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How To Write an Interesting Author Bio

An author bio is a brief passage that introduces you and summarizes your work as an author. It's usually a paragraph long, loaded with vital information your readers may need to know about you. It lets readers get a sense of who you are and can serve promotional purposes. This article explains four steps to writing a compelling author bio. 

1. Open with a one-liner that carries crucial information
Your bio should open with a byline that briefly summarizes your profile and your most recent release. Readers may not have the patience to move past the first couple of lines in your bio. So, pack the first few lines with the essentials. Mention your bestseller status or prestigious awards if you have any. A one-liner opener can also serve as a short bio for guest articles, social media, etc. Consider these examples:
Felicia Jackson is a Professor of Psychology at Harvard University and the author of Why People Cry: Understanding the Effects and Benefits of Grief.
Or: 
Felicia Jackson is a writer, poet, and author of the new novel A Return To Yesterday.

2. Proceed with crucial biographic details
Your author bio allows you to introduce yourself. It also allows you to introduce readers to your body of work. So, if you have other books you’ve released previously, you can mention them in your bio. Even though you're writing your bio yourself, writing it in the third person is the industry standard and makes it easier to sing your praise, which you should do here. Consider these examples:
With over two decades of writing short stories for the local paper and magazines, Felicia has a unique voice that shines through in her newest collection of short stories. 
Or: 
A professionally trained programmer, Felicia has spent the last decade reading and writing sci-fi novels, giving her characters a brave world of scientific wonder! Her latest work is the sequel to her debut novel When A Cyborg Dreams.

3. Show off your credentials
It's necessary to boost your credentials on your About Page. Show your credibility and qualifications so readers can feel justified in choosing to read your book. But stick to certifications that directly pertain to the scope of your work. You can mention college degrees, bestseller lists, awards, and other relevant accolades. For non-fiction authors, your credentials are particularly pertinent, as readers tend to trust an authority on a subject. Fiction authors can concentrate more on why they love to write in a specific genre. Also, try to keep it brief and impactful. Consider these examples:
Felicia has a Ph.D. in English and Literary Studies from NYU and has received the NYU Fiction Writer's Award.
Or
Felicia has an MSc in Environmental Biology and has spent years in the field, studying the effects of climate change and speaking about it in global seminars and conferences.

4. Conclude with a touch of personality
Your bio shouldn't be devoid of any personality. Add a bit of color to it and help readers picture the kind of person you are. If they can relate to you, they may be more inclined to buy your book. So you can hint a little about where you live and what you do for leisure without giving a full breakdown of your personal history. So, it's best to do this with a one-liner. You can also showcase your personality with the voice and tone of your bio. Consider these examples: 
Felicia lives and works out of her home in New Jersey and spends her summers gardening and fishing with her two lovely children and an adorable husband.
Or
Felicia hopes to write her next novel soon if she can stop trying to beat her husband in the game of chess instead. 
 

Written by Readers’ Favorite Reviewer Frank Stephen