How to Write an Author Bio: What to Include and What Not To
Writing an author biography can be one of the hardest parts of publishing a book. You can spend months or even years writing your manuscript, but when it comes to writing a few lines about yourself, suddenly you have no idea what to say.
And somehow, the author bio is often treated as an afterthought.
But it shouldn't be.
When a reader comes across your book, there are usually only a few things they look at before deciding whether they want to know more about it:
The book cover
The book description or blurb
The author profile
The first few pages of the book
This makes your author bio more important than you might think.
Your bio gives readers a quick introduction to the person behind the book. It can establish your credibility, tell readers what makes you qualified to write about your subject, and give them a small glimpse into your personality.
The good news is that writing an author bio does not have to be complicated. You just need to know what information is useful, what can be left out, and how to present yourself without turning the bio into either a résumé or a humble-bragging competition.
Why Is an Author Bio Important?
An author bio is more than a list of your qualifications.
It is part of your author brand and can appear in several places, including your book, publisher's website, online retailer pages, social media profiles, event introductions, press releases, and author websites.
For a first-time author, it can feel particularly difficult. What do you write when you don't have five published books, a shelf full of awards, or a bestselling title to mention?
The answer is simple: you don't need them.
Not every author starts with a long list of writing credits. Your professional experience, education, research, personal journey, or expertise may be just as relevant to your book.
If you have written a business book after spending twenty years building a company, your professional experience matters. If you have written a historical novel based on years of research, that research matters. If you have written a memoir, your connection to the story matters.
Your author bio should explain what has brought you to this book.
What Should You Include in an Author Bio?
1. Start With Who You Are
Your name, profession, location, area of expertise, or writing background can help readers understand who you are.
For example:
“Author A is an entrepreneur and financial consultant with over fifteen years of experience in personal finance and wealth management.”
Immediately, the reader knows who the author is and why he might have something useful to say about finance.
For fiction authors, this can be simpler:
“Author B is a Delhi-based writer whose work explores relationships, family, identity and the small complications of everyday life.”
You don't need to make the opening complicated. Just tell the reader who you are.
2. Include Relevant Qualifications and Experience
If you have qualifications, professional experience, previous publications, awards, research experience, or other achievements connected to your book, include them.
The important word here is relevant.
If you are writing a book about psychology, your psychology degree or professional experience is worth mentioning. If you are writing a children's book and have spent years working with children, that could be relevant too.
3. Explain What You Write About
Your author bio should also tell readers something about your writing. You don't need to write an elaborate statement about your artistic philosophy. One or two clear sentences are enough.
For example:
“Her/His/Them writing focuses on family, memory and identity, often exploring how the past shapes the choices we make in the present.”
This gives the reader an idea of what they can expect from your work.
4. Add Something Personal
An author bio should establish your credibility, but it should not read like a corporate LinkedIn profile. A small personal detail can make the bio more relatable.
You could mention where you live, an interest that connects with your writing, what inspired you to write, or something about your life that helps explain the book.
5. Mention Your Book
If your bio is being used on your book or as part of your publishing material, you can mention the book itself. You could briefly mention what inspired you to write it or the subject that led you to the story.
But remember that your author bio is about you, while your book description is about the book.
Should You Write Your Bio in First Person or Third Person?
For most publishing purposes, a third-person author bio works best.
Instead of:
“I am a writer and entrepreneur based in Mumbai...”
you can write:
“Author A is a writer and entrepreneur based in Mumbai...”
Third-person bios tend to work well on book covers, publisher websites, event pages, press releases and online book listings.
However, this does not mean your bio needs to sound stiff or overly formal. You can still let your personality come through.
The aim is professional, not robotic.
Should You Have More Than One Author Bio?
Yes. Your author bio does not have to be exactly the same everywhere.
You may need a short bio for social media, a slightly longer version for your publisher's website, and a more detailed version for an event, press kit, or author website.
It is useful to prepare:
A short bio of around 50 words
A standard bio of around 100–150 words
A longer bio of around 200 words
The basic information can remain the same, but you can change what you highlight depending on where the bio will appear.
What Should You NOT Include in Your Author Bio?
Writing an author bio is partly about knowing what to leave out.
Don't Include Every Achievement
Don't Include Irrelevant Information
Don't Exaggerate Your Achievements
Don't Be Too Humble
Don't Make It Too Long
Don't Forget to Proofread
Keep Updating Your Author Bio
Your author bio should grow with your career. The bio you write for your first book may mention your profession, interests and debut publication. A few years later, you may have several books, awards, interviews, speaking engagements, or other achievements worth including. Update it when something important changes.
At Nu Voice Press, the publishing imprint of Hubhawks, authors are supported through different stages of the publishing journey, from preparing the manuscript to presenting the finished book to readers. An author bio is a small part of that process, but it plays an important role in introducing the person behind the pages.
So, if you're staring at a blank document wondering how on earth you are supposed to describe yourself in 100 words, start simple.
Who are you? What do you write? What makes you qualified or connected to this book? And what is one thing you want readers to remember about you?
Answer those questions honestly, keep the unnecessary bits out, and you already have the foundation of a good author bio.
No dramatic life story required. Unless, of course, your dramatic life story is the book.