Nearly all people who read and buy books want to know something about their authors. It's the same with media which include mentions of them in their stories. Therefore, it's easy to see why the most influential book marketing companies make sure their authors have outstanding bios readily available. If you've written a book or plan to write one soon, make sure you also put some time into composing your biography. First and foremost, you need more than one version. Longer-form text is best for author websites and media kits. A shorter version works well in other marketing, and social media requires a very short one.
Even though you're writing a bio yourself, do it in the third person. Many people react unfavorably to first-person bios, and there's no reason to cause skepticism. Because you're writing an author bio, make sure to begin by talking about your work and writing. They are what give you credibility (and permission) to write a book in people's eyes. There is an appropriate spot to include a few relevant personal details, but they should not be at the beginning in a document that's used for professional purposes. Think of writing your bio in a news story format, which means the most important information comes first.
The purpose of the bio is to provide background information and insight into your experience and qualifications. As a result, if you've won aware or been honored, make sure to include them. If you have many awards, refrain from listing them all, but add the ones that would be most of interest to the target audience for your book. Prospective readers are interested in your credentials, and your purpose is to help them have a sense of your professional experience and expertise. When your bio is engaging and persuasive, it helps make the case about why someone should buy your book and avoid a hard sell.
It's okay to be creative in your bio but never lose sight of the fact it is for professional purposes. It must avoid being trite or corny, and allowing your personality to come through uniquely and originally is, of course, essential and something you want to do. The goal is to have a well-written author bio that's and compelling in longer and shorter versions. Your book marketing campaign's success will depend on several foundational items, and a bio is one of them. It also needs to be on your author's website that serves as your online hub of information. The more people know, the more they want to buy books.
