#bio tips

[thewriteadviceforwriters]

✨ PSA to all writers still rocking “aspiring writer ✨” in their bio…

you deserve better. your bio deserves better. your ✨vibe✨ deserves better.

so I made a new Instagram carousel: ➡️ “Things to Put in Your Author Bio (That Aren’t ‘aspiring writer ✨’)” it breaks down 4 things that actually make you stand out:

your genre

your tone

your voice hook

a weird little personality quirk

plus I included a sample you can steal if you’re in your ✨bio rebrand era✨

✏️ go read it >> 💬 or drop your current bio in the replies and I’ll roast it lovingly 🔁 reblog to save a writer friend from “writer. dreamer. coffee addict.” energy

✏️ go read it >>

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A post shared by TheWriteEdvice | Writing Tips | Writer Coach (@thewriteedvice)

[rpmemesbyarat]

I see certain phrases, and variations thereof, in a lot of character profiles/bios. And that’s not a problem. The problem is, they’re very vague, and not helpful for painting a distinct, unique picture of a distinct, unique character, which is what I assume you want to do. Here are some examples of what I’m talking about: - “My character likes having fun” Most people like having fun, but what “fun” is is different to different people. Do they like a night at the club? Staying in with a book? Fancy galas? Rodeos? Concerts? Gardening? Give examples of what your character enjoys! Similarly, if they like music or art or books, consider giving some examples of genres/artists/authors they prefer in particular. - “My character dislikes stupid people, mean people, bigots, bullies, etc.” Most people dislike those they see as cruel or stupid, but what they define as such varies by the individual. For instance, ask a liberal feminist and conservative MRA what they view as the height of idiocy and injustice, you’ll get very different answers! Instead, try to be more specific, like “my character dislikes the free market being limited by social politics” or “my character dislikes people who drive slow in the left lane” or “my character dislikes people who say hunters are cruel to animals while eating meat that was likely farmed in deplorable conditions”—all these things say different things about the character as an individual! - “My character is super nice and loyal to her friends, but if you piss her off or hurt her loved ones then watch out!” This is one that I see a LOT. The first part is almost unnecessary—most people are nice to their friends and loved ones—and the second part is painfully vague. Just what is it that she DOES to those who hurt her friends? What does she qualify as “hurt”—are we talking bodily harm, or did they just say something mean? Does it matter if the person she’s taking revenge for didn’t ask her? Or asked her NOT to? Does it matter if the person “hurting” their friend was hurt by that friend first? How far does she go? Being more specific tells us if she’s someone who will cut someone out of her life if her friend tells her they’ve been behaving in socially toxic ways, to someone who systematically socially sabotage someone, trash their car, and kill their cat just because they MIGHT have looked at one of “her” people funny, and any number of other personality types in-between. - “My character would do anything for her friends” This is less a problem of specificity, and more of people not considering what “anything” actually means. Giving someone a ride home at 2 AM is one thing. Helping them hide a body or lying for them in court to cover that they sexually assaulted someone is another. Remember, ‘anything’ doesn’t just cover heroic things, but evil and disgusting things as well, so rethink when you claim just how loyal your character is, because there’s a certain point when it’s no longer a good trait. Of course, if that’s what you WANT, that’s one thing, just in a lot of cases I don’t think that’s what the player was meaning to imply. And, as with the rest, specifying their range and limits helps paint a much better picture of someone—for instance, I’m someone that a lot of my friends talk to about their problems, and I think I’m a very good, very sympathetic listener who gives pretty good advice. But I’m also unlikely to give people a ride somewhere or drive out to pick them up, as driving scares me enough when it’s just ME in the car. Doesn’t that tell you a lot more about me as a person? Same for if I were a character! TL;DR Specifics are your friend

[studyally]

tips for studying bio

so i got a h u g e grade in our bio subject that was absolutely unexpected. i got a wopping 100 !!! ikr, freaky, but then our grades are transmuted so maybe my real grade percentage is 98 or 99. regardless, i’ve never had this high of a grade before ever so it’s a huge huge deal for me who doesn’t really aim for the top. here are some things i did last sem that may have led to this unexpectedly good grade

l e c t u r e / d i s c u s s i o n  

pay attention to how the teacher mentions words and concepts. take down terms and concepts that he/she repeats or clarifies during the lecture. i suggest doing this on paper instead of your proper notebook/binder. i do this so i’ll get forced to read the material again when i transfer it in my binder, allowing me to clarify and better understand the material. 

take notes. seriously, take notes. this is my saving grace in bio class. i may not be one for aiming to be a top student but i write notes. use abbreviations and symbols. if your teacher talks too fast, don’t write the whole word and skip bits, go back and complete them immediately after writing the sentence/phrase to avoid forgetting

take note of questions the teacher asks in class. this may be an important concept and has saved my ass in exam essays.

if your teacher/class is using one textbook as reference, use it, and know which chapters/topics the teacher is discussing in order to know which parts to study and not study. sometimes, teachers skip over some stuff. write in the sides of the book as needed.

if you think you can’t handle paying attention to the class, or having a bad day, use your phone to record what the teacher is saying so you can listen to it later.

d u r i n g   l a b   a c t i v i t i e s 

make sure you know the procedures and are familiar with the concepts behind them. don’t be that guy in the group who’s just at the sidelines then asks what happened and copies answers. nonono.

 take pictures or videos of chemicals before and after, or as they are happening, if allowed by your teacher of course

take pictures or take note of the content in your lab report/experiment paper in order to have a reference in case the teacher doesn’t return them before an exam

m i s c e l l a n e o u s   s t u f f   t o   r e m e m b e r 

google is just a type away, use it. sometimes, the books you have isn’t enough (or most of the time in my case). don’t just guess a concept. look it up. 

use flashcards for memorizing terms and definitions. i suggest using quizlet for this one. there’s an app and a website. it’s free. this has been my savior and buddy when it comes to cramming for quizzes and exams.

when the teacher gives you a reading assignment, READ IT. it will give you an opportunity to know which things to clarify and you’ll be able to participate in class 

on the day of a bio class, when you can, rewrite notes as needed, then make flashcards of them in quizlet so you can easily review stuff during your down time. highly recommend downloading the phone app

search for videos if you can’t clearly visualize a concept involving processes. 

learn from your mistakes. when the teacher returns papers from quizzes, activities, etc., know what should have been the right answers to your wrong answers.

put summaries at the end part of your notes so you’ll have an overview 

when cramming a day before an exam, use flashcards. when cramming 3 hours before an exam, which i don’t recommend despite doing it myself, familiarize and imagine the processes and concepts. give the terms funny appearances in your head. visualize. 

don’t wait for the deadline to be tomorrow before making an assignment or project. you don’t just have this one class. there’s no telling what stuff other classes might make you do

above all, don’t forget to take breaks. know your limits. a good grade is not much when your head feels like a warzone. avoid pushing yourself too much to the point of breaking just to get that certain grade

whew, okay, that’s it. maybe i’ll add other stuff if i remember more. thanks for reading :D

[rpmemesbyarat]

Suggestion: If you’re writing a canon character, it’s a good idea to have a bio/about, even a short one. Even if you’re also linking their Wiki. This lets people who aren’t familiar with your muse get a quick look at what they’re like and who they are, without needing to read a whole long Wiki. And it lets people who DO know who they are, know how you’re playing them, any canon divergences, etc. This is especially helpful if the character you’re playing is from a series----because you can note at which point in the series your portrayal is from, or if your portrayal is set after the series finishes, etc---and especially for comic book characters, who have often been through decades of writers, stages, retcons, etc. For instance, maybe you write an X-Men character but only the 80s comics version, or the only the version written by one or two particular writers, etc. Or maybe an event happened in their canon that you don’t include for your version. Many writers do this, and it’s always handy for new followers to know what parts of canon you’re following or not, especially when the canon is BIG. And if you’re following everything, it helps to note that too!

[rpmemesbyarat]

I’ve written HERE and HERE about how to be more specific about your muse in their bio, and now here’s another post about it---if you would describe your muse as nice, kind, caring, etc., describe in what ways they SHOW that. Different people have different ways of showing they care to others. For instance, I show kindness by being interested in what people have to say and trying to support them emotionally and creatively. I try my best to be a good listener and to offer advice when I can, and when I can’t, to at least be an empathetic shoulder to cry on and vent to. My dad shows kindness through acts of service, like when he would go out during winter in the morning, without being asked, to warm up my car for me before work. My dad is not good at anything emotional, but he’s very good at practical things like that. I’m not good at anything practical, but I think emotional intelligence is a strength of mine. We both show kindness and love in the ways that work for us, but because we’ve very different people, with different strengths and weaknesses, the way we show this is very different. Basically, it’s like the concept of a “love language” but applied to kindness in general instead. Also, WHO are they kind to? Just close friends? People who have wronged them? People who they will never meet? Are they the type that won’t give a dollar to a homeless person for various reasons (scared of them, believe they will use it on drugs, etc.) but does donate large amounts to charity---or are they reverse, where they’ll directly help someone immediately in front of them, but don’t feel the same about indirectly helping people they don’t see or meet. Time, money, services, thoughtful gifts, sending someone pictures or things relevant to their interests (lots of people send me rat pics because they know I love rats!) , and emotional labor are all different ways someone can show kindness to others, and different people are kind in different ways. So figuring out what ways your character is “kind” (and who they are kind to, and when/in what circumstances, and what makes them NOT be kind) can be much more helpful for making their bio stand out and be more specific to them, than just saying that they’re “kind”. (Same for the different ways people can be mean!)

[rpmemesbyarat]

When writing bios, specifics are your friend. For instance, under “Dislikes” I almost always see some variation of “Mean people, stupid people, bullies, bigots, etc” The thing is, almost EVERYONE dislikes these…but also many people have very different definitions of what qualifies as each one. For instance, the average person has a very different conception of what “bigotry” looks like than someone who is active in the social justice scene; they tend to imagine large and overt acts of direct bigotry, rather than small or “invisible” discriminations. And to some people, “bigotry” is things like affirmative action or women not dating them. Now, that may be stupid, but it’s their perception and it says something distinct about them that helps you imagine better what kind of person this is. Speaking of stupid, what someone considers “stupidity” is a very personal thing, with an even wider range. To some people, simple spelling mistakes in the age of autocorrect are the height of stupidity, while other people find it stupid to be overly pedantic about such things. In fact, the things that this character considers “stupid” might not be stupid at all to the person reading it! What someone considers “stupid” can say a whole lot about them, so putting down that they just dislike “stupid people” or “stupidity” is not only unhelpfully vague and generic, it misses out on a chance to really give a sense of who your character is through what their pet peeves are. It tells me a lot more about someone if she can’t stand conspiracy theorists, climate change deniers, and Creationists than if her bio just said she didn’t like “people who believe dumb things”

[jimrosescamsfraudsandcooltricks]

#jimrosecircus HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR BIO

Musicians success usually isn’t measured solely by their music. Their reputation and image come into play as well. Here are some tips to improve your bands bio. http://blog.songcastmusic.com/2014/03/03/improving-your-bands-bio/ #JimRoseCircus #JimRose

[thegoodwitchrpc-blog]

Roll up some hobbies and interests for your characters.