How To Write A Great Author Profile

Ahh, the dreaded author profile. Is there anything worse? Synopsis writing? Editing? I am not sure! The thing about writing an author profile is that you have to turn from being your own worst critic to your own biggest fan, and for some writers this can feel like an impossible task.

The thing about writing a great author profile is that it needs to include all the right information, as well as have a bit of personality too. If you can’t write your profile well, how can you write a book well? Of course, we writers know that these are entirely different things, but this may well be what a potential publisher/ agent/ reader thinks, therefore, it is worth investing some time and effort into making sure that your author profile stands out.

Be it for a guest post publication, the blurb on your amazon page or when sending off a submission, here is how to make your author profile stand out.

Write in the third person

Your profile will sound much more professional and slick if you write it in the third person. It also gives you that sense of distance that some authors need to list their achievements without cringing themselves into an early grave. It might seem odd/ fake to write in the third person, but trust us, readers won’t mind - it doesn’t make you sound pretentious or weird, it just keeps it business-like and professional. Mix up using your name and ‘he’ ‘she’ to keep it flowing well. Remember, there is the odd exception to the rule, where publications will ask for your bio to be in the first person, so it’s always good to write two versions and make sure that you check the guidelines before submitting.

Think about your reader

Your author profile is about you, but it’s also just as much about your reader as anything else. Just as you wrote your book/ article/ synopsis and so on with your reader in mind, you should also consider them when writing your author profile. Put yourself in their shoes. What would you like to know about an author and the kind of things they write about that would make you believe in them and want to read what they have written? Whatever those things are, write them in your own.

Get inspiration from others

A quick search on the internet and you’ll be able to pull up loads of examples of good and bad author profiles. Read them. You can see how different authors have chosen to present themselves to the world and decide what works best for you. Informative, engaging and professional is a good start, but if you can be funny or unusual the this will make your profile stand out, and pique readers interest too.

Make sure you show them you are credible.

The most important thing to get across is your credibility. You need to convince readers they should read what you have written, but why? If readers believe that you are an authority on the subject, or that you will be able to deliver on your promises (be that entertaining them, making them laugh, teaching them something, scaring them, etc.) then they will be more likely to pick up your book, or read your article. Make sure you tell readers why you are the best person to write about this subject - what experience do you have, why are you qualified? The more you have to convince them, the better your chances of them reading your work.

Keep it short and sweet

Remember, no matter how rich and fascinating, no one wants to read pages and pages about your life. Keep your author profile to a few paragraphs maximum (unless otherwise requested of course).

Writing a good author bio doesn’t have to be taxing. By following these tips, you can create an engaging and interesting profile that will entice and intrigue readers and significantly increase your chances of reading your work.

Bethany Cadman -author of 'Doctor Vanilla's Sunflowers'

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