Most bios run between 50 and 400 words, with the average length about 150 words. Double space your bio and try to it no one more than one page in length.
Tense
When you write your biography, do so in the third person. You should use present tense, unless a past tense is absolutely necessary.
Content
Depending on what manuscript the bio is for, include any qualifications, education, skills, or experience you may have helps makes you look professional. Do not include unimportant information.
Achievements
Most of your bio should be devoted to your writing achievements. Previous publications, writing awards, or degrees you have relating to your work's subject should be in the bio. If you have real life experience in your subject, be sure to also include it.
Promotions
If you are lucky enough to have been interviewed by a known publication, or have had a radio or television interview, mention that in your bio.
Tone
This should compliment your piece. If you have written a free and modern story, then make your bio the same way. Do not have a silly bio with a serious writing article.
Mood
Always present your information in a positive way. If you do not have a lot of work published, do not fret. Post what you have in an upbeat manner. Even if you have not been published before, you still have talents and qualifications - use them.
Do not make your bio seem too good to be true by over exaggerated information. Making yourself sound better than you are can, and will, backfire in the long run.
Do not lie. It will only make you look like an amateur, and could cost you future sales. Aim your bio at the editor who is publishing your work. List only publication credits that will impress them.
Here's the bio I've been working on: (It's still a WIP)
Clarissa Draper is a Canadian writer currently living in Mexico. Although trained in book layout and design, she prefers to spend her time planning and writing her code-based mysteries. Two of her short stories have been published in anthologies. She started writing full time in 2006, and is currently writing her third mystery in the Evans/Blackwell series.
Visit her at www.clarissadraper.com
Have any suggestions for my bio? I'd be happy to hear them!
Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dawn_Arkin
Well you might add what a gracious blogger you are in regards to giving us all FREE help. :D
ReplyDeleteIf celebrate it, a good turkey day to you. If you don't; well have a good day anyway :)
Jules @ Trying To Get Over The Rainbow
I've translated some author bios lately which contained a certain amount of humor and I liked it :) It gives a certain relaxed look on the writer. I don't like bios which are overly egoistic and bragging (I've read one in which the author thanks his parents for giving birth to such an intelligent and creative person and he wasn't joking about it he was serious :))
ReplyDeleteGreat bio. I had to write one to include with my agented-requested material not long ago. It was a major pain to write.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tips! Your bio looks great to me.
ReplyDeleteCatherine Denton
Just another great article by you. This really helps me as I've struggled with the author bio for quite some time now. I have the added challenge of writing a bio for work under my pen name. It can become difficult when one writes under more than one name.
ReplyDeleteGreat start! You bio is positive, informative and friendly.
ReplyDeleteI have two suggestions. Unless your novel(s) is based in Mexico or has Canadian characters, I'd leave that part out depending on where you're trying to market your work. Also, you might want to mention the title/publisher of the anthologies that published your short stories.
Clarissa - Thanks for these wonderful ideas!!! You know, the last time I did a bio was long enough ago that it's really worth peeking at again!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the post...I think i need to re-think my boring ol' bio. And I'll Tweet this one. Have a great holiday!
ReplyDeleteGreat bio and very helpful tips.
ReplyDeleteIf you're celebrating Thanksgiving tomorrow, hope you have a great day. If not, hope it's a wonderful day anyway.
Mason
Thoughts in Progress
I am relieved to see that this is more or less what I have done.
ReplyDeleteGreat tips, Clarissa - it is really hard to write a bio.
ReplyDeleteMight you consider taking out the 'two short stories' bit? For me, it jarred slightly with the crime writing novel bit... and I think it weakens the bio slightly. Just my opinion, though! Other than that, I think it's very professional.
hi miss clarissa! you got me learning more new stuff again. im gonna copy all this and save it for when i do my bio. im gonna do a practice one just to see how it could sound. im wishing you and all your family a really happy and fun thanksgiving!!!
ReplyDelete...hugs from lenny
here I am on my knees praying one day I will find this info useful for my book after I get a book deal of course.
ReplyDeleteI would add in just a little bit more humour too
Oooh mention your blog!! Why not?!!? I think you've nailed your bio for me!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tips too! Take care
x
I think your bio is fine the way it is. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tips on how to write a bio!
Seems like a good bio to me. :]
ReplyDeleteMy own is a bit lacking but I'm under no pressure right now so no worries.
Great tips! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteGreat tips. Thanks. I don't like doing a bio, so this will help :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great tips.
ReplyDeletethis is something people don't blog about every day. Great tips. I think your Bio works really well.
ReplyDeleteHi Clarissa. Like Talli said the 'two short stories' needs work, but my first reaction was I wanted to know which anthologies. So perhaps you just need to say that you have had short stories published in ...Anthology/ies. Maybe not even say the number 2.
ReplyDeleteBut what would I know? It was a great little bio but I think it could be longer, or maybe it's just me wanting to know more about you.
Happy Thanksgiving seeing you're Canadian!
Thanks for all your help guys and yes, I kinda threw it together. I will work on it more in the next few months.
ReplyDeleteCD
Good advice Clarissa. When I got to the part about not making yourself look too good, I had an immediate impression of someone who did try that. I think there are books or T.V. movies about that. I had to smile.
ReplyDeleteNancy
N. R. Williams, fantasy author
great advice on bio writing. It not one of my favourite things to write. I had to write two -- one for my faith writing and one for my general writing. And I have to update them regularly because of new achievements (or just improving the wording).
ReplyDeleteNice tips. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteNow I am being deliberately critical.
ReplyDeleteYou are Canadian, and you live in Mexico. Why then are your books set in London? If I were you, I would add something like 'but London is her spiritual/ creative home' or 'but it is on the streets of London that she finds her inspiration'. Or something.
And why mention that thing about short stories? At the query stage, it shows that you are to be taken seriously. But a reader is not going to pick up your book merely because you have had a couple of short stories published. Maybe amend that to something like 'though she has had short stories published, this is her first full-length novel to be published'.
Just suggestions, because you leap out of the pages of your blog, but your bio doesn't.
very interesting.........
ReplyDeleteI had to write a 3-sentence author bio for my agent to send to editors with my ms, and it took me about two hours! I couldn't think of what I was supposed to really say, and eventually ended up with something that was light in tone but covered the main points (briefly).
ReplyDeleteI expect I'll have to expand it for the bio in my book's cover, so that will be another bit of trauma!
Thanks for the tips, they're spot on! :-)
I don't agree with the previous comment amount location. My fave part of wuthor bios is the "now lives in Connecticut with 3 dogs and cockatiel"
ReplyDeleteNice bio. Concise and informative.
Have a glorious holiday! Look forward to the pictues.
ReplyDeleteGreat tips, thanks. Loved your draft bio :)
ReplyDeleteRach
Great tips. It's important to remember tone.
ReplyDeleteWe really need to have two bios on file: one short paragraph type like this one--which is great--and one several hundred word, one-page piece. Some agents ask for the one-page piece with a query, so everybody who's getting ready to query should write a bio, now.
This is good timing. I have to update my bios everywhere!
ReplyDeletethanks for the tips.. have a great journey... may the love of god keep you in his warmth and security throughout your trip :)
ReplyDeleteGreat tips.
ReplyDeleteI like your example. I do find the bio disconcerting to write. I like how concise yours is.
ReplyDeleteI really liked the article, and the very cool blog
ReplyDelete