There are so many things we have to take care of as the CEO of our books, not the least of which is maintaining our Very Important Professional Bio (VIPB).
One of my articles appeared in a publishing/book marketing newsletter yesterday and I noticed that my bio was outdated. I sure thought I’d made some changes to that bio. Had to remind the editor to correct it. Hope he does this time. It does no good to promote an out-of-print book in your bio.
You might think you’re doing the right thing by including a fresh bio each time you send an article to the magazine or newsletter. But if the editor has your bio on file, he may not look at the new one at the end of your article. He just tosses it and uses the one he has on file.
If you’re a prolific writer, 3 books to your credit can quickly become 6 (31 books can soon become 35), so make sure that the magazines you write for update your bio as needed.
Likewise, make changes at your website as your accomplishments and credits accumulate. Once you develop a great website, it’s up to you to keep it current. And it isn’t easy when your website is complex. I am always finding places where we neglected to make upgrades and changes at my website. But then, we’re dealing with a lot of pages—resources and articles for writers and authors, online courses, books for sale, testimonials, speaking schedule, information about my editorial business. There is a lot to consider each time I need to update something.
Avoid using a number of years or months. If you create a website or present a bio that says you’ve been writing for 20 years, you will have to adjust that number ever year. Use dates instead—“I began my writing career in 1992.” That way, you are always correct.
When you agree to do a presentation or workshop for a group or at a conference, they generally ask for a bio. Don’t just send one you have on file. Double check it to make sure it is still accurate. Once they post it at their site, check for any changes the organizer might have dared make. Yes, it does happen.
Sometimes the program chair for a smaller organization or club will just post the bio from the back of your book or get it from your website. This is another good reason to keep your website up-to-date and to always send a fresh bio when invited to speak.
When the speaking date comes close, find out who will introduce you and send that person a copy of your preferred introduction with all of the correct information in place. They may deviate from your preferred introduction, but at least they will get the dates, book titles, etc. correct.
Your assignment this week:
• Check the websites of any groups or for any conferences where you’ll be speaking to make sure your bio is correct.
• Make sure the editors of those publications you frequently write for has an updated bio on file.
• Go through your own website with a fine-toothed comb and correct inaccuracies and outdated facts.
• Google yourself to find out if there are other sites that post information about you that needs updating.
• If you are scheduled to speak within the next few weeks, send your preferred introduction to the person who will introduce you—at least send them a copy of your bio.
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