Q & A With Education Coordinator — Marcie Hill

Can you tell readers a little about your professional background?

I am a writer, blogger, trainer and author. I left my job and 12-year career in human resources to be a magazine writer in 2008. My biggest accomplishments were my interview with Dr. Maya Angelou and being published in Forbes magazine. Also, I currently own three sites. I’ve written and self-published eight books on blogging and writing. And I design, develop and conduct in-person and virtual trainings.

What inspired you to become a writer?

In 2002, I started a newsletter, Shorty In Da House, to thank everyone who helped me look for a job at that time. That one newsletter turned into an eight-year project. I wrote, edited and published it every month for eight years! I cannot recall exactly when I decided to pursue magazine writing, but the spirit of writing was so heavy upon me that I had to leave the profession I didn’t really like to pursue what I loved.

Some time ago, you had the honor of having your work published in Forbes. What was that experience like? How many times did you pitch them?

I was elated to have my work published in Forbes. What made it even more amazing was that it published two days after my birthday. But that was hard! I read the publication daily to see where I could possibly fit an article on entrepreneurship, social media and other business topics because they have people writing about all areas of business. I pitched a few topics to the general email for submissions, which is always a bad idea. Later, I read an article about how to get published in Forbes that listed the name of an editor. I pitched her at least four ideas and was rejected each time. After I wrote my book, How to Write a POWERFUL Professional Bio, I searched the site to see if any article had been written on that topic. They had not. I pitched it and finally got a yes.

I really admire the following you have managed to cultivate through social media. How in the world did you get over 11, 000 Twitter followers? Inquiring minds wanna’ know.

In the early days of Twitter, I grew my following by sharing the works of others. I do a lot of reading and researching so I shared the articles to Twitter if the site has social share buttons. Those were the good ol’ days when you connected authentically with people. Today, Twitter recommends people you should follow or have their profiles available, which makes it easier to follow folks. However, it lessens the connection.

What’s the biggest mistake you find writers make in preparing their Bios?

The biggest bio mistake I see many people make, not just writers, is not tooting their own horns. Many people are highly accomplished in their professions; make significant contributions to their communities; and have very unique interests and hobbies, but they don’t share this information. And it could open doors of opportunity for you.

Bios can be used for

· the About section of your website or blog

· social media profiles

· the About the Author info in your articles, columns, and blog posts

· Presenting or raising your rates

· a personal introduction when entering competition

· Speaking engagements

Thank you Marcie, for your time, expertise and insight here.  Many of us will likely be looking to beef up our bios (based on this feedback) soon!

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