how to write author biography in research paper

First Time Author Bio Writing Examples and Guidelines

by Gatekeeper Press | Jul 17, 2020 | Blog , Writing

You have sailed through your first manuscript, nailing each benchmark of the self-publishing formatting process while writing a truly captivating story. Suddenly, though, you hit stop when you arrive at that last step: writing your author bio.

Facing this final step in the writing process can leave a first-time author shuddering as they wonder, “How do I write an author bio with no experience in writing?”

Penning an unpublished author bio is not as difficult as it might initially appear. After all, an author has to start somewhere! Think about it—all great authors had to write their first book at some point, meaning they were faced with the same problem of how to write an author bio with no experience.

These great writers undoubtedly struggled to solve the dilemma, too, but managed to push through and establish amazing literary careers—as will you.

First Time Publishing? Here’s What to Include in Your Author Bio

Think of your author bio as an opportunity to connect with your readers, versus a staid resume outlining your professional accomplishments.

The author bio should cultivate a sense of relationship with prospective readers; to entice them just enough to buy your book. Even as a first-time author, you can craft an interesting synopsis, including who you are, what you write, and why someone should read your book.

When grappling with the challenge of writing your first author bio, it helps to know that there is a general format to follow. These guidelines can assist you in assembling the important aspects of your first author bio, providing the kinds of information about you that the reader will enjoy knowing.

Author bio guidelines include:

1. Keep it brief.

Instead of attempting to list every facet of your career or all your hobbies, it is always best to keep the bio under 300 words.

2. Use a third-person voice.

Author bios come across as more professional when using the third person point of view, versus the first person.

3. Start with a one-liner.

Write an interesting opening line that incorporates your name, your profession (generally relevant for non-fiction titles), and the title of your book.

4. Sell yourself.

An author’s bio is akin to an elevator pitch, an interesting summary of your life, and how it relates to the book you wrote. Everything mentioned should be relevant to the book’s theme. For example, if you are a pediatric psychotherapist by trade and have decided to write a non-fiction book about parenting, that connection will increase your credibility.

5. List achievements sparingly.

Noting your college alma mater and degree is fine, but resist the temptation to list every career achievement ever accomplished, as doing so may come across as somewhat boastful and unnecessary.

6. Include some personal tidbits.

Adding a few personal hobbies or interests helps the reader feel a sense of familiarity with the author. Be selective and include those interests that further complement the theme of the book or that target your reader persona.

7. Use a professional photo.

Include a high-quality photo that does not have a distracting background. An unprofessional headshot will appear amateurish.

The primary difference between a first-time author’s bio and a seasoned professional’s is that the latter will be able to include other titles he or she has written in their bio. In addition, a career writer can include in the bio their “best-seller” status and any awards they have won, if these accomplishments were achieved.    

4 First Time Author Bio Examples that Rock

Figuring out exactly how to write an author bio with no former experience may feel like a daunting task. Sure, you can locate bio templates online, but templates only provide the framework. It is up to you to pen something catchy and engaging that shines the most flattering light on your background, sans prior authorship. Here are some first-time author bio examples to hopefully inspire you:

1. Hannah Lee, author of Bloom Where You’re Planted

Hannah Lee was born and raised outside the city of Charleston, in the beautiful mountain state of West Virginia. Hannah considers her faith and family to be most important to her. If she isn’t spending time with her friends and family, you can almost always find her around her sweet yellow Labrador retriever, Tupelo. Bloom Where You’re Planted is Hannah’s first children’s book.

Note: Hannah Lee paints a picture of a person who values her loved ones in her short, succinct bio. This gives the reader a comforting sense that the writer is compassionate, which is an attractive trait in a children’s book author.

2. Dan DalMonte, author of The Realm of Possibility

Dan DalMonte was born in 1984 in San Francisco, California. Growing up, he was fascinated with baseball, and this interest led to some early exposure to reading since he was drawn to stories related to baseball. Later, Mr. DalMonte, who now teaches philosophy at the college level, developed a passion for ideas. In The Realm of Possibility, Dan explores the issue of how past events are unchangeable by introducing an ability to manipulate past events. The Realm of Possibility is Mr. DalMonte’s first book.

Note: Dan DalMonte describes the trajectory of his background that culminates in his passion for ideas. He piques the curiosity of the reader as to how exactly one can manipulate past events.

3. Victoria Lee, author of The Fever King

Victoria Lee grew up in Durham, North Carolina, where she spent twelve ascetic years as a vegetarian before discovering spicy chicken wings are, in fact, a delicacy. She’s been a state finalist competitive pianist, a hitchhiker, a pizza connoisseur, an EMT, an ex-pat in China and Sweden, and a science doctoral student. She’s also a bit of a snob about fancy whiskey. Victoria writes early in the morning, then spends the rest of the day trying to impress her Border collie puppy and make her experiments work.

Note: Victoria Lee conjures up an eclectic, even eccentric image through the diverse collection of endeavors she has experienced in her young life and delivers these with humor. Quirky is what you might expect from an author of a dystopian novel, which inspires the reader to go check out her book.

4. Bruce Clarke, author of Death by Grand Jury

Bruce Clarke practiced criminal law as a defense attorney in Washington, D.C., as a partner in the firm Clarke & Graae and as a staff attorney with the Public Defender Service (PDS) for the District of Columbia. He later worked at the Federal Judicial Center, where he served as Director of its Education Division. While on sabbatical from the law, Clarke studied script analysis in New York with Stella Adler and began writing plays. His plays Bluesman and Fifteen Rounds with Jackson Pollock have been produced in D.C. and regionally. He is the recipient of a playwrighting grant from the D. C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities, a playwrighting residency at the Edward Albee Foundation, and the Larry Neal Award for Dramatic writing.

Note: Bruce Clarke lays the foundation for his book by describing his vast experience in the field of law. Readers of his bio will quickly grasp by his background that he has the inside scoop, allowing him to create some intriguing short stories centering on Washington D.C.

Ready to Make Your Name Known?

Even the above author bio examples for first-time authors may not be enough to help you create your eloquent bio. Worry not, when you sign up for one of our editing packages, the editorial team at Gatekeeper Press will review your bio, and help you to create a captivating author bio. Contact us today!

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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 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!

Join 100,000+ marketers writing with Hypotenuse AI

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.

The Scribe Crew

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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)

An author bio is a brief passage, usually about a paragraph , that introduces an author 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. 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, writer, 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, too.

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 be 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 other great “ About the Author ” examples for inspiration. 

RESOURCE: Your free author bio template

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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.

How to Build an Amazing Author Blog

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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.

And if you’re looking for more inspiration on how to build your online presence, check out more examples of the “ About the Author ” section or our course on how to build an author mailing list:

How to Build Your Author Mailing List

Learn how to connect with your audience and sell more books with email.

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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• BookBub Partners Blog

Book Marketing & Publishing Tips

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.

Want to share this post? Here are ready-made tweets:

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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How to Write a Good Academic Biography (Part 1)

When your journal article gets accepted or you are preparing for a public presentation, you will often be asked for a short academic biography. For many people, these academic bios are more difficult to write than a dissertation. How do you sum up yourself and your work in 3-5 sentences? What do you need to include? What should you leave out?

What You Should Do

• Start with your full name followed by your current position, your general interests, and your current project, keeping them all very brief.
• If you are within a year of receiving a prestigious award, mention that as well.
• Finally, finish with a sentence that’s personal: add a hobby, a pet’s name, the city you live in—whatever you are comfortable with that is personal but not too private.

What You Should Avoid

• Avoid speaking in the first person, i.e., don’t use “I.”
• Don’t divulge details beyond your current position.
• In a longer bio of multiple paragraphs, you may add more awards and information about your master’s and bachelor’s degrees, but not in a short bio. Moreover, don’t add anything that happened before grad school—including your place of birth. For example:

Hi! My name is Scott. I was originally born in Vermont and now I’m a professor at North Yankee University in Fargone, New York (in upstate New York). I study antelopes’ migration patterns and their impact of native grain growth. My interest in antelopes began as a teenager when I first saw one in the wild. I did my undergrad degree in biology at SUNY and my masters and UCLA and my PhD in Forestry at Hunter College.

Related: Finished drafting your academic biography and heading for an international conference? Check out this post now!

The above example is far too casual and Scott’s work and current position are overshadowed by all the other random details. This can be written in a much better way:

Scott Sampson is a professor of Wildlife Biology at North Yankee University. His work focuses specifically on the migration patterns of antelope and their impact on the growth of native grain. His favorite place to do research in his backyard, which opens to the Akron National Forest.

This improvised version is concise, relevant, and makes Scott’s bio appear professional while giving a short description of his personal details.

Longer Bios

For longer bios, follow the same basic rules, but go into a bit more depth about your work, your education, and your future projects or interests. You may also consider adding a line about your immediate family. But as always, leave the personal details for a short and friendly mention at the end of the bio.

Mostly, your bio will be used by someone to introduce you at a conference or public event so if you write your bio using these tips, you will help them give a smooth and accurate introduction. Remember that the bio is the first thing that people know about you so pack it full of the most important things about yourself!

If you would like to know more about different formats of academic biography, read the next article in this series!

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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.

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How to write an author bio that stands out and gets results

Last updated Mar 29, 2024 | Author blog

So you’ve spent all the time and effort polishing up your short story, essay, or novel into burnished perfection. The hard part’s over, right? Not so fast, writer! You still need to nail your author bio: the calling card that proudly announces you and your craft to the world.

Writing an author bio can be intimidating, especially for writers at the start of their career. Not to worry — we’ll take you through everything you need to know about writing a stellar author bio that will make you look, sound, and feel like a pro.

Why do writers need an author bio?

Your author bio is your first — and often, only — chance to connect with your reader. It introduces them to you on both a professional and a human level. It positions you as the best person to write the book (or story, essay, or poem) that you’ve written and encourages the reader to trust you.

You’ll find yourself using your author bio in countless places along your writing journey. If you publish in a literary journal, the journal will want an author bio to put next to your story. If you’re invited to speak at an event such as a literary festival or convention, the organiser will want an author bio to put next to your name in the programme. And, of course, your author bio will feature on the back of your published book.

Because you’ll find yourself reaching for your author bio so often, it’s a good idea to have a few ready to go from the start. Then, you can tweak them here and there as you build up your credits and experience.

How long should an author bio be?

When someone asks you for an author bio, they’ll usually specify how long they want it to be (depending on how much space they have available): up to 50 words, up to 100 words, or up to 150 words. If they don’t specify a word count, you can assume up to 150 words. Any longer than that and the publisher or facilitator will probably end up editing it down.

For this reason, it’s helpful to write out three versions of your author bio adhering to each of these three word counts. That way, you’re not caught off guard and can simply copy and paste one of your back-pocket bios as needed.

What should I include in my author bio?

At a minimum, an author bio should include:

• Your name (don’t forget this!)
• Your headline publication credits
• Any awards you’ve won for your writing
• What genre or style you write in (note: if you write in vastly different genres — for instance, tax analytics manuals by day and bodice-ripping epic fantasy by night — you may find it helpful to write two sets of author bios catering to each of these separate audiences.)
• Where to find you (your author website or social media handle)

Some authors like to share elements which they feel strongly define their identity, such as ethnicity, sexuality, or marital status. This is entirely personal preference; these elements might help you connect more strongly with certain readers.

If you have the space for it, or if you don’t have many publication credits to share yet, it’s also helpful to add in some details about who you are as a person. What do you like doing on your days off? What are you passionate about? This will help further develop that connection with your readers.

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What should I avoid in my author bio?

While it’s helpful to show your humanity in an author bio, be cautious of getting too personal in such a limited space, unless the personal information you’re sharing is directly relevant to the subject of your book. An author bio should be a concise, professional calling card for you as a craftsperson and artist.

Also be careful of unintentional backhanded compliments that highlight your shortcomings. For example, saying “Even though she never studied creative writing formally, she’s been a passionate storyteller all her life” draws a reader’s attention to the author’s lack of formal education. It’s better just to say “She’s been a passionate storyteller all her life.” Cut out words like “Even though”, “Despite”, and so forth.

Finally, avoid things that root your author bio in a particular time. For instance, phrases like “he’s hard at work on his debut novel”, or “he’ll be appearing at this year’s WriterCon” will only be true for a limited period. Try to keep your author bio “evergreen”, which means it’s always relevant and true.

Three examples of effective author bios

To see how this looks in practice, here are a few effective examples of a well-written author bio.

Up to 50 words:

Sandra Lonleyhart is an author and essayist best known for her Frog Prince Award-winning novel, The Smart Girl’s Guide to Dumb Luck . Her hilarious, heartwarming, and thought-provoking essays have appeared in Vanity Flair , Harper’s Bizarre , Gin & Tonic , and elsewhere. You can find out more about her at sandralonleyhart.com.

Up to 100 words:

Sandra Lonleyhart is a marketing executive-turned-author and essayist. Her debut novel, The Smart Girl’s Guide to Dumb Luck , won the Frog Prince Award and was shortlisted for the Phoenix Rising First Novel Award. Her essays have appeared in venues like Vanity Flair , Harper’s Bizarre , Gin & Tonic , Viper , JessieBell , Drop That Curling Iron , and more. Sandra is passionate about helping women navigate the social minefield that is life and showing them that they’re not alone. You can find out more about her at sandralonleyhart.com or on Instagram @sandra.lonely.heart.

Up to 150 words:

After breaking free of the cold, hard world of cosmetic marketing, Sandra Lonleyhart turned to writing feminist essays and fiction. Her debut novel, The Smart Girl’s Guide to Dumb Luck , won the Frog Prince Award and was shortlisted for the Phoenix Rising First Novel Award. Her essays have appeared in venues like Vanity Flair , Harper’s Bizarre , Gin & Tonic , Viper , JessieBell , Drop That Curling Iron , and more. Sandra is passionate about helping women navigate the social minefield that is life and showing them that they’re not alone. When she’s not writing, you might find her reading the latest domestic thriller, trying every flavour of ice cream from Baskin-Robbins, or petting other people’s dogs. You can find out more about her at sandralonleyhart.com or on Instagram @sandra.lonely.heart.

Fija Callaghan is an author, poet, and unapologetic daydreamer. Her work has been shortlisted and longlisted for a number of short story prizes, and you can find her writing in publications like Gingerbread House, Crow & Cross Keys, Corvid Queen, and Mythic Magazine. When not writing or helping other writers get the best out of their work, she can be found haunting her local bookshops or watching the tide come in.

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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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Learn how to rank your Kindle book #1 on Amazon with our collection of time-tested tips and tricks.

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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Literary Entrepreneur Tips from Priscilla Yeung

Author's Bio: A Comprehensive Guide for Writers

Tell your story in your stories. this is not the place for storytelling.

Writing an author’s biography is one of the hardest things and somehow, always an after-thought. We spend a lot of time crafting the literature but very little on our personal branding. But, in many cases, a reader in a bookstore will look at three or four things at best before deciding to purchase your book:

Blurb in the back

Your profile

The first 10 pages of your book

So your profile is very important.

If you haven’t published yet, then your biography (I am using ‘profile’, ‘bio’, and ‘biography’ interchangeably here) is even more important. Say your piece gets into a magazine, you want people to remember you. You want agents to be able to reach you. You also want to craft a professional profile that important people feel comfortable writing to you.

It’s not that complicated, you just need to know a few rules of thumb.

Tailoring Your Author's Bio for Different Publications

One of the first things to consider is the variation in bio length required by different publications. It’s common to have multiple versions of profiles . Some platforms, like The Paris Review, only allow for a brief two-line bio, while others are more generous with space. Always check the submission guidelines and adhere to the specified word count. This demonstrates your professionalism and respect for the publication's rules.

In practice, you should open a Google Doc or Word doc, which contains different versions of your biography in there. It’s likely that your profile will get updated often , but having all the versions included makes it easier when you have to tweet and update.

Always in Third-Person

When writing your author's bio, it's crucial to use the third person. That’s just market standard. The easiest way to start the profile is ‘[Your name] is a [what you write].’ If you are submitting to a very woke/progressive magazine, it’s advisable to add your pronoun(s) after your name.

This convention is universally accepted and maintains a professional tone. Writing about yourself in the third person also creates a sense of objectivity, which is particularly important if you're highlighting your achievements and credentials.

Relevant Personal Experiences

The safest bet is to cut all the storytelling about your life . Let your stories show your passion for literature. If you care about a particular theme for whatever reason, it should show.

If you decide to include personal experiences in your author's bio, make sure those stories are relevant to the content you are submitting and/or the publication itself . For instance, if you're submitting a piece to my literary magazine, the Battersea Anthology, and you happen to be a Battersea resident, mentioning this connection can add depth to your bio. However, avoid oversharing personal details that are unrelated to your writing or the publication's theme.

Recently I received a bio of an author talking about her divorce, but her piece has nothing to do with that. Before meeting her, my first impression was that she might be in so much pain that her boundary between work and life was off. I recommended she check the profiles of Deborah Levy and Rachel Cusk. Who talked about divorce in their books but not too much on their profiles.

Showcasing Key Publications and Achievements

Your author's bio is an opportunity to showcase your writing experience and achievements. Mention any significant publications where your work has appeared or your latest book . If you've received any awards, recognitions (even short-listed or long-listed), or special certifications related to your writing (such as an MA in Creative Writing), include those to establish your credibility as an author.

The All-Important Portfolio Link

Unpopular opinion: Every author's bio should conclude with a link to your portfolio. This link can direct readers and editors to your personal website or social media profile, where they can explore more of your work. Make sure the link is functional and up-to-date. Your portfolio serves as a gateway for anyone interested in learning more about you and your writing.

However, I know that not many people do that. I don’t know why, I think it might partly be because they don’t have a separate social media for their professional persona, or that they haven’t made a website.

Well, that’s a no-no.

Subscribe to me as my next post will be about a step-by-step guide to creating a FREE author’s website. No coding is involved. I taught that when I was volunteering at an old person’s center. It’s THAT easy.

Genre and themes

For longer biographies, consider expanding your bio to include information about your predominant genres or recurring themes in your work. This can provide readers with a deeper understanding of your writing style and interests, and for the right person to seek you out.

Still, keep it short.

Great examples

Here are some fabulous biographies in different variations. You can steal them as templates and insert your own name there. These are real profiles, but I have changed the names.

Elaine Gao is a poet, essayist, painter, and photographer. Singing will be published by Penguin in spring 2024. Find her on Twitter @SingingGao

Sancho Pepper (they/them) is a Vietnamese poet and producer from south-west London. Their recent work appears in Dingding, Granta, 20 Queer Poems (Penguin, 2023), and Soho Men (Vintage, 2020), and they have been shortlisted for London Independent Story Prize, 2019. Their debut pamphlet is Googling (Nine Arch Press, 2020). Sancho is a Barbican Young Poets alum and has served as th producer for the London open mic night. They received their MA in Creative Writing from Goldsmith University in 2019.

Here’s the profile of one of my favourite authors - Yiyun Li - On Literary Hub :

Yiyun Li is the author of several works of fiction— Must I Go , Where Reasons End , Kinder Than Solitude , A Thousand Years of Good Prayers , The Vagrants , Gold Boy, Emerald Girl , and The Book of Goose —and the memoir Dear Friend, from My Life I Write to You in Your Life . She is the recipient of many awards, including the PEN/Malamud Award, the PEN/Hemingway Award, the PEN/Jean Stein Book Award, a MacArthur Fellowship, and a Windham-Campbell Prize. Her work has also appeared in The New Yorker , A Public Space , The Best American Short Stories , and The PEN/O. Henry Prize Stories , among other publications. She teaches at Princeton University.

For completeness, Deborah Levy’s biography on Penguin :

Deborah Levy is the author of several novels including Hot Milk and The Man Who Saw Everything, alongside a formally innovative, critically acclaimed 'living autobiography' trilogy: Things I Don't Want to Know, The Cost of Living and Real Estate. She has been shortlisted twice each for the Goldsmiths Prize and Booker Prize and she won the Prix Femina Etranger. She has also written for The Royal Shakespeare Company and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.

Priscilla’s bottom line

As a starting author, It might feel like you have to polish your biography with personal (sob) stories if you don’t have much to show for yourself.

Don’t do that.

I think you should focus on getting yourself the right credentials to be included in your biography instead . No one will be fooled by your wordplay, that’s like teaching your grandmother to suck eggs.

Keep writing, submitting to prizes and magazines, and maybe do an MA in Creative Writing.

Ready for more?

How To Write A Biography Of An Author?

Writers find creating an author bio one of the most daunting tasks. A perfectly written author bio can make it easier for the readers to know the writer better giving a concise and quick overview of their writing.

Ideally, it is a brief passage, mostly a paragraph, which introduces the author, mentions their credentials, work summary, details of other creations, and provides details of anything else that a reader may be interested in knowing.

An author must try to regularly update their bio so potential readers and fans seeking them can get access to the essential details about them. This guide contains everything you need to know about how to write a biography of an author. Further, we will also give you some author biography examples for easier understanding.

• What does an author bio include?

What Is The Basic Template For An Author’s Bio?

• How To Write An Author Biography For A Book?
• Author Biography For The Journal
• Author Biography For A Research Paper
• Author’s Bio For A Blog?

Tips To Keep In Mind

Frequently asked questions, what does an author bio include.

In all honesty, there is no one-size-fits-all formula. However, if you know about the author, you can easily personalize and compile the information to match your requirements.

So, ideally, what should an author bio have? The author bio should include author’s name, distinguished accomplishments, and a call to action. Ideally, contain the biography in a maximum of sixty to ninety words in length.

See, if, for instance, the bio is to be attached with a dramatic book, you can include some drama based books in the author’s bio. Similarly, if you have a funny book at hand, you can include some humor related work done by the author in the bio.

Personalize the bio to suit your target audience (both readers and future publishers) and genre. Further, in the author bio, you can include links to the author’s socials. It will help your readers get an insight into author’s personal life.

A photograph should also be a part of the author’s bio.

Now, let us look at the biography template and what should it cover with some author biography examples.

How to write an author biography? Here is a basic template for an author’s bio.

1. Commence with a Byline

It is a single-line statement that gives an insight into who the author is and includes the book’s name.

2. Talk about the theme of the book

Next, you need to state what the author writes about:

• Fiction or non-fiction
• Previously published books
• Area of interest

3. List down the credentials.

Herein, you will provide author’s credentials. It can include best-seller lists, college degrees, and accolades. If you are a fiction writer, you can also talk about your life interests.

4. Add a personal touch.

Adding color to the bio helps the reader imagine who you are and if they can relate to you. It is your way of nudging the reader to buy the book. Some things you can add are:

• Including the location in your byline.
• Some peek into your lifestyle.
• One-liner to illustrate the kind of author you are.

How To Write An Author Biography?

How to write a biography of an author? Here is a guideline for assistance.

1. Use a professional picture.

Typically, authors also like to include a picture in their author bio. It should be a professional headshot of you looking grave or smiling. Be very careful with the headshot. Readers automatically equate an unprofessional picture with your book’s quality.

2. Keep the opening catchy for an instant connection.

Your Byline is the first thing that the reader reads about you. So, do not let it go in vain. You can use the vital and relevant facts that the readers and agents care about the most. It should also have the name of your book.

Adding personal information like:

• Your place of birth
• When you started writing
• Your contributions to the writing field
• Where you are from
• Your previous publications and awards

These personal details can help formulate a bond between you and the reader. The idea is to ensure the reader knows your background to feel connected and motivated to know further.

3. Know the genre and the audience

To decide the audience and genre, answers the two questions:

• Who are you writing for?
• What is this book about?

Ideally, the author’s bio should complement the subject matter and the genre. You may confuse your potential audience if the biography is irrelevant to the book and genre.

Now, think about the target audience. You probably had a type of reader in mind when you wrote this book. Every writer should know who will buy and read the book. After understanding the target audience, you can write the bio to meet that person’s needs.

You can include an excerpt from your personality if you are a fiction author. Also, if you have achieved something extraordinary, talk about it in the credentials.

On the contrary, for the non-fiction authors, readers are interested more in your life and credentials. It helps them know what qualifies you to create a book on this subject.

Some authors have adopted a unique strategy of creating an avatar of their ideal customer – with a name, personality, and location. It is an excellent marketing effort and helps create a concise author bio.

4. Write in the third person.

Of course, you are writing the bio, but you should still write it in the third person. It gives it a professional and trustworthy tone and makes it easy to display and read everywhere.

For instance:

Instead of – I am a three-time published author.

Go for – Ravin is a three-time published author.

5. Keep it short

Your bio should be as impactful and informative as possible. Also, list your hobbies and all facets of your careers, but you should still curtail it to 400 words.

6. Mark your achievements and awards

Do not shy away from including things you have achieved in your life. It becomes essential if you do not have direct authority in the subject matter or credentials. It makes it easy for the audience to know why they must spare their time to go through your book.

For instance, it can be a significant show point if you win a national championship in chess. These tell the reader that you have done several other things in life beyond this book.

However, if you have nothing specific to include in your achievements and credentials, you can list your interests and passions. It can have anything you love writing about or enjoy doing, or a hobby, particularly if it is associated with the book.

7. Make it relatable

An author bio should be a peek into your views, world, personality, and values. It also should give away what a reader must expect from your writing. Ideally, if a reader likes you, they will also enjoy what you write. Because in your book, every page has your essence in it.

So, if you make the bio relatable and depict your personality, the readers connect with it better. It invokes curiosity, and they want to read the book to satiate this.

8. Make it look credible.

We live in a digital-friendly world. So, you never know, when someone comes up and asks you, ‘why should I listen to you?’ Readers who pay for the book have every right to question you, especially if it relates to the authenticity, reliability, and accuracy of something mentioned by you.

So, from your bio, you need to be honest and maintain credibility. For this, your bio should answer three questions:

• Why should the readers believe you?
• Why are you qualified to write on the subject?
• Why should they buy your book?

9. Social media links

Lastly, you want the reader to connect with you. You do not want the relationship with your reader to end with this book. It is vital to hold on to them. It will help you in the second book and so on.

When they connect with you outside of the book (on social media), they know about you as a person in your skin and blood. It makes them feel closer to you. So, leave your link to give them a peek into your life.  

Bio Writing Based on Types of Publication

How to write a biography of an author for a book.

• Your author bio should be brief. So, do not talk about every facet of your hobbies and career. You can keep it short and crisp. It is best to contain all the information in 400 words.
• Write it in the third person to make it seem more professional.
• Commence the bio with a one-liner, stating your name, the book’s title, your profession, and where you are from.
• So, make it exciting and relevant, and get creative. Keep it as close to the book’s genre and theme. You can mention your achievements, but unless directly associated with the book or too exciting or adventurous, please keep it brief.
• Include some information about your interests and hobbies to establish a bond with the reader. Lastly, put a professional, good-quality picture. Let us see one of the best author biography examples.

“Victoria Lee grew up in Durham, North Carolina, where she spent twelve ascetic years as a vegetarian before discovering that spicy chicken wings are, in fact, a delicacy. She’s been a state finalist competitive pianist, a hitchhiker, a pizza connoisseur, an EMT, an ex-pat in China and Sweden, and a science doctoral student. She’s also a bit of a snob about fancy whiskey. Victoria writes early in the morning, then spends the rest of the day trying to impress her Border collie puppy and make her experiments work.”

Source: Victoria Lee Press Kit

How To Write An Author Biography For The Journal?

It should include a biographical statement with your complete name. Further, list your academic program, interest in the writing’s subject and genre, personal history, and field placement. The word length should not be over 75 words for a journal author bio. Here is one of the best journal author biography examples.

“Kathryn Saclarides is a second-year social administration student at the University of Chicago Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice. She received a bachelor’s degree in anthropology and Spanish from Vanderbilt University and a master’s in bioethics from La Universidad Pontificia de Comillas in Madrid, Spain. Her current field placement is with the National Alliance of Latin American and Caribbean Communities (NALACC). She is interested in migration patterns, ethnic neighborhoods, and transnational communities.”

Source: The University of Chicago

How To Write An Author Biography For A Research Paper?

An author bio for the research paper should list your degrees, information about your alma mater, year of qualifications, and subject of study. In addition, you can also talk about your current area of work. Lastly, to make the reader feel familiar, including some personal details can help. You can also include your awards and accolades. Keep it brief, but try to include all vital information. Write the whole bio in the third person.

“Paul Linn received the M.Sc. degree in engineering from the ABC University of Technology, Poland, in 1991 and a Ph.D. degree in applied mathematics from the University of XYZ, the US, in 1990. He currently works as an assistant professor at the Institute of Computer Engineering, ABC University of Technology. His current research interests include the dynamics and control of robotic systems, adaptive control and social robots.”

How To Write An Author Biography For A Blog?

Start with personal details about yourself. Explain what you do in the third person. Include an element of validation so that the readers see you as a credible source. In addition, list some interesting details about yourself. Provide links to your social media and include an inbound link to the website for SEO optimization. Overall, the bio should be concise. You can have a professional-looking headshot to add as a picture with the bio.

“Kiel Berry is the Executive Vice President of Machine Shop. Prior to Machine Shop, Kiel worked at Creative Artists Agency and began his career at JPMorgan Investment Banking. Kiel is the author of STUNT: Navigate The Journey. Follow him on Twitter at @kielberry.”

• Inject a sense of your personal, unique style
• Speak about endorsements from renowned figures
• Include only relevant details.
• Link the title to the book’s sales page.
• Add headlines like bestselling or award-winning to the Byline if applicable.
• Use the bio to cross-promote other books.
• Do not forget to update the bio regularly.
• Do not write in anything other than the 3rd person.
• Make it engaging and personal.
• Use a friendly, warm tone.

Bonus Tip – Do not exceed more than 100 words.

Related : Article Title Writing Guide , How to Write an Academic Book Review? , How to write a synopsis? , How to prepare an article outline?

Ques 1. Can I write a book with no experience?

Ans . Yes, you can always write a book without any experience. There is always a first time for everything.

Ques 2. How do I write a biography about myself?

Ans . You should start in third person and go on to

• Introduce yourself – your first name and last name.
• State your brand or company’s name.
• List your professional role
• Discuss your values and passions
• Mention your interests
• Talk about your professional achievements
• Include links to your socials and a headshot

Ques 3. Where does the author bio go in a book?

Ans . You will find the author’s bio on the last left-hand page of the book. Some writers also place it on the book’s back cover, toward the bottom.

Ques 4. Are Author bio generators useful? Name a few tools for the same.

Ans . Yes, author bio generators can be beneficial for creating a good biography.

Some tools that can help are:

• Author Bio Box
• Molongui Authorship
• Co-Authors Plus
• Simple Author Box
• About Author
• Awesome WordPress Author Bio
• Avatar Elementor Author Box

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Sharing PhD experiences across the University of Warwick and beyond

How to Write an Academic Bio for Conferences

There are very few things as challenging as writing academic biographies (perhaps academic writing?). It seems simple, but things soon get awkward as you try to show how amazing you are without sounding arrogation or pretentious. Sophie shares her tips on writing a balanced bio…

It’s all going swimmingly until you read the Call for Papers: Please submit a proposal and brief bio.

What on earth is a bio (otherwise known as an ‘academic bio’)? And just how brief does it need to be? Writing an academic bio is a skill you can pick up like any other, and this article will take you through the basics of what to include, what to leave out, and how to craft this tricky piece of your academic arsenal.

Covering the Basics

Whatever discipline you’re working in, you’ll definitely need to include the following in your academic bio:

•  full name,
• position (i.e. PhD student; PhD candidate),
• institution.

All this should go into the first sentence, so it reads something like this:

Joe Bloggs is currently a PhD candidate [meaning he’s passed his upgrade] at the University of Warwick.

You can also mention your department, although it’s not strictly necessary for most of us.

The Big Picture

The rest of your academic bio should tell the reader about your research interests. Start by setting out your broad research question , whether that’s finding new ways to create Omega 3 in algae cultures or exploring fashion statements at Charles II’s court. Then focus it further; are you looking at a specific type of algae culture, or a particular poet who was into fashion? This is the most important part of your bio: it tells other people attending the conference where you’re coming from, and may present links between your research areas.

You can end your bio here, or add another sentence situating your research within wider scholarship. Is it important to reference your specific style of criticism, or how you’re leading on from recently-published developments in the field, for example? If it’s important for the theme of the conference, you may wish to add another sentence on the future directions of your research. However, if this isn’t relevant or necessary, feel free to leave it out, especially if you’ve been asked to submit a brief bio – best to keep it brief and stick to your research interests.

What Not to Do

Inevitably, we all do things early in our career/academic life that, with hindsight, make us cringe. To avoid that uncomfortable feeling in the future, four common errors are:

• Treating your bio like a humorous essay : only include a joke if you’re sure it’s really, really funny (maybe check with a straight-talking friend).
• Getting too personal : an academic bio is a chance to make an impression pre-conference, and it may be what people remember you by, so ensure that you stay professional.
• Giving too much information : remember that an academic bio isn’t the same thing as a CV – the conference organisers don’t need to know where you did your undergrad, MA or how much you’ve won in grants.
• Using exclamation marks : your writing should be relatively formal in style, so avoid coming across as too chatty – save your engaging manners for the big presentation day!

One final tip is to use the third person. This isn’t a hard and fast rule, but at some conferences, your bio will be read out as an introduction, so personally I prefer to start a sentence like Joe Bloggs above.

What do you think about this approach?

Any more tips for writing academic bios?

Text credits: Sophie Shorland 

Sophie is a PhD student at Warwick, where she’s one of the organisers of the English Department’s annual postgraduate symposium for 2017. You can find out how to get involved in the symposium here , or check their Twitter here .  

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One thought on “ how to write an academic bio for conferences ”.

What a concidence. I’m sending the abstract and the bio for a conference at Warwick

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How to Write a Bibliography for a Research Paper

Do not try to “wow” your instructor with a long bibliography when your instructor requests only a works cited page. It is tempting, after doing a lot of work to research a paper, to try to include summaries on each source as you write your paper so that your instructor appreciates how much work you did. That is a trap you want to avoid. MLA style, the one that is most commonly followed in high schools and university writing courses, dictates that you include only the works you actually cited in your paper—not all those that you used.

Academic Writing, Editing, Proofreading, And Problem Solving Services

Get 10% off with 24start discount code, assembling bibliographies and works cited.

• If your assignment calls for a bibliography, list all the sources you consulted in your research.
• If your assignment calls for a works cited or references page, include only the sources you quote, summarize, paraphrase, or mention in your paper.
• If your works cited page includes a source that you did not cite in your paper, delete it.
• All in-text citations that you used at the end of quotations, summaries, and paraphrases to credit others for their ideas,words, and work must be accompanied by a cited reference in the bibliography or works cited. These references must include specific information about the source so that your readers can identify precisely where the information came from.The citation entries on a works cited page typically include the author’s name, the name of the article, the name of the publication, the name of the publisher (for books), where it was published (for books), and when it was published.

The good news is that you do not have to memorize all the many ways the works cited entries should be written. Numerous helpful style guides are available to show you the information that should be included, in what order it should appear, and how to format it. The format often differs according to the style guide you are using. The Modern Language Association (MLA) follows a particular style that is a bit different from APA (American Psychological Association) style, and both are somewhat different from the Chicago Manual of Style (CMS). Always ask your teacher which style you should use.

A bibliography usually appears at the end of a paper on its own separate page. All bibliography entries—books, periodicals, Web sites, and nontext sources such radio broadcasts—are listed together in alphabetical order. Books and articles are alphabetized by the author’s last name.

Most teachers suggest that you follow a standard style for listing different types of sources. If your teacher asks you to use a different form, however, follow his or her instructions. Take pride in your bibliography. It represents some of the most important work you’ve done for your research paper—and using proper form shows that you are a serious and careful researcher.

Bibliography Entry for a Book

A bibliography entry for a book begins with the author’s name, which is written in this order: last name, comma, first name, period. After the author’s name comes the title of the book. If you are handwriting your bibliography, underline each title. If you are working on a computer, put the book title in italicized type. Be sure to capitalize the words in the title correctly, exactly as they are written in the book itself. Following the title is the city where the book was published, followed by a colon, the name of the publisher, a comma, the date published, and a period. Here is an example:

Format : Author’s last name, first name. Book Title. Place of publication: publisher, date of publication.

• A book with one author : Hartz, Paula.  Abortion: A Doctor’s Perspective, a Woman’s Dilemma . New York: Donald I. Fine, Inc., 1992.
• A book with two or more authors : Landis, Jean M. and Rita J. Simon.  Intelligence: Nature or Nurture?  New York: HarperCollins, 1998.

Bibliography Entry for a Periodical

A bibliography entry for a periodical differs slightly in form from a bibliography entry for a book. For a magazine article, start with the author’s last name first, followed by a comma, then the first name and a period. Next, write the title of the article in quotation marks, and include a period (or other closing punctuation) inside the closing quotation mark. The title of the magazine is next, underlined or in italic type, depending on whether you are handwriting or using a computer, followed by a period. The date and year, followed by a colon and the pages on which the article appeared, come last. Here is an example:

Format:  Author’s last name, first name. “Title of the Article.” Magazine. Month and year of publication: page numbers.

• Article in a monthly magazine : Crowley, J.E.,T.E. Levitan and R.P. Quinn.“Seven Deadly Half-Truths About Women.”  Psychology Today  March 1978: 94–106.
• Article in a weekly magazine : Schwartz, Felice N.“Management,Women, and the New Facts of Life.”  Newsweek  20 July 2006: 21–22.
• Signed newspaper article : Ferraro, Susan. “In-law and Order: Finding Relative Calm.”  The Daily News  30 June 1998: 73.
• Unsigned newspaper article : “Beanie Babies May Be a Rotten Nest Egg.”  Chicago Tribune  21 June 2004: 12.

Bibliography Entry for a Web Site

For sources such as Web sites include the information a reader needs to find the source or to know where and when you found it. Always begin with the last name of the author, broadcaster, person you interviewed, and so on. Here is an example of a bibliography for a Web site:

Format : Author.“Document Title.” Publication or Web site title. Date of publication. Date of access.

Example : Dodman, Dr. Nicholas. “Dog-Human Communication.”  Pet Place . 10 November 2006.  23 January 2014 < http://www.petplace.com/dogs/dog-human-communication-2/page1.aspx >

After completing the bibliography you can breathe a huge sigh of relief and pat yourself on the back. You probably plan to turn in your work in printed or handwritten form, but you also may be making an oral presentation. However you plan to present your paper, do your best to show it in its best light. You’ve put a great deal of work and thought into this assignment, so you want your paper to look and sound its best. You’ve completed your research paper!

Back to  How To Write A Research Paper .

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Graduate Teacher Education Students Use and Evaluate ChatGPT as an Essay-Writing Tool

• Anthony G Picciano City University of New York, Hunter College

Artificial intelligence (AI) has been evolving since the mid-20 th Century when luminaries such as Alan Turing, Herbert Simon and Marvin Minsky began developing rudimentary AI applications. For decades, AI programs remained pretty much in the realm of computer science and experimental game playing.  This changed radically in the 2020s when commercial vendors such as OpenAI  and Google developed generative AI programs (ChatGPT) and (Bard) using large, language modelling (LLM).  As a result, generative AI  is now being considered for use in all walks of life including education.

     In Spring 2023, when ChatGPT burst into the public psyche, twenty-five education students in the author’s graduate seminar were invited to participate in a qualitative study using ChatGPT as a tool for completing an essay assignment.  Fifteen (N=15) accepted the offer. The purpose in doing this was to give students in this seminar the opportunity to use ChatGPT in a supportive environment and to collect qualitative data from them on their experiences using ChatGPT.

     All of these students have master’s degrees in education and experience as teachers in New York City schools. Their training and experience give them keen insights into pedagogical practice making them ideally suited to evaluate ChatGPT as an instructional tool. This article reports on the results of this study.

Keywords:  Artificial Intelligence, AI, ChatGPT,  Graduate Teacher Education, Qualitative Research

Author Biography

Anthony g picciano, city university of new york, hunter college.

Copyright (c) 2024 Anthony G Picciano

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