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Biography – literally ‘life writing’ – poses a variety of challenges. Balancing historical narration and day-to-day incident, for example. Or choosing what to include and what to leave out. Read 7 ideas on how to write a biography, with examples from biographical writing:
There are many different types of biography, both in fiction and non-fiction.
If you want to write non-fiction, you may be working on either an autobiography (a book about your life) or memoir , or a biography of a public figure.
Biographies can straddle both fiction and non-fiction, too. Many authors have written semi-fictionalized biographical stories (such as Now Novel writing coach Hedi Lampert’s novel , The Trouble with My Aunt ) with the author themselves as a main or supporting character.
For example, in Ivan Vladislavic’s Portrait with Keys , the author invents a brother. This fictional addition allows for lively debates between him and this imaginary relative about urban spaces and race politics in the city of Johannesburg.
Novelized biographies (such as Charles Dickens’ David Copperfield or Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre ) often follow a central character’s life arc in a linear way , from early life to later years or even death.
Other types of fictional biography include fictional letters and diaries. These allow you to play with other modes of representation.
For example, Sue Townsend’s popular Adrian Mole series (the first book being The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13¾ ), presented as a British teenage boy’s diary.
Let’s examine 7 ideas about how to write a biography:
You could say that voice is a crucial ingredient of any story , especially in first person (where the narrator is the character).
In autobiography, in particular, you want your reader to form a clear sense of who is telling the story. Are they funny? Serious? Angry? Inventive? Philosophical? Just a little bit insane?
Consider the comical, self-aware voice that comes through from page 1 of Townsend’s novel. The first chapter, under the heading ‘THURSDAY JANUARY 1ST’, begins:
These are my New Year’s resolutions: 1. I will help the blind across the road. 2. I will hang my trousers up. 3. I will put the sleeves back on my records. 4. I will not start smoking. 5. I will stop squeezing my spots. 6. I will be kind to the dog. 7. I will help the poor and ignorant. 8. After hearing the disgusting noises from downstairs last night, I have also vowed never to drink alcohol. Sue Townsend, The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13¾ (1982), p. 5.
Adrian Mole’s resolutions range from the virtuous to the droll (e.g. helping the ‘poor and ignorant’; scathing remarks on his parents’ drunken ‘disgusting noises’).
From the opening page there’s a clear sense of the voice of the subject of this diary-format biography. We form a sense of Mole’s desires, faults, attitudes and beliefs straight away.
Whether you’re writing fictional or non-fictional biography, how you represent events or tell the story is a creative decision.
Besides curating content (choosing what formative experiences, dramatic incidents, background details you include), there are different ways to approach representation , the way you tell the story.
As respected literary biographer Hermione Lee says, in an interview with James Rivington , there’s a difference between ‘autopsy’ and ‘portraiture’:
Autopsy, yes. There is a kind of biographical process that is, necessarily, cutting into the dead corpse, however ghoulish that can seem. You are as ruthlessly as possible trying to dissect and analyse the nature of the life. The other approach is more akin to portraiture: to see how the person looked from the outside, how they affected and influenced people, what their friendships were like, how they were one thing to one person and another thing to another person. I think you have get at both inside and outside if you can. Hermione Lee, interviewed by James Rivington for The British Academy
What Lee touches on is the issue of representation .
How will you mix biographical and historical facts (e.g. born here, raised there, had this key experience) with more painterly ways of revealing character ?
Deciding how to write a biography means choosing between many available narrative modes or styles.
Will your story run from A to B to C, documenting each decade in a person’s life? Or will it be a crisscross portrait cutting back and forth in time?
A fragmentary style of narration may suit certain subjects and contexts better than a linear story. Says Lee:
I think that biography has to be watchful of making life seem too predictable, or determinist, or shaped, or ordered. Biographies go through fashions. There used to be a fashion for making the study run smoothly and look definitive – ‘this leads to this leads to this.’ I think life-stories are more bitty and piecemeal. Hermione Lee, interview for The British Academy
As an example, Roland Barthes, a pioneer in semiotics (the study of signs and symbols and their interpretation), famously wrote an autobiography in fragments called Roland Barthes by Roland Barthes .
In this book, Barthes includes the preface ‘it must all be considered as if spoken by a character in a novel’.
What follows are captioned images from Barthes’ life, and then titled fragments where Barthes reflects on incidents, places, experiences and the development of his body of work.
For example, in a short section about the discomfort of writing called ‘Truth and Assertion’, Barthes refers to himself in third person , expressing discomfort in how words committed to paper express more than our original aims:
His (sometimes acute) discomfort—mounting some evenings, after writing the whole day, to a kind of fear—was generated by his sense of producing a double discourse, whose mode overreached its aim, somehow: for the aim of his discourse is not truth, and yet this discourse is assertive. (This kind of embarrassment started, for him, very early; he strives to master it — for otherwise he would have to stop writing — by reminding himself that it is language which is assertive, not he). Roland Barthes, Roland Barthes by Roland Barthes , p. 48, available here.
Fragments provide a fitting choice of narrative style for an unconventional autobiography that is as much a self-portrait of Barthes as a questioner of seemingly self-evident truths, as it is the representation of his life.
Barthes’ use of third-person and questioning reflections on the act of writing creates the ‘looking from the outside’ effect Hermione Lee describes as ‘portraiture’ in biography. Even as Barthes creates a self-portrait, he resists the idea of the ‘assertive’ author, the ‘completeness’ of the ‘final report’.
An English professor once asked his third year class ‘What is an anecdote?’
A girl put up her hand and answered, ‘It’s what you give someone when they’ve been bitten by a snake’, to which he replied ‘Please don’t ask someone for an anecdote if you’re ever bitten by a snake, for they will talk and talk and you will die.’
This is an anecdote. These usually short, often humorous stories about events involving a particular person are great fodder for biographies. They may illustrate a person’s quick wit or surly, non-communicative demeanor .
In biography, a brief anecdote may be all the reader needs to develop a sense of a key figure – a parent, friend, lover, rival or other.
The writer, poet and satirist Dorothy Parker is known for her witty comebacks and phrases.
One anecdote illustrating this character gives an alleged exchange between Parker and a snooty woman at an event, where both were trying to enter through a door at the same time:
It is recorded that Mrs. Parker and a snooty debutante were both going in to supper at a party: the debutante made elaborate way, saying sweetly “Age before beauty, Mrs. Parker.” “And pearls before swine,” said Mrs. Parker, sweeping in. Dorothy Parker, attributed. More on this anecdote at Quote Investigator.
Parker’s clever comeback to the woman’s quip about her being the older (and the implication she is less beautiful) evokes Jesus’s sermon on the Mount in which he said ‘Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine…’
The anecdote is a brilliant illustration of Parker as a quick-witted person with a sharp tongue and an ear for comedy. An anecdotal exchange here conveys a good sense of personality.
When we think about how a biography is written, we might think in terms of grand, important or scandalous events. Yet a biography is not a gossip column.
Lee makes this important point in her interview, regarding Virginia Woolf’s eventual suicide.
In writing the author’s biography, Lee describes the pitfalls of writing it as though Woolf was thinking about suicide every day.
It would possibly be sensationalizing (rather than allowing multiple ‘Woolfs’ to come through) to assume this linearity:
When, as in the case of Virginia Woolf, you have a very important, much-read woman writer who kills herself, there is a powerful desire to make the story move towards that point. You see that also in the life of Sylvia Plath – perhaps even more, because she was so much younger. It becomes all about the suicide. […] So one of my motives in writing about Virginia Woolf was to get away from the determinist sense of a story that had to end that way. Lee, interview for The British Academy
How do we make the repetitive, ‘boring’ parts of life interesting in life-writing?
Hagiography, the term for the writing of the lives of saints, also means ‘to display a subject undue reverence’ in writing.
The British statesman Arhtur Balfour is alleged to have said ‘Biography should be written by an acute enemy.’
There’s truth in this, since an enemy would dissect their rival’s life without mercy. Perform a thorough autopsy, and paint a colourful (even if unflattering) portrait.
In deciding how to write a biography, make sure you choose incidents that reflect multiple dimensions of the subject’s life. Their glorious and inglorious moments.
For example, to write the story of a now-revered author as the story of success after success may ring false for readers who know about the 12 rejections their first manuscript received.
Plan the scenes and incidents of a biography the way you would build a character profile. Ask, ‘What are the subject’s…’
Author and essayist Geoff Dyer has written books in many forms, from travelogues blending fiction and non-fiction to books about writing biography ( Out of Sheer Rage: Wrestling with DH Lawrence ).
Dyer’s book But Beautiful: A Book about Jazz is an example of his genre-defying approach.
Part biography of renowned jazz musicians (including Duke Ellington and Thelonious Monk), part homage to the improvisational and playful language of jazz, it combines historical details, photography and discussion of music. Rather than tell a linear story of each musician’s life, Dyer captures fleeting moments and experiences in a manner evocative of jazz music’s ephemeral nature.
This approach naturally involves plenty of fictionalizing, filling in and describing unknown details.
For example, here Dyer imagines a road trip where Duke Ellington’s driver muses on their road-tripping and the impossibility of recording every detail:
He’d bought the car in ’49, intending just to hop around New York, but soon he was driving Duke all over the country. Several times he’d had an impulse to keep a notebook record of how far they’d traveled but always he came to thinking how he wished he’d done it right from the start and so, each time he thought of it, he gave up the idea and fell to calculating vaguely cumulative distances, remembering the countries and towns they had passed through. Geoff Dyer, But Beautiful: A Book about Jazz (1991), p. 4.
Adding fictionalized events, such as particular exchanges between Duke Ellington and a driver that may not have happened ‘exactly that way’, is a useful part of biography. Like the driver’s thought process, there are ‘vaguely cumulative distances’ you, the biographer, must calculate and recreate for your reader.
Writing a fiction or non-fiction (or semi-fictional) biographical novel? Get constructive, considere d feedback from a writing coach.
Jordan is a writer, editor, community manager and product developer. He received his BA Honours in English Literature and his undergraduate in English Literature and Music from the University of Cape Town.
This article is brilliant, useful and educational which I admired the most and I can’t wait to read more. Thanks for the topic you’ve shared!
Thank you, Rosella. Thanks for reading our blog and sharing your feedback.
I would like to write a biography of someone who is a brother to me. Inorder to be remembered forever.
That sounds wonderful. Have you started writing or planning it?
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Course Code: HW470
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This course will help you develop a critical awareness of this genre of writing, to think about what makes a good biography. Classes are designed for anyone who enjoys learning more about writers' lives, and about how we describe, explore and write about the experiences of other people. You'll develop confidence in using this knowledge to attempt your own experiments in life writing.
- Definitions of biography, autobiography and memoir. - An abridged history of English biography. - Ethics of biography. - Biographical techniques and method. - The use of sources, memory and recollection in life writing. - The uses of biography and its limitations as a way of understanding writers.
- Think critically and intelligently about what biographies are for and why we read them. - Understand the leading features of a very important genre of writing and how biographies are put together. - Feel more confident about making your own experiments in life writing.
The course requires no specific qualifications other than a keen interest in literature and in reading and writing. It would not suit anyone who does not have a good level of spoken and written English.
Teaching will be by tutor-led discussion, small group discussion, and each session will include a writing exercise. Short homework writing exercises and optional reading lists will be given each week. All writing courses at City Lit will involve an element of workshop. This means that students will produce work which will be discussed in an open and constructive environment with the tutor and other students. The college operates a policy of constructive criticism, and all feedback on another student’s work by the tutor and other students should be delivered in that spirit. For classes longer than one day regular reading and writing exercises will be set for completion at home to set deadlines. City Lit Writing endeavours to create a safe and welcoming space for all and we strongly support the use of content notes in our classes. This means that learners are encouraged to make their tutor and classmates aware in advance if any writing they wish to share contains material that may be deemed sensitive. If you are unsure about what might constitute sensitive content, please ask your tutor for further clarification and read our expectations for participating in writing courses at City Lit .
Please bring writing materials. If you'd like to prepare yourself, the best single introduction is Hermione Lee's 'Biography, A Very Short Introduction' (Oxford University Press) but there are no set text books. Weekly handouts will be provided.
All students are invited to join us at Late Lines , our regular performance night for City Lit writers. Students are also encouraged to submit their work to Between the Lines , our annual anthology of creative writing. For the latest news, courses and events, stay in touch with the Department on Facebook and Twitter .
Professor Robert Fraser has published a number of biographies of modern British poets, as well as critical works on authors as diverse as Marcel Proust and the anthropologist Sir James Frazer. He has also written memoir, much journalism and performed plays on the lives of Dr. Johnson, Byron and D.H. Lawrence. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and is currently Professor Emeritus of the Open University.
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.
How to craft an engaging and insightful biography essay that captivates your readers.
Writing a biography essay can be a challenging task, as it requires capturing the essence of a person’s life in a concise and engaging manner. Whether you are writing a biography for a school assignment or for publication, there are several key tips to keep in mind to ensure that your essay is compelling and well-written.
Research is key: Before you start writing, make sure to thoroughly research the person you are writing about. This includes gathering information about their life, accomplishments, and the historical context in which they lived. The more you know about your subject, the better equipped you will be to craft a detailed and accurate biography.
Focus on the narrative: A biography is a story, so make sure to structure your essay in a way that captures the arc of your subject’s life. Start with an engaging introduction that sets the stage for the rest of the essay, then move on to the main body where you explore key events and experiences in the person’s life. Finally, conclude with a strong ending that ties everything together and leaves a lasting impression on the reader.
When crafting a compelling biography essay, consider these expert tips to make your writing stand out:
1. | Start with a captivating introduction that sets the tone for the rest of the essay. |
2. | Research thoroughly to gather accurate information and interesting anecdotes about the subject. |
3. | Focus on key moments and events in the subject’s life that highlight their character and achievements. |
4. | Show, don’t tell – use descriptive language and vivid imagery to bring the subject to life on the page. |
5. | Structure your essay effectively with clear transitions between paragraphs and sections. |
By following these expert tips, you can create a biography essay that will engage readers and leave a lasting impression.
Writing a captivating biography requires a combination of skill, creativity, and attention to detail. To truly captivate your readers, you must delve deep into the subject’s life story, highlighting key events, challenges, and triumphs that shaped their journey. It’s essential to portray their essence and character through vivid anecdotes, engaging descriptions, and powerful storytelling techniques.
By weaving together facts with emotions, you can create a rich tapestry of narratives that bring the subject to life on the page, allowing readers to connect with them on a personal level. Remember to balance the narrative with well-researched information and ensure that the biography flows smoothly, keeping the reader engaged from start to finish.
Ultimately, a captivating biography is more than just a retelling of events; it’s a celebration of a life lived, a tribute to the extraordinary qualities that make the subject unique and inspiring. Through your writing, you have the power to immortalize their story and leave a lasting impact on those who read it.
To craft a compelling biography essay, thorough research on your subject is essential. Dive deep into all available resources, including books, articles, interviews, and any other materials that offer insights into the life of the person you are writing about. Take note of key events, experiences, achievements, and significant moments that shaped their life. By conducting extensive research, you will be able to provide a detailed and accurate portrayal of your subject in your essay.
Before you start writing a biography essay, it is crucial to gather all the key information about the person you are writing about. This includes their background, early life, education, career achievements, notable events in their life, personal traits, and any other relevant details that will help paint a clear picture of who they are.
By collecting all this key information, you will be able to create a comprehensive and compelling biography that truly captures the essence of the person you are writing about.
One of the key elements of a compelling biography essay is a strong narrative that engages the reader from start to finish. Consider the chronological order of events in the subject’s life and how they connect to form a coherent story. Start by introducing the subject and setting the stage for the narrative to unfold.
Use vivid descriptions and details to bring the subject to life and make their story more relatable to readers. Highlight key milestones, challenges, and achievements in the subject’s life that showcase their character and resilience. Include anecdotes and personal insights that provide a deeper understanding of who the subject is and what drives them.
Structure the narrative in a way that keeps the reader engaged and eager to learn more about the subject’s journey. Consider using storytelling techniques such as foreshadowing, flashbacks, and cliffhangers to maintain suspense and build anticipation. Ultimately, a strong narrative will help bring the subject’s biography to life and make it a memorable read for your audience.
One of the most effective ways to make your biography essay compelling is to engage readers with stories. People are naturally drawn to narratives, and weaving personal stories into your biography can create a powerful connection with your audience.
Share anecdotes, experiences, and pivotal moments from the subject’s life that showcase their character, challenges, triumphs, and growth. These stories humanize the subject and help readers relate to them on a personal level.
Remember to use descriptive language, vivid imagery, and emotional detail to immerse readers in the story. By painting a vivid picture of the subject’s life through compelling stories, you can capture the reader’s attention and keep them engaged from start to finish.
One of the most captivating aspects of a biography is witnessing the growth and development of the subject. Highlight the key milestones, challenges, and transformative moments that shaped your subject’s journey. Show how they evolved as a person, overcame obstacles, and learned from their experiences.
Include details about pivotal moments that influenced their beliefs, values, and decisions. Whether it’s personal growth, professional success, or emotional development, showcasing your subject’s growth adds depth and complexity to their story. Use anecdotes, quotes, and reflections to illustrate their evolution over time.
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One of the key elements to include in a compelling biography essay is the individual’s personal development over time. Highlighting the growth, challenges, and experiences that have shaped the person into who they are today can add depth and authenticity to the narrative. Consider including anecdotes or specific examples that demonstrate how the individual has evolved and overcome obstacles in their journey.
Illustrate how the individual has grown professionally, personally, or intellectually over the years. | |
Showcase the obstacles or setbacks the person has faced and how they have persevered through them. | |
Describe impactful experiences or pivotal moments that have influenced the individual’s development. |
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– A biography is simply the story of a life. Biographies can be just a few sentences long, or they can fill an entire book—or two. Biographies analyze and interpret the events in a person's life. They try to find connections, explain the meaning of unexpected actions or mysteries, and make arguments about the significance of the person's accomplishments or life activities. Biographies are usually about famous, or people, but a biograpy of an ordinary person can tell us a lot about a particular time and place. They are often about historical figures, but they can also be about people still living. Many biographies are written in order. Some group time periods around a major theme (such as "early adversity" or "ambition and achievement" ). Still others focus on specific topics or accomplishments. Biographers use primary and secondary sources: and for suggestions.You'll find biographies of lots of famous people in the encyclopedia. (Look them up in the Infoplease search box to find them.) You can also browse these short biographies of . For more on what makes a good biography, see the and this site from the Bellingham Public Schools. |
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A short bio is a concise and informative summary of your professional background, accomplishments, and personal interests. It’s an opportunity for you to introduce yourself to others, whether it’s for networking, job applications, or social media profiles. By writing a short bio, you allow others to quickly understand your expertise, strengths, and personality.
As you write your short bio, consider your audience and tailor the content accordingly. You might want to have different versions of your bio for varying contexts, such as a professional conference, a job application, or a social media platform. Regardless of the situation, strive to be authentic and maintain a tone that reflects your personality while also adhering to professional standards.
When writing a short bio, first focus on being concise and relevant. A short bio should be approximately 4-6 sentences or about 150 words. Be sure to highlight your achievements, experience, and expertise with confidence and clarity.
To start, introduce yourself briefly, including your name, title, and current role or profession. Next, mention your most significant accomplishments in your field thus far. This can include awards, certifications, publications, or any other relevant milestones. Discuss your current work and projects, providing the reader with a snapshot of your professional life. Make sure to emphasize your unique strengths and specialties. Then, touch upon your education or any other credentials that showcase your expertise.
“Jeremiah Smith, an award-winning graphic designer, specializes in creating visually stunning websites and marketing materials for a diverse clientele. With over 10 years of experience, Jeremiah has led branding projects for major corporations and small businesses alike, receiving accolades for his innovative design solutions. Currently, he serves as the Creative Director at X Design Studio, where he is dedicated to helping clients grow their digital presence. Jeremiah holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design from the prestigious Art Institute of Chicago.”
For a stronger impact, customize your short bio by tailoring it to the specific platform, audience, or purpose. By prioritizing information and emphasizing the most relevant points, you can create a brief, engaging bio that showcases your unique skills and accomplishments.
To present this information effectively, write your short professional bio in the third person and maintain a confident, knowledgeable, and clear tone of voice. Keep the content concise and easy to understand by breaking it into paragraphs and using formatting elements such as bullet points and bold text when necessary.
Here is one more example of a well-crafted short professional bio:
“John Smith is a seasoned marketing manager with over 10 years of experience in the tech industry. He currently leads product marketing efforts at X Company, where he has successfully launched new products and significantly increased market share.
John holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and is certified in digital marketing. His expertise includes strategic planning, content creation, and driving brand awareness through innovative campaigns.
In his free time, John enjoys hiking, photography, and volunteering at the local animal shelter. Connect with him on LinkedIn to learn more about his professional experience and accomplishments.”
Try to strike a balance between your personal and professional aspects:
When writing in the second person, use short paragraphs to make your bio easy to read and understand. For instance:
Related: How to Write a Personal Mission Statement (20 Examples)
Be cautious with the contact information you provide, especially if your bio will be accessible to the public on your personal website or social media profiles. Make sure only the necessary details are included to avoid any privacy concerns.
In summary, your short bio should be a reflection of both your personal and professional self. Showcase your skills and accomplishments while adding personal touches to make it engaging and relatable. Keep the text concise, use appropriate formatting, and remember to maintain a confident, knowledgeable, neutral, and clear tone throughout your bio.
Related: What Are Your Values? How to Discover Your Values
Selecting the right tone for your short bio is crucial to portraying yourself in the way you want to be perceived. Consider the context in which the bio will be read and choose a tone accordingly. There are two main tones you can adopt: formal and casual.
Formal Tone : If you’re writing a bio for a professional context, such as a job, conference, or publication, opt for a formal tone. This means using more sophisticated language, avoiding slang, and maintaining a professional vibe throughout the bio. To achieve this, write in complete sentences, utilize proper grammar and punctuation, and highlight your achievements and expertise. Be sure to remain confident and clear in your writing. Example: “Dr. Jane Doe is a renowned expert in the field of molecular biology, with over 15 years of research experience to her credit. As the recipient of several prestigious awards, Dr. Doe’s groundbreaking work has had a significant impact on the scientific community.”
Casual Tone : A casual tone works well for less formal situations, such as bios on personal websites, blogs, or social media profiles. Here, you can use more relaxed language and showcase your personality. However, it’s still important to sound knowledgeable and approachable. Feel free to use contractions, incorporate humor, and speak directly to your audience to create an engaging tone.
“Hey there! I’m John, a travel enthusiast who loves exploring new cultures and tasting exotic dishes. When I’m not backpacking across the globe, you can find me geeking out about the latest tech gadgets or sipping on a well-crafted cocktail.”
In both cases, whether formal or casual, always ensure that your voice is confident, neutral, and clear. Remember to keep it concise, avoid exaggeration or false claims, and maintain a second-person point of view.
Short bio example 1.
Jane Smith is a marketing expert with over 10 years of experience in helping brands elevate their online presence. With a passion for storytelling, Jane excels in creating content that engages and inspires. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, photography, and exploring her city’s local coffee shops. Connect with Jane on LinkedIn or follow her on Twitter @JaneSmith.
John Doe is an experienced software engineer with a knack for developing cutting-edge applications. Specializing in full-stack web development, John’s expertise lies in JavaScript, Python, and Node.js. When he’s not coding, John can be found playing the guitar, tutoring local students in programming, or cheering on his favorite esports team.
Short bio template 1.
[Your Name] is a [industry or profession] expert with [number of years] of experience in [specific skills or areas of expertise]. [He/She/They] specializes in [technical skills or industry knowledge] and has a passion for [relevant interests]. In [his/her/their] free time, [your name] enjoys [hobbies or activities]. Connect with [your name] on [social media platforms] or through [his/her/their] website.
As a [occupation or field], [Your Name] incorporates [unique qualities or skills] to produce [specific type of work]. With a background in [relevant experience], [He/She/They] has been able to [achievement or accomplishment] through [personal path or passion]. When not [working or creating], [Your Name] spends [his/her/their] time [hobbies or activities], always seeking new inspiration.
[Your name] is a [profession or role] with a background in [relevant expertise or industry]. [He/She/They] earned a [degree] in [field] from [institution]. [Your name] has [number of years] experience in [profession/industry], providing [valuable service or skill]. Outside of work, [your name] enjoys [hobbies or personal interests]. Connect with [your name] on [social media platform] or visit [your website or portfolio].
Customize these examples and templates to fit your own unique skills, experiences, and personality. Using a second person point of view, focus on the key aspects you want your audience to know about. Be confident and transparent about your achievements and interests, and let your short bio speak for itself. Happy writing!
On LinkedIn , focus on your professional achievements and skills. Use bullet points or a table to highlight your most significant accomplishments. Feel free to include any relevant certifications, courses, or awards. Remember that LinkedIn is a professional networking platform, so maintaining a professional tone is crucial.
For a resume , your bio should be concise and focus on summarizing your career history and specific expertise. Make it easy for potential employers to grasp your main strengths quickly. Use bold text to emphasize crucial information, such as your job title, years of experience, or industry-specific skills.
On a personal website , you have more freedom to express your personality and showcase unique aspects of your life. Consider adding anecdotes, hobbies, or personal achievements to give visitors a glimpse of who you are outside of your professional life. You can also touch on your professional capabilities but keep it concise.
For Twitter , keep in mind the character limit for bios and make every word count. Capture your profession or industry, and maybe add a touch of your personality or interests through emojis or hashtags. It’s common to see authors and celebrities mention their latest projects, books, or achievements here.
What are the essential elements of a short bio.
A short bio should include:
To create a compelling short professional bio, follow these steps:
Adjust your short bio for different contexts by:
Related: 150+ Awesome Examples of Personal Values
Crafting the right documents to showcase your work as an artist is essential for your professional journey and knowing how to sell your art .
It’s not just about listing your accomplishments—it’s about telling your story and articulating your vision in a way that resonates deeply with your audience. Whether you are applying to be in one of your local galleries, trying to be accepted for a public art commission, or even looking to sell your art online or at art fairs, you'll need to create documents that effectively convey who you are as an artist and what your work represents.
A strong artist bio, along with a compelling artist statement, CV, and resume, not only supports your applications but also plays a critical role in attracting potential buyers and collectors. These documents act as a bridge between you and your audience, helping them understand the person behind the art.
At Milan Art Institute, we believe that your voice is unique, and it deserves to be presented in a way that resonates with your audience. Your story is your strength, and it’s what will draw people into your work.
In this guide, we’ll explore how to write and craft a professional artist bio that truly reflects who you are and what your art stands for, ensuring you leave a lasting impression.
An artist bio is more than just a summary of your artistic career; it’s a brief, powerful narrative that introduces you to your audience—whether they are curators, gallery owners, or art collectors.
It is your first opportunity to connect on a personal level, giving readers insight into what inspires you and how your artistic journey has evolved over time.
Your bio should convey the essence of your artistic practice, offering a glimpse into your inspirations, process, and achievements. Think of it as the story of your artistic journey, told in a way that captivates and resonates with those who encounter your work.
It’s about creating that emotional connection with your audience and allowing them to understand your motivations and vision on a deeper level.
When you sit down to craft your artist bio, remember that this is so much more than just a piece of writing—it’s a reflection of your unique journey and the vision that fuels your work as an artist.
Your bio is the first introduction to your audience, a way to invite them into your world and give them a glimpse of the passion that drives you to create. It helps establish a relationship between you and your audience, creating a narrative that not only showcases your accomplishments but also reveals the deeper meaning behind your work.
One of the most powerful elements of your bio is your power statement—a clear, compelling declaration of what makes you and your art unique. This statement should encapsulate your superpower as an artist, that special quality or perspective that only you bring to the table.
It’s this superpower that resonates with others and draws them into your creative journey. Your story is what sets you apart; it’s the essence of who you are as an artist, and it’s what makes your art connect on a deeper level with those who experience it.
Your bio becomes the vehicle through which your audience gets to know not just your work, but also the heart and soul behind it.
If you’re looking for inspiration on how to articulate your journey and harness your superpower, listen to our Light Movement Podcast episode on “Transforming Pain into Creativity ” with Story Worthy author Matthew Dicks. It’s a powerful reminder that your experiences—especially the painful ones—can become a source of strength and creativity, and your bio is where you can start weaving that narrative of your power statement.
The podcast explores how every story, including your own, has the potential to transform the way others view your art and connect with your journey.
A compelling artist bio typically covers the following key elements:
Crafting an artist bio is an art in itself. It requires you to be concise, have clarity about yourself and your work, and most importantly, be authentic. Here’s how you can create a bio that speaks to the heart of your artistic journey:
Start with Your Introduction : Begin with a clear and concise statement about who you are, what medium you work in, and what themes or concepts drive your art. This is your chance to make a strong first impression and set the tone for the rest of your bio.
Example : "Jane Doe is a Los Angeles-based mixed-media artist whose work delves into the intersection of nature and human experience."
Provide Context with Your Background : Share your educational background, any formal training, and significant experiences that have influenced your growth as an artist. By doing this, you paint a fuller picture of your journey and allow your audience to better understand the evolution of your artistic practice.
Example : "With a BFA from the Art Institute of Chicago, Jane’s work has been deeply influenced by her travels across Asia, where she immersed herself in the study of traditional and contemporary art forms."
Discuss Your Artistic Influences : Mention the artists, movements, or life experiences that have shaped your artistic vision. This adds depth and context to your narrative, showcasing how your influences inform the choices you make in your work.
Example : "Drawing inspiration from the raw textures of Anselm Kiefer and the spiritual depth of Mark Rothko, Jane’s work is a meditation on the beauty and fragility of life."
Highlight Your Achievements : Include notable exhibitions, awards, residencies, or other recognitions that underscore your experience and credibility as an artist. Achievements not only lend authority to your bio but also demonstrate your dedication and success in your field.
Example : "Jane’s work has been exhibited in prestigious galleries across the U.S., and she was recently awarded the Artist of the Year title at the Baltimore Potters Guild."
Describe Your Current Work : Give your audience a glimpse into what you’re currently working on or the direction your art is taking. Keeping your bio current with your most recent projects ensures that it remains relevant and reflective of your current creative pursuits.
Example : "Currently, Jane is exploring the concept of impermanence through a series of sculptures made from organic materials that decompose over time."
End with a Personal Touch : Conclude your bio with a statement that encapsulates your artistic philosophy and what you hope to achieve through your art, or introduce your power statement. This final touch allows your audience to connect with you on a more personal level and provides a sense of closure to your narrative. You can also mention any upcoming projects or exhibitions.
Example : "Through her work, Jane seeks to create a dialogue between the viewer and the natural world, inviting contemplation and connection in an increasingly disconnected world.”
As you write your artist bio, consider exploring art-related books for inspiration and insights.
Whether it’s an artist’s biography, a guide on professional practices, or a creative writing book for artists, these resources can enrich your perspective and help you articulate your story more effectively. They offer practical tips and examples that can make your bio more compelling and true to your vision.
Embrace the process with confidence and authenticity. Remember, writing about yourself may feel daunting at first, but it’s an essential skill for your professional journey.
Overcome your fear of failure. Whether you're just starting out or have years of experience, your voice matters, and your story is powerful. As you continue to grow and evolve as an artist, your bio will evolve with you, becoming a living testament to your artistic journey.
So, take a deep breath, trust in your creativity, and let your story shine through every word you write. Your art has the power to inspire, and so does your story.
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Mar 20, 2024 | Veterinary Practice Resources , Blog , Veterinary Marketing
PetDesk works with thousands of veterinary professionals worldwide. When building their own custom veterinary website with them, the same issue often surfaces: writing a professional bio. Veterinary professionals are not big fans when it comes to talking about themselves and all of their accomplishments. But let’s face it: you’re unique, and you do amazing things. Now, it’s time to tell the world on your shiny new website!
Writing a professional bio can be more challenging than it seems, but we think these tips can help make it more simple. It’s all about breaking the bio down into smaller parts, and then expanding upon them and turning it into a must-read for any users scrolling through the website. Here’s the breakdown:
Your website users want to get to know you quickly, and probably won’t read a novel about your life. Let them know what makes you qualified to care for their pet, what makes you great, and something fun so they feel like they know you.
Your website users want to get to know you quickly and probably won’t read a novel about your life. Let them know what makes you qualified to care for their pet, what makes you great, and something fun so they feel like they know you.
Of course, we know veterinary medicine is not about self-promotion. When in doubt, follow these three simple rules to write your website bio.
Simply following the six steps above will make this an easier task for you. Just fill in the blanks, mix in some personality, add as much information as possible, and you’ll finish your perfect website bio in a matter of minutes!
Are other members of your team having a great time writing their website bio? Take a look and see any great ideas that you could borrow and make your own. Reading online bios from other people can provide you with the inspiration you need to finish your own bio fast.
Self-promotion isn’t easy for everyone, but that doesn’t mean you can’t showcase some of your most significant accomplishments in your website bio. Be sure to include where you went to school, the certifications you’ve earned, and anything else that you’re proud of from your time throughout veterinary medicine.
One last tip for veterinarians: include your team on improving and managing the website! When the entire clinic works closely together, you’ll keep things running more smoothly.
Leverage automated reminders, appointment requests, two-way messaging, payments, and more through our mobile app to boost patient compliance and staff satisfaction.
Temple 101: the student success center.
Being a Temple student means a lot of things: weekends adventuring in Center City, studying on Beury Beach, and going to football games at the Linc. It also means having a wealth of resources at your disposal—some you may not even know about. One of the most comprehensive and useful of these resources is the Student Success Center , a free academic support system available to all students, regardless of year, academic standing or status.
Whether you've been to the Student Success Center or never heard of it before, fear not! We've crafted this handy guide to everything they offer as well as how to access it—whatever your needs are.
What is the Student Success Center?
Temple's Student Success Center is a place to seek out peer-led academic support, completely free of charge. This means they offer one-on-one tutoring and support as well as group sessions, all led by fellow Temple students (both undergraduates and grad students) who have taken the classes you're in before. Plus, it's completely covered by your tuition.
"Students often feel more comfortable asking certain questions and getting help from fellow students as opposed to a professor," said Kate White, assistant director of language learning services at the Student Success Center. "And of course, you should go to your professor's office hours, too, but it's sometimes easier to ask certain types of questions or get help in different situations from a fellow student."
Who can access it, and how?
The Student Success Center is available free of charge to all students: undergraduates and graduate students, any year, any academic standing. So, whether you're looking for a passing grade on your next test or aiming for an A on your next paper, this is the place for you. Plus, if you're struggling with a class (or a few classes), you can tell your tutor that you're not sure where to begin; it's ok to not know what you don't know!
"We want students to know that it's okay to not know what they need, to feel confused, to not know things and to get help," White said. "We want to make it as easy for them to do that as possible."
What do they offer?
The center offers a variety of peer support options, depending on your needs. Their resources fall under five main categories:
academic coaching, which helps with skills like study strategies, time management and organization;
language tutoring and conversation partners, which provides one-on-one sessions for language study and conversation practice;
peer-assisted study sessions (PASS), which are group study sessions for specific, widely-taken courses;
the STEM Learning Lab, which offers tutoring and exam reviews specific to students taking classes in the College of Science and Technology and the College of Engineering—but anyone can use;
and the writing center, which is there to help you with any writing project you can think of: research papers, homework assignments, research papers, cover letters, resumes, scholarship essays, creative writing and more.
Read on for more details about how these offerings can help you make the most of your education, and how to access them.
Put me in coach: academic coaching
First things first. Sometimes it's not so much the course material that you need help with, but rather the tools you use to absorb it. If you've ever had difficulty studying, managing time or getting organized, you may want to look into the Student Success Center's academic coaching.
When you fill out the interest form and get paired with a peer coach, you can schedule weekly 25-30 minute appointments to discuss your academic concerns. This service is useful for students at any point of their academic career who are looking to further develop their academic success skills, whether you're new to college coursework, prepping for upper-level courses or could simply use an adjustment to your habits.
Buon giorno: language tutoring and conversation partners
Whether you're learning English, Spanish, Mandarin, ASL or any number of other languages, the language tutoring and conversation partner service has someone for you to talk to. Not only are you able to access formal language tutoring, but the tutors also double as conversation partners, which are just that: peers who you can speak informally with in your language of choice.
Don't just PASS it, ace it with peer-assisted study sessions
The Student Success Center also holds weekly group study sessions for certain courses with high enrollment: General Chemistry I, Precalculus, Anatomy & Physiology, General Physics, Introduction to Psychology and other popular courses. The 50-minute sessions are held twice a week for each course: once in person in Charles Library, and once virtually on Zoom.
The PASS sessions are led by students who have excelled in the course before and are actively attending it every week as well to keep the material fresh. You don't have to RSVP to attend, and all sections of a course attend the same PASS session.
STEM without the thorns: the STEM Learning Lab
For more focused study time on STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and math), you'll want to check out the STEM Learning Lab . From STEM-specific tutoring to pre-exam study sessions, the lab has everything you need to stay on track.
Get it write: the writing center
Whether you're an English major or you avoid essays like the plague, everyone could use some writing help every now and then. The Writing Center offers help with every step of the writing process on an individualized basis, because we know everyone is different. This means help with essays, outlines, creative writing, cover letters, thesis statements, and even reading skills. Writing and language peer tutors also offer presentation support, so you can practice any presentation in front of a tutor and receive feedback.
So, can I work there?
You absolutely can, and it's a great opportunity! Because the Student Success Center's support is entirely peer-based, student employees are what makes the center so helpful. For undergraduates, positions are available as academic coaches, language tutors, conversation partners, office assistants, PASS leaders, STEM tutors, writing tutors and social media and event coordinators. There are also plenty of opportunities for graduate students !
A 14-year-old is accused of carrying out the deadliest school shooting this year , killing four people and injuring nine others at a high school in Georgia, authorities said.
Police say the suspected shooter, Colt Gray, opened fire Wednesday morning at Apalachee High School in Winder, a rural town about an hour northeast of Atlanta. Law enforcement arrived within minutes and confronted the teen, who surrendered and was soon taken into custody, officials said, adding he would be charged with murder and prosecuted as an adult.
Two students and two teachers were killed in the shooting: Mason Schermerhorn, 14, Christian Angulo, 14, Richard Aspinwall, 39, and Christina Irimie, 53.
The shooter used an AR-platform style weapon, according Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey, who said authorities are investigating how the gun was obtained.
Last year, local law enforcement spoke with Gray and his father about reported threats to commit a school shooting made on the online platform Discord. Investigators said conflicting evidence prevented them from identifying the author of the post.
Here's what we know so far about the alleged gunman:
The teen was previously on the radar of law enforcement after he was tied to several online threats reported anonymously to the FBI last year, the federal agency said Wednesday.
In May 2023, the FBI received several anonymous tips from as far as California and Australia that a Discord user had threatened to "shoot up a school," according to investigative reports obtained by USA TODAY. The threats, which also contained images of guns, were forwarded to the Jackson County Sheriff's Office.
An email associated with the suspect's Discord account was owned by Colt Gray, according to the FBI’s analysis. The evidence also indicated that the account may have been accessed in other Georgia cities as well as in Virginia and New York.
An investigator with the sheriff's office noted that the Discord user's profile name was written in Russian and that the letters translated to Lanza, which law enforcement said was a reference to Adam Lanza, the man who killed 26 people at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, in 2012.
In an interview with investigators, Gray said he had deleted his Discord account and denied posting the threats.
"Colt expressed concern that someone is accusing him of threatening to shoot up a school, stating that he would never say such a thing, even in a joking manner," the report said. One investigator described Gray, who was 13 at the time, as "calm and reserved."
Investigators interviewed Gray's father, who said that he had "hunting rifles" in the house but that his son did not have "unfettered access to them." The father also said neither he nor his son speaks Russian and he told investigators the email address associated with the Discord account was unfamiliar to him and his son.
"At this time, due to the inconsistent nature of the information received by the FBI, the allegation that [Colt or his father] is the user behind the Discord account that made the threat cannot be substantiated," an investigator with the Jackson County Sheriff's Office wrote in a report. "This case will be exceptionally cleared."
The sheriff's office notified the school where Gray was a student. However, the school year had already ended by the time they interviewed Gray and his father, investigative records said.
Jackson County Sheriff Janis Mangum said in an interview with USA TODAY that she's read through the reports of the investigation and said there was nothing else investigators "could have done at the time."
"We did all we could do at the time with what he had," she said. "My heart goes out to those families, they're in my prayers. Yesterday was a devastating day."
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During an interview with investigators in May 2023, Gray’s father, Colin Gray, said his 13-year-old son “had some problems” at a previous middle school he attended, according to investigative records.
The father told investigators – who were looking into threats of a school shooting made online – that the situation had “gotten a lot better” since his son began attending Jefferson Middle School. He had previously attended West Jackson Middle School.
The boy’s father said he and his wife divorced and his family had been evicted from a prior address. After the eviction, he and his son moved into a new home, and his wife moved elsewhere with their two younger children, the report said.
Gray recently began attending Apalachee High School in Barrow County, which sits to the south of Jackson County, between the cities of Atlanta and Athens.
Law enforcement officials on Wednesday declined to say whether they had determined what motivated the shooting and emphasized that the investigation is still in its early stages.
"This is a very, very fluid investigation," Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith said in a news conference outside the school. "What you see behind us is an evil thing."
Smith, however, told reporters he was not aware of any connection between the suspected shooter and the victims.
Along with the online threats posted last year, officials said they are looking into whether the teen had any associates who were involved in the shooting as well as any interactions involving Gray, his family and child services.
Hosey told reporters there's no evidence to suggest there was any additional shooter involved in the incident, adding that authorities will pursue any leads about potential associates of the gunman.
"We're following up any potential leads through the investigation to ensure – if there are any associates involved – that we find them, we identify them," he said.
Hosey on Wednesday also told reporters that investigators are aware of "previous contacts" that the state's department of children and family services had with "the suspect and his family."
"We are pursuing that avenue as well to see if that has any connection with today's incident," he said.
Gray was brought to the Regional Youth Detention Center in Gainesville overnight, Glenn Allen, a spokesperson for the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice told USA TODAY. Gray will appear in front of a judge virtually at 8:30 a.m. on Friday, Allen said.
It was not immediately clear if Gray is being represented by an attorney.
School across Barrow County have canceled classes for the rest of the week as investigators work to determine whether there are any active threats to schools in the area and across the state of Georgia.
Contributing: John Bacon, USA TODAY; Ryne Dennis, Athens Banner-Herald
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Yubikeys are vulnerable to cloning attacks thanks to newly discovered side channel, sophisticated attack breaks security assurances of the most popular fido key..
Dan Goodin - Sep 3, 2024 5:58 pm UTC
The YubiKey 5, the most widely used hardware token for two-factor authentication based on the FIDO standard , contains a cryptographic flaw that makes the finger-size device vulnerable to cloning when an attacker gains temporary physical access to it, researchers said Tuesday.
The cryptographic flaw, known as a side channel , resides in a small microcontroller used in a large number of other authentication devices, including smartcards used in banking, electronic passports, and the accessing of secure areas. While the researchers have confirmed all YubiKey 5 series models can be cloned, they haven’t tested other devices using the microcontroller, such as the SLE78 made by Infineon and successor microcontrollers known as the Infineon Optiga Trust M and the Infineon Optiga TPM. The researchers suspect that any device using any of these three microcontrollers and the Infineon cryptographic library contains the same vulnerability.
YubiKey-maker Yubico issued an advisory in coordination with a detailed disclosure report from NinjaLab, the security firm that reverse-engineered the YubiKey 5 series and devised the cloning attack. All YubiKeys running firmware prior to version 5.7—which was released in May and replaces the Infineon cryptolibrary with a custom one—are vulnerable. Updating key firmware on the YubiKey isn’t possible. That leaves all affected YubiKeys permanently vulnerable.
“An attacker could exploit this issue as part of a sophisticated and targeted attack to recover affected private keys,” the advisory confirmed. “The attacker would need physical possession of the YubiKey, Security Key, or YubiHSM, knowledge of the accounts they want to target and specialized equipment to perform the necessary attack. Depending on the use case, the attacker may also require additional knowledge including username, PIN, account password, or authentication key.”
Side channels are the result of clues left in physical manifestations such as electromagnetic emanations, data caches, or the time required to complete a task that leaks cryptographic secrets. In this case, the side channel is the amount of time taken during a mathematical calculation known as a modular inversion. The Infineon cryptolibrary failed to implement a common side-channel defense known as constant time as it performs modular inversion operations involving the Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm. Constant time ensures the time sensitive cryptographic operations execute is uniform rather than variable depending on the specific keys.
More precisely, the side channel is located in the Infineon implementation of the Extended Euclidean Algorithm, a method for, among other things, computing the modular inverse. By using an oscilloscope to measure the electromagnetic radiation while the token is authenticating itself, the researchers can detect tiny execution time differences that reveal a token’s ephemeral ECDSA key, also known as a nonce. Further analysis allows the researchers to extract the secret ECDSA key that underpins the entire security of the token.
In Tuesday’s report, NinjaLab co-founder Thomas Roche wrote:
In the present work, NinjaLab unveils a new side-channel vulnerability in the ECDSA implementation of Infineon 9 on any security microcontroller family of the manufacturer.This vulnerability lies in the ECDSA ephemeral key (or nonce) modular inversion, and, more precisely, in the Infineon implementation of the Extended Euclidean Algorithm (EEA for short). To our knowledge, this is the first time an implementation of the EEA is shown to be vulnerable to side-channel analysis (contrarily to the EEA binary version). The exploitation of this vulnerability is demonstrated through realistic experiments and we show that an adversary only needs to have access to the device for a few minutes. The offline phase took us about 24 hours; with more engineering work in the attack development, it would take less than one hour. After a long phase of understanding Infineon implementation through side-channel analysis on a Feitian 10 open JavaCard smartcard, the attack is tested on a YubiKey 5Ci, a FIDO hardware token from Yubico. All YubiKey 5 Series (before the firmware update 5.7 11 of May 6th, 2024) are affected by the attack. In fact all products relying on the ECDSA of Infineon cryptographic library running on an Infineon security microcontroller are affected by the attack. We estimate that the vulnerability exists for more than 14 years in Infineon top secure chips. These chips and the vulnerable part of the cryptographic library went through about 80 CC certification evaluations of level AVA VAN 4 (for TPMs) or AVA VAN 5 (for the others) from 2010 to 2024 (and a bit less than 30 certificate maintenances).
Channel ars technica.
Learn about ChatGPT and how best to use it safely and responsibly.
If you've spent time online since the first few weeks of 2023, you’ll likely have noticed the buzz surrounding ChatGPT. But what exactly is this latest generative artificial intelligence (AI) tool?
Read on to learn more about ChatGPT and the technology that powers it. Explore its features and limitations and some tips on how it should (and potentially should not) be used.
ChatGPT is an artificial intelligence chatbot from OpenAI that enables users to "converse" with it in a way that mimics natural conversation. As a user, you can ask questions or make requests through prompts, and ChatGPT will respond. The intuitive, easy-to-use, and free tool has already gained popularity as an alternative to traditional search engines and a tool for AI writing, among other things.
The "GPT" in ChatGPT stands for generative pre-trained transformer. In AI, training refers to the process of teaching a computer system to recognise patterns and make decisions based on input data, much like how a teacher gives information to their students and then tests their understanding of that information.
A transformer is a type of neural network trained to analyse the context of input data and weigh the significance of each part of the data accordingly. Since this model learns context, it's commonly used in natural language processing (NLP) to generate text similar to human writing. In AI, a model is a set of mathematical equations and algorithms a computer uses to analyse data and make decisions.
While older AI chatbots could answer questions with detailed responses, ChatGPT uses a dialogue format, allowing it to answer follow-up and clarifying questions and recognise and reject inappropriate or dangerous requests, such as questions about illegal activity.
A thorough understanding of the features, limitations, and risks associated with generative AI makes it a powerful tool to save time and energy. Knowing how to communicate effectively with ChatGPT or any generative AI model is called prompt engineering.
New use cases are emerging every day. Consider the following ways you might incorporate ChatGPT (or another generative AI model) into your day-to-day work:
While ChatGPT lacks some critical functionality of Google and other search engines—particularly in making attribution easy to see and access—it can be a useful starting point for conducting research. Here are two examples:
You're not alone if you've ever experienced difficulty getting started on a writing project while staring at a blank page. Depending on the source of your writer's block and what you're trying to achieve, you may be able to use ChatGPT to overcome inertia:
Get your creativity flowing with generated writing prompts.
Build an outline or structure from the key points you want to include.
Generate a first paragraph to build upon. You can go back and revise or delete it later.
Find that word that's on the tip of your tongue.
You can input an existing piece of text into ChatGPT and ask it to identify uses of passive voice, repetitive phrases or word usage, or grammatical errors. This could be particularly useful if you're writing in a language you're not a native speaker.
ChatGPT isn't just for use with text as prose. You can also use to:
Explain the functionality of unfamiliar input code
Generate boilerplate code to build off of
Identify bugs within existing code
Add comments to existing code for improved readability and collaboration
Identify edge cases where your code might fail
ChatGPT's use of a transformer model (the "T" in ChatGPT) makes it a good tool for keyword research. It can generate related terms based on context and associations, compared to the more linear approach of more traditional keyword research tools. You can also input a list of keywords and classify them based on search intent.
ChatGPT can quickly summarise the key points of long articles or sum up complex ideas in an easier way. This could be a time saver if you're trying to get up to speed in a new industry or need help with a tricky concept while studying.
ChatGPT uses natural language processing (NLP), an AI technology that deals with understanding, analysing, and generating human-like language. The large language model (LLM) was trained using a combination of two major inputs:
1. A massive volume of sample text pulled from web pages and program code before the end of 2021
2. Conversations provided by real humans, who demonstrated the desired responses to provided prompts, then ranked outputs from the model based on the quality of the response
Providing occasional feedback from humans to an AI model is a technique known as reinforcement learning from human feedback (RLHF). Leveraging this technique can help fine-tune a model by improving safety and reliability.
ChatGPT represents an exciting advancement in generative AI, with several features that could help accelerate certain tasks when used thoughtfully. It also comes with limitations. Understanding the features and limitations is key to leveraging this technology for the greatest impact.
Some of the features of ChatGPT include the ability to:
Generate human-like text that mimics the style and structure of the input data
Generate a response to a given prompt or input text. This could include writing a story or answering a question.
Generate text in multiple languages
Modify the style of generated text (formal or informal, for example)
Ask clarifying questions to understand the intent of input data better
Respond with text that is consistent with the context of a conversation, such as offering follow-up instructions or understanding references made to previous questions
Other generative AI models can perform similar tasks with images, sounds, and video.
While ChatGPT is a powerful tool, it has its limitations. To start, these types of transformer models lack common sense reasoning ability. This can translate to a limited ability to handle complexity, nuance, and questions around emotions, values, beliefs, and abstract concepts. These limitations can manifest in many ways:
It does not understand the meaning of the text it generates. While some output from ChatGPT may sound humanlike, the model isn't human. This has a few implications. It may be limited to handle nuance, ambiguity, sarcasm, or irony. Perhaps more problematic is the fact that it can generate text that sounds plausible but is incorrect or even nonsensical. What's more, it can't verify the veracity of its output.
It can generate biased, discriminatory, or offensive text. A language model like ChatGPT is only as good as its input data. This model was trained on large amounts of text data from the internet, including biased input. If the data used to train the model is biased, this can show up in the generated text.
Responses can be rooted in outdated information. The model has limited knowledge of events after 2021 and is not connected to the wider internet, except for its paid versions. If you're using ChatGPT to produce code, it could be pulling from outdated examples that no longer meet modern cybersecurity standards.
Output can be formulaic. ChatGPT can generate text similar to existing text and is known to overuse certain phrases. This can mean text that reads as flat and unimaginative, or in more extreme cases, could constitute plagiarism or a copyright infringement. The University of Manchester has attempted to address this with guidelines around referencing ChatGPT and AI generative tools when including them in research for assignments [ 1 ].
The tool isn't always available. Its exploding popularity has led to some capacity issues. When the servers get overloaded, you may get a message that "ChatGPT is at capacity."
Take advantage of generative AI tools thoughtfully and responsibly by following these five guidelines:
1. Always review and edit generated text for accuracy and quality.
2. Treat generative AI as a starting point rather than a finished product.
3. Use it for repetitive or time-consuming tasks that don't require creativity or originality.
4. Don't use any sensitive or private information as input data.
5. Leverage it in conjunction with other tools and techniques, including your own creativity, emotional intelligence, and strategic thinking skills.
ChatGPT is an AI chatbot that can generate human-like text in response to a prompt or question. It can be a useful tool for brainstorming ideas, writing different creative text formats, and summarising information. However, it is important to know its limitations as it can generate factually incorrect or biased content.
Keep exploring generative AI tools and ChatGPT with Prompt Engineering for ChatGPT from Vanderbilt University. Learn more about how these tools work and incorporate them into your daily life to boost productivity.
The University of Manchester. "Library Help: Teaching and Learning , https://manchester-uk.libanswers.com/teaching-and-learning/faq/264824." Accessed April 19, 2024.
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Have you heard the writing adage that the setting of a novel becomes a character in itself? While this applies in every genre— historical , fantasy , children’s —it’s perhaps most defined in the destination thriller. The destination thriller requires a remote, isolated location that threatens the characters and transports readers into an unfamiliar (and therefore exciting) setting.
As writers, we know how crucial it is to develop a setting that develops and responds to the story and immerses our readers. With eight internationally bestselling and highly acclaimed destination thrillers, the guest on our blog today delivers this again and again: welcome, Lucy Clarke!
Selling over a million copies in the U.K. alone, Lucy Clarke’s novels include the Waterstones Thriller of the Month The Castaways , Richard and Judy Book Club pick One of the Girls , and most recently the Sunday Times bestseller The Hike . Paramount+ adapted her thrillers No Escape and The Castaways into series, with BAFTA award-winner Sheridan Smith starring as protagonist Lori in The Castaways .
A prominent feature of Lucy’s settings is their wild remoteness: The Hike takes place in the Norwegian wild, The Castaways on a Fijian island, and the events of Last Seen occur on a stretch of mostly uninhabited coastline. Lucy utilizes the imaginative potential of setting to its greatest extent, playing with and balancing both domesticity and wilderness in her novels .
In this article, Lucy answers questions on craft and the writing process and offers advice to writers at all stages of their journey. If you’re wondering what makes the perfect setting for a novel, what to do when facing challenges in your writing, and how to make readers care about your characters, you’re in the right place: read on for Lucy’s insights. If you want more advice on writing settings, head to this blog on fantasy settings or this one about the perfect settings for romance . Enjoy!
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Hello! A great setting for me usually involves wild spaces—whether that is the Norwegian mountains in The Hike , free-diving in Tasmanian waters in A Single Breath , or sailing around the Philippines in No Escape . Sometimes these settings are places that I’ve already travelled to and felt inspired by, or they could just as easily be locations I’ve heard about and am eager to explore. I always go on a research trip for each book, partly because it is fun, but also because it helps bring to life the setting with authenticity.
Typically I start with place. I’m fascinated by the shift in characters when they are removed from an environment they know intimately and displaced somewhere foreign. I enjoy seeing how they react—whether they flourish or flounder in that new space—and, ultimately, how the experience changes them.
Beyond choosing the setting, I usually plan very little. I’ll know loosely who my protagonist is and the atmosphere that I’m looking to create, but I don’t produce detailed outlines or chapter breakdowns. Instead, I find my way into the story by writing a very rough and quick free-flow draft, which helps me answer a lot of the plotting and character questions that may otherwise be tackled during the planning and outlining stages.
I have a Word document called ‘New Book Ideas’ where I jot down snippets of ideas as they land. They are typically too small and unformed to make a full book, and may be little more than a setting, an incident that’s intrigued me, or an idea for a character who I’d love to write. Often these snippets combine to form a larger canvas that may be big enough to sustain a book.
Once I’ve decided on an idea for a novel , I rarely go back and forth and change the idea, but what I do rework again and again is its execution. I’ll keep reshaping it, asking things like, What’s the best place to begin the story? Who is the best person to tell the story? What is the heart of the story?
Thank you! It’s been such an unexpected joy to have two novels adapted for screen. I’ve loved the whole process, from being in the writers’ room to visiting the set and meeting the crew. It was exciting to have a peek behind the curtain in an industry I knew so little about.
When I’m working on a book, I can’t say I think much about a possible adaptation or mentally cast my books (we don’t have a TV so I’m WAY out of the loop with who’s who in TV-land!). Also, tastes change so quickly in books and TV/film, so rather than thinking beyond the page, I keep my compass point set to writing the type of book that I want to read.
Every novel runs to a rhythm. It’s in the fabric of the sentences, sewn into the pauses between scenes, weaved into the beats of the plot.
My sixth novel, The Castaways , was incredibly challenging. It took me two and a half years to write. The final word count came in at 97,000 words—but I’d estimate that I wrote closer to a million words during the drafting process . My God, it was a slog!
When I began the book, all I knew was that a small plane would go down over the South Pacific and leave no trace—until the pilot is discovered two years later living under a fake identity. I didn’t know who should tell the story or what had happened to the plane and passengers, or why the pilot was in hiding. I wrote so many different versions before deciding that this story should be told from the POV of two sisters—Lori, who boards the plane, and Erin, who doesn’t. This immediately rewarded me with a huge amount of emotional territory to explore as Erin searches for answers into her sister’s disappearance.
Even though the book was incredibly tough to write—and it was my least favourite writing experience to date—I’m proud that I kept going. Ironically, The Castaways went on to be my first Sunday Times bestseller and, as you know, adapted for screen.
Creating characters who readers care about is key to a successful novel—but it’s also so bloody hard to pull off! In the novel I’m copy-editing now, The Surf House , I really struggled with my protagonist, Bea. I knew exactly who she was, but there was a disconnect on the page and I worried that readers wouldn’t care enough about her. I did another pass specifically on her character and the three things that really helped me unlock Bea’s character were:
Tied together, these threads create the pace of a novel. In a thriller, the body count doesn’t have to be high. We don’t necessarily need grisly crimes or high-speed chases to keep readers’ hearts pumping. Pacing, first and foremost, comes from character. If readers care about our characters, then they stand in their shoes, taking that wild ride not only with them, but as them.
Secondly, I think there’s great power in the pause. We may think readers need to be propelled ever upward on a one-way trajectory of thrills and spills, but what we’re really looking for is a rise and fall of tension. After a big chase, we crave those quieter scenes to catch our breath and process the action. Let the drama settle and allow the reader to grow comfortable again—before sticking them with the next reveal.
Lucy joins writers at The Novelry for a live writing class hosted by The Novelry writing coach Emylia Hall, cozy crime aficionado and author of the bestselling series The Shell House Detectives . Members of The Novelry can access the class in Catch Up TV.
For more tips on writing and editing your novel from bestselling authors, join us on a creative writing course at The Novelry today. Sign up for courses , coaching and a community from the world’s top-rated writing school.
The Novelry is the world’s top-rated online creative writing school, offering courses, coaching and community to help the next generation of writers become authors. Founded by Booker Prize-listed author Louise Dean, with a team of bestselling authors and book editors from Big 5 publishing houses including Penguin Random House, The Novelry helps writers gain confidence, find their stories and finish their books. With direct submission to leading literary agencies.
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Subject: English
Age range: 7-11
Resource type: Unit of work
Last updated
3 September 2024
A biography writing unit about the famous guide of the Lewis and Clark expedition, Sacagawea. The NO PREP unit has been split into four separate lessons and is perfect for students in Year 5 or Year 6. Students will learn about the famous figure whilst working on their comprehension skills and developing their creative writing.
Included in this PDF printable resource:
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This resource is great for:
The first lesson is interactive and involves students cutting out facts, and then sorting these facts into paragraphs. In the second lesson the students need to use these facts to write four paragraphs. Then, in the third lesson children need to choose the most important facts and include these in an introduction; after this they need to answer several questions on a prompt sheet before writing up their conclusion. In the final lesson students need to check their draft paragraphs for mistakes before writing up their work on to a neat copy on the template provided.
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A bundle is a package of resources grouped together to teach a particular topic, or a series of lessons, in one place.
A bundle of two resources that span five lessons about the life of the famous figure from American history, Sacagawea. Perfect for students in Year 5 or Year 6. Firstly, there are reading comprehension activities which come with an informational text, a teacher presentation, comprehension and grammar questions, a multiple choice quiz, a crossword puzzle and a wordsearch. Secondly, there is a biography writing unit which has been split into four separate lessons of reading, sorting and writing. Included in the close reading activity: * A teacher presentation to introduce the subject * An informational text * A comprehension activity with ten questions * Two grammar questions about the text * An extension writing activity * A multiple choice quiz with seven questions * An answer sheet for self-assessment or teacher use * A crossword puzzle to consolidate learning * A wordsearch puzzle Included in the biography writing unit: * Four fact sheets which students need to cut out and sort into paragraphs * Writing templates for four draft paragraphs * Two prompt sheets for students to write their introduction and conclusion * A template for students to write up their neat biography text * A crossword puzzle and wordsearch activity This resource is great for: * In class learning * Independent work * Homework * Creative writing sessions * Guided reading sessions * Reading & writing interventions * Assessment practice * Emergency sub plans ⏚⏚⏚⏚⏚⏚⏚⏚⏚⏚⏚⏚⏚⏚⏚⏚⏚⏚⏚⏚⏚⏚⏚⏚⏚⏚⏚⏚⏚⏚⏚⏚⏚⏚⏚ For more great resources check out my store ⇉⇉ [CLICK HERE](https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources/shop/CreativePrimaryLit)
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In the final lesson, you'll write a 2000 - 4000 word biography and receive individual feedback from our academic staff. Biographical writing can be large-scale, and cover a person's whole life, or it can be small scale, and cover only a short period, from a week to a few years. Sometimes the subject's life is the entire focus.
How to Write a Biography: 6 Tips for Writing Biographical ...
Let's break down the process step by step. 1. Choose Your Subject. Decide who you want to write about. It could be a well-known celebrity, a historical figure, or someone close to you. In addition to figuring out who you're writing about, this is also the step where you figure out why you want to write about them.
How to Write a Biography in 8 Steps (The Non-Boring Way!)
Learn to Write Biographies. This course is relevant to biographical writing for: Books and Screenplays. Profiles (e.g. in a conference program, a government submission, or a business report), Resumes, Obituaries, Newspaper articles, Magazines, Web Sites, Social Media listing, or anywhere else. Biographies are hugely popular, whether you are a ...
2. Introduce yourself… like a real person. This is one of the most important pieces of understanding how to write a personal biography. Always start with your name. When many people start learning how to write a bio, they skip this important part. People need to know who you are before they learn what you do.
8. Send a copy to your subject. Consider sending a copy of your manuscript to the person whose life you wrote about in your book. The copy may serve as a thank-you gift, but also, if you intend to publish your work, you will need them to approve, as well as fact check, everything you put into the story.
4. Create an outline. The next step of learning how to write a biography is to outline your story. It's critical to outline your biography before you begin writing it. Among other things, it helps ensure you cover every topic you'd like to and get the book in the correct chronological order.
How to Write a Biography: A 7-Step Guide [+Template]
How to Write a Biography: The Proven 5-Step Ultimate Guide. Learn how to write a biography in 5 proven steps. From research to publishing, our experts will help you create a compelling story your readers will love!
Let me share with you seven tips on how to write a bio and some bio templates to get you started. 1. Write your name. Start with your name. Might seem obvious, but you want to make sure readers know who you are. 2. Share your accomplishments. Don't be shy. Say what you have done.
How to Write a Biography: 15 Steps (with Pictures)
BIOGRAPHY WRITING Tip: #4 Put Something of Yourself into the Writing. While the defining feature of a biography is that it gives an account of a person's life, students must understand that this is not all a biography does. Relating the facts and details of a subject's life is not enough.
Step 3: Choose Your Central Theme. Biographies are not unlike any other nonfiction book: you need to know who the target audience is before you write them (in this case it'll be you and people like you). But just as importantly, you need to have a central theme that permeates the book.
How to write your own short professional biography with ...
Let's examine 7 ideas about how to write a biography: 1. Create compelling voice. You could say that voice is a crucial ingredient of any story, especially in first person (where the narrator is the character). In autobiography, in particular, you want your reader to form a clear sense of who is telling the story.
This course will help you develop a critical awareness of this genre of writing, to think about what makes a good biography. Classes are designed for anyone who enjoys learning more about writers' lives, and about how we describe, explore and write about the experiences of other people. You'll develop confidence in using this knowledge to ...
Include your first and last name at the beginning of your bio. State your brand name, if applicable. Claim your current role. Describe at least one professional achievement. Explain your values. Summarize your personal life. Think about incorporating humor. Related: Guide to Writing a Bio (With Examples) 1.
Expert Tips for Writing. When crafting a compelling biography essay, consider these expert tips to make your writing stand out: 1. Start with a captivating introduction that sets the tone for the rest of the essay. 2. Research thoroughly to gather accurate information and interesting anecdotes about the subject. 3.
To write a biography you should: Select a person you are interested in. Find out the basic facts of the person's life. Start with the encyclopedia and almanac. Think about what else you would like to know about the person, and what parts of the life you want to write most about. Some questions you might want to think about include:
How to Write a Short Bio: 5 Examples and Templates
As you write your artist bio, consider exploring art-related books for inspiration and insights. Whether it's an artist's biography, a guide on professional practices, or a creative writing book for artists, these resources can enrich your perspective and help you articulate your story more effectively.
Of course, we know veterinary medicine is not about self-promotion. When in doubt, follow these three simple rules to write your website bio. 1. Don't overthink it! No one knows you better than you. Simply following the six steps above will make this an easier task for you. Just fill in the blanks, mix in some personality, add as much ...
Get it write: the writing center Whether you're an English major or you avoid essays like the plague, everyone could use some writing help every now and then. The Writing Center offers help with every step of the writing process on an individualized basis, because we know everyone is different. This means help with essays, outlines, creative ...
How to Write a Professional Bio: 3 Tips for Writing a Good Bio. Written by MasterClass. Last updated: Jun 7, 2021 • 4 min read. Whether you're a freelancer, an engineer, or an artist, a professional bio is a crucial piece of writing that introduces your credentials and helps establish your brand.
A 14-year-old is accused of carrying out the deadliest school shooting this year, killing four people and injuring nine others at a high school in Georgia, authorities said.. Police say the ...
The YubiKey 5, the most widely used hardware token for two-factor authentication based on the FIDO standard, contains a cryptographic flaw that makes the finger-size device vulnerable to cloning ...
3. Strengthen an existing piece of writing. You can input an existing piece of text into ChatGPT and ask it to identify uses of passive voice, repetitive phrases or word usage, or grammatical errors. This could be particularly useful if you're writing in a language you're not a native speaker. 4. Write and debug code.
The Novelry is the world's top-rated online creative writing school, offering courses, coaching and community to help the next generation of writers become authors. Founded by Booker Prize-listed author Louise Dean, with a team of bestselling authors and book editors from Big 5 publishing houses including Penguin Random House, The Novelry ...
A biography writing unit about the famous guide of the Lewis and Clark expedition, Sacagawea. The NO PREP unit has been split into four separate lessons and is perfect for students in Year 5 or Year 6. Students will learn about the famous figure whilst working on their comprehension skills and developing their creative writing.