Some thoughts on good Bios

The top 20 twitter post got me thinking about writing bios in general.
I have collected great bios for a while now. Here are two faves:

Simon Collison: Author + Web designer: kept alive by tea and roll ups.
Mr. Fogey: Black sheep, Bon vivant, Failed mercenary in Africa

Have noticed some connecting threads:
1. All are funny
2. All don't take themselves too seriously
ie. none contain the words Innovative, Creative, Strategic, Extensive experience or claim to Push the envelope or Supersede your expectations - Barf!

Put another way... these bios follow the age old writing advice to Show don't Tell.

ps. This ability to be more self deprecating + a bit opaque seems to come most easily to the Brits. It's a skill I hope more writers + art directors in North American will adopt as I'm getting a bit weary of unimaginative + "Trying too hard" company descriptions.
I'll get off my soapbox now.

20 of the Best Twitter bios

Found this fun post today by Mark Schaefer.


I love Clay Shirky's!! So clever.

You can read the whole list here.

Sketch: The Freelancer's Clock

Can you relate?

TIFF piece for Globe and Mail

In honour of TIFF I'm posting a piece I wrote for the Globe + Mail on Sept 9th 2005.
Note that most of the behaviours and scores are still applicable today although if I was updating it for 2010 I would change #5 to "Nab an invite to Canadian Film Centre BBQ" for a score of 86 and in #7 I'd swap out Molly Parker for Ellen Page!