Whoo-hoo! The hard part is done. You’ve finished your writing. Every word and sentence meticulously crafted and reviewed. Lending to a final product that really delivers.

Fin.

<Insert Name Here.>

This might be a great way to simply wrap things up…if you were Shakespeare.

I am going to take the leap of faith and say that not everyone here is a household name. Just signing off on a manuscript may add an air of mystery, but does it really help you sell more books?

This may shock you, but no. No, it doesn’t.

You see, readers want credibility and accountability. Someone who takes pride in their work and wants them to as well. So, what’s a great way to let the audience know you mean business?

Your author bio of course!

Not just that, but… Many times your author bio is read prior to purchasing your book. That’s right. Your bio is out there competing with those of other authors.  Let me give you an example…

Diary of a Farting Creeper: Why Does the Creeper Fart When He Should Explode? (Volume 1): Who is Wimpy Fart? Wimpy Fart loves Minecraft and writes awesome Minecraft books for YOU because you are the best Minecraft fans in the world. You can email Wimpy Fart to tell him about your favorite Minecraft books, or to talk about really loud farts. [email protected] Oh – Wimpy Fart reads all your awesome Amazon reviews and likes to know what you want to read about in Minecraft books!

vs.

Diary of a Farting Creeper: Why Does the Creeper Fart When He Should Explode? (Volume 1) by Wimpy Fart

*The first is a real book and author bio which may be found on Amazon. If you or someone you know is into Minecraft… this may be a book for you.

 

The first author bio may be silly, but it’s awesome! It makes me think that Wimpy Fart really understands his Minecraft and farts.

Not a terrible cover either…But that’s another lesson.

So, what are three ways to make your author bio count? Let’s break down Wimpy Fart’s author bio and see what makes it great!

#1. Credibility

Honestly, after reading Wimpy Farts bio… he’s convinced me that he is an expert on Minecraft and farting. He makes his stance clear with this statement:

Wimpy Fart loves Minecraft and writes awesome Minecraft books for YOU because you are the best Minecraft fans in the world.

Without overstating the fact, Wimpy Fart lets you know what he does and why he does it. He also involves the readership.  This level of engagement in the author bio is definitely an advantage for Wimpy Fart.

Another element that is inside the author bio are the words “Volume 1”.

Why is this so important?

Take a look at Wimpy Fart’s book cover. Nowhere stated does it say Volume 1. This may not have been originally planned as a series when it was first released. But Volume 1 implies a series. This could mean that reception was great during release, and Wimpy decided a second book was in order.

Readers are much more likely to trust books or writings that are part of a series. In turn, this makes them more likely to read the next part instead of just stopping at the first book.

#2. Style and Tone

Sir Fart’s rather astute diagnosis of his own personal situation to captivate attentions was rather enchanting. Thus, giving way to a bountiful cornucopia of increased monetary transactions for his manuscripts.  

Uhhh…What?

Did you have as much trouble reading that as I did writing it?

The style and tone of that sentence belongs somewhere not in this century or genre. Wimpy Fart knows he is writing for younger readers that have a deep appreciation for toilet humor. (But seriously, fart jokes are always funny.)

His light approach to his author bio implies that his book will have the same easy to read and humorous qualities.

#3. Contact and Call to Action

Your author bio is one of the greatest places to market yourself and get your readers to engage. This can be accomplished by 2 very simple principles.

1. Establish a line of communication.
2. Give the audience a Call to Action.

Let’s take a look at Wimpy Fart’s bio once again.

You can email Wimpy Fart to tell him about your favorite Minecraft books, or to talk about really loud farts. [email protected] Oh – Wimpy Fart reads all your awesome Amazon reviews and likes to know what you want to read about in Minecraft books!

As you can see, Wimpy invites his fans to communicate with him and provides an email to do so. It shows that he actually cares about his readers and what they have to say. On top of that, he also put in a quick Call to Action. He not only reads all of his reviews but is actively searching for what readers want to read about. This may inspire him for more book ideas.

Now, I know it may seem silly taking writing advice from a guy named Wimpy Fart… but he’s got a decent understanding of how an author’s bio needs to be made. Just by adjusting these simple elements, you have a much better chance at selling more books. Keep in mind that these are not the only elements to making a successful author bio.

Find a full in-depth article on CREATING AN AMAZING AUTHOR BIO on Kindlepreneur.  

Just because you are a blog writer doesn’t mean this isn’t important. Bloggers and other online article writers have an additional challenge when writing their author bios. Fortunately, there are many resources available online to help you get started. BookWorks.com has many such resources. For example, check out this article on CRAFTING A BRAND-BUILDING AUTHOR BIO FOR YOUR BLOG SIDEBAR.