There are plenty of informational pieces out there telling you how to write a biography – and to be honest, some of them are better than others.
Whether you’re looking for a job in retail, you’re thinking of putting together a long and winding list of memoirs, or you’re indeed in a band, selling yourself to your target audience is absolutely essential.
Of course, being able to write a biography is a priceless skill, especially if you’re involved in music or the arts; if you’re unable to give people a taste of what you’re all about and smack them in the face from the moment they visit your website, chances are you’re going to fall by the wayside. Basically, in a fast paced digital age, people are terribly impatient and if you don’t enthral them from the get go, more often than not, they’ll find someone else to satisfy their needs – I guess we’re all guilty of being web surfing sluts, occasionally.
Why should I write a biography?
Why should I write a biography?
If you’re in a band or you’re a solo artist, you might be reading this thinking why can’t I just let my music do the talking? Plus, pictures and videos are worth a thousand words.
I don’t whole heartedly disagree with you, not at all, but so many people underestimate the power of words that if get yours right, your presence will only become stronger. Even these days, the most flighty love reading a good story, so long as it’s snappy. Web copy is as relevant as ever as it ever was, perhaps even more so right now.
For instance, when it comes to the wonderful world of stringed rock instruments, Fender are a household name (pretty much every rock or blues player who’s ever plucked a plank will know what a Telecaster or a Strat is). Say they develop a brand new six string (like when they made a limited edition Wilko Johnson Telecaster), even though people will most likely already be sold by the brand, Fender will still ensure they have some scintillating web copy on their site to support such a release. They may already have the trust, but often people need a little bit more of a push to commit to a sale. Your band is no different.
A few years back, a bloke in New Zealand put on a crappy old washing machine Trade Me (a similar site to EBay), complete with an amusing back story. The washing machine’s bio was so good, that the ad yielded over 800k views and sold for over $5,000. You may be asking yourself why. It’s because the story picked up so much momentum.
A great story turns head and telling your story is not only a great way to get noticed, it’s also another creative outlet for the tortured musical soul. Even if your writing leaves a lot to be desired in a bio writing sense, think back, look at the present, cast a glance to the future and scribble it all down on a page.
Then cut away bits that are no good like a fleshy boil and arrange your words into something that makes a morsel of sense – you might even get inspiration for a song or two in the process.
In the end, you might find that you’ve actually been a wordsmith all along and that with a bit of work – you can write a biography all on your own. If not, grab your scribbles, stats, music, pics and videos and pass them onto a professional who can make it into a masterpiece on your behalf.
Either way, the point is: write a biography and tell your tale.
You won’t regret it.
