -- but it did have to do with my familiarity with current writing. And that can be important, because it shows editors that you have some notions about how your book might be marketed.

Maybe something like "I'm a former bookstore manager whose first novel..." in the query.

I think a casual mention such as Will suggests would be fine. It falls into the category of general biographical information, after all. By mentioning it without making a big deal of it, you leave it open for those agents who would be impressed to be impressed -- and those agents who won't be impressed also won't think you were playing it up too much.

I'd be inclined to mention it, but yeah, I wouldn't make a big deal out of it. (Something like, "I'm a former bookstore manager and currently write full-time.")

I'd agree with the idea of mentioning it but not drawing undue attention to it. Just note it as an item in the bio section of your query.

I agree that you could mention it and you could format it in a short list of your credentials. It does have a value to be familiar with the industry.
Talkwrite

LOL!

Maybe in my query I should leave out how I used to manage a roller rink during the disco era....

Credits

What matters is how well you write, not how much you know about the industry. It won't count for zilch. Write a good novel and you don't need to know a thing about the industry. Write a bad novel and all the industry knowledge in the world won't help.

It doesn't hurt to place such information in the biography portion of a query, but it really doesn't help, either.

After you have an agent, however, the fact may have some value.