We’ve all heard the cliché that writers have big egos, so it makes sense that there should be a section in every book where you should talk about the author (meaning yourself).
That said, it is critical that the author information is correct. Whether it appears on the back of your book, your Amazon author page, your social media, or all of the above, you need to make every sentence count (and tailor it based on where it will appear). For nonfiction authors, who you are may be more important than what you write about. For freelance fiction writers, this is an opportunity for your growing readership to get to know you.
You are reading: About the author examples for books
If you’re here to learn, we’ve already posted a comprehensive guide on how to write an author bio. In this post, we’ll look at 13 examples about the author to better illustrate what works (and what doesn’t).
about the author examples: fiction
For fiction writers (especially self-published ones), who you are matters little compared to the quality of the story you’ve written and an attention-grabbing synopsis. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t make the most of it when you’re encouraged to talk about yourself. here are some examples of how to achieve it without soliloquizing.
1. veronica roth, divergent
“veronica roth is the new york times bestselling author of divergent, the first book in a trilogy she began writing while still a college student. she now a full-time writer, mrs. roth and her husband call the chicago area home. you can visit her online at www.veronicarothbooks.com or on twitter (@veronicaroth).”
why it works: is this the most compelling biography in the world? Of course, no. but that’s exactly why it works. each word builds on the last, adding new information to your story: your name, your grades, your books, your history, your family life, and finally your online presence. it’s short and simple… but then again, a successful author can afford to be.
2. glynnis campbell, the kiss of danger
“glynnis campbell is one of america’s best-selling authors. uu. nowadays of swashbuckling romantic adventures. she’s the wife of a rock star and mother of two young adults, but she’s also been a dancer, a typographer, a film composer, a pianist, a singer in an all-girl rock band, and a voice in those violent video games you won’t let your kids play . She writes her best on cruise ships, in Scottish castles, on her husband’s tour bus, and at home in her sunny Southern California garden. Glynnis loves playing medieval matchmaker, transporting readers to a place where fearless heroes have endearing flaws, women are stronger than they seem, the land is lush and untamed, and chivalry is alive and well.”
why it works: glynnis campbell is not a household name, but she will definitely make her readers remember her. why talk about your own books, when you can make your whole life sound more interesting than a romance novel? this is the ideal approach for authors in emerging genres who have a lot of exciting material, but may not be able to carry a biography of the strength of their work on their own.
3. jomny sun, everyone is an alien when you are also an alien
“jonathan sun is the author behind @jonnysun. he is an architect, designer, engineer, artist, playwright and comedy writer. his work across multiple disciplines extensively addresses narratives of human experience. As a playwright, Jonathan has had his plays performed at Yale School of Drama, and in Toronto at Hart House Theater and Factory Theatre. As an artist and illustrator, he has exhibited his art at mit, yale, new have artspace, and the university of toronto. his work has appeared on npr and buzzfeed, as well as playboy, gq and mcsweeney’s. in his afterlife, he is a doctoral student at mit and a berkman klein fellow at harvard.”
Why it works: For authors better known by aliases than real names, this section can be instrumental in lifting the curtain to discover the person behind the account. Jomny Sun might have written some funny, irreverent Tweets (and a great book to boot), but here Jonathan covers all his bases. He has his fingers in plenty of pies, but the list still never runs too long — only about one sentence per accomplishment. This leaves a comprehensive list of his life’s work, not just his writing.
4. min jin lee, pachinko
“min jin lee’s debut novel, free food for millionaires, was one of the “top 10 novels of the year” for the times (london), npr’s fresh air and usa today. her short fiction has been featured in select npr shorts. Her writing has appeared in The Times Literary Supplement, Condé Nast Traveler, The Times (London), Vogue, Travel + Leisure, Wall Street Journal, New York Times Magazine, and Food & came. her essays and literary criticism have been the subject of numerous anthologies. She served as a columnist for the Chosun Ilbo, the leading South Korean newspaper. she lives in new york with her family. ”
why it works: on the other hand, you have this example about the author of min jin lee. she’s not an artist/playwright/architect on the side, so she instead duplicates her extensive writing experience. While surely not all of us have written for Vogue and the New York Times, a list of published works (no matter how small) can give an idea of the fullness of her as a writer.
See Also: Top 10 Disturbing True Crime Books You Won&039t Want To Read Twice – Listverse
psst: do you want to know if you are 100% ready to publish your book? Take our short quiz below to find out what steps you may have missed.
See Also: How to cover a school book – life hacks | Advantage Learn
5. eric carle, the very hungry caterpillar
“eric carle invented writing, the airplane and the internet. he was also the first person to reach the north pole. He has flown to Mars and back in one day, and was enthusiastically received by the Martians. ‘very strange beings’, he informed him on his return. he has written a thousand highly regarded books; a team of experts is trying to understand its meaning. ‘it could take a century,’ said the chief expert. Carle is also a great storyteller, but not all of them are true, for example, the ones in this book.”
why it works: we may not all be eric carle, but that doesn’t mean we can’t take a page out of his beautifully illustrated books. no matter who you are, a sense of humor will always set you apart from the rest, and the vivid (yet surreal) imagery you use here also goes a long way in establishing your writing skills.
about the author examples: non-fiction
When it comes to nonfiction, certainty trumps creativity. the latter is a pretty hard thing to prove, but author information is as good a place as any to try it.
6. rebecca solnit, men explain things to me
“Writer, historian, and activist Rebecca Solnit is the author of sixteen books about civil society, popular power, uprisings, art, environment, place, pleasure, politics, hope, and memory. She is a Harper’s contributing editor.”
Why It Works: This is a great author example that fits all four elements of a great author: start with a byline, state the subject of your paper, mention your credentials and include a personal touch, in two cheerful phrases that fit on a dust jacket.
7. alex ross, the rest is noise
“alex ross, music critic for the new yorker, has received numerous awards for his work, including two ascap deems taylor awards for music criticism, a holtzbrinck fellowship at the american academy in berlin, a fleck fellowship at the banff center, and a letter of distinction from the american music center for significant contributions to the field of contemporary music. the rest is noise is the first book of his. ”
Why it works: Most nonfiction authors don’t have sixteen books under their belt. alex ross, for example, only has one. So instead of listing his previous work, use this biography to establish why he’s qualified to speak on the particular topic, crucial to a form of writing that values facts above all else.
8. michael lewis, ball of money
“michael lewis, the author of boomerang, liar’s poker, the new new thing, moneyball, the blind side, panic, home game and the big short, among other works, lives in berkeley, california, with his wife, tabitha soren, and their three sons.”
Why it works: Even in nonfiction, where the author’s qualifications carry more weight, the simple approach works. Michael Lewis recites his writings in a professional manner. But when he has written as many famous bestsellers as Lewis has, he too can begin to rest on his laurels. this ends with just enough of a personal touch to give the reader a glimpse into his life, without ever distracting from his work itself.
9. mindy kaling, why not me?
“mindy kaling lives in rural new hampshire and doesn’t have a television.”
See Also: The 50 most anticipated books of 2015 (the first half, anyway) – The Globe and Mail
why it works: not everyone is as funny as mindy kaling (and she may only get away with it because she’s mindy kaling), but still… we can always try.
10. samantha irby, meaty: essays
“samantha irby writes a blog called bitches gotta eat.”
Why it works: Or, of course, you could go for this hilarious, deadpan approach that also tells you everything you need to know about the author. After this particularly memorable example about the author, do you really need to know more about Samantha Irby?
about the author examples: social networks
social media bios don’t have to be about how much you love long walks on the beach or netflix, especially if you’re a writer. creativity is your selling point, so don’t hesitate to creatively problem solve when it comes to filling the 160 character quota on your twitter bio.
11. joanna penn, podcast host
“many times & US bestselling thriller author jfpenn.com today. creative entrepreneur. professional broadcaster podcaster infj. travel addict.”
Why it works: This word count optimized bio gets right to the point: ratings, website, occupation, perspective. couldn’t be simpler.
12. joyce carol oates, author
“author.”
why it works: I guess it could be simpler. when working within a word count, filling it in isn’t always the best approach. some prefer to make the most of the excuse to eliminate excess information, leaving enough space for what really matters.
13. tom mclaughlin, poet
“please buy my book, I owe people money.”
Why it works: Again, humor always works for new authors who may not have the extensive qualifications, but have enough natural talent to pull off their writing. plus, no one’s broken their kneecaps yet, so we’re assuming it worked.
Contrary to popular belief, writing about yourself can be the hardest thing for authors. but hopefully, these by-the-author examples demonstrate how to do it well enough that you’ll want to skip to the end to read it…and not just skip it altogether.
How would you write your biography? short? sweet? hilarious? we want to know! show us in the comment box below.
See Also: How to cover a school book – life hacks | Advantage Learn