Writing an About the Author
An author bio can be difficult to write (and awkward trying to talk about yourself), so let’s go through the basics of writing one!
Rules:
Word count should be 300 words or less. Too long, and no one reads it. Keep it short.
Your author bio can change with every book you write, so it can be specific to each book. You can write about current things, and you don’t have to stress about it being perfect for the rest of your life because you can just change it for your next book (if you want).
Use third person point of view. Always. I know it’s weird to write about yourself using “he/she/they,” but you have to do it—it’s more professional. You just gotta.
Recipe:
Start with a one-liner. You can use a bio from social media, your website, or somewhere else. Write a sentence or two to sum up your profile to entice the reader and make them keep reading.
What are you writing? What do you write about? What’s your area of expertise or interest? Have you written other books? Shout them out! This is a little more in-depth description of your work.
Talk about your credentials. Do not list every accomplishment and award you’ve ever had—only the important and relevant ones. If you’re writing nonfiction, this part is really important because readers will decide if your book is trustworthy based on your credentials. Write about your experience with the subject matter or your degree in creative writing. Write about all the interviews you did to research for this book. Whatever credentials you have that are relevant, put them here.
Add some personality. This one can be sprinkled in wherever it fits best. Add something about an experience you’ve had or something else unique about you. What do you like to do? Share about your family or personal life. Show the reader the real you beyond the boring resume-type stuff. Let them get to know you a little in the author bio.
That’s all you need to know. It’s awkward, but it’s not hard. I mean, it’s only 300 words maximum, and you just wrote an entire book. You can do this!
Good luck writing your about the author! If you need help writing your book blurb, check out this post!
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