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CRAFTING AN EFFECTIVE AUTHOR BIO
If you’re a writer with few publication credits, or none at
all, crafting a compelling bio can be challenging. Don’t worry. You do not need
stellar credits to have a great bio.
A BIOGRAPHY MUST BE WRITTEN IN THE THIRD PERSON.
The most effective online bios are both professional and
concise. Here’s how to write a short bio that suits your website or brand:
01. Introduce yourself
Begin your bio by stating your first, last name, and your
country. If you’re writing in the third person, these should be the first two
words of the paragraph. This makes your name easy for your audience to identify
and remember.
02. State your company or brand name
Think about whether you want your bio to represent yourself
on a personal level, or whether you’d like it to come across as more
professional. If you have a personal brand or business - for example, a blog,
freelance business or ecommerce site - be sure to mention your brand name at
the beginning of your bio. Don’t be afraid if the name sounds simple or
redundant. It’s perfectly fine, for instance, to say Mary Smith of Trinidad and
Tobago is the founder and CEO of Smith Digital.
Likewise, feel free to mention the name of another company
or brand that you work for if you’d like to associate it with your professional
accomplishments - e.g., Mary Smith of Trinidad and Tobago is a consultant at
Google and the founder and CEO of Smith Digital.
03. Explain your professional role
Next, briefly explain your current position. This is
relevant whether you’re the founder of a company, a high-level specialist or a
beginner in your field, and it can be similar to the description you have on
your resume. Your website visitors won’t necessarily know what your job
involves, so elaborating on your primary responsibilities helps paint a picture
of who you are and what you have to offer.
Present yourself in a polite, and professional way.
Don’t pad your bio with irrelevant info.
Most editors and readers love the opportunity to discover
new writers with unique voices. It does not matter how many publications you
have, as long as your writing is strong. Your bio can be as short as a few
sentences that mention the country you live in and your profession.
Establish
expertise. You will want your bio to influence people to read your
work. If the main character in your book has a trait or hobby that you happen
to share, or the story takes place in a setting you know like the back of your
hand, your expertise will lend your work authenticity. For example, if you write
a book that takes place in a bank, it would be a good idea to mention that
you’ve worked in a bank for years.
Show that you take your writing seriously. Even though you
may not have published any books before, you can show your dedication to
writing by mentioning popular writing groups or organizations of which you’re a
member.
Keep it short, sweet, and to the point. No one wants to
read a long-winded version of your life story. Avoid clichés like “It’s always
been my dream to be a writer” or “I’ve been writing since I was three years
old.”
Brenda Mohammed
BIO:
Brenda Mohammed, a former Bank Manager from Trinidad, is a
renowned, multi-award winning, and bestselling author who has published 50
books. Her genres are memoirs, romance, science fiction, mysteries,
psychological thriller, children’s books, Christian books, poetry, self-help,
magazines, and anthologies.
She is Founder of the How to Write for Success Literary
Network and is President CIESART INTERCONTINENTAL - TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO,
Her superb writing skills won her several literary awards
in the USA, Peru, Kazakhstan, Seychelles, Nigeria, India, Romania, Argentina,
Morocco, Philippines, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Spain, Italy, France, Switzerland,
Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Ukraine, Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, and the UK.
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