- A bio should be an entertaining overview of the author’s background, an approximately 200-250 word description of your writing credentials, relevant experience, and educational attainments, designed to make you sound like a person whose work would be fascinating to read. Uh, I grew up in a small town in Ohio, went to community college, and write under the pseudonym of Nora Roberts?
- Start with whatever fact is most relevant to the book at hand...... Seeing as how my current WIP is about monsters, I suppose I could mention my lifelong romance with Bigfoot. I'm not sure it's going to work out though. Ever since The Enquirer outed his lair in Butte, Montana, he never calls anymore.
- You will also want to include some of your quirks and background oddities, especially if they are relevant to the book. If my quirks and oddities aren't apparent by now, I'm certainly not going to list them.
- Mention any past publications (in general terms), columns, lecturing experience, readings, as well as what you were doing for a living at the time that you wrote the book. Well, there was that letter to the Editor I wrote for the Sunday paper extolling the virtues of chocolate as a medicinal vitamin and how it's about time the health care system started paying for it.
- You need not limit yourself to your professional achievements, either, in your quest to sound interesting. Adding a quirky hobby often works well, as long as it is true....So I guess it's okay to mention my weekend forays into iguana tossing. Hah! I knew I wasn't disturbed....just interesting.
Upon further reflection, I don't suppose I'm quite ready to write my bio quite yet.
5 comments:
Very humorous!
Actually, AAA - I think you've got the beginnings of a smashing bio right there. Care to rewrite mine?
I mean really, so much of this bio advice out there seems geared toward nonfiction authors, or authors writing in a career-related niche. How, exactly, does one go about touting her qualifications for writing romance? What if those qualifications are rather slim?
"Tessa lives a life divided between writing sweeping romance and sweeping cheerios off the floor. She has been in love with the same man for *cough, cough* years and firmly believes in Happily Ever After... or at least Happily Ever After The Kiddies' Bedtime." Oh, gag. I think the less said about my life, the better - it could only ruin the illusion.
"writing sweeping romance and sweeping cheerios off the floor". LOL I wish I'd thought of that. I may have to have you write mine instead.
I agree with Chris. You're funny. Your voice is emerging---at least on your blog---and it's a very attractive voice.
I also agree with Tessa: your bio should come from your heart, and you seem to have no problem venturing there.
Thank you for the compliment, Steve. Though to be honest, I only write what the voices in my head tell me to :)
Post a Comment