Your guide to a perfect author bio ✍️

Answering your questions about crafting the perfect author bio

I’ve been getting tons of questions recently about writing an author bio. Should you mention that award you won five years ago? Does your background in education, journalism, or marketing boost your credibility as a writer? And what if you have absolutely no literary credentials to speak of? (It’s OK, I promise!)

Figuring out what to include — and what to leave out — is trickier than it seems. You want to sound confident but not egotistical, professional but not stiff.

Today I’m answering all your burning questions about crafting a strong author bio for your query letter. Here’s what we’ll cover:

• What do agents want to see in an author bio?

• What do agents NOT want to see in an author bio?

• Do I mention my previous self-published books?

• Do I mention my identity/background?

• Does social media matter?

• Should the author bio be written in first or third person?

• Should my bio have my legal or pen name?

• Which awards and contests are big enough to mention in my author bio?

• What if I don’t have any writing credits?

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What do agents want to see in an author bio?

An effective author bio might be simpler (and shorter!) than you think. When you break them down, there are only three key elements every author bio should include:

1. Any writing credentials: No, this doesn’t mean you have to be a bestselling author already (in which case, you probably wouldn’t be querying)! This could include anything from previous publications (short fiction, journalistic pieces, or previous books), writing awards, membership in writing organizations, notable conferences or workshops you’ve attended, or an MFA or creative writing degree. If you run a blog or you are also a journalist or content writer, definitely mention that, because it speaks to the breadth of the type of writing you do.
   
   If you don’t have any of these writing credentials, don't worry! It is completely fine if this is your first foray into creative writing or if this is your first time trying to get published. There are plenty of authors who are in that exact position and still secure representation and book deals, so don't feel discouraged. In this case, you can simply say, “This is my debut book” in your author bio. If you’re in the “no writing credits” camp, keep reading — I talk more about this at the end of the newsletter.

2. Your professional background: The reason I recommend including this is because it gives the agent a sense of how writing fits into your life — it can be really interesting to know that during the day you're an ornithologists and then at night you're writing a novel about a fantasy world involving spectacular birds. (PSST: Mentioning your professional background is especially important if you are writing nonfiction, because in that case your authority as an author informs how you're approaching your book. The agent will likely want to see a connection between what you're writing about and your professional background.)
   
   What if you’re not currently working, such as if you’re retired, a student, or a stay-at-home parent? You can feel free to mention that in your author bio if you feel comfortable doing so. If you are not currently working but you used to have a career, you can also reference what you formerly did for work.

3. Where you’re based: It’s good for the agent to know where you are based, especially because you are going to eventually have to share this with them when you start working together professionally. The other plus is that you never know if they have a personal connection to wherever you're based (maybe that's their hometown or where they went to college), and while that's not going to get you representation, it's nice to draw that personal connection whenever you can.

Ta-da! That’s really all you need. The author bio can come down to just a single sentence or two. For me, a short bio might look like:

Based in Brooklyn, I studied creative writing at New York University and am an independent developmental book editor and publishing consultant for aspiring traditionally published authors.

Writing credentials? Check. What I do for work? Check. Where I’m based? Check.

Now let’s go through some things that you shouldn't or just don't have to reference in your author bio.

What do agents NOT want to see in an author bio?