Writing
About Yourself: The Best Brief Bio
Contributor:
Mike de Sousa
Like
most
people, I find it difficult to write effectively
about myself. The act of summarising a life in a
few well chosen words is far more difficult than
it might at first appear.
Creative professionals are asked for a brief history
of their achievements on a regular basis. Potential
clients like to know who they're dealing with and
a well written biographical entry is often the first
and most influential means to encourage further
contact. Here are my thoughts and guide to best
representing yourself through a short bio summary.
About
Us
You might ask yourself 'who ever reads
a bio entry in the first place?'. The answer lies
in the fact that people are curious animals. If
we're making a judgement about a product, a service
or an individual, one of our first ports of call
will be the biographical statement. This takes a
different form depending on the context.
In a conversation, the request for biographical
information is expressed as 'tell me a little about
yourself'. Websites generally use an 'About Us'
page that sets out a company vision with some practical
information about location, personnel, and company
background, and in business the focus of evaluating
an individual's history and skills mutates into
the more formal CV. This article limits is focus
to a fourth and equally challenging biographical
statement, the short written bio.
Why
bother?
As a creative professional a short bio is an essential
plank in your efforts to promote your skills to
your potential clients. A well written short bio
doesn't only inform the reader, but galvanises them
into action. It is the bio entry in a directory
or publication that often encourages a potential
client to make that all important first contact.
Simple
and honest
It surprises me how little time and attention is
given over to ensure biographical entries are well
written. Time and again I'll be reading an article
or viewing a website and I'll click on the 'About
Us' link to find myself in a world of hyperbole
and unwelcome marketing speak that tells me little
or nothing about the author or service.
The two most important principles I feel you should
keep to at all times when writing a short bio
is to make your statement simple and honest. Any
hook
line or 'call to action' that you might use in
your
opening must be carefully chosen to represent you
without exaggerated claims about your background,
skill base, or service.
A good biographical statement is about building
trust in the mind of the reader. If the reader senses
you are inflating your bio, the fragile link between
them and you will be broken and the reader, gone
forever.
Tone
and style
This and the following four sections outline a plan
of action for writing your short bio. Your first
task is to ensure you are clear about who your intended
audience is, and to keep this audience in mind with
every word you write.
Stick to what you know and who you are. The reader
wants straightforward information about you and
doesn't need or want every detail of your professional
and personal life. Ensure the personal shines through
but beware of treating your reader as a friend,
they're not, they have no idea who you are and will
become suspicious of an overly friendly tone. It's
a little like someone standing too close on first
meeting. An invasion of personal space you might
say.
People are generally social animals and want to
connect, so adopt a personal tone that invites the
reader in. The trick here is to find a tone and
style that treads a middle path. It is equally advisable
not to write in an overly objective, distant style.
This may convey the facts of your life and skills,
but is unlikely to evoke an emotional response in
the reader, and it's a positive emotional response
above all that will encourage the reader to investigate
you more.
Write in a style you are comfortable and experienced
in. Don't try to crack jokes and make it fun unless
you've got a track record of writing in an amusing
way. Be honest with yourself and the reader, and
stick to a simple format that presents information
straightforwardly.
The
Opening
Get the opening statement wrong and you've lost
the reader after the first five seconds. Get it
right and they'll skip the body of your bio, go
straight to the contact info and give you a call.
Ensure your opening statement carries the following:
• Your name
• A summary of
what you do
• A reference
to your skills and experience
• A call to action
Example:
| Jumbo
Jim writes on a broad range of subjects
for national newspapers, magazines and
journals, and continues to ensure his
business clients are advantaged by his
copy and marketing writing skills. |
|
The
Main Body
Here's your chance to present an outline of your
work and achievements. Don't present a detailed
employment history, and confine any specific employment
references to your last five years experience unless
you've radically changed your career direction.
Example:
| Jumbo
Jim's first professional post was to
work as a copywriter for a major newspaper.
After two years Jumbo moved on to lead
the editorial team of the new media
magazine The Zone. After winning the
London Writers Best Article Award in
1998, Jumbo Jim set himself up as a
freelance writer and consultant. |
|
The Closing
The closing statement is a short reminder of who
you are and a call to action.
Example:
| Jumbo
Jim continues to progress his passion
for writing and his enthusiasm for getting
a job well done. Jumbo Jim: for new
writing commissions and consultancy
work. |
|
Essential
information
The final and most important task is to ensure your
contact details are correct.
Example:
Contact
Details:
Jumbo Jim
Postal Address: 101 My Street,
My Town, My City, My Country,
My Post/Zip Code
Email: me@my-web-site.com
Website: www.my-web-site.com/
Phone: 0101 (0) 10101 010101 |
|
Example bio
Piece this all together and you've got yourself
a short bio that should engage and ensure a positive
response from the reader. Here's the bio I've been
developing for this article in its entirety:
Example:
Jumbo
Jim: Bio
Jumbo Jim writes on a broad range of
subjects for national newspapers, magazines
and journals, and continues to ensure
his business clients are advantaged
by his copy and marketing writing skills.
Jumbo Jim's first professional post
was to work as a copywriter for a major
newspaper. After two years Jumbo moved
on to lead the editorial team of the
new media magazine The Zone. After winning
the London Writers Best Article Award
in 1998, Jumbo Jim set himself up as
a freelance writer and consultant.
Jumbo Jim continues to progress
his passion for writing and his enthusiasm
for getting a job well done. Jumbo Jim:
for new writing commissions and consultancy
work.
Contact Details:
Jumbo Jim
Postal Address: 101 My Street,
My Town, My City, My Country,
My Post/Zip Code
Email: me@my-web-site.com
Website: www.my-web-site.com/
Phone: 0101 (0) 10101 010101 |
|
Conclusion
Writing a short and effective bio can be one of
the most important strategies you adopt in encouraging
new people to contact you. A bio is used by magazines,
websites, newspapers, brochures, the list goes on
and on. Go write yours and make it sing...
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