Twitter Guide For Authors & Illustrators

Twitter Guide For Authors & Illustrators > The Basics > What do I put in my Twitter bio? What SHOULDN'T I put in my Twitter bio?

Index of topics: Main Twitter Guide For Writers & Illustrators page. To go back to my blog for kidlit/YA writers and illustrators, see Inkygirl. You can find me on Twitter at @inkyelbows (focus: writing and illustrating children's books) and @DebbieOhi (livetweets, chat, photos, personal ramblings). Also see my list of Other Useful Twitter Guides For Authors And Illustrators and Twitter Lists of: agents who represent kidlit/YA, kidlit/YA editors, children's book art/creative directors and K-12/teen librarians on Twitter.

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What do I put in my Twitter bio?

That's up to you. There's such a wide range of types of Twitter bios, from serious to funny to quirky to just plain odd.

Unless you're super well-known already, I'd advise putting a useful fact or two in your bio. Think of the types of followers you want to attract. You may have a brief and wildly funny one-sentence bio that will amuse people who see it, but if it gives no hint that you're a writer or illustrator, you may turn off some who may be looking for more substance than chatty/clever.

If you're trying to establish your presence as a writer and/or illustrator, make sure you include these or similar words in your bio. This will also help your Twitter feed show up in listings when people search for these keywords.

Always always ALWAYS proofread your bio before posting. I'm floored by how many typos I see in Twitter bios, especially by those who call themselves writers.

Try to include a bit of personality. I'm always wrestling with this myself, since my tendency is to try squeezing in as much factual info as possible.

Keep your bio updated.

ALWAYS INCLUDE A WEBSITE/LINK (Twitter allows you to enter one URL). This is sooooo important for writers and illustrators. Suppose an art director likes a sketch you've posted, wants to look at more of your work. He/she will go to your Twitter bio to find your website link. Ditto for editors, publishers, librarians, teachers, others who like any of your posts enough to want to find out more about you and your work. Avoid Facebook links, since not everyone is on FB.

I'd also advise against using one of the following words/phrases:

- "Just a" (e.g. "Just a girl looking for adventure" etc.)

- "ninja"

- "expert"

- "guru"

- "I follow back" or "Team Followback" (immediately tells people you're mainly interested in follower count)

- Too many hashtags (these always come across as spammy to me)

- Emoticons

There are exceptions, of course, but I've noticed a LOT of Twitter bios using the above. In the end, though, it's up to you.

Related resources:

How To Write A Great Twitter Bio That Gets Followers (Hashtags.org)

Are You Really A Ninja? How To Rock Your Twitter Bio As Hard As Hillary Clinton