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Writing Author Bio

NRuhwald

Scribe
I'm trying to write an author bio for the first time, with basically no writing credentials, except for the debut novel. I've gone through a lot of resources on the subject, and I think I basically have it. But I include a short list of my favorite authors, to give readers a sense of what to expect from me. I don't see that in the examples used in articles on the subject, and I'm wondering if it's a good idea. The bio is short, so I'll post it below so you can see what I'm talking about.

Natasha Ruhwald is a writer, library technician, and author of the dark fantasy novel, The Kings' Children. A disillusioned millennial, she is escapes from an increasingly baffling world by creating a fantasy world of her own inspired by her favorite authors: Tolkien, H. G. Wells, and H. P. Lovecraft, to name a few. Natasha lives in Kamloops, BC with her pet Pink-Toed Tarantula, Bubblegum, and her houseplants.
 

A. E. Lowan

Forum Mom
Leadership
I think it's fine. With a bio, you want to give the reader not only a sense of who you are, but also how you write. So a comedy writer should be funny, and a fantasy author should be something resembling fantastical. I think you hit both points and it makes me interested in moving on to your blurb (s).

My team has three bios: short, medium, and long. You'll use them for different things like guest blog posts and interviews. This is our medium one.

A. E. Lowan is the pseudonym of three authors who collectively create the dark urban fantasy series, The Books of Binding. Born in Texas, Jessica Smith brings a passion for science to tame the physics of Seahaven. Hailing from Missouri, Jennifer Vinck is a former bookseller who brings a love of theatre and linguistics to breathe life into the characters. A Navy brat, raised in Washington, California, and Missouri, Kristin Vinck is a recovering medievalist who brings an obsession with history and folklore to paint a detailed cultural canvas for The Books of Binding.

It's short(ish), to the point, and gives readers a hint at what to expect. You don't need to list publishing credits here - or so much anymore, really - so don't sweat it. As you publish, you'll have those credentials to add in their own time.
 

Devor

Fiery Keeper of the Hat
Moderator
I've seen bios and blurbs which makes comparisons to other books, and to be honest, for me it's a put off. I immediately compare it to those famous, better books, and it's almost always disappointing by comparison. And I'm making these comparisons before I've given the book a minute to stand on its own. I would cut it.
 
It would be acceptable either way, but yes, Devor makes a very good point. If you take out the names and the sentence reads: She escapes from an increasingly baffling world by creating fantasy worlds of her own. It's tighter and would then give you space (ELEVEN more words!) for another tidbit about yourself for readers to find endearing without adding more length. That's where I'd spend that eleven words every time. :)

My experience, like Devor, is that most all comparisons of a book to other authors, even when it's contemporary authors working today, tend to end up somewhat disappointing. Stand on your own. If someone else wants to say those things in a review or blurb about you? Fine. But we all know the third person author bio is written by the author themselves.

Best of luck!
 
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