In a recent group coaching session with our PraiseWriter members,  I explained some elements of a good writer/author bio. These elements came up again when some of our members contributed to a brand-new book, Cloud of Witnesses, which allowed them to include a brief bio at the end of their chapters.  With a very limited word count, it was important for them to focus on the fundamentals–what was most necessary and compelling for the reader to know about them. 

The same four fundamental ingredients can make your bio stronger and more memorable, and serve as a gateway for your reader to begin or advance their journey with you. It can mean the difference between someone reading your post/article/book and thinking, “That was nice,” and moving on–or clicking over to your website, spending time looking at who you are and what you believe in and write about, and subscribing to follow you–or maybe buying your book or even inviting you to speak or to come on their podcast. 

With that in mind, here are the four things I invite you to consider including in your bio:

1. Calling. What compels you to write?  What do you believe about God, the world, and the reader that informs your words and your ideas?  Ideally, if you’ve been lucky enough to reach your “ideal” reader, articulating this will make them want to stand up and shout, “Yes!”  They’ll know that they are in the right place and that you are someone they want to follow. For example, I began my bio in Cloud of Witnesses with the sentence: “Claire Dwyer writes with a desire that all know how deeply they are loved by God.” I hoped that this would resonate with readers far more than beginning with where I grew up or what I do for a living. Margaret Gartlgruber had a great opening line to her bio in the same book, writing that she “longs for moms to know how important their call to motherhood is and that they are more than enough!” I love that, and so will her readers. 
2. Credibility. While you should never feel pressured to “prove” yourself or your worth to your readers, you still want to reassure them that you know something about that which you write. You want them to trust you. This doesn’t necessarily mean you have to have advanced degrees or impressive awards, although those can certainly be included. It is sufficient to point out that you’ve experienced or overcome what you write about.  Charlene Unterkofler’s chapter bio mentions that she is a “longstanding member and formator for the Society of St. Vincent de Paul.” This reassures the reader that when she writes about serving and finding Christ in the poor, she knows what she is talking about. It can also refer to other places you’ve been published that imply that you are trusted by recognizable, credible organizations.  Natalie Hanemann includes the fact that she is “a contributing writer for Catholicmom.com and CatholicStand.com.”  Even if I had never heard of her, these respected platforms are well-known to me.  I trust them, therefore, I am more likely to trust her. 
3. Curiosity.  Adding something interesting or personal can cause a reader to want to know more about you.  Perhaps they’ll hop over to your website and click your “About Me” page, or download a content offer you make available to them. The point is to make the reader want more, and to let them know that there is more–give them a way to take another step towards you, and towards the transformation or inspiration you want to offer them. How can they follow you?  What else have you written about on this topic?  How can they get their own copy of the (fill in the blank) that you mentioned in your post or article? Let there be no closed doors in your bio. I invited readers of Cloud of Witnesses to “Find out more–and download your printable copy of the “Be Loved Litany”--at ClaireDwyer.com.”
4. Conciseness. Keep your bio clear and simple. Include what you need to get the above points across, and save the rest for an “About Me” page that can go into more depth and detail. Readers may not have the time or attention span to read long paragraphs about your background when they first encounter you. But a good, short bio can be just the beginning–if it hooks them and keeps them in your circle.  This can be hard!  But in the end, it will result in a carefully curated, well-crafted bio.  We limited Clould of Witnesses writers to 65-word bios and I was delighted with the way they managed to include everything necessary in those few lines and to do so with creativity and cleverness.

Your bio is a small but powerful opportunity. Take full advantage of it by considering how you might be able to weave in these elements to create something that draws the reader in, allows them to trust you, gives them a way to follow you or find out more, and keeps their attention in a world of noise.