So, we want to find you on google earth

Recently I received a response to a query I found a bit strange.

As someone with almost no publishing history, my bio tends to be pretty bare bones. I have something a couple lines long that works enough, and sometimes I mention the book is #ownvoices when it seems that would be worth adding, but mostly I let the query stand on its own (or alongside the pages).

Finding myself more interesting is probably something I should work on, but to get back on point, a recent query got a response asking me to re-submit with a bio that included where I live (something amusingly my "extended bio" does make a bit of a joke about, but also something included in my contact information? So a bit confusing), my occupation and my writing credits.

My occupation is "currently unemployed" and my credits are "none". These are literally the only things they've asked me to change in my submission, and I'm honestly just confused. Is this like one of those "see if you can follow directions" thing, or do you think it really makes a difference here? (For the record this is a novel, not non-fiction.)

Thanks for letting me vent if nothing else, and thanks for the blog!

Generally guidelines for submissions are not set up as tests of whether you can follow directions. They're set up so that I can evaluate your work without having to ask you for more information, or reformatting your pages.

In other words, submission guidelines are intended to help you tell me about your work.

So, asking for where you live and your occupation does seem a tad offbeat to me absent "I loved your book and want to begin discussing next steps."  Sure, I may need to know if I'm interested in your book, but unless you live on Mars (in which case, contact me immediately, cause you now have an agent) your location in the world may be needed for talk about promotion, but it really doesn't have anything to do with the caliber of your book.

Your writing credits on the other hand, that's info that I do need. If this is your 13th published novel, we've got a very different situation than if this is your debut.

If you've published three stories in the New Yorker, yes, I really want to know about that (and yes, you now have an agent, please sign right here!)

But unless someone wants to look you up on google earth, they really don't need your address.

As to "unemployed" please don't use that word if you are a stay at home parent. Or a full time writer even if you are not yet published.  In the first case you are a stay at home parent; in the second you are a writer. The government may not count that as employment for statistical purposes but you're sure as hell not lazing about on the porch, firing off tabaccy juice at the one-eyed tom cat come calling on your sweet little tabby.

And if you're taking a break (voluntary or not) from a paid job, you can list your occupation as "asbestos abatement specialist" or "steelworker" or "taxi dancer" even if you are not currently abating, smelting, or shimmying.


I have a real thing about agents who just casually ask writers to jump through hoops, as though their time and fretting is of no consequence.  When I am Queen of the Known Universe things will be much MUCH different.