on Happy Self Publisher:

Your author bio is a calling card and targeted marketing tool to promote you and your work wherever it appears. It establishes a relationship with the reader because they get to peek behind the curtain to see who you are, where you are, and what motivates you. A well-crafted bio showcases your talents and expertise and lines the path to the next opportunity on your author journey.

Because your bio appears nearly everywhere your writing takes you, take the time and effort to make it work for you. Even if this is your first publication and have no awards adorning your book, you can craft a bio to engage readers and attract attention.

Heather Hummel’s article on The Huffington Post website instructs authors to write three bios. “Write an extended bio for your website, proposals, interview sheets and media kits; a medium length bio for queries, guest spots on other websites and shorter marketing material; and a brief bio as a byline or for limited character social media websites.”

Here are a few tips for shaping your bio into a fine-tuned marketing tool.