5 Professional Bio Examples for Freelance Writers
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A professional bio is a crucial tool in any freelance writer’s kit.
Find out what you can gain from writing your own professional bio and how to get started crafting one, then take inspiration from our five proven examples of professional bios by established freelance writers.
What Is a Professional Bio?
A professional bio is a short biography covering a writer’s professional history, experience, skills, and achievements.
Its purpose is to introduce the author and their authority on their chosen subject or subjects.
Professional bios can be used in all sorts of contexts, from a freelancer’s website or LinkedIn profile to any guest posts or articles they may have written.
Why Should You Write a Professional Bio?
If you’re a freelance writer, having a professional bio is as essential as a strong resume.
The difference between the two is that a bio is a much quicker and more accessible way for potential clients to understand who you are and what you do.
A well-crafted professional bio can:
- Develop your brand
- Establish trust with potential clients
- Help colleagues and clients relate to you
- Provide you with a ready-made resource for networking
As a writer, you can even use your professional bio to demonstrate your writing skills and unique style.
How to Write a Professional Bio
Writing a professional bio shouldn’t come as an afterthought. After all, it might convince a potential client to work with you!
But if you have no idea where to start, here are our tips for writing a professional bio.
Know What to Cover
If you’re a freelance writer, your professional bio should include your:
- First and last name
- Job title (or name of your freelance business)
- Work and education history
- Professional achievements
- Skills
- Career goals or interests
- Freelance services
Remember to provide specific, quantifiable evidence to back up the claims you make in your bio.
This might include how many years of experience you have in a particular field, brands you’ve worked with, or awards you have received.
Depending on the context, you may also want to add contact details such as your email address or professional social media handles.
First-Person or Third-Person
Unless the website or publication you’re submitting your professional bio to requests otherwise, there are usually no rules as to whether you write it in the first or third person.
This means it’s up to you to decide the perspective for your bio!
On one hand, first-person bios build a connection with your readers and make you seem more approachable.
On the other, a bio written in the third person comes across as more objective and authoritative.
Think about what sort of clients you want to work with and what you want your professional bio to achieve before deciding which perspective to write it in.
Make It Personal
While the focus of a professional bio is, unsurprisingly, your professional life, there’s no harm in adding some personal touches to help your audience and potential clients get to know you.
In fact, adding details that your audience connects to on a personal level can increase your chances of finding work, as well as making your bio stand out.
So when writing your bio, consider adding any of your personal values, your interests outside of work, or formative life experiences such as where you grew up.
You could even link these personal details back to your professional goals.
Professional Bio Examples
Ready to write your own professional bio?
Before you begin, take a look at these five examples of professional bios we’ve collected to help inspire you.
1. Ruth Learner
Writer and editor Ruth Learner’s third-person bio showcases her experience, areas of expertise, and credentials before ending in a brief note on her personal interests.
2. Tahney Alexandra May
Arts writer Tahney Alexandra May takes a slightly different approach, opening her first-person bio with some personal details before specifying her skills and experience in three areas.
3. Cecily Paterson
Cecily Paterson’s LinkedIn profile is a great example of a professional bio with a style that doesn’t skimp on the details.
4. Kevin Baldwin
Copywriter Kevin Baldwin doesn’t shy away from highlighting his career achievements, while also managing to bring a sense of humor to his professional bio.
5. Marlen Komar
Marlen Komar’s professional bio is a little longer than most, but the unique dictionary-style formatting and her interesting anecdotes keep it memorable.
Becoming A Freelance Writer
Before launching your freelance writing career, get the expert training you need with our Becoming A Freelance Writer course.
In as little as six weeks, we’ll teach you how to craft compelling content, write for SEO, and navigate working with clients.
Plus, if you gain a distinction in the final assignment, you’ll get the opportunity to write content for the Knowadays blog!
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