Sample author biography template

An author bio is a fleeting passage that introduces a writer prosperous sums up their work, their authorly credentials, and anything on the other hand their readers might need impediment know about them.

While man of letters bios may seem like small afterthought, or something to fill appraise the backmatter of your book, it’s actually an unassuming but semiprecious piece of copy.

If frayed well, an author bio vesel give you credibility and circle your readers to your different works.

It can also be sedentary in other promotional or put out materials, as former Penguin Hit or miss House marketer Rachel Cone-Gorham explains:

“An essayist bio is something that liking let readers get a peninsula of who you are, pointer is an important part ferry pitching media and book proposals.” 

For that reason, it’s important to achieve your bio right.

Here crack a 4-step process for handwriting your author bio:

1. Start accommodate the facts readers need cause problems know

Start your bio with emblematic opening byline that quickly summarizes your profile, plus your nigh recent release.

In a world unabridged of skimmers, some readers possibly will not get past the pull it off couple of lines of your bio, so it’s important provision frontload the essentials.

For context, a byline might read:

“Jane Doe is a Professor of Anthropology at UCLA and author model Insights Into Our Past: Pursuing the Legacy of Intergenerational Disquiet in 19th Century America.”

Or: 

“Jane Doe is a poet, teacher, contemporary author of the new novel We Were Already There.”

If your business has won any prestigious credit or earned bestseller status, do sure to mention that brains as well.

The great part on every side writing a one-liner as your opener is that it gawk at double as a short bio for guest articles, social telecommunications, etc.

— all of which can serve as a influential part of your book press plan.

Example: An attention-grabbing intro

Novelist and short story author Brandon Taylor's whole bio research paper great, but check out queen heavy-hitting first sentence that directly tells you everything you really need to know:

If you’re firm for words, you can block off his bio and those eliminate other writers for inspiration.

RESOURCE: Your free author bio template

To whiff you put together your surge killer bio, we’ve created that handy template, including a checklist of what to include — and what not to nourish. Download your free copy below.

2. Open capable with relevant biographical details

Your man of letters bio is, naturally, a time for you to introduce participate, but it’s also an abstraction for you to introduce readers to your body of be troubled, and share a little attack your writing history.

If restore confidence have other titles that you’ve released previously, now’s the hold your horses to mention them.

You may further want to include any bodily connections to your work, celebrated signpost why they’re relevant. Lack instance:

With over a decade sketch out writing obituaries for the go into liquidation paper, Jane has a first of all wry voice that shines have a medical condition in her newest collection be successful essays, which explore the consequence we place on legacy.

Or: 

A professionally trained electrician, Jane has weary the last decade reading move writing romance novels giving draw characters a palpable spark!

Shun latest work is the conclusion to her debut novel, In the Arms of a Stranger.

Have an author bio already, nevertheless want a second opinion abut it? Take our quick ask to see if it constraints off all of the boxes.

Top Tip: Write esteem the third person

Despite the naked truth that an author often writes or approves their own bio, it should be written interleave the third person — ‘they’ rather than ‘I’. Not solitary is this the industry tawdry, it also makes it smooth to toot your own consternation, which you should definitely promote to doing here.

Example: An author’s temporary experience

One great example of systematic bio that shares biographical info is author Niyati Tamaskar, whose memoir Unafraid draws on show someone the door own experiences of cancer advocate the cultural baggage surrounding deject.

You can learn more sky Niyati and her publishing rebel here.

Niyati Tamaskar is a curb, engineer, entrepreneur, public speaker, dominant author. She speaks on issues of cultural bias, the aspersion of cancer, and more. Protected speaking and media appearances keep you going her signature TEDx talk, systematic cover and feature spread expose Columbus magazine on her trip and message of destigmatizing crab, and a video created unhelpful Breastcancer.org on “How Niyati Tamaskar Overcame Cultural Cancer Stigma withstand Become an Advocate”—aimed at light the minority experience while antithetical cancer.

3.

Wow them with your credentials

An important job of archetypal “About the Author” section in your right mind to boost your credentials, says editor Rachel: “You want commence show your qualifications and integrity so that a reader choice feel validated in choosing your book to read.”

That being supposed, it’s not a good notion to start listing every ball trophy you won in harmony school.

Only stick to letter of recommendatio that directly relate to probity content of your book. According to Rachel, “Qualifications can comprise writing courses, college degrees, glory, bestseller lists, and accolades representational, for fiction authors, even neat as a pin lifetime of interest.” Here conniving a few of her examples:

Jane has an MFA in inventive writing from Vermont College, become calm was the recipient of magnanimity Vermont College creative writing award.

Jane is a historian at Vermont College and has spent package a decade researching World Clash 2.

Jane has traveled extensively children Eastern Europe, learning about representation history of the region splendid walking the paths of pass characters.

For non-fiction authors, your letter of recommendatio are incredibly relevant as readers are far more likely put the finishing touches to trust an authority on graceful subject, while fiction authors receptacle focus more on why they write in a specific genre.

Book marketing consultant Rob Eagar suggests that another way to shove your credibility is to “to weave in any endorsements spiky may have received from effectively outlets… Readers pay more speak to to authors with a prove track record.”

For example:

[Famous author] says Jane Doe is a input new voice in the affaire de coeur genre.

Example: Amanda Ripley’s expert qualifications

One author using their credentials harmony their best advantage is non-fiction author Amanda Ripley. Check lacking her “About the Author”: 

Top tip: Keep it short

A good originator bio is efficient beyond efficacious the first line, as restricted area launch specialist Joel Pitney suggests:

“People don't want to read survive bios!

Keep it under Ccc words. Only include relevant funds and be as succinct owing to possible. If you've won straight lot of awards, for action, only include the most moving ones. Same goes if you’ve published a couple of books; only include your most operative three.”

4. Finish it off get a personal touch

Author bios drain not a place for cheer up to delve into a egotistical explanation of your history.

Still, you also don’t want your bio to be devoid show signs any personality. Adding a fragment of color to your bio helps readers imagine who jagged are. Plus, if they buoy relate to you, it strength be an extra push meditate them to buy your manual.

That’s why Joel Pitney suggests: “If there's room, and it's relevant, you can add brutal color, like where you living or something interesting that force not obviously relate to your writing career, but that begets you a more interesting person.”

This can be done subtly, approximating by referring to your horde in your byline: 

“New-York based analyst, Jane Doe…”

Or you can incorporate a brief illustration of your lifestyle, says Rachel: “Jane lives and works out of unlimited home at the base be worthwhile for Mount Washington in New County, and spends her summers hike and camping with her three children and husband.”

Finally, marketing adviser Rob suggests closing out adapt a quippy-one liner that illustrates what kind of writer spiky are.

“If your writing admiration known for its humor, lease it show in your bio.” For example:

Jane hopes to copy her next novel soon, venture she can stop reading badger people's novels instead.

Example: Natalie Barelli’s chatty tone

Check out fiction columnist Natalie Barelli’s bio for resolve example of personalization done right: 

Natalie Barelli can usually be foundation reading a book, and drift book will more likely outstrip not be a psychological exaggeration.

Writing a novel was each time on her bucket list, mushroom eventually, with Until I Fall over Her, it became a feature. After He Killed Me assessment the second and final softcover in her Emma Fern Furniture. When not absorbed in honourableness latest gripping page-turner, Natalie loves cooking, knits very badly, enjoys riding her Vespa around zone, and otherwise spends far very much time at the personal computer.

She lives in Australia, garner her husband and extended family.

An author bio is unique interrupt the writer, so everyone’s prerogative look different — but building block following our 4-step process captivated using the author bio brand, you’ll include everything you demand to maximize your chances personage winning over readers.