Question about how to market yourself on your profile

1. 87

   Dorsiposted 16 years ago

   So far, I love this site. It appeals to me immensely because it's easy to use and very professional. I love the idea of being able to customize ads and pictures to my article topic. It all fits perfectly with my skill set.
   For marketing purposes, because I am serious about making writing my new career, what is the best way to present yourself on your profile? To make a profile as if someone else is talking about you or as if you are personally writing it yourself?
   I really like to interact with my readers, so it's important that I am accessible, yet some of these profiles sound really nice with the writers short bio's written as if by someone else.
   I'd love to hear your feedback about this.
   And I love this place!
   I look forward to getting to know alot of you!

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2. 67

   elisabeth reidposted 16 years ago

   A standard bio is always written in third person.

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3. 87

   Dorsiposted 16 years ago

   Thanks, I figured that, but I wanted to make sure, This will be fun "talking about myself"..lol..
   I'm already thinking in that third person sense about myself but it's kind of wierd.

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   1. 67

      elisabeth reidposted 16 years agoin reply to this

      I loathe doing it.  I don't know why...bios are one thing I absolutely can't stand.  Maybe it's the weirdness of referring to myself by name.  Hell, NO one uses my name.  Not my husband...not my kids...NO one, so it feels strange to use it myself.

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4. 72

   Kenny Wordsmithposted 16 years ago

   The advantage of using third person is that one can brag a lot more than when one writes in the first. It also looks more professional. I stick to first person as that's how my 'voice' is in most of my hubs.

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   1. 87

      Dorsiposted 16 years agoin reply to this

      lol... that's what I was thinking. Time to put on my bragging hat I guess.

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5. 86

   Zsuzsy Beeposted 16 years ago

   In the profiles I prefer to use first person only because it has a more sincere feeling to it. If its written in the third person and your bragging etc. the reader will still know it was written by you, therefore why not come out straight from the start. If it needs to be said, say it. (my 2-3-4 cents worth.)zs

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   1. 87

      Dorsiposted 16 years agoin reply to this

      Yes that's the funny thing, it's like people have to know that you are the one writing it, so it's kind of an oxymoron ( I think that's the word I'm looking for!)
      I wrote a third person review of my artwork one time when I had my first art show, and it was fun, but still wierd.

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6. 85

   Marisa Wrightposted 16 years ago

   I must say, it never occurred to me to write my profile in the third person.
   
   Of course, the profile on the dustjacket of a book or in the intro to a magazine is in the third person - that profile has been put there by a third party, the publisher of the book. 
   
   A HubPage profile is typed directly into the profile screen by the writer himself/herself, so personally I think it sounds a bit pretentious if third person is used - unless it is done for comic effect.

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7. 68

   Stacie Naczelnikposted 16 years ago

   I always thought it was pretentious to write your own bio in third person, until my college professors pounded it into our heads that professional writers must have bios written in the third person.
   When you send work out to publishers, you often send copies of your bio--and it must be in third person.
   I hate writing mine.  It feels weird.  I have a couple already drafted out (different versions for different things), and only update them when I have to.  Some people might not like reading third-person bios, but professionals expect it out of each other (and understand that it isn't someone walking around with their nose in the air).
   
   All that said...I think HubPages is the kind of place where it can go either way and be acceptable.  Mine is in third person only because I want to write professionally elsewhere, so I want consistency.

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   1. 67

      elisabeth reidposted 16 years agoin reply to this

      You keep more than one, too?  I've got a 'scholarly' one and a more casual one and a few others.

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   2. 61

      Eric Graudinsposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      Stacie,
      I doubt that your college professors had hub pages in mind when they were swinging their hammers at your skull.
      
      I believe that all such advice and teachings should be put through one's own filter of commonsense and context.
      
      The Indigo Girls (who write some of the best lyrics EVER -  on a par with Harry Chapin)  sum it up beautifully in their song "Closer To Fine."
      
      And I went to see the doctor of philosophy
      With a poster of rasputin and a beard down to his knee
      He never did marry or see a b-grade movie
      He graded my performance, he said he could see through me
      I spent four years prostrate to the higher mind
      Got my paper and I was free
      
      Hub pages (and other web 2.0 sites) are social places where people interact on a person to person basis.
      
      Well, I got my paper, and I'm free. My bio is written in the first person, because it felt appropriate to do so.

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8. 67

   elisabeth reidposted 16 years ago

   I suppose...I never thought of it like that in this instance.   Whenever I've been asked by an editor to provide a bio...they've wanted third person.
   
   Always.
   
   So that's just what I'm used to.  Don't like it, but I'm used to it.  Kinda like eating oatmeal.  Don't like it much, but....

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9. 72

   Kenny Wordsmithposted 16 years ago

   Isabella Snow manages this issue well in her profile. It is written in the third person, and it is entertaining. If I could do it like she did, I would go for the third person. But I always err on the side of safety...

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   1. 85

      Isabella Snowposted 16 years agoin reply to this

      Actually............(you know I love you Kenny! )
      
      The first paragraph is in third, but almost everything else is in first. This was done intentionally, as it's meant to have a specific effect on the reader. (See last paragraph.) There actually is a certain method to it but it's not to be used for a professional bio, especially not those found on book covers (which, btw, the publisher is unlikely to have written themselves -- the author often does it and then its maybe edited) because those have to be entirely 3rd. Nor would you do this on a professional personal website; it would look amateur.
      
      But when you're in an interactive community and you want people to interact with you, people need to think you're fully approachable (for the sake of comments and the like), which rarely occurs when reading something entirely in 3rd. Writing part of your bio in first also lets them hear your voice.
      
      Mine is in 3rd at the start because the first thing I want to convey is that I am a professional writer, and 3rd is what a professional bio is written in. The rest is in first because first always draws people in more than 3rd, and I'm also inviting people to read my sex columns, dating columns, blog, see my video, etc -- and that gets better results when done in first person.
      
      And... when they are done reading, most people will still think you wrote the whole thing in 3rd, but come away feeling like they would if you'd written it in first. Which would be the point. (But, again, you would never do this with a pro bio.)

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10. 88

    Paragliderposted 16 years ago

    Just chipping in to agree with others. When submitting work to any editorial panel, I'll always include a third person bio. The reason is that it will appear in the magazine as editorial, not as part of the article (or more often these days, the poem). The editor uses it to introduce his contributor to his readership, so it has to be third person.
    
    Here on hubpages, we're self-publishing, so anything goes. I agree with Kenny that Isabella's is very nicely done. Mine is short and takes the form of a quotation and a direct message of thanks to anyone who reads me. So I suppose that evades the issue entirely!

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    1. 85

       Marisa Wrightposted 16 years agoin reply to this

       Exactly.  When you supply a bio to a publishing house or magazine, you're not writing your bio as yourself.  You're writing it to save the editor the trouble!   He wants it to sound like HE went to all the trouble of writing a blurb about you.  That's why it must be in the third person.

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11. 59

    Mark Knowlesposted 16 years ago

    I agree with the third person.
    
    Mark has, in fact, just redone his bio to reflect his new position in the world and would appreciate any feedback on said bio.
    
    Unless, like Kenny, you are writing your personal experiences and thoughts down. In which case, I suggest the first person.

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    1. 85

       gamergirlposted 16 years agoin reply to this

       Charlotte has redone her bio also.
       
       Charlotte believes that third person is srs bsns on teh intarwebz.  Right Mark?

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12. 68

    Stacie Naczelnikposted 16 years ago

    Stacie has enjoyed reading everyone's thoughts on this.  When she has time next week, she will force herself to look at all of the different bio versions she has.  They will remain third person - mostly - but she will see how she can put more of herself in them.
    
    P.S. Isabella's crafted profile is a good example.  Especially now that we know it was deliberate.
    
    Mark, I'll have to check yours out.

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13. 71

    Peter M. Lopezposted 16 years ago

    Everybody's Jimmy now (George is getting upset).
    
    Peter thinks Mark, Charlotte and Stacie are funny.

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14. 77

    robie2posted 16 years ago

    Just went and read all your profiles( including Dorsi, who started this thread). Some were first and some third person but all were amazing....what a great group of people with such a broad range of experience and interests. Hmmmmm maybe I better do a little work on my own now that I see how good a profile can be

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15. 72

    Kenny Wordsmithposted 16 years ago

    Oops, Isabella, apologies for my unreliable memory. Went and reread your profile, and Lo! It is a masterly combo of the 1st and 3rd person. (Or persons?)
    Seamlessly integrated.
    Accept my apologies while I bask in your love.

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    1. 85

       Isabella Snowposted 16 years agoin reply to this

       No need to apologize (you were *supposed* to recall it as third!) but you may continue to bask.

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16. 77

    jaymzposted 16 years ago

    How many links is too many in a bio?

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    1. 72

       Kenny Wordsmithposted 16 years agoin reply to this

       Hehe, as many as you can tolerate in anothers.

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17. 49

    john schmitposted 15 years ago

    lo!
    I have not yet written mine.
    How will it be if in 2nd person!!!
    Funny?
    John

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18. 83

    DonnaCSmithposted 15 years ago

    Yes, third person is the standard. I have several, too. Short ones, long ones, and bios geared toward the magzine I am writing for, or the book I am promoting. They were hard at first, but now they are fun.
    
    LOL, I remember one of my early ones:
    
    Donna Campbell Smith lives with her Jack Russell Terrier and writes from her home in North Carolina.
    
    In other words, she has no writing credits at all!!! Fortunately, my bios have more information in them now.

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19. 59

    SteveRobertsposted 15 years ago

    Steve also hates writing bios but is endeavoring to learn to love the process.
    Following his reading of this forum, he now has no excuse.
    I will also have to work out a smooth transition from 3rd to 1st!
    
    Thanks for all of your contributions.
    Cheers Steve

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20. 87

    Dorsiposted 15 years ago

    Well it's nice to see this thread revived- since posting this I have changed my profile to read third and first person, like Isabella did. I don't think it's pretentious ( although it was weird writing about myself like I'm "somebody"....lol...you know what I mean.)
    I know I'm a "somebody" but it's just so weird tooting my own horn sometimes!

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21. 87

    Rik Ravadoposted 15 years ago

    I've done the same as Isabella but without the logic for the split between 3rd and 1st person.
    
    I begin with the legend and the myth of Rik Ravado in the 3rd person (I am too modest to admit to all my accomplishments).  Then I slip naturally into the 1st person to share something of my humanity and to reassure the world that even I have feet of clay (fear of small children etc.)
    
    As far as I'm concerned 1st or 3rd is fine, depending on the individual, but a mix of both is even better (as Isabella so ably demonstrates).

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