How, indeed? I know for a fact the majority of people struggle with this, simply because writing bios for people takes up a good portion of my workday. My clients are always saying, “I just find it so hard to write about myself.” If you’ve ever thought this, you’re not alone.
As someone who writes bios for a living, even I find it difficult to write about myself. It’s tough, but it’s definitely doable, and it’s something you can learn with a little time and practice (or a template – keep an eye on the iScribe website for writing resources coming soon!). So, if you’ve ever found yourself Googling ‘how do you write a bio about yourself’, check out my tips in this article.
It might surprise you how simple some of them are to put into practice…
How do you write a bio about yourself? 3 helpful tips!
Imagine you’re writing about somebody else
Most of us are more than happy to talk about other people’s achievements, but when it comes to talking about ourselves we tend to be a little more reserved.
Whether it’s because we don’t want to ‘brag’ or we’re a little self-conscious or for another reason entirely talking about ourselves, especially about our achievements, can make us feel a little weird and awkward.
Unfortunately, writing your own bio means you NEED to talk about yourself. This doesn’t mean you have to ‘brag’ though. It is entirely possible to write a bio, outlining your achievements and your skills without coming across as ‘up yourself’ or ‘braggy’.
The first step to doing this is putting yourself in someone else’s shoes and looking at yourself in a different light. How would a colleague describe your work ethic? What might your friends say about your history and achievements?
You’re allowed to feel good about yourself. You’re allowed to say nice things about the work you do. If this is difficult for you, the first step to overcoming any hesitation is to take a step back and approach the bio as though you’re someone else.
Don’t let it drag on (300-400 words max.)
Now, once you’ve mastered the art of talking about yourself (go you!), the trick is to know when to stop. Try to aim for a total word count of 300-400 words max., sometimes even less is better.
Start with a first draft where you note down everything you think you’d need to include. Then, edit it down to make sure the final draft is interesting and concise enough to keep your reader engaged throughout.
Professional is good but personable is better
No matter how ‘professional’ the industry you work in is thought to be, every single person who will read your bio is interested in learning about you. They want to know about you professionally and about who you are as a person.
Use friendly terminology that helps people relate to you. Also, include a smaller paragraph about who you are and what you enjoy doing ‘outside of office hours’. Do you have pets? Love playing board games with friends? Play soccer on the weekends?
If people are reading your bio, they’re interested in you. Let them know a little bit about who you are – not just in a professional sense.
These are just a few tips that help me in my bio writing, but I am currently in the process of putting together some awesome resources that will be available through the iScribe Creative website veeerrrryy soon. One of them is going to be a comprehensive template that ANYONE can follow when they need to write a bio about themselves. Stay tuned… 😉
Oh, and if you don’t feel comfortable writing your own bio, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I’m at the point now where I class bio writing as one of my specialties. Plus, I really enjoy writing them!
Thanks for reading 🖤
✨
Katelyn
THINK | WRITE | CREATE
Find out the most impactful words of advice I’ve ever been given by a mentor!
Header Image 📸 Leone Venter on Unsplash
These are great tips to consider when creating an online bio, whether it’s for your social media profiles or what have you. Keeping one’s bio short yet detailed is essential.
Thanks Michael! I completely agree.