Reading time: ~2 meaty minutes

Welcome back to the Weekly Book Business Brief—your weekly shot of strategy, tools, and real talk for authors building a book-based business.

I hope your Memorial Day weekend included a little slow, a little sun, and at least one excellent burger. 🇺🇸 🍔

Quick update: the secret project I keep teasing is now seven-ish weeks out, so this'll be short (I'm not stressed, you're stressed!). 🤣

Let's get right into it and tackle a piece of on-Amazon copy that some (most?) authors don't know they can optimize. #missedopportunity

📚 YOUR AUTHOR BIO: 100 WORDS THAT'LL GET 'EM TO READ

When a reader reads your book's description, they're 80% of the way to smashing that "Buy Now" button. What they might be looking for is one more reason to trust you, to believe your book is a must-read, that you're who they've been looking to learn from.

So they scroll down to your bio, only to read a slightly (or totally) boring paragraph about your three master's degrees, your two cats, and the small town where you grew up. 🥱

Let's avoid this total bummer of a situation, shall we? Reader, that paragraph just lost you the sale. Whomp whomp.

Your Amazon author bio isn't just a bio. It's where your reader decides whether to trust you with their time (and their money).

🎯 YOUR 3-PART AUTHOR BIO

Here's a basic structure for your bio, one that'll help you craft one that'll work hard for you and your book(s):

1. The relevance opener (1 sentence). Why are *you* the right person to teach this topic? Lead with the credibility that connects to *this* book. ("Honorée Corder has written 68 books and sold 5 million copies in 40 languages." Something like this, and it's plenty.)

2. The proof (2 sentences). What you've done for readers and clients like the one looking at this page. Numbers, named outcomes, social proof.

3. The warm close (1 sentence). One human detail that makes you a person, not a brick wall. Bonus points: tie it back to your reader. ("When she isn't writing, she's probably taking her rescue turtle Monte to the vet." 🐢)

Vanessa Van Edwards talks about having the right balance of warmth and competency. We don't care if you're highly educated and great at your job if you're not approachable. We also check out if you're super friendly but appear to be a hot mess. Your bio, by checking these three boxes (and yes, in under 100 words), finishes the job by helping the right readers find you.

Cool, right?

✏️ YOUR FUN (Home)WORK

Open your Amazon Author Central page. If you haven't set yours up yet, that's your pre-work. Craft your bio, and yes you can use Claude!

Try this prompt:

Write my Amazon Author bio with what you know about me using this formula: 1 sentence relevant opener, two sentences making the case I'm the author to read, and make the closing sentence warm and fun.

(Yeah, only if you're fun. You do you!)

I think you can have it live by Friday. ✅

Have a great week sharpening your bio, and I'll see you next week!

To your success!

Honorée Corder. Author. Executive Book Producer. ​​​​​​

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P.S. Forward this email to an author you know whose Amazon bio reads like a CV. And they can grab my free Roadmap so they get these missives every Tuesday too!

P.P.S. The countdown is on for the secret project. The reveal lands in this email first, so keep your eyes on your inbox every Tuesday. You'll want to see it! 💜