Author Bios.... Putting a Face to the Stories

Whether you just submitted your first piece ever or you're a ten-year veteran with hundreds of publications to your credit, your author bio is your personal introduction to both readers and editors, and either way you have a lot to say.

As an editor, I've been told by a few submitters, "I don't have a bio. I haven't had anything published yet."

Thing is, it doesn't matter if you've never been published before. My first bios said something like:

"G. Lynn Brown is a writer of flash fiction and poetry with an emphasis on romance. She's written since she was a little girl, and writing is her both her passion and a form of therapy. Originally from NJ, she currently lives in Tennessee."

As publication credits came, I added them. As Pushcart Prize nominations, editor's choice picks, and judging opportunities came along, I added them. Soon my bio was looking more like a literary resume than a personal bio as my writing accomplishments pushed out "trivia" like "she lives in Tennessee with her two dogs and nine cats."

But it wasn't always easy to include all those accolades. Too be honest, I felt I was being too bragodocious if I included all my achievements. In writing groups that asked for monthly achievements, if I had more than one or two, I wouldn't share more than that, afraid of making others feel badly or fearful I'd come off arrogant. I brought my trepidations and hesitations up to a friend who assured me that it was 100% okay to gush about my achievements. They were things to be proud of. And I worked hard to achieve them. It's not always easy to get accepted at a lit mag, and not everyone is nominated for awards/honors. As a writer, my friend pointed out, I should realize that and completely own my accolades. "Be proud and let the world know what you've accomplished," they encouraged. And from that moment on I did own my success. Every award nomination, every judging/editorial credential, and a number of publications were always included in my bio.

But again, what became most important pushed out other parts. As award nominations and honors grew, listing specific publications that had published me became less. Over the two years I've been submitting, the evolution of my literary career can be seen in my bios. Now, I focus less on my writing credentials and, though nominations are still included, I have an emphasis on being editor/founder of Micromance Magazine, of founding The Cupid Prize. My bio has actually become much shorter, but still encompasses all of my success.

So, if you're new to submitting and haven't had many pieces published, if any, still be loud and be proud about who you are as a writer - about your passion, about your aspirations. And as you evolve in your career, so will your bio, naturally forming to wherever you are at the moment.

And if you've been submitting for years and have had a successful literary career as I have, you get it. You've probably seen your bio evolve. But if, like I was, you're a little shy about being too honest about your success, I'm here to tell you what my friend told me - Stop! Be proud of your accomplishments! And shout them from the rooftops - or in this case from the paragraph beneath your story/poem. You deserve every publication, every nomination, every accolade you've received! Don't hide them!

So, when it comes to writing author bios, focus on your writing career, but also focus on what's most important to you without hiding your success. As I said, your bio is your introduction to readers and to editors...and when lit mags don't allow photos, they're also your face.

But what about editors? Do they read bios? Do they influence an editor's decision about a piece?

Well, I can't speak for other editors, though I've read others say they often don't read them before reading submissions. I'm the same way. I rarely read them prior to the submitted piece and, even once I read them, they have little bearing on my impression of the writer. For me, I do like reading them to gauge the kind of talent Micromance is attracting. Are new writers showing up more? Accomplished writers? Are most of the writers actual romance writers or are they successful in other genres? Of course, I find that Micromance attracts all of the above, which is awesome! But for me, bios are more of a tool for "marketing” - knowing how to create my sub calls and where to out them - rather then to judge the writer. The story before me and how the writer presents themselves to me is all that matters...

So, for what it's worth, that's my take and my advice on author bios. To sum it up, no matter where you are in your writing journey, be loud and be proud about who you are as a writer... You deserve every milestone you reach, every bit of praise you receive!

Think happy thoughts..

Gail Lynn, EIC 🥰