how to write a biography of an author

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Writing Your Author Bio? Here Are 20 Great Examples. (Plus a Checklist!)

October 15, 2020 by Diana Urban

Writing your author bio can be a daunting task, but a well-crafted bio can help readers learn more about what makes you and your books so interesting. You should regularly maintain your bio on places like your BookBub Author Profile so fans and potential readers seeking you out can learn more about you and why they should pick up your latest book.

Stuck on what to include? While there is no one-size-fits-all formula, here are some examples of author bios we love so you can get some inspiration when crafting your own bio. We’ve also created an Author Biography Checklist with recommendations on what to include, as well as where to keep your author bio up to date online.

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1. Ramona Emerson

Ramona Emerson is a Diné writer and filmmaker originally from Tohatchi, New Mexico. She has a bachelor’s in Media Arts from the University of New Mexico and an MFA in Creative Writing from the Institute of American Indian Arts. After starting in forensic videography, she embarked upon a career as a photographer, writer, and editor. She is an Emmy nominee, a Sundance Native Lab Fellow, a Time-Warner Storyteller Fellow, a Tribeca All-Access Grantee and a WGBH Producer Fellow. In 2020, Emerson was appointed to the Governor’s Council on Film and Media Industries for the State of New Mexico. She currently resides in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where she and her husband, the producer Kelly Byars, run their production company Reel Indian Pictures. Shutter is her first novel.

Why we love it: Ramona makes a splash as a new author by detailing her extensive experience in both writing and filmmaking. Her background makes an effective setup for her debut novel about a forensic photographer.

2. Courtney Milan

Courtney Milan writes books about carriages, corsets, and smartwatches. Her books have received starred reviews in Publishers Weekly , Library Journal , and Booklist . She is a New York Times and a USA Today Bestseller. Courtney pens a weekly newsletter about tea, books, and basically anything and everything else. Sign up for it here: https://bit.ly/CourtneysTea Before she started writing romance, Courtney got a graduate degree in theoretical physical chemistry from UC Berkeley. After that, just to shake things up, she went to law school at the University of Michigan and graduated summa cum laude. Then she did a handful of clerkships. She was a law professor for a while. She now writes full-time. Courtney is represented by Kristin Nelson of the Nelson Literary Agency.

Why we love it: Courtney concisely leads with her accolades and bestseller status before diving into more personal information with a witty tone. She also includes a call-to-action for readers to sign up to Weekly Tea, one of her mailing lists.

3. Adam Silvera

Adam Silvera is the number one New York Times bestselling author of More Happy Than Not , History Is All You Left Me , They Both Die at the End , Infinity Son , Infinity Reaper , and—with Becky Albertalli— What If It’s Us . He was named a Publishers Weekly Flying Start for his debut. Adam was born and raised in the Bronx. He was a bookseller before shifting to children’s publishing and has worked at a literary development company and a creative writing website for teens and as a book reviewer of children’s and young adult novels. He is tall for no reason and lives in Los Angeles. Visit him online at www.adamsilvera.com .

Why we love it: Adam begins his bio with his bestseller accolades and a list of his popular titles. But we especially love how he also includes his previous experience in children’s literature. It’s a fantastic way an author can craft a unique and credible bio using information besides accolades or bestseller status.

4. Farrah Rochon

USA Today Bestselling author Farrah Rochon hails from a small town just west of New Orleans. She has garnered much acclaim for her Crescent City-set Holmes Brothers series and her Moments in Maplesville small town series. Farrah is a two-time finalist for the prestigious RITA Award from the Romance Writers of America and has been nominated for an RT BOOKReviews Reviewers Choice Award. In 2015, she received the Emma Award for Author of the Year. When she is not writing in her favorite coffee shop, Farrah spends most of her time reading, cooking, traveling the world, visiting Walt Disney World, and catching her favorite Broadway shows. An admitted sports fanatic, she feeds her addiction to football by watching New Orleans Saints games on Sunday afternoons. Keep in touch with Farrah via the web: Website: https://www.farrahrochon.com/ Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/farrahrochonauthor Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/FarrahRochon Instagram: https://instagram.com/farrahrochon/ Newsletter: http://bit.ly/2povjuZ Join my online Fan Club, the Rochonettes! https://www.facebook.com/groups/FarrahRochon/ Farrah’s Books In Order: The Holmes Brothers Deliver Me (Mar. 2007) Release Me (May 2008) Rescue Me (Jan. 2009) Chase Me (Jan. 2017) Trust Me (May 2017) Awaken Me (Jan. 2018) Cherish Me (Jun. 2018) Return To Me (Aug. 2019) New York Sabers Huddle With Me Tonight (Sept. 2010) I’ll Catch You (Mar. 2011) Field of Pleasure (Sept. 2011) Pleasure Rush (Mar. 2012) Bayou Dreams A Forever Kind of Love (Aug. 2012) Always and Forever (Jan. 2013) Yours Forever (Mar. 2014) Forever’s Promise (Apr. 2014) Forever With You (Feb. 2015) Stay With Me Forever (Aug. 2015) Moments in Maplesville A Perfect Holiday Fling (Nov. 2012) A Little Bit Naughty (Mar. 2013) Just A Little Taste (Jan. 2014) I Dare You! (Nov. 2014) All You Can Handle (June 2015) Any Way You Want It (Feb. 2016) Any Time You Need Me (June 2016) Standalones In Her Wildest Dreams (Jan. 2012) The Rebound Guy (July 2012) Delectable Desire (Apr. 2013) Runaway Attraction (Nov. 2013) A Mistletoe Affari (Nov. 2014) Passion’s Song (Feb. 2016) Mr. Right Next Door (Sept. 2016) Anthologies A Change of Heart (The Holiday Inn Anthology – Sept. 2008) No Ordinary Gift (Holiday Brides Anthology – Oct. 2009) Holiday Spice (Holiday Temptation Anthology – Sept. 2016) Christmas Kisses (Reissue–Contains Tuscan Nights and Second-Chance Christmas previously published by Harlequin Kimani

Why we love it: Farrah packs a lot of information into that first paragraph, elegantly describing the awards she’s received and has been nominated for. We also love how she makes it easy for readers to find her on whichever social media platform they prefer and to discover which book to start with for each series.

5. Angie Fox

New York Times bestselling author Angie Fox writes sweet, fun, action-packed mysteries. Her characters are clever and fearless, but in real life, Angie is afraid of basements, bees, and going up stairs when it is dark behind her. Let’s face it. Angie wouldn’t last five minutes in one of her books. Angie is best known for her Southern Ghost Hunter mysteries and for her Accidental Demon Slayer books. Visit her at www.angiefox.com

Why we love it: We love how Angie distinguishes herself from her characters, making herself relatable to readers. She also mentions her bestseller status and best-known works in a humble way.

6. Tiffany D. Jackson

Tiffany D. Jackson is the critically acclaimed author of Allegedly , Monday’s Not Coming , and Let Me Hear a Rhyme . A Walter Dean Myers Honor Book and Coretta Scott King–John Steptoe New Talent Award winner, she received her bachelor of arts in film from Howard University, earned her master of arts in media studies from the New School, and has over a decade in TV and film experience. The Brooklyn native still resides in the borough she loves. You can visit her at www.writeinbk.com .

Why we love it: This is an excellent example of a short, concise bio — a perfect snippet for journalists, bloggers, or event coordinators who need to grab Tiffany’s bio for their article or programming.

7. Kwame Alexander

Kwame Alexander is the New York Times Bestselling author of 32 books, including The Undefeated ; How to Read a Book ; Solo ; Swing ; Rebound , which was shortlisted for prestigious Carnegie Medal; and his Newbery medal-winning middle grade novel, The Crossover . He’s also the founding editor of Versify, an imprint that aims to Change the World One Word at a Time. Visit him at KwameAlexander.com

Why we love it: We adore how Kwame calls out his aim to “change the world one word at a time” along with a handful of his best-known books. Short and sweet!

8. Glynnis Campbell

For deals, steals, and new releases from Glynnis, click FOLLOW on this BookBub page! Glynnis Campbell is a USA Today bestselling author of over two dozen swashbuckling action-adventure historical romances, mostly set in Scotland, and a charter member of The Jewels of Historical Romance — 12 internationally beloved authors. She’s the wife of a rock star and the mother of two young adults, but she’s also been a ballerina, a typographer, a film composer, a piano player, a singer in an all-girl rock band, and a voice in those violent video games you won’t let your kids play. Doing her best writing on cruise ships, in Scottish castles, on her husband’s tour bus, and at home in her sunny southern California garden, Glynnis loves to play medieval matchmaker… transporting readers to a place where the bold heroes have endearing flaws, the women are stronger than they look, the land is lush and untamed, and chivalry is alive and well! Want a FREE BOOK? Sign up for her newsletter at https://www.glynnis.net Tag along on her latest adventures here: Website: https://www.glynnis.net Facebook: bit.ly/GCReadersClan Goodreads: bit.ly/GlynnisGoodreads Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/GlynnisCampbell Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/GlynnisCampbell Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/GlynnisCampbell BOOK LIST: The Warrior Maids of Rivenloch: THE SHIPWRECK A YULETIDE KISS LADY DANGER CAPTIVE HEART KNIGHT’S PRIZE The Warrior Daughters of Rivenloch: THE STORMING A RIVENLOCH CHRISTMAS BRIDE OF FIRE BRIDE OF ICE BRIDE OF MIST The Knights of de Ware: THE HANDFASTING MY CHAMPION MY WARRIOR MY HERO Medieval Outlaws: THE REIVER DANGER’S KISS PASSION’S EXILE DESIRE’S RANSOM Scottish Lasses: THE OUTCAST MacFARLAND’S LASS MacADAM’S LASS MacKENZIE’S LASS California Legends: THE STOWAWAY NATIVE GOLD NATIVE WOLF NATIVE HAWK

Why we love it: Like other authors, Glynnis leads with her bestseller status, but not before making sure readers know to follow her on BookBub! We like how her personality shines through in her all-caps calls to action and that she includes the characteristics of her books in a fun way so readers will know what to expect from her work.

9. Laurelin Paige

Laurelin Paige is the NY Times , Wall Street Journal , and USA Today bestselling author of the Fixed Trilogy . She’s a sucker for a good romance and gets giddy anytime there’s kissing, much to the embarrassment of her three daughters. Her husband doesn’t seem to complain, however. When she isn’t reading or writing sexy stories, she’s probably singing, watching edgy black comedy on Netflix or dreaming of Michael Fassbender. She’s also a proud member of Mensa International though she doesn’t do anything with the organization except use it as material for her bio. You can connect with Laurelin on Facebook at facebook.com/LaurelinPaige or on twitter @laurelinpaige. You can also visit her website, laurelinpaige.com , to sign up for emails about new releases. Subscribers also receive a free book from a different bestselling author every month.

Why we love it: We love Laurelin’s bio because she lets her fun personality shine through! She also includes information about a monthly giveaway she runs through her mailing list, which is enticing and unique.

10. Mia Sosa

Mia Sosa is a USA Today bestselling author of contemporary romance and romantic comedies. Her books have received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly , Kirkus Reviews , Booklist , and Library Journal , and have been praised by Cosmopolitan , The Washington Post , Buzzfeed , Entertainment Weekly , and more. Book Riot included her debut, Unbuttoning the CEO , in its list of 100 Must-Read Romantic Comedies, and Booklist recently called her “the new go-to author for fans of sassy and sexy contemporary romances.” A former First Amendment and media lawyer, Mia practiced for more than a decade before trading her suits for loungewear (okay, okay, they’re sweatpants). Now she strives to write fun and flirty stories about imperfect characters finding their perfect match. Mia lives in Maryland with her husband, their two daughters, and an adorable dog that rules them all. For more information about Mia and her books, visit www.miasosa.com .

Why we love it: This is such a well-constructed bio, with a paragraph for each (1) listing accolades and praise from trade reviews, (2) including a blurb about Mia’s overall author brand, (3) describing her previous work experience and how she became an author, and (4) sharing personal information and directing readers to where they could learn more.

11. Aiden Thomas

Aiden Thomas is a trans, Latinx, New York Times Bestselling Author with an MFA in Creative Writing from Mills College. Originally from Oakland, California, they now make their home in Portland, OR. Aiden is notorious for not being able to guess the endings of books and movies, and organizes their bookshelves by color. Their books include Cemetery Boys and Lost in the Never Woods .

Why we love it: A well-known advocate of diverse books, Aiden leads with their identity markers to connect right away with readers of similar identities. The rest of their concise bio fits information about their bestseller status, education, location, personality, and popular titles into just a few short sentences!

12. Wayne Stinnett

Wayne Stinnett is an American novelist and Veteran of the United States Marine Corps. Between those careers, he’s worked as a deckhand, commercial fisherman, divemaster, taxi driver, construction manager, and over the road truck driver, among many other things. He now lives on a sea island, in the South Carolina Lowcountry, with his wife and youngest daughter. They also have three grown children, five grand children, three dogs and a whole flock of parakeets. Stinnett grew up in Melbourne, Florida and has also lived in the Florida Keys, the Bahamas, and Cozumel, Mexico. His next dream is to one day visit and dive Cuba.

Why we love it: What better way to introduce an author of novels about travel, seafaring, and military adventures than to share his first-hand experiences! By weaving in relevant professional background and a glimpse of his home life by the sea, Wayne demonstrates deep knowledge of his subjects to his readers, as well as connecting with them on a personal level by describing his family and goals for the future.

13. June Hur

June Hur was born in South Korea and raised in Canada, except for the time when she moved back to Korea and attended high school there. She studied History and Literature at the University of Toronto. She began writing her debut novel after obsessing over books about Joseon Korea. When she’s not writing, she can be found wandering through nature or journaling at a coffee shop. June is the bestselling author of The Silence of Bones , The Forest of Stolen Girls , and The Red Palace , and currently lives in Toronto with her husband and daughter.

Why we love it: We love how June includes her background and what inspired her writing. Sharing a story’s origins is a wonderful way to meaningfully connect with readers.

14. Claire Delacroix

Bestselling author Claire Delacroix published her first medieval romance in 1993. Since then, she has published over seventy romance novels and numerous novellas, including time travel romances, contemporary romances and paranormal romances. The Beauty , part of her successful Bride Quest series, was her first book to land on the New York Times list of bestselling books. Claire has written under the name Claire Cross and continues to write as Deborah Cooke as well as Claire Delacroix. Claire makes her home in Canada with her family, a large undisciplined garden and a growing number of incomplete knitting projects. Sign up for Claire’s monthly medieval romance newsletter at: https://view.flodesk.com/pages/622ca9849b7136a9e313df83 Visit Claire’s website to find out more about her books at http://delacroix.net

Why we love it: While Claire has an extensive backlist, she succinctly describes her publishing success and subgenres. She also includes all of her pen names so readers can easily find her, no matter which name they’re looking for.

15. Vanessa Riley

Vanessa Riley writes Historical Fiction and Historical Romance (Georgian, Regency, & Victorian) featuring hidden histories, dazzling multi-culture communities, and strong sisterhoods. She promises to pull heart strings, offer a few laughs, and share tidbits of tantalizing history. This Southern, Irish, Trini (West Indies) girl holds a doctorate in mechanical engineering and a MS in industrial engineering and engineering management from Stanford University. She also earned a BS and MS in mechanical engineering from Penn State University. Yet, her love of history and lattes have overwhelmed her passion for math, leading to the publication of over 20+ titles. She loves writing on her southern porch with proper caffeine.

Why we love it: Vanessa launches into her bio by sharing the specific time periods she writes in, as well as the diverse characters and emotions her readers can look forward to, appealing directly to her ideal audience . She then shares a bit of personal info, leaving readers with an image of her in her element: writing on a porch while sipping tea.

16. April White

April White has been a film producer, private investigator, bouncer, teacher and screenwriter. She has climbed in the Himalayas, survived a shipwreck, and lived on a gold mine in the Yukon. She and her husband share their home in Southern California with two extraordinary boys and a lifetime collection of books. Her first novel, Marking Time , is the 2016 winner of the Library Journal Indie E-Book Award for YA Literature, and her contemporary romantic suspense, Code of Conduct , was a Next Generation Indie Award and RONE Award Finalist. All five books in the Immortal Descendants series are on the Amazon Top 100 lists in Time Travel Romance and Historical Fantasy. More information and her blog can be found at www.aprilwhitebooks.com .

Why we love it: April’s bio is short and sweet, but is packed with interesting information. She was a private investigator and survived a shipwreck? How can you not want to learn more about this author? She also elegantly includes her books’ status and subgenre in the last paragraph, along with a call-to-action for readers to learn more.

17. Julia Quinn

#1 New York Times bestselling author Julia Quinn loves to dispel the myth that smart women don’t read (or write) romance, and if you watch reruns of the game show The Weakest Link you might just catch her winning the $79,000 jackpot. She displayed a decided lack of knowledge about baseball, country music, and plush toys, but she is proud to say that she aced all things British and literary, answered all of her history and geography questions correctly, and knew that there was a Da Vinci long before there was a code. On December 25, 2020, Netflix premiered Bridgerton , based on her popular series of novels about the Bridgerton family. Find her on the web at www.juliaquinn.com .

Why we love it: Julia takes a unique approach, making her bio more voicey and focused on her interests. Yet she keeps it up to date, including her latest news in the last sentence (above the call-to-action).

18. Rick Mofina

USA Today bestselling author Rick Mofina is a former journalist who has interviewed murderers on death row, flown over L.A. with the LAPD and patrolled with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police near the Arctic. He’s also reported from the Caribbean, Africa and Kuwait’s border with Iraq. His books have been published in nearly 30 countries, including an illegal translation produced in Iran. His work has been praised by James Patterson, Dean Koontz, Michael Connelly, Lee Child, Tess Gerritsen, Jeffery Deaver, Sandra Brown, James Rollins, Brad Thor, Nick Stone, David Morrell, Allison Brennan, Heather Graham, Linwood Barclay, Peter Robinson, Håkan Nesser and Kay Hooper. The Crime Writers of Canada, The International Thriller Writers and The Private Eye Writers of America have listed his titles among the best in crime fiction. As a two-time winner of Canada’s Arthur Ellis Award, a four-time Thriller Award finalist and a two-time Shamus Award finalist, the Library Journal calls him, “One of the best thriller writers in the business.” Join Rick Mofina’s newsletter from his website and receive a free eBook! You can also find Rick Mofina’s new exclusive serialized thriller, The Dying Light , by subscribing to Radish Fiction com For more information please visit www.rickmofina.com https://www.facebook.com/rickmofina or follow Rick on Twitter @Rick Mofina

Why we love it: Including Rick’s first-hand experiences as a journalist lends him credibility in his genres of Crime Fiction and Thrillers. He also includes a list of well-known authors who have praised his work, and these endorsements may encourage those authors’ fans to give Rick a try. The free ebook offer effectively sweetens the deal!

19. J.T. Ellison

J.T. Ellison is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than 25 novels, and the EMMY® award winning co-host of the literary TV show A Word on Words . She also writes urban fantasy under the pen name Joss Walker. With millions of books in print, her work has won critical acclaim, prestigious awards, been optioned for television, and has been published in 28 countries. J.T. lives in Nashville with her husband and twin kittens, where she is hard at work on her next novel.

Why we love it: This is a great example of a concise bio suitable for use in any blog or publication. J.T. keeps to just the essential ingredients of a professional author bio: accolades, genres, experience, and a bit of what she’s up to today for a personal touch.

20. James S.A. Corey

James S.A. Corey is the pen name for a collaboration between Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck. James is Daniel’s middle name, Corey is Ty’s middle name, and S.A. are Daniel’s daughter’s initials. James’ current project is a series of science fiction novels called The Expanse Series. They are also the authors of Honor Among Thieves: Star Wars (Empire and Rebellion).

Why we love it: We love co-author bios that reveal how the duo came up with their pseudonym as a fun fact for readers! We also like that the reminder of this bio simply points readers straight to their buzziest works.

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Click to tweet: If you’re writing your author bio, these examples are so helpful! #writetip #pubtip http://bit.ly/1OSBcDO

Click to tweet: Make sure to keep your author bio updated! Here are some great bio examples, PLUS a printable checklist of what to include and where to keep it up to date. #amwriting http://bit.ly/1OSBcDO

This post was originally published on October 15 2015 and has been updated with new examples and a PDF checklist!

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Blog • Book Marketing , Perfecting your Craft

Last updated on Feb 24, 2022

How to Write a Killer Author Bio (With Template)

About the author.

Reedsy's editorial team is a diverse group of industry experts devoted to helping authors write and publish beautiful books.

About Martin Cavannagh

Head of Content at Reedsy, Martin has spent over eight years helping writers turn their ambitions into reality. As a voice in the indie publishing space, he has written for a number of outlets and spoken at conferences, including the 2024 Writers Summit at the London Book Fair.

An author bio is a brief passage that introduces a writer and sums up their work, their authorly credentials, and anything else their readers might need to know about them. 

While author bios may seem like an afterthought, or something to  fill up the backmatter  of your book, it’s actually an unassuming but valuable piece of copy. If done well, an author bio can give you credibility and introduce your readers to your other works.

It can also be used in other promotional or publishing materials, as former Penguin Random House marketer  Rachel Cone-Gorham explains:

“An author bio is something that will let readers get a sense of who you are, and is an important part for pitching media and book proposals.” 

For this reason, it’s important to get your bio right. Here is a 4-step process for writing your author bio:

1. Start with the facts readers need to know

2. open up with relevant biographical details, 3. wow them with your credentials, 4. finish it off with a personal touch.

Start your bio with an opening byline that quickly summarizes your profile, plus your most recent release. In a world full of skimmers, some readers may not get past the first couple of lines of your bio, so it’s important to frontload the essentials. 

For instance, a byline might read:

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

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

If your work has won any prestigious awards or earned bestseller status, make sure to mention that here as well.

The great part about writing a one-liner as your opener is that it can double as a short bio for guest articles, social media, etc. — all of which can serve as a valuable part of your book publicity plan. 

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Example: An attention-grabbing intro

Novelist and short story writer Brandon Taylor's whole bio is great, but check out his heavy-hitting first sentence that instantly tells you everything you really need to know:

If you’re stuck for words, you can use his bio and those of other writers  for inspiration. 

RESOURCE: Your free author bio template

FREE RESOURCE

Grab our Author Bio Template

Use this to write an awesome “about me” in less than 5 minutes.

Your author bio is, naturally, a chance for you to introduce yourself, but it’s also an opportunity for you to introduce readers to your body of work, and share a little about your writing history. If you have other titles that you’ve released previously, now’s the time to mention them.

You may also want to include any personal connections to your work, and signpost why they’re relevant. For instance:

With over a decade of writing obituaries for the local paper, Jane has a uniquely wry voice that shines through in her newest collection of essays, which explore the importance we place on legacy.

A professionally trained electrician, Jane has spent the last decade reading and writing romance novels giving her characters a palpable spark! Her latest work is the sequel to her debut novel, In the Arms of a Stranger .

Have an author bio already, but want a second opinion on it? Take our quick quiz to see if it checks off all of the boxes.

Let us grade your author bio

Find out if your author bio is a 10/10. Takes one minute.

Top Tip: Write in the third person

Despite the fact that an author often writes or approves their own bio, it should be written in the third person — ‘they’ rather than ‘I’. Not only is this the industry standard, it also makes it easier to toot your own horn, which you should definitely be doing here.

Example: An author’s lived experience

One great example of a bio that shares biographical details is author Niyati Tamaskar , whose memoir Unafraid draws on her own experiences of cancer and the cultural baggage surrounding it. You can learn more about Niyati and her publishing story here .

Niyati Tamaskar is a mother, engineer, entrepreneur, public speaker, and author. She speaks on issues of cultural bias, the stigma of cancer, and more. Her speaking and media appearances include her signature TEDx talk, a cover and feature spread in Columbus magazine on her journey and message of destigmatizing cancer, and a video created by Breastcancer.org on “How Niyati Tamaskar Overcame Cultural Cancer Stigma to Become an Advocate”—aimed at highlighting the minority experience while facing cancer.

An important job of an “About the Author” section is to boost your credentials, says editor Rachel: “You want to show your qualifications and credibility so that a reader will feel validated in choosing your book to read.”

That being said, it’s not a good idea to start listing every softball trophy you won in middle school. Only stick to credentials that directly relate to the content of your book. According to Rachel, “Qualifications can include writing courses, college degrees, awards, bestseller lists, and accolades or, for fiction authors, even a lifetime of interest.” Here are a few of her examples:

Jane has an MFA in creative writing from Vermont College, and was the recipient of the Vermont College creative writing award.

Jane is a historian at Vermont College and has spent over a decade researching World War 2.

Jane has traveled extensively around Eastern Europe, learning about the history of the region and walking the paths of her characters.

For non-fiction authors, your credentials are incredibly relevant as readers are far more likely to trust an authority on a subject, while fiction authors can focus more on why they write in a specific genre.

Book marketing consultant Rob Eagar suggests that another way to boost your credibility is to “to weave in any endorsements you may have received from well-known outlets… Readers pay more attention to authors with a proven track record.”

For example:

[Famous author] says Jane Doe is a unique new voice in the thriller genre.

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Example: Amanda Ripley’s expert qualifications

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

Top tip: Keep it short

A good author bio is efficient beyond just the first line, as book launch specialist Joel Pitney suggests:

“People don't want to read long bios! Keep it under 300 words. Only include relevant materials and be as succinct as possible. If you've won a lot of awards, for example, only include the most impressive ones. Same goes if you’ve published a couple of books; only include your most successful three.”

Author bios are not a place for you to delve into a lengthy explanation of your history. However, you also don’t want your bio to be devoid of any personality. Adding a bit of color to your bio helps readers imagine who you are. Plus, if they can relate to you, it might be an extra push for them to buy your book. 

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

This can be done subtly, like by referring to your location in your byline: 

“New-York based psychologist, Jane Doe…”

Or you can include a brief illustration of your lifestyle, says Rachel: “Jane lives and works out of her home at the base of Mount Washington in New Hampshire, and spends her summers hiking and camping with her two children and husband.”

Finally, marketing consultant Rob suggests closing out with a quippy-one liner that illustrates what kind of writer you are. “If your writing is known for its humor, let it show in your bio.” For example:

Jane hopes to write her next novel soon, if she can stop reading other people's novels instead.

Example: Natalie Barelli’s chatty tone

Check out fiction writer Natalie Barelli’s bio for an example of personalization done right: 

Natalie Barelli can usually be found reading a book, and that book will more likely than not be a psychological thriller. Writing a novel was always on her bucket list, and eventually, with Until I Met Her, it became a reality. After He Killed Me is the second and final book in her Emma Fern Series. When not absorbed in the latest gripping page-turner, Natalie loves cooking, knits very badly, enjoys riding her Vespa around town, and otherwise spends far too much time at the computer. She lives in Australia, with her husband and extended family.

An author bio is unique to the writer, so everyone’s will look different — but by following our 4-step process and using the author bio template, you’ll include everything you need to maximize your chances of winning over readers.

8 responses

Diane says:

07/06/2018 – 09:10

Excellent post! I really liked the way explained each point with examples. Author can write a big book but broke into sweat when it comes to write a bio about themselves. Sometimes they also need paper writing help. It have to be short and interesting, not boring. In that case your article will help them to write a killer one.

Nancy Man says:

20/06/2018 – 00:10

This was super helpful -- thanks! Sticking to these four elements worked great for me. I've finally got a bio that I'm not rolling my eyes at. :)

Antigone Blackwell says:

08/12/2018 – 19:01

If someone is reading this article, it is highly unlikely that they can boast being bestselling authors or share that they are on the third book of a highly successful series. More examples with start up authors would be great.

India Government Schemes says:

12/03/2019 – 11:42

This is awesome, but i am seeing in this days mostly hide there Bio in Blogs, But they don't know In The Blog Author Bio is also a Ranking Factor in the Google Search Ranking.

Joe Robinson says:

08/05/2019 – 12:28

Very helpful article that has helped me write my author bio for my upcoming book "Move Your Marriage to Greatness" a Marriage Replenishment Work designed to help couple achieve extraordinary accomplishments that are uncommon in many marriages today. I appreciate you making this article available.

Jitender Sharma says:

10/09/2019 – 05:00

Thanks for your post

Mike aantonio says:

14/11/2019 – 10:06

After reading the bio. samples mentioned above. Is it really necessary to introduce the author as a third party. Can't we directly say " Hi I am a blogger from so and so ......."

↪️ Martin Cavannagh replied:

15/11/2019 – 09:15

You can do... but it's not standard practice.

Comments are currently closed.

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How To Write An Author Bio (With Examples And Templates)

So you've written a book or started a blog and now need to craft an author bio to help readers get to know you. An author bio is one of the most important parts of establishing your writing platform, but it can also be one of the hardest to write. How do you condense your life's story and writing experience into a few short paragraphs? How do you make yourself sound accomplished yet approachable?

Don't worry, we've got you covered. In this article, we'll walk you through how to write an engaging author bio from scratch. We'll provide examples and templates to get you started, tips for choosing the right tone and perspective, and advice for including the key details that help connect you to your readers. By the end, you'll have all the tools you need to craft an author bio you can be proud to share. Writing about yourself doesn't have to be awkward or intimidating. With the right mindset and approach, you can make it fun and help your unique author voice shine through.

What Is an Author Bio and Why Is It Important?

An author bio is a short biography of yourself that accompanies your written work. Whether you're publishing a book, starting a blog, or pitching to media, an author bio helps establish your credibility and connect with your audience.

As an author, your bio is one of the first things people will read to get a sense of who you are. It should highlight your relevant experience, accomplishments, and qualifications in an authentic yet compelling way.

An author bio is an important part of your platform as a writer. It helps build credibility with your readers and establishes you as an authority in your niche. Keep your bio concise yet compelling, focusing on your most significant accomplishments and credentials. Use an authentic and friendly tone to connect with your audience on a personal level. Update your bio regularly to keep it current. With a strong author bio, you'll make a great first impression on anyone who reads your work.

Elements to Include in Your Author Bio

An author bio allows readers to quickly glimpse who you are and your background. The elements you include can help establish your credibility and connect with your audience. Here are some of the key things you’ll want to incorporate into your author bio:

1. Your name

Include your full name so readers know exactly who you are. You can also include any credentials or titles you may have. For example, “John Doe, Ph.D.”

2. A brief bio

Give readers a short 1-2 sentence bio summing up who you are and what you do. For example, “John Doe is a freelance writer and marketing consultant.” Keep this high level without too many details.

3. Your areas of expertise

Mention 1-3 areas you have expertise or experience in. For example, “John Doe specializes in content marketing, email marketing, and social media strategy.” This helps establish your credibility and lets readers know what topics you can knowledgeably write about.

4. A personal detail

Adding a personal detail or fun fact can help humanize you and connect with readers. But keep it light and avoid anything too controversial. For example, “When he's not writing, John enjoys hiking, cooking, and spending time with his family.”

5. Social media links

If you have social media profiles related to your writing or area of expertise, include links to them in your bio. For example:

Twitter: @johndoe

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/johndoe

An author bio is a key part of your online presence as a writer. Keep it concise yet compelling, highlight your experience and expertise, and make a personal connection with readers. Follow these tips and you'll be crafting an author bio that represents you well in no time!

How to Write an Author Bio in 5 Easy Steps

Writing an author bio is an important way to connect with your readers and build your credibility as a writer. Here are five easy steps to craft an engaging author bio:

Step #1 Choose a Style and Perspective

Decide if you want to write your bio in first or third person. First person (“I have been writing for 10 years”) tends to be more personal while third person (“John Doe has been writing for 10 years”) sounds more professional. Think about your audience and writing style to determine which perspective fits best.

Step #2 Share Some Background

Give the reader a sense of your background and qualifications. Mention your areas of expertise, degrees or certifications, and years of experience. Keep this high-level without too many specific details. For example, “Jane Doe has over 20 years of experience as a content writer and has developed expertise in health and wellness topics.”

Step #3 Discuss Your Writing

Talk about your writing experience, style, and any publications or accomplishments. For example, “John Doe has published over 200 articles on Medium covering a range of productivity and lifestyle topics. His writing is known for its simple yet engaging style and actionable advice.” You can also mention any awards or recognition you’ve received.

Step #4 Share Some Personal Interests (Optional)

Include some of your personal interests and pursuits to give readers a more well-rounded sense of who you are. For example, “When not writing, Jane enjoys yoga, cooking, and spending time with family.” This part of the bio is optional but helps to humanize you and build a personal connection with readers.

Step #5 Review and Refine

Read through your draft bio and look for any areas that could be improved. Get feedback from others as well. Refine and edit your bio to ensure the tone and content are aligned with your brand and goals. Keep your bio to 2-3 short paragraphs for the best results.

With these steps, you'll be able to craft an author bio that highlights your experience, expertise, and personality. Your bio is a key part of your online presence as an author, so take the time to get it right!

Dos and Don'ts for Your Author Bio

When crafting your author bio, there are a few dos and don'ts to keep in mind:

• Do keep it short and sweet. Your bio should be 3 to 4 sentences at most. Any longer and readers may lose interest. Stick to the essentials about your background and experience.
• Do focus on your credentials and qualifications. Mention any relevant degrees, certifications or areas of expertise that make you an authority on your subject matter. For example, “John Doe has a PhD in Psychology from Harvard University and over 10 years of experience as a practicing therapist.”
• Do include a fun fact. Adding an interesting personal detail helps to humanize you and build a connection with readers. For instance, “When he’s not writing, John enjoys hiking with his two dogs and learning to cook Indian cuisine.”
• Don’t exaggerate or misrepresent yourself. Be authentic and honest. Lying or stretching the truth will only damage your credibility and reputation in the long run.
• Don’t get too personal. While a fun fact is fine, avoid oversharing details about your family life, health issues, religious views or other topics that don’t relate directly to your work. Your bio should maintain a sense of professionalism.
• Don’t use clichés or meaningless adjectives. Phrases like “passion for writing” or “expert communicator” are overused and ineffective. Show your expertise through concrete facts and examples instead.

Author Bio Examples

Writing an engaging author bio can be challenging. Here are 10 examples to model your own after:

1. The Humble Expert

"John Smith has over 20 years of experience as a business consultant. He has helped over 500 companies improve efficiency and increase profits. Outside of work, John enjoys hiking, reading, and spending time with family."

This bio highlights the author's experience and expertise while remaining humble and personable. The details about hobbies and family make him relatable.

2. The Aspiring Authority

"Jane Doe is the founder of ABC Company and an aspiring authority on leadership and management. She frequently blogs and speaks on topics like improving company culture, effective communication, and the habits of high-performance teams."

This bio establishes the author as an aspiring expert in her field who is actively working to build her authority through content creation and public speaking.

3. The Lifelong Learner

"Mike Johnson has been a lifelong learner and educator. He has degrees in Psychology, Education, and Leadership. Mike has spent over 15 years teaching personal development skills to students around the world. He writes to share the life lessons and wisdom gained from his diverse experiences, adventures, failures, and continued learning."

This bio highlights the author's passion for continuous self-improvement and sharing knowledge with others. The tone is inspiring and reflective.

4. The Relatable Role Model

"Sara Williams is a mother of three, marathon runner, and health coach. She knows firsthand the challenges of balancing family, fitness, and a career. Through her writing and coaching, Sara aims to motivate and inspire women to pursue their goals and dreams despite obstacles or setbacks."

This bio establishes the author as a relatable role model for readers by highlighting shared life experiences and values. The uplifting and empowering tone is appealing.

5. The Quirky Character

"When Jack isn't writing or daydreaming up his next story, he enjoys woodworking, stargazing, and birdwatching—though not usually at the same time. Jack lives with his wife, two kids, and an energetic border collie in the Pacific Northwest. He likes pizza, craft beer, and all things retro."

This playful bio gives readers a glimpse into the author's quirky personality and varied interests with personable details. The lighthearted and humorous tone creates an instant connection with readers.

6. The Multifaceted Creative

"Emily Clark is a true creative at heart, with a passion for photography, painting, and writing. Her artistic endeavors serve as a means of self-expression and allow her to explore the world through different mediums. Emily's work often captures the beauty of everyday life, showcasing the extraordinary in the ordinary."

This bio introduces Emily as a versatile artist who finds inspiration in various forms of creativity. Her ability to capture the essence of everyday moments and transform them into art is a testament to her unique perspective and talent.

7. The Globetrotting Explorer

"Alex Rodriguez is an avid traveler and adventurer, always seeking new experiences and connections around the globe. From climbing Mount Kilimanjaro to diving in the Great Barrier Reef, Alex's wanderlust has taken him to breathtaking destinations. Through his writing, he shares captivating stories and insights gained from his journeys."

This bio showcases Alex as an intrepid explorer who embraces the thrill of discovering new cultures and landscapes. His travel experiences enrich his storytelling, offering readers a glimpse into the wonders of the world.

8. The Tech Guru

"Sarah Thompson is a tech enthusiast and expert, passionate about the latest advancements and their impact on society. With a background in computer science, Sarah has a deep understanding of emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and blockchain. Through her writing, she simplifies complex concepts, making them accessible to readers of all backgrounds."

This bio positions Sarah as a knowledgeable authority in the ever-evolving world of technology. Her ability to bridge the gap between technical jargon and everyday readers makes her an invaluable resource for those seeking clarity in the digital age.

9. The Advocate for Change

"Michael Nguyen is a dedicated advocate for social justice and equality. Through his writing, he sheds light on pressing issues such as racial discrimination, gender inequality, and environmental sustainability. Michael's powerful words aim to inspire individuals to take action and create a more just and inclusive world."

This bio highlights Michael's commitment to raising awareness and driving positive change. His passion for justice resonates throughout his writing, empowering readers to become agents of transformation in their communities.

10. The Historical Storyteller

"Elizabeth Turner is a captivating historical storyteller, bringing the past to life with her vivid narratives and meticulous research. With a passion for uncovering forgotten tales and exploring different eras, Elizabeth transports readers to bygone worlds, immersing them in the rich tapestry of history."

This bio paints Elizabeth as a masterful weaver of stories, skillfully intertwining facts with imagination to create a mesmerizing journey through time. Her unwavering dedication to historical accuracy ensures that readers not only enjoy her narratives but also gain a deeper understanding of the past.

Author Bio Templates

Whether you're publishing a book or starting a blog, an author bio is an important way to connect with your readers and build your credibility as a writer. The good news is, author bios follow a pretty standard template you can use to craft your own.

Here are some examples to get you started:

Short Bio (50-100 words)

Use this for a quick intro on your blog, social media profiles, or the back of your book:

• [Your name] is a [your profession] and [other relevant info, e.g. award or accomplishment]. [He/She] lives in [location] with [his/her] [family member(s)]. [His/Her] [hobby or interest] include [activity 1], [activity 2], and [activity 3].

Medium Bio (100-150 words)

This provides a high-level overview of your background and credentials:

• [Your name] is a [your profession] and [other relevant info, e.g. award or accomplishment]. [He/She] has over [X] years of experience [in your field or relevant experience]. [His/Her] work has appeared in [publications or media outlets].
• Outside of work, [he/she] enjoys [hobby 1], [hobby 2], and [hobby 3]. [He/She] lives in [location] with [his/her] [family members]. [His/Her] latest [project or work] is [book title or blog name].

Longer Bio (200-500 words)

Use this on your website or in proposals to give readers a comprehensive sense of your experience and qualifications:

• [Your name] is a [your profession] and [other relevant info, e.g. award or accomplishment] with over [X] years of experience. [He/She] is passionate about [your work or area of expertise] because [reasons and motivations].
• [His/Her] work has appeared in [publications or media outlets]. [He/She] has written [X] books including [book title 1], [book title 2], and [book title 3]. [His/Her] latest [project or work] is [book title or blog name].
• Outside of work, [he/she] enjoys [hobby 1], [hobby 2], and [hobby 3]. [He/She] lives in [location] with [his/her] [family members].

Using these templates, you can craft an author bio that gives readers a well-rounded sense of who you are and builds your credibility.

Use Hypotenuse AI to Write Your First Author Bio

You've come this far, so why not take it all the way? Writing your author bio doesn't have to be difficult or time-consuming. Using a tool like Hypotenuse AI can help make the process fast and painless.

Hypotenuse AI's author bio generator is designed specifically to help authors craft compelling author bios. All you have to do is provide some basic details about yourself and your writing, and the AI will generate a draft bio for you. You can then easily review and revise the draft to ensure it captures your unique voice and story. Give it a try and let artificial intelligence help craft your compelling author bio!

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Home / Book Publishing / How to Write an Author Bio [With Examples and Templates]

How to Write an Author Bio [With Examples and Templates]

To write a great author bio, you need to know your target audience, cater to your genre, brag (but not too much), keep it brief, and call the reader to action.

When you’re self-publishing on Amazon , you need to put some serious thought into the author bio on your Amazon book page. Don’t haphazardly throw together some sentences and hit the publish button.

The author bio isn’t your most important tool. (The most essential tools are the book reviews , book cover , and synopsis/blurb .) But the author bio is another critical tool that you shouldn’t leave out.

Can I just leave my author bio out? No, you cannot just leave out your author bio, even if you wrote a short story or novella. It looks unprofessional, scares away potential readers, foregoes an opportunity to connect with your target audience, and leads to fewer book sales.

Plus, writing a good author bio doesn’t take that long.

If you’re not Grisham, or Godin, or Ferriss, or Fleming, very few people will buy a novel by you purely based on name recognition. So put a little work into your bio, and you won’t regret it.

Note: The Author Bio is just one of many parts of a book. I have a whole series of posts on the subject, and I highly recommend you check those out as well!

• What is an author bio?
• Examples of phenomenal author bios
• Tips on making a persuasive, engaging author bio
• How to add the bio to your book page
• An author bio template checklist

Table of contents

• What should an author's bio include?
• Is an author bio actually important?
• What’s your book about?
• Who are you writing for?
• 4 Writing Tips For Creating an Author Bio:
• Step 3: Add the Bio to Your Book Page
• Podcast Episode: The Perfect Picture For Your Author Bio
• 6 Examples of Phenomenal Author Bios
• Can you hire a freelancer to write your author bio?
• How to Write a Bio for Your Author Website
• Author Bio Template
• Where does your author bio go?
• How often should you update your “About the Author” page?

For clarification, on Amazon, there are 2 kinds of bio:

• The generic bio on your “ Author Page ”
• Separate bios for each of your books

The advice in this post is aimed at your bio on your individual book pages, although much of it will still be relevant to your main Author Page.

Why Should You Trust Me?

I've actually been writing and formatting books for a long time. Over 10 years so far, and counting.

But that's not the real reason, because there are plenty of authors who have lots of experience, but know next to nothing about the different parts of a book, or book formatting in general.

The real reason you should trust me is because I actually created my own formatting software that solved all my problems. I called it Atticus.

But this isn't meant to be a sales pitch. I just want to make sure it's clear that I know what I'm talking about. The amount of research that went into not only formatting my own books, but also creating a formatting software is huge.

I researched everything, which led me to learn all about every. single. part. of. a. book. And there were a lot more than I realized.

And of course, that includes the Author Bio.

So if all that makes sense, hopefully you'll come along with me as show you everything I've learned.

Also called “About the Author,” an author bio is:

• A paragraph about you as a writer
• Your credentials
• Your interests
• A call to action
• Other relevant information you want to share with your target audience

An author biography is your chance to connect with readers beyond just a byline.

Everyone needs a stellar front cover design, an attention-grabbing book title , and a sophisticated keyword strategy . But those book marketing musts simply draw users to see your book’s product page.

A good author bio (and book reviews and book description ) compels them to actually buy the book.

The author bio establishes you as the kind of writer whom your target market ought to read. It’s where you forge a connection with potential readers and get them to trust you. Readers should want to know what you have to say based on your author bio.

If you take the author bio seriously and get it right, you’ll sell more books.

You should include your name, relevant accomplishments, and a call to action in your author’s bio. Aim for a bio of 60-90 words in length.

If your book is humorous, inject humor. If your book is melodramatic, add a little melodrama. Tailor your bio to your genre, target audience, and the individual book it’s for.

If possible, include links to your website or social media , so people can find out more about you.

Include a picture when possible. This picture should be a professional headshot of you smiling or looking serious, depending on your genre. Do not skimp on the headshot. An unprofessional author headshot screams low-quality content.

Yes, a good author bio is actually important because:

• It builds credibility
• It affirms whether what you have to say is worth reading
• It tells your target audience that you have written a book for them
• Readers may relate to your personal story
• You will sell more books

“No one reads the author bio,” I hear you say. But you’re wrong. While not everyone cares about the author’s bio, some care a lot.

First of all, unless you’re a household name, you must build credibility with the reader. If a reader doesn’t think you’re credible, they will read your book with a cynical eye and judge every mistake they find. Or worse, they won’t buy your book in the first place.

Second of all, more than ever, consumers are buying books from writers they want to support. If someone learns more about and relates to the author, they are much more likely to buy.

Increase Your Book Marketing

See the Publisher Rocket effect, when you use the right keywords and categories to help get your book seen more on Amazon.

How to Write a Powerful Author Bio for Your Book

Here are 3 steps to write an awesome author bio (About the Author) and upload it onto Amazon:

• Figure out your genre and target audience
• Write the bio
• Add the bio to your book page

How do you write a bio for a first-time author? First-time authors might not be able to include any literary accomplishments, like other best-selling books and prestigious awards. But first-time writers can include relevant expertise that pertains to your book. Also, any author can inject personality and a call to action, no matter if this is their first book.

Step 1 : Figure Out Your Genre and Target Audience

Answer these 2 crucial questions to understand your genre and target audience:

Your author bio needs to compliment the genre and subject matter of your book. Bios irrelevant to the book confuse potential readers.

While this may seem like obvious advice, a lot of irrelevant content finds its way into many author bios. Consider:

• If your nightmare-inducing horror novel contains a perky and cheerful author description about your love for puppies and former career as a glassblower, you forfeit an opportunity to connect readers with your writing.
• If your middle-grade comedy has an author bio that reads like a middle school textbook , your audience may be confused whether you’re able to write comedy.
• If your book is a contemporary romance novel with a middle-aged female protagonist, your author bio’s personality and content should relate to the right target audience.
• If you’re writing about tax-deduction strategies for real estate investors, your bio should present your expertise — why anyone should listen to you on the subject.
• If your book is a spiritual guide to personal growth, some life-affirming positivity will improve your bio.

You need to think about your target reader. Hopefully, you had a type of reader in mind when writing the book . You always need to know who would want to buy and read your book.

Figure out your target reader, then write your author bio for that person.

For non-fiction authors, your ideal reader probably wants to read your credentials, your life experience, and what qualifies you to speak on a particular topic.

For fiction writers, your ideal reader may be looking for a unique, exciting personality to come out through the bio. You may briefly include credibility-building credentials, such as if you earned an MFA in Creative Writing.

In many cases, creating an “avatar” of your customer — with a name, location, and personality — is a valuable way to both develop your author bio and strategically target your book marketing efforts. Check out this guide on how to create a customer avatar.

Don’t add information “just in case” a different kind of reader might appreciate it. You end up with a behemoth of a bio that no one reads because it’s too daunting and unfocused.

Step 2 : Write the Bio

Now you need to write the actual words of the bio. Stick to this checklist on how to write an author bio:

• Begin with a punchy, impactful first sentence.
• Introduce your area of expertise or your unique personality, depending on the genre.
• Build credibility without overly bragging.
• Add a personal touch, such as a relatable profession or quirky hobby.
• Finish on a call to action (check out the new book, follow you on social media, etc.).

While you’re writing, always ask yourself, “Is this relevant to my reader?”

Most readers won’t care where you were born (unless it’s a book about where you live), what high school you went to, or that you always wanted to become a full-time writer.

This isn’t to say that your bio should be impersonal. On the contrary! This is your opportunity to make readers feel like they know you. Your personality and/or expertise should make them want to read what you wrote.

• Write in the third person. “About the author” demands the third person. While it may feel a bit weird to write “he” or “she” rather than “I” in the first person, there’s one significant benefit: Your relevant accomplishments and accolades will sound far less boastful.
• Don’t brag too much . Don't go overboard showing off because everyone knows you wrote it. Even if the author bio is in the third person, state your achievements, but don’t become a braggart. Sprinkle in a bit of humility and modesty as well.
• Keep your author bio short. The faster they can read about you, the faster they can buy your book. Aim for 60-90 words and don’t go above 150. It takes effort and practice to distill everything into such a short space. Once you’ve nailed it, you can fit a great deal of personality and information into those 60-90 words.
• Use the bio like a business card . Give readers a way to interact with you by adding your website or social media info. At the very least, they’ll be able to find out more about you and explore your other works. Adding this info at the end is the most common call to action in author bios.

Step 3 : Add the Bio to Your Book Page

You can add your author bio to your Amazon book page by visiting Amazon Author Central , select your book, and add it in the “About the Author” section.

You can add the “About the Author” page into your back matter for a physical book. On most word processors like Scrivener or Vellum, you should be able to generate the author bio into your print-ready file.

But one really annoying bit about adding an author bio to most books is that you have to copy and paste it for every book. This gets cumbersome when you have ten books and need to make one tiny change in each of them.

Unfortunately, most programs like Vellum and Scrivener do not have a way to do “templates” where you update a single Author Bio page, and it gets updated across all your books.

But Atticus can.

In Atticus you can save as a template and then reuse that template wherever you want. And the best part is, if you change the template, it will change it for all your books. Check it out!

Here are some real-life author bios from Amazon or on a back cover that combine most or all of the tips above:

Forgotten Legacy : Robin Perini, the Publisher’s Weekly and internationally bestselling author of Forgotten Secrets, is devoted to giving her readers fast-paced, high-stakes adventures with a love story sure to melt their hearts. A RITA Award finalist and winner of the prestigious Romance Writers of America Golden Heart Award in 2011, she is also a nationally acclaimed writing instructor. By day, she’s an analyst for an advanced technology corporation, but in honor of her mother, Robin has become a passionate advocate for those who battle Alzheimer’s disease. She loves to hear from readers. Visit her web­site at www.robinperini.com.

[Length: 97 words]

D a mn Delicious Meal Prep: 115 Easy Recipes for Low-Calories, High-Energy Living : Chungah Rhee is the founder, recipe developer, and photographer of Damn Delicious. What began as a grad school hobby is now a top food blog, with millions of readers coming to her site for easy weeknight recipes and simplified gourmet meals. She lives and continues to cook non-stop in Los Angeles, with her corgi, Butters. Her first cookbook was published in 2016 by Oxmoor House. Visit her at damndelicious.net.

[Length: 70 words]

Long Range Shooting Handbook: Complete Beginner's Guide to Long Range Shooting : “Ryan Cleckner served as a special operations sniper team leader with the U.S. Army's elite 1st Ranger Bn. on multiple combat deployments. He is a graduate of the premier Special Operations Target Interdiction Course (SOTIC), among other military training courses, and has taught snipers and police sharpshooters from around the world. Ryan has a series of online instructional videos known for their ability to explain complex topics in a simple and digestible way. Ryan is currently a firearms industry professional and an attorney.”

[Length: 83 words]

Diary of a Farting Creeper: Why Does the Creeper Fart When He Should Explode? (Volume 1) : Who is Wimpy Fart? Wimpy Fart loves Minecraft and writes awesome Minecraft books for YOU because you are the best Minecraft fans in the world. You can email Wimpy Fart to tell him about your favorite Minecraft books, or to talk about really loud farts. [email protected] Oh – Wimpy Fart reads all your awesome Amazon reviews and likes to know what you want to read about in Minecraft books!

[Length: 68 words]

Joanna Penn writes non-fiction books for authors and is an award-nominated, New York Times and USA Today bestselling thriller author as J.F. Penn. She’s a podcaster and an award-winning creative entrepreneur. Her site, TheCreativePenn.com has been voted in the Top 100 sites for writers by Writer's Digest.

[Length: 49 words]

John Scalzi writes books, which, considering where you’re reading this, makes perfect sense. He’s best known for writing science fiction, including the New York Times bestseller Redshirts, which won the Hugo Award for Best Novel. He also writes non-fiction, on subjects ranging from personal finance to astronomy to film, was the Creative Consultant for the Stargate: Universe television series. He enjoys pie, as should all right thinking people. You can get to his blog by typing the word “Whatever” into Google. No, seriously, try it.

[Length: 85 words]

If you're looking for author bio perfection, Scalzi’s is as close as you're gonna find. His bio lends himself credibility, demonstrates his personality, and has one of the most unique calls to action you'll ever read. How many of you actually googled “whatever” just now?

Yes, you can hire a freelance writer or a ghostwriter to write your author bio to make sure it’s as amazing as it should be. Their creative writing know-how can produce a bio worthy of a good read and help you better connect with your audience if you’re having a hard time with the bio.

Hopefully, because you’re a writer, you’re able to follow the steps in this article to create your own bio. But in many cases, writing about yourself is more challenging than writing any other prose. (No shame, I promise!)

To write an author bio for your website, follow these 8 tips and tricks:

• Determine what your book’s about, and tailor your bio to compliment the style and tone.
• Determine your target audience, and tailor your bio to attract those specific readers.
• Begin your bio with a punchy first sentence.
• Build credibility by demonstrating your accomplishments, but don’t brag too much.
• Add links to relevant interviews (on NPR or PBS, for example), news articles (ever been featured in The Wall Street Journal ?), and Amazon sales pages.
• Finish with a call to action — perhaps a link to your sales page.
• Make sure your word count is 60-90 words.
• When you review it, take out all irrelevant words. Will your target audience care about each word? If not, take that word out.

On an author’s website , you can go into more detail, list more important works or achievements, and link to other pages on your website to find more info.

Also, an author website bio lends itself more to the first-person than a book page bio. Feel free to use first person or third person, as long as you stick to one or the other.

There's no one-size-fits-all approach, but the following checklist provides a structure you can use as an author bio template:

• Add a personal touch, such as a hobby or favorite TV show.
• Finish on a call to action (check out the new book, follow on social media, etc.).

If you browse bestselling author bios, you'll notice they tend to follow this sequence.

The content and tone you include in your author bio will depend on several factors:

• Content and tone of your book
• Genre (or multiple genres)
• Previous works
• Previous achievements
• Personal preference
• Medium (eBook only, literary magazine, etc.)

In a print book, your author bio should go in the back matter of your book or on the dust jacket sleeve.

You should also place an author bio on your website that goes into a little more detail than the bio in your book.

For an eBook on Amazon, your author bio goes below the suggested books. Here are the headings that appear before the “About the Author” section:

You should update your “About the Author” page or individual author bios any time something significant changes in your life or career, especially honors and awards or when your next book comes out.

Publish a new book? Update all your old bios.

Win an award? Update all your old bios.

Featured on a famous talk show? You may want to update all your old bios.

Going through a divorce or other major family issues? If you mention your spouse or now-estranged children in your bio, you may want to change that. (I know that’s dark, but it happens and is worth considering.)

Earn a prestigious honor or academic position? You know what you should do.

I’ll show you mine…

In summary, the steps in this post take you through everything you need when writing your own author bio. Refer to them when you start writing – and you’ll have an engaging author bio that should easily sell more books.

My own author bio is listed just below for reference (and ridicule, if you like).

I don't have to tell you, I'm pretty much a techy goofball. Hopefully, my bio does a great job of conveying just that. Using humor and an upbeat tone, I want to let Kindlepreneur readers know exactly who I am as a content writer in 34 words.

Special thanks to John Scalzi for inspiring me to write this specific type of bio.

Dave Chesson

When I’m not sipping tea with princesses or lightsaber dueling with little Jedi, I’m a book marketing nut. Having consulted multiple publishing companies and NYT best-selling authors, I created Kindlepreneur to help authors sell more books. I’ve even been called “The Kindlepreneur” by Amazon publicly, and I’m here to help you with your author journey.

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67 thoughts on “ How to Write an Author Bio [With Examples and Templates] ”

After one year locked at home because of COVID-19, I decided to have as much fun as I had when teaching at school. That’s how “A Modern Superhero” was born. I enjoy good food, that’s why I need to do some exercise. By the way, run to my social media for some free perks.

Should I or should I not say what my day job is? Yes it has and no it hasn’t to do with my books. As I am an architect, I have well-structured novels! Lol. But is that boring? As I am not a van driver or pizza delivery girl, why would it interest anyone. I don’t know what’s boring anymore. Please help! Thanks.

Depending on your niche or subject, not sure. I’ll guess that you’re writing some sort of fiction. If that is the case, a mention of something that is important to you is fine, but don’t drag it on and focus on it. If you’ve used levity in your writing, then you can say something like “Architect by day, crime novelist by night.”

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How to Write an Author Bio (Examples Included)

You’ve written a book that’s about to be published or an article that’s going live online. Congratulations!

But although this is a big accomplishment, your job isn’t done: You also need to write a short author biography — otherwise known as an author bio– so your readers can get to know you.

An  author bio  shares relevant information about your education and experience. This proves your credibility, showing that you know what you’re talking about. It also allows your readers to connect with you as a person.

Crafting your own bio can sometimes be a difficult task. These  author biographies  need to be short, yet engaging, so it can be hard to know what to include. After all, your bio may be one of the first things potential readers see when they pick up and open your book.

This blog post breaks down how to write an author bio and what to say in your short bio to connect best with your readers.

Author Bios: What They Include and Why to Write One

An author bio is a short paragraph that shares information about you, such as your education, your experience, and your personal life. Author bios are usually placed next to a professional photo or headshot of the author to further help humanize you, the writer.

While there’s no set word count on a bio, you’ll want to keep things short — think a paragraph or two.

The goal of an author bio is to provide a brief background about you, the author, and to show why you were qualified to write your book or article in order.

Essentially, an engaging author bio gives you credibility with your readers and allows you to connect with potential readers so you can encourage them to read more of your work.

For example, when you describe your past education, work experience, and skills in your author bio, you’re proving that you know what you’re talking about and that you are an expert in your field.

Another benefit of a well-written, short bio is that it humanizes you. Your bio should add personality and communicate to your readers who you are as a person.

For example, your author bio may include a sentence about how many books you’ve written in the past. Then, you may add another sentence about why you began writing in the first place.

Finally, you might share a bit about your family, passions outside of writing, and any formal education, awards, or certifications you’ve achieved in your writing career, like once being named a New York Times Bestselling Author.

You don’t have to be a master of creative writing to craft a well-written bio. The goal of your author bio should simply be to convince readers that you’re more than just an author or some faceless person who wrote an online article — you’re a person.

Who Needs an Author Bio?

The short answer: Every writer!

You might think author bios are only for authors — people who write novels or nonfiction books.

Whether you’ve written ten books or this is your first novel or piece of written work, you should at least have a generic bio that explains to your prospective readers a little more about who you are.

But the truth is, you don’t have to be a bestselling author to have a well-written author bio. Almost everyone who wants to publish their writing will need an author bio at some point.

This is true if you write blog posts, poetry, science fiction, short stories, thought leadership articles, or just about anything else.

There are only a couple of exceptions to this rule. The first is  ghostwriting . As the name suggests, ghostwriters are anonymous writers who don’t get credit for their work.

A ghostwriter writes a work for the author. The author’s name is the only one on the cover of the book even though they didn’t actually write it.

If you are a ghostwriter, you won’t get your own author bio.

Second, some writers may want to remain anonymous, using a pen name or no name at all.

You might choose to use a pseudonym if you don’t want your boss at your day job to know about your writing, if you’re writing something controversial, or if your name is common and there are other authors out there with the same name.

If you use a pen name, you may or may not have an author bio. That choice is up to you.

When To Write Your Author Bio

You should write your author bio after you write the meat of your book. It can take a long time to write a book — months or even years.

The information that you’ll put in your author bio (such as your career details or where you live) could change during that time.

So don’t write your author bio too soon.

This is something you can leave until the end of the process of publishing a book.

However, if you’re feeling stuck with your book and you need to focus on something else, this could also be a good time to write your author bio.

It can be more inspiration and helpful to flex your writing muscles with something different.

Then you can jump back into your book or another writing project with a fresh perspective.

How to Write an Author Bio

Many people hate talking about themselves and find author bios difficult to write. Sometimes we also struggle with bios because they’re so short.

Often, the shorter something is, the harder we think it is to write. For instance, how long did it take you to  write your book title ?

Because of this, some authors outsource the writing of their bio to a  freelance writer  or work with a creative consultant so they can focus on their book sales and complete the publishing process.

However, self-publishing authors and those who prefer to control the writing process don’t necessarily need a freelance writer to whip up a killer author bio.

If you know the general formula for how to use your best writing and craft a full bio, creating your own bio isn’t as daunting of a task as you may think. Take a look at these tips to help you write a good author bio.

Write in the Third Person

Typically, author bios are written in the third person, not the first person, point of view. You want your bio to sound like someone else wrote it about you.

Don’t use “I” — just use your name and last name. For example, instead of saying:

“I’m an author and I live in Chicago, Illinois.”

“John Doe is an author who lives in Chicago, Illinois.”

Writing your author bio in the third person sounds more professional and authoritative to most readers.

Third-person can sometimes run the risk of sounding impersonal, but you can avoid this by adding a brief detail about your life experience at the end.

Explain Your Credentials

What qualifies you to write this book or article?

Your author bio is the place to explain. Whether you have special skills, work experience, or professional certifications, here is where you’ll include them.

Don’t talk about what you would like to do in the future; this is a waste of space and doesn’t help establish credibility. Instead, talk about what you already have done.

If your educational experience is relevant to the subject matter you’re writing on, mention your degree(s) in your bio.

If you don’t have any degrees or the degrees are in a completely different field, don’t add them — save that space for something else.

You should also mention any recognition you’ve received. What awards have you won? Have you been recognized for your fiction writing anywhere?

Sharing your writing accomplishments lets your target audience know they can trust your writing skills. Adding things like if you are a Wall Street Journal or New York Times Bestseller, have won any national magazine awards, or even achieved your bachelor’s degree in some form of writing field are all great accomplishments to list in your bio.

Here’s an example of the first sentence in an author bio that explains the author’s credibility to help you understand how to write your own credibility into your bio.

“John Doe has a master’s degree in history and 15 years of experience working as an archivist. His first book,  A History of Modern Japan , won a prestigious reader’s choice award.”

List Your Other Work

In addition to your work history, awards, and credentials, list a few other  well-known works you’ve written

Think of this as in-book marketing or free space to share more ways for the readers to find your work.

Someone may even read your author bio and realize they’ve already read your other work, creating a feeling of trust.

If your author bio is being published online, you can include hyperlinks to your author website or to any online stores where people can publish your other books.

If you don’t have any other work to include, that’s okay. Skip this part and focus more on other parts of your bio, such as your education or any relevant experience.

On the flip side, if you have a lot of other work, don’t list everything you’ve ever published — stick to just a few of the ones that are most impressive, most relevant, or most recent.

Get Personal

When written correctly, your author bio has the potential to help you connect to readers on a deeper level.

Don’t stop with a dry list of your degrees or past positions — add some personal details to help your readers get to know you.

For example, where do you live? Do you have a spouse, children, or a pet? What hobbies do you enjoy when you aren’t working or writing?

These are simple details, but sharing a glimpse into your life experience goes a long way in helping readers remember that you’re human, too. This could sound something like this:

“John Doe lives in Chicago, Illinois with his wife and three children. He enjoys playing tennis and going on bike rides with his dog.”

Don’t mention any topics that could be divisive. Stick to hobbies that are pure fun — nothing that involves controversial topics or reflects your political views (that is, unless you’re a politician writing a political book).

Keep It Short

Your author bio needs to be short. People have already spent a good chunk of their time reading your book or your article.

They aren’t going to read a long author bio, too. The shorter your author’s bio, the higher the chance that people will actually read it.

The ideal length for an author bio is around 50-100 words. This is about 3-5 sentences.

Consider dedicating one sentence to your education and experience, another sentence to your other published work, and the final sentence to your personal life.

Be Willing to Tweak

Your author bio will change over time. As you continue publishing new writing and advancing your career, you’ll have more published works, on-the-job experience, and awards to add to your bio.

That said, make sure you aren’t married to the final version of your author bio — be willing to tweak it in the future as needed.

Your author bio also might need to sound a little different for different platforms. Many publishers and websites have guidelines for how long an author bio should be and what it should include.

Even if you’re free to write whatever you wish, you may want to highlight certain parts of your experience or overlook others.

For instance, maybe John Doe felt his experience working as an archivist in London wasn’t important enough to include in his main author bio. But for a publication that circulates in the United Kingdom, it would be the perfect detail to add in.

At the end of the day, your goal is to come up with an author bio that you can use as a template.

Save this general author bio and use it to work off of any time you have a new piece of writing published. In the future, you won’t have to start from scratch — you can simply use this predefined template and add or subtract information as necessary.

Your base author bio might sound something like this:

“John Doe has a master’s degree in history and 15 years of experience working as an archivist in London. His first book,  A History of Modern Japan , won a prestigious reader’s choice award. John currently lives in Chicago, Illinois with his wife and three children, where enjoys playing tennis and going on bike rides with his dog.”

Examples of Engaging Author Bios

Here are a few different examples of author bios found on Amazon:

Brian Tracy

Helps individuals and businesses achieve goals through his expertise gained from consulting for over 1,000 companies and addressing millions of people globally. With 30 years of experience in various fields, he is a bestselling author with over 70 books translated into many languages.

Brian delivers talks on personal and professional development, leadership, sales, and success psychology to corporate and public audiences, driving immediate and lasting changes. His background includes successful careers in sales, marketing, real estate, and consulting, with extensive international experience.

Jack Canfield

America’s #1 Success Coach, is the co-creator of the Chicken Soup for the Soul® series, which includes forty New York Times bestsellers, and coauthor with Gay Hendricks of You’ve GOT to Read This Book!

An internationally renowned corporate trainer, Jack has trained and certified over 4,100 people to teach the Success Principles in 115 countries. He is also a podcast host, keynote speaker, and popular radio and TV talk show guest. He lives in Santa Barbara, California.

Tony Robbins

An international entrepreneur, #1 New York Times bestselling author, and philanthropist. Worth magazine recognized Robbins as one of the top 100 most influential people in global finance for two consecutive years.

Accenture honored Robbins as one of the “Top 50 Business Intellectuals in the World.” Robbins is a leader called upon by leaders: He’s consulted and coached some of the world’s greatest athletes, entertainers, Fortune 500 CEOs, and four US presidents.

Author of the best-selling See You at the Top is an internationally renowned speaker and authority on high-level performance. His I CAN course is taught in more than 3,000 schools, and hundreds of companies and businesses utilize his tapes, books, and videos to train their employees effectively.

He has taught his biblically-based principles for becoming a more effective persuader and person to sales organizations, church groups, schools, and businesses. He has addressed thousands more through numerous television and radio appearances and his films. His Sunday school class held at first Baptist church, Dallas, is broadcast each Sunday morning, via satellite.

Grant Cardone

Owns and operates seven privately held companies, and a private equity real estate firm, Cardone Capital, with a multifamily portfolio of assets worth over $5 Billion. He is one of the Top Crowdfunders in the world, raising over $880 million in equity via social media. He is featured on Season 2 of Discovery Channel’s Undercover Billionaire, where he takes on the challenge of building a million-dollar business in 90 days.

Grant is also a New York Times bestselling author of 11 business books, including The 10X Rule, which led to Cardone establishing the 10X Global Movement and the 10X Growth Conference, now the largest business and entrepreneur conference in the world. Cardone uses his massive 15 million plus following to give back via his Grant Cardone Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to mentoring underprivileged and troubled youth in financial literacy.

Write Your Author Bio Today

It turns out that learning how to write an author bio isn’t so hard after all. By following these simple tips, you can craft a bio that’s short, snappy, and helps you connect with your readers.

And if you’re still stuck, consider using an author bio template or some of the examples listed in this blog to inspire you on how to write your own author bio.

However, it goes without saying that before you can write an author bio, you need to have written a book or other piece of writing.

If you’re still in the main writing phase or have simply thought about writing and haven’t acted on it yet, my Book Writing Template can help. My system shows you how to map out your story and then piece it all together to write the best book that you can. Click here to download the template and start writing your book today.

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About Brian Tracy — Brian is recognized as the top sales training and personal success authority in the world today. He has authored more than 60 books and has produced more than 500 audio and video learning programs on sales, management, business success and personal development, including worldwide bestseller The Psychology of Achievement. Brian's goal is to help you achieve your personal and business goals faster and easier than you ever imagined. You can follow him on Twitter , Facebook , Pinterest , Linkedin and Youtube .

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Table of Contents

• Why Your Author Bio Is So Important

How To Write Your Author Bio

Template for author bio info.

• Author Bio Examples
• Your Bio Grows as You Grow

More Ways to Read

• Download a PDF

How To Write An About The Author (With Examples)

Don’t Have Time Right Now?

Unless you’re a household name author (Steven King, JK Rowling, Malcolm Gladwell), most people buying your book won’t know who you are.

So how will they learn about you?

And why is this even important?

That’s what this blog post will explain: how to properly write it, and why your author bio matters.

Why Your About The Author Is So Important

Even though very few authors think about it, and even fewer publishing guides talk about it, the “Author Bio” section impacts sales, reputation, book marketing and social media.

“Author reputation” is consistently cited as one of the main factors that influence a book buying decision. If you’re seen as an authority on your book topic, readers will buy your book and read it. One of the best ways to be seen as an authority is to have a great Author Bio.

For business the short bio can sometimes be more important than what’s actually in the book—the sad but true reality is that more people will read your author bio than your actual book.

It takes a long time to read a book, but it’s very easy to make a snap judgment based on a short paragraph, and most people do that.

This is doubly true for media and social media. Most people in media work very hard under tight deadlines and don’t have time to read long books or even pitch emails. But a good author bio cuts right to the point by saying: this is an important person I need to pay attention to.

Writing about yourself is a task that many even full time writers shy away from. Don’t make this mistake. A few simple steps can get an effective bio that will impress interested readers and help sell your book:

Step 1. Mention your credentials on your book subject:

It’s important to establish your credentials in your book’s topic area.

For example, if you’re writing a diet book, mention things like professional degrees, nutrition training or accomplishments, places you’ve worked, awards you’ve won, etc. Any credential that clearly signals your authority and credibility in your space works.

If you struggle with what to say about yourself, remember the idea is to make it clear why the reader should listen to you. What credential do you have–if any–that signals seriousness to the reader?

For some types of books and authors, this is harder to do. If there’s no clear way to signal direct authority or credentials—for example, you wrote a thriller or a romance novel—then don’t make up things or try to “invent” authority. Focus on the other parts of the author bio.

Step 2. Include achievements that build credibility or are interesting to the reader (without going overboard)

You’ll also want to include things you’ve accomplished in your life, especially if you don’t have direct credentials and authority in the book subject matter. This will help your audience understand why they should spend their time and money reading what you’ve got to say.

If you have something about you or your life that is unusual, even if it’s not totally relevant, you should still consider putting it in your bio.

For example, if you were a Rhodes Scholar, or you started a major national organization, or won a national championship in ping-pong—whatever. The point is to show the reader that you have done things that matter, even if they don’t matter to the book.

If you’re lacking on credentials or exciting things, you can always put in your passions and interests. Anything that you enjoy doing, writing about or consider a hobby, especially if they are relevant to the book topic.

That being said, do NOT ramble on and on about things that reader doesn’t care about. Put yourself in your readers shoes, and ask yourself, “Does this fact really matter to anyone but me?”

Step 3. Mention any books you’ve written, and your website (but don’t oversell them)

If you’ve written other books, especially on that subject, make sure to mention them. If you’re a bestselling author (New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today or even Amazon) or won awards, even better.

If you’ve won multiple accolades and listing them all is becoming tedious, aim for brevity instead. Simply writing “John Smith is an award winning author whose works include …..” is more than enough to show your readers you know what you’re doing.

If you have an author website , an author page ( on Amazon or another 3rd party site) or anything else that helps promote your brand then you should make sure you include it at the bottom of your bio (assuming this meets your goals).

Again, you don’t want to brag here so just be humble and simply put something like “Find out more about John at www.johnsmithwriter.com”. It should be simple and have a clear call to action.

Step 4. Drop some relevant names, if they’re appropriate (without being crass)

Yes, name dropping can put off readers if it’s done wrong. But there’s a right way to do it.

For example, if you are relatively unknown, you can say something like, “The woman that Seth Godin called “the most important writer of our time” reveals to you the secrets of…” This way you are trading on Seth Godin’s reputation, and establishing your credentials at the same time (assuming he said this).

Also, if you’ve worked for or with very well-known people, name dropping is not seen as bad; it’s seen as an effective signal to the reader of your importance and ability. What matters is that there is a reason that you are using someone else’s name that makes sense, and is not just a gratuitous name drop.

Step 5. Keep short and interesting (without leaving anything important out)

While your readers are interested in finding out more about you, they don’t want to get bored, or listen to arrogant bragging about how great you are. If your bio is too long, or too full of overstated accomplishments and awards, it will turn your readers off and actually make you look less credible.

Typically, if you keep your word count around 100 words you’re ok. Anything longer than that means you’ve gone on too long about your accomplishments, your personal life or both. Cut it down to the most important things.

Step 6. Always Write in Third Person, Never First Person

Third person is “She is.” First person is “I am.” This is a small thing, but if you write in first person, it is a major sign of first-time amateurism.

This is a template to write your author bio. I’m not saying it’s the very best way to write an author bio, in fact, many of the best examples below do NOT fit this template. But, many people asked for an easy to follow template, and this is what we use with our authors.

• First sentence: “[Author] is [statement to establish credibility on this subject and / or authorship of previous books]”
• Second sentence(s): Statement(s) further establishing credibility or qualifications of author to write the book.
• Third sentence (optional): Historical “before that” information that is at least tangentially relevant to the book, or very compelling in another way.
• Fourth sentence: Endorsement of author’s credibility by others, awards, or some other social proof, if available.
• Fifth sentence: Tidbit of personal information or insight into life experience.
• Sixth sentence: Link to website or other resource (if relevant).

Here is how that looks in practice:

Will Leach is the founder of TriggerPoint Design, a leading behavior research and design consultancy specializing in using behavior economics and decision design to drive consumer decision making. He is a behavior design instructor at the Cox School of Business at Southern Methodist University and has more than twenty years of behavior insights experience working with Fortune 50 companies to solve their most important behavior challenges. Will is the only two-time winner of the EXPLOR Award for his work in behavior design and is known as America’s foremost authority in applying behavior science to marketing. Will lives in Dallas with his wife and family.

If You Can’t Write About Yourself, Have Friends Help You

People, especially writers, have a hard time writing about themselves. Often, the Author Bio is the most difficult part of the marketing process for an author to write effectively.

If you are unsure about whether your author bio seems either incomplete, or too arrogant, run it by a few friends for feedback.

For example, when I was doing my first bio, I made all the mistakes I outlined above. I eventually had to have my friend Nils Parker write my bio for me. It’s always easier for your friends to praise you and see the amazing things you do.

If you don’t have writer friends, then hire a freelance writer to help you. It won’t cost much, but their creative writing know how will pay big dividends for you.

Examples of Author Bios

I’m going to show you a lot of different bios. Some are the best author bios I’ve read, whereas some feel like they were written by cheap self-publishing companies. The point is to give you an idea of how many different authors did them, so you can find your own author bio writing style:

Example 1 – High Status And Short: Lynn Vincent

This bio is the perfect “less is more” for an author with a lot of credentials. When you have done what Lynn has done, you can just say it quickly and succinctly.

Lynn Vincent is the New York Times best-selling writer of Heaven Is for Real and Same Kind of Different As Me. The author or coauthor of ten books, Lynn has sold 12 million copies since 2006. She worked for eleven years as a writer and editor at the national news biweekly WORLD magazine and is a U.S. Navy veteran.

Example 2 – High Status But Undersells: Michael Lewis

Contrast this to Michael Lewis, who is a very well known author, but still leaves quite a bit out of his bio that would help many readers understand who he is and why they should care (even Michael Lewis is not famous enough to assume people know him).

Michael Lewis, the author of Boomerang, Liar’s Poker, The New New Thing, Moneyball, The Blind Side, Panic, Home Game and The Big Short, among other works, lives in Berkeley, California, with his wife, Tabitha Soren, and their three children.

Example 3 – Bad Amanda Ripley

Many authors have different bios on different books (because they leave the bio writing to their publisher, which is a huge mistake). You can see the difference in the author Amanda Ripley.

Her bad bio is strangely both boring and overselling:

Amanda Ripley is a literary journalist whose stories on human behavior and public policy have appeared in Time, The Atlantic, and Slate and helped Time win two National Magazine Awards. To discuss her work, she has appeared on ABC, NBC, CNN, FOX News, and NPR. Ripley’s first book, The Unthinkable, was published in fifteen countries and turned into a PBS documentary.

Example 4 – Good Amanda Ripley

Contrast that to this good bio, where she comes off as much more of an authority—mainly because her other books are mentioned, as were her awards.

Amanda Ripley is an investigative journalist for Time, The Atlantic and other magazines. She is the author, most recently, of THE SMARTEST KIDS IN THE WORLD—and How They Got That Way. Her first book, THE UNTHINKABLE: Who Survives When Disaster Strikes–and Why, was published in 15 countries and turned into a PBS documentary. Her work has helped Time win two National Magazine Awards.

Example 5 – Bad Doctor Bio: Dr. David Perlmutter

This is a long, uninterrupted string of hard to process things. Dr. Perlmutter is very qualified, but mentions everything (including medical school awards) which detracts from the overall effect.

David Perlmutter, MD, FACN, ABIHM is a Board-Certified Neurologist and Fellow of the American College of Nutrition who received his M.D. degree from the University of Miami School of Medicine where he won the research award. Dr. Perlmutter is a frequent lecturer at symposia sponsored by such medical institutions as Columbia University, the University of Arizona, Scripps Institute, and Harvard University. He has contributed extensively to the world medical literature with publications appearing in The Journal of Neurosurgery, The Southern Medical Journal, Journal of Applied Nutrition, and Archives of Neurology. He is the author of: The Better Brain Book and the #1 New York Times Bestseller, Grain Brain. He is recognized internationally as a leader in the field of nutritional influences in neurological disorders. Dr. Perlmutter has been interviewed on many nationally syndicated radio and television programs including 20/20, Larry King Live, CNN, Fox News, Fox and Friends, The Today Show, Oprah, Dr. Oz, and The CBS Early Show. In 2002 Dr. Perlmutter was the recipient of the Linus Pauling Award for his innovative approaches to neurological disorders and in addition was awarded the Denham Harmon Award for his pioneering work in the application of free radical science to clinical medicine. He is the recipient of the 2006 National Nutritional Foods Association Clinician of the Year Award. Dr. Perlmutter serves as Medical Advisor for The Dr. Oz Show.

Example 6 – Good Doctor Bio: Dr. Benjamin Carson

Contrast this to Dr. Carson, who focuses only on the credentials and status signifiers that the reader would care about and understand, like his specialties and companies he works for.

Dr. Benjamin Carson is a Professor of Neurosurgery, Plastic Surgery, Oncology, and Pediatrics, and the Director of Pediatric Neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions. He is also the author of four bestselling books—Gifted Hands, Think Big, The Big Picture, and Take the Risk. He serves on the boards of the Kellogg Company, Costco, and the Academy of Achievement, among others, and is an Emeritus Fellow of the Yale Corporation.

He and his wife, Candy, co-founded the Carson Scholars Fund (www.carsonscholars.org), a 501(c)3 established to counteract America’s crisis in education by identifying and rewarding academic role models in the fourth through eleventh grades, regardless of race, creed, religion and socio-economic status, who also demonstrate humanitarian qualities. There are over 4800 scholars in forty-five states. Ben and Candy are the parents of three grown sons and reside in Baltimore County, Maryland.

Example 7 – Good Balance: Tim Ferriss

Tim does lean aggressively into the idea of listing all the cool things he’s done and noteworthy outlets that have talked about him, but still makes his bio interesting and relevant to the reader of his books:

Timothy Ferriss is a serial entrepreneur, #1 New York Times best- selling author, and angel investor/advisor (Facebook, Twitter, Evernote, Uber, and 20+ more). Best known for his rapid-learning techniques, Tim’s books — The 4-Hour Workweek, The 4-Hour Body, and The 4-Hour Chef — have been published in 30+ languages. The 4-Hour Workweek has spent seven years on The New York Times bestseller list.

Tim has been featured by more than 100 media outlets including The New York Times, The Economist, TIME, Forbes, Fortune, Outside, NBC, CBS, ABC, Fox and CNN. He has guest lectured in entrepreneurship at Princeton University since 2003. His popular blog www.fourhourblog. com has 1M+ monthly readers, and his Twitter account @tferriss was selected by Mashable as one of only five “Must-Follow” accounts for entrepreneurs. Tim’s primetime TV show, The Tim Ferriss Experiment (www.upwave.com/tfx), teaches rapid-learning techniques for helping viewers to produce seemingly superhuman results in minimum time.

Example 8 – Out of Balance (Confusing & Overselling): Cheryl Strayed

Cheryl is similar to Tim, but runs several unrelated things together in a confusing way, and mentions things that no reader would ever care about (e.g., the director of a movie based on her book). This same bio could be 25% shorter and much stronger.

Cheryl Strayed is the author of #1 New York Times bestseller WILD, the New York Times bestseller TINY BEAUTIFUL THINGS, and the novel TORCH. WILD was chosen by Oprah Winfrey as her first selection for Oprah’s Book Club 2.0. WILD won a Barnes & Noble Discover Award, an Indie Choice Award, an Oregon Book Award, a Pacific Northwest Booksellers Award, and a Midwest Booksellers Choice Award among others. The movie adaptation of WILD will be released by Fox Searchlight in December 2014. The film is directed by Jean-Marc Vallée and stars Reese Witherspoon, with a screenplay by Nick Hornby. Strayed’s writing has appeared in THE BEST AMERICAN ESSAYS, the New York Times Magazine, the Washington Post Magazine, Vogue, Salon, The Missouri Review, The Sun, Tin House, The Rumpus–where she wrote the popular “Dear Sugar” advice column–and elsewhere. Strayed was the guest editor of BEST AMERICAN ESSAYS 2013 and has contributed to many anthologies. Her books have been translated into more than thirty languages around the world. She holds an MFA in fiction writing from Syracuse University and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota. She lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband and their two children.

Remember: Your Bio Grows as You Grow

Treat your author’s bio as a living document. Just because you’ve written it once, doesn’t mean it’s finished. As you grow and change as a writer so should your bio, and the best part is that it’s easy to change a byline.

Also, remember that if you are writing for different genres or different topics that some of your accomplishments and past works will be more relevant to your readers than others. It’s a good idea to tweak your author bio for the next book you release.

Getting your author bio right is an important task. In fact, this small section is usually the ONLY source of information potential readers have about you (except maybe Google), and that’s why it is one of the most important pieces of marketing material you write for your book.

Take it seriously, get it right, and it will help you sell books.

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Blogs / Book Publishing / How to Write an Author Bio (with Examples)

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How to write an author bio (with examples).

You’ve done the hard part. You’ve written your novel, self-edited it, and sent it off to a professional editor (hopefully, a Fictionary Certified StoryCoach Editor —wink, wink, nudge, nudge).

Now it’s time to write your author bio.

My what now?

That’s right! You’re going to have to talk about… *gulps* yourself.

But Shane, you cry in a fit of writerly existential angst, what exactly is an author bio, and what do I put in it? Honestly, I’m pretty boring, and people don’t really want to know about me, do they?

Au contraire, my author chum!

But fear not. By the time you’ve finished reading this, you’ll be able to write your author bio with confidence and ease.

What Is an Author Biography?

An author biography is a short summary of you and your life, your credentials, and your writing. It is the first thing agents and readers will learn about you, so it’s essential that it reflects you well.

Is an Author Biography Important?

In a word, yes.

Unless you’re a mega-famous author like Stephen King or Nora Roberts, nobody is going to know who you are and (more crucially) what you write unless you tell them.

Your author bio is a great tool for sharing the key facts (and personal tidbits) readers need to know about you before deciding whether they know, like, and trust you enough to buy you books.

Let’s get into the nuts and bolts of all things author bio.

What to Include in an Author Bio

Your author bio should include:

• The Essentials: Readers need to know who you are and what you write, because if you write fantasy and they read romance, you’re not the right fit, and you want to attract all the fantasy readers
• Successes, Qualifications and Accolades: This is not a spot to humble-brag, because no-one likes that, but you should mention one or two key achievements to help build credibility with readers
• Personality: Share something personal with the reader, and give them a taste of what makes you, well… you

Now you know the what, let’s check out the how, and put your author bio together.

How Long Should an Author Bio Be?

Think of your author biography as an elevator pitch. An elevator pitch is roughly 30 seconds in which you need to get across who you are and your key points.

So, how much can you say in 30 seconds? Roughly 60-100 words. But really, the shorter the better. Your author bio short be simple and concise.

5 Tips for How to Write an Author Biography

Book bio tip #1: less is more.

The trick to crafting a great author bio is to keep it brief. Remember, your author bio gives the reader a snapshot of your author-self and should get them interested in reading your books.

Readers attention spans are short.

Want a challenge?

See if you can condense your author bio down to 100 words.

You can stop glaring daggers at me now.

You should be able to tell readers everything they need to know in 100 words. Remember, this is not war and peace. If you want to sell yourself make it short and snappy.

Save the mammoth word counts for your novels.

Book Bio Tip #2: Write in Third Person

While you would think writing your author bio in the first person draws readers in by giving it that intimate touch, using first person here just looks strange.

Go look up all the best-selling traditional and indie-published authors in your genre and you’ll see they write their author bios in third person. Readers are used to seeing third person author bios. In other words, they trust a third person author bio.

And readers buy books from authors they know, like and trust.

Book Bio Tip #3: Start with the Essentials

Here’s an example from mystery and thriller author Tom Fowler:

“Tom Fowler was born and raised in Baltimore and still resides in Maryland. He is the author of the C.T. Ferguson mysteries and the John Tyler thrillers, both of which are set in his home city.”

In two simple sentences, Fowler tells us who he is and what he writes.

Book Bio Tip #4: Highlight Successes Without Bragging

Here’s an example from thriller and non-fiction author Joanna Penn:

“Joanna has a Masters in Theology from the University of Oxford, Mansfield College, and a post-graduate diploma in Psychology from the University of Auckland, New Zealand.”

Penn’s fiction is packed with religion and psychology, so these qualifications are relevant to her work.

Book Bio Tip #5: Show Some Personality

This one is key.

To close your author bio, tell the reader a little something about you, and show off your personality. This will help you connect with like-minded readers.

Here’s an example from YA fantasy and non-fiction author Sacha Black:

“When she’s not writing, she can be found laughing inappropriately loud, sniffing musty old books, fangirling film and TV soundtracks, or thinking up new ways to break the rules.”

Black’s brand is all about being a rebel author, so this line works perfectly.

Writer Bio Conclusion

Can you see how, by following a simple structure, you can write a compelling author bio guaranteed to attract the right readers?

In summary:

• Tell readers who you are and what you write
• Share a couple of awards, qualifications or accolades to build credibility, but don’t humble-brag
• Add in some personality to make your author bio fun and engaging.

What are you waiting for?

Go forth and write your compelling author bio!

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You need to create a brief and compelling author bio for use on your website, book jacket, and press releases. But do you know how to write an author bio? We take a look at the key elements of an interesting bio (and which details should be omitted).

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

Updated April 2022.

Your book is riveting, but your author bio is a snooze.

If you’re afraid the above sentence describes you, well, don’t be too hard on yourself; plenty of brilliant authors freeze up when it comes to writing about themselves in sound bites. They’re more comfortable creating lush fictions, not highlighting their own career achievements and personal anecdotes in (as Morpheus from The Matrix says) “the desert of the real.”

Table of Contents: 1. Keep your bio short 2. Write in the third person 3. A little history goes a long way 4. Your older books may not matter 5. List SOME of your literary achievements 6. Mention the most relevant professional, educational, travel, or personal experiences 7. Get some outside perspective 8. Write multiple bio versions 9. Don’t forget the human touch

Comfortable or not, you need to create a brief and compelling author bio for use on your website, book jacket, press releases, etc., so let’s take a closer look at the key elements of an interesting bio — while determining which details should be omitted.

1. Keep your bio short

Your author bio isn’t the place to tell your whole life story. 250 words is a good starting place . Once you’ve got that version firmed up, you can create a slightly longer version for PR purposes, or cut it down to 50 or 100 words for other uses such as contributor pages in a print publications, social media profiles, etc. Many poetry journals have asked me to send them a bio as short as 25 words, which is the same length as this very sentence.

2. Write in the third person

Telling your story in the third person may seem a little pretentious at first, but it does make it easier to talk confidently about your achievements. Give it a try.

3. A little history goes a long way

Ask yourself, “does anyone care where I’m from?”

If you’re writing a series of detective stories set in San Francisco and you were born and raised in the Bay Area, sure — that detail could be crucial to your bio. But if your book is a paranormal romance set in Russia, do we really need to know you were born in Iowa and now live in Maryland? (I’m guilty of this myself; just look at my author bio below!)

Mentioning your birthplace, your year of birth, your parents’ occupation, they’re just some of the default things we put in bios: Mary was born in Dayton, Ohio in 1953 .

We begin at the beginning by habit. Boring! Cut to the good stuff that really matters to your audience. Maybe your parents’ occupations are crucial to your own story. Maybe a recent accident or current event sparked your latest creative effort. If so, try starting with that. Just be sure of its importance before taking up any extra words in what should be a succinct bio.

4. Your older books may not matter

Again, this isn’t a dictum, merely a consideration, but mentioning the books you’ve already published MIGHT be a waste of words.

Think about it: if you’re Stephen King, everyone already knows what you’ve written; if you’re a relatively unknown author, no one cares what you’ve written.

If you’re in the latter camp, the only thing that matters (other than your author name) is that the details of your life which you choose to include in your bio make the reader want to crack open your book.

5. List SOME of your literary achievements

It’s usually wise to mention any big literary prizes or awards you’ve won, plus the most impressive moments from your publication history. This sort of stuff establishes credibility.

If you’re a highly celebrated writer, no need to be exhaustive (and probably no need to read this article further, since I’m assuming your author bio is already killer).

One thing that is common in the poetry world is to mention where you currently teach, since many poets are also academics. While this does establish credibility, that detail is so ubiquitous in bios that it’s rendered somewhat meaningless. Plus, the way things are going in higher education, you might be adjunct-ing at a new school in a new city every 12 months anyway.

6. Mention the most relevant professional, educational, travel, or personal experiences

Once again, it’s about pulling in the details that will resonate with your readers and fit snugly with the topics you’re writing about. If you’re a crime novelist, your background as a NYC arson detective is going to interest people. If you’re a cancer survivor writing about healthy attitudes towards aging, mentioning your personal medical history is crucial. Writing a Mediterranean cookbook? Talk about how you spent a year going back and forth between Spain, France, Italy, and Greece.

7. Get some outside perspective

It’s tough to see your own life and career objectively. So ask your friends, family, potential readers, and fans what they consider to be the most important or interesting aspects of your life story. Get the advice of your editor, agent, or writing group. And be sure to take good notes on what they suggest!

8. Write multiple bio versions

I always recommend writing a few different versions of your bio. Pass them around and ask for feedback. Then combine the most compelling sections from each version to create an unbeatable Voltron of an author bio!

9. Don’t forget the human touch

Whether you write fiction, essays, self-help, or instruction manuals, you’re hoping to make a connection with your readers. Your bio is also a chance to make a connection, so be sure the thing doesn’t read like a Wikipedia entry. Give it some quirk and character. Make the vibe match your aesthetic. Light and chatty. Dark and brooding. Urbane, but with a weak spot for Wendy’s hamburgers. Remind us that you’re human.

What does your author bio look like? What difficulties did you have writing it? How has your author bio changed as you grow in your writing career? Let me know in the comments section below.

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75 COMMENTS

Good words of wisdom. I am writing a children’s book so I will include my background of being a child psychologist.

A resume in a collection could (50/50 here, IMHO) be delivered in a third-person voice, as it then represents one in a list of others who are involved with [whatever]. It would be there at the behest of whomever is running the show and not the individual whose bio material we’re reading. gygulhjljk

Hi sir your blog is very important Their par very good & important for me

If you’re writing a series of detective stories set in San Francisco and you were born and raised in the Bay Area, sure — that detail could be crucial to your bio. But if your book is a paranormal romance set in Russia, do we really need to know you were born in Iowa and now live in Maryland? (I’m guilty of this myself)

Good advice Chris… However, the important question to ask yourself, before you commence writing a bio: “Why do you do, what you do?”… it is more important than – “Who you are?”. The Bio is also assisting potential readers to choose your work. To connect readers to your work, one needs to tell them why have I written that book?

Good advice Chris… However, the important question to ask yourself, before you commence writing a bio: “Why do you do, what you do?”… it is more important than – “Who you are?”. The Bio is also assisting potential readers to choose your work. To connect readers to your work, one needs to tell them as to why have I written that book?

https://freefirenews.in/

thanks for the information

Good advice Chris… However, the important question to ask yourself, before you commence writing a bio: “Why do you do, what you do?”… it is more important than – “Who you are?”. The Bio is also assisting potential readers to choose your work. To connect readers to your work, one needs to tell them as to why have I written that book? https://www.ffdataminer.in/

Thanks for sharing. I think the author bio should be short and informative.

This is a great piece of content on how to write an effective bio, which definitely helped me a lot. I made changes as soon as I read this.

Great content, but did you intend to have the story’s photo show someone smoking a pipe? Around the world people are working to stop young people from smoking and these outdated archetypes interfere with that process.

Excellent overview of bio does and don’ts.

Catch you later. Gotta go re-do my bio! Thanks for the tips!

Thank you for the suggestions. This is one of the hardest thing to write on blogs and proposals for me.

Candice http://Candice.yamnitz.us

[…] Popular BookBaby Posts How to legally quote song lyrics in your book 10 Tips For Creating Your First Children’s Picture Book My 20-Step Plan to Writing a Book: Part 1 (Steps 1-10) Nine Manuscript Editing Software Programs You Should Consider Things I Wish I Had Known Before Self-Publishing My Book How to write a great author bio that will connect with readers […]

This is a great post Chris, with some extremely valid points, I wanted to add a bio to my blog author page and this guide was spot on.

Regards…

I’m currently preparing my very first poetry submission. They are asking for a 50 word bio. I have absolutely no idea what to write so I went searching for suggestions. This article is great for people who are already published, but what does a person who is not put in their author bio? Because honestly, if I’d got that far I wouldn’t be needing to find out how to write an author bio.

Great article! I have given serious thought to having another writer to describe my trilogy.

I realize I can’t do everything

Thanks for information…nice post.

I found this article to be most enlightening. Thanks for taking the time to write share your advice.

This is what I wrote as a result:

Edmund Alyn Jones is a of course a novelist. He is also an award-winning playwright, and classically trained Shakespearean actor. He claims Detroit, Michigan as his hometown, and the lessons he learned therein as his “PhD in Perseverance.” Edmund is the proud ‘bonus dad’ of two strapping young men, and helped to create a third with his uber-talented (albeit messy) wife, Kennikki Jones-Jones. Edmund has performed in venues from Singapore to Denmark, and has even produced a stage play Off-Broadway in New York City. He has been a game show host, professional clown, retail assistant manager, and television spokesperson. As of the reading of this bio, who knows where he may be living. Edmund really likes video games.

such a great tips thank you so much

Very good information on Importance of Author Bio.

And we were not showing author bio till now, Did not know it needs that much.

By d way, This line is awesome – If you’re Stephen King, everyone already knows what you’ve written; if you’re a relatively unknown author, no one cares what you’ve written.

I always put “boulevardier, bon-viveur, ex-KGB assassin & liar. Only one of these is true.”

Chris, every author should read your “How to write a great author bio that will connect with readers” and understand what makes them unique, so that reader’s get a glimpse of a life’s accomplishments earned and what makes their works worth a reader’s time. Today, author’s need to be chief cook and bottle washers, becoming more than they should be. Writer’s should be writhing and leave all the marketing to the so called experts. Marketing is far from a perfect science, but when done right it sets that writer above the crowd. A short bio done right can connect reader and author together that would otherwise not exist.

1. per your request, below is my author bio.

Mark Glamack’s professional history includes director, animator, producer, and writer for family entertainment in the motion picture and television industries from Disney to Hanna Barbara, and most other animation studios: Nominated for an EMMY for the series “Life with Louie”; elected six terms as Governor for the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences; and as a patented inventor.

Then one day out of the blue, God appeared to Mark asking him to write “Littluns: And the Book of Darkness,” the most powerful experience of pure love he ever experienced, changing his life forever.

The awards won for “Littluns” include: two GOLD “Mom’s Choice Awards;” one for Fiction, and also for “Young Adult Books” in the category of Fantasy, Myths & Legends; the “Dove Award”, “The Indi Award”, and Honorable Mention at the New York Book Expo. You can read about the awards won, and reviews for “Littluns” at http://www.littlunsblog.com

Mark’s full bio can be found at http://www.littluns.net/pages/about.html?osCsid=781f1bb5d1b5f7544379b463 …

2. You also asked, “What difficulties did I have writing my bio?”

It wasn’t so much about being difficult, as it was trying to be thorough in 250 words, or less. That’s why I included the link to my full bio.

3. How has my author bio changed as I’ve grown in my writing career?

When I was on jury duty the Judge asked everyone to say a little about themselves. I asked him if he wanted the long or short version. After I gave the short version, and finished with his request, he called me a Renascence Man. I never thought of that before, but I guess he was right given all the diverse things I’ve done.

Although I’ve written scripts and other works, not in a million years would I have even considered becoming an author. Not that I wouldn’t be interested in becoming an author, but with seven projects developed over the last decade, I already had more on my plate than I could handle. Just goes to prove that when with God, all things become possible.

Now with sales to justify a sequel to “Littluns”, it looks like there will be more to my bio as an author than I had ever thought possible.

Give me the chance to tell a story any day. The requirement to write about me, not so much. I like to include an “Author’s Note” in the back of my historical fiction. But writing “About the Author” for a book or my websites always leaves me stressed. Thanks for the great suggestions – now to figure out how to put them to work, and hopefully reduce the stress at the same time.

I struggle with writing bios! Your article was just what I needed to polish mine. Thank you so much, Chris, for your wonderful suggestions!

Third person is good. It gets us past our self-consciousness. But first person brings us closer to our reader. So, start with third. And then edit to first when you think your book (or career) might benefit or when first might seem less artificial and liven this precious bio up a bit! Stick to third person when you contact seems like the type who prefers formality. Best, Carolyn Howard-Johnson

…And we thought it doesn’t matter. Added a perfect author bio now. :) Thanks

Thank you for this, I really needed this for my website!

Good article.

The point that is kind of insinuated but not said directly is this: your bio should help sell the book. Start there and some of the resulting sections become easier. 3rd person has more credibility than first person statements (the exception might be a memoir). Facts about you as an author that either lend credibility in writing on the topic or just plain make you an interesting person win over boring lists of other traits. For example, where you live only matters somewhat if that is that is a predominant element in the book or your market wants to read stories by local writers.

Sure, you can include statements in your bio just because they are important to you but put that inside the book. Use the published bio for the facts about yourself that qualify you as an expert, or tip people’s interest in you which tips them into reading the book.

I go for self-deprecating: I know just five languages, have edited just five orthopaedics books and just twelve engineering- and computer-related theses.

Such great advice here. Last one is so important–don’t forget the human touch. I infuse what I hope is some humor into mine. I’m going to check the rest of my bio and compare it to this list. Thanks!

Great Suggestions and will follow them!!!

Thanks for these tips! I just needed some of them for inspiration to create my own About page. Check it out here:

http://playingwriter.com/about/

What do you think? :) I tried to make it short, human, and funny.

Ok, well done.

[…] most books, the “about the author” blurb is a brief paragraph of roughly 250 words. How long do you think the “about the author” section of Great […]

Third person or first i think depends on the person writing it; but both can be done well. Always get someone to check it for you also, so it sounds natural and to the point – i believe this is most important.

Yeah, for me writing in third person is odd, I prefer telling the story about me from my own, not someone else.

Actually, it usually depends on an editor or publisher’s editorial policy. I hate writing third person bios but I have seldom been given the option. The one time I submitted without following the guidelines, I got it back with a “no, no” note.

Good advice Chris… However, the important question to ask yourself, before you commence writing a bio: “Why do you do, what you do?”… it is more important than – “Who you are?”. The Bio are also assisting potential readers to choose your work. To connect readers to your work, one needs to tell them as to why have I written that book?

As well the useful info, I really enjoyed the humor in your piece, Chris. There is such a deluge of advice about the right way to do things (such as write an author bio), that it’s very refreshing to have humor woven in! Thanks!

Also want to add that as I was tackling writing an “about the author” page for the back of my novel, I found myself really favoring first person as a way to connect more directly with those who had just read my 500+ page historical novel. (I wanted to say thank you–but didn’t.)

Catch you later. Gotta go re-do my bio! Thanks for the tips! :)

good information for how write their bio for blog’s. Thanks

[…] Chris Robley warns that a little bit of personal history goes a long way. […]

[…] Chris Robley warns that a little bit of personal history goes a long way. […]

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My current e-book is a character drama about three troubled women in an international modelling contest. With no promotion whatsoever, it went viral for a few months, downloaded 2000 times.

I cannot see any relationship between my life and my story. I am a man to begin with. My first success was as a headline hero racing bike in Mexico. My book about engineering won first prize in an international literary contest, got included in reading at high schools and universities, and got fan clubs at OxBridge, Harvard, and UBC, that I know of, as well as other awards. I got six years of school. Expelled five times for writing what the schools did not want to read. The second expulsion became a series in MACLEANS that sparked the interest in alternative schooling. Why would any woman wanting to read a story about competing women be interested in this CV?

Um, off the top of my head – If your female characters come across to your female readers as believable, you being a male author sets you apart. Many male authors create female characters who display behaviour more typical of men than of women. (For example: stress response – fight or flight, or tend and befriend?) Obviously, typical “male” and “female” behaviours show up only when we look at large groups of people; any given individual is most unlikely to be average or typical in everything in all situations. But if all your female characters display male-type behaviour on all fronts all the time, I’d be wondering if there was a new type of exogenous androgen leaching into the drinking water. Your racing bike background suggests that whether you were making bikes or racing bikes or both, you should have a good understanding of the nature of competition, of how to balance risk vs. reward, of when you get better results from cooperating than opposing, etc. – all principles that could apply to other competitive situations such as modelling contests. Getting expelled from school for writing that which your schools thought should not be written might say things about you that would make you interesting to a thoughtful reader – for example, was your being expelled related to characteristics such as being observant, analytic, accurate, not bound by political correctness, thinking outside the box, refusing to comply with directives you saw as stupid/dangerous, a tendency to relay unpopular messages impolitely (now that could make for fun reading), and/or . . . . ? As for engineering background/knowledge, it’s totally relevant if your target audience is female or male nerds and things like wardrobe engineering, social engineering, gaming theory, AI, neuroperceptual engineering, or any other kind of engineering is involved in your story. (As Wikipedia says, “Engineering is the application of mathematics and scientific, economic, social, and practical knowledge in order to invent, innovate, design, build, maintain, research, and improve structures, machines, tools, systems, components, materials, processes, solutions, and organizations.” Any of that going on in your story?) In the spirit of full disclosure – I’m a female, motorcycle-riding, risk-averse science fiction reading mother of an engineer –

Dear Ms. Arsenault,

I am grateful for your thoughtful and well-considered response to my pique about authors’ bios. Although this is not the place for a conversation, I want to answer your points. My reply extends to 1000 words. I think this longer than the monitor will pass, so I am Sending merely one paragraph on the chance that a live monitor will think it will interest other story tellers who peruse these responses.

I have sensed that the average woman has better communication between the two sides of her brain than the average man; her senses are keener by resonance. All-together women are more likely to consider all sides of a conflict; manly men bulldoze through. Men see only what they look at; peripheral vision enables women to spot signals of intent like a martial artist. Women are implicit, men are explicit, like East and West; the East does by magic what the West does by engineering — any unknown technique looks like magic or woman’s intuition. Women lack muscle mass; they must avoid collisions like a bicycle. Women have one centre of gravity whereas men have two. The lagging upper centre causes the adolescent male swagger; actresses can’t imitate it in gender benders — they should weight their shoulder pads with 10 pounds. Women have an inner stability affording quick reflexes that surprise men. Women are oppressed; they get their way by learning to pretend submission, as do children and menials. Their act is mistaken for their nature. Girls manipulate male weakness; men hate them. Women use male power; men love them. Women are more supportive and intimate than men; isolated women suffer anxiety. Women have children and hormones that want children; responsibility handicaps women. Nothing would change the world so drastically as making men sick for a week of every month; no general would start a war he could not win in three weeks.

Men see women as children with boobs; women write their male characters paper thin. Romantic women do not realize that their hero’s dashing urbanity is supported on a sense of superiority like a Southern gentleman’s genuinely generous and kindly noblesse oblige is built on slavery; the highest virtue rises on the basest vice. That is what subtext is all about. Women should write male characters only when they feel that men hurt, too.

Many words to say women should write male characters unafraid to admit vulnerability. Sparks can fly when strong women connect with vulnerable men and only when both parties are aware of which head (big head or little head) is driving the action.

It looks like 1/4 of my reply to you got on. This is the rest.

A few trials proved my bio counterproductive. I was seated on stage as guest of honour behind Buckminster Fuller when he spoke here to a packed house of 3000. Bucky graduated from Harvard, I did not graduate from high school; culture clash makes me poison ivy in academe. Neither does my track record sell a character drama.

My first expulsion ended my public schooling. My photographic memory wrote exams without error. I was working a 40-hour week doing a man’s job and I lived on my earnings. I refused to be treated as a child. I was there to learn, not to be taught; pedagogues do not know the difference.

5 years later, I was designer-salesman and paid public speaker. My employer started training me to supervise the largest construction projects in the country; with little schooling, my employer led the local industry. That is how I learned the practical engineering that made my best-seller, reviewed in the NY TIMES.

I was expelled a second time for an assigned term essay telling Why Kids Quit School. I told it like it is. Submitted to the national magazine, that rejected essay inspired a series fomenting the popular interest in alternative schooling that swept the country in the ‘60s.

I was rejected again for writing a term narrative that was “too mature for a student.” The next year, it was performed as an audio opera starring Canada’s #2 actress of stage and big screen. My opera was mature; my school teachers were not.

My e-trilogy is an action crime mystery with song and dance scenes, an almost paranormal character drama in a tragicomedic road show about naive fish out of water. It is soap opera for the thinking woman.

The market returned its verdict on my essay, my opera, my best-seller, and my first novel went viral briefly. My stories can’t be sold, only discovered.

You question that a man can create female characters. I agree. And women write men skin thin. What do you think of STEEL MAGNOLIAS?

My main protag is a singleton raised as a son by her General Dad in an overprivileged home; I do not expect many readers to know such an unusual character better than me, so I have a wide margin for error. Most readers know a humble family like my second protag’s, a girl who wants it all; I am not a girl, not a sib, not popular, and I don’t want it all, so what do I know? I speak through the third character whom no reader will believe.

Fledgling story tellers are told to know everything about their characters. Detail is not character; motive creates character. Complex motives create complex characters. Circumstance creates motive; complex circumstance creates complex motives. Motive drives character. Character drives plot. A story is about somebody who wants something; ET wants to go home. Writing is blocked when motive is lacking.

Culture dichotomizes reality into subjective and objective, inner and outer, female and male, yin and yang. Women are supposed to live inside; a man with an inner life is disparaged as effeminate. My observer is blind; she can function only by bringing her outside inside. My characters are searching for their other halves —- which is basically what romantic fantasy is all about. Everybody believes the authorized fantasies; whole people are not believed in the demimonde of illusion. Whole people are paranormal.

In stories, people seek to find or escape from what is missing in their lives. My protags are are not proper women because their parents did not provide all their spirits need to be whole. They search for their whole selves throughout their stories. The whole self is the treasure in the cave guarded by the fearsome dragon, the pearl beyond price, the Kingdom.

Every morning, I read a couple dozen bios of my competition. I downloaded books by a couple dozen of the most interesting. Not a half-dozen held my interest; one is delightful. An awesome flair for words and expert knowledge do not construct a story. I should not read the bio before I read the book; likewise, no one should read mine.

For the curious and for readers who know, I wrote strategies and engineering into my story.

A veteran winner whose parents won’t let her lose, my main protag tells how to win. “Never lead. You will be exhausted. Stay behind the leader. All the trouble will be behind you, and you have only one to beat in the dash to the line. And never forget the one behind you.”

Leslie spun on the ball of her foot as she dropped her left knee, hands on the floor, to sweep her extended left foot behind Nikki’s advancing heel. The girl went down with a painful yelp as her legs split. Still turning, Leslie straightened both legs against oncoming Erin’s rearward thigh to roll the tall girl over her rising hips. “What are you?” Nell gasped. Ann sneered, “Aw, she’s just a cranky old gymnast showing off her floor routine.” Ann was Argo champ before entering the modelling contest.

Whether my protags are feminine depends on defining nature from culture. My main protag is a dancer; she tumbled her attackers with a dance routine. Is dance unfeminine? A woman who can’t defend herself is a child.

A motorcycle mama might appreciate the car chase when my character shows how they drive in a Bemidji blizzard, describing tach and traction, heel and toe, clutch and gear, and weight distribution for controlled skids; her big brother races stock. Don’t try it at home, girls.

I am driven to write only when nobody will listen to me about some pernicious, popular persuasion. The publishing industry is striving for popularity. I am not. I have a message. One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest told a message. The Spy Who Came In From The Cold carried a message. 1984 and Fahrenheit 451 are warnings. 007 is popular. Harry Potter is popular. The Hunger Games isn’t even trivial.

Mea culpa for responding impulsively to Mr. Robley’s blog. There is no fault in his telling what readers expect of authors’ bios. My petty plaint at feeling left out served nobody’s interest. You made my day.

Served my interest. Thank you, Tom, who is not petty.

You are a good read and atypical. Hooray!

Great advice!

The only element I should except would be the speak-in-the-third-person one. Having read tons of resumes, knowing that a third-person voice is likely being written by the person whose name is on the resume makes him seem as if he’s trying to artificially elevate his stature by subtly suggesting someone else feels this way about him, too.

I think it’s not an ego trip to present one’s accomplishments with a personal thrust. It does, however, require a delicate touch to not appear overly self-effacing.

A resume in a collection could (50/50 here, IMHO) be delivered in a third-person voice, as it then represents one in a list of others who are involved with [whatever]. It would be there at the behest of whomever is running the show and not the individual whose bio material we’re reading.

As always, just IMHO, of course.

I very purposefully wrote my website in the first-person, because I wanted to brand myself as relatable and I thought that writing in the first-person was a very practical way to do that. My author bio seemed like it belonged somewhere else when it was the only page written in third-person; so I changed it. I do, however, keep an updated third-person copy of my bio in case it ever comes in handy some place else.

Worth considering.

Something else to consider for the short-short version of one’s author bio, the version which will accompany your author photo on the back of your next book: If the themes of your books differ significantly from each other, you may find it better to custom-design a separate bio for each book. For my novel “Bead of Sand,” in which Civil War reenactors figure largely, I mentioned my lengthy experience as a living history reenactor in my bio blurb, and my author photo showed me in uniform playing the fife. Neither this photo nor this bio blurb will be appropriate for the story I’m currently writing, which is completely unrelated.

I think we might call this kind of maintenance of author bios, adjusting the blurbs to suit their purpose, sort of “keeping it green” – live and lively.

During the Korean War, I was an assassin for the United States Government. 65 years later I cover three live missions in a full length account during that time. No one, from the top down, would ever admit to what my story covers.

[…] Secrets to Writing a Killer Author Bio How to Write a Great Author Bio That Will Connect with Readers Tips for Writing Your Author […]

Thanks for this awesome guidance chris Robley. I am a new author and was looking for this type of stuff.

I thought the achievements go from newest first, and oldest last. It that correct? Thank you so much!

Typically, yes, your most recent work/awards should go first, unless there are others in your history that make you more recognizable. If you have a bestseller in your catalog, or a prestigious award – you might want to lead with that info.

[…] Need help? Check out “How to write a great author bio.” […]

is it alright to use the phrase ‘is a poet and wordsmith’, in my author bio

Well, if space is limited, I think it’d be better to say those things while also pointing out something you’ve written. Like, “… is the author of …” That way you’re getting at the accomplishment AND the skill in the same sentence.

@ChrisRobley

If you guys are like me, and agree with Chris about ‘freezing up’, I highly recommend Odesk or Elance. Post the job and what you’re willing to pay. You’ll receive tons of replies, which you then need to sort through. I usually pay $25.00 for a 250 word write up.

Hire two or three writers to sum it up for you, then edit, or combine the best parts if need be.

Cheating? Sort of.

Guilty as charged.

Thanks for the suggestions. Will check ’em out.

Thanks BookBaby, all I want is a Book Review from someone who I know has already read my book. Having difficulty getting them to write one is not easy, especially the most successful in Business people I know. I will never buy a Review. You are welcome to read my book, it is Non-Fiction. After working with “Pearls in the Oyster” for 3 years, drilling and mounting the lovely Akoya pearls for the Customers, my passion for pearls had given me the incentive to write my first Edition of “Pearls of Creation A-Z of Pearls”. Marketing it was a pleasure as I did talks even to the ‘Pearl Society of Chicago’ at Eve Alfille’ Studio and Gallery. As my book was well received I gathered as much info on pearls as I could, even visiting 3 of the 7 Pearl Farms. One Freshwater pearl farm in Camden, Tennessee. Paspaley Pearling Co, with their perfect pearls in Australia and New Zealand with the Abalone mabe’, all came in to the 2nd Edition, with their contact details and lovely color pics. A comprehensive cross-referenced Dictionary and all came together like a puzzle.

[…] 10. How to write a great author bio that will connect with readers […]

[…] 9. Use your Author Bio to intrigue your readers. Time to tell the world about YOU. What is it about your own life experiences that will make your book worth reading? For some tips on what to include, check out our article “How to write a great author bio that will connect with readers.” […]

[…] How to Write a Great Author Bio on The BookBaby Blog [Free, Reading Time: 5 mins] This shorter guide covers all the absolute basics to keep in mind as your write your author bio. […]

[…] How to write a great author bio that will connect with readers – by @chrisrobley – Because writing bios is hard … and important […]

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How to write an author bio as a new writer

• Your author bio is your calling card. A strong author bio establishes your authority, introduces readers to your background, and convinces them to buy your book.
• An author bio is usually no longer than 100 words, so keep it short and simple. Include your location, relevant experience, and key themes in your work.
• Avoid common mistakes when writing your author bio. Write in the third person, keep it succinct, and don’t be afraid to brag about your achievements.

As a writer, your author bio is one of the most important passages you’ll ever write. A well-written bio can make or break the sale of your book - whether you’re pitching it to an agent, a publisher, or a reader. As a result, you need to know how to write an author bio, especially if you don’t have a whole lot of experience yet. You can also use our free AI author bio generator which can help you get started!

Author bios are typically no longer than 100 words - so every character counts. In this guide, we’ll answer some of the most commonly asked questions about author bios, helping you get a handle on this tricky but vital task. You’ll see lots of successful author bio examples in our 6-step process for writing an author bio as a new writer.

The importance of a good author bio

Your author bio is your calling card. Whether you’re self-publishing or heading down the traditional publishing route, readers and agents alike want to know about you and your background.  So it’s important to deliver the information in a way that makes them want to read your writing.

Some people will buy your book because they know you, or because you’ve been recommended to them. But most readers don’t seek out books by first-time novelists - so you should do everything you can to sell your book.

That’s where your author bio comes in. There are three key reasons why it’s so important to write a bio that stays with people:

• A strong author bio establishes your authority . If your book is about a young soldier enduring his first military tour, and you spent years serving in the army, readers will automatically give your book more credibility. If you’ve had short stories published in a range of publications, agents will have confidence there’s a market for your work. ‍
• Introduce potential readers to your background . Many people want to read books that offer a new perspective, so this is your chance to tell them who you are, and why they’ll be interested in what you have to say. Talk with pride about your culture, work history, and personal achievements. ‍
• Convince people to buy your book . Along with your book blurb and quotes from reviews, your author bio should persuade people to read your book. It’s not the place for a hard sell, but it should be persuasive and powerful enough to convince readers to choose your book.

Your bio is a cog in a much larger wheel. Readers will look at your book cover, reviews, price, and length as well as your author bio. So the more of these you can make compelling and convincing, the more likely it is that readers will choose your book.

What should an author bio include?

Since you only have 100 words to make an impression in your author bio and you need to stay on track. Here are the key components every author should include in their bio:

• Where you’re from and where you live. People connect with local authors, so be proud of your hometown and your adopted city (if they’re different).
• Relevant personal background information. This can be cultural, geographical, or personal. Include any information that’s relevant to your book and your story.
• The themes you love to write about. This helps readers make an informed decision about the books they buy, and helps you build a loyal readership when you deliver on your promise.
• Relevant qualifications or experience. This isn’t your CV, so don’t list everything. But if you’ve worked at magazines or publishing houses, this can validate you as an accomplished writer.
• Any awards you’ve won or publications you’ve been featured in. Authors with little or no experience may not have these (yet!), but if you do, your bio is a great place to feature them.

Before you start writing your author bio, make a list of everything you could include, using the above points as a guide. Not everything will make the cut, but it’s helpful to have this list to hand when you’re structuring and writing your author bio.

How to write an author bio for an agent

Now you know the purpose of your author bio, and what should be included, you can do what you do best - write it.

Before you start, here are some common mistakes new authors make:

• Writing in first person . An author bio written in the first person is less authoritative than a third person bio. Writing about yourself in the third person may feel strange at first, but this is the standard format, so follow this to the letter.
• Being too modest . A lot of writers are introverts, so boasting about their achievements doesn’t come naturally. But your author bio is going to be part of your sales pitch, so it needs to be convincing. Take off your humility hat and write with confidence.
• Writing too much . Inexperienced writers sometimes compensate for their lack of experience by writing more. This is usually a telltale sign that you’re lacking confidence, so keep your author bio concise.

6 steps to writing a killer author bio

Ready to write the perfect author bio? Let’s get started.

1. Write an introductory byline

The first line of your author bio is the first thing your readers will learn about you - so make it count. Start with important, relevant facts that agents and readers will care about most - including the name of your new book.

As an example, here is the author bio of debut novelist Paul Mendez:

Paul Mendez was born in Dudley. He began writing in 2002, and has contributed to the Times Literary Supplement and the Brixton Review Of Books. He lives in London, and Rainbow Milk is his first novel.

For new authors, personal information acts as a point of connection between you and a potential reader. The takeaway here is to make sure your readers know enough about your background to read on and find out more.

If you have any awards or previous publications, this is a great place to include them. But if you haven’t, don’t be disheartened. Your author bio will evolve as you publish more work, so don’t worry if you don’t have lots of publications or awards you can include at this stage.

2. Establish your authority

Now you’ve captured your readers’ attention in the opening line, it’s time to show them you’re the real deal.

The next couple of sentences should deliver a concise explanation of your credibility, both as an author and on the subject of your book. Remember, the reader is still deciding whether to buy your book - so you need to explain why they should listen to you.

If you’re a Nobel Prize winner, this part of the bio will write itself. For the rest of us, the obvious things to highlight are degrees, awards, and training. If you have a lot of experience, focus on the most relevant information. If there’s nothing spectacular you can list, focus on your experiences and education.

Kevin Kwan, author of the blockbuster book Crazy Rich Asians, uses a very simple author bio in his debut novel:

Kevin Kwan was born and raised in Singapore. He currently lives in Manhattan. Crazy Rich Asians is his first novel.

It doesn’t matter that Kwan didn’t have lots of accolades or publications at the time of publishing; the fact he grew up in Singapore establishes Kwan as an authority on the affluent Asian community.

3. Outline your themes and style

For new authors, it’s important to acknowledge and emphasise your credibility - but once you’ve done this, readers will also want to know what to expect from your novel.

This final section is where you’ll outline the themes and style of your writing. Is it funny? Sad? Political? Historical? Does it draw on themes of love, war, or vengeance? Telling the reader what kind of writing you specialise in can add power to your pitch, and help draw in readers who are looking for books in your specialist genre.

Prolific author Joanna Trollope’s author bio begins:

Author of eagerly awaited and sparklingly readable novels often centred around the domestic nuances and dilemmas of life in contemporary England, Joanna Trollope is also the author of several historical novels and of Britannia’s Daughters, a study of women in the British Empire. ‍

This sentence tells the reader what they can expect when they pick up one of Trollope’s books. She’s likely to connect with people who enjoy reading other similar material.

4. Make it relatable, unique and concise

Authority crops up again and again in author bios - but while your content should be authoritative, your tone should remain friendly and relatable.

Now you have an initial draft of your author bio, read back through it and check the tone. If it seems swaggering or unfriendly, adjust the tone of your author bio to be more personable and matter-of-fact.

Here’s an extract from Eva Ibbotson’s author bio, demonstrating her trademark charisma and relatability:

Eva Ibbotson was born in Vienna, but when the Nazis came to power her family fled to England and she was sent to boarding school. She planned to become a physiologist, but hated doing experiments on animals, and was rescued from some fierce rabbits by her husband-to-be.

If you can pull it off, some wry humour is a great way to ingratiate yourself with potential readers - especially if your book falls in the comedy book genre . Experimenting with different ways to make your author bio unique will help you stand out in a reader’s (or publisher’s) mind.

This step is also an opportunity to make sure your author bio is the perfect length, and trim any unwieldy adverbs or overlong sentences.

Tip: Many authors use this space to add a link to their website or a Twitter handle. In this case, even if the reader doesn't end up buying your book, you’ll still get an opportunity to connect with them and hopefully cultivate a further relationship.

5. Let it rest

The last step in writing an author’s bio is editing. Like your story manuscript, the best writing is allowed to breathe before you go back over it to create the final draft. Ideally, this process should take at least a few days.

In the meantime, share your author bio with your friends, family, and fellow authors. If you’ve shared your work with other people before, you’ll know that not everyone will come back with invaluable professional feedback. Most will just say ‘nice’ or ‘looks good’.

But, ideally, you should get three kinds of feedback:

• Feedback from colleagues. Your colleagues might highlight other key professional achievements which should be included in your author bio.
• Feedback from your family. This will help you determine whether the message is clear enough, and help you gauge the tone of your writing.
• Feedback from fellow authors. Lots of other people have been through the torment of writing their own author bio. They may be able to share feedback they’ve had from editors and agents that could help you with your author bio.

Some feedback is more valuable than others, so don’t feel obliged to use the feedback you receive if you don’t feel it will add value to your bio. As long as you include all the relevant information, establish yourself as a credible author, and maintain a professional, friendly tone, you’re on the right track.

6. Keep your bio up-to-date

Don’t rely on a dusty old bio that’s no longer fit for purpose. Your author bio should evolve over time as you publish more work, get more experience, and earn more accolades.

Each time you submit your author bio, use this checklist to make sure it’s up-to-date:

• Is it in the right format? Tweak your bio so it follows the guidelines set out by the publisher or agent.
• Does it contain the right information for this audience? Like a CV, check your bio is tailored for the publication or audience who’ll be reading it. ‍
• Does it include your most recent work? Check your author bio contains all the most relevant and recent information.

Where does the author bio go in a book?

Different publishers have different approaches to where they print the author bio. For hardback books, the bio is often found on the dust jacket at the end of the book. Paperbacks, meanwhile, usually include the author bio at the front of the book, before the publishing information. Occasionally, the author bio can be found on the back page of a paperback, or after the publishing information and before the introduction.

For more inspiration, check out the Penguin Random House authors page . You can see the bios of every author publishing with them.

If you’re self-publishing, or your book will be issued in ebook format, your author bio is likely to be a lot more visible. It often features on the product page for your book, as well as towards the front of the book itself. As a result, self-publishing authors need to write a particularly compelling bio.

There are no hard and fast rules about where your author bio should go, but by following these conventions, you’ll make it easy for potential readers to find and read your author bio before they buy.

Author bios are one of the most difficult things for many authors to write. Not only are there strict form and content rules, but you’re forced to go against human nature by boasting about your awards, experience, and accomplishments. 

But if you can write a great bio, it can separate you from the bunch, whether you’re self-publishing or pitching to agents.

For more useful resources on self-publishing and writing a novel, take a look at our author advice hub . Check out our guide on book chapters where we explain how long they should be and provide examples of popular books.

Advice from a published writer

Alex Fisher, " Seadogs and Criminals"

You don’t need to write much for an author bio. Keep it short and sweet, just enough so that the reader gets the idea of who you are and can imagine who it is that has created this story they’ve just followed. Just a vague location of where you live (a county or country), who you live with, your job, and a few hobbies will do.

Achievements and qualifications can also be added but these don’t matter too much. You don’t have to be qualified to be a great writer; you just need experience and passion.

Drop us a message, we'll be happy to help.

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How to Write an Author Bio That Stands Out

• 19 September, 2024

If you’re like many authors, you can write a 100k+ word book no problem, but there are two short pieces you might face with dread: the book’s blurb and the author bio. Condensing a complex story into a couple of paragraphs can feel like torture, but most of us would still choose that over writing about ourselves . Ugh! Because it can feel like such a painful endeavor, here we focus on the latter: writing a killer author bio. Hopefully, this helps you avoid some of those pain points and inspires you to focus on yours.

First Off – What Is an Author Bio?

If you are new to publishing, you may be asking, “What even  is an author bio???” You may be more familiar with the phrase “About the Author,” which you see on the back cover or inside flap of some books or in the interior, usually at the back. It’s two to three paragraphs, 100-300 words, about you as an author and a person. Your bio provides facts and details that convince your target reader that they want to read your book. It’s more important than to simply drop a few lines to go on the “About the Author” page.

Why a Powerful Author Bio Matters

The author bio is part of your author branding and book marketing toolbox, an important piece in your author marketing strategy. It’s included with queries to agents and publishers, introducing you to potential industry contacts. It goes on your author profile pages on book retailer sites, on your own website, in press releases and as part of your media kit. It gets attached to articles you write, read or included in the description for podcasts you’re on as a guest, and shared in many other ways throughout your author career. Especially for non-fiction, it answers the question: “Why should I trust this person with this topic?”

The author bio has two main audiences: professional and readers. Industry and other professional contacts want to know who you are as an “expert,” and a strong author bio focuses on the facts to show that you know what you’re talking about. This is especially true for non-fiction books, but applies to fiction authors, too.

As an obvious example, a proven track-record of writing bestselling and award-winning science fiction will convince an agent, publisher, media outlet, or reader that you can be trusted to deliver a compelling sci-fi story. What if you don’t have those credentials, though? Consider your work, educational background, and significant life experiences that contribute to your wealth of knowledge about the science and technology used in your book. As another example, for a romance writer, maybe it’s your understanding of human psychology and relationships, an unusual background or experience in regards to romance and love, or your personal familiarity with the setting. These kinds of details help show other professionals that you’re coming from a place of wisdom and experience.

An author bio written specifically for readers, especially for fiction authors, may be more personable and conversational than one for industry contacts. Readers also want to know that they can trust you to take them on an exciting adventure, and awards and bestseller letters may help convince them of that, but mostly they want to know you . Readers who feel like they can relate to you as a person are more likely to buy your books – now and in the future.

Bottom line: a strong author bio is part of your author brand and helps sell more books.

Tips for Writing an Author Bio That Stands Out

1. know your audience and write for the right one.

As stated above, your author bio will be read by both professional contacts and potential readers. Depending on your genre and how much connecting with industry professionals and the media you plan to do, you may want to write separate bios for each of these – or you may be fine with just one. This is part of knowing your audience and targeting it specifically.

The other part is your genre. Readers of self-help or a how-to instructional book want to know your professional credentials as much as an agent, publisher, or media outlet does to ensure you’re the right one to teach this subject. On the other hand, fantasy or young adult fiction readers, for example, tend to be more interested in knowing you as a person, someone they would want to be friends with, rather than your education and work background. Readers love a good story, and this one is about you. It’s important to know what your genre’s readers expect in an author bio and deliver that to them.

2. Write a Strong Hook & Frontload the Most Important Information

Introduce yourself with an intriguing hook that grabs the reader’s attention and keep it by including the most important and relevant details about you in the first few sentences. In today’s fast-paced world, this may be all that the reader sees before skimming the rest – or moving on to something else.  Knowing h ow to hook the reader and what is most important goes back to knowing your audience and targeting your bio to their needs and desires.

Put yourself in their shoes and ask yourself what they would find most interesting about you that also builds trust in you to deliver the book they want and need. A reader who’s searching for information about sustainable living may not care that you met the love of your life while following a rock band on a world tour, but a romance reader may be hooked by that fact. That same reader will care much less about your degree in science and engineering, but the former one might be sold by it.

Know what the reader of the bio is looking for and include that upfront.

3. Expand With Relevant Credentials

Once you’ve hooked the reader and pulled them in with the most relevant facts, expand on your writing and subject credentials. What other works have you written? Where have your writings been featured? Have you been honored with any awards or other recognition? Just be careful not to overload the reader. Even for the professional case use, you don’t need to list every single accomplishment you’ve achieved in your lifetime.

4. Get Personal

Be sure to include a few details about you as a person. It’s important that others know you as a real human being, not just a name and list of achievements. This can include a tidbit about your family, where you live, your upbringing, your favorite foods, your pets, your travels, your other interests besides writing or the topic you cover, weird quirks…the only limit is what you feel comfortable sharing. You can keep it vague (e.g., Jane Doe lives in the Pacific Northwest with her partner and a houseful of two- and four-legged children…) or make it specific (e.g., Growing up in Key West, Florida, as the only child of a fisherman and an exotic dancer…). You don’t have to give your entire life story, but just enough for readers to find interesting and connect with you as a human and not another name on the screen.

5. Mind Your Tone

Your author bio doesn’t have to be dry and monotone. In fact, the tone of your bio should reflect the tone of your writing. If your books include humor, be sure to inject some into your author bio. If you write romance, lead your readers into falling in love with you with romantic word choices. Don’t be afraid to use relevant jargon and vernacular –  as long as your readers will also know it. Being a little colorful with your verbiage also helps make your author bio more personal.

6. Be Prepared With More Than One Version

As mentioned above, you will likely want more than one version of your author bio to target different audiences. You might also consider having available different lengths. About the Author pages in books and sections on most retailer sites may vary from 100-300 words. Media outlets, author conferences, and others might only allow 50-100 words, though. On the other end of the spectrum, you may want to go into more of your story on your own website’s About page to more deeply connect with your visitors, and here, the sky is the limit (as long as the bio remain engaging). At bare minimum, prepare a short version (under 100 words) in addition to your standard author bio to keep in your branding kit, so you’re ready at a moment’s notice to share it when requested.

Your author bio plays an important role in your book marketing and author branding. While many of us would much rather have a root canal than write about ourselves, it’s not something to quickly pound out without thought and intention. If it helps, take the perspective of a reader who’s writing about a favorite author. Consider what’s most interesting about this person, add the relevant supporting details, and write it in third person, keeping it short and poignant. Voila! You have an author bio. Finally, be sure to keep it updated when you have something new to add or change. So now…tell us about yourself.

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10 Great Author Bio Examples and Tips to Write One for Yourself

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A great author bio is essential for any published writer. It’s how a reader gets to know the person behind the pages of a book, and done well, it can help you grow your fan base and sell more books. If you’re a  new author  and unsure where to begin with your author bio, this article is here to help. 

Table of Contents

What is An Author Bio?

An author bio is a few short paragraphs that introduce you to your readers. It doesn’t need to only focus on your professional writing career; the best bios throw in a personal touch too. You can mention your home life, your hobbies, or include a couple of interesting facts about yourself. It’s all about engaging your readers with relevant and interesting information that helps you stand out from the crowd. 

In this article, I’ll show you ten great examples of top-notch author bios from bestselling writers, and I’ll also provide you with some actionable tips to help you write your own.

10 Examples of Great Author Bios

1. farrah rochon.

USA Today bestselling author Farrah Rochon hails from a small town just west of New Orleans. She has garnered much acclaim for her Crescent City-set Holmes Brothers series and her Moments in Maplesville small town series. Farrah is a two-time finalist for the prestigious RITA Award from the Romance Writers of America and has been nominated for an RT BOOKReviews Reviewers Choice Award. In 2015, she received the Emma Award for Author of the Year. When she is not writing in her favorite coffee shop, Farrah spends most of her time reading, cooking, traveling the world, visiting Walt Disney World, and catching her favorite Broadway shows. An admitted sports fanatic, she feeds her addiction to football by watching New Orleans Saints games on Sunday afternoons. Keep in touch with Farrah via the web: Website: https://www.farrahrochon.com/ Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/farrahrochonauthor Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/FarrahRochon

2. Michael Siemsen

Michael Siemsen grew up in Venice, California, the second son of a Vietnam veteran turned policeman. Initially focusing on performing arts, Michael attended the prestigious Alexander Hamilton Academy in Los Angeles. After serving in the U.S. Army as a tracked vehicle operator, he returned to civilian life and began writing short stories and screenplays, and directing short films and music videos. Moving to Northern California in the late 90s, Michael met his future wife, Ana. The two now live near the San Joaquin River Delta with their equally adventurous children, as well as “the dogs,” “that cat,” and a fish or two. A USA Today and Amazon Bestselling Author, Michael has released six novels selling over 200,000 copies, as well as audiobooks , short stories contributed to anthologies, and has won several awards, including the “Sundance of Books,” the Next Generation Indie Book Awards. Michael’s latest release is RETURN, book three in his popular Matt Turner series.

3. Glynnis Campbell

Glynnis Campbell is a USA Today bestselling author of over two dozen swashbuckling action-adventure historical romances, mostly set in Scotland, and a charter member of The Jewels of Historical Romance — 12 internationally beloved authors. She’s the wife of a rock star and the mother of two young adults, but she’s also been a ballerina, a typographer, a film composer, a piano player, a singer in an all-girl rock band, and a voice in those violent video games you won’t let your kids play. Doing her best writing on cruise ships, in Scottish castles, on her husband’s tour bus, and at home in her sunny southern California garden, Glynnis loves to play medieval matchmaker… transporting readers to a place where the bold heroes have endearing flaws, the women are stronger than they look, the land is lush and untamed, and chivalry is alive and well! Want a FREE BOOK? Sign up for her newsletter at  https://www.glynnis.net

4. Courtney Milan

Courtney Milan’s books have received starred reviews in Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, and Booklist. She is a New York Times and a USA Today bestseller and a RITA® winner. Courtney lives in the Rocky Mountains with her husband, an exceptionally perfect dog, and an attack cat. Before she started writing historical romance, Courtney got a graduate degree in theoretical physical chemistry from UC Berkeley. After that, just to shake things up, she went to law school at the University of Michigan and graduated summa cum laude. Then she did a handful of clerkships with some really important people who are way too dignified to be named here. She was a law professor for a while. She now writes full-time. If you want to know when Courtney’s next book will come out, please visit her website at http://www.courtneymilan.com , where you can sign up to receive an email when she has her next release.

5. Kwame Alexander

Kwame Alexander is a poet, an educator, and the New York Times bestselling author of twenty-nine books, including Rebound, the follow-up to his Newbery Medal–winning novel, The Crossover. Kwame writes for children of all ages. His other picture books include Undefeated, Animal Ark, and Out of Wonder.  A regular contributor to NPR’s Morning Edition, Kwame is the recipient of several awards, including the Coretta Scott King Author Honor, the Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award, three NAACP Image Award nominations, and the 2018 inaugural Conroy Legacy Award.  He believes that poetry can change the world, and he uses it to inspire and empower young people through his writing workshop, the Write Thing. Kwame is also the host and producer of the literary variety/talk show Bookish. You can visit him at  www.kwamealexander.com .

6. Tiffany D. Jackson

Tiffany D. Jackson is the NYT Bestselling author of YA novels including the Coretta Scott King — John Steptoe New Talent Award-winning Monday’s Not Coming, the NAACP Image Award-nominated Allegedly, Let Me Hear A Rhyme, GROWN, and her forthcoming 2021 titles BLACKOUT, WHITE SMOKE, and SANTA IN THE CITY. She received her bachelor of arts in film from Howard University, her master of arts in media studies from the New School, and has over a decade in TV/Film experience. The Brooklyn native is a lover of naps, cookie dough, and beaches, currently residing in the borough she loves, most likely multitasking. Tiffany grew up in Brooklyn Heights but also count places like Fort Greene, Far Rockaway, East New York, and Kingston, Jamaica as her home. She attended Hendrick Hudson High School in Montrose, NY, she received her bachelor of arts in film from Howard University, and her master of arts in media studies from the New School University.  She has over a decade of experience in the television industry, working for various networks and media companies including National Geographic (focused on documentaries such as Lockdown, a prison subculture series) Roc Nation, BET, FUSE, BBC AMERICA, and EPIX. From managing live events, concerts, festival showcases such as BET AWARDS and SXSW Music Show Case, to TV series, specials, and pilots such as FUSE: TOP 20 Countdown, Trending 10, The Hustle: After Party Live and in-studio concert series to producing hip-hop documentaries and artist promotional spots. In 2009, she wrote and directed the short horror film, The Field Trip, receiving praise in the film festival circuit. WANT TO KNOW MORE?  GO HERE →

7. J.T. Ellison

J.T. Ellison began her career as a presidential appointee in the White House, where a nuclear physicist taught her how to obsess over travel itineraries and make a seriously good pot of Earl Grey, spawning both her love of loose leaf and a desire for control of her own destiny. Jaded by the political climate in D.C., she made her way back to her first love, creative writing. More than 20 novels later, she is an award-winning New York Times and USA Today bestselling author with thrillers published in 27 countries and 15 languages. She is also the Emmy Award-winning cohost of A Word on Words, a literary interview television show.  She lives in Nashville with her husband and two small gray minions, known as cats in some cultures. She thinks they’re furry aliens. Visit www.jtellison.com or @thrillerchick for more. ***Psst, J.T. here. Want a FREE ebook ? Visit www.jtellison.com/subscribe and sign up for my newsletter. Along with your free ebook, you’ll get my latest news and updates, insider exclusives, plus awesome recipes and book recommendations. It’s a lot of fun! Happy reading, y’all.

8. Vanessa Riley

Vanessa Riley writes Historical Fiction and Historical Romance (Georgian, Regency, & Victorian) featuring hidden histories, dazzling multi-culture communities, and strong sisterhoods. She promises to pull heart strings, offer a few laughs, and share tidbits of tantalizing history.  This Southern, Irish, Trini girl holds a doctorate in mechanical engineering and a MS in industrial engineering and engineering management from Stanford University. She also earned a BS and MS in mechanical engineering from Penn State University. Yet, her love of history and lattes have overwhelmed her passion for math, leading to the publication of over 20+ titles. She loves writing on her southern porch with proper caffeine.  Vanessa has a very diverse background. She has been a radio anchorwoman and church announcer. She is a member of Romance Writers of America and President-Elect of The Beau Monde, a specialty RWA Chapter. She is also a member of Georgia Romance Writers, NINC, and Historical Novel Society. She is on the Board of Directors of Christian Book Lovers Retreat where readers escape for a weekend of fun, faith and connection to the author community.  Her latest release, A Duke, The Lady, and A Baby is an Amazon Best of the Month Selection and a Publishers Weekly Summer Reads 2020 Editors’ Pick. A Duke, The Lady, and A Baby has been reviewed by Entertainment Weekly, NPR, Library Journal, and the New York Times and received a starred review in Publishers Weekly.  She’s currently working on Island Queen for William Morrow, a novel centering on Dorothy Kirwan Thomas, a formerly enslaved person who becomes one of the wealthiest women in the Caribbean.   Vanessa loves cooking her Trinidadian grandma’s cake recipes and collecting Irish crochet lace and writing on her southern porch with proper caffeination.  Sarah Younger of the Nancy Yost Literary Agency represents Vanessa.

9. Rick Mofina

USA Today bestselling author Rick Mofina is a former journalist who has interviewed murderers on death row, flown over L.A. with the LAPD and patrolled with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police near the Arctic. He’s also reported from the Caribbean, Africa and Kuwait’s border with Iraq. His books have been published in nearly 30 countries, including an illegal translation produced in Iran. His work has been praised by James Patterson, Dean Koontz, Michael Connelly, Lee Child, Tess Gerritsen, Jeffery Deaver, Sandra Brown, James Rollins, Brad Thor, Nick Stone, David Morrell, Allison Brennan, Heather Graham, Linwood Barclay, Peter Robinson, Håkan Nesser and Kay Hooper. The Crime Writers of Canada, The International Thriller Writers, and The Private Eye Writers of America have listed his titles among the best in crime fiction. As a two-time winner of Canada’s Arthur Ellis Award, a four-time Thriller Award finalist and a two-time Shamus Award finalist, the Library Journal calls him, “One of the best thriller writers in the business.”

10. April White

April White has been a film producer, private investigator, bouncer, teacher and screenwriter. She has climbed in the Himalayas, lived on a gold mine in the Yukon, and survived a shipwreck. She and her husband live in Southern California with their two sons, dog, various chickens, and a lifetime collection of books.   Facebook is a solid source of distraction for her, and therefore, her Facebook page, April White Books, is usually the first place to find news, teasers, quotes, and excerpts from her books. She also has a secret reader group on Facebook, called “Kick-Ass Heroines.” If you’d like to get in on some of those conversations, you can request an add here: Kick-Ass Heroines. Sometimes that news links to Twitter, but she hasn’t mastered the art of the pithy tweet, and therefore often avoids the medium for fear of sounding boring. Goodreads is another place to find her lurking around the stacks and spying on her friends’ reading habits. Become her Goodreads friend so she can see what you’re reading, too. ​Marking Time was the 2016 Library Journal Indie e-book winner for Young Adult books, and was chosen by Library Journal for national inclusion on both the fantasy and young adult SELF-e Library Select lists on Biblioboard, The whole series is also available for libraries nationwide through Overdrive, and April is very happy to participate in any library (or bookish) events to which she’s invited.

7 Tips for Writing Your Own Author Bio

Your author bio might only be a few short paragraphs in length, but every word counts. This is your opportunity to make a great first impression with your readership, so it’s important to take some time penning your bio in order to put your best foot forward. 

Here are 7 important tips to consider when writing your author bio.

1. Write in the Third Person

Even though you are writing these words about yourself, never use the words like “I” or “my.” Instead, write from the third person point of view, referencing yourself by your first or second name. 

2. Keep it Short

Your bio is about quality, not quantity. Keep it to under 300 words, and make sure that every sentence adds value. It might be tempting to list out all of your achievements but stick to the big stuff that will make the most impact. You can always include a section on your website where readers can view your full list of accolades, but they don’t need to be featured on the back of your new book under your author bio. 

3. Know Your Audience

Get to know your readers so you can understand how best to speak to them in your author bio. A great way to do this is to hang out with your readers on Twitter or other social media platforms. Interacting with your readership builds a mutual bond and gives you much more insight into who they are and what makes them tick.

A good rule of thumb to  engage your readers  is to stick to the same writing style you use in your published work to talk to your audience in your author bio.

I’d also advise that you assemble a small group of readers who are willing to read your draft and provide feedback and ideas on how to improve it. And consider asking those closest to you to check whether they think it’s a good representation of who you are and what you’re all about. 

4. Include Career Highlights

Note the word “highlights”; this is not the place to list every college course you ever completed and every short story you’ve ever published (see Tip #2) but be sure to include the most prominent relevant parts of your background in writing. 

Higher education diplomas beyond college level are worth including, and of course, list a short selection of your previously published works if you have any. 

If your work has been nominated for an award, but it didn’t quite make the cut, it could still be worth including. The “…. Award-nominated author…” has a great ring to it; it almost doesn’t matter that you didn’t win!

5. Let Your Personality Shine Through

This is  your  author bio, so your personality should shine through in every sentence. This really helps to create a rapport with your readership and give them a better picture of the person behind the words on the page. Done well, this can help you create a loyal fan base and a dedicated readership. 

You can show your personality in your author bio by getting creative with how you present your information. You might want to tell your life story in an inventive way, linking events to each other to create a picture of who you are and how you got here. You can make it fun (see author J.T. Ellison’s example in the list above) and add a well-placed joke in there too. 

6. Include Some Personal Information

A great way to connect with your audience is to show them that you’re not all business; you have a personal life with family, friends, pets, passions, and hobbies too. Readers want to know the human being behind the pages of the book, and this is a great opportunity to give them a little taster of who you really are. 

Most authors choose to include where they live and where they grew up, plus a little bit about their family life too. 

You might also want to include a major life event that has shaped who you are today. 

Just remember to keep it relevant. If you write self-help books about quitting smoking, then a little bit about your struggle with addiction might be the perfect addition to your bio. But if your genre is historical fiction, then it’s best to leave this out. 

7. Create a Basic Verison that can be Tweaked

Your author bio will primarily contain the same information wherever you use it, be it on the insert of your latest book, on your website, or promotional material for an upcoming book tour. But you can also tweak it a little to suit the situation and the audience. 

These tips are designed to help you write a basic author bio, but you can spice it up or remove elements to create a more serious tone depending on the application.

I hope these examples and tips help you to write your own engaging author bio to share wherever you promote your work. Remember to keep it short and to the point, and add a little flair and personality so that your readers can get to know the person behind the pen. 

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How To Write An Author Bio – Ideas from Bestsellers

Your author bio is the perfect chance to let readers know more about you, your background, and why you’ve written your books.

But how do you make sure your bio engages people rather than repelling them?

What are the technical aspects of an author bio you need to know?

And what are some shining examples you can use to inform your own bio?

Need A Nonfiction Book Outline?

We’ve gathered together some examples to help you sell more books and turn your readers into fans. 

What is an author bio?

Where is an author bio used, what are the benefits of an author bio, how do you write an author bio.

• Author bio examples – Hal Elrod
• Author bio examples – Ramy Vance
• Author bio examples – Tony Robbins  

Action steps for your author bio

An author bio is a short piece of writing, usually between 150 and 300 words, that lets readers know more about the author whose book they are thinking of reading. 

A good author bio establishes not only who an author is, and a little bit about their life, but also why they have written the book and some of their professional achievements. 

There are lots of places where an author bio can be featured. 

Some of the most common include:

• Books. It’s rare to find a book without some kind of author bio in. This helps both readers browsing in a bookstore to know if your book is right for them, as well as people who have read the book to learn more about you.
• Retailers. A lot of online book retailers allow you to upload a bio. Amazon Author Central is a great example, but it’s common to a lot of other bookstores as well. 
• Social media. You might feature your full bio on social media, or have extracts, for example in a Twitter bio. You can also use parts of your bio as visual content, for example on Pinterest or Instagram. 
• Author websites. For established authors, a full website is a must-have. Any good author website should have a bio section where interested people can find out more. 
• Blogging biographies. If you want to post on other authors’ blogs as a guest writer, a shortened version of your bio should feature at the end of your posts and contain links to your author platform. 

A version of your bio is useful anywhere and everywhere you can think of that potential readers might want to learn more about you.

So if you’re going to take the time to write a good author bio, how can you expect to benefit? What makes it worth taking the time to craft the best bio possible?

Here are four powerful benefits of a good author bio. 

• Differentiation. It’s unlikely that your book is unique among all the books out there. Hopefully, it has a unique and fresh angle, but there are probably similar books on offer. However, there’s only one you! Your author bio makes your book stand out from others like it.
• Credibility. Your bio is a chance to show exactly why you are qualified to write that book in particular. Have you won awards? Do you have a certain educational or professional background that makes you suitable? Don’t brag, but calmly and clearly state your relevant achievements. 
• Connection. You can also use your author bio as a way to offer a bit of flavor about your life and who you are. If you’re humorous, show it! You can form a sense of connection with readers by authentically expressing your personality and who you are.
• Platform. An author bio is also the perfect place to promote your wider platform. You can include links to your author website, social media handles, Goodreads page, or anywhere else that people can deepen their connection to you.

 Of course, you only get these benefits if you write your bio the right way. A bad or boring author bio only risks alienating readers and dissuading them from checking out your book further. 

Now that you know exactly what an author bio is, and how it can help you succeed, let’s check out exactly how to create one.

To write an author bio, simply follow these five simple steps.

Step 1 – Read relevant bios 

It’s difficult to get a feel for the type of content found in an author bio unless you read some relevant examples in a careful, considered way. 

Take the time to read five or ten bios of authors you admire who write the same type of book as you. 

What do you notice? Is there a particular tone they all seem to take? Are the bios structured similarly? Which strike a chord with you the most, and why is that?

This step isn’t about plagiarising or copying. 

Instead, it’s about finding the type of author bio you like and find effective and then creating your own authentic version of that.  

Step 2 – Brainstorm your key points

Before you write a draft of your bio, make a list of the must-have information it will contain. 

This could include your most pertinent biographical details, lists of your awards and achievements, and a few little flavorful details to show your personality and create some rapport with your reader.

Step 3 – Draft your bio 

Now that you’ve got the list of key points to include, it’s time to shape them into a readable draft of your bio. 

But what kind of structure should you use?

As a guideline, you might find this template to be a good starting point:

• Start with a powerful and gripping introductory sentence
• State your background and how it is relevant to the book you are writing
• Show your credibility by mentioning awards and other professional achievements 
• Sprinkle in a little flavor and personality 
• End your bio on a funny note or include a link to a part of your author platform 

After you’ve finished drafting, read back over your bio. Make sure it fits with the word count guidelines and includes all the key points you hoped for. 

Step 4 – Create alternative versions 

Because author bios are fairly short, you have the luxury of being able to create several alternative versions and deciding on the best. 

You can also have slightly different bios for different purposes, such as some that are more professional and others that lean into humor to a greater extent. 

If you don’t see any value in this step, feel free to skip it. 

Step 5 – Get feedback and refine

Now that you have a series of alternative reader bios, or even just a solid draft of a single version, it’s time to get some feedback and make improvements. 

If you already have people in your network you feel would be suitable to get feedback from, by all means reach out and ask them. But don’t take the feedback of just anyone. You want to avoid people who will sugarcoat or aim to please you, as well as those who don’t read the type of book you are working on. 

Step 6 – Update your bio as needed

Your author bio isn’t something you should write and forget about. Instead, be sure to update it over time as you achieve new things. This isn’t to say that you should constantly tweak it. That would be annoying. But give it a refresh from time to time, both in terms of its content, and also to make sure it still conveys the tone you want to get across. 

Author bio examples

While it’s one thing to read some best practice tips on writing your author bio, it’s another entirely to see some effective examples from the real world. 

To get your author bio juices flowing, here are some examples from bestselling authors. 

Hal Elrod 

Hal Elrod is one of the best-known modern motivational and self-help authors. Let’s take a look at Hal’s author bio. 

“Hal Elrod is on a mission to Elevate the Consciousness of Humanity, One Person at a Time. 

As the author of one of the highest rated books on Amazon, “The Miracle Morning” (which has been translated into 37 languages, has over 3,000 five-star reviews and has impacted the lives of over 2,000,000 people in more than 70 countries)… he is doing exactly that.

What’s incredible is that Hal literally died at age 20. His car was hit head-on by a drunk driver at 70 miles per hour, his heart stopped beating for 6 minutes, he broke 11 bones and woke up after being in a coma for 6 days to be told by his doctors that he would probably never walk again.

Not only did Hal walk, he ran a 52-mile ultra-marathon and went on to became a hall of fame business achiever, international keynote speaker, author, and grateful husband & father-all before he turned 30.

Then, in November of 2016, Hal nearly died again – his kidneys, lungs, and heart were failing, and he was diagnosed with a rare, and very aggressive form of cancer and given a 30% chance of living.

After enduring the most difficult year of his life, Hal is now cancer-free and furthering his mission as the founder of The Miracle Morning book series, host of the “Achieve Your Goals” podcast, creator of the Best Year Ever [Blueprint] LIVE event, and Executive Producer of The Miracle Morning MOVIE – a documentary that reveals the morning rituals of some of the world’s most successful people.

Hal is grateful to be alive and living his mission alongside his wife and their two young children in Austin, TX.

To contact Hal about media appearances, speaking at your event, or if you just want to receive free training videos and resources, visit www.HalElrod.com .”

As you can see, Hal Elrod’s bio touches on a lot of the ideas we found in this article. 

Some of the things we most liked about it include:

• First sentence. Hal Elrod’s bio has a first sentence that is concise and tells you everything you need to know about his personal mission. 
• Emotionally engaging. By sharing details of Hal’s life, his bio takes you on an emotional journey. This makes you admire Hal and feel inspired to learn from him. 
• Small personal touches. Aside from the deeper emotional aspects, the bio contains some of the more usual personal information, such as living in Austin with his wife and kids. 
• Call to action. This bio ends with a clear call to action to visit Hal’s author website.

Ramy Vance is a self-publishing rockstar. Let’s take a look at his author bio. 

“Ramy Vance is the creator of the GoneGod World – a universe dedicated to myth, magic, mischief and mayhem. 

He lives in Edinburgh with his wife, demonic baby, monstrous 5-year old and imaginary dog.

Terrified, he pretty much stays in his office and writes.”

• Funny. This is a genuinely hilarious bio. It not only uses jokes but the humor ties in with his writing by using words like demonic and monstrous. 
• Punchy. Vance’s bio is one of the shortest on the list, clocking in at under 50 words. This is shorter than recommended, but it does a good job for a brief bio. 
• Light personal touches. You learn a little bit about Ramy’s life here, but it doesn’t bore you or give too many details. 

Tony Robbins

Tony Robbins is probably one of the best-known motivators and self-help gurus (although he doesn’t use that word) in the world. Let’s see what his author bio contains. 

“Tony Robbins is a bestselling author, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. 

For more than thirty-nine years, millions of people have enjoyed the warmth, humor, and transformational power of Mr. Robbins’s business and personal development events. 

He is the nation’s #1 life and business strategist. He’s called upon to consult and coach some of the world’s finest athletes, entertainers, Fortune 500 CEOs, and even presidents of nations. 

Robbins is the chairman of a holding company comprised of more than a dozen businesses with combined sales exceeding five billion dollars a year. 

His philanthropic efforts helped provide more than 100 million meals in the last year alone. He lives in Palm Beach, Florida.”

• Credible. Tony Robbins’ bio drips with credibility. It makes big claims but backs them up with convincing justifications. 
• Quantified. Tony’s use of numbers is great here. Mentioning “five billion dollars” and “100 million meals” is very effective. 
• Tone. The tone of Robbins’ bio is professional and concise. It’s businesslike and straight to the point. 

Hopefully, you’ve taken a lot from this guide to crafting an effective author bio. 

If you’re ready to take action and start working on your own bio, follow these five simple steps:

• Identify 10 relevant bios to read and make notes on. 
• Combine and summarize your author bio notes, looking for commonalities. 
• Bullet point the essential info for your bio. 
• Draft a bio using the structure shown above.
• List 5 people in your network you will reach out to for feedback when you have a full bio ready.

After you’ve taken that initial action, you’ll have plenty of momentum to build upon to write the full thing.

An effective author bio really can help you sell more books, so why not get started right away?

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How to Write an Author Bio: A Proven Guide with Examples

By c.s. lakin.

One of the important marketing tools a writer needs is an author bio. This descriptive bit of writing informs readers, in a few words, who you are, what you write, and what makes you unique . It’s the marquee announcing your author’s presence in the world of publishing.

Think about your author bio as your “elevator pitch” that sells you rather than your book. It may seem odd and uncomfortable penning your own biography, and writing about yourself in the third person (which is what you need to do) can make it feel even weirder.

Table of Contents

To compound matters, most of us don’t like to toot our horns and share glowing praise about ourselves. We know how off-putting it is to hear someone brag about themselves and their accomplishments.

Yet … we authors need to do just that—with at least a modicum of modesty or humility, along with professionalism. All of this in just a few lines. However, the length of your bio will vary depending on where it will appear. On sales platforms, it’s best to have at least a few paragraphs.

Some places, such as in online book catalogs, social media sites, and guest blog posts, will limit word or character count.

Hands down, your website is the place to shine on your About page.   Those first sentences are the most important—as with your book, if readers aren’t engaged right away, they’ll stop reading. Especially with nonfiction, people will quickly decide whether an author seems to have enough authority in a topic to be trusted.

In this age of speedy decisions, all it might take is a catchy, impressive author bio to get a potential reader checking out your books. How do you find the right balance? And how do you keep from boring readers?

You don’t want your bio to sound like a dry resume that features a laundry list of achievements. Yet you do need to tout the achievements or expertise that gives you credibility or clout.

How an Author Bio Can Help Your Career

Though you may not have considered this, your author bio can impact sales , draw in new readers, and affect the way potential readers formulate an opinion about you.

Yes, even just from a few lines.

Take this bio, for example, from author Maira Kalman, an Israeli-born American illustrator, writer, artist, and designer.

“She is known for her playful and witty illustrations and has been featured in publications such as The New York Times and The New Yorker .”

What kind of immediate impression do you get of her from reading this?:

In her own words: 

“born. bucolic childhood. culture-stuffed adolescence. played piano. stopped. danced. stopped. wrote. discarded writing. drew. reinstated writing. married Tibor Kalman and collaborated at iconoclastic yet successful design studio. wrote and painted children’s books. worried. took up Ping-Pong. relaxed. wrote and painted for many magazines. cofounded the Rubber Band Society. amused. children: two. dog: one.”

Maira’s creativity bounces off the page with a unique voice and flair that presents her as both funny and approachable. What’s important to note is that her bio showcases her personality and implies the tone of her work.

Author Tanya Hall, in her book Ideas, Influence & Income , states that book sales are predominately author driven. According to Verson Digital’s 2009 Survey of Book-Buying Behavior, author reputation is the most important factor in a book purchase decision, followed by personal recommendation and price .

“… It comes down to a fundamental truth in the media world: we have a huge supply of and a limited demand for content. … Reading time is limited. … Information clutter is rampant. Think about your own behavior when you’re taking in a website, a blog, or even search results. You’re in speed mode, as you need to be in order to slog through all of the noise. … You’ve got to get [people] to stop and take notice.”

Grab attention and make an impression .

What are the 5 Elements of a Perfect Author Bio

There are varying strategies on how to write a terrific bio. Some say you should start with biographical detail that supports your expertise, then add bits to help people connect with you personally.

Others suggest you start with a bang—mentioning the biggest achievements first: “#1 NYT’s best-selling author of …” followed by sales numbers and how many languages your books have been translated into.

However, Maggie Lynch, writing in the ALLi blog,   shares her results from a survey she took of her list of romance readers on what influences them to buy a book (nearly 4,000 responses), and out of fifteen ranked data points, the top three were prior familiarity with the author (68%), the book cover (53%—does that surprise you?), and a friend’s recommendation (38%).

I nterestingly, bestseller status and literary prizes ranked last (2% and <1% respectively).

That might surprise you too, as it did me.

Certainly, if you’ve hit the tops of coveted best-seller lists or have won prestigious writing awards, you’ll want to note that somewhere in your bio. Still, others state you should start with your education:

“Sally Smith is a professor of anthropology at Harvard …” followed by the title of the book or series and what it’s about.

What you don’t want to include are things that are unrelated to what you write (unless you’re trying to be funny or show a quirky side of yourself, which I particularly like when reading about an author).

Let’s look at five key elements in an author bio. Yours might include some or all of them.

1. Publishing credentials

Lisa Gardner is one of my favorite authors, and I love the way she spruces up the long list of her well-deserved achievements and published titles.

Of course, she has a shorter version of this where needed. Notice her hilariously named CTA at the end of her bio.

“Lisa Gardner, a #1 New York Times thriller novelist, began her career in food service, but after catching her hair on fire numerous times, she took the hint and focused on writing instead. A self-described research junkie, she parlayed her interest in police procedure and twisted plots into a streak of internationally bestselling suspense novels, including her most recent release, Look for Me . With over 22 million books in print, Lisa is published in 30 countries. Her success crosses into the small screen with four of her novels becoming movies ( At the Midnight Hour ; The Perfect Husband ; The Survivors Club ; Hide ) and personal appearances on television shows (TruTV; CNN). Lisa Gardner’s novels have also received awards from across the globe. Her novel The Neighbor won the Best Novel from the International Thriller Writers while also receiving the Grand Prix des Lectrices de Elle, in France. She was also recognized with the Daphne du Maurier Award for The Other Daughter in 2000. Finally, Lisa received the Silver Bullet Award in 2017, in honor of her work on behalf of at-risk children and the Humane Society. Readers are invited to get in on the fun by entering the annual “Kill a Friend, Maim a Buddy” Sweepstakes at LisaGardner.com , where they can nominate the person of their choice to die in Lisa’s latest novel. Every year, one Lucky Stiff is selected for Literary Immortality. It’s cheaper than therapy, and you get a great book besides. Lisa lives in New Hampshire with her family and an assortment of crazy canines.”

2. Review blurbs by influential people

You can start your bio with an endorsement, or put it after your self-description, as Jake Needham does:

“Jake Needham is an American screen and television writer who began writing crime novels when he realized he didn’t really like movies and television all that much. Since then, he has published eleven titles in The Mean Streets Crime Novels series. “Jake Needham’s the real deal,” says Brendan DuBois, New York Times bestselling author with James Patterson of The First Lady.” His characters are moral men and women struggling in an increasingly immoral world, his suspense and plotting are top-notch, and his writing is exquisitely fine. Highly, highly recommended. For nearly thirty years, Jake lived and worked in Europe and Asia. Now he, his wife, and their two sons divide their time between their homes in Washington DC and on the Gulf of Thailand. You can learn more about Jake Needham at his official website: www.JakeNeedhamNovels.com .”

To me, that last paragraph could be replaced by something more entertaining than the list of places he’s lived, which likely don’t influence his stories in any direct way—or, if they do, it would help to know how and why.

3. Expertise and work experience

  It’s common to see bios begin with the author’s date of birth. Is that really something potential readers care about and will be impressed by?

I think not.

Having decades of experience in life isn’t going to intrigue readers as much as decades specializing in a field that pertains to their book.

Someone whose career as an astronaut launched her into space and who logged time on the International Space Station brings credibility to her thriller set on a space station.

Check out Sean Black’s bio:

“Sean Black grew up in Scotland, studied film in New York, and wrote [sic] the screenplays for many of Britain’s best-known TV dramas. To research the first two Ryan Lock thrillers, he underwent weeks of intensive bodyguard training and spent time inside America’s most dangerous maximum security prison, Pelican Bay Supermax in California. In Gridlock , he takes his readers deep inside the murky world of America’s multi-billion-dollar adult entertainment industry.”

By adding that bit about what he went through to do his research, he sparks interest and inspires respect for his diligence to get the facts straight before writing his novels .

Here’s another example of sharing expertise with a dash of humor to liven up what might be construed as a dry list of experiences:

“Z. Kelly is the author of the Hollywood Alphabet Thriller Series. He spent over thirty years in the field of law enforcement. His experience includes dealing with felony offenders, making sentencing recommendations to the courts, running a jail, and developing innovative programs to keep our streets safe. His law enforcement experience was in Southern California, not too far from the famous Sunset Strip, and includes run-ins with some of America’s craziest criminals, not to mention a few wannabe actors, and even an Oscar-award winner!”

Phillip Margolin’s bio succinctly ties in some of his best-selling titles with the trademark element of his series, with a nod to his expertise and background that gives him credibility:

“Phillip Margolin has written nineteen novels, many of them New York Times bestsellers, including his latest novels Woman with a Gun, Worthy Brown’s Daughter, Sleight of Hand , and the Washington trilogy. Each displays a unique, compelling insider’s view of criminal behavior, which comes from his long background as a criminal defense attorney who has handled thirty murder cases. Winner of the Distinguished Northwest Writer Award, he lives in Portland, Oregon.”

A section of Kathy Reichs’s very long bio (which contains an impressive list of publications), shares her extensive and fascinating work experience (and it continues on way beyond this excerpt):

“Dr. Reichs is also a producer of the hit Fox TV series Bones , which is based on her work and her novels. From teaching FBI agents how to detect and recover human remains, to separating and identifying commingled body parts in her Montreal lab, as a forensic anthropologist Kathy Reichs has brought her own dramatic work experience to her mesmerizing forensic thrillers. For years she consulted to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in North Carolina, and continues to do so for the Laboratoire de Sciences Judiciaires et de Médecine Légale for the province of Québec. Dr. Reichs has travelled to Rwanda to testify at the UN Tribunal on Genocide, and helped exhume a mass grave in Guatemala. As part of her work at JPAC (Formerly CILHI) she aided in the identification of war dead from World War II, Korea, and Southeast Asia. Dr. Reichs also assisted with identifying remains found at ground zero of the World Trade Center following the 9/11 terrorist attacks.”

An author with such intriguing and relevant work experience is smart to include it in her bio.

You may not think you have any expertise worth including, but, with some creative effort, you might find something in your past that influenced the writing of, say, your novel about alien invasions.

Spending a good portion of your childhood on the roof with a cheap telescope looking for ET will at very least express your enthusiasm (or obsession) for the topic.

4. Humor and cleverness

  Brian Rathbone keeps his bio short and eclectic:

“#1 International bestselling fantasy author Brian Rathbone is a bit odd. After growing up training standardbred racehorses, he went to work at a nuclear plant before helping to build the Internet. When he isn’t writing, Brian tells a few too many bad dragon jokes on Twitter and spends a lot of time thinking about unicorns.”

Granted, Brian’s bio could shed light on the types of stories he’s written (other than just stating they’re fantasy), but he’s opted with tickling readers’ fancies in the hopes that will be enough to check out his novels.

Here’s another short and fun bio that mixes expertise with humor and personal tastes:

“Jerry Hatchett is a digital forensic expert who works cases across the country and around the world. A lifelong technogeek, he has also consulted for hit TV shows like The Blacklist , Blind Spot , and more. When not forensicating or writing, he loves reading other authors, watching great movies, and trying to survive his too-smart dog Data.”

A famous author (whose real name is Daniel Handler) focuses solely on being clever, not needing (or wanting) to spend time listing all his many best-selling novels and the dozens of languages they’ve been translated into:

“Lemony Snicket had an unusual education which may or may not explain his ability to evade capture. He is the author of the 13 volumes in A Series of Unfortunate Events, several picture books including The Dark , and the books collectively titled All The Wrong Questions.”

While giving a lengthy personal history of your life might be wholly unrelated to your books, it can amuse readers who find the author’s voice engaging into wanting to know more. Take  for example:

“Raised in the Cascade Mountains of Oregon, William Kent Krueger briefly attended Stanford University—before being kicked out for radical activities. After that, he logged timber, worked construction, tried his hand at free-lance journalism, and eventually ended up researching child development at the University of Minnesota. He currently makes his living as a full-time author. He’s been married for over 40 years to a marvelous woman who is a retired attorney. He makes his home in St. Paul, a city he dearly loves. Krueger writes a mystery series set in the north woods of Minnesota. His protagonist is Cork O’Connor, the former sheriff of Tamarack County and a man of mixed heritage—part Irish and part Ojibwe. His work has received a number of awards, including the Minnesota Book Award, the Loft-McKnight Fiction Award, the Anthony Award, the Barry Award, the Dilys Award, and the Friends of American Writers Prize. His last eight novels were all New York Times bestsellers.”

  Interesting that, instead of starting with his acclaim, he launches into some of his unrelated work experience in an effort to be personable and come across as an eclectic guy.

5. Calls to Action (CTAs)

  Here’s Kelly Collins’s author bio, which bolts out the gate with a CTA:

“ Like FREEBIES? Join the VIP readers at bit.ly/KellyCollinsVIP for members-only exclusives! ~ Tip: Just hit “FOLLOW” for notifications about deals and new releases! ~ Kelly Collins is an international bestselling author of over two dozen novels. Her two most popular series, The Aspen Cove Romance Series and The Second Chance Series feature irresistibly hot small-town heroes and sassy quick-witted heroines who find love in unlikely places. When not reading or writing romances, Kelly can be found walking the Colorado trails with her friends, sitting in front of her favorite slot machine in Cripple Creek, or sneaking into her favorite donut shop. She can also be found on: FACEBOOK – http://facebook.com/AuthorKelleyCollins TWITTER – http://twitter.com/kcollinsauthor INSTAGRAM – http://instagram.com/authorkellycollins You can learn more about Kelly at www.authorkellycollins.com “

Notice how she starts off with an offer, then shares her success (international bestselling author), followed by the names of her series, and a fun, sassy description of the kind of stories she writes.

Adding that personal section humanizes her so her bio isn’t just a list of her products. She wraps up by making it easy for readers to find and follow her.

Final Thoughts on Your Author Bio

It’s easy to impress readers with a long list of awards and successes.

But what if you aren’t there yet? What if you’ve only just published your first book? What if you’re not an expert in anything? How can you make your author bio impressive and engaging?

Focus on the elements of humor, creativity, and cleverness that help showcase your author voice .

And share something intriguing about your book that might make it stand out.

Author John Gwynne has published two novels, and while he doesn’t have a long list of awards, he’s created a nice blend of background, personal information, and modest acclaim for his first book:

“John Gwynne studied and lectured at Brighton University. He’s been in a rock ’n roll band, playing the double bass, travelled the USA and lived in Canada for a time. He is married with four children and lives in Eastbourne, running a small family business rejuvenating vintage furniture. His first novel, Malice , won the David Gemmell Morningstar award for best debut fantasy. Valour is his second novel.”

Joel Pitney, marketer, writes:

“Some authors don’t feel like they have enough to say about themselves; but just the fact that you’ve written a book makes you important enough to have at least a 3-4 line bio! Think creatively about what elements of who you are might be of interest to readers; don’t be shy!”

Don’t forget to regularly update your bio .

When you have new releases come out, a great new review blurb, win an award or hit the top of a best-seller list, go find all the places your bio is posted and update it. How to find all those places? The easiest way is to keep a spreadsheet listing them and their links. These include social media sites like Twitter and Facebook, your website, all sales platforms (Amazon, Apple iBooks, Kobo, etc.), and anywhere else your books are promoted or mentioned (that you have control over).

Try running your bio by some friends and see what they like or don’t like about it. If you really feel stuck, consider hiring an editor or a marketing-savvy copywriter. If you write in multiple genres, you may want to tweak the content and tone of each to be best suited for that genre.

For my fantasy novels, I mention that I write in other genres but don’t list those titles. For my nonfiction, my bio is all about my teaching expertise, the type of books (writing craft), and my related work as a writing coach and instructor.

While your bio may be one of the shortest pieces of writing you ever do, don’t discount its importance. A weak or boring bio might be off-putting to potential readers, but a glowing, creative bio could result in countless new fans of your books.

Put the time in and do it right!

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How To Write An Author’s Biography—7 Best Facets To Share With Readers

• August 9, 2022

Writing an author bio is a crucial step in your writing career. 

How your bio is written will give publishers, critics, and readers their first impression of you. 

So, how do you portray yourself well in a short bio using 100-200 words, which is the standard author bio length?

Beyond the word limit, how do you write an author bio that makes an impact? Check out the tips and advice below, followed by examples of quality author bios from which to take inspiration.

If you are at a loss about how to write an author’s biography for your originally published work, this article is for you.

How to write an author’s biography

Readers, literary agents, and publishing companies want to know who you are. Artists are also businesses unto themselves, and a great pitch is key to good business. 

Consider your author bio as your sales pitch. Why should a reader read your work ? What’s in it for literary agents and publishers?

How many words are in an author bio?

A typical author bio is only around 100 words. As a writer, you know that 100 words are very few to share your entire life experience.

The challenge in writing your own bio lies in condensing all the critical, relevant, and interesting information about yourself in such a short passage.

What to include in an author bio

With all the information about your life, which is relevant to most readers and will pique their interests?

1. Your background 

Where are you from? And where do you live now? 

Readers often naturally resonate with those from their hometown or favorite city. Your home and current city/country are one line in your bio and may be condensed to half a sentence (examples to follow).

2. Personal background

Who are you, and what made you that way? What experiences have you had that relate to your book’s theme or story?

What do you love to write about? Are you into creative writing focusing on poetry? What’s your niche, your style, your inspiration?

How about your relevant work experience? Have you worked in publishing? Have you been featured in reputable literary journals or magazines? 

Use the questions and suggestions above as a guide. You don’t have to include all this information, or you can include more. 

The critical thing to remember is to keep everything simple and concise.

Follow the basic author bio template outlined below to get started.

Start your author bio a strong opening line. This is the reader’s first point of contact with who you are, so make it relevant and memorable. 

Consider mentioning where you’re from to connect with potential locals or establish yourself as a member of a cultural scene. 

New York City and Portland, Oregon are famous scenes for writers, and mentioning that you’re from there (as long as you really are!) can improve how a potential reader views you and your work.

4. Reputation and achievements

After your introduction, show off your previous experience and success by mentioning awards you’ve won or for which you’ve been nominated and previous work published. 

Highlighting your achievements in your author bio instills confidence in the readers that your work is high quality and worth their time.

5. Why should readers consider your work?

Now that you’ve introduced yourself and highlighted your achievements, it’s time to show potential readers why you’re a credible author in your niche. How does your experience make you an authority in the subject? 

You do not need to be a published author of ten books just to be able to show your authority in the field or genre you’ve chosen.

If you write about war, were you in service? If you write about art, are you an artist or art critic? Help readers feel confident by establishing your authority in your particular field or niche through your author bio.

6. Themes, style, genre

You’ve shown the reader why you can write about the niche. Now it’s time to offer them even more information about what to expect for your work. 

Over the next line or two, outline your style and themes. 

Are you in to creative writing or are you more focused on academic writing?

Do you mostly write contemporary romance? Historical fiction? Satire? 

Readers often choose books by their genre of preference, so it’s essential to highlight your genre , themes, and style in your author bio. Doing so attracts already-interested readers, whereby your style and themes are major selling points.

7. Off-time

What do you do when you’re not writing? You’re human, so you have other qualities, hobbies, and passions beyond your career. 

Using your author bio, let readers know what your personal interests are, the activities you like to do in your spare time or causes you are passionate about. 

Relatability is vital in readers’ purchasing decisions, so get vulnerable and show a more intimate side of yourself in your bio.

The template

Here are some helpful templates to give you an idea on how to structure your author bio:

[Author] was born in [location] and now resides in [location]. Known for their works [book title] and [book title] (or) published in [journal/publication], [author] has a lot to offer fans of [genre].

Having worked as [experience], [Author] offers experience-based insight into the world of [topic/niche]. [Author] explores [themes] with style, wit, and grace.

In their spare time, [Author] likes to spend time on [hobbies].

The above is a basic author bio template but a good starting point. Use the template to write your own author bio but feel free to edit and change the structure and content as you see fit.

Author bios: First person or third person?

Authors often write their own bios but write in the third person because doing so reads well and helps you sound more reputable and established. 

If you write in the first person (using ‘I’ statements), it’s too easy to sound overconfident and conceited. 

Keeping the bio narrative in the third person makes it much easier to talk yourself up without sounding arrogant or ‘tooting your own horn.’

The importance of an author bio

Your bio serves as a type of business card. 

A bio is crucial, whether as self publishing authors or as someone who published traditionally. It informs potential readers of your background, style, and character. 

Essentially, your bio is a sales pitch, one of y our book marketing tools. It’s the ‘why’ regarding a reader’s decision to read or purchase your work. 

Your bio helps you establish and improve your reputation, by putting forward a specific perspective on who you are.

Credibility and authority

What qualifies you to write about your niche or topic? If you write a book about travel and you inform readers of your extensive traveling experience, that gives your credibility and authority on the subject.

Readers are more likely to engage with your book if you write a non-fiction book about self-care and have experience working as a therapist or counselor.

Similarly, suppose you inform readers of your past success, such as getting published in a reputable literary journal or magazines like the Wall Street Journal or USA Today. In that case, they feel more confident that your work is worth their time and money.

Relatability

Famous authors such as Stephen King or Haruki Murakami don’t need to rely on their author bio as much as lesser-known or first-time authors. 

Such authors already have an established reputation that gives readers confidence and interest. 

However, if you’re a first-time freelance writer or don’t have the level of fame as the authors mentioned, your bio is how you instill confidence in the reader.

If a reader chooses to read work by an author whom they’ve never heard of, they naturally want to know more about said author. 

In what ways can you relate to the reader? For example, if you write a psychology book about anxiety, your experiences of struggling with and overcoming fear will be incredibly relevant and relatable information for the reader.

Several factors influence a potential reader’s purchasing decision when interested in a book from an author they’ve never heard. Book marketing covers a wide range of tools and activities.

These factors are often surface level, such as the book cover , the size of the book, and how they heard about it in the first place. 

Another major factor is the author’s bio. Your bio is not the same as other ‘hard sell’ marketing tactics, but rather a soft sell, a gentle persuasion to give your work a chance.

Examples of Author Bios

If you want to write a killer bio, it’s wise to take inspiration from great author bio examples. 

Below we’ve included the author bios of renowned authors John Scalzi ( Old Man’s War ,  Redshirts) , June Hur (The Silence of Bones, The Forest of Stolen Girls), and John Grisham (The Pelican Brief).

John Scalzi

John Scalzi writes books, which makes perfect sense considering where you’re reading this. He’s best known for writing science fiction, including the New York Times bestseller Redshirts, which won the Hugo Award for Best Novel. He also writes non-fiction on subjects ranging from personal finance to astronomy to film and was the Creative Consultant for the Stargate: Universe television series. He enjoys pie, as should all right-thinking people. You can get to his blog by typing the word “Whatever” into Google. No, seriously, try it.

Scalzi’s wit shines in his opening line. Following the opener, we learn about his genre (sci-fi), previously published work, and literary achievements. 

Finally, he adds more humor to give the reader a warm, soft giggle. Scalzi’s personality shines through his bio and earns him the positive reputation he boasts today.

June Hur was born in South Korea and raised in Canada, except when she moved back to Korea and attended high school there. She studied History and Literature at the University of Toronto. She began writing her debut novel after obsessing over books about Joseon Korea. She can be found wandering through nature or journaling at a coffee shop when she’s not writing. June is the Author of The Silence of Bones and The Forest of Stolen Girls and currently lives in Toronto with her husband and daughter.

June Hur’s opening byline offers a crash course in her background. Following her opener, we learn about her education and early days as a writer. 

What makes June Hur’s bio so great is that it offers readers a peek into her personal life outside of writing, which makes her more three-dimensional and relatable.

John Grisham

John Grisham is the author of forty-seven consecutive #1 bestsellers, which have been translated into nearly fifty languages. His recent books include The Judge’s List, Sooley, and his third Jake Brigance novel, A Time for Mercy, which is being developed by HBO as a limited series. Grisham is a two-time winner of the Harper Lee Prize for Legal Fiction and was honored with the Library of Congress Creative Achievement Award for Fiction. When he’s not writing, Grisham serves on the board of directors of the Innocence Project and of Centurion Ministries, two national organizations dedicated to exonerating those who have been wrongfully convicted. Much of his fiction explores deep-seated problems in our criminal justice system. John lives on a farm in central Virginia.

Grisham’s bio highlights his writing achievements and provides the reader with a sense of his credibility. The personal details of his life emphasize his belief in justice and equality. 

Grisham’s bio adds a personal touch that also makes him relatable – he offers the reader information about his home – a bit of information that also helps him come across as relatable to the reader, even amongst all of his accomplishments.

Your author biography is never really finished. The more you write , the more experience you gain, and the greater your reputation, the more you can adapt and come up with your own killer author bio.

Even if you’re a first-time author, don’t be intimidated by the bio. You may not have much experience now, but you can still introduce readers into your life and experience. In time, you will establish yourself as a respectable authority in your niche.

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Ultimate Tips to Write A Quality Author Bio That Engages Readers

• August 19, 2024

You have navigated through your first draft, nailing every hint in the self-published book process while writing a genuinely compelling novel full of Action and Adventure or Historical Fiction.

Suddenly, you hit stop when you get to the last step: write an author’s short bio .

Dealing with this final step in the writing process can send shivers down the line for a novice author when he asks, “how to write an author bio without any writing experience?”

Writing an unpublished author bio is not as complicated as it first appears. After all, an author has to start somewhere!

Think about it…

…all great authors have to write their first book at some point, which means they face the same problem of how to write an author bio without experience.

Without a doubt, these great writers also struggled to resolve their dilemmas but managed to advance and establish incredible literary careers just like you.

Page Contents

An Author Bio: Bio About Yourself

The author’s bio includes a few short introductory paragraphs for the reader. It does not need to focus solely on your professional writing career; the best author bios also give a personal touch.

You can mention your hobbies, family life or include some interesting narrations about yourself.

It is about engaging your target audience with relevant and interesting information about you that could help you stand out from other authors in your niche.

Top 6 Tips On How To Write An Author Bio

Authentic and well-polished Author Profiles allow authors to interact with more and more readers.

Whether you are writing a short paragraph to include at the end of a recently completed novel or editing the “About Yourself” page on your website, it is significant to avoid misquoting yourself in an author bio.

The “ About Us ” page is one of the most visited pages on the website, right behind the home page. Moreover, if your readers want to know more about you, one of the first places they will look is an author bio, which is often found at the bottom of a book, as well as any website or social media links. It is also a place to establish your brand and stand apart from others.

Read on for some tips on how to write a bio for work to make it easy for readers to connect with your work and you as well.

1.    Start With An Introductory Byline

Experts encourage authors to start their writer’s bio with a byline (one-liner) that summarizes their profile and the titles of the latest publications.

For example,

“Jane Doe is a professor of anthropology at UCLA and author of Insights into Our Past: Tracing the Legacy of Intergenerational Trauma in the United States in the 19th Century.”

“Jane Doe is a poet, author, and writer. New novel We Were Schon There.”

If you are using this bio digitally, put the book title on the sales page, such as Amazon or the author’s website, and do not forget to link.

It is also a good practice to add titles such as “ Award Winning ” and “ Best Seller ” to the byline, if applicable to your expertise.

The great thing about writing the byline as an opener is that it can also be used as a short biography for guest articles and social media.

2.    Think Of Your Readers

It may sound counter-intuitive, but the focus does not always have to be on you when you write an author bio. You should think about your ideal readers and how best to interact with them.

What do they want to know about you?

What motivates them to buy more books from you?

For example , a reader of a personal finance book may want to know about the author’s qualifications. Fiction readers will want to understand more about the author’s writing journey.

No matter what genre of writing you write, you should take the time to figure out who your ideal audience is and then create a self bio specifically tailored to their interests and needs.

This way, you can make your author bios much more engaging and make it easier to connect with your target audience.

3.    Create a Compelling Story

Instead of writing an author’s biography detailing degrees, titles, and other facts, focus on creating compelling stories.

Depending on your ideal audience, this story could explain how you became the writer you are today.

If you are a non-fiction writer, you can tell a story about how you gained knowledge in your field.

Again, it is significant to consider the ideal reader. Which stories are most interesting to them?

To understand what stories should be included in the author’s biography, answer the following questions: 

• What unique skills do you bring to the writing community?
• Have you had any experiences that have had a significant impact on you as a reader and writer?
• Why is it important to tell a story?
• What are you passionate about?
• What are you standing for?
• How can your work help readers?

Answering one or more of these questions on the author’s biography or ‘About Us’ page can go deeper than talking about your degree or residence. This way, you are actually giving your readers a reason to contact you.

4.    Discuss Your Accomplishments

The author’s biography is a great place to talk about your achievements, but do not overdo it.

“People don’t want to read long bios! Keep it under 300 words. Only include relevant materials and be as succinct as possible. If you have won many awards, for example, only include the most impressive ones. The same goes if you’ve published a couple of books; only include your most successful three.”

– Joel Pitney

For short biographies of authors (such as those on the back of a book), you should only talk about recent or significant achievements or awards, such as literary awards. Alternatively, you may include the most recently published books .

Often authors have a separate page with awards on their website for not cluttering the ‘About me page.

If you have a massive list of achievements and rewards and you want to share it on your website for your readers, consider creating a separate page. This way, your readers can focus on sharing fascinating stories without worrying about touching long lists.

5.    Choose the Correct Point of View

“First-person voice is fine for your website, but for everywhere else, make it 3rd person. It’s more professional.”

Short biography (sometimes longer) of authors are usually written in the third person. An article, book, or blog bio is written in a general format that you might find at them the end of the book or article. 

However, the ‘About Me’ page on the author’s site is slightly different. It can be written in the third or first person, but it is most often used in the first person as this particular perspective creates a more friendly and personal tone.

Whichever point of view you choose to write the author’s biography, you must be yourself! Do not pretend you are not. And don’t be afraid to have fun.

Depending on your ideal reader, you can also share some fun facts about yourself. You may also want to share cute photos of your dog or cat (who does not love pet photos?). The main thing here is to stand out from your readers.

6.    End With An Appealing CTA

Finally, it is always helpful to include a powerful call to action (CTA) at the end of the author’s bio. CTA may include the following links:

• Newsletter signup form
• Author’s website and social media pages
• Next book in a series you are currently writing
• A Contact form or email address where readers can reach you

With these calls to action, you invite readers to your community, Sign up and be fully engaged with you and your work.

Author Bio Examples:

Keeping author bio concise, author Farrah Rochon has described her personality.

“A native of south Louisiana, USA…”

The first thing she has started by telling her readers about where she resides.

She doesn’t use a complete design from where she belongs to.

“..Today Bestselling author Farrah Rochon…”

Secondly , it refers that she is selling a large portion of copies from her masterpieces.

“…officially began her writing career while waiting in between classes in the student lounge at the Xavier University of Louisiana…”

The third point of concern is she is a graduate of the Xavier University of Louisiana. In addition, in the fourth thing , she has mentioned the time of attraction towards her career.

…After earning her Bachelor of Science degree from Xavier and a Masters of Arts from Southeastern Louisiana University…

After that, she has done a master’s degree from Southeastern Louisiana University. She has not listed her accomplishments but has formed a storyboard to engage and hook the reader.  You may get inspiration from this fifth point .

“…Farrah decided to pursue her lifelong dream of becoming a published novelist…”

She has explained here about her career path to kicking start with. Of course, the sixth point is about her experience, or call it a journey.

“She was named Shades of Romance Magazine’s Best New Author of 2007…”

Her first accomplishment; point seven !

“…Her debut novel…Choice Awards…”

And point eight , about her later rewards.

Moreover, the paragraph ends here. See, she has talked about the past till now. She has not added anything about her today’s life about what she is today.

The first paragraph should always focus on the background of an author. Now, moving towards her second listing, of course, paragraph.

“…When she is not … shows as her budget will allow…”

Point nine . About her hobbies!

“An admitted sports fanatic, Farrah feeds her addiction to football … Sunday afternoons…”

Point ten , a hook to her hobbies, also refers to her addiction.

Finally, where she works or where she stands today – point eleven.

“Farrah is represented by Evan Marshall … Agency…”

So these were the eleven points about her. If we consider her each hobby, it would be eighteen points , she has mentioned about herself. Knowing at least eighteen things about your cherished writer is worth it, doesn’t it?

So what do you conclude from her bio? Ask yourself. Well, we learned how to write a short author bio, and here is what we saw (to list a few):

• A story tale
• A summary of her career
• A third person voice
• usage of different worlds
• Personalization

For non-fiction authors, the author’s biography is an important marketing tool. Because who you are is often as important as the content of your masterpiece whether it is a book, article, or a website “About Me” page.

To write a good author bio, you need to know your audience, work on your genre, brag (but not too much), be concise, and encourage your readers to act.

In brief, the steps in this post describe all the steps you need to take to get started writing your author’s biography. See them when you start writing and you have a convincing author biography that should make it easier to sell more books.

“Reading is an intimate endeavor in which the reader and the author are engaged in a kind of relationship. So, it’s important to provide potential readers with the chance to get a sense of who you are and why you have the authority/expertise to write about a particular topic before they pick up your book.”

Also Read: How Much a Professional Author Earn Per Book

Ready to write an author bio?

Get assistance from Mczell Book Writing – an online book writing service . All you need to do is provide them with your capabilities and expertise – no matter what you write or how you do – not only they will help you with an engaging and most appealing headline for your bio, but they will ensure to make your bio as concise as readers love. And of course, engagement of your targeted audience is their promise.

Happy writing!

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How To Write a Great Author Bio: In 6 Simple Steps

A great author bio should be many things—quirky, memorable, and bursting with personality. But writing an effective one—especially for the first time—can be very difficult.

When you’re an indie author, self-promotion is the name of the game. You need to learn about getting good at tooting your own horn and  bragging  about yourself at every turn to your fans and  potential readers . There’s no room for shy people in the world of  book marketing  and  self-publishing .

Therefore one of the first things you need to write  before  attempting your  first book  is an effective  author bio . This is absolutely essential for your book’s  back cover , your  author’s website , your book’s  blurb , and many more. But not many authors can pull it off. Many  first-time  authors also think they don’t have anything to put into a bio, but you have an active imagination and writing chops! You’ll come up with something!

To help, here are some actionable tips on how to spruce up your  author bio  and make it pop.

• 1. Write Your Author Biography In The Third Person
• 2. Get a Good Headshot Picture
• 3. Collect Your Award-Winning Accolades Together

4. Avoid Any Unnecessary Details

• 5. Set Up Your Amazon Author Page

6. Try To Avoid Excessive Bio Text By Directing People To Your Website Instead

• Three Good Author Bio Examples

How To Write a Great Author Bio

1. write your  author biography  in the  third person.

Your bio should always follow the same  writing style   template . First, always write in the  third person , not the  first person . So instead of “I have written 17 books”, say “<your name> has written 17 books.” It just sounds more professional.

This is my standard  template  —

Mark O’Neill has been writing in one form or another for the past 30 years as an author, journalist, copywriter, and editor. He’s now an independently published fiction writer, currently working on the Department 89 espionage novels starring the female spy Captain Sophie Decker. The first D89 book, “The Renegade Spy” was downloaded more than 4,000 times in the first 4 weeks, and has received Bookworks’ “Book Of The Week” Award. Mark’s second book “The Reichsbank Gold” received the Readers Choice Award. You can visit Mark at his website at markoneill.org

When writing your bio, remember that it will be picked up by search engines, so always keep SEO in mind at all times. You need to mention your full name, the name of your  first book , and the name of your series (if you’re writing one). Always ask yourself  “if I was searching for me, what terms would I be putting into Google?”

As well as a long bio (which ideally shouldn’t be more than 150-200 words at most), you should also write a  short bio . This is just three lines at the most, which can be used on  social media  profiles and mentions on websites where you’ve made a  podcast  appearance, or written a guest article, for example. Here is a good example from indie author Joanna Penn.

“NY Times & USA Today Bestselling Thriller Author JFPenn.com. Creative Entrepreneur.  Podcaster . Professional speaker. INFJ. Travel junkie.” Joanna Penn

Short, succinct, and to the point.

2. Get a Good  Headshot  Picture

Unless you want to be shrouded in mystery and stay anonymous, the first step is to put a face to the name. The key to selling lots of books is to develop a personal connection to the reader. A picture can definitely help with that. I have a personal preference for black-and-white pictures, but colour is equally good.

The only time you should consider a non-serious picture is if you’re writing a  children’s book . Then you can probably get away with a bright bow-tie and a goofy grin. Otherwise, keep the picture serious and professional. Mid-chest up with a focus on the face, and wear plain professional-looking clothing. If you know a Photoshop guru, ask them to touch up the photo afterward to get rid of any imperfections.

Although smartphone cameras are becoming insanely good these days, you should always opt for a professional photographer instead. Trust me, your readers will notice the difference between a professional set-up and a selfie. In the early days, when I used selfies, people knew instantly that I had taken it — because the reflection of my phone was in my glasses lenses. Don’t make the same mistake I did!

3. Collect Your  Award-Winning   Accolades  Together

As I said at the beginning, an  author bio  is no time to be modest. If you’ve won awards, then now’s the time to knock the dust off them and show them off. Not everyone can claim to be on the bestseller lists for  the New York Times ,  USA Today , or the  Wall Street Journal . Especially if you’re an indie author. But even just the smallest awards signal to potential new readers that your work has been appreciated and recognized, and maybe they should give your books a go. Remember,  if you project success, you’ll have success.

If you’ve sold a lot of books, don’t be reluctant to call yourself a “ bestselling author ” either. I know indie authors with “imposter syndrome” who are petrified of being mocked for calling themselves that. Don’t be. If you’ve earned it, use it. There’s no better marketing line for your  next book .

If Writing  Non-Fiction , List Your Qualifications

If you’re writing a  non-fiction book , the rules are slightly different because people will want to know your qualifications. Especially if you’re advancing a controversial theory about the US President being a lizard person in disguise, advancing the worldwide cause of all lizards. People will want to know what makes you qualified to make such a bold claim. Otherwise, why should they listen to you?

Non-fiction authors  need to list their qualifications, including all university degrees and relevant work experience. So if you’ve worked at the White House and seen the President in lizard form, that makes you “credible” on the  subject matter . Working the drive-through counter at Mcdonald’s doesn’t. Graduating with an  MFA  is relevant, graduating from the “University of Life” doesn’t.

And while you’re at it, if you have any  memberships  of relevant professional associations, throw those in too, as well as professional titles such as Professor or Doctor. Remember, project success, have success!

For example, here’s the bio for historian Doris Kearns Goodwin. After reading that, you can see she is more than qualified.

Doris Kearns Goodwin’s interest in leadership began more than half a century ago as a professor at Harvard. Her experiences working for LBJ in the White House and later assisting him on his memoirs led to her bestselling Lyndon Johnson and the American Dream. She followed up with the Pulitzer Prize–winning No Ordinary Time: Franklin & Eleanor Roosevelt: The Home Front in World War II. Goodwin earned the Lincoln Prize for the runaway bestseller Team of Rivals, the basis for Steven Spielberg’s Academy  Award-winning  film Lincoln, and the Carnegie Medal for The Bully Pulpit,  the New York Times  bestselling chronicle of the friendship between Theodore Roosevelt and William Howard Taft. Doris Kearns Goodwin

One of the traps that many  first-time  authors fall into is thinking that the reader needs to know certain irrelevant details about them. Instead of keeping the focus on what’s relevant, the author makes a sudden right-turn and veers off into Crazytown.

For example, nobody needs to know you enjoy reading. That much is assumed by the fact you’re an author. You also don’t need to tell them you wrote  short stories  at  high school  or won a  creative writing  contest at the age of 12. Again, your writing skills are assumed by the fact you’ve written a novel. There’s no need to belabor the point.

Many authors also like to  brag  about how many rejections they got after their  query letter  got binned by a traditional publisher. As if it’s a badge of honour. You can leave that part out too. Nobody cares.

However, that’s not to say your  author bio  has to be as boring as watching paint dry. The first version of my  author bio  mentioned that I was a “tea-drinking obsessed author writing to pay my dog’s food bills.” Some readers loved that. You just have to not go totally crazy with this kind of stuff.

5. Set Up Your  Amazon   Author Page

Once you have your  author bio  written, it’s time to add it to your  Amazon   author page . When it comes to online publishing,  Amazon  is the one place where you need to get the  author bio  absolutely perfect, because a lot of your sales will be coming from Jeff Bezos.

If you haven’t already set up your  author page  on  Amazon , you can do so by  going here . It’s completely free, and by not doing it, you’re missing a golden marketing opportunity. What’s even cooler is that you can put translations of your  author bio  into the relevant boxes and they will appear on the relevant foreign  Amazon  site. I’m amazed at the number of people who don’t use this feature.

It can be easy to go off and list all of your  social media  links and email list link in your  author bio . But to be honest, you can just miss all of that out and direct people to your  author’s website  instead.

This is why it’s so essential to have an  author website  — you can put everything there and direct everyone to the site with just one link. This includes  social media  accounts, email list signup widget, your media kit, and more. You might also find our guide on how to write a business proposal helpful.

Three Good  Author Bio Examples

To conclude, here are three good  author bio examples .

Daniel Silva

Daniel Silva is the  award-winning , #1 New York Times  bestselling author  of The Unlikely Spy, The Mark of the Assassin, The Marching Season, The Kill Artist, The English Assassin, The Confessor, A Death in Vienna, Prince of Fire, The Messenger, The Secret Servant, Moscow Rules, The Defector, The Rembrandt Affair, Portrait of a Spy, The Fallen Angel, The English Girl, The Heist, and The English Spy. His books are published in more than thirty countries and are bestsellers around the world. He serves on the United States Holocaust Memorial Council and lives in Florida with his wife, CNN special correspondent Jamie Gangel, and their two children, Lily and Nicholas.

Stephen King

Stephen King is the author of more than fifty books, all of them worldwide bestsellers. His first crime thriller featuring Bill Hodges, MR MERCEDES, won the Edgar Award for best novel and was shortlisted for the CWA Gold Dagger Award. Both MR MERCEDES and END OF WATCH received the Goodreads Choice Award for the Best Mystery and Thriller of 2014 and 2016 respectively.

King co-wrote the bestselling novel Sleeping Beauties with his son Owen King, and many of King’s books have been turned into celebrated films and television series including The Shawshank Redemption, Gerald’s Game and It.

King was the recipient of America’s prestigious 2014 National Medal of Arts and the 2003 National Book Foundation Medal for distinguished contribution to American Letters. In 2007 he also won the Grand Master Award from the Mystery Writers of America. He lives with his wife Tabitha King in Maine.

Bob Woodward

Bob Woodward is an associate editor of The Washington Post, where he has worked since 1971. He has shared in two Pulitzer Prizes, first in 1973 for the coverage of the Watergate scandal with Carl Bernstein, and second in 2003 as the lead reporter for coverage of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. 

He has authored or coauthored 18 books, all of which have been national  non-fiction  bestsellers. Twelve of those have been #1 national bestsellers. He has written books on eight of the most recent presidents, from Nixon to Obama.

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8 Great Author Bio Examples, Analyzed

There’s some awkwardness in composing an author bio, whether you’re an established author or a debut novelist. Its purpose is to concisely share any relevant qualifications or accolades you have, and perhaps show some personality if you feel like it and it’s genre-appropriate. The bio isn’t likely to be the deciding factor when it comes to someone choosing to buy a copy of your book (though it certainly matters more in nonfiction than fiction, where some level of expertise is expected), but it’s very much worth taking the time to write one thoughtfully, even if drawing attention to yourself makes you uncomfortable.

Since there isn’t a single right way to write a great author bio, I've collected 8 case studies that showcase the range you can work within.

1. Ruth Ozeki

“Ruth Ozeki is a novelist, filmmaker and Zen Buddhist priest. She is the author of three novels: My Year of Meats, All Over Creation and A Tale for the Time Being, which was shortlisted for the 2013 Man Booker Prize and translated into 28 languages. She has also written a short memoir, The Face: A Time Code. She is affiliated with the Everyday Zen Foundation and lives in Northampton, Massachusetts, where she teaches creative writing at Smith College and is the Grace Jarcho Ross 1933 Professor of Humanities.”

At this point in her career, Ozeki is a widely recognized writer, so her bio is less about ‘proving’ herself, and more about giving readers a sense of who she is and where her interests lie. She identifies as a filmmaker and Zen Buddhist priest, which reflects some of her passions, and prepares readers for the heartwarming, thoughtful storytelling they can find in her work.

2. Jessica Andrews

“Jessica Andrews writes fiction. Her debut novel, Saltwater, was published in 2019 and won the Portico Prize in 2020 and her second novel, Milk Teeth, was published in 2022. She is a Contributing Editor for ELLE magazine and she writes for the Guardian, the Independent, BBC Radio 4 and Stylist, among others. She was nominated for the ELLE List in 2020 and shortlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction Futures in 2022. She co-runs literary and arts magazine, The Grapevine, and co-presents literary podcast, Tender Buttons. She is a Lecturer in Creative Writing at City University, London.”

Jessica Andrews is still at the start of a promising literary career, having very recently published two novels. The range of activities she lists in her bio show a writer who’s keeping busy, relevant in the media, and quickly gathering esteem in the literary community. Experience teaching creative writing is always a persuasive note to end on — if young writers are learning the ropes of the craft with your help, that’s something that will make your readers trust your work more.

3. Gretchen McCulloch

“Gretchen McCulloch is an internet linguist and the author of Because Internet: Understanding the New Rules of Language. She is the Resident Linguist at Wired and the co-creator of Lingthusiasm, a podcast that's enthusiastic about linguistics. She lives in Montreal, but also on the internet.”

This nonfiction bio keeps it simple: the author is a linguist whose life is all about linguistics: it’s her job, as well as her hobby podcast. With the short but intriguing note at the end (“She lives in Montreal, but also on the internet.”) McCulloch succinctly hints at the playfulness and sense of humor that pervades her writing about linguistics, efficiently giving readers an idea of what her writing is like.

4. Bryan Washington

“Bryan Washington is a writer from Houston. His fiction and essays have appeared in, among other publications, the New York Times, New York Times Magazine, the New Yorker, the BBC, Vulture and the Paris Review. He's also a National Book Foundation 5 Under 35 winner, the recipient of an Ernest J. Gaines Award, a PEN/Robert W. Bingham prize finalist, a National Book Critics Circle John Leonard Prize finalist, the recipient of an O. Henry Award and the winner of the 2020 International Dylan Thomas Prize.”

This example shows how little showmanship is required when you’ve got enough accolades to pack your bio. Washington sticks to the facts, which speak for themselves. He’s been published in every writer’s dream publications , and won a series of jaw-dropping awards. There’s really no need for him to try and do anything else in this bio. He’s also writing literary fiction, the genre where prestige is most important, so this summary of his career is ready to impress any intrigued lit fic readers.

5. Ayanna Lloyd Banwo

“Ayanna Lloyd Banwo is a writer from Trinidad & Tobago. She is a graduate of the University of the West Indies and holds an MA in Creative Writing from the University of East Anglia, where she is now a Creative and Critical Writing PhD candidate. Her work has been published in Moko Magazine, Small Axe and PREE, among others, and shortlisted for Small Axe Literary Competition and the Wasafiri New Writing Prize. When We Were Birds is her first novel; she is now working on her second. Ayanna lives with her husband in London.”

Ayanna Lloyd Banwo’s bio opens by stating where she’s from, namely Trinidad and Tobago. This isn’t obligatory for all non-US or UK authors at all, but it often feels like an important thing to say if your cultural background is important to you or your work (I do it too). Beyond that, she mentions her education, showing her longtime engagement with literary work. This is a common thing to mention for young or debut authors who haven’t yet amassed award nominations, and in this case it clearly signals that Lloyd Banwo has a strong educational background, a growing publication record, and much promise for the future.

6. Rainbow Rowell

“Rainbow Rowell writes all kinds of stuff. Sometimes she writes about adults (ATTACHMENTS, LANDLINE). Sometimes she writes about teenagers (ELEANOR & PARK, FANGIRL). Sometimes — actually, a lot of the time — she writes about lovesick vampires and guys with dragon wings (THE SIMON SNOW TRILOGY). Recently, she's been writing comics, including her first graphic novel, PUMPKINHEADS, and the monthly SHE-HULK comic for Marvel. She lives in Omaha, Nebraska.”

It’s interesting to see how genre affects bios — in more commercial genres, there’s more room for authors to be informal and playful in the way they describe themselves. Here, Rainbow Rowell humorously summarizes her wide range of interests in a friendly, chatty way that appeals best to the readers of her work, be they adult readers of romance, teenage or young adult readers of YA romance or fantasy, or comic fans. She’s clearly keeping busy, and any reader of her bio knows to expect energetic, irreverent writing.

7. Elizabeth Lilly

“Elizabeth Lilly is an author-illustrator, animator, and graphic designer. Elizabeth was a reading, doodling daydreamer in high school, and, unsure of her path, went to architecture school at Virginia Tech for college. Elizabeth graduated from college in May of 2014. She now makes her stories in a little old house in the little old city of Baltimore, Maryland. Geraldine is her debut picture book.”

Speaking of playful genres, children’s books are definitely the part of the literary world where whimsical bios are most tolerated (and encouraged). Here, personality matters more than accolades, as Elizabeth Lilly’s bio shows. Lilly quickly paints a picture of her character: a reader, daydreamer, a human being finding her path. In other words, very much the imaginative and playful company you might like your child to be in, if you’re going to read a picture book together. The “little old house in the little old city of Baltimore” detail captures a sense of what her work for children will feel like: cute, warm, and welcoming.

8. Chris Power

“Chris Power is the author of A Lonely Man and Mothers, which was shortlisted for the Edge Hill Short Story Prize. He lives in London.”

This example is a reminder that bios don’t need to be paragraph-long overtures to your personal accomplishments. If you feel more comfortable keeping your bio as short as possible, that’s absolutely fine — the only two ‘compulsory’ elements are any previously published books, and if you have them, at least one award nomination or win. That’s, essentially, what a bio boils down to: past publications and social validation. If taciturn is more your style, an author bio like Chris Power’s will do the job just fine.

This is a small sample, but on book jackets out there, you’ll find an even greater variety. For inspiration, look for bios in the same genre and career stage as you, but try not to obsess about bios if you can help it. It’s worthwhile trying to write one thoughtfully, but it’s not important enough to warrant an existential crisis!

Kleopatra Olympiou is a writer of literary fiction from Cyprus, and holds an MA in Creative Writing from Durham University. She’s previously written for Electric Literature, LitReactor, and Reedsy’s blog.

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How to get published.

Publishing 101: How Books Are Published, from Author to Agent to Publisher to Reader

The process of publishing a book is complex, and first-time authors can benefit from knowing the many steps involved, and how long it can take.

You may spend years writing a book, and when you’ve finally completed a final draft that you think is good enough to go out into the world, the next step is to seek publication. If this is your first book – fiction or non-fiction – then the process of how a book gets from your manuscript into readers’ hands can be quite complex and can take a long time. It can be helpful to understand the many steps of publication, so you know what you’re in for.

Getting published for the first time

A lot of people try to write books. Very few of them complete their manuscripts, and even fewer have their books accepted for publication. If this is happening to you for the first time, you may be in for a bit of a surprise. The process of going from manuscript to bookstore can be long and complex. It can be helpful to be aware of the many steps in this process, and the milestones that you will encounter along the way.

Note this article discusses traditional publishing, not self-publishing, where the author is in charge of the entire process.

Agents: what are they good for?

The publishing process involves a series of gatekeepers to whittle down the tens or even hundreds of thousands of completed manuscripts that authors are trying to sell each year. The first such person is the literary agent, someone who assesses manuscripts for potential success and takes on promising authors. You don’t pay an agent up front – in fact, you should avoid any agent who asks for money on submission – and agents only make money if they sell your book.

Generally, agents take 15% of what you earn from your book, and, in exchange, they work with you to help revise and improve the manuscript, send finished manuscripts out to publishers, and negotiate contracts. Getting a literary agent is pretty much essential to getting published by a major press these days, and finding an appropriate agent can be difficult. You not only have to find an agent who thinks your book is great, but also one with experience with your genre or type of book. Don’t forget that it is the author who hires the agent, so you shouldn’t necessarily jump at the first nibble you get from an agent, but take your time to make sure you are compatible.

Agents pitch manuscripts to publishers. They use their experience and connections in the publishing industry to know which publishers are the best fit for your manuscript, and which individual editors your book might resonate with. Agents will send manuscripts out to multiple editors and publishers at the same time, and, if several publishers are interested, may even set up an auction. Agents may also try to sell foreign rights to publishers in other territories and languages, and try to sell film and TV rights.

The publishing process

First-time authors may be surprised at how long it takes to go from an accepted manuscript to a published book, at least with major publishers. (Small presses may work more quickly.) Once a publisher has bought a manuscript, an editor goes over the manuscript and discusses changes with the author. There can be several editing rounds, as an editor tries to help the author craft the most compelling book. In some cases, editors will suggest adding or removing characters, adding or removing major events, and re-organizing novels completely. This process can take months, depending on how quickly the author works, and how well the editor and author get along. Finally, a copy editor goes over the final manuscript to ensure that the text is correct.

The next step is designing the book. This includes the page size and font, as well as the cover, which is one of the most important elements of a book, and a key element for marketing the title. The publisher handles this and presents cover ideas to the author, who may or may not agree. But, in the end, it’s up to the publisher to determine what will help best sell the book.

Once the manuscript and cover are completed, the book has to fit into the publisher’s marketing schedule. Some books are best released in the fall, others in the new year, and others are great summer reads. The publisher determines when a book should be published, and there is a long process as this information goes through the marketing team and sales reps. The actual marketing process may start six months before the book is published, and can involve sending out ARCs (advance reading copies or review copies) to book reviewers, influencers, and bloggers. The hope is to get enough reaction to spur pre-orders for when the book is finally available.

Publication and publicity

So your book is finally published. If the advance marketing has been effective, there may be buzz online and even the occasional celebrity or influencer who mentions the new book. If enough pre-orders have been made, the book can hit a best-seller chart, which puts it in front of readers who view those lists for new reads.

Most authors don’t do book tours, but if a publisher considers a title important enough, they will help set up author events. At this point, unless a publisher paid the author a large advance, it’s up to the author to do much of the publicity. This includes online publicity, through social media such as Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, contacting bloggers and reviewers, guesting on podcasts, attending festivals, and meeting with book clubs, either in person or online.

From this point on, all that’s left is to hope that the book sells, that it sells well enough that the publisher wants another book, and that you’re satisfied with the life of your new book. And then, it’s time to get started on your next book.

Kirk McElhearn is a  writer ,  podcaster , and  photographer . He is the author of  Take Control of Scrivener , and host of the podcast  Write Now with Scrivener .

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