Happy Monday~ to brighten your day I'd like to present a post done by one of my favorite people ever- Lauren Clarke!
Lauren is the author of two novels, Dancing Naked in Dixie and Stay Tuned- smart, sassy fiction with a Southern twist!
I'll admit it--I'm a book cover junkie! I love an eye-catching concept, great colors, and crisp, bold graphics. A great cover will get me to pick up a novel...but then I have to read the summary...and check out the author bio!
Anytime I'm shopping in a bookstore, or checking out a novel online, you'll find me turning to a book's inside back flap (or clicking through the Kindle pages) and reading the paragraph below the author photo.
If you've ever tried to write a bio--your own included--you know that it's a challenging process! Here are my Top Ten Tips for making 'Bio Writing' a little easier and a lot more fun!
1. Read author bios from ten different books. Jot down what you like and don’t like.
2. Write out another list--this time, 20 to 30 things about you! What do you enjoy? What makes you interesting? Don’t leave anything out. Then, choose the best elements to include.
3. If you’re writing the bio for your first novel, it can be as short and sweet. Shoot for about 50 words or fewer.
4. Convey your personality and writing style. Don’t try too hard to be funny, but do include something that makes you seem like a real person. Do you cook? Love to hike? Stargaze?
5. Relate it to the genre in which you are writing--if you're writing a novel about a marathon runner--and you love to compete in 5Ks or just completed your first triathlon, mention it!
6. What gives you credibility? Are you a member of a professional organization? Have you published any articles? Written for a newspaper or magazine?
7. Hit the highlights. You don't need long lists of resumé information (education, job history).
8. What helps people connect with you? (Twitter handle, Facebook page, website, or blog)
9. Have at least one other person (who is not a relative or BFF) read and critique your bio.
10. Sleep on it. Have a different person read and critique your bio. Revise and update as needed!
What do you think? Share your best bio writing tip!
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Thanks Laura & Lauren,
ReplyDeleteI've been working on my bio recently, so these tips help a lot!
Jennifer -- So glad to hear it! Laura has tons of great info on her site ... love Finding Bliss!!
Deletexx, Lauren
I would say lead with the most interesting fact. I apply this trick in my writing and it always seems to hook people. Other than that, I still need to learn a lot about bio writing. It doesn't come easy for me at all.
ReplyDeleteI agree, Susan! If you're a skydiver, teapot collector, former Navy Seal, or just obsessed with Hello Kitty ... all of those things speak in different ways to readers. If you can connect your 'most interesting fact' with the theme of your book, that's wonderful!
DeleteMany of the best bios are short, sweet, and a bit quirky! I went through at least a dozen revisions of mine, had a friend review it, and tweaked it from book one to book two.
xx, Lauren
I write fiction to escape reality. Can't I fake my bio? Make it interesting? No?
ReplyDeleteCarl ~ If that's what works for your novels (and it doesn't hurt anyone else) I don't see why not!
DeleteOne of blogger Catherine, Caffeinated's tag lines is "WRITER, ASTRONAUT, SKINNY – CATHERINE RYAN HOWARD WOULDN'T MIND BEING ANY OF THOSE THINGS." Brilliant :)
There are plenty of authors who take embellishment to the next level ... for example, you could do something like this: "Carl Purdon is a superhero-in-training who writes fiction when he's not battling thugs and gangsters. On his last vacation to Bali, he swam with sharks and learned to channel his inner yogi."
Have fun with it! Good luck! Lauren
I absolutely love Catherine Ryan Howard- good example!
DeleteLaura ~ Thanks for sharing my post on Finding Bliss! Bio writing is work, but it can be a lot of fun. The great thing to remember is that a bio can always be changed!! (In the event Oprah or the Today show calls .....!)
ReplyDeletexx, Lauren
I am looking forward to the day Oprah or Katie or maybe even Ellen calls! I'll be sure to have an awesome bio ready!
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