C.V

Danpad

If I approach an agent /publisher or am approached and am asked for a C.V (warning:stupid sounding question imminent) what are they looking for? Keeping in mind that both parties are aware that I'm yet to be published and have nothing really to brag about in terms of a track record.
I'm assuming they don't want to see the thousand jobs I've had and how I achieved straight Cs in my inter cert.

EileenG

You won't be asked for a CV. Nobody cares how you did in the leaving, or even if you have a degree related to writing.

What you may be asked for is a bio, which is a page/few paragraphs about you, but they are interested in things which make you qualified to write the book you are submitting, or things which will give you a platform or will make you easy to promotel.

If you've had interesting jobs, then they are worth mentioning. If you've jobs relevant to your book (if you are midwife and your book is about babies), mention that. If you've done something interesting or overcome a difficult condition, mention that. If you're a mod on Boards, or have a thousand twitter followers, mention that.

EileenG

Just to add, you won't be approached. Agents and publishers have more submssions than they can cope with sitting on their desks (and piled in the hall quite often) so they don't go round asking unknown writers to submit. And in the incredibly unlikely event that they do, all they want to see is a great novel.

Danpad

Thanks for the feedback, something incredibly unlikely might just be about to happen, and I've been advised to prepare a C.V (Perhaps one person's C.V is another person's bio?) However, terminology aside, I guess I'll run with the 'interesting jobs' angle, although dishwasher in a Bavarian hotel and pedal boat renting on a haunted Black Forest lake don't link in to my writing or qualify me to be anything. Then again, with those being but just two of a long life of 'colourful' occupations perhaps I was never going to end up as anything but a dreamy writer.

.....incredibly unlikely.....I like those odds

EileenG

Don't worry about the CV/bio, concentrate on preparing a great couple of chapters to show your ability to write. It doesn't matter how interesting your life was, if you can't write, you won't sell a book.