a bio?

[cos]

I signed up to be on some panels at Arisia this year. I don't know for sure which panels they'll approve and which ones they'll put me on, but the ones I want most are a poly panel, and these two LJ panels that I proposed. I'm supposed to write a short "bio" they could put in the panelist blurbs section of the program booklet (500 character limit). What do I write?

Are these like the silly blurbs you see in community theater play programs, or background relevant to the panels, or random info about the person? I'm stuck about how to start. Comment some suggestions for me? Or if you want, write a whole proposed mini-bio I could use if I like it.

Comments

[superfinemind.livejournal.com]

It's the impression you want anybody who reads the con participant bios-- not necessarily having attended your panel or met you or anything-- to know about you. Find a con book and look at the bios. ^_^ Some of the Arisia ones are boring, some are entertaining, some are in between. Ideally, though, it should probably be an accurate reflection of you.

[cos]

Accurate, huh? I'm not sure if I'm boring or entertaining :)

[firegryphon.livejournal.com]

That's a good piece of advice and the exact advice I'd have given you. having never gone to Arisia, but arranged a few conferences and such - this is always what we ask from people on our panels. (and in some cases what we had to write for them when they didn't do them)

[superfinemind.livejournal.com]

...A simple format that I like-- the one that a magazine I like uses-- is to have about three sentences. Except in a few cases of people making themselves look boring, it goes: name, qualification, affiliation (ie, a mathematician might have, "[name] is a professor of mathematics at X university."); something interesting and on-topic (ie, "His favorite thing about math is that he can use it everywhere."); and something relevant but silly or funny (ie, "He hasn't yet found fractals in his tea leaves.").

This wasn't the best example ever, but maybe it'll help?

[cos]

I think it will help, even if I don't follow the template. Thanks.