Author Bio Question

Sea Witch · Jan 5, 2012

If this question is not in the right sub-forum, feel free to move it.

When I look at online forms to submit small fiction pieces--FF is my thang--I often see either a field on the form for "bio" or instructions that ask you to include a bio in the body of an email.

Which bio are they asking for?

A) The formal bio that NF writers include in a query like (for a piece on flies) "I hold 6 Ph.D.'s in fly science and have been researching Tsetse flies since 1964. I have 77 articles published in peer reviewed journals such as Fly World Quarterly, The Fly, and The Flies The Limit.

or

B) The pithy bio that might appear under your ugly picture in the magazine such as "When I'm not reading or writing about flies, I can be found climbing Mount Everest, inventing new ways to harness solar energy or training goldfish to play polo in my backyard pond."

I'm afraid I am a dinosaur and not fully acquainted with the online world of submissions. Thanks

Maryn · Jan 5, 2012

It's closer to B. What they want is information about you as a writer and as the writer of this particular story.

Sea Witch has published umpteen articles on flies and their favorite foods in popular and scholarly journals. She lives and writes in western Canada, which is not as fly-rich as she'd like. This is her first story about flies playing hockey.

Like that.

Maryn, who tailors it to the publication by reading other writers' bios there

alexshvartsman · Jan 5, 2012

It's B. Though you should always include a little bit of A in your cover letter, unless the guidelines specifically say otherwise. I use this form:

---
Dear [Name of Editor(s)],

Enclosed is a [flash/short] story, "Title" (XXXX words).

My recent short fiction sales were to [Your very best market #1, 2, 3] (no more than 3).

Thank you very much in advance for reading and considering my submission.

Sincerely,

Alex Shvartsman
---

If they ask to include a BIO, I use the one from my web site, separately from the above. Include your Twitter handle and website link in your bio, if you have such things.

Sea Witch · Jan 5, 2012

Thank you Alexshvartsman and Maryn. I hear and I obey.

Izz · Jan 6, 2012

Also, unless the guidelines state otherwise, most zines want bios written in third person present tense, like Maryn's example above

Maryn · Jan 6, 2012

Sea Witch said:
Thank you Alexshvartsman and Maryn. I hear and I obey.

Clean my basement.

Maryn, who's been meaning to for a number of years

Author Bio Question

Sea Witch

Stirring the word cauldron

Maryn

Baaa!

alexshvartsman

Sea Witch

Stirring the word cauldron

Izz

Doing the Space Operatic

Maryn

Baaa!