Writing a bio can get very confusing. Don’t you agree? Here are a few tips on how to write a bio on yourself to create that lasting impression.
Oh the net. There’s just too much happening there now. There are the social networking sites and the blog pages and then visitors’ comments to give, and guest sites to comment on…and for all of these, one requires a bio. How else is one to distinguish you from another, and how is someone supposed to render a human form to you in the visual/digital medium if they know zilch about you? That’s the theory about the net.
There’s also the professional world to think about. That requires a bio too. And that’s why you need to know how to write a bio on yourself. Something that will make a lasting impression on people who read it. Something interesting, so that people are tempted to see what you’re all about. And all this is made possible only if you have a bio.
I understand that writing a bio might seem easy when you first think about it, but when you do sit to write it, you’ll find that you may be gripped by several conflicting thoughts. What to put in it and what to exclude? You’ll start to think – is this important, or is that or is both? So to make matters simpler, here’s how you go about it. Presenting, different situations and different answers on writing a bio on yourself.
Writing Your Professional Bio
A professional bio is extremely important in the professional world because it is on the basis of this that people judge you. It plays a very important role in determining the kind of assignments, jobs or accounts you’ll get. Here are some pointers on how to write a professional bio.
Less is More
Make sure that you understand this one simple rule – It is better to write something in short than go about rambling on and on. A short and concise bio makes for a lasting impression because it provides everything important and yet does not take up time.
Versions of Bio
There have to be certain versions of your bio made according to the scenario that the bio is being used for. Usually there are 3 of these. One is a long one that has all the detailed information and the other two are shorter versions of 100 and 50 words. These need to be kept because in certain places, you cannot use a long bio, in others you only need an introduction. Thus it is always better to be prepared.
Third Person
Bios should always be written in the third person and never in the first. It might seem weird, no doubt, but it is something that is going to be used by another person to talk about you.
Give it a Personality
It is important that people know the real you, so try and include certain key traits of your behavior and personality in your bio. If you’re a funny person, try describing something in a witty manner.
Spice it Up
It’s rather dull to be reading a bio that reads like a resume that is so formal. Try to do away with those and give your bio a human touch. Include humor if you can. But be extremely careful about this, as there’s a very thin line between professional and over the top. Do not use this if you’re confused about how it sounds. Just don’t make it very, very formal. That’s all.
Introduction and Profession
Start by giving your name and what you do. Your name is what’s going to sell later, so put it out there. Also, it is important to tell what you do right in the beginning so that they know what to expect. If you write your profession later, many might not even have the patience to read till there.
Important Accomplishments
Accomplishments should only be written if you are going to describe them in brief. Listing them out will make it seem more like a resume, which this is not. So try to write a line or two about your accomplishments.
Personal Information is Optional
Providing personal information akin to your hobbies, the pets that you own or how you spend your day is optional. Many people feel that this has got nothing to do with their professional life and does not affect it in any way, therefore it is not necessary to provide. This is entirely your choice. Personal information can be given but one has to make sure that one does not go overboard with it. State the information in brief and in a witty way if possible (do not compromise on the professional format though)
Contact Information
Providing some contact information is important because it will allow people to get in touch. But unlike in a resume, always mention your contact info at the end.
Update Information
Make sure that you update your bio from time to time because it should reflect your latest accomplishments. Always check and recheck to see if there are any mistakes.
Writing Your Social Networking Sites/Blogs Bio
Writing your bio for a social networking site means that it needs to be informal. Here are some important points that you need to look into.
- It’s not a resume so you don’t need to be formal. You can develop your own style to describe yourself. Do a little experimentation about what defines you best. Is it humor, sarcasm, wit, melancholy or simple rambling? Choose a style that seems fitting for you. Here’s a tip, sift through a few bios the next time you’re online. It’ll give you a fair idea of what you like and the style that you should finally settle for.
- The thing about these sites is that there is no hard and fast rule about how much and what to include. That is why you’ll find bios of varied lengths on the net. Whenever there is any confusion, just remember that if you can include everything in short, that is ideal.
- If it’s a bio for blogging then you’ll need to write two kinds. One that supplies the ‘About Me’ column – so that everything is explained in short and another long, so that you can get into a little more detail about yourself.
- Humor and personal touches are always a huge hit. People love to read bios which are directed at themselves, showing themselves in a funny light or the like. So something that is a take on yourself or is a funny take on something, or even a personal incident could do the trick.
- Don’t get carried away and provide every minuscule detail about your life, that is not required and people do not have the time. Just some basic likes and dislikes and issues that are important will suffice just fine.
I hope that this article must’ve given you a fair idea about how to go about writing your own bio successfully. So start cracking and dole out a really impressive one.
