Friday, September 25, 2020

The Power of a Well-Written Writer's Bio


by Lori Hatcher @LoriHatcher2

Years ago I read an article on Crosswalk.com about parenting. It resonated with me, and I found myself nodding and smiling at the points the writer made. When I reached the end, I read the bio, eager to learn more about the woman who had written the piece.

Lori Roeleveld’s bio was as well-written as her article. In addition to sharing writing credits, she mentioned she was a homeschooling mom (like me), had two children (like me), and, wonder of wonders, lived in my home state of Rhode Island. The final element that knit our hearts together (although she didn’t know it yet) was her name—Lori, just like me.

 

The right mix of personal and professional details made me want to reach out to her, thank her for her article, and share a bit of my story. I emailed, she emailed back, and we discovered more common ground. Our mutual faith made our friendship grow.

 

You’ve done something in Rhode Island I didn’t know was possible, I wrote—FOUND JESUS.

 

You’ve done something I’ve never been able to do, she wrote back—LEAVE RHODE ISLAND.

 

Most writers I know spend hours writing their articles, polishing each paragraph until it shines. Then they cobble together a bio with very little thought, stick it onto the end of their piece, and send it off. Or they carefully craft a bio, then use it verbatim on every piece they write, regardless of the audience.

 

Both approaches drastically minimize a bio’s effectiveness. If you’d like to maximize your bio and made good use of this valuable piece of literary real estate, consider these five tips:

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1. Keep your audience in mind. If you’re addressing writing professionals, include your most prestigious writing credits. If you’re writing to grandparents, mention your practically perfect grandkids. Find some aspect of your life that establishes your credibility to write the article and leverage it.


2. Tell your audience where to read more. Have you written a book? Post the title with a link. Do you blog? Direct people there. Are you active on social media? Mention the platform(s) your audience would most likely use.


3. Share a bit of personal information. Do you love dogs and hate coffee? Love coffee and hate dogs? Are you a retired Marine? Recovering pack rat? Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup addict? (That’s me.) When you mention a few audience-appropriate personal details, you help your readers connect with you as a real person, not just a face-less byline.


4. Mention your passion. Whether it’s Jesus, proper grammar, or coffee, sharing what drives your life will help readers know you better.  


5. Use appropriate humor. Bios don’t have to be stuffy unless you’re writing for a stuffy publication. A carefully turned phrase or clever word choice can insert just enough humor to make a reader smile—and like you even more. Two of my favorite lines from my friend Lori’s bio is, “Part-time giant slayer. Not available for children’s parties.”


Because of Lori’s well-written bio, I became a fan of her writing, subscribed to her blog, purchased her books, and began the friendship we enjoy today. Several years after we connected online, we had the pleasure of teaching together at the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference. When I traveled home to Rhode Island, we met at a coffee shop and encouraged each other in our faith. Who would have imagined a simple bio could spark such joy?

 

If you follow these guidelines, you, too, will connect with your readers, grow your audience, and, if you’re lucky, make a new friend.  For more great suggestions on writing a stellar bio, check out Linda Gilden’s helpful post, Publishing as a Second Language—Writer Bios.

 

What elements do you feel are important in a bio? Leave a comment and share your thoughts. Better yet, post your bio and help us get to know you.


TWEETABLE

The Power of a Well-Written Writer's Bio - @LoriHatcher2 on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

 

Lori Hatcher loves God even more than she loves chocolate—and that’s a lot! Since He rescued her at age 18, she’s been on a relentless journey to know and love Him more. Her deepest desire is for her reader friends to join her on the journey. As an author, blogger, and women’s ministry speaker, she writes for Our Daily Bread, Guideposts, Revive Our Hearts, and Crosswalk.com. She’s written three devotional books, including Refresh Your Faith, Uncommon Devotions from Every Book of the Bible, and Hungry for God…Starving for Time, Five-Minute Devotions for Busy Women. Connect with her at LoriHatcher.com or on FacebookTwitter (@lorihatcher2) or Pinterest (Hungry for God).

18 comments:

  1. Thank you for these excellent tips. I don’t think I’ve read anything that reminds me to share fun details that may speak to the reader. Your experience of finding a forever friend is encouraging as well.

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    1. I suspect, with your clever screen name, that you'll find LOTS of fun snippets to include in your new and updated bio. Thanks for reading today :)

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  2. These are wonderful suggestions. Thanks for the post.

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  3. Excellent points, Lori, thank you! I like the reminder to ‘customize’ our bio for the audience, an extra step that’s easy to overlook. I always appreciate your advice and encouragement. God bless!

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    1. So glad you found this tip helpful. In full transparency, I wrote that tip especially for me, because I can get lazy and revert to just slapping "any old bio" on the end of my article. God bless!

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  4. Very helpful words, Lori. Loved your story about connecting with your friend! Thanks for sharing everything.

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    1. It is one of my favorite stories to tell when "the two Lori's from Rhode Island" come up in conversation :) Thanks for chiming in today.

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  5. Lori, you've given such valuable information here. Thanks. And would you believe, at first I was drawn to read your writing because I love the shade of blue you wore in your head shot.

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    1. Ahhhh, well maybe the next post I write should be, "How to Choose Your Head Shot Bio!" So glad you clicked over. Teal is one of my favorite colors :)

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  6. Really, thank you! I use the same bio for everything, and now I know I should tweak it for my audience, just like I do for my topics. (Duh...)

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    1. Guilty along with you, Rebecca. It's a tendency we all fight. HOpefully we'll all remember the power of a tailor-made bio :)

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  7. I guess I ought to rewrite my bio. I do so much writing I want a one size fits all and it's done bio. LOL, good thoughts and pointers, Lori. Donevy

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  8. Yep, I hear ya, Deb. This is why a bio file is so helpful. If you're like me, you write for many different publications, but probably concentrate on a few major subjects. Once you create a marvelous bio for each major area (trade journals, grandparenting, culture, etc., you can cut and paste with minor alterations. WAY easier than creating one from scratch every single time. God's blessings on your writing!

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  9. Thanks for the great tips. I hadn’t thought about changing my bio for different audiences. Maybe because I’m a new writer and don’t have a large or varied audience yet. LOL.

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    1. You will one day, Deena, and now you’Ll be ready! Blessings to you :)

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  10. Love the backstory of two Lori’s I admire. I’m a bio nerd I guess. I eagerly read bios because I want to know the background of the writer or whatever their profession because I enjoy finding a connection with people I meet or understanding those long passed. Should I mention in mine I was the CFA cow? 😊

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    1. Absolutely, Daphne! Who knows how the Lord might use that connection to knit two little bovine hearts together :)

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