by Rebecca Forster

Forty years ago I published my first book. I also found myself creatively tongue-tied when the publisher asked me for a back-of-the-cover biography. I had lived a full life at that point, so why was it so daunting to write about myself?

The answer is that I, like you, am a fiction writer.

The Character and the Author are not the Same Challenge

When we write our books, we reach outward, imagining our way into a fictional consciousness. The characters act at our bidding, the world in which they exist is one of our choosing. If we’re dissatisfied with any aspect of that universe, we change it.

The professional bio is restrictive, asking us to work with our history. Turning our creativity inward is awkward at best, but the reader wants to be introduced to a confident and marketable entity while we want them just to read our books.

So, we must bite the bullet and pen an intriguing introduction to ourselves. Modesty does not belong in a bio any more than hubris, and that is a fine line to walk. So what are we to do?

Turning to an Expert

After my tenth book, I knew I needed a more polished face to the public, so I turned to Robin Blakely, CEO of Creative Center of America, a branding coach who specializes in working with creatives.

One of the first things she did was revamp my bio. The next step was to help me embrace the vibrant author it portrayed. I asked her to breakdown the critical thinking behind that biography.

Tips, Tricks and a Robin Makeover

1. Hook them immediately.

Example: “Rebecca started writing novels on a crazy dare.”

Note: I have seen hundreds of bios that begin with some version of “my childhood love of writing was discovered by my English teacher.”

Spoiler alert: We were all in English class—and yes, good teachers matter—but that’s not what makes you memorable. There’s a more interesting, more unusual way to share your origin story. Find it.

2. Tell a story, not a résumé.

Example: “After earning her MBA, Rebecca spent more than a dozen years as a marketing executive before taking the leap into a full-time creative career.”

Note: That’s the setup for the author story promised in the hook.A list of accomplishments is impressive, but what matters is the arc of the character called you.

Spoiler alert: Rebecca was a successful ad exec who was dared to write a book because a client’s wife had done it. That “wife”? Danielle Steel.

3. Let credibility support the story—not replace it.

Example: “Now she is a USA Today and Amazon bestselling author of more than 40 books—work that the CBS Legal Correspondent calls ‘perfect…impossible to put down.’”

Note: Define who you are now in a repeatable way. Credentials should back up your story, not be the whole story.

4. Be specific enough to be believable.

Example: “Her Witness Series has remained on bestseller lists for over five years in both the U.S. and U.K.”

Note: “Success” is vague and subjective. “Five years on bestseller lists in two countries” is clear and credible. If you aren’t at that level of success yet this rule doesn’t change, but don’t inflate or generalize.

Small and specific beats big and vague every time. Maybe your debut novel reached the top 100 in its category on Amazon or maybe you have launched a series of events that start at the local Barnes and Noble. Each rung on the ladder is real success.

5. Leave us with something we’ll remember.

Example: “Rebecca lives in Southern California with her husband, a Los Angeles Superior Court judge. When she’s not writing, she’s traveling, teaching, or collecting the kind of details that eventually find their way into a courtroom scene.”

Note: This is the part where many bios fizzle out or get chaotic. Don’t empty your junk drawer of facts here. Help us understand that you know what you’re writing about.When you do, it makes us more curious to know you (and to read your work).

The Final Permission

As writers, we are often unsure of our work until it is validated through reviews or editorial approval. Even then, we second guess ourselves.

Let’s stop doing that.

Let’s shine not only through our work but through our branding because we’ve earned the right.

Consider this your permission to look inward and share your real-life, wonderful, accomplished self with humor, honesty, and above all confidence.

* * * * * *

Rebecca Forster started writing on a crazy dare and found her passion. Now a USA Today and Amazon best selling author, Forster is known for her legal thrillers and police procedurals. Over three million readers have enjoyed her Josie Bates thrillers in the Witness Series alone. With over 40 books to her name, Rebecca had a long career in traditional publishing before becoming an indie author. Her fast-paced tales of law and justice are known for deep characterization and never-see-it-coming endings.

In an effort to make her work as realistic as possible, Rebecca has graduated from the DEA and ATF Citizens academies, landed by tail hook and spent two days on the nuclear submarine U.S.S Nimitz, engaged in police ride-alongs, and continues to court watch whenever possible.

Rebecca has taught at the acclaimed UCLA Writers Program and various colleges and universities. She is a sought-after speaker at bar and judges' associations as well as philanthropic groups and writing conferences. Rebecca is also a repeat speaker at the LA Times Festival of Books.

Rebecca has just released The 9th Witness, the final book in her acclaimed Witness Series, Josie Bates Thrillers. Find all her books at any online bookstore or here: https://www.rebeccaforster.com/.

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