How to Write a Killer Author Bio
As an author or social media influencer, you know that a killer author bio is essential to your success.
But what makes a bio “killer”? The answer is simple: it has to tell the reader why they should read your book or follow your Twitter or Facebook page. It’s not enough to be a “good” bio; you need to make sure that it’s a great one. The following are some tips to help you write the best bio possible.
Use your real name
If you’re wondering how to write a killer author bio, the first thing you need to do is use your real name.
I know it may seem like a no-brainer, but I’ve seen some authors try to pull off the “pen name” thing. We see right through that BS and we don’t think it helps anyone especially not the reader.
The reason I recommend using your real name is because when readers see your real name, they feel like they can trust you more. If someone’s writing under a pen name, it feels like they’re trying to hide something—and that makes people nervous! But if you’re writing under your real name, readers can trust that there won’t be any surprises down the road when they start reading your book.
Know Your Audience
When you’re writing an author bio, it’s important to know your audience. Who are you writing for? What do they want to know about you?
Think about the people who will read your bio. Are they booksellers? Are they media? Are they fellow authors? Each group has its own needs and preferences when it comes to reading a bio.
For example, if you’re writing a bio for a bookseller, that person wants to see that you have experience with bookselling that you understand their business and can write in a way that connects with them. If you’re writing a bio for media, then they want to know how many books/articles/podcasts you’ve written and why they should care about what YOU have to say on the topic at hand.
Keep it short and sweet
Your author bio should be a concise and accurate summary of who you are, what you do, and why people should care.
No need to include personal details like your favorite color or your favorite food—you can mention those in an interview if it comes up.
Keep it short, sweet, and relevant.
if you’re writing a bio for your website or social media channels, keep it under 100 words. If you’re submitting a manuscript to an agent or publisher, aim for about 250 words. That said, if you’ve got more than 250 words worth of amazing things to say about yourself and your book, go for it!
But whatever length you choose for your bio, make sure that it’s compelling! Here are some tips for doing just that:
– Tell people what makes you different from other authors. That could be something as simple as “I write fantasy novels about dragons” or “I’m a romance writer who loves jazz music.” It could also be something more personal: “I’m a cancer survivor who writes stories that celebrate life.” Whatever makes YOU special is what will make your bio unique.
– Emphasize your credentials and accomplishments. For example: “I have been published in several anthologies” or “My debut novel was nominated for the Kuza Award Prize.”
– End on an interesting note—something that will make people want to read more about
Include Your Contact Information
When you’re writing an author bio, it’s important to include your contact information so that people can reach you.
The best way to do this is to put your email address at the top of the page, so people can easily find it when they’re looking for more information about you or your book. You want to make sure that this is a professional email address
Write in the First Person
When you’re writing your author bio, try to keep it in first person. This is because it gives the reader a sense of who you are, and makes them more likely to connect with you as a person. It also helps your bio sound more like an actual story, instead of just a list of facts.
Here are some tips for making your bio come alive:
1) Use action verbs in the present tense. For example, instead of saying “I’m a writer,” say “I write.” This will make your bio feel more personal and lively.
2) Include details about how your work has affected other people or made an impact on the world. You could even include a quote from someone else who has read it!
3) Talk about any unique circumstances that helped you become successful in what you do—for example, maybe you grew up in a small town where there wasn’t much opportunity for art or music? Or maybe your parents were both doctors and they encouraged their kids to pursue creative careers? Or maybe they were both lawyers and they pushed their kids toward law? These stories can be really compelling.
Read>>>How To Get It Right In Life
Share Your Social Media Handles
If you’ve got a blog, you’re probably using social media to promote it. But what if you want people to find your blog without having to search for it on Google?
The answer is simple: make sure you include your social media handles in your author bio!
Your author bio is one of the first things people see when they click through to your blog or website, so it’s important that it stands out and gives them all the information they need to know who YOU are and why they should follow YOU.
It’s also a great place to mention any other projects or websites you may have created. Make sure these links are easy for people to find you don’t want anyone missing out on another great piece of content.
NOTE: When you are creating your author bio, think about who you are writing for and what they need to know about you.
Keep it Consistent Across Platforms
If you’re writing a bio that will appear on multiple platforms, make sure it’s consistent across all of them. You don’t want to have to rewrite your bio every time you make a change! The best thing to do is to write one bio, and then use it as a template for all of your profiles. You can easily copy and paste the same content into each platform and make any necessary changes.
Your author bio should be the same across all your platforms. When you’re writing your author bio, you’ll want to keep in mind that:
– Your author bio should be short—no more than three paragraphs.
– It should include elements of your personal brand and some information about what you write about.
– You should include links to your website and social media channels.
Turn negatives into positives
Your bio should be as unique as you are—and if there’s something in your past that doesn’t fit into that mold, think about how you can turn it into something positive. For example, if you were once caught shoplifting as a teenager but learned from your mistake and started working at an animal shelter, that could be something to include in your bio! No matter what happened in your past, it’s part of who you are now, and including it will help readers get to know you better.
Add links to relevant websites.
You can link to your website, social media accounts, or other sites that have information about you as an author. If you have a book on Amazon, include the link to it in your bio. You can even link to your blog or newsletter if those are related to your books.
Links to relevant websites are a great way to add depth and authority to your author bio. If you’re writing on a topic that you’re an expert in, then link to your own website or blog with more information about the subject.
If you’re not an expert but have done some research on the topic or if it’s something you’re passionate about, then link to other sites that talk about the same thing—this shows that you know what you’re talking about, and it lets readers find more information easily.
End on a high note
If you’ve managed to keep your reader’s interest in the first few paragraphs and have gotten them excited about what you have to say, you don’t want them to leave without knowing anything more about what you can do for them. End your bio with a call-to-action that encourages readers to learn more about your work and services, or purchase one of your books.
NOTE: Your bio is more important than you may think. It’s a chance to promote yourself and your work, communicate your message, and build a fan base.
