7 Bio Examples and Templates: How to Write About Yourself
By Status.net Editorial Team on September 27, 2024 — 6 minutes to read
A well-written bio helps you make a great first impression, whether it’s for a job application, social media profile, or website about page. You want to highlight your key strengths and accomplishments without sounding boastful.
This article will give you helpful tips and examples for writing about yourself. You’ll learn how to structure your bio, what details to include, and ways to make your writing engaging. With these tools, you can create a bio that shows off your best qualities and grabs people’s attention.
Short Professional Bio Templates and Examples
Template 1:.
[Your name] is a [your job title] with [X years] of experience in [your industry]. I specialize in [your key skills] and have [a notable achievement]. In my free time, I enjoy [a hobby or interest].
Example: Jane Smith is a marketing manager with 8 years of experience in digital advertising. I specialize in social media campaigns and have increased client engagement by 50% on average. In my free time, I enjoy hiking with my dog.
Template 2:
[Your name], a [your job title] based in [your location], is passionate about [your area of expertise]. I’ve worked with [types of clients/projects] and aim to [your professional goal]. Connect with me on [social media platform].
Example: John Adams, a freelance graphic designer based in New York, is passionate about creating eye-catching logos. I’ve worked with startups and small businesses and aim to help brands stand out. Connect with me on LinkedIn.
Template 3:
As a [your job title], I bring [your top skills] to [your industry]. My background includes [brief work history]. I’m always excited to [something you enjoy about your work].
Example: As a Marketing Coordinator, I bring strong communication skills, creativity, and a keen eye for detail to the advertising industry. My background includes three years of experience managing social media campaigns, organizing promotional events, and collaborating with cross-functional teams to develop compelling marketing strategies. I’m always excited to brainstorm new ideas and see them come to life, driving engagement and brand awareness.
Template 4:
[Your name] here! I’m a [your job title] with a knack for [your unique skill]. When I’m not [your main work activity], you can find me [a personal interest]. Let’s chat about [your area of expertise]!
Example: Sarah Johnson here! I’m a financial advisor with a knack for simplifying complex topics. When I’m not crunching numbers, you can find me teaching yoga. Let’s chat about smart investing strategies!
Template 5:
I’m [your name], a [your job title] who loves [aspect of your work]. My mission is to [your professional goal]. I’ve [a career highlight] and I’m always looking to [future aspiration].
Example: I’m Mike Brown, a chef who loves experimenting with fusion cuisine. My mission is to bring unique flavors to people’s plates. I’ve won a regional cooking competition and I’m always looking to learn new techniques.
Long Professional Bio Templates and Examples
[Name] is a [job title] with [X] years of experience in [industry/field]. I started my career at [Company], where I [key accomplishment]. Since then, I’ve [brief overview of career progression].
In my current role at [Company], I [description of responsibilities and achievements]. My expertise includes [list of key skills].
I’ve [mention any notable awards, publications, or speaking engagements]. When I’m not [job-related activity], you can find me [personal interests or hobbies].
Jane Doe is a marketing director with 15 years of experience in digital advertising. I started my career at AdTech Inc., where I led a team that increased client ROI by 40%. Since then, I’ve managed campaigns for Fortune 500 companies and tech startups alike.
In my current role at BrandBoost, I oversee a team of 20 creatives and strategists. My expertise includes social media marketing, content strategy, and data analytics.
I’ve spoken at SXSW and written for AdWeek. When I’m not crafting marketing plans, you can find me hiking with my dog or trying out new vegan recipes.
As a [job title] at [Company], I bring [X] years of experience in [field/industry]. My journey began [brief career start], and I’ve since [major career milestones].
I specialize in [areas of expertise] and have a track record of [key achievements]. Some of my proudest moments include [specific accomplishments].
Outside of work, I’m passionate about [interests/volunteer work]. I hold a [degree] from [University] and have [certifications/additional training].
As a Public Relations Specialist at BrightWave Communications, I bring 6 years of experience in the public relations and communications industry. My journey began as a PR Assistant at a boutique agency, and I’ve since advanced to managing high-profile accounts and leading successful media campaigns.
I specialize in media relations, crisis communication, and brand management and have a track record of securing top-tier media coverage and enhancing client reputations. Some of my proudest moments include orchestrating a nationwide product launch that garnered extensive media attention and managing crisis communications for a major client, effectively mitigating negative publicity.
Outside of work, I’m passionate about environmental advocacy and volunteer with local conservation groups. I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Communications from Riverside University and have completed additional training in crisis management and strategic communication.
Structuring Your Bio: Example Phrases
1. starting with a strong introduction.
- “I’m a creative problem-solver with a passion for…”
- “With over 10 years of experience in…”
- “As a dedicated professional in the field of…”
- “I thrive on turning ideas into reality…”
- “My journey in this industry began when…”
- “I’m known for my innovative approach to…”
- “Combining my love for technology and art, I…”
- “I’ve built my career on a foundation of…”
- “My mission is to make a positive impact through…”
- “I bring a unique blend of skills to the table, including…”
2. Detailing Work Experience and Job Titles
- “I led a team of 10 developers to launch…”
- “As a marketing manager, I increased sales by 30%…”
- “I created a new system that improved efficiency by…”
- “In my role as project coordinator, I…”
- “I’ve worked with Fortune 500 companies to…”
- “My experience includes developing strategies for…”
- “I’ve held positions ranging from junior analyst to…”
- “As a freelance consultant, I’ve helped clients…”
- “I’ve been responsible for managing budgets of up to…”
- “My current role involves overseeing operations for…”
3. Outlining Skills and Expertise
- “I’m skilled in […], […], and […]”
- “I have a strong background in […] and […]”
- “My technical skills include […] and […]”
- “I excel at problem-solving, team leadership, and…”
- “I’m known for my ability to communicate complex ideas…”
- “My strengths lie in […] and […]”
- “I have extensive knowledge of […] and […]”
- “I’m adept at […] and […]”
4. Incorporating Achievements and Certifications
- “I hold certifications in […] and […]”
- “I was awarded Employee of the Year for…”
- “My team won the industry’s top award for…”
- “I completed my MBA with honors from…”
- “I’ve been featured in industry publications like…”
- “I’m a licensed practitioner in…”
- “My research has been published in…”
- “I’ve given keynote speeches at conferences such as…”
5. Adding a Personal Touch with Hobbies and Interests
- “When I’m not working, you can find me hiking…”
- “I volunteer regularly at the local animal shelter…”
- “I’m passionate about sustainable living and…”
- “In my free time, I enjoy learning new languages…”
- “I’m a hobby photographer and love capturing…”
- “I’m a foodie and enjoy exploring new cuisines…”
- “On weekends, I coach a youth soccer team…”
- “I’m a tech enthusiast and love tinkering with…”
- “My creative outlet is playing the guitar in a local band…”
- “I’m an avid reader and enjoy books on…”
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How to Write a Biography: A Step-by-Step Guide
By Hannah Yang
Table of Contents
What is a biography, a step-by-step guide to writing a biography, tips for how to write a great biography, conclusion on how to write a biography.
Writing a biography can be a rewarding endeavor, but it can also feel a bit daunting if you’ve never written one before.
Whether you’re capturing the life story of a famous person, a family member, or even yourself, creating a compelling biography involves a mix of thorough research, narrative skill, and a personal touch.
So, how exactly do you write a successful biography?
In this guide, we’ll break down the essentials to help you craft a biography that’s both informative and engaging, as well as our top tips for how to make it truly shine.
A biography is a detailed account of someone’s life.
A well-written biography needs to be objective and accurate. At the same time, it needs to depict more than just the basic facts like birth, education, work, relationships, and death—it should also portray the subject’s personal experience of those events.
So, in addition to being a good researcher, a good biographer also needs to be a good storyteller. You should provide insights into the subject’s personality, motivations, and impact on the world around them.
What’s the Difference Between a Biography, a Memoir, and an Autobiography?
Understanding the distinctions between different genres of life writing is crucial for both writers and readers. Here’s a quick breakdown of the key differences between a biography and other related genres.
Biography: a detailed account of a person’s life, usually written in the third-person POV and supported by extensive research
Autobiography: a self-written account of the author’s own life, usually written in the first person POV and following a chronological order
Memoir: a collection of memories that an individual writes about moments or events that took place in their life, usually in the first person POV and in an introspective and personal way
Narrative nonfiction: a book that tells true stories using the techniques of fiction writing, such as character development, narrative arc, and detailed settings
Best Biography Examples to Study
The best way to learn how to write well is to read other successful books within the genre you’re writing.
Here are five great biographies to add to your reading list. For a longer list, check out our article on the 20 best biographies to read .
Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand: the incredible true story of Louis Zamperini, an Olympian and World War II hero.
Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson: a comprehensive and engaging account of the Apple co-founder’s life.
Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow: the biography that inspired the hit musical, providing a deep dive into Hamilton ’ s life and legacy.
Savage Beauty: The Life of Edna St. Vincent Millay by Nancy Milford: a nuanced story that uncovers the family connection between the three Millay sisters and their mother.
Barracoon by Zora Neale Hurston: the story of Cudjo Lewis, one of the last-known survivors of the Atlantic slave trade.
As with writing any book, writing a biography is a marathon, not a sprint. It’s easier to think of it as a series of smaller steps than as one big challenge to tackle.
Let’s break down the process step by step.
1. Choose Your Subject
Decide who you want to write about. It could be a well-known celebrity, a historical figure, or someone close to you.
In addition to figuring out who you’re writing about, this is also the step where you figure out why you want to write about them. Why is this a story worth telling, and what makes you interested in it?
Maybe the subject of your biography overcame major hardships in life to achieve success, and that story will inspire others facing similar struggles. Or maybe they made a really unique contribution to the world that not enough people know about, and you want to shine a bigger spotlight on that impact.
Knowing why you’re telling this story will help you make the right decisions about how to research, outline, draft, and edit your biography.
2. Identify Your Target Audience
Understanding your target audience is a crucial step in writing a good biography. You should tailor your biography to the interests and knowledge level of your audience.
A biography for a general audience will differ from one written for experts in a particular field. For example, two biographies about Emily Dickinson would be vastly different if one is written for young children and the other is written for adult poets.
3. Conduct Research
Dive deep into your research. Use a variety of sources to get a well-rounded view of your subject’s life. Take detailed notes and organize your findings.
Gather as much information as you can about your subject. This includes primary sources like interviews, letters, and diaries, as well as secondary sources such as books, articles, and documentaries.
Here are some primary sources to look for:
Letters and diaries: These provide intimate insights into the subject’s thoughts, feelings, and daily life, and can often be found in family archives, libraries, and historical societies.
Birth, marriage, and death certificates: These documents can provide crucial dates and familial relationships.
Census data: Census records can provide demographic information and track changes over time.
Property records: These can reveal where the subject lived and owned property.
Employment and school records: These records offer formalized insights into the subject’s education and career.
Military records: If applicable, military records can provide information on service, ranks, and honors.
Photos and videos: Look for photographs and videos in public libraries, historical societies, online databases like the Library of Congress, and family photo albums.
Historical newspapers: Access archives of local and national newspapers for articles, interviews, and obituaries related to the subject.
Digital archives: Use online resources like ProQuest, Chronicling America, and newspaper databases available through public libraries.
You can also look for secondary sources, which provide more context and perspective, such as:
Existing biographies: Search for existing biographies and books about the subject or their era. How does your project stand out from the crowd?
Academic articles and papers: Access journals through university libraries, which often have extensive collections of scholarly articles.
Documentaries and biographical films: You can often find these on streaming services or public television archives.
Websites and blogs: Look for reputable websites and blogs dedicated to the subject or related fields.
Social media platforms: The things people say on social media can offer insights into public perception about your subject.
Finally, you can also conduct your own interviews. Talk to the subject if they’re still alive, as well as their friends, family, and colleagues. You can ask them for personal anecdotes to add more color to your book, or more information to fill in any gaps in your knowledge.
4. Ask Engaging Questions
Great biographers start from a place of curiosity. Before you start writing, you should know the answers to the following questions:
What makes your subject’s story worth telling?
What was your subject’s childhood like?
What were your subject’s early interests and hobbies?
What level of education did your subject achieve and where did they study?
What was your subject’s personality like?
What were their beliefs and values?
How did your subject’s personality and beliefs change over time?
What were the major turning points in your subject’s life?
How was your subject affected by the major political, cultural, and societal events that occurred throughout their life?
What did their career path look like?
What were their major accomplishments?
What were their major failures?
How did they contribute to their field, their country, or their community?
Were they involved in any major controversies or scandals?
Who were the most important people in the subject’s life, such as friends, partners, or mentors?
If the subject is no longer living, how did they pass away?
What lasting impact did the subject leave behind?
5. Create an Outline
An outline helps you structure your biography. You can write an extensive outline that includes every scene you need to write, or you can keep it simple and just make a list of high-level bullet points—whatever works best for your writing process.
The best structure to use will depend on the shape of the story you’re trying to tell. Think about what your subject’s life looked like and what core messages you’re trying to leave the reader with.
If you want to keep things simple, you can simply go in chronological order. Tell the story from the birth of your subject to the death of your subject, or to the present day if this person is still living.
You can also use a more thematically organized structure, similar to what you would find on a Wikipedia page. You could break your book down into sections such as major life events, personal relationships, core accomplishments, challenges, and legacy.
Or, if you want to be more creative, you can use a nonlinear story structure, jumping between recent events and older flashbacks based on which events feel thematically tied together.
6. Write Your First Draft
Now that you have an outline, it’s time to sit down and write your first draft.
Your opening chapters should hook the reader and give a preview of what’s to come. Highlight a compelling aspect of the subject’s life to draw readers in.
In your middle chapters, cover all the key events you need to include about your subject’s life and weave in themes and anecdotes that reveal their personality and impact.
In your final chapters, wrap up your biography by summarizing the subject’s legacy and reflecting on their overall significance. This provides closure and leaves the reader with a lasting impression.
Remember that it’s okay if your first draft isn’t perfect. Your goal is simply to get words down on the page so you have something to edit.
7. Make Developmental Revisions
Now that you’re done with your first draft, it’s time to make big-picture revisions.
Review your biography for coherence and organization. Does the overall structure make sense? Are there any arcs or themes that aren’t given enough attention? Are there scenes or chapters that don’t need to be included?
8. Make Line Edits
Once you’ve completed your developmental edits, it’s time to make smaller line edits. This is your time to edit for grammar, punctuation, and style.
Make sure you keep a consistent voice throughout the book. Some biographies feel more conversational and humorous, while others are serious and sophisticated.
To get through your editing faster, you can run your manuscript through ProWritingAid , which will automatically catch errors, point out stylistic inconsistencies, and help you rephrase confusing sentences.
Don’t be afraid to ask others for feedback. No good book is written in a vacuum, and you can ask critique partners and beta readers to help you improve your work.
What makes a great biography stand out from the rest? Here are our best tips for how to take your manuscript to the next level.
Tip 1: Focus on Key Themes
Identify the central themes or patterns in the subject’s life—the ones that will really make readers keep thinking about your book. These could be related to the subject’s struggles, achievements, relationships, or values.
Tip 2: Balance Facts and Narrative
A good biography should read like a story, not a list of facts.
Use narrative techniques like imagery, character development, and dialogue to create a compelling and coherent story.
Tip 3: Add Your Own Perspective
Biographies need to be objective, but that doesn’t mean the author has to be entirely invisible. Including your own perspective can make the biography relatable and engaging.
Letting your voice shine can help illustrate the subject ’ s character and bring their story to life. It will also help make your biography stand out from the crowd.
Tip 4: Create a Timeline
Organize the key events of the subject’s life in chronological order. This will help you see the bigger picture and ensure you cover all important aspects.
Tip 5: Be Considerate
Because biographies are about real people, you should be mindful of who will be impacted by the story you’re telling, especially if your subject is still alive or still has living family members.
If the subject is still alive, ask them for permission to tell their story before you start writing. This also helps ensure that you don’t get sued.
Writing a biography is a journey of discovery, not just about the subject, but also about the craft of storytelling.
By combining thorough research, a clear structure, and engaging narrative techniques, you can create a biography that not only informs but also inspires and captivates your readers.
Don’t forget to run your manuscript through ProWritingAid so you can make sure your prose is as polished as possible.
Now, pick your subject, gather your resources, and start writing—there’s a fascinating story waiting to be told.
Good luck, and happy writing!
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Hannah Yang
Hannah Yang is a speculative fiction writer who writes about all things strange and surreal. Her work has appeared in Analog Science Fiction, Apex Magazine, The Dark, and elsewhere, and two of her stories have been finalists for the Locus Award. Her favorite hobbies include watercolor painting, playing guitar, and rock climbing. You can follow her work on hannahyang.com, or subscribe to her newsletter for publication updates.
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