Query Q&A with Guest Blogger Chuck Sambuchino...
I recently received a question about including credentials in a query letter. I tossed this question to Guide to Literary Agents editor and blogger Chuck Sambuchino. Here's the question and his advice. (And that's Chuck over there.)
QUESTION: I can't decide what constitutes a legitimate credential when I get to the infamous Author Information paragraph of the query. I'm unpublished, so unfortunately I can't amaze a publisher/agent with that kind of info.
Here are some examples of things that I could mention:
- I have an English degree from Vanderbilt University. Would a publisher/agent care?
- I'm the mother of four avid young readers. Would a publisher/agent care?
- I've done proofreading for a number of other authors' books. (Not Children's Lit, though.) Would a publisher/agent care?
ANSWER: Ah ... what and what not to mention in the “bio” paragraph of your query letter. This is always a hot topic at the writers’ conferences I attend because it’s always a case-by-case thing. Let’s look over your questions.
- I have an English degree from Vanderbilt University. Would a publisher/agent care?
- I'm the mother of four avid young readers. Would a publisher/agent care?
- I've done proofreading for a number of other authors' books. (Not Children's Lit, though.) Would a publisher/agent care?
Don’t be afraid to be brief and wrap up the query. The most important part in a query is the pitch, and a writer should hope that an agent is so hooked by the pitch that they want to see sample pages then and there. Sure, an agent cares about who you are. But more so, they care about if you can write.
- If you have more questions on queries, there's still time to sign up for today's WD 1 p.m. (eatern) webinar, Extreme Makover: The Query Letter. Click here for details.
- To read Chuck's blog including a recent interview with editor-turned-agent Brenda Bowen, click here.
- To learn more about Guide to Literary Agents, click here.
2 comments:
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