12) About the Writer: Writing Effective Writer Biographies
As discussed before, incorporating EAT helps enhance content quality and helps more people discover the developed content.
Apart from ensuring EAT within our content, we need to ensure that we have effective writer biographies that support the developed content.
In this discussion, we will understand how to ensure effective writer biographies through applying EAT and other best practices.
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Expertise
- When considering the expertise factor for author biographies, expertise refers to the credentials or experience the author has.
- Medical content is best supported/expertised through medical professionals, for example, and similarly, relevant experience or education qualifies as expertise.
- However, if one does not have a degree, expertise can be demonstrated through lived experience or other ways. For example, being an active listener for 7 Cups for 3 years does demonstrate expertise in listening and supporting mental health concerns.
Note: To keep up with the Expertise factor’s need, 7 Cups currently either pairs content writers with experts and content is published through the expert profile with the writer biography contained at the end of the co-authored article, or publishes writer works through a shared account called “7 Cups Community, Global Support” - the biography of this account is optimized to reflect EAT.
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Authoritativeness
- Authority in terms of an author biography refers to the number of citations the author has. This includes their publications and other published content, as well as any reviews or things that show the impact or quality of their work.
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Trust
- Trust is also determined by an author’s citations - trusted authors have published content for websites and publications that score high on EAT factors.
- Trust is also established through the quality of an author’s content.
Activity
Using the factors discussed above, write a biography for your prospective articles at 7 Cups. Feel welcome to include your real name/pseudonym or first name - anything you are comfortable with being prospectively published!
After you have written the brief paragraph-form biography, point out what parts of the biography highlight each of the EAT factors.
Respond to at least one other student’s biography and comment your feedback for improvement.
Bonus (Optional): Consider starting a 7 Cups creator portfolio here!
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This post is brought to you by the Content Development and Marketing Program, find out more information about the program here
Empathetic Pie has been an active Listener on 7 Cups for over a year and they have completed every Listener training available, including the achievement of Verified Listener status. Alongside their training on 7 Cups, they also have a B.A. in Psychology with a certificate in Mental Health Counseling. Pie has a five-star Listener rating and five written reviews at the time of posting. They are currently in the 7 Cups academy program for Content Development and Marketing.
Expertise: active Listener on 7 Cups for over a year, completed every Listener training, Verified Listener, B.A. in Psychology, certificate in Mental Health Counseling
Authoritativeness: five-star Listener rating, five written reviews
Trust: currently in the 7 Cups academy program for Content Development and Marketing
@empatheticpie
I really enjoyed this biography, it showed all the factors of EAT. One thing you could add is a little personal tidbit, it might just be something you enjoy in your free time. I feel like when I read biographies and see this it always makes me feel like I can relate to the author.
Author biography
Crystal has been writing since elementary school, winning a young author’s award in second grade, having a fictional short story published in the local newspaper in high school, and receiving a scholarship as a staff writer for her college newspaper. In college she studied biology and education before switching her major to behavioral neuroscience and then ultimately getting her bachelor’s degree in psychology and a minor in applied behavioral sciences. She has been a listener on 7cups since 2014 participating in many leadership roles on the site including over 1,100 forum posts on the site about tips on active listening and content related to various mental health topics. Outside of 7cups, Crystal has worked in mental health since 2017 as a behavior technician, counselor technician, and is currently a case manager. Aside from educational and professional experience Crystal has lived experience with mental health conditions including complex post traumatic stress disorder, dissociative identity disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and panic disorder. She has done a lot of work toward her own recovery through years of therapy and treatment and hopes that her experiences and wisdom can provide compassionate support and informational content to help others who may be struggling with their mental health.
How my bio incorporates EAT
Expertise: Educational experience in biology, education and behavioral neuroscience receiving a bachelor’s in psychology, and applied behavioral sciences. Almost 9 years as a listener on 7cups, experience working in mental health, and lived experience with mental health conditions.
Authoritativeness: Having written over 1,100 forum posts and having been previously published in newspapers, and working as a staff writer in college.
Trust: Receiving awards for my writing, being published in newspapers, I have forum posts on 7cups that I wrote in 2017 that are still receiving attention and comments about how helpful and relevant the information is.
@InvaderStitch
I love your Bio and how you incorporate the EATS in your bio. I can tell you have experience in the field of neuroscience and how many articles you have written on this area topic. I would to ready any of your articles :D
@SoulfullyAButterfly Amy started her journey on 7 Cups in November, 2022. Despite only being a few months, she has already started her Content and Developing Marketing academy course. Amy is a full-time University student, where she has nearly completed a degree in Psychology (Bsc). This, in combination with her time spent on 7Cups, has provided her with the literacy skills necessary for effective content development, as well as independent and critical thought.
Expertise - I included the time of when I joined 7 Cups
Authoritative - I mentioned my Psychology degree
Trust - I mentioned how my Psychology degree has sharpened my literacy skills which can be used in my articles
Hi Amy! I love how you incorporated EAT into your bio. Also, super happy to see another university student doing this program! Best of luck and looking forward to reading any articles you write!
@SoulfullyAButterfly
Vivi has been a member since November 2022 and is working on their emotional and mental well-being. After years of feeling isolated from emotional neglect, bullying, and dealing with autism, they have shown great strength in improving their well-being. They support listening to people who need someone to listen to them. Their empathic nature adds support and positivity.
Vivi is active in group chats and various forums on 7cups. They shared their feelings on what is on their mind and listened to other members' words of wisdom. In addition to being active in chats. Vivi is also an artist (anime illustrator, fantasy writer, and magic performer) they understand the struggles of being an artist and how mental health can be affected both offline and online. They are currently in the Content and Marketing (CDM) program on 7cups to learn and improve their skills in content creation and managing content on platforms.
Expertise:
- Has knowledge of the art world (theater and illustrating) ((digital and traditional))
- Understand the basic concepts of listening and being able to be supportive using an empathic approach vs sympathy.
- Basic skills in graphic content tools (Canva and PowerPoint)
Authoritativeness:
- Has two AA degrees in Liberal Arts: Creative and Applied Arts and Dramatical Art
- Have done a Leadership program in college
- First-hand experience of emotional neglect and trauma.
Trust:
- I am currently in the CDM program. learning how to make content create connections and share stories of many people from around the world.
- I have my certificate of leadership and diplomas from MiraCosta College
- Have an open discussion about mental health and the impact it can have on anyone from infant to elder.
@SoulfullyAButterfly
Louisa has been a listener with 7 Cups since 2016 and has posted some answers for their Q&A. She has a Bachelor of Human Ecology with a Major in Family Violence and Minors in Psychology and Indigenous Studies. She has worked for 10+ years in the classroom with children who have disabilities. She identifies as a person with disabilities and has worked hard to overcome these barriers. Louisa has worked in early childhood education, disability support, and even safety services. She enjoys nature and is a 3rd generation artist. Her family is very important to her and she values honesty and clarity in life. As an ADHD queer adult. Her motivation to write lies in supporting others who have also faced barriers regarding support or accommodations.
Explanation: The Expertiesee factor is satisfied by my credentials, listed first to have the most impact. Unfortunately, I have not published anything yet. However I have answered a few Q&A’s so I’ve linked them to my profile to see this, I hope to add to the Athouratative factor by completing this program along with others. I believe giving a little background on my experience and who I am/ what I stand for, brings some weight to the final factor of Trust.
@SoulfullyAButterfly
Naina is an active listener for 7cups for 6 years. She has a keen interest in the area of psychiatry and is trying to hold a ground in the same area. Her focus is in supporting individuals who struggle with mental health.
The biography is written to reflect expertise by mentioning the time period since when I have been on the platform, my role and my interest area.
@SoulfullyAButterfly
Jishna is a Gradute student in Data Science, with deep interest in Psychology and Counselling. She initiated her listener journey 7 Cups in May of 2020. Her main interests are Depression and Personality Disorders, as she herself has been battling Borderline Personality Disorder and Depression for more than 10 years now. She always loves to listen to others and be there as a good friend or buddy in need. She is available as 1-1 active listener as well as in discussion forums like sharing circle and other chatrooms for guided discussions. Her philosophy is, life will never be predictable and easy, that is why human is a social animal. It's the collective feeling of this one large family of sapiens that has made survival possible and rather enjoyable.
Expertise - I included the time of when I joined 7 cups which shows I have been active here for 2+ years and also mentioned which all chatrooms I am available in.
Authoritative - I have a personality disorder, and hence I can authoritatively share personal experiences on the same
Trust - The forum posts I have created are published on 7 Cups and have received upvotes and feedback. Additionally I have around 20+ positive personal reviews regarding the 1-1 sessions I conducted.
@Jish07541
Hey Jish! Good job on your biography 🌻 I liked how you mentioned your experiences on 7 cups, including the forum upvotes (I actually forgot to include this in my Bio 😶). In addition to that, you explained your interests in Mental health, and your philosophy, and I think the latter is a very important indicator (is that the word?) of who we are and what we believe in 💛
In terms of improvement, do check your grammar - for e.g., 'listener journey 7 Cups' --> "listener journey on 7 Cups" or "7 Cups listening journey" AND 'why human is a social animal' --> "why humans are social animals" or "why a human is a social animal".
That's about it, good luck in the CDM program ⭐
Desiree has been a stay at home mother and wife and has always taken pride in taking care of others. Because she enjoys helping others, she has opened her heart and life into helping members across the 7cups platform. She has been a listener since 2018 and is now verified. As much as she enjoys chatting with members 1-1 to offer them support, she has discovered that she loves being involved and working with others as a team. She takes great pride in the several roles she holds-- to include: forum supporter, chat supporter, and smile spreader. Desiree has a thirst for knowledge and loves learning. She has recently graduated from the Leadership Development Program and is an honor graduate for the 7cups Internship. Currently, she is enrolled in the Content and Development Marketing Program and has every plan to better improve self and grow on the daily. Desiree gives so freely and generously of her time to ensuring that she touches the lives everyone around her. Because she believes strongly in being kind and the best version of herself, Desiree has started a mission to spread kindness called Desiree's Daffodils.
E- Is a trained, active listener (verified)
A- Completed several 7cups academy program and is an alumni; currently enrolled in CDM.
T- Holds several leadership roles on the platform showing that she is reliable, dependable, and trustworthy.
@YourCaringConfidant your biography really shows how interested and invested you are in 7cups! you are highly trained to be a really fantastic listener here on 7cups.
@SoulfullyAButterfly
GloriaD has been an Active Listener on the 7 Cups Mental Health Platform since August 2021, choosing to help people on a long term basis, for which she continuously receives positive reviews. She also became Verified by experienced 7 Cups listeners in October 2021 and has been a leader of the Peer Appreciation Project since November 2021, continuing to spread positivity and gratitude throughout the community. Her personal experiences with anxiety, grief, loneliness and family stress including her observations of stigma towards family members experiencing mental health issues led her to pursue psychology. She gained a Bachelor of Science in Psychology, and her compassion, patience and problem-solving skills aided her when she worked in a variety of mental health and education settings. She aims to develop further education in Clinical Psychology to help people experiencing pain on a professional level and is being trained in Content Development and Marketing to help reduce stigma wherever possible. Other than her interest in psychology and individual differences, she loves to watch movies, TV shows and read books of the mystery and horror genre, and she loves to listen to music of various languages!
Expertise -
1) is reflected in the years of volunteering and leadership experience I have on 7 cups and my direct and indirect experiences mentioned on the forum and in the link attached.
2) is reflected in my Bachelor's degree and fields of work.
Authoritativeness -
1) is reflected in the link to my positive reviews.
Trust -
1) is perhaps reflected in my aims to further support people as a professional, advocate for mental health through the CDM program, and most likely will depend on my article submission 😊