The funny thing behind this write-up is that since last couple of years now, many of the debutant Authors have started approaching me in order to get their Author’s Bio written in a professional manner. While now I seriously am tired with these kinds of requests, so through article my aim is to guide the budding authors to construct a sound and perfect author’s bio themselves!
Well, a solid Author’s Bio is actually a powerful Marketing Tool. It can influence sales, your reputation and help you grow a fan base. The more fans you have, it follows the more sales you will see. If you are a nonfiction writer, your bio is particularly important as it establishes your authority as well as expertise to write about the topic in your book along with creating your credibility with readers.
Specially, for the Indie Authors, it is important to know the ways or methods of constructing a good Author’s Bio, which tells the readers certain points like – who you are, what you write, why readers should trust you and how you stand out from other writers. Moreover, your bio is like your Calling Card since, it is something that will let readers get a sense of who you are and is an important part for pitching media and book proposals too!
Novelists will rarely depend on the bio to sell the book, but as book launch specialist, Joel Pitney suggests – “Reading is an intimate endeavour in which the reader and the author are engaged in a kind of relationship. So, it is important to provide potential readers with the chance to get a sense of who you are and why you have the authority/expertise to write about a particular topic before they pick up your book.” Therefore, now you might have got the sense why are we focusing so much upon creating a perfect Author’s Bio!
Well, let us now focus upon the steps required to create a perfect Author’s Bio –
Step 1) Keep it brief: Instead of attempting to list every facet of your career or all your hobbies, it is always best to keep your bio under 300 words or whatever the criterion is set up by the Publishing House!
Step 2) Use a third person voice: Author bios come across as much more professional when using the third person point of view, instead of the first person.
Step 3) Start with a one liner: Write an interesting opening line that incorporates your name, your profession (generally relevant for non-fiction titles), and the title of your book.
Step 4) Sell yourself: An author’s bio is akin to an elevator pitch, an interesting summary of your life, and how it relates to the book you wrote. Everything mentioned should be relevant to the book’s theme. For example, if you are a paediatric psychotherapist by trade and have decided to write a non-fiction book about parenting, that connection will increase your credibility!
Step 5) List achievements sparingly: Noting your college alma mater and degree is fine, but resist the temptation to list every career achievement ever accomplished, as doing so may come across as somewhat boastful and unnecessary.
Step 6) Include some personal tidbits: Adding a few personal hobbies or interests helps the reader feel a sense of familiarity with the author. Be selective and include those interests that further complement the theme of the book or that target your reader persona.
Step 7) Use a professional photo: Include a high-quality photo that does not have a distracting background. An unprofessional headshot will appear amateurish!
Well, the primary difference between a first-time author’s bio and a seasoned professional’s is that the latter will be able to include other titles he or she has written in their bio. In addition, a career writer can include in the bio their ‘Best Seller’ status and any awards they have won, if these accomplishments were achieved.
Even though only a few authors think about it and even fewer publishing guides talk about it, the truth is that Author’s Bio Section influences sales, reputation, book marketing and social media. In addition, the Author Reputation is consistently cited as one of the main factors that influence a book buying decision. If you are seen as an authority on your book topic, the readers will buy your book and read it. One of the best ways to be seen as an authority is to have a great Author Bio!
Written By NEEL PREET – Author of the Books, Voice From The East (2016); Journey With Time Place And Circumstances (2018) & Indian Defence Files (2021).
