Writing Pitches and a Bio
As a writer submitting articles for publication, I’m required to also submit a 2-3 sentence bio. I can’t tell you how hard this is! The purpose of the bio is to promote yourself and your writing. You want to make people want to find out more about you and follow your social media accounts.
Then there is pitching an idea to an editor. I can pitch a completed manuscript. But pitching an idea, my skill at writing, and me? I have a hard time with that.
I read all the other bio’s out there that make me laugh. Reading ones that make me want to hang out with that person and make me want to be like that person. I’ve wondered what their magic is and why it’s so hard for me to create my own magic.
I started diving it to bio’s, questioning why bios are so hard for me to write. I suspected that the reason I was having such a hard time with pitching, is the same reason I can’t write a bio that meets my expectations. It is the same reason I had writer’s block when I sat down to write My Story for this blog.
The Problem
I’ve come to realize that I can tell you all day long about what I think about subjects. I’m happy to share my thoughts and opinions with you, which is one of the reasons for my blog. But sharing myself, trying to convince you to like me, to want to spend time with me. That is something different.
I do think one part of the reason why this is so hard for me is the bullying I experienced as a child. The inherent purpose of bullying is to tear someone down and make them feel worthless. There is just a tiny part of me left that continues to believe those bullies all those years ago.
Another is that I grew up in a home where I was taught that I was never to say that I was pretty. I was told not to focus on my looks (not that I had spectacular looks) or promoting myself in any way. This idea of celebrating yourself was looked down on. While writing has nothing to do with how I look, this internal dialog became part of me. You can’t be prideful. You can’t boast about yourself. You must be humble. Telling the world, I did this or I did that and to wear it as a badge of honor is very difficult for me.
As I began asking other writers about their process of writing their bio’s, one of them suggested that I ask someone who reads my work, who loves me, to tell me about myself. My reply was “I would have to believe them first”. I realized that in order to believe someone else, I would have to first believe in myself.
In order for me to write a stellar bio, a take prisoners pitch, or to honestly tell you My Story, I have to believe that I am who God intended me to be. Enough.
That this is just one more step in my journey in learning to believe and trust him. So while I’m on this journey of self-discovery through writing, I get to take you along with me and just maybe, you can find yourself in my struggles and together we can help ourselves believe that we ARE enough.
Hello Calleen,
Thank you for sharing this.
What you said in this post has made me examine why I also haven’t written yet my About page in my blog.
You have also highlighted the beauty of writing. We write what we believe deep in our hearts should be written. But it is hard to write something that we ourselves don’t believe in. Even if that something is about who we really are.
Best,
Sigrid
Thank you. It was eye-opening for me too.
I have a hard time with my bio too. You’re not alone in this. I think most of our generation was taught to not boast about ourselves but now we have a generation who doesn’t have a single humble bone in their bodies. It’s about balance though. There is nothing wrong with talking about your achievements and being proud of yourself. I think the problem comes in when it becomes ego driven instead of just being proud of yourself and what you’ve accomplished in your life. You are enough. That much is certain 🙂 #GlobalBlogging
Thank you for your kind words. I agree.
I love this post – you are indeed enough! I’m so glad you are reminding yourself of that. #GlobalBlogging
Thank you. It’s been an important learning process.
We never seem to see ourselves the way our loved ones do.
Very true.
I love the name of your blog. We are so similar in so many ways. I am coming to terms with who God created me to be and definitely to know that I am enough. Love this 💕 #worthmorethanrubiesweeklylinkup
Thank you. I’ve noticed your blog name because it is similar to mine and my daughter started one called “An Extraordinary Girl” so your’s combines both of our names.
I am a budding writer as well. I am so happy to find your blog and I just subed. I agree I struggle with bios to. I look forward to reading your journey. Happy I found you at TFT
Thanks for stopping in and reading. It’s definitely a journey.
I know this feeling! For me, it’s because other people’s stories seem so much more powerful than mine. I was raised Christian in a loving home and have had a pretty simple, “easy” life so far, well as much as raising four kids is considered “easy”! How do I try to speak up when others who have overcome giant obstacles have more powerful stories? I’m learning that my “enough” story is to be a tribute to raising kids in a family who prays, worships and studies together. It makes a big difference in their lives!
What a beautiful tribute to you and to God!
Powerful words! I find it easier to believe in myself when I consider the enormous faithfulness of the God who created me. Christians so often have a skewed concept of humility. Humility doesn’t mean we hide our excellence. It means we give God the glory for everything that is excellent in us. He is excellent, so we, too, are free to be excellent! I recently wrote a post on just this topic… Bravo for taking steps in the right direction! Keep going!
I’m so glad it resonates with you. Thanks for stopping by and reading.
Thank you. And thank you for stopping in and reading my words.
This resonates to my soul! I think my #1 problem with writing is believing it is good enough = I am good enough. This translates to all areas of life. Thank you for a thoughtful post. Visiting you today from Meghan’s link up. laurensparks.net
Great insights here! I agree, I always find the bio the hardest thing to write, and while I started a blog because I felt I had things to share, it as been so much harder to share myself. It’s definitely been a gradual process of opening up. I hadn’t thought about how it relates to self-worth but I think there’s a lot of truth in what you say!
Thank you. And Thank you for stopping by and reading.