Helen Hoang has a really endearing about the author. Notice that she also uses the bio to establish that she brought personal experience to the writing of her breakout mega-bestseller, The Kiss Quotient, which features a heroine on the autism spectrum. I am staying with my sister because we celebrated my dads milestone birthday. Hopefully, my bio does a great job of conveying just that. . Special thanks to John Scalzi for inspiring me to write this specific type of bio. Find out if your author bio is a 10/10. Author You may briefly include credibility-building credentials, such as if you earned an MFA in Creative Writing. Its not a website its a reader trap. Im pretty ugly, and I do not photograph well. If you take the author bio seriously and get it right, youll sell more books. His books are about hope, second chances and outcasts overcoming obstacles. No writers were harmed in the making of this reel! If possible, include links to your website or social media, so people can find out more about you. Even though I love blogging, I dont recommend it to anyone who doesnt have a real passion for it. Id already read and loved Lucy Foleys THE GUEST LIST, and like that one, this is told from several points of view. Note: The Author Bio is just one of many parts of a book. Shes also been interviewed on podcasts including Destination Mystery with Laura Brennan, Conversations LIVE! Thats original and so, wellinviting! We write stories about other people, so having to turn the spotlight on ourselves can be daunting at best and downright cringe-inducing at worse. Wow, you are really talented! Also, any author can inject personality and a call to action, no matter if this is their first book. I do think the author pic is large on the site, and since you are writing a romantic space opera, I think you might want to think about having an outer space-ish image at the top. (63 words). WebBecky Rodriguez-Smith, director of design services at BookBaby, and Amy Epright, senior book designer, address five elements that make a great book cover design, with before-and-after examples to drive home these design ideals. If that is the case, a mention of something that is important to you is fine, but dont drag it on and focus on it. Im an unpublished author (with hopes to publish soon in one way or another, at which point book covers and graphics will take a focus!) All three dogs got regular walking breaks and they were very good travelers! For NON-FICTION, it should be longer, enough Tips on making a persuasive, engaging author bio, Other relevant information you want to share with your target audience, It affirms whether what you have to say is worth reading, It tells your target audience that you have written a book for them, Readers may relate to your personal story, Figure out your genre and target audience. Our Best Examples of Amazon Author Pages My road trip book! How to Write a Killer Author Bio (With Template) - Reedsy She lives in Australia, with her husband and extended family. I made up the example to talk about putting the action before the reaction and making more of dramatic moments. He began writing in 2002, and has contributed to the Times Yes, you can hire a freelance writer or a ghostwriter to write your author bio to make sure its as amazing as it should be. (I only ask that the websites be G- or PG-ratedotherwise, I will remove the link.) Publish a new book? Reedsy is more than just a blog. [spacer height=20px] Pin or bookmark the post for future inspiration! Feminist hippie, ME/MS, cancer survivor, she/they. I certainly do. When I was a kid there was a lilac bush right under my bedroom window. But we and all three dogs are happy to be comfy at home again, too! You dont have to have a professional designer or a ton of content, the way Ms. Bev does, to have a beautiful limited color palette that makes an instant positive impression. Here are the headings that appear before the About the Author section: You should update your About the Author page or individual author bios any time something significant changes in your life or career, especially honors and awards or when your next book comes out. Book 2, AppleJacked was a 2021 Daphne du Maurier Mystery/Suspense finalist. 1. I do think it helps to have some personal information in an author bio, but dont share anything about your personal life that you dont feel 100% comfortable putting out there. (Volume 1): Who is Wimpy Fart? Heres how Joanne handled it in her sassy, fun, but informational author bio. Thank you for your timely advice. <3. Artist. It was wonderful to see family and old friends. I need to update mine. Horror. A RITA Award finalist and winner of the prestigious Romance Writers of America Golden Heart Award in 2011, she is also a nationally acclaimed writing instructor. It can be a big undertaking but I know itll be worth it, and Im sure youll find that to be true, too. You can get to his blog by typing the word Whatever into Google. You also don't need to have lived the life you're writing about. Readers need to know. Thats good information. And they're also apt to purchase your next one. Do you have any suggestions of what else could be used? But the author bio is another critical tool that you shouldnt leave out. This mostly depends on your day job and what role your professional career plays in your writing life, but LinkedIn bios should be far more, well, business-likefocused on business outcomes and achievements. If your middle-grade comedy has an author bio that reads like a middle school. But maybe Im wrong. I chose to use the domain name of the brand Im hoping to build around my book for this site. You can add your author bio to your Amazon book page by visiting Amazon Author Central, select your book, and add it in the About the Author section. You don't need to have a law enforcement background to write an FBI series, and you don't need to have worked as a CIA asset in order to write an awesome spy thriller. And there are other differences as well. So we can both claim him! The author of A Gentleman in Moscow features a book trailer right on the home page, which is something I would probably do with my book trailers (see here and here) if I had a more traditional author website instead of or in addition to a blog. He also writes non-fiction, on subjects ranging from personal finance to astronomy to film, was the Creative Consultant for the Stargate: Universe television series. Describe yourself as a freelance writer because chances are you will be sending your manuscripts off to I get more response when I post photos of my mother and little tidbits about her. My recent site I put up while I was writing my novella then added a link to the book on Amazon when I self-published it a month ago. I completely disagree that youre putting out a bad message. For instance, if you're a mechanic by education and experience, you're probably not the best person to write a nutrition book, unless you have those credentials. If youve ever been intimidated by author bios that are basically a long list of publishing credentials and awards, let me share a little secret. My stories range from high fantasy to paranormal romance, and I have been fortunate enough to have some of my work published in small magazines. Hi Bryn, I know Im arriving late to the party. You probably dont even remember asking thisand it may be that youve since realized that you arent ugly, which youre not! Like others, Im a fan of WordPress. JJ, I apologize to be answering such a sensitive question over 5 months laterI sometimes get behind on the comments with old blog posts. Emily R. King shares her favorite snack and her interest in wildlife (I think?) You'll get it in your email inbox right afterward. Jessie, you are one of the most fearless people I know (its no wonder you write heroic fantasy), but a trojan would scare anybody! Examples. samples mentioned above. Point them in the direction of relevant work. Her friendliness and sense of humor comes across, and the blog portion of her website has sharp and engaging visuals. Its funny that one of the hardest things for some writers to write is a paragraph about themselves! She also conveys a certain attitude by adding a mother****ing Unicorn after her name. Most authors dont want to blogin other words, write posts on a regular basis. Author can write a big book but broke into sweat when it comes to write a bio about themselves. If you're writing a lighthearted, uplifting personal development book, readers may appreciate your sense of humor. Sometimes they also need paper writing help. You are so smart to think about ease of use! So for the last few months I turned off the indexing of my personal website to see how well my Medium following grew. Also leave out the fun stuff about family, pets, and Your author bio is, naturally, a chance for you to introduce yourself, but its also an opportunity for you to introduce readers to your body of work, and share a little about your writing history. How to Write an Author Bio [With Examples and Templates] A good author bio (and book reviews and book description) compels them to actually buy the book. Thank you Bryn for putting these excellent bio samples together for us. Best Author Websites (Including Unpublished Author So today, Im sharing what I think are some great author bio examples. Dont haphazardly throw together some sentences and hit the publish button. Perhaps the book the reader's holding is part of a seriesdo they know that there are more books? Tinkering with my own right now at http://www.eoconnors.com. Check out these 25 authors who absolutely nailed their authors bios, and don't be scared to take notes! I think Ive done okay on both those fronts, but Im always open to suggestions. And thats not the message one wants to give people. (I know thats dark, but it happens and is worth considering.). I love it when you share resources like this . She writes the Moccasin Cove Mystery series featuring a quirky amateur sleuth with too much empathy and wit for her own good. Readers respond to honesty, simplicity, originality, and sometimes, a sense of humor. Your goals. Member of Florida Writers Association, Sisters in Crime, and Sisters in Crime Guppies. Her work has been featured in national publications such asPublishers Weekly,USA Today,Kirkus Reviews,Suspense Magazine,Mystery Scene Magazine,Library JournalandRT Book Reviews. Featured on a famous talk show? Happy writing! [Famous author] says Jane Doe is a unique new voice in the thriller genre. Bio Her site, TheCreativePenn.com has been voted in the Top 100 sites for writers by Writer's Digest. When youre self-publishing on Amazon, you need to put some serious thought into the author bio on your Amazon book page. Thats the way to do it right. I think youre bringing it all together so well. This is your opportunity to show the world what an excellent writer you are, and why they definitely need to get into your book. Rodney is doing a great job on his Amazon Author Page . (Personally, I kind of get into both.). carleneshulerbrown.com Carlene, Carlene, just wanted to say that your artwork is beautiful! If a reader doesnt think youre credible, they will read your book with a cynical eye and judge every mistake they find. If anyone is interested, that website is at https://www.chrisvpowers.com (I only found one f-word among all 11 posts, so I think that meets Hollywoods current PG guidelines?). I have been writing since I was a child and I have a passion for creating I said to her, Hey, okay if I take a bath? She said, Oh sure, hang on and brought me THIS BASKET full of loofahs and soaps and lotions and a new candle! Ill note the word count on all of the examples below so you get a feel for length! I should also mention that I started putting my blog on Medium.com, a major blogging site. Download your free copy below. Additionally, people should know that if youre posting to your own domain as well as your Medium account with duplicate posts, that Googles algorithms may punish your post in thinking its plagiarized (Ive seen this pointed out on several SEO pages, though I havent checked the Google blog for any official confirmation). The author bio establishes you as the kind of writer whom your target market ought to read. I have a rather awkward question Id like to ask you. Your personality and/or expertise should make them want to read what you wrote. I love the alliteration . Also, yay Jim Butcher. I especially love that you included examples from unpublished authors. And Ive either got to make major changes to my Pinterest board or make a whole new account for my writing career, as it just screams insecure dude with too much interest in news and an addiction to fried garbage. Readers should want to know what you have to say based on your author bio. Pay Proper Attention to Your Bio The bold font and background convey a sci-fi feel. Im so glad it was helpful! Get your manuscript edited by an industry expert who knows what it takes to write and publish a bestselling book. This, too, shows the reader why your book will be written as expertly as possible. Include a picture when possible. More examples with start up authors would be great. One of the not-quite-yet-author websites you listed, Emilyrae, happens to live in a nearby town, so I reached out to her. How To Write an Author Bio: That Engages Readers 100% The apartment building setting is terrific and the story has real surprises. If you're writing nonfiction, suddenly the bio paragraph becomes the most important part of the letter. Lucy and Mr. Lucy, enjoy spending time with their ten nieces and nephews and are determined to learn to sail so they can live on a sailboat in the Caribbean someday. Patricia Sargeant is the national best-selling, award-winning author of more than 20 novels. I changed the look of it when I decided to re-brand myself as a fantasy author. Im looking at revamping my own website right nowits always just been functional, but I want to make it pretty. Stick to this checklist on how to write an author bio: While youre writing, always ask yourself, Is this relevant to my reader?. He has also co-written WHAT IF ITS US and HERES TO US with Becky Albertalli. Shes a podcaster and an award-winning creative entrepreneur. How Do You Write an Author Bio When Youve Never Been The funny thing is, I need to update mine, too. Lucy grew up in rural Pennsylvania with a lot of time on her hands and a big imagination. If you mention your spouse or now-estranged children in your bio, you may want to change that. I made up the example to talk about putting the action before the reaction and making more of dramatic moments. Those are some lovely websites. How to Write an Author Bio When You Dont Feel Like an AuthorYet Jessie, this is awesome! It have to be short and interesting, not boring. Ill guess that youre writing some sort of fiction. I really am tech-phobic with a high dose of author-avoidance. Publishers usually ask their authors for them for their website and the back of the book. Thanks so much for reading, and happy writing! On the other hand, a biography for a published author should focus on the published content rather than the personal projects. Still, establishing a third-person perspective when writing about yourself automatically establishes objectivity and professionalism, and inspires trust on the part of the reader. Conversely, if you're writing more serious fiction like literary fiction, hard sci-fi, epic fantasy or historical, then you might want to go easy on the humor and instead focus more on your expertise. David Crumm Media, an imprint of Front Edge Publishing has published three books by author Rodney Curtis. To contact Patricia about attending your event, email her at BooksByPatricia@yahoo.com. Say you don't have manyor anyachievements like the ones mentioned. The right approach for you will depend on your goals, your personality, where you are on your writing journey, and where the biographical information will appear, so Ive tried to include several approaches. What do you say on your website if youre an unpublished author? Using humor and an upbeat tone, I want to let Kindlepreneur readers know exactly who I am as a content writer in 34 words. I just kind of blogged about life in a data science program, and most recently on matters I was interested in. My own author bio is listed just below for reference (and ridicule, if you like). You probably see other peoples unique beauty or attractiveness, even if they dont fit the conventional mold. While not everyone cares about the authors bio, some care a lot. Sooner or later, we all have to write one. Author bios are not a place for you to delve into a lengthy explanation of your history. . What began as a grad school hobby is now a top food blog, with millions of readers coming to her site for easy weeknight recipes and simplified gourmet meals. Join 111,585 other authors who receive weekly emails from us to help them make more money selling books. I hope you can be almost as kind to yourself. No, how about you just let me in automatically? Other subgenres lend themselves well to a bit of humor, toogenerally lighthearted romance, chicklit, women's fiction, romantic comedies are good subgenres where humor tends to be well received. First of all, unless youre a household name, you must build credibility with the reader. Before becoming a full-time writer, Lucy pretended to be a normal adult by holding down jobs that included event planner, bartender, newspaper lackey, and yoga instructor. This can be tricky to wrangle in a website presence. You should also place an author bio on your website that goes into a little more detail than the bio in your book. And ownership is a nice feeling. Add hashtags to Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and more! Web#9 Author Bio Example Joanna Penn Joanna Penn is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling thriller and nonfiction author who also writes under the pen names of JF Penn A man who writes romances, a self-starter who self-publishes and a dreamer who thinks growing old should take longer. According to Rachel, Qualifications can include writing courses, college degrees, awards, bestseller lists, and accolades or, for fiction authors, even a lifetime of interest. Here are a few of her examples: Jane has an MFA in creative writing from Vermont College, and was the recipient of the Vermont College creative writing award. mn Delicious Meal Prep: 115 Easy Recipes for Low-Calories, High-Energy Living, Long Range Shooting Handbook: Complete Beginner's Guide to Long Range Shooting, Diary of a Farting Creeper: Why Does the Creeper Fart When He Should Explode? Looking around the Plaza and Westport in Kansas City last nightwe always love going back for a visit! In many cases, creating an avatar of your customer with a name, location, and personality is a valuable way to both develop your author bio and strategically target your book marketing efforts. Whats the point of having a website or blog if you dont get to write whatever you want there? Its not that I expect it to get much attention and draw people in, its more that I want somewhere to capture any interest I manage to get through other routes. If youre writing an About Me on your blog or website, however, it may be quite a bit longer! I would say this had a bit of a slow start, but I didnt mind. Penn. Build credibility without overly bragging. However, to my understanding, theres plenty more security measures you get with the .org site. Sophisticated and original? How to Write a Terrific Author Bio - Rachelle Gardner Thanks for sharing. Will your target audience care about each word? When I am not fighting dragons or chasing the bogey man out of my kids' closet, I like using my previous Online Optimization skills to help other authors with the 'technical' stuff and get the right authors to the top of Amazon and any other eBook service out there. We have a whole series of posts on the subject, and we highly recommend you check those out as well! Ranking high on the list of Things Authors Hate To Write, biographies are something that can make even the most seasoned writer pull their hair out. However, you also dont want your bio to be devoid of any personality. Refer to them when you start writing and youll have an engaging author bio that should easily sell more books. However, there are hundreds of thousands out there, so if you have suggestions for other awesome author websites, Id love to hear them! Medium (eBook only, literary magazine, etc. For an eBook on Amazon, your author bio goes below the suggested books. Christopher Lentz is the acclaimed author ofOpening Doors(biography, 2019),My Friend Marilyn(historical fiction, 2018) andThe Blossom Trilogy(historical romance). I love the idea of including world-building with alien species! Her friendliness and sense of Click on the author names to see their websites. But one really annoying bit about adding an author bio to most books is that you have to copy and paste it for every book. Hes got a tab for each of his projects, a good bio and an author photo that conveys his personality, and invitations to sign up for the newsletter. Is it really necessary to introduce the author as a third party. If you're a fiction author, you can usually get away with a more casual tone. Wimpy Fart loves Minecraft and writes awesome Minecraft books for YOU because you are the best Minecraft fans in the world. Begin your bio with a punchy first sentence. Add a personal touch, such as a hobby or favorite TV show. 11 Good Author Bio Examples | BRYN DONOVAN 6. If youre writing about tax-deduction strategies for real estate investors, your bio should present your expertise why anyone should listen to you on the subject. One great example of a bio that shares biographical details is author Niyati Tamaskar, whose memoir Unafraid draws on her own experiences of cancer and the cultural baggage surrounding it. Learn how to rank your Kindle book #1 on Amazon with our collection of time-tested tips and tricks. I just love it. Author The author bio establishes you as the kind of writer whom your target market ought to read. Only include relevant materials and be as succinct as possible. Tanks a lot for this post. The author websites you listed are certainly inspiring. Elements that can definitely go on an author website include: *a picture of yourself (you can read here about how to get a good author photo), *information about the authors work, published or not, *a signup for a newsletter (its never too early to start building a list! List those journals, magazines, anthologies, and/or individual publications. I still dont know if I infected others who contacted me during that time. Other than that, I love having my site. I definitely want to check out these other blogs for some pointers. The second goal would be to utilize your website as a central hub for all of your social media ventures. Hello, Bryn. Author Biography Sample All were engaging. Experts encourage authors to start their writers bio with a byline (one-liner) that summarizes their profile and the titles of the latest publications. In between, she wrangled children, adults, and the occasional Florida panther as a teacher and school administrator. Start With An Introductory Byline. (148 words). We are in KC for a couple of days to see some old friends. He is a graduate of the premier Special Operations Target Interdiction Course (SOTIC), among other military training courses, and has taught snipers and police sharpshooters from around the world. I do not have any pics of myself on my site, but I do have pics of my characters, which I commissioned through an artist Rod Espinosa on deviantart.com. Ive been an avid user of WordPress for several years. How can independent bookshops and self-published authors support each other? Hi Michal, good to see you! This means the bio will probably make a better impression. Thanks so much for reading, and happy writing! Unlike an author bio, a query shouldnt include any mention of what you do for bucks (unless it relates to the book.) I am working on self-publishing my first novel, a romantic space opera on a limited budget. I hadnt seen anyone else do this, and Im stealing the idea from him, so credit where credit is due. John Scalzi writes books, which, considering where youre reading this, makes perfect sense. Excellent post! You can email Wimpy Fart to tell him about your favorite Minecraft books, or to talk about really loud farts. I know its pretty bare bones now, but I would appreciate any constructive criticism. It was really helpful! Hi Janet! When asked to offer a dozen things people should know about him, Lentz says he: He resides in Southern California with his high-school-sweetheart wife and family. See the Publisher Rocket effect, when you use the right keywords and categories to help get your book seen more on Amazon. The truth is, you could have one of the best author websites out there, even if youre still writing the first draft of your book. Quite often, I will find agents who request I send both However, gauge this based on your writing and your understanding of your audience, or the type of audience you'd like to have. Example: An authors lived experience One great example of a bio that shares biographical details is author Niyati Tamaskar, whose memoir Unafraid draws on her Ill Tell You, and Give You Some PitMad Tips! (Lots of them are also visual artists, for instance!) Write an Author Bio for Poetry Book. Author Bio examples Bio Examples Hi Bob, I hope everythings going well with you in these crazy times. On the other hand, if you're writing a book about personal finance or navigating mental health issues, then perhaps you might focus on a more neutral tone and highlight your credentials instead. I think its so interest that you have such a balance between numbers and data, and creativity. Best Author Websites (Including Unpublished Author Website Examples). I have been keeping a blog for quite a while now and while I do prefer working on my novel or short stories I have found my stride with it. By day, shes an analyst for an advanced technology corporation, but in honor of her mother, Robin has become a passionate advocate for those who battle Alzheimers disease. Start with the facts readers need to know, 2. In 2016, she was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder in line with what was previously known as Aspergers Syndrome. What Should You Write in the Bio Paragraph of a Query Letter Bingley during a road trip break. The challenge is to weave in as much relevant information about yourself in as few words as possible, in order to entice the reader to stick with you but not overwhelm with information they simply won't care about. I believe the hosting costs $4 a month, and many of the themes or design looks are free. Many writersespecially unpublished writers and first-time authorsarent sure how to write a short author bio or a longer introductory one. While this may seem like obvious advice, a lot of irrelevant content finds its way into many author bios. It can also be used in other promotional or publishing materials, as former Penguin Random House marketer Rachel Cone-Gorham explains: An author bio is something that will let readers get a sense of who you are, and is an important part for pitching media and book proposals..
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