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Five Tips for Writing a Bio
By Jennifer Farwell
Your bio. It's what greets the eyes
of industry professionals, while your music, hopefully, meets
their ears. It's a vital part of your press kit, and may be
your first introduction to the person reading it. First impressions
are important. As a freelance writer who has written bios for
various Ottawa musicians, I have five tips that may help you
with writing, or improving, your bio.
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The lead - the very first words (sentence or paragraph)
of your bio - is vital. This is the first thing anybody
reading your bio is going to see. Hook them, tease them,
grab their attention and most of all, make them want to
read more.
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Beginning your bio with something to the effect of "Band
X is an Ottawa-based..." may not be the best idea.
Do you want them to think about geography, or do you want
them to know about you? What makes you stand apart from
the other bands and musicians out there - what will blow
the industry away - is what's important. Where you happen
to live is secondary.
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Be clear in your meaning. Choosing words that sound impressive
by their length or number of syllables can, and very likely
will, backfire. If it's a word that would only come up
on the American SATs or in an academic thesis paper, it
doesn't belong in your bio. If the reader's eyes have
to glance at the word for a longer time than most words,
or if the meaning isn't immediately clear, at least some
of their interest will be lost while pausing to think
about it, even if it's only for a moment. Writing with
words you wouldn't normally use in everyday conversation
can also come across as arrogant.
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Words, like music, have the ability to convey a certain
energy. They can evoke moods, images and atmosphere. What
image are you trying to capture? What impression are you
trying to make? High-energy or dark and edgy, certain
words can create a lasting impact. Be conscious of this
while writing a bio, or let your writer know what kind
of tone you're after.
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Simple as it seems - and this applies to Web sites and
CD liner notes too - nothing comes across as less professional
than spelling, grammar and punctuation errors. If you're
writing your own bio and aren't absolutely clear on where
something like an apostrophe goes (for example, it's vs.
its, or plural vs. possessive), get someone who does know
to look it over. It's all about presentation.
Jennifer Farwell is a freelance writer and Web designer.
For information on writing and design services, visit her
Web site at www.jenniferfarwell.com. |
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