It’s important to include the time-tested, standard author bio elements in the “About Me” page on your author website: professional headshot, education, career, and publication credits.

But you may want to offer your visitors a more intimate portrait than a basic professional bio offers. So what can you do to make your “About Me” page stand out in the crowd? (And trust us here at Web Design Relief—writers on the Internet are a humungous crowd!)

6 Ways To Spruce Up Your “About Me” Page

Write a welcome letter (perhaps in your own handwriting!) Visitors click on your author website to learn a little more about you. Why not greet them with a personal touch?

Writing a letter to your fans is a great way to do just that. You can even scan your own handwriting into your computer and use it as a font. It doesn’t get more authentic than that!

Use candid photos. Instead of having a professional headshot, consider creating a slideshow of some candid photos. If the photos reflect on themes found in your writing, so much the better! For instance, if nature is a source of inspiration, you can include your Galapagos Island vacation photos. Is your adorable dog your writing sidekick? Feature Fido in a photo!

Incorporating informal photographs into your “About Me” page adds a personal touch and gives your visitors a glimpse into what you do in your free time. Say cheese!

Embellish your headshot as if it’s in a scrapbook. If a slideshow’s not in the cards, consider adding some creative flair to your headshot. Giving your author photo a scrapbook-style background will add a unique element to your author website while showing off your artistic side.

Here’s a great example of how a simple scrapbook layout can dress up your “About Me” headshot.

Interview or Q&A. Posting an interview with yourself is an interesting way to spice up your “About Me” page while offering a lot of information. Think of questions your visitors will want answers to:

When did you start writing?

What drove you to write?

Who are your inspirations?

Post a video. Want to give the illusion that you’re having a face-to-face chat with your visitors?  Post a short video introducing yourself and thanking visitors for coming to your page. Then tell them a little about you.

Use your video as an opportunity to guide them around your website. Is your latest novel available for purchase on your “Books” page? Let them know!

Keep in mind that some of your visitors may be lit agents or editors wanting to learn more about you. This is an excellent opportunity to show them you’re serious about marketing yourself and your writing.

Include a personal anecdote. Along with writing a letter to your visitors, you can also post some personal stories—perhaps a funny memory from your childhood that inspired you to write; a vacation that provided the perfect subject matter for your work; or a book you read that influenced the way you write. 

How A Unique “About Me” Page Can Enhance Your Author Website

By showing a little personality on your “About Me” author website page, you reveal another side of yourself to visitors and make yourself more “real” in their eyes. When it comes to checking out a new writer (or a favorite writer), it’s nice to get the facts…and even nicer to get something more.

Here are a few of our favorite “About Me” pages—incorporating videos, image slideshows, and other fun techniques—straight from Web Design Relief clients.

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Photo by CollegeDegrees360

QUESTION: Which of these helpful tips do you find to be most useful on an author “About Me” page? Any other ideas?