Help! Author biography

[StephenFEvans]

I need to send a biography with my submission, is there anyone out there who could give me some advice on what to include.

[Lady of Prose]

Author bios are usually written in 3rd person, unless otherwise specified.

You need to address matters to your reader and critics that are relevant and interesting. Include some information about your upbringing, but don't overdo it. In addition, of course, you need to include some info about education. For nonfiction, you would emphasize your experiences and what has contributed to that. Achievements in the field about which you are writing should naturally be mentioned. Tell about any articles that you have written, and include any research you have done. Be sure to name any previous works you have authored or co-authored. Also include some personal information, but again, do not overdo.

For fiction authors, you should emphasis anything that influenced your writing, as well as other aspects that affected your decision to write and your writing style. Write about the types of books you enjoy or any other authors that influenced your writing style, your novel environment, or the choices of subject matter in your writing. Give some information about your family and personal life. Emphasize anything that reveals your personality, feelings, and attitudes about what you do. Try not to be too wordy, and keep your sentence structure and grammar impeccable.

[StephenFEvans]

It is the overdo it that concerns me. My child hood was something of a disaster (would make a good novel) but I don’t want to come across as a sob story.

[StephenFEvans]

Thanks for your input.
It is the overdo it that concerns me. My child hood was something of a disaster (would make a good novel) but I don’t want to come across as a sob story.

[debraji]

Look at the author bios on the inside flap of book jackets. There are generally 1-paragraph and 2-paragraph versions. Use them as models.

[StephenFEvans]

Thats a good idea. Thanks

[maestrowork]

One paragraph. State your educational background and/or publishing credits and any pertinent information (not your life story!) You may state where you live, but I usually leave that out...

[victoriastrauss]

I need to send a biography with my submission, is there anyone out there who could give me some advice on what to include.Is this a submission to an agent or publisher? If you have professional writing credits, or life- or work experience that's directly relevant to your book (i.e., if you've written a thriller about art theft and you yourself are an art dealer), cite them. Otherwise, skip the bio. An agent or publisher is not interested in how you became a writer or what your hobbies are or how many pets you have.

If you have something already accepted for publication and you've been asked for a bio, make it as brief as possible. For example, here's the bio that I use for articles and interviews:
Victoria Strauss is the author of seven fantasy novels, including The Burning Land (a January Magazine Best of 2004 pick) and The Awakened City (2006). She’s a regular book reviewer for the online journal SF Site, and her articles on writing have appeared in Writer’s Digest and elsewhere. She’s an active member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, where she serves as vice-Chair of the Writing Scams Committee and maintains the Writer Beware literary scams warning website (www.writerbeware.com (http://www.writerbeware.com)). She welcomes visitors to her own website: www.victoriastrauss.com (http://www.victoriastrauss.com).
For book jackets, I use something a bit ore personal.

- Victoria

[Irysangel]

I'm in the same situation -- I have to provide a bio to an agent that wishes to see more of my work...and I don't *have* anything. I frequent writer boards, I crit other people's work, I've written 4 manuscripts (2 fantasy, 1 paranormal, 1 romance) but only two are edited to varying degrees of satisfaction.

I do accounting by day. How exactly do I make any of this tie over? ;) Mention how long I've been writing? What my interests are? What I hope to achieve?

Any thoughts? Help!

[scribbler1382]

Two best sources for how to do this are, as someone else mentioned, inside the back jacket cover of novels; and in a lot of short story anthologies, they'll include a short author bio before the story. Or there might be an "About the authors" section in the back. In any case, it's nothing to worry about. I wouldn't go as formal as some others have suggested. Keep it light and general. If it's your style, even going a little funny is okay. But a lot depends on who the bio is for and why you're providing it.