A biography is a written depiction of the life of a person that includes factual stories and details from their personal lives along with their successes, trials, and failures. Most of us have read biography examples of famous personalities, especially those we admire.
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Biography Examples
What is an example of a biography?
Biography examples have become so popular these days that we even have a cable network devoted entirely to narrating the stories of the lives of famous people. If you plan to make a biography, you can draw inspiration from various bio samples including:
- “Alexander Hamilton,” written by Ron Chernow
- “Into the Wild,” written by Jon Krakauer
- “Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, A Man Who Would Cure the World,” written by Tracy Kidder
- “Steve Jobs,” written by Walter Isaacson
- “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks,” written by Rebecca Skloot
- “Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace One School at a Time,” written by Greg Mortenson
- “Unbroken,” written by Laura Hillenbrand
Personal Bio Examples
How do I write a biography about myself?
Anyone can write their own personal biography. For instance, you may need your own biography examples when seeking employment. Personal bio examples provide a short introduction and a summary of your professional credentials, education, accomplishments, and other relevant information that makes you what you are.
The document provides hiring managers with an idea of why you consider yourself the perfect person for the job. Aside from the employment angle, you can also use a professional bio template on professional websites and networking platforms.
The hardest part when creating biography examples is to get started. Before writing, you should give yourself time to focus, so that you can include all of the information you want to share in an efficient but concise manner. Consider the following tips to create your personal biography:
- Introduce yourself
Start with a short introduction that shows the reader who you are. Your first sentence must include your full name, followed by relevant details that you want to emphasize like your certifications, achievements, and education. After this strong first sentence, mention your attributes, skills, personal, and professional values.
You can also include other significant details relevant to your goals like your job title, the industry where you work, and the duties of your job. These details are essential for employers looking for employees on various professional platforms. - Keep things short
Remember to keep your personal bio short. Start by having a word count goal although this may vary depending on the focus and purpose of your biography. For a personal bio for employment purposes, it should be at most just one paragraph or a couple of short paragraphs with descriptions of who you are.
The most ideal word count will be between 300 – 500 words. Short bios are usually meant to get the attention of the reader and encourage them to continue reading the rest of your CV or resume. Make sure your bio includes your accomplishments, purpose, history, credentials, and education.
In case there is a lot of information you would like to include, you need to organize the most relevant information first. Remove any details that have no relevance to your bio’s purpose. - Use the third person
Remember that you’re making a biography, not an autobiography. Although it may sound strange to write about yourself in the third person, there are many advantages to doing so. Writing in the third person allows you to include your complete name. This method works well for search engine optimization as it tells the search engine that the bio is all about you. - Think strategically while writing
There’s nothing wrong with mentioning all of your achievements but you should avoid creating a list that’s too extensive. If you’re finding it difficult to start, ask yourself the following:
Who are you writing for?
What do you want your readers to learn about you?
What life events should you include to show them who you are?
If you can compose a compelling story for others to read so that they can learn more about you, you would have differentiated yourself from the competition. You can include narratives that have inspired you to go after your current job or shaped your goals. Using personal anecdotes provides readers with a more profound understanding of your interests. core values, and passions. - Include your contact details
If the biography is the first step for you to communicate with others, the contact details section of your bio encourages your readers to communicate back as it makes you seem more approachable and open.
Your contact details should include your email address and links to your professional social media platforms. Generally, you should place your contact details at the end of your bio. - Edit and revise as needed
Remember that your biography is a reflection of you as an editor and a writer. For this, make sure to proofread for spelling and grammatical errors before sending or publishing it. The following are some tips for refining your bio:
Avoid editing as you go – just focus on your writing. Edit after writing all of the content.
Read your bio out loud to catch any grammatical errors. Also, find areas where you can still improve the structure.
Use online editing software to check and grade your bio in terms of readability.
Ask friends, co-workers or family members to give you honest feedback on what you can improve.
Editing your work is one of the many important steps to ensure that your personal bio is the most professional representation of your accomplishments, character, and background.
Professional Bio Templates
How to write a short bio?
When you talk about online biographies, you can readily come up with a few short biography examples. Social media platforms all have space for a short description of what you do and who you are.
You should take advantage of the 2 to 3 lines you have for short but creative bio examples. If you have limited space, keep your bios short, sweet, and filled with the most significant details strangers should know about you like:
- Your full name
- Your current job title or role
- Your ultimate goal in life
- Your most notable achievement
