Today, over at Writer Unboxed, I discuss the importance of your bio note—that little thing that appears after stuff you write, either online or in print. I start off by observing a trend in bio notes that are very short and uninformative—mysterious, even:
As an editor and curious person, the message I take away from the writer of the short bio is: “I don’t care about, nor do I need, you or your opportunities.” … A brief bio has never stopped me from investigating a person I’m super interested in. But it’s an unnecessary stumbling block, and it’s usually the people with the super-short bios who have no websites or easy contact information.
I offer a list of 3 questions to jumpstart the bio writing process, and outline four steps to take in your overall bio strategy, which include:
- Write a kitchen-sink bio.
- Create a short, capsule bio.
- Customize your bio across social media as needed.
- Provide an easy bio version at your website for others to use.
Click here to read the full post on writing the best bio note possible.
Jane Friedman has spent nearly 25 years working in the book publishing industry, with a focus on author education and trend reporting. She is the editor of The Hot Sheet, the essential publishing industry newsletter for authors, and was named Publishing Commentator of the Year by Digital Book World in 2023. Her latest book is The Business of Being a Writer (University of Chicago Press), which received a starred review from Library Journal. In addition to serving on grant panels for the National Endowment for the Arts and the Creative Work Fund, she works with organizations such as The Authors Guild to bring transparency to the business of publishing.
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