Sunday, September 24, 2017

what the heck is a writer's CV ?

What the heck does a writer CV look like? I've applied for a few residencies and awards, and several request one to be included with the application. I work a corporate day gig (like I suspect many writers do) and don't quite know what I should be including. Google is no help and most my writer friends have never done one. Any thoughts on that, or have any of your clients ever needed one?
Yup, they sure have. For applying for residencies and awards!

A CV is a fancy word for a resume. It stands for curriculum vitae. You see it used most often in academia.

A writer's CV would include all the published writing you've done (yup, ALL, unless it runs to ten+ pages, then you start prioritizing). It includes previous awards or residencies. It included jobs that involve writing (If you teach in the English Department at Buttonweezer School for Wayward Sharks for example)

Generally you're not going to include non-writing stuff. Leave off your work as a contract killer for example, but do include your paid gigs as a query critiquer even though they are essentially the same job.




     

16 comments:

E.M. Goldsmith said...

So this is something that is not likely to come up for us unpublished types or those of us who haven't published Jack since the 1980s?

More fuel for the rodent wheel.

Anonymous said...

Colin, would you be interested in posting a CV to the resource area as a reference? I'd be willing to volunteer mine, and it also shows how I mention my day job in there, too - which now that the Shark mentions, maybe I should take out!

Janet Reid said...

Before anything gets put in the very valuable trove Colin maintains, I need to see it.

Kyler said...

Your wit in the last paragraph is one of the reasons I keep returning here. (haha)

John Davis Frain said...

Niiiiiiice.

I thought query critiquer was merely akin to dream crusher. But I suppose contract killer is virtually a synonym by the time you get to that point.

So, OP, you might be able to include assassination attempt survivor if you've navigated query shark. I daresay those residency and award reviewers will nod their heads. In awe and jealousy.

CynthiaMc said...

I keep running across columns I forgot I wrote. Tring to capture them all. God bless my mother-in-law - she kept way better track of them than I did.

Lennon Faris said...

But what if you are writing about a contract killer? Doesn't your job show you have some great experience there? :D

OT - Janet, - the "pin your location to our map" link has died.

Janet Reid said...

Zounds, I have NO idea how I deleted our map of blog readers, but it sure looks like I did.

*trudges off to find landline and dial up help desk for "newfangled internet stuff*

Colin Smith said...

I should note that the English Department at Buttonweezer School for Wayward Sharks has a very informative class on "killer contracts." At first I thought it was about how to write outstanding agreements...

Hey, whipchick! If Janet okays the CV, I'd be glad to include it. :)

AJ Blythe said...

EM, unpublished writers do, at times, need a writers CV. I've got one that I keep updated as I have applied for the flip side of (what I assume is) a residency. I applied for a 5-day-intensive writing residential (a number of years ago). Writers were assigned to one of 3 groups and each group had a very established author mentor.

I've also applied for a writing grant for unpublished writers and needed a writing CV for that.

For an unpublished writers CV (Janet, please correct me if I got this wrong) I include competition final placings and wins, writing organisations I belong to and volunteering I've done within writing circles.

I'm sure the writing sample required for the residency played a large part, but no writing was required for the grant and I was successful at both, so I assume the CV wasn't all bad.

Her Grace, Heidi, the Duchess of Kneale said...

I presume a CV would also include any writerly education and training? My BA in Film had a strong writing component, and I spent a significant part of my journeymanhood in the Online Writing Workshop.

Definitely going to include that I'm a member of RWA.

Craig F said...

At least I now know that there is one of those inevitable academic names for that nigh onto inevitable question of "What else you got?"

If I ever get asked that question I will do something about it. Probably just say that I have three thrillers and a couple of speculative things hanging out for the time to be right.

Lennon: The map has been dark for quite a while. Christina Seine had held the keys to it for a while but I think she has lost hope in the writing game.

Panda in Chief said...

I have one for my fine art stuff, which by this time is long enough so that I can cheer myself up by reading it. I look forward to the day when I have one worth writing for my literary/ Panda Satire work.

OT: I have returned from my exposition to China. The panda I tried to smuggle out was turned back at customs, even though I disguised him as a penguin. alas!

Claire Bobrow said...

AJ - thanks for clarifying how an unpublished writer might assemble a CV.

And welcome home, Anne!

Lucie Witt said...

Thanks for the answer, Janet!

And for those who asked I'm an unpublished writer and have needed one for residency apps.

Shakier Anthem said...

You can also include public readings you've done. Stick to those where you were a featured or advertised reader, though (i.e., open mics probably won't help you). I'll add that I've also needed a writer CV/artist resume for grant applications even though I don't have a book out yet.