Tips for the 3rd Person Bio

A short bio shows confidence and is more likely to be read. Many things that you do are important and meaningful, but not all of them need to go into your bio. Before you submit your work somewhere, take a look at how the bios are structured. For a writer, a basic third-person bio would include about 50-75 words, with one sentence for each point:

Your name and who you are and/or what you do.
Book publication (if you have one or more: title of work plus press name in parentheses is good).
3-5 magazines where your work appears. The list can say "among others" or "in various magazines including" to point out that there are more.
If you won an award, by all means, you can add that, but nominations are fairly common, so leave them out.
Top it off with your geographical location and
Maybe one quirk or interest for flavor.

An artist' bio often includes a statement about a specific work or about the artist's philosophy in general. That makes it a little different, and sometimes a little longer, up to 100 words. One sentence for each unless otherwise noted.

Your name and who you are and your medium or media.
1-3 sentences that describe your work, approach, technique, or interests (portraits, nature, textures, frogs).
An exhibition, collections, residencies, awards (one sentence: 3-5, total of the list).
Your geographical location.

Really, the best way to write one is to examine the publication you are interested in and read the bios there. For Star 82 Review, just keep it simple, and let your work speak for you!

A related post is here.

Comments

Interview with AI Re: Star 82 Review Content

A friend of mine is interested in how AI/Large Language Models work. For our amusement, he asked it about Star 82 Review . It was not good at details, but it proved remarkably astute at generalities after he cautioned it not to make things up. For contributors: I think it will prove helpful regarding subjects, tone, and the types of humor I publish; I felt it captured the essence of the magazine. However, at the end when it suggests authors, I would add E.B. White and Grace Paley. Below is an unedited transcript. > After looking at the work that has been published within the period of your training data, please characterize they types of fiction that they publish. Based on my training data, which includes a snapshot of the literary landscape up to 2021, I can provide some general insights about the types of fiction published in Star 82 Review. Keep in mind that my characterization is limited to the data I've been trained on and may not reflect the magazine's current or evol...

Can ChatGPT Help Your Writing?

So much buzz these days about Artificial Intelligence in general and the various chatbots in particular like ChatGPT, Bard by Google, and Microsoft's Bing. A computer-savvy friend has been exploring ChatGPT in particular to see what it does and does not know, what it suggests, what it hallucinates, and how it might be of help in various situations. Recently, he asked me to forward him a submission (anonymously) to Star 82 Review, one I had not yet read, and asked ChatGPT if it "thought" I would accept it. I read the story and considered it first, then read ChatGPT's analysis. I've redacted and changed any identifying features to protect the privacy of the submitter. Here's what it said. * Based on the provided excerpt, it's difficult to make a definitive judgment on whether "[This Story]" would be accepted for publication in Star 82 Review. However, I can offer some observations and considerations to help you assess its potential. Strengths: Atm...

Star 82 Review 13.4 Winter Issue Is in Production!

The first print proof for *82 Review 13.4 has been ordered, and I will be working on the web version very soon. I'm very pleased how this issue came together. As usual, I am always reading for future issues. If you have something that fits the mood of the magazine, please do read the guidelines and send your prose, poetry, or art along for spring 14.1. Guidelines: https://star82review.com/submissions.html You read mine carefully, I'll read and view your work carefully as well.

Search This Blog