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Do you struggle with providing bio information for interviews or as part of your presentation materials?
Are you unsure what all to include, especially if your writing background encompasses several areas or genres?
How much is too much – or too little?
Challenging questions, especially when you receive an email asking for a max 50-word bio that is needed ASAP.
The first thing to realize is that one is not enough. You need more than a single bio or profile summary ready to roll at a moment’s notice. Otherwise, you run the risk of doing a quick edit to suit the request and end up with a result that doesn’t do you justice.
This isn’t something to just toss off without a lot of thought. As Tucker Max points out in How to Write Your Author Bio (And Why It Matters), readers will make snap judgments about the value of your book based your author bio.
“This is doubly true for media,” he adds. “Most people in media work very hard under tight deadlines, and don’t have time to read long books or even long, meandering pitch emails. But a good author bio cuts right to the point by saying: this is a person who is important and I need to pay attention to them.”
The following suggestions will help you develop your writer or author bio so it suits the specific marketing goal.
Start with the identity.
Unless you only do one type of writing (fiction, non-fiction, content writing, magazine work), you will want multiple bios, each highlighting one aspect of your writing expertise.
For example, suppose you need a bio to accompany a magazine article. You don’t want to lead off with your content writing work, even if it is the biggest source of your income. Instead, open with your article writing background: “In addition to his articles for Widget Publication, John Brown has also been published in numerous trade and consumer magazines. He is also an author and experienced copywriter.”
Same guy, but now he needs a bio for a book signing press release. Time for a switch-up: “John Brown is the author of Why a Widget, Widgets for All, and Beyond Widgets. His work has appeared in numerous trade and consumer magazines, and he is also a copywriter for a national widget manufacturer.”
The point of your bio is to establish your credibility. (Click to tweet)
Regardless of the identity you are promoting in each bio, the point is to establish your credibility. Neil Patel says it best in his post, About the Author: How to Write a Quality Author Bio: “Remember: It’s not really about you. Even though this paragraph is allegedly about the author, it’s not actually about you. It’s about your reader, and what that person is looking to learn or gain from your article”—or your book as the case may be.
Patel adds, “As the digital landscape only becomes increasingly crowded, it’s important to have a prepared, accurate way to answer the masses asking, ‘Why should I listen to you?’ Readers are right to ask that question, especially with many now questioning the accuracy and reliability of news. So, in your bio, establish your credibility, and be honest. Why are you qualified to write on this subject? Why should readers believe you?”
If your bio is intended to sell yourself as a copywriter, the question would be “Why should I hire you?” If it’s to encourage people to read your crime novel, the question would be “Why should I read anything by you?”
Consider the tone.
In How to Write a Compelling Author Bio, Dave Chesson talks about matching your author bio to the tone and personality of the book. As he explains, “If you’ve written a funny fictional story, go with that same humor in your bio. If your book is a spiritual guide to personal growth, some life-affirming positivity wouldn’t go amiss. You can also use the author bio to guide the reader into understanding what the personality of the book will be like – which is particularly useful when the tone of the book is unusual or surprising compared to the subject matter.”
My earlier bios for speaking engagements for my books tended to be very formal—in part, I suppose because I was unsure of myself and was following the “fake it until you make it” approach. However, once I met with the people who invited me and those who attended my talks, I relaxed and became more “me”—the real me. The me who would tell tales on myself if I thought it was the best way to get my point across.
Does your bio’s tone match what it is you’re promoting? (Click to tweet)
I eventually realized that a bio that reflected the real me was a better idea than one that depicted me as a very formal person. Otherwise, the host would be looking for the other “Nancy” that she had invited!
Develop multiple versions.
For each version, develop a short one (50 words at most, including your website URL) and a longer one (about 300 words, give or take).
Again, hit the highlights. You can always send them to your bio page for more details. (Include the URL — use tinyurl or a similar service if you need to shorten it—in case the hyperlink isn’t going to be active.) Same thing goes for your social media platforms. The links should be on your bio page, using social media buttons.
Did your book win an award? Mention it—if it’s accompanying information relevant to that, such as a book signing release or a writing workshop presenter bio. Not relevant if this is a brief bio accompanying a sales letter to a new widget manufacturer soliciting copywriting work.
Add credentials and educational achievements only if they are appropriate. A degree in architecture counts if your bio is part of a pitch letter to ABC Architecture Quarterly but not so much if it’s accompanying a press release about your latest bodice-ripper novel.
Not everything you think is relevant is relevant! (Click to tweet)
Do you belong to an industry association? Again, include it if it’s related to where your bio is going to appear. Otherwise, delete it. And again, make sure it fits the overall focus. Being a charter member of KnitKnuts would only be relevant if your book is about knitting or other handwork—irrelevant if you primarily write science articles.
Then, do each version in both first and third person. Yeah, I know, but sometimes one type is preferred over the other. For instance, I have a standard first-person bio that accompanies my short story submissions. But every now and then, one of the literary magazines wants third-person—and it’s very easy when you’re in a hurry to skip one of the “I’s” (and the related verb) when changing it to “She.”
Finally, recommends Abra Staffin-Wiebe in 10 Tips for Creating a Kick-Ass Author Bio, draft a 140-character one for social media. Make sure it fits the persona of that channel. If your Twitter profile is about you as an author, don’t waste one character on your content writing background.
Include some interesting trivia or personal stuff—if appropriate.
My sales pitches for content writing work (the bulk of my income) include a brief bio that is very straightforward and professional. No mention of my cat, my fiction or details about my books—although I do note in passing that I’m an author, both self-published and traditional. For some reason, that’s a big selling point. However, I do include details about my magazine work, since that adds credibility to my profile.
But my bios as a writing presenter and author are a little more personal, sometimes humorous and definitely friendly. I want people to want to come meet me, to listen to what I have to say and to buy my books. They won’t do that if my bio makes me sound standoffish or so smart that I appear intimidating.
Include personal details but only if appropriate. (Click to tweet)
I have extended this approach to my sig line for emails. I have a short one for clients—just my name, contact info and my website. But the one for my author/writer persona includes links to my books and writing organization memberships.
Both Diana Urban and Tucker have examples of author bios on their posts—worth checking out to see what to do and not do. (Needless to say, only list provable facts. Don’t claim awards you didn’t win, sales you didn’t achieve or publications that you don’t have.)
A picture is worth… well, you get it.
Have a headshot and book covers ready to go. And please rename them so they make sense. As I mentioned in this post, use “Sue Smith’s headshot” not “1238.jpg.”
If a photo credit needs to be given, note that as well: “Photo by Dan Smith Studio.”
Update as needed.
Is your bio posted on an association or industry site? When is the last time you checked it? This is necessary, as I can attest.
Over the years, I had posted my bio on various writing sites and foolishly didn’t create one master list of where they all appeared. Which means there are probably still some bios out there that don’t include any of my books, or my website, or my social media, or my workshops or my content writing background.
As for pictures, I recently met a client whose image on his company page was at least 15 years out of date. I would never have recognized him.
While you’re at it, don’t forget keywords, says Miranda Marquit in 6 Things to Include in Your Freelance Writer Bio. “You want the words associated with your name to highlight your expertise, and let people know what you do. Using keywords in your bio is a powerful part of your personal branding online.”
So there you have it—tips and techniques for drafting your bio.
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The post Tuesday’s Tips: “Who are you?” — Writing an enticing, yet concise bio appeared first on The Writer's Place.