Query Letter - Have you had more success by including a biography? (with no writing credentials)

EmmaSkysong

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Hi there! I've had a number of people suggest I add a biography to my query letter to show my personality. I'm querying adult fantasy, but I work in technology and have no professional writing accolades. So far, I've been following Jane Friedman's advice (if it's not meaningful or charming to the agent, leave it out) and this post here says not to sweat it if you don't have any writing accolades. But on Twitter, lots of editors mentioned during the #RevPit #10queries that they really want to see a biography. I also hired an editor for my query letter who suggested I add a bio sentence to set my personality apart.

Maybe I'm just feeling drained creatively these days, but I'm at a loss for coming up with anything clever and worthwhile for a biography. Perhaps it really isn't necessary in my case and I'm just overthinking it. Has anyone found they had more success querying by adding a bio without any relevant credentials?
 

ap123

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Several agents specifically state they want to see a bio. I also don't have credits/degrees/anything directly related to fiction writing. I just put one sentence that ties me to the story I'm querying, ie: I’m neither 73 nor someone who’s abandoned her family, but I am a lifelong New Yorker who is able to bring authenticity to 1980s working class NY, and have made and enjoyed many fine plates of gnocchi.
 

VeryBigBeard

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I can't say if it helps or hurts, but it is true that some agents want one, and to an extent, a query is a cold-call business letter, where it is polite to include a very brief line about oneself.

I just use the same basic 1-2 sentence bio I use for most professional stuff, only I put it at the end so the story can lead. If an agent wants to read it, fine. If not, it's unlikely to hurt at that spot.

QueryManager has a bio slot, too, and more and more agents use that, so it's not a bad idea to have something simple cooked up.
 

EmmaSkysong

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Thanks! A simple one-line sentence seems pretty reasonable, I'll see if I can come up with something that ties in to my story.
 

CameronJohnston

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It's good to add a bio if you think it adds something, especially to highlight any applicable expertise, but I would keep it short and snappy: "I am a Scottish blacksmith who trains in historical european martial arts including longsword and broadsword..." would be damn cool to add, but if you don't have any applicable or interesting skills it's still nice but not necessary to give them a line or two about who you are so it feels more personal.
 

WeaselFire

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I've had a lot of success with a bio - When writing non-fiction. For fiction, relevant information for the book, such as you're writing a novel set in the Middle East during the Crusades and you've got four doctoral papers published on life during the Crusades, can be helpful.

Jeff