When you write a personal bio it’s your chance to shine and show the world how awesome you are. So make sure you maximise the opportunity, from the first word to the final full stop.
1. Keep it snappy!
Your bio should be clear and easy to read. Don’t make it too long, you want to leave your prospective donors wanting to know more about you at the end. However, make sure you include enough information so that readers get a sense of who you are and what you do.
2. When you write a personal bio make sure you include:
* What do you do?
* Highlight your strengths and accomplishments.
* What are your credentials, both formal and informal? Make sure to include studies, work and life experience.
* What and where have you performed, exhibited, recorded, created, written or designed?
* Have you received any media or awards?
Remember, you don’t need to list every single activity you have ever undertaken, highlight and emphasise those that you think are most important.
3. Think about your audience.
Who are you targeting in your campaign? Make sure you write your bio with them in mind. Ask someone independent to take a read. What might seem clear to you, absorbed in the work that you do, can be unclear to others.
4. The bio is a chance for you, not your project, to shine.
Don’t make the mistake of repeating information about your current project in your bio. The ACF’s profile section is there for you to highlight your key achievements and successes. You have ample chance to talk about your current project in the project section, so in the bio, make the focus squarely on you.
5. Finally – and we know we harp on about this, but it’s really important – check your spelling and grammar!
And use paragraphs. A bio is a lot easier to read when it is broken down into paragraphs, rather than a huge slab of text. Similarly, don’t let your sentences get too long, otherwise it can be easy for the reader to get lost. Ideally, avoid dot points or lists.
Need inspiration? There are hundreds of bios on the site, have a look around and consider what works, and why.