Bios for Bands, Solo Musicians, Producers, & All Other Music Professionals
Picture of a woman next to text reading “Erin Lyndal Martin. Words as good as your sound.” Front page of site for music bio writer Erin Lyndal Martin.
“Erin consistently creates thoughtful, well-written bios.
What impresses me is there doesn’t seem to be a formula;
she really takes the time to learn about each artist
and shape their unique story. Not to mention her ability
to turn solid work around on short notice. Hire her!
”
““Erin Lyndal Martin is adept at surveying
the territory of your artistic work, and then writing
a few paragraphs that guide the reader
toward a vantage point
where the whole landscape comes into focus.”
”
Bios are often the first impressions you make, before people even listen to your music. A bad bio can say just as much about you as a good one. And everybody knows it’s hard to write about your own work! With a smart and shapely bio, you’ll be more prepared to create a web presence, start a PR campaign, or show off the new direction your music is taking.
With a graduate degree in writing and a lifelong passion for music, it was only natural that I found my way into music journalism and music PR writing. Since 2008, I’ve published hundreds of articles in sites like Salon, bandcamp, and The Week. In that time I’ve also worked with numerous artists to deliver stellar bios and press releases that help them stand out. I’ve written for Grammy winners, Juno-nominated bands, and plenty of projects by amateur artists becoming more professional. You don’t have to be a pro; you just need the drive to thoughtfully promote your music.
As a music journalist, I get dozens of press releases in my inbox daily. I know what makes me want to click a link, and I know what makes me delete it. I bring a journalist’s eye to bio projects, being sure your music reaches the right audience—which is what PR is all about.
“Erin did fantastic work on my bio
for my new album, “Smilin’ At The Future.”
She captured the essence of the record and composed
a beautiful description. It’s very difficult to write
about your own work; hiring Erin was worth every penny
and then some. I couldn’t be happier!””
As well as a music journalist, I’m a well-published creative writer. I have an MFA in creative writing (poetry), which helps me to be more creative and shapely in my writing. I’ve published hundreds of poems, short stories, and essays in literary magazines. I understand what makes language compelling and original.
With me, you get highly personalized service. I’m not a PR firm that’s multitasking and juggling campaigns. I’m not a generic site where you don’t know anything about your writer. I’m a music nerd in my apartment, and I’m good at asking the right questions—and listening to you. Clients often tell me they appreciate my care and professionalism in writing about difficult topics in their personal lives. And you can always call me on my personal cell phone if anything comes up.
When I work with an artist, I listen to the music they’ll be promoting and email over a list of questions. I also make myself available by phone or video chat. Once I get your answers back, I’ll get to work on a first draft. I will send that back to you for your suggested edits, and then you’ll have a bio that suits your music and vision.
My turnaround is two weeks from receiving your deposit. Please keep in mind that the more available you are to answer questions, the more quickly the work will go.
I offer several different tiers. Please feel free to reach out if you require something more customized.
Song blurbs: Just want me to listen to a song and come up with a pithy little description? I can do that. This is not a review, but my own description of your song if you need that for a single release. $40 per song.
Half page bio: This bio includes a questionnaire and listening to your music. It doesn’t go into depth song-by-song, but if you need to have an overview, this is a good choice. I will introduce you and your project by some of your themes and goals, and I can highlight a couple tracks. These are around 400 words and cost $300.
A full custom bio is $440, half of which is due up front as a deposit. For this bio, I’ll send you a questionnaire, listen to your music, listen to / read other media you send, and research artists with similar trajectories before writing. The first draft I send you will be around 750 words (standard), and I will revise it according to your feedback. You are able to add on a shortened version at a lower rate.
For all tiers, I do require half the fee as a deposit and the rest paid upon completion.
If you have a bigger or smaller project in mind, or you need a quick turnaround, please email me at erinlyndalmartin at gmail dot com.
I am happy to work out a special rate for ongoing work with PR firms, labels, managers, etc.
Here are some bios I’ve written. Get in touch with the contact form below if you’re interested in hiring me.
