When you’re creating a book proposal or you’re preparing to market your self-published book, you’ll need an author bio so the potential reader can learn about you. Both the editor and the potential reader want to know if they are interested not only in your writing, but in YOU.

In my experience, this is where many authors slip up. They get intimidated at the idea of writing about themselves, they feel humble, and they begin to feel shy or uncomfortable promoting or selling themselves instead of selling their book.

But an author bio is very important. You can't get very far without a really inspiring and compelling author bio, and in my online course Book Proposal Bootcamp, I provide lots of examples of authors who have played around with silly bios or have tried to be clever or quaint. It may work for really famous authors, but generally a reader wants your self-description to be straightforward and helpful. Readers want to learn about you as much as they want to know about your book, your topic, or your expertise.

Why an Author Bio Matters

In writing your bio, you have several goals.

You want to accurately portray yourself and your experience especially as it pertains to your book. You want to inspire or motivate or _____ (whatever the goal of your book is) for a new audience, which may include editors and agents.

A bio reflects your life experience and is a microcosm of what's the most relevant at this point in time -- especially regarding your professional writing.

What is the Best Style for the Bio?

Many writers try to write their bio in the same way they write their manuscripts. Avoid the temptation to write your bio as if you’re a character in your book. If you’re writing Westerns, don’t pitch in a cute country accent because this attempt at humor will likely fall flat. Your bio is about YOU, it is not an extension of your characters. Keep it real and lively without presenting yourself as a fiction.

Also keep it 3^rd person, meaning you’ll write “she” or “he,” not “I.” Your bio is about you, not from you. This creates a sense of professionalism and provides a certain distance between the author and the reader so that the reader can look at your “from the outside.” Once they like what they read, they’ll become insiders in no time.

To developing a successful sales pitch or book proposal, check out our online, on-demand course Book Proposal Bootcamp for the most solid, 4-week crash course that will get your manuscript noticed.