Suggestions to help with writing your biography
A strong biography is a key tool for self-promotion. Here are some guidelines to craft yours effectively:
THE BASICS
– Begin by brainstorming your ideas. List everything you’ve accomplished, then highlight 2-4 standout achievements.
– Proofread carefully – check spelling, punctuation, and clarity. A second pair of eyes can help ensure your message is polished.
– Avoid excessive capitalization—typing in ALL CAPS can come across as shouting. Use uppercase only for acronyms (e.g., SWIDT: “See What I Did There”).
– Don’t overuse bold, italics or underline.
– Avoid using special characters and emojis – some websites can’t display them properly, and they may interfere with search functions.
– Verify your facts – accuracy is key to credibility.
HOW LONG?
A biography should be concise yet informative, stating key facts without overwhelming the reader. If it’s too long, interest may fade – but if it’s too short, it may not be compelling enough.
Aim for at least a couple of paragraphs to provide enough depth while keeping it engaging. Once you’ve written your full biography, create a shorter, summarised version that highlights the most relevant details.
Use the longer version for websites and social media, where more context is helpful, and keep the shorter version ready for press releases and media outreach, ensuring quick and impactful communication.
HOW SHOULD A BIOGRAPHY BE WRITTEN?
Write your biography from a third-person perspective, as if describing your music from an outsider’s point of view. Use pronouns like they, them, she, her, he, his, rather than I or we.
Don’t hold back – highlight your strengths. A biography is a powerful tool for self-promotion, so make sure it reflects your best qualities and achievements.
HOW DO I KEEP THE READERS INTEREST?
– Break up your text into paragraphs – readers quickly lose interest when faced with a single large block of text.
– Keep sentences and paragraphs concise. Long, dense sections can be overwhelming and make your biography harder to engage with.
– Ensure your biography stays relevant and updated regularly. While it’s fine to include your history, focus primarily on your most recent achievements from the past 2–5 years.
– Avoid repetition, excessive jargon, and overly elaborate language – clarity is key.
– Keep it professional by avoiding swear words or derogatory comments.
– Embed your links for a cleaner look – Muzic.nz looks better than https://www.muzic.nz/. To do this, select the text, right-click, and choose the option to add a link.
WHAT SHOULD I WRITE ABOUT?
To stand out in the crowded music scene, your promotion needs more than just “Rock band from Auckland.”
Tell your story – what makes your music unique? Highlight your influences, energy, and the experience fans can expect. Whether it’s your sound, live performance, or creative vision, make sure your bio reflects what sets you apart.
When writing your biography, consider including the following:
– Your beginnings – Share how, when, and where your musical journey started. If you’re a solo artist, what sparked your passion for music? If you’re in a band, how did you all come together? What inspired your band name?
– Your accomplishments – Highlight any awards, chart placements, competitions, notable performances, or artists you’ve toured with.
– Releases – Mention any EPs or albums you’ve released in the past two years, and tease any upcoming projects.
– Reviews – Incorporate a couple of one-liner quotes from professional reviews to add credibility and show that others are talking about your music. Be sure to credit the reviewer or publication.
– Your music style – Describe your sound and the emotions or energy it conveys.
– Influences – Share the artists or genres that have shaped your music
– Essential details — Include band member names and instruments, location, genre, and whether you’re signed to a label.
– Visuals – Enhance your bio with high-quality images of your band, album covers, or live performances. Images should be in .JPG or .PNG format, with credit given to photographers.
– Final touches – Provide links to your websites, social media pages, and platforms where your music can be streamed or downloaded. Also, include any relevant contact details, such as an email address.
DISCOGRAPHY
Consider adding a discography to your biography or linking to one for easy access. It should include all releases, with full track listings for EPs and albums.
