Writing, Self-Publishing, Book Marketing

It’s a widespread area of uncertainty for up and coming authors: the blurb about the author. “Should I include it? What do I write?!” Often times, authors don’t even consider including one until it’s time to publish their book. 

While there is no rule that all books must have text about the author, it’s actually common and a good marketing idea for a couple of reasons:

1. Seize the opportunity to connect with your readers before they read the book, while they’re still deciding ift hey should read your words.
2. Solidify the bond with your reader after they’ve spent time reading your book.

For most people, the about the author might not have a huge influence on whether or not someone buys a book (unless the author is famous or well-known). But the second point is extremely valuable to building a loyal fan base, piquing curiosity and helping to further define the picture readers have of you in their mind.

Here are some helpful hints about how to write an about the author for your book:

Use the third person
You’ve probably heard this one before, but it’s an important point. Instead of saying “I, me, my,” say “[Your name], she/he, her/his.” Even though it might feel weird and perhaps a little psychotic, that’s just how it’s done. It’s an industry standard, so play along.

If you can’t tell everyone, don’t tell anyone
This text will be available to the public. Would you be comfortable with your boss reading it? How about your father, grandmother or child? What about a complete stranger? Or that neighbor you are sure stomped your tulips? Personal information that you wouldn’t want any of these people to find out should be left out. 

Tell the truth (but not necessarily the whole truth …)
If there’s anything we’ve learned from James Frey, it’s that lies can come back to haunt you. So, it’s OK if you don’t have a master’s degree in creative writing. And, even if you don’t feel that anything about your life is “interesting enough” to talk about, that’s OK, too. Just keep it simple – your readers will likely feel a connection to your “normal” life. Remember, this text should be truthful, so you can connect on a personal level with your readers.

Create your brand
Use the genre of your book in combination with your own creativity to generate an “author brand” for yourself. It sounds corny, I know. But this little bit of information is what your readers will use to form an opinion about you as a person and author. Of course, your book will also shape their opinion, so coordinate your “personal brand” with your style of writing.

For example, maybe you had some trouble with the law in your younger days, but you’ve worked passed it. If you write scholarly non-fiction books or cheerful children’s books, you probably want to keep that little detail to yourself. But, maybe you write cutting-edge crime novels, or studies of various criminal justice systems. You could use this tiny detail to show that you’ve got behind-the-scene knowledge. Or, if you’re a religious writer, you could use this as a testament to how your faith helped you through hard times.

Everyone has a large array of experiences in their life. You can (and should) pick and choose which details to divulge to your audience. Just as reality TV show editors create characters and exaggerate personality traits by whittling a week down to 45 minutes, you too can shape how you’re seen while still telling the truth (just not all of the truth).

Keep it short – save the rest for your memoir
Try to keep your about the author text brief – only 300 words maximum. If you feel the need to write more, you’re probably including too many details that are not focused or relevant. Plus, you can always write a more detailed description on your free AuthorTree Web site or blog. Or hey, maybe now’s the time to start that special memoir you’ve always been meaning to write …

Give proper, relevant info based on the genre of your book
So, if you just finished writing My Life: A Memoir, you probably don’t need a thorough about the author, although it’s still alright to include one. Memoirs or biographies typically include persuasive, informative text about the book on the back cover designed to convince potential readers to purchase your book. So, when writing an about the author blurb for a memoir, keep it short only stating education or credentials, previous books, or possibly a reference to different time period than only what’s covered in your book.

And, remember to keep it relevant overall. Give some basics about writing credential, perhaps a general location, lifestyle information, but you don’t have to tell your reader what elementary school you went to, or the names of each of your 10 pets (unless, of course, this information is relevant to your book, marketing plan or your image). Because, for example, if you write humorous books, then it could be entirely relevant to tell the reader that you have a fear of clowns and you only wear shirts that are 100 percent cotton.

Pictures talk
Ah, the age-old question: Should I include a picture of myself? This answer is really up to you. However, there are a few ground rules to follow if you do decide to include a photo, because pictures, as you know, are worth a thousand words:

1. Avoid the full page spread. Even if you’ve always wanted to be a model, save it for your auditions.
2. Be professional. You’re representing yourself to a wide audience, so don’t use an unprofessional picture if your have commercial aspirations for your book.
3. Use a good photo; if you don’t have one, take one. Just because you could use your cell phone camera while you’re sitting on the couch, doesn’t mean that you should.

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There’s a lot to say about the short bio piece found in most books. And if you’re still not sure, you can always review the about the author text of other books. See for yourself what makes some of them better than others. Learn what to do (and what not to do) from other authors of a similar genre.

Have you found any of these tips helpful in your own work? Or do you have a tip of your own? Share your thoughts, writers!

-Angie