How To Write Different Types of Author Biographies
Just like there are many different types of writing, such as academic, creative and business, there are also different types of author’s bios. Depending on what medium is being used, the bio will reflect certain elements and bits of information. What makes them differ from one another is the amount of detail included and the overall tone and style.
When you consider a book jacket bio, think about how it will be used and about the space that is available. A book jacket bio should be a short paragraph or two that gives a brief overview about about the author. If the book is non-fiction, the bio should talk about qualifications and what inspired the writing and initiated its perspective. For a fictional book, mention what prompted you to become a writer or how many books you’ve published previously.
What’s most important about a book jacket bio is that it’s often used to serve many different purposes. As previously mentioned, there’s a limited amount of room so the bio should be kept relatively short. Additionally, this bio has multiple functions and will be used for publicity material, such as flyers, and to accompany photos for book tours. For the most part, a book jacket bio is permanent, meaning once it’s printed it’s not easily edited without cost for reprint. For this reason, keeping the book jacket bio professional and succinct should be your ultimate goal.
On the other hand, an online bio has quite a bit more flexibility. It doesn’t have spacial constraints, which allows for more detailed information to be shared, and it can be updated and changed freely without incurring any costs. An online bio is exposed to a wider audience and a more conversational approach should be incorporated into the bio’s overall language. The accessibility of the bio gives it global exposure to people from different nationalities, different educational backgrounds and different social sectors. Therefore, a simple online bio will allow more readers to connect with the author because they can easily read and relate to the author.
So when you’re getting ready to begin writing your bio think about where it will be used, how it will be used and who will be reading it. Think like a member of your audience and write a bio that will appeal to him/her. Take a step back from what you’ve created and revisit it to see if it satisfies the basic criteria of an online or book jacket version. The time invested to develop an audience appropriate bio will pay off moving forward.
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Great info! thanks for sharing.