How to write a 50 word author bio that drives business (in 10 minutes)
If you are like me, you are used to writing about fantastical worlds beyond the imagination, intricate inner lives of characters and their antagonists, specific, detailed prose on the surroundings and settings of your stories.
But when it comes to writing about ourselves, it gets really dicey really fast.
Here are some quick tips to writing an author or contributor bio! You may need this down the road if you ever plan on publishing your work. Imagine your bio on the back of a paperback, or listed along with names of other respectable poets in a chapbook. Or hell, even on your website or your social media bio. Your writers bio is an important place to let readers know who you are!
Let’s get started.
1. Include your name as it appears on your social media, your books, etc. Don’t get fancy. I go by Alex, so I will never list my name as Alexandra Knepper. Some authors get hung up on their middle initial, or a pseudonym. But you must pick something and stick to it, otherwise no one will be able to find you
2. Include a breadcrumb trail. The whole point of the bio, IMHO is to help people find you after they have consumed your work. They want more! Give it to them.
It’s always a good idea to add in your website URL or even a twitter or instagram handle with a call to action like:
Find Me on Twitter @Kalexandaire
**Side Note: It’s *very* helpful if your social media handles are easy to spell so that folks can find you. Don’t use mine as an example 🙈
3. Only include relevant info. Gatekeeper Press writes:
In other words, you don’t need to share *everything*. If you write primarily about family, include that you are a hubby or wife with 3 amazing kids. But if not, maybe leave it out. I know this is controversial, but our goal is to include the info that is most relevant to the work, not most relevant to you.
4. Include info that makes you more credible, this is schooling, awards, or previously published works & where people can find them. Do not, I repeat, do not hide your achievements!! You worked hard! Show it off.
If you’re looking for accolades and you come up dry, that’s totally okay! Spend some more time on explaining your genre, or elaborate on aspects of your life that will connect with a reader of your work! This bio is one of the first steps to getting there, keep going!
AND THAT’S IT!
I know we are writers and we like to write. But for the love of all that is good and holy, keep your bio short. Keep in mind that this is a piece of marketing material, something that the reader will glance over quickly if they even read it at all. You need to capture their attention for just a few seconds to make a connection with them.
Which is why the Secret Ingredient of your bio is to remember that it’s not actually about you, your bio is about attracting readers who will love your work!
That’s it for now! Tell me in the comments, what’s the hardest part of writing a bio for your professional writing career?
Further Reading: