Nailing down the perfect author biography can be as challenging as writing a compelling first paragraph in a chapter or being interviewed for the first time. Good author biographies are easy to read, but writing the perfect author biography is anything but easy. It takes skill and publishing industry savvy to create an author bio that will impress publishing professionals and convince readers to buy your book. And just as with the book, you will probably need to rewrite your author bio a few times until it sounds perfect. Follow these steps to make it shine.
Have a Strong Opening
The first paragraph is as strong as walking into a room and making a first impression. It needs to be enchanting and allow the reader to understand who you are as a writer at a glance. Some people may not read further, so make sure it includes all the details you want them to take a trip down memory lane. It’s important to establish your credentials in your book’s topic section.
Know your Reader
When you write your author bio, you should focus on what is important to the reader. You’ll also want to include things the author has accomplished in their life. This will help the readers understand why they should spend their time and money reading what you’ve got to say. If you hold something about you and your life that is unusual, you should still consider putting it in your bio even if it’s not relevant. For instance, if you started a major national organization or company, or won a national championship in ping-pong or whatever. The point here is to show the reader that you have done things that matter, even if they don’t matter to the book.
Pick the Details
Pick the details that match your author branch, genre and target audience. People don’t care about where you went to college, your graduation year, or the name of your partner. They do care more about what makes your work unique and special, how you became a writer, why you are the best person to write that particular novel or short story, and your personality.
Tell a History
Few people venture into writing short histories. Capturing the essence of the event, place, or person in a brief yet expressive manner demands a lot of skill. This is why writing a biography can be so daunting. Try your best to keep it appealing. It shouldn’t be raw, if marrying the love of your life unleashed the writer within, then mention it in your bio.
Use the Third Person
You need to write your author bio in the third person as weird as it may feel. Think of it as an excellent opportunity to study yourself with new eyes and see what is important about yourself.
Keep the Biography up to Date
Make sure you update your bio as your career progresses. Add your recent writing achievements, new books, new awards you’ve received or been nominated for, and any other relevant details.
Include essential Details
Make sure your bio includes the details such as author name, book genre, literary awards, credentials, and proof of being an expert in the respective field, your writing themes, and your hobbies. Once you finalize your author bio, don’t forget to promote it on your social media channels.
Don’t forget the Human Touch
Whether you write essays, fictions, self-help, or instruction manuals, you’re hoping to make a connection with your reader. So be sure the thing doesn’t read like a common entry. Give it some character and quirk.
Last Words
After you’ve perfected your author biography and finalized your manuscript, it’s time to share your work with the world. Once your bio is solid, the next step is getting as many eyes as possible on your work. Take it seriously, get it done right, and it will help you sell books.