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How to Write a Bio Like a Superhero (Easy 3-Part Process)

How to Write a Bio
The 6 Common Bio Blunders That Make You Look Like an Amateur (And What to Do Instead)
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Mel Wicks

Mel Wicks

Mel Wicks is a seasoned copywriter and marketing strategist who helps bloggers and entrepreneurs put the ‘OMG! Where do I sign up?’ oomph to their online marketing; and blogs about the highs and lows of being a nomadic freelance writer.
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104 thoughts on “How to Write a Bio Like a Superhero (Easy 3-Part Process)”

  1. David Farkas

    Excellent tips, Mel and especially like the advice about not trying to cram in too much! It irks me when a bio had a laundry list of accomplishments and looks like their resume 🙂

    Reply
  3. Nicholas Muema

    Wow, what a brilliant post!
    Thanks Mel for showing us how to transform bland author bios into epic ones.
    And FYI, yours is killing it.
    I’m in the ‘OMG, where do I sign up’ moment and I’m definitely getting myself the cheat sheet.

    Reply
  4. Deborah Regen

    Love this post and topic. If I could earn $1 for every blogger bio I come across that is either boring/stilled language, a shortened resume, or too “woo-woo” as you call it, I would have a nice 2nd income! OK, maybe exaggerating just a touch, but you get the point. Many bloggers and freelance writers don’t even realize their bios could be improved so much.

    Reply
  5. Lori J. Highby

    Fantastic post! I’ve been struggling with this very thing so the timing is just right. Too many things that I want to add to my bio, but it should really be crafted to the target audience. Thanks for posting.

    Reply
  6. Gin

    Awesome post! I agree with a few others here. Seems that bio is always a work in progress, and, a struggle to keep it to a few words.

    Reply
  7. Yvonne Reese

    Working on the About page for my husband’s website. Crafting a concise, engaging, relevant bio first is a great exercise to help write this page. How else can we write this ridiculously difficult page if we haven’t boiled down what he does into a few simple sentences that resonate with our ideal reader?

    Reply
    1. Mel Wicks

      Hi Yvonne, that’s a really good point. Your bio needs to be your elevator pitch, and the starting point for your About page (and you’re so right – they are ridiculously difficult pages to write!)
      Cheers, Mel

      Reply
  10. Hugo

    And everybody’s bio will look alike…
    It’s surely me, but I was not particularly moved by the examples shared in this post.
    Just my 2 cents

    Reply
    1. Mel Wicks

      Your 2 cents are welcomed, David. But I don’t think you’re right. I did a lot of research for this post – trust me, a lot – and I struggled to find posts that didn’t make several if not all of the common blunders. So, there are already lots of bios out there that are similar, but for all the wrong reasons. What I wanted to do was help people write a bio that would get people to click through to their site. So if including a valid reason why people should click through, and then giving them the motivation to do so, means we’re going to end up with a lot of similar bios, then bring it on. At least they’ll be more interesting to read than most that are out there now. Thanks for your comment.
      Cheers, Mel

      Reply
  12. Henneke

    Great post, Mel!

    I was laughing out loud at the examples of bad bios, and then wasn’t sure whether I should rather cry, because it’s true. You do come across pretty bad bios, and it’s such a pity to waste that opportunity to promote ourselves. I hope everyone with a bad bio will read your post.

    And thank you very much for your kind words on my bio!

    Reply
    1. Mel Wicks

      Thank you for the inspiration, Henneke. I wish I could simply steal your bio, but unfortunately – as ever – you got there first!
      Cheers, Mel

      Reply
  13. Jennifer

    Thanks for this very timely post, and the cheat sheet. Will come in handy as my team gets ready to launch promotion and presentations on our non-profit.

    Reply
    1. Mel Wicks

      I’m really pleased to have helped, Jennifer. I do a lot of work for non-profit clients and I have huge admiration for anyone working in this field.
      Cheers, Mel

      Reply
  14. Jennifer

    Thanks Mel! This bio would go on the intro page or sidebar of a blog? I wonder about the 3rd person language. Blogs tend to be less formal than a traditional website but mine is a blend. I’m an artist, so definitely casual. I have a landing page and about page but have not done a sidebar bio yet. It’s new so still tweaking and all the technology challenges have me out of my right-brain happy zone 🙂 I’d feel strange not speaking directly to my audience. A lot to think about…Thanks again!!

    Reply
  15. Mel Wicks

    If it’s going on your own site, I would write it in the first person. You’re not trying to convince them to visit your site if they’re already there, so you can afford to be more conversational, but you should still try to keep it brief, especially in a sidebar. Good luck with it.
    Cheers, Mel

    Reply
  16. Ryan Biddulph

    For me Mel it is just telling folks about my life.

    I shut comments off a while back but was getting a heavy volume of comments, folks saying how much they loved my About Me page, because it helped them learn more about me, my life, my story, and this Bio page – Wikipedia style – helped them know, like and trust me because….it was About Me.

    Before people trust the advice, they check the source of the advice. The source, being me. And when they check me out they want to know who I am, my life experience, my wins, my losses and of course, how I can help them.

    I have read some bios and wondered: who the hell are these folks? LOL! Are they really that selfless, where it is all about the reader? Of course not. If this were the case, none of these people would worry about blogging traffic and profits, as they virtually all do. (I do a little, but I haven’t checked my metrics in years.) Perhaps they are as altruistic as the Dali Lama LOL? Just having some fun here, but really, I understand folk want to help me, but I gotta know them, and what they are about, to attach a human story with their service, to make them human, and more credible.

    That’s just me though. I care more about folks telling their story and standing out from the crowd versus them devoting most of their about me page, to me, the reader. I am all about the love, and taking an interest in others, versus serving my only needs. Hell no, not a full altruist, but in the same regard I love a good story. Thank goodness my readers do too.

    But you definitely want to add some of those good old benefits to sweeten the pot for your readers. Gives ’em something to ponder, so they can stick around after learning more about what makes you tick and what’s in it for them.

    Thanks for the rocking share Mel 🙂

    Ryan

    Reply
  17. Mel Wicks

    Thanks for sharing, Ryan. I couldn’t agree more re your About page. My favourite are when the character of the person (or brand), screams off the page and compels you to like them, or empathize with them, or do whatever they are trying to achieve, which usually takes honesty and guts, not fake altruism. But it’s very hard to pack all of that into a couple of sentences in a bio at the end of a guest post! The best you can hope from that little guy is to get people to click back to your site. Always good to hear your thoughts.
    Cheers, Mel

    Reply
  18. Ellen

    Great pointers delivered at the precise time I need them! One of my weekend goals is to write a guest post for a fellow blogger. Now, thanks to you, it’ll include a decent bio.

    Reply
  19. Freddy G. Cabrera

    Hey Mel!

    Very helpful blog post on bio creation!

    One important thing is to really be yourself through your words and show your genuine intention to help the people in your niche market.

    Having a sense of humor goes a very long way, as well. As you’ve mentioned you don’t want to be boring.

    Thanks for sharing!

    Cheers! 😀

    Reply
    1. Mel Wicks

      Hi Freddy, yes all of those pointers are good to include. That’s why it’s so hard to write a really great 2 or 3 sentence bio.
      Cheers, Mel

      Reply
  23. Azani

    Thanks Mel! I definitely see areas where I can improve. Would you give the same advice for an about me page? Do you think it’s okay to be a bit lengthier for an about me page? Thanks for your wisdom!

    Reply
    1. Mel Wicks

      Hi Azani, the bios I talked about in this post are the ones you would have on external sites, at the end of a guest post for example. So the main purpose of these bios is to get people curious and interested enough to click back to your site, where they can read more about you. Your About page serves a slightly different purpose, but I still think you need to avoid some of the common blunders listed in my post. Never be boring, or try to cram too much in, for example. But, hell yes, go for more than 2 or 3 sentence on your About page! Good luck with it.
      Cheers, Mel

      Reply
  24. Jitendra

    Hi Mel,
    Really….can’t get such a unique article in any website…I have never given so much importance to ‘Bio’ but after going through this article…i would really keep a ‘Bio’ which really makes a difference to my readers….I am sure that taking care of each and every page of our blog or website, will surely help in increasing the performance of website in search engine..!

    Thanks for sharing!

    Jitendra

    Reply
  25. DNN

    The good news is, even if you mess up in writing a jacked up bio, you still end up getting search engine traffic and affiliate sales. Am IIIIIII riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight? 🙂

    Reply
    1. Mel Wicks

      Hmmm, not sure how you reach that conclusion. Affiliate sales only happen if a link in your bio takes people to another site (not your own) where they buy something. A writer’s bio – on a guest post, for example – usually links back to their own site. No search engine traffic, just a direct, click-worthy link – unless, of course you write a jacked-up bio, in which case you get zilch.
      Cheers, Mel

      Reply
  27. Jan Orsula

    Hello Mel,

    writing a bio is a pain in the ass, at least for me. I know it’s extremely important, especially for guest posting. But I never spent a time to research some cool formulas for writing an effective one…

    Then I’ve seen the headline of your article in my email inbox and I knew it’s time to put something together. Especially now, because I’m speaking at Digital Marketing conference on Friday and I have to provide a bio for my session. You provided a lot of amazing and actionable ideas!

    I’ve created the first draft…

    ‘Jan is a qualified online marketing blogger and Social media coach. He’s on a mission to help aspiring entrepreneurs to stand out from competition, grow a laster-targeted email list and to make boring social media channels sparkle.’

    What do you think? Great article!

    Reply
  28. Dan

    Hi Mel,

    Thanks for this informative post. It was an easy read, Thanks for sharing. it is written in so easy language and it really helpful for me.

    Thanks for this wonderful post, I will pass it:)

    Reply
    1. Mel Wicks

      Hi Raj, if you’re posting on your own website, then you probably don’t need a bio, but it wouldn’t hurt to link your name, or byline if you use one, to your About page. In fact, I think that’s something I’m going to do from now on, so thanks for that! My post here relates more to bios that appear on external sites. If the host of the external site (Smart Blogger, for instance) is giving you the opportunity to promote yourself and a valuable link back to your own site, why would you not make the most of it? I hope that helps to answer your question.
      Cheers, Mel

      Reply
  30. Jon

    I will correct myself from now. I’ve done it wrong in so many opportunities I had to guest post.

    Thank you, Mel, for sharing.

    Reply
  31. Ardelle Holden

    My website is under construction, hence the research.
    This article does not address my problem. This is my first novel. It is fiction – a romantic mystery.
    The only way I can ‘help’ my reader is by whisking them away into their imagination for a day or two, and by entertaining them with blogs on topics that are interesting, and that contain other writing that may eventually be compiled into another book.
    Perhaps you have another blog aimed at fiction writers or new authors?
    Thanks for this though. It was very interesting.

    Reply
    1. Mel Wicks

      Hi Ardelle, thanks for raising this interesting point. The post I wrote was certainly directed at bloggers rather than fiction writers, but I don’t think the two are entirely exclusive. For example, I think most of the 6 common blunders would still apply. As a fiction writer, I wouldn’t include details about myself that were irrelevant to my writing, I wouldn’t try to cram too much in, or use it as a laundry list of achievements (unless they were relevant literary achievements). But I would certainly be attempting to spark their interest and curiosity about myself as a writer, especially if my bio was on an external site and I wanted to entice readers back to my own and have them sign up for my blog. I hope that helps.
      Cheers, Mel

      Reply
  34. Bottom Stack

    Writing a blog post that gets a real audience attention is a challenge, finding a mouth-watering topic is a real plus in writing a blog post. So I ‘ll give a +1 to the point choosing a good topic.

    Reply
    1. DNN

      Side hustle blogging is the business solution to generating stable income, being your own boss & effectively saving for retirement.

      Reply
    1. DNN

      Ardelle,

      A blog holds content. So does a website. And when either one has more engaging and unique content, seo is positively affected. It results in getting indexed better in Bing, Google, and YaHoO!, more shares by people on social networks like PInterest, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and even YouTube. A blog is a necessity in today’s era of side hustle blogging. It serves its purpose of helping people generate a second income without having to go outside your home. And a blog can also be maintained from your smartphone, as long as you have Wi-fi connection.

      Reply
  36. Al Ain

    very nice article, really writing a bio is not easy but I think it depends a lot on the person himself how he descrip himself in the best way to show all his good things

    I like the picture also, thanks

    Reply
  39. Mike

    Hi Mel,

    Thanks for the article, i often find it difficult to write a bio. Most of the time i don’t write a bio on my site. With the help of these tips, i will try to write a fancy bio to attract users.

    Reply
  40. David

    When you write a personal bio, write in the third person so it sounds more objective and professional. Start with a sentence that includes your name and what you do for a living. Then, mention your most important accomplishments that are relevant to your field of work. Briefly mention a couple of your hobbies or interests to make your bio more relatable. End with a sentence on any big projects you’re currently working on. Try to keep your bio around 250-500 words. For help writing a personal bio for college applications or social media, keep reading!
    Thanks for sharing this great article Mei

    Reply
  45. Hussien

    Excellent article!
    Actually, I wrote my bio by chance and discovere it meets all the requirements to be good. Your blog post assures me that I am on right way in my career. Many thanks Mel 🙂

    Reply
  46. Lydia

    Thank you, Mel,
    This was definitely a great read, I could really resonate with a lot of the common mistakes that people make. Especially #3 and #4, I often am never sure what I should be sharing and I often try and cram way too much information…when some of it is rather unrelated. This is going to help me a lot!

    Reply
  48. Grant Cooper

    Mel,
    I’m a seasoned (and sometimes spicy!) resume writer-career coach who is often called upon to develop client bios. I clicked on this post hoping to perhaps find a nugget or two of interest, and I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of helpful content. You gave me some great take-aways that I can use and I found your descriptions to be persuasive. Thank you!

    Reply
  50. Rajat Chauhan

    Mel,

    Have you been looking at me when I sit to craft bio for me? Yes, you did. And that’s how I get these useful tips to add into my bio….helped me hone it further. Thanks a lot Mel.

    And I also think we need to change it as we achieve more milestones on the way and finally it becomes all about you! Something you can see in Neil Patel’s bio.

    Thanks again for sharing the useful tips. 🙏

    -RajatChauhan

    Reply
    1. Mel Wicks

      Thanks for your comment, Rajat. Yes, Neil Patel has certainly earned the right to focus his bio on his credentials. We should all have such lofty ambitions!
      Cheers, Mel

      Reply
  52. Irma

    Okay, now this article is helpful!

    I was just on a website reading a bio, and it was so detailed about the life of the author with zero information on how she was going to help me. My immediate thought was “Is my bio like this????”. It wasn’t exactly like hers, but…

    I can see how to adjust my bio to remove a bunch of irrelevant details. Sigh. A bloggers work is never done 🙂 Thank you for this post. I will bookmark it for reference.

    Reply
  53. Lorraine Reguly

    Kevin, your advice is solid and I have just re-written my bio.

    BEFORE:

    Lorraine Reguly is an author and English teacher who is now a freelance editor, blogger, and entrepreneur. Her life journey is motivational and inspirational. Lorraine’s book, FROM NOPE TO HOPE, is designed to help anyone who wishes to lead a happier life. It contains a built-in workbook and is available on Amazon.
    Lorraine offers 4 different services through her business, Wording Well, including writing/blogging, editing, and consulting/coaching/mentoring. She also helps others become published authors!

    AFTER:

    Lorraine Reguly is a certified English teacher, coach, and editor who helps people become authors and makes their dreams come true. Lorraine understands the frustration and overwhelm most people face and helps you with each step along the way. Lorraine’s life journey is motivational and inspirational, and her book, FROM NOPE TO HOPE, will help you overcome your obstacles so you can lead a happier, freedom-filled life. It contains a built-in workbook and is available on Amazon. Visit her business site, Wording Well, to get your free roadmap to authorship and success!

    How would YOU tweak this further? I’d love to know!

    Reply
  55. Scarlet

    #1 made me laugh because I had the same experience today when I was reading a bio and it said she had two snails. You are so right about the bio and it should be aimed at the readers.

    Reply
  57. ellie phant

    Brilliant article! Thank you. And your timing was impeccable. Just as I needed to write a byline you super-heroed in and showed me the way.

    May I run it by you? Cheeky, aren’t I?

    Copy editor, horsey blogger and groom to a pro show jumper, Ellie’s intrepid mission is to inspire menopausal equestrians to pursue their dreams. Visit her website and discover some creative methods of staying the course.

    Reply
  58. Abdul Mustafa

    Thanks Mel Wicks!
    After reading your nice insights, I am feeling my Author Bio totally shit. I am going to rewrite my author bio according to your guidelines.
    Thanks again for this nice job.

    Reply

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