How to Write a Traditional Bio

Some of the most accomplished people seem to have the worst bios! If you've done any research you know what I mean. They're full of dull, boring, useless information and run on sentences. In short everything a bio shouldn't be! What a bio should be is a short (no more than 3 or 4 sentences) creative and insightful paragraph highlighting your best (and relevant) attributes. Remember when you write your bio that traditionally they're written in the 3rd person. Think of it this way, if you were giving a speech -how would you be introduced?

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• pen and paper
• creative mind
• computer

1. Taking Inventory
   
   The first step to writing a great bio is to identify and write down the following information:
   
   (Don't worry if your bio isn't in paragraph form that will come later)
   
   1. Who are you (literally)
   2. What do you do? What is your area of expertise?
   3. Who does this help? What needs do you fulfill for others?
   4. What interesting bit of information separates you from all the rest?
   
   Example:
   
   1. Who are you?
   Jane Smith, working older woman
   
   2. What do you do? What is your area of expertise?
   Life coach
   
   3. Who does this help? What needs do you fulfill for others?
   Specializing in helping older women reenter the work force or start their own business
   
   4. What interesting bit of information separates you from the rest?
   Was a stay at home mother and wife until her husband passed away. Knows from personal experience how hard the transition back to work can be.
2. Writing Your First Draft
   
   Once you have the above information clearly written down its time to put your statements into paragraph form. While you shouldn't worry about the order in which you put this information down it is a good idea to start by addressing who you are.
   
   Example:
   
   Jane Smith is a life coach who specializes in helping other older women reenter the work force. Having been a stay at home wife and mother for 17 years, she knows personally just how hard the transition can be. Jane's program offers specifically tailored advice and proven strategies to reduce the stress of any woman returning to work or starting a business after an extended hiatus.
3. Editing and Writing Your Final Draft
   
   Give your bio a good read. Next, set it down, walk away and reread it in an hour or two. If possible have a friend of someone you trust give it a read and provide you with feedback. Carefully check the spelling and grammatical accuracy of your bio. This is the time to tweak sentences as necessary and get everything just right!
   
   By the end of step 3 you should have a well polished, super tight, and super interesting bio ready to go. Remember, like anything else the more you practice the better your bio writing skills will become. So don't be afraid to revisit your bio a few months down the line and update as necessary.

Tips & Warnings

• There are 3 parts to the traditional bio format: -Assembling the information -Writing the first draft of your bio -Editing and rewriting a final draft of your bio
• There are 4 areas of information required to write your bio. Think of this as the basic template to get your creative juices flowing! Once you get them down you'll be able to write fantastic bios in no time.
• DON'T's -DON'T include your whole resume and work experience -DON'T Include your educational background (unless its relevant) -DON'T include a bunch of awards you've received (unless you've won a Nobel Prize, a Hugo, or an Academy Award, etc...)