I’ve put this blog post together with Contributoria writers in mind, but the points made here would be valid for any of those occasions when you need to put a ‘bio’ together for your online activity. As someone who inwardly groans at every request for profile details, I hope this approaches the task in a straightforward way.
The writer profiles on Contributoria are particularly important as they are the number one way that members of the community and publishing partners can sum up a writer’s abilities when deciding whether or not to back their story proposals and, as that leads to commissioning and ultimately cash, it’s worth making some effort.
Ten essential points when creating a writer profile
- A sensible name
Your own name is always best as it helps people check you out in other areas of the online world. Failing that a nickname is OK but avoid user names that are unmemorable number sequences or similar. Don’t forget that Contributoria is a community and so is made up of humans supporting other humans – we tend to respond coldly to number droids. Your name should appear in the first sentence of your profile so the reader understands what they are looking at – just like being introduced to somebody, you will often start with your name and then move onto the matter in hand. I have been asked in the past about using a pseudonym – for all the reasons above, using a pen name makes you something of an enigma. It’s a bit like sitting down the pub in a balaclava. But of course there can be valid reasons around personal security for using one and in those instances I’d ask that you get in touch directly for further advice (sarahATcontributoria.com). - Use a picture
Just a straightforward head and shoulders shot will do the job. Just like your name, having a profile picture will help people build up a picture of the person behind the story. Just as with the social networks, people tend to regard the absence of a picture as dubious in some way, it instantly creates a trust barrier that doesn’t need to be there. - Location
Adding your base location, or the locations that you write about, can help make a connection. This is particularly important for those people who are looking to back stories from certain parts of the world for instance. But it could also be beneficial in making connections with other members of the community who perhaps live nearby or have a particular interest in a region of the world and might want to get in touch. - Third person or I?
It’s always slightly awkward talking about yourself in the third person but doing so makes it easier for the reader to take in the information. There’s no hard and fast rules and in fact there’s currently a mixture of first person and third person on the platform, but it’s worth bearing in mind that the Contributoria writer profiles also automatically appear in the footer of story proposals. Having it in the third person reads a lot better for the casual visitor who may not have looked you up on the writer page. - What length?
For Contributoria, the ideal length for the profile is up to 200 words. That should allow for all these points to be included while also keeping it reasonable for the footer of proposals. On other platforms it would be worth checking if there is an established style. Some sites ask for a short statement (i.e. one sentence, like Twitter) while others expect a mini CV. - Include other work
If your work has been published elsewhere, it’s well worth mentioning the different publications where people could look you up – you can also drop URLs into the profile and it will hyperlink . It’s also worth mentioning membership of any professional organisations and groups. - Other non-work
If you’ve a passion for something – let people know. There’s no telling what serendipitous connections can flow from outlining your hobbies and interests after all, they are part of what makes you, you. - Contact details
End your bio with your contact details or hyperlink to ways that people can contact you such as Twitter, blog or your LinkedIn profile. - Read and rewrite
As with everything, there’s always that stray apostrophe or typo which it’s easy to remain blind to so having a friend to proof your bio before you publish it is recommended. - Keep it up to date
Remember that your bio is a living document and you should review it on a regular basis. As it’s fairly short it won’t take you too long to make changes that can be quite important to the reader and that all important potential backer.
Dim Sum Digital 