Does your About Me on your blog need a makeover? My author bio certainly does. This is my 100th blog post – a milestone! Alright Mr. DeMille, I’m ready for my closeup.
Potentially, your ‘About Me’ page could be seen by a vast audience that includes, anyone in the world who randomly finds your site (an unquantifiable possibility), potential employers (more than likely not), potential significant others (scale of 1 to 10 = 1) and your mom (a certainty).
Jokes aside (except for your Mom), your author bio is a great way to show your audience who you are and why they should trust you, as well as a means to succinctly define your expertise.
Step 1: Decide what tone to take
Here’s an example of my current “folksy” bio desperately needing a makeover:
No matter what the audience and the tone, there are a few things to remember that will make writing a bio easier. Thanks to Nicole, at Black Coffee Communication, here are 9 things to do when writing your bio:
1. Identify the audience: The easiest way to do this is by having a good look at the your blog, publication, conference or speaking opportunity that the bio is for.
3. Pick and Choose: Once the brainstorming is over, start culling. Be brutal – just cherry pick the most relevant, interesting stuff and ditch the rest, especially the fluff.
4. Give yourself a time limit: Once your fingers hit the keyboard, and you start writing the bio, you should be able to write a short one within 30 minutes, a longer one in an hour. A time limit will make you write from the heart, which is where the best bios live. Then put it aside for an hour or so before a final proofread and edit before sending. Don’t sit on it too long or it will never finish.
6. Inject some personality: Even the most professional short bios should include something that shows you are a real person.
7. Write in the first person: This can come down to personal preference and your audience. First person point of view is the most intimate way to write you bio.
8. Include contact details: Well, duh, but in all the stress this is sometimes forgotten. And don’t forget any social media profiles.
Now for the unveiling. Here’s what I came up with by following these 8 steps:
Thankfully for me, my daughter and son-in-law, both writers, arrived just in time to open a bottle of wine, ask some great questions and slash away at my blog bio.
Version 3. We’ll go with this one for now:
Next up is the perfect headshot image but we’ll save that for a later post.
Have you seen a great short author bio on the web? Is your blog ‘About Me’ awesome? If so, please share. We’d love to hear from you.
Potentially, your ‘About Me’ page could be seen by a vast audience that includes, anyone in the world who randomly finds your site (an unquantifiable possibility), potential employers (more than likely not), potential significant others (scale of 1 to 10 = 1) and your mom (a certainty).
Jokes aside (except for your Mom), your author bio is a great way to show your audience who you are and why they should trust you, as well as a means to succinctly define your expertise.
It’s your opportunity to tell the world who you are and what you do, so don’t squander it.
First thing to know: There is no “right” way to author your ‘About Me’ bio. Some read like resumes, and others read like fun stories. But, how do you summarize 52-years of life and 35-years of your career in one pithy sentence?Step 1: Decide what tone to take
- Should you be serious?
- Professional?
- Personal?
- Do you mention your family?
- Do you inject wit?
Here’s an example of my current “folksy” bio desperately needing a makeover:
No matter what the audience and the tone, there are a few things to remember that will make writing a bio easier. Thanks to Nicole, at Black Coffee Communication, here are 9 things to do when writing your bio:
1. Identify the audience: The easiest way to do this is by having a good look at the your blog, publication, conference or speaking opportunity that the bio is for.
- What is its voice?
- Who is it targeting?
- What is the aim of the event or publication?
3. Pick and Choose: Once the brainstorming is over, start culling. Be brutal – just cherry pick the most relevant, interesting stuff and ditch the rest, especially the fluff.
4. Give yourself a time limit: Once your fingers hit the keyboard, and you start writing the bio, you should be able to write a short one within 30 minutes, a longer one in an hour. A time limit will make you write from the heart, which is where the best bios live. Then put it aside for an hour or so before a final proofread and edit before sending. Don’t sit on it too long or it will never finish.
6. Inject some personality: Even the most professional short bios should include something that shows you are a real person.
7. Write in the first person: This can come down to personal preference and your audience. First person point of view is the most intimate way to write you bio.
8. Include contact details: Well, duh, but in all the stress this is sometimes forgotten. And don’t forget any social media profiles.
Now for the unveiling. Here’s what I came up with by following these 8 steps:
About Debra Garber
Head of Finance & Operations at dlvr.it.
Slipped a writing sample under the CEO’s door and now, happily sharing
my experiences traversing the wilds of social media. Backyard chicken
farmer. Will trade social media tips for organic eggs.
Final Step (#9): Get a second opinion.Thankfully for me, my daughter and son-in-law, both writers, arrived just in time to open a bottle of wine, ask some great questions and slash away at my blog bio.
Version 3. We’ll go with this one for now:
Next up is the perfect headshot image but we’ll save that for a later post.
Have you seen a great short author bio on the web? Is your blog ‘About Me’ awesome? If so, please share. We’d love to hear from you.
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