Left biographical info out of query email. Should I send it in another email?

CharlesA

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An editor from a major publishing house asked for my complete novel manuscript when I pitched him at a conference last summer. I finally finished rewriting and sent it yesterday morning, but forgot to include my biographical information about my previous publications and awards. He responded with a short "Thanks. Looking forward to reading it." kind of email. Should I respond back to that with the biographical information, or just let it go and hope for the best? Would the annoyance of getting a second email from me outweigh the benefit of the editor knowing my publishing history? It's only short stories. I'm also in communication with another editor at the same publisher, so one of them already has the information, but it is a large publisher so I wouldn't count on them sharing that information.
 

cornflake

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An editor from a major publishing house asked for my complete novel manuscript when I pitched him at a conference last summer. I finally finished rewriting and sent it yesterday morning, but forgot to include my biographical information about my previous publications and awards. He responded with a short "Thanks. Looking forward to reading it." kind of email. Should I respond back to that with the biographical information, or just let it go and hope for the best? Would the annoyance of getting a second email from me outweigh the benefit of the editor knowing my publishing history? It's only short stories. I'm also in communication with another editor at the same publisher, so one of them already has the information, but it is a large publisher so I wouldn't count on them sharing that information.

I'd leave it. It doesn't sound like a bio that'd make much of a difference (you don't have a backlist), and if there's some question, though I can't imagine what that'd be, he can just ask.
 

Barbara R.

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An editor from a major publishing house asked for my complete novel manuscript when I pitched him at a conference last summer. I finally finished rewriting and sent it yesterday morning, but forgot to include my biographical information about my previous publications and awards. He responded with a short "Thanks. Looking forward to reading it." kind of email. Should I respond back to that with the biographical information, or just let it go and hope for the best? Would the annoyance of getting a second email from me outweigh the benefit of the editor knowing my publishing history? It's only short stories. I'm also in communication with another editor at the same publisher, so one of them already has the information, but it is a large publisher so I wouldn't count on them sharing that information.

If you have published any work in respected periodicals, I'd let the editor know. It won't make a difference to their decision, but it might move you up a notch or two on their reading schedule. A one-line "oops" email is not a major imposition. OTOH, if the venues were very minor, or if you self-published them, no need to bother them with that.

Good luck!
 

CharlesA

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If you have published any work in respected periodicals, I'd let the editor know. It won't make a difference to their decision, but it might move you up a notch or two on their reading schedule. A one-line "oops" email is not a major imposition. OTOH, if the venues were very minor, or if you self-published them, no need to bother them with that.

Good luck!

Thank you, Barbara R. I don't know how to shorten my bio to one line. Although two of the journals I've been published in have also published some high profile writers, including Pulitzer winners and people who have also written for the New York Times, they weren't paying markets, and one of them has been defunct for three years. Should I just send one sentence mentioning those two, or maybe only the one that's still in existence? Including my apology for failing to include my bio, the email I have drafted is seven lines, not one.
 
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Barbara R.

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Sorry, I meant the "Oops" as a header for the email. The bio itself is bound to be more than one line. But it should still be really short. If your profession is relevant to your writing or impressive in itself (say you're head of neurosurgery somewhere, or a Supreme Court Justice or the like), you should mention it. If not, not.

It doesn't disqualify your publishing credit that it wasn't a paid article. Unfortunately, many periodicals don't pay, or pay in copies of the magazine or some other useless form of scrip. They do this because writers who should know better let them get away with it...but that's a different issue. If they've published important writers, that's a good credit to mention.
 

CharlesA

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Sorry, I meant the "Oops" as a header for the email. The bio itself is bound to be more than one line. But it should still be really short. If your profession is relevant to your writing or impressive in itself (say you're head of neurosurgery somewhere, or a Supreme Court Justice or the like), you should mention it. If not, not.

It doesn't disqualify your publishing credit that it wasn't a paid article. Unfortunately, many periodicals don't pay, or pay in copies of the magazine or some other useless form of scrip. They do this because writers who should know better let them get away with it...but that's a different issue. If they've published important writers, that's a good credit to mention.

Thank you Barbara R. My bio is mostly just short list and runner-up type of stuff. I hope it helps. Thanks again for answering my questions.