35 Comments
User's avatar
Jodi Sh. Doff's avatar

This was really helpful, but I could use feedback. I updated my photo with my brand colors. I'm wondering about the link tho. To my linktree? Or my substack? (I may change the emoji arrows...) Linktree has all my publications, substack, anthologies and so on....

Substack is current. Thoughts?

Writer

↪ Sober, aging, caregiver for a parent w/dementia.

↪ Funny. Lucid. Heartwrenching ™

↪ my work ⤵

jodishdoff.substack.com

Giles Kelvage's avatar

I will owe a lot for this! Exactly what I've been so bad at – the dunderhead pupil sent to the back of the class to count thumbtack holes in the wall during the physics lesson...

Meg Harris's avatar

I'm here to say thank you for confessing your confusion about the link in bio thing! I feel stupid every time, but I still don't understand where to find this elusive link. And only rarely (oh so rarely!) do I care enough to look further. Also, great article! Thank you :)

Susan Nolen's avatar

Thanks for this!!

I couldn't figure out how to show this formatted, but it is similar on Bluesky @sbnolen.com and Substack @sunolen. Substack made me cut out the memberships. Do I need them?

Susan Nolen

@sbnolen.com

309 followers

103 following

26 posts

Writer, photographer, member Sisters in Crime, Historical Novel Society, Short Mystery Fiction Society. Telling stories about women making space for themselves in the world. 📖 my work @ sbnolen.com

Shelby Stretton's avatar

Hello Susan (: Is this bio you have pasted her for instagram or substack? If its for insta, could you share with me the link to your profile?

In regurds to substack - my advice would be a bit different! I would trim it down and put that beautiful sentiment up front:

Telling stories about women making space for themselves in the world.

📍Kitsap County, Washington, USA

B/c substack allows you to display links in such an obvious way, I wouldn't worry about incuding the link in the bio itself (:

Susan Nolen's avatar

Where did you get the pin for location?

Shelby Stretton's avatar

For the pin - I have a mac so i use Control + Command + Space and then the emojis pop up, but you should also be able to highlight and copy and paste the one I used above (:

Susan Nolen's avatar

Thanks, Shelby. I like the suggestion of starting with that sentiment and keeping it short. Once they get to my website they will find a longer bio.

What I sent you was for Bluesky. I don’t do Insta. Substack is my main channel, using both blogpost essay things and Notes. I have a Linked In account I used very lightly for my academic life and am considering changing that bio into something like the above. I also have a fb account I started just for accessing a couple of groups I belong to, but could make that an author thing as well, if I could figure out how. @sunolen54. I don’t want to spend much time on social media, so thanks for giving me a tool for streamlining. Any thoughts you have on my choices welcome.

zahra's avatar

Curious about what you think is the best social media platform for writers, aside from Instagram? I hear Bluesky is some spaces, but it doesn't seem all that active to me.

Shelby Stretton's avatar

I agree w this I don't love bsky. To be honest if you have to choose one, I would do substack and utalize notes. Something to keep in mind is that your first note gets a natural push via the algorithm, so it is worth saving it until you have your profile filled and ready to go (:

Alexis M. Wright: The Yes/And's avatar

Curious about residencies, fellowships, and reader positions, etc. I have them, but IG has a character limit and I'm struggling to figure out which to prioritize. Also, sometimes a shorthand (recognizable!) name of the residency/org/mag is actually less characters then tagging.Is that okay or is tagging best practice.

Shelby Stretton's avatar

Yes they are so annoying with this lol. If it is a recognizable name, there is no need to tag! I would prioritize what you are most proud of and what is most recent

marina ramil's avatar

up until now i've been @thesuncomingout on all socials (in reference to a kate bush lyric lol) but i think it's time to go the grown-up name route !

two that i know are available are @marina__ramil (one underscore is taken unfortunately) and @marinaramilwrites

any thoughts on which is better? or a secret third option?

Shelby Stretton's avatar

Omg im so late to reply 💔 Kate bush for life. and I love @marinaramilwrites. It gives people context from the get go and looks cleaner than __, as they can be hard to search

Mark Hendrickson's avatar

Here is my bio:

Poet and writer navigating the Sturm und Drang of daily life through wordcraft.

📖 my work ⤵

www.markhendricksonpoetry.com

Shelby Stretton's avatar

this is perfect (:

Crystal Taylor's avatar

I don’t think this is good. Thoughts for improvement?

———————

Poet || CNF || Flash || Inspired by dusty corners & shadows || BotN nom

➡️ Portfolio 🦋CrystalTaylorSA

———————

(**Portfolio would hyperlink to Chill Subs profile**) Thinking about adding Instagram, too.

Thoughts?

Shelby Stretton's avatar

Hey Crystal (: My appologies, I'm just seeing this now! If it is still relevant, could you point me in the direction of where this bio is? Btw- your substack bio is perfection 💋

Allison Mei-Li's avatar

Here is my instagram profile and bio. (Just changed it to include the "my work" + emoji). Please let me know what you think. I have a website but I linked the linktree... thoughts?

Poet exploring motherhood, identity, & the stories our bodies hold.

Poetry reader at @turningleafjournal.

©️All words are my own.

📖 my work ⤵

linktr.ee/writtenbyallison

If you want to see it: https://www.instagram.com/writtenbyallison/

Shelby Stretton's avatar

Hey Allison, I'm just seeing this now, terribly sorry! To be honest though, your page is fantastic and I truly don't have much to give except a compliment. I read a couple of the pieces on your grid and came across "The World Has Not Been Cruel To Him Yet" woah, beautiful piece

Allison Mei-Li's avatar

Thank you so much, Shelby!

Paula Breuning's avatar

This is my insta profile. I have little published work as of yet (got another rejection today), so I haven't linked any. I do have poetry performances on my insta, but it's honestly a bit messy because orgs I'm involved in often make me a contributor on a post I didn't design an that doesn't feature me. Any tips are appreciated.

@paulaspeakswords

Paula Breuning she/her

Writer, poet, teacher, fulltime doubter and intense brain racing driver.

Shelby Stretton's avatar

Hi Paula (: I'm terribly sorry, for some reason I am just seeing this now! Your page itself looks great, lots of clear photos of you doing your thing. Pretty good engagement too! My only note would be to add a link in your bio so folks can easily access your work! Ik here I spoke of our profiles, but if you would prefer something more custom I reccomend using link tree!

K.D.M. Price's avatar

This is such a helpful post, this social media question has just been plaguing me. And I'm so newly starting out that I just want a place to land! Appreciate any tipes regarding the profile below!

@katemaypricewrites

Poet || Lives and writes with the beginning and end of life in mind.

☞ Stay With Me @whollyhog ☞ 2025 Fellow @thesaltonstall

📖 my work ⤵

www.padlet.com/katemayprice/poet

Shelby Stretton's avatar

Ahhhh hooray so glad it helped! And this is perfection ✨ wouldn't change a thing

K.D.M. Price's avatar

Oh great--- thank you!!!!

Kailey Brennan DelloRusso's avatar

This is amazing, Shelby!! Thanks for the shoutout <3

Shelby Stretton's avatar

Thank YOU for setting such a great example toots

Mark Danowsky's avatar

This is good!

Linette Rabsatt's avatar

Great tips!

Kate Lynch's avatar

Whoo hoo!! Thank you Shelby!!Crystal clear now on the goal of driving people to where the work is and not focusing so much on followers.

Here’s my revised hot off the press profile:

Username: writermom62 (no name but I’ve had it forever, most people know me by that)

Children’s Book Writer PB/MG/YA

🔸Founder of Seaside Scribes/SCBWI

🔸Founder/Coordinator of One Book at a Time (link to come)

🔸SCBWI/12x12/Inked Voices

📖 my work @ www.katelynchbooks.com

Thoughts?? Suggestions??

I’m still in the agent search stage

Shelby Stretton's avatar

Hey Kate THIS LOOKS SO GOOD! I have only one minor tweak - I may drop the "coordinator" and instead just keep the "founder" bit in front of "One Book at a Time" to keep it just a bit cleaner (:

Kate Lynch's avatar

Thank you SO much!! Loved the tips in this post-game changer for me.