Posts Tagged ‘Third Person’
A professional biography or overview, showcasing your background, experience and expertise, is a necessity for every business owner. This often overlooked marketing tool is an excellent way to introduce you and your business to potential clients and possible strategic business partners. Potentially, it might open up opportunities for speaking engagements, radio or television interviews, or a feature print article. While any information about you and your business is helpful, information that is presented in a professional, well-polished manner can make all the difference in how others perceive you. Consider these important points as you craft your own professional biography.
1. One page wonder.
Your professional biography should be a few paragraphs and kept to one page or less. One page is perfect for copying on the reverse side of a handout or flyer. Several paragraphs, left justified make it easier to read and skim.
2. First, second, or third person?
Always write your biography in the third person. That is, refer to yourself by your name or she/he as appropriate. It sounds more professional as it appears that a third party wrote the text. For example, “Alexandra has been featured in the New York Times, Forbes, Newsweek, and Time magazines.”
3. Business in brief.
Not only do readers want to know what you do, but also they want to know who you work with – because they might want to work with you! A professional biography should include a sentence or two about your business niche (or niches) as well as the types of clients you serve. A modified version of your 30-second elevator pitch might be perfect.
4. And the winner is….
Make sure that you include a list of awards that you have received. Readers are interested in knowing about your talents and the organizations that recognize you for them.
5. Organizations.
Include names of the organizations, clubs, or associations to which you belong. A reader’s interest might be highlighted at seeing that you belong to the same alumni association or professional business group. Again, these connections might possibly lead to some interesting and exciting business opportunities.
6. Certifications and designations.
Include any professional certifications or designations you hold. Make sure you write out their names in full, rather than use abbreviations. Not everyone might know that CMA stands for Certified Management Accountant. And, perhaps, in a different discipline, it might represent something else – like a Certified Materials Analyst. If you no longer hold a particular designation, but it has played a major role in who you are and what you do, don’t hesitate to make a reference to it. For example, “Ann is a former Certified Data Processor and spent the last decade as an adjunct faculty member teaching higher mathematics at the University of Colorado, Boulder.” Don’t include abbreviations of college degrees, like MBAs as it looks unprofessional. The only exception to this would be for a Ph.D. designation.
7. Published?
Have you written any articles, books, e-courses or e-books? Self-published or not, your works add to your level of professionalism and credibility. Showcase them in your biography and you might earn additional royalties in terms of new clients or other opportunities.
8. Did I mention the media?
Have you been a guest on talk radio or television? Were you or your business featured or even mentioned in a newspaper article? If so, readers want to know. Again, these types of “mentions” add to your credibility and presence.
9. Call me any time.
People who want to know about you will read your biography for just that reason. And, if its compelling, rich, and includes the information they’re interested, in, they’ll want to contact you. Include complete contact information like your title (if any), name, address, telephone, fax, email, and website address. Make it easy to find this information by including it in the last paragraph of your professional overview.
10. Write, rewrite, and do it again.
After you have written your biography, edit, edit, and edit again. You may need to do a dozen or so revisions before you get it just right. Eliminate extra words, use descriptive words, keep the sentences short but varied in length, and write in the third person. Ask some friends to provide input as well. Make sure to revise your biography regularly to keep it up-to-date and refreshed.
Copyright 2004 by Tara Alexandra Kachaturoff.
Most publications today want an author’s biography, called a bio, when they accept a writer’s work. Readers love to learn a little bit about the person who wrote a story or poem they enjoyed reading. It is a way for the reader to feel close to the writer.
Creating an author’s bio your readers will love reading can be as trying as writing your story. You want to entertain with your bio and tell a bit about yourself as well.
A bio is used to give the reader information about the author. A book publisher will want one to run on the back page of your novel. A magazine will want one to run with your story or poem. You should write a bio that is aimed at the item it will be published with so it is relevant.
Though most editors will have their own guidelines for writing an author’s bio, you can use these general guidelines to write a standard bio, one you can alter to match any work you get published.
Length
Most bios run between 50 and 400 words, with the average length about 150 words. Double space your bio and try to it no one more than one page in length.
Tense
When you write your biography, do so in the third person. You should use present tense, unless a past tense is absolutely necessary.
Content
Depending on what manuscript the bio is for, include any qualifications, education, skills, or experience you may have helps makes you look professional. Do not include unimportant information.
Achievements
Most of your bio should be devoted to your writing achievements. Previous publications, writing awards, or degrees you have relating to your work’s subject should be in the bio. If you have real life experience in your subject, be sure to also include it.
Promotions
If you are lucky enough to have been interviewed by a known publication, or have had a radio or television interview, mention that in your bio.
Tone
This should compliment your piece. If you have written a free and modern story, then make your bio the same way. Do not have a silly bio with a serious writing article.
Mood
Always present your information in a positive way. If you do not have a lot of work published, do not fret. Post what you have in an upbeat manner. Even if you have not been published before, you still have talents and qualifications – use them.
Do not make your bio seem too good to be true by over exaggerated information. Making yourself sound better than you are can, and will, backfire in the long run.
Do not lie. It will only make you look like an amateur, and could cost you future sales. Aim your bio at the editor who is publishing your work. List only publication credits that will impress them.
Even if you have no publishing credits, you can still write a bio. Just keep it brief. An example is: “Jane Doe is a writer living in Hometown, USA. She is currently at work on”. Be sure to keep it upbeat.
Writing a bio to go with a published piece should not be harder than writing the item itself. Following some simple guidelines will make the process easier, and leave you with a bio you can be proud of.