Poor writing CV = Might as well not bother sending to an agent?

[Tossacointoyerwitcher]

Just that really. I've written a novel - well, actually two although the second is still at first draft stage - however I keep talking myself out of actually submitting it to agents. The reason is my biography is sorely lacking.

I haven't done a creative writing course. I don't do writing as a living (e.g. a journalist). I haven't won literary competitions and don't know anyone who could "refer" me.

I can't even compensate with experience in the genre I'm writing - a historical novel. Have I done my research? Absolutely! But I'm not a Professor in Medieval Studies, an archaeologist or a museum curator. I don't even have an A Level in History (I loved the subject, but got steered towards the sciences by the careers advisor).

Everything I read on and hear tells me this stuff matters - partly because a risk-averse literary industry wants to be sure you've got pedigree and partly because (in the case of the latter) it helps them market you. I've even read JK Rowling largely only got her agent through luck - that her manuscript only got read because one of the agency staff took it home on a whim to read to her kid. The kid loved it and this then prompted her to tell the actual agent to take a look. If she hadn't, who knows? Maybe we wouldn't have heard of Hogwarts at all?

Is it actually worth me bothering to submit any novel I write to an agent? Should I just save myself the bother and just self-publish it as an e-book instead?

*Everything I read online

Don’t put yourself into small boxes there’s no reason why someone wouldn’t consider it, firstly know how to market yourself and see what you can do draw some recognition from people in the history sector specific to your book topic. Can you speak to an expert in the topic of your book and see if they’d be willing to read it for feedback / review before submitting? You could use this to give your book some credibility it that’s what you feel is lacking.

Also I know people who have done some creative writing courses and have found them incredibly stifling and lack lustre. It seems you have it in you to write a book it’s just finding the right connections. In the meantime you could write mini articles for online publications/ magazines regarding your subject to begin to get a name for yourself

I had zero writing experience. The first thing I wrote was the novel I submitted. Also historical fiction and I had nothing but a degree I did fifteen years ago (and a lot of research!) I was signed by the first agent I submitted to and my book was pre-empted on submission so I promise you that none of that matters - what’s important is your writing. If you have written a great book, that’s enough writing experience!

Send it in. I work on the other side of the table and only skim cover letters. It’s the work that will sell it, not your cv.

Quality and potential of the story is key. Does someone reading your first page have to read further? Biography and presence or absence of creative writing courses are broadly irrelevant.

Good luck.

Be positive - don't look for excuses. Try to treat self-publishing as a positive choice rather than a defeatist default. If you want a traditional deal then positively engage with agent submissions.

If you want to take something from Jo Rowling, she hadn't studied creative writing and was a (homeless? not sure) single mother who'd been subject to domestic abuse and without industry connections who got a good deal through the quality of her writing.

Good luck.

because a risk-averse literary industry wants to be sure you've got pedigree and partly because (in the case of the latter) it helps them market you. I've even read JK Rowling largely only got her agent through luck
This is all nonsense. Agents don’t care; they care about the manuscript. Pedigrees are an added extra, an “oh, that’s interesting” – they’re useless if your first 10 pages are crap, they’re not necessary if your first 10 pages hook them so they ask for the full. (In which case your whole manuscript is then what sells you.)

Yes, when publishers buy manuscripts they might have a conversation with sales and marketing to determine the advance to offer and whether you’ll be front list, get lots of marketing budget, etc, but those conversations are about stuff like “didn’t that hyped book about insects do terribly last year?” “yes but we’ll do a yellow cover, Waterstones have been asking for one”; “Let’s change the title to include a full name, those books are still selling” etc. Debuts are always exciting; that’s the angle rather than the pedigree. Publishing loves discovering a new voice.

As for luck, it’s ALL luck (borne of hard work). I hear people all the time saying they don’t want to be on the slush pile, they want an “in” with an agent – but the majority of manuscripts are found on the slush pile! Agents accept submissions for a reason and the majority of good agents reads their slush pile.

They don’t care. Honestly. If the novel is good and they can sell it, your CV isn’t important.

I know nothing about publishing, but, as with many things in life, don’t say other people’s nos for them.

Don't worry about your CV or background I can't imagine any agent is going to be interested. I write historical fiction and although I have a history degree I haven't done any creative writing courses. I've done some workshops but that is it. If you are happy with what you've written and it's polished then get it submitted! If you are really concerned you can read some of the many (!) how to write self help books.

Is it any good? Has a critical friend read it?

If it is, send it in. Good luck.

Agents don’t care; they care about the manuscript

Why is it that so many agents ask for biographical information and writing experience to be included in a cover letter?

I'm not disputing what you say, I'm just curious. The consensus on the thread seems to be that it's not something the agent is bothered about, yet I'd say at least 50% of agents ask for it as part of your submission.

Why is it that so many agents ask for biographical information and writing experience to be included in a cover letter?

I think what most specify is no more than a paragraph of biographical information. They want to see things if they are relevant, e.g. if you just won the Bath Novel Award, that might grab their attention. They might be pleased to see you are a caving enthusiast if your novel is about that. But they don’t want reams of information, and they care more about the work than about the CV.

None of that stuff matters. Just submit it.
I have a friend who wrote an historical novel. Hadn’t done any creative writing courses, didn’t write for a living, didn’t know anyone who could refer them - is that even a thing? Did not work in museums etc.
They sent it off to an agent. It was taken up and published. In fact, it became a best-seller.

This is the kind of thing I'm talking about (just C&Pd these from some agents' websites):

Please submit synopsis and three sample chapters (as a Word attachment in your email to the above email address) plus author biography

please include a covering letter telling us a little about yourself

In your email, include any relevant information about yourself, such as your experience, your ambitions as a writer, or if you’ve been previously published

We would like to see your first three chapters, together with a brief outline and some biographical details.

Tell us about yourself

WHAT TO INCLUDE IN YOUR COVERING LETTER ...A note on any significant previous publications or writing experience

Why do they ask for this stuff if they're not going to read it? I agree that the manuscript should be all that counts (for fiction, anyway) so why do they want to know all this?

They don't want a full CV. They just want "a few biographical details".

If you're already writing your second novel, but haven't yet submitted your first, it sounds to me like you're finding excuses not to! Fear of
failure, I'm guessing.

They’re looking for anything they might use as a hook when submitting your novel but it isn’t an essential. It might grab the potential publishers’ attention to see you’ve won a prize or whatever and maybe bump it up their list but if you’ve written a killer novel then it won’t matter that you have no writing experience. It’s a nice extra - and definitely relevant if you’re writing non fiction to back up your credentials as an expert authority on your topic - but it won’t be a dealbreaker for an agent on whether to represent you.

WeetabixComesAtAPrice

I find it pretty clear. Mention if it’s relevant, don’t go on about it, leave it out if it’s your childhood modelling experience etc.

@flaviaritt

WeetabixComesAtAPrice

I find it pretty clear. Mention if it’s relevant, don’t go on about it, leave it out if it’s your childhood modelling experience etc.

Yes, I agree the instructions are not unclear - that wasn't what I asked.

I asked why any biographical/CV information is requested, if it's true that:

I work on the other side of the table and only skim cover letters. It’s the work that will sell it, not your cv.

If you have written a great book, that’s enough writing experience!

They don’t care. Honestly. If the novel is good and they can sell it, your CV isn’t important

This is all nonsense. Agents don’t care; they care about the manuscript. Pedigrees are an added extra, an “oh, that’s interesting” – they’re useless if your first 10 pages are crap, they’re not necessary if your first 10 pages hook them so they ask for the full. (In which case your whole manuscript is then what sells you.)

WeetabixComesAtAPrice

It’s partly a nicety - you’re a person, make yourself sound like a person. And it’s a place to flag up anything very relevant, like prizes, because agents are busy.

More than anything, though, specifying only a paragraph or ‘a few lines’ helps weed out those incapable of following instructions and mega-narcissists who want to tell you their first cat’s name and that they have recently moved to fully biodegradable teabags. It’s a filter.

Yes, that makes sense, thank you.

I absolutely hate writing about myself - there's nothing interesting about my life or background - I wish more agents would ask only for chapters, synopsis and pitch.

They probably would if that didn’t mean doing a nut-cut later. 😂

I wrote a couple of sentences about myself in my cover letter - age, job, degree (it was relevant to the book subject), where I live - so basically I’m 31, living in East Anglia with my husband and three cats, I have a 2:1 in Zoology and have been a vet for ten years. Done! The rest of my cover letter was about the book: elevator pitch, expanded pitch, genre and comp titles. Keep it concise and don’t overthink!

Honestly weetabix there was nothing exciting to put in my little biog in my query letter. I just put something about what I did for a living, what I did at uni, how many kids I have and where I live. I'm quite sure my agent wasnt/isn't remotely interested in my dog or what I used to do for a living as it was nothing to do with writing but it made my query letter a little more personal and less formal (I tend to write business things very formally).