So your author’s bio. Let’s discuss it some more.
We’ve already established what it is: “a one- or two-paragraph summary of what makes you… you.” And we also touched on how you can:
Think of it from a professional, a romantic or a business perspective. Regardless, you want to come across as interesting enough for your readers to want to be in some kind of relationship with you.
That’s the aspect we’re going to really focus on in this post, and with very good reason. Because, depending on the book you’re writing, you probably will want to choose one – possibly two – of those relationships in order to come across the right way.
You’ll naturally want to select the right:
Tone
Word choice
Details given.
They all factor into writing the “perfect” author’s bio. And, to a large degree, they all boil down to our Writing Challenge below.
We’re going to turn back to Tuesday’s post again to remind you of the “So, tell me about yourself” question.
Knowing who you’re talking to and the kind of connection they’re looking to form can go a long way in helping you decide how to respond. So, when you’re writing your author’s bio, consider your target audience to a very large degree.
What are they looking for in an author?
Think about your best audience-specific qualities.
I’m not telling you not to be yourself in your author’s bio. Of course you want to be as genuine as possible. What I am telling you is to be situational, as you no doubt are in your everyday life.
I somehow doubt that you show your romantic side at work all that often (unless you’re looking for a #metoo lawsuit on your hands) any more than you keep things strictly business with your friends. In the same way, figure out what about yourself is appropriate to showcase to your audience, and then make it look good.
Do they expect you to be serious, playful, deep, dark, seductive, intellectual, ethereal, mysterious…
There are so many adjectives to describe you, no doubt. If you want to, write them all down. Then pick out three or five you think your readers-to-be would respond to the best.
Honestly, it can be a fun process if you know how to roll with it the right way.
At the risk of mentioning Tuesday’s post ad nauseum, I did share my own author’s bio in there. I’m not saying it’s going to be everyone’s cup of tea… particularly when, at the time I wrote it, I hadn’t thought the whole process through this far.
To be honest, it’s probably more than a little too “fun” for my thriller series. Or my stand-alone Christian fiction book, for that matter.
But it should provide a basic format for you to work with nonetheless.
I’d also recommend going to a bookstore, choosing your genre’s section, and flipping open some books. Look over as many as you want to. Take notes if that’ll help you out.
Just remember that, whatever you find, your author’s bio should still be your author’s bio in the end. Not someone else’s.
Truly make it about you. Open yourself up for readers to better access the mind behind the pages they just read or will read.
Only, open yourself up to a certain degree. This isn’t a marriage you’re hoping to cultivate, where they get every bit of you – the good and the bad.
But it is something at least somewhat intimate. And to that degree, don’t hold back.