what is an essay byline

What is a Byline And Where Do You Put it in Your Article?

February 26, 2024
blogging , Freelancing Tips

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What is a byline, the importance of the byline | attributing authorship and building trust, what are the different types of bylines in writing, where can i put a byline, how to write a byline.

Have you ever flipped through a magazine or scrolled through news articles and wondered, “Who wrote this captivating piece?” The answer often lies in a simple yet crucial element: the byline.

This seemingly small detail carries significant weight, both for writers and readers alike. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll delve into the world of bylines, exploring their meaning, purpose, and best practices for placement.

Whether you’re a seasoned writer or embarking on your writing journey, understanding the power of the byline is essential.

It not only credits the individual behind the words but also serves as a key element in building an authorial brand and fostering trust with readers.

So, buckle up as we unveil the byline’s significance and guide you on where to strategically place it within your articles.

Read Also: The Beginner’s Guide to Writing a Memoir: Finding Your Story

In an article, a byline is a line of text that identifies the author of the piece. It typically appears either below the title or at the end of the article and can include the following information:

Author’s name: This is the most common element of a byline.
Title or credentials: Sometimes, the byline might also mention the author’s title (e.g., Dr., Professor, etc.) or relevant academic or professional qualifications.
Brief bio: In some instances, particularly for online content or guest posts, the byline can include a brief author bio outlining their expertise, experience, or other relevant information.

The purpose of a byline is multifaceted:

Credits the author: It acknowledges the creator’s effort, expertise, and unique perspective in crafting the piece.
Builds trust with readers: By knowing who wrote the article, readers gain a sense of the writer’s voice, experience, and perspective, fostering trust and credibility.
Establishes an authorial brand: Consistent use of bylines helps authors build a recognizable name and reputation, making them more sought-after for future writing opportunities.
Provides context and credibility: In certain contexts, a byline can add important context to the content, especially if it comes from a subject-matter expert or a reputable journalist.

There are various forms of bylines depending on the platform and context, including:

Simple byline: Just the author’s name.
Enhanced byline: Includes additional information like titles, credentials, or a brief bio.
Company byline: Used for content created by a team or organization.
Anonymous byline: Used for content where the author’s identity isn’t revealed.
Ghostwritten byline: Credits the individual or entity for whom the content was created, not the actual writer.

At its core, a byline identifies the author of a written piece. It typically consists of the writer’s name, though it can sometimes include additional information like their title, qualifications, or a brief bio. This seemingly simple attribution serves several important purposes.

1. Crediting the Creator: First and foremost, the byline acknowledges the writer’s contribution. It recognizes their effort, expertise, and unique perspective in crafting the piece. This sense of accountability fosters a sense of ownership and pride in the writer, motivating them to produce high-quality content.

2. Building Trust with Readers: A byline establishes a connection between the author and the reader. By understanding who authored the piece, readers understand the writer’s voice, experience, and perspective. This transparency can build trust and credibility, encouraging readers to engage with the content and potentially seek out more of the author’s work.

3. Establishing an Authorial Brand: Bylines become building blocks for an author’s professional identity. By consistently publishing articles with proper bylines, writers begin to build a recognizable name and reputation within their chosen field. This brand recognition becomes valuable, making writers more sought-after and potentially attracting freelance opportunities or future collaborations.

4. Providing Context and Credibility: In certain contexts, a byline can also add significant context and credibility to the content. For example, an article written by a subject matter expert or a reputable journalist carries more weight in the reader’s eyes compared to an anonymous piece.

Read Also: How Much To Charge For Copywriting | Rates In 2024

While the core purpose of identifying the author remains constant, bylines can manifest in various forms depending on the platform and context. Here are some common variations:

1. Simple Byline: This is the most basic format, typically consisting only of the author’s name. It’s prevalent in online publications, newspapers, and magazine articles.

2. Enhanced Byline: Beyond the name, this format can include additional information such as the author’s title, credentials, or a brief bio. This is often seen in guest posts, expert articles, or personal blogs where authors want to establish their expertise or build their online presence.

3. Company Byline: In some cases, particularly with content generated by a team or organization, the byline might reflect the entity instead of a specific individual. This is common for corporate blogs, press releases, or industry publications.

4. Anonymous Byline: While less common, certain publications or platforms might choose to publish content under an anonymous byline. This can be due to safety concerns, protecting the author’s anonymity, or adhering to editorial policies.

5. Ghostwritten Byline: Some situations involve ghostwriting, where the writer’s name is not officially credited, and the byline might attribute the work to the individual or entity for whom the content was created.

When deciding which byline format to use, consider the following factors:

Publication Guidelines: Always consult the platform’s or publication’s specific guidelines regarding byline format and placement.
Article Purpose: If your article aims to establish your expertise or build your brand, an enhanced byline with additional information might be beneficial.
Audience Context: Consider your target audience and what information might be most relevant and informative for them.

A byline is a short text that appears at the beginning of an article or news story, typically just below the headline. It credits the author or authors of the piece. By providing readers with the name of the person or people who wrote the article, a byline establishes credibility and accountability.

The byline usually includes the author’s full name, but it can also include their professional title, affiliation, or social media handles. In some cases, the byline may also include a brief description of the author’s background or expertise.

Bylines are commonly used in newspapers, magazines, websites, and other forms of media to identify the author of a particular piece of content. They help readers understand who is responsible for the information presented and allow them to make informed judgments about the credibility and reliability of the source.

In terms of placement, the byline is typically located at the beginning of the article, either directly below the headline or slightly to the right. This placement ensures that readers can easily identify the author and understand who is responsible for the content they are about to read.

Related: Mastering the Essentials in Writing: A Guide to Effective Communication

Now that we’ve explored different byline formats, let’s delve into the question of placement. Generally, there are two main locations where bylines are positioned:

1. Below the Title: This is the most frequent placement, appearing directly under the article’s title. It offers immediate recognition for the author, drawing attention to their name early on.

2. At the End of the Article: This placement is typically found in shorter articles, blog posts, or online content. It can be integrated into a brief author bio or a dedicated “About the Author” section below the article’s closing paragraph.

Ultimately, the preferred placement may vary depending on the platform, article format, and specific editorial preferences. However, the key is to ensure consistency within your own work and adhere to the guidelines of the publishing platform.

Here are some additional tips for effective byline placement:

Maintain consistency: If you have a preferred format and placement, stick to it for all your publications. This helps build brand recognition and ensures easy identification by your readers.
Consider visual appeal: When formatting your byline, pay attention to font size, alignment, and overall aesthetics. Ensure it complements the article’s overall design and remains visually appealing within the layout.
Optimize for searchability: If your byline includes your website or social media links, ensure they are clickable and optimized for search engines. This can help readers learn more about you and potentially find your other work.

By understanding the significance of bylines, their various forms, and best practices for placement, you can effectively utilize this tool to establish your identity as a writer, build trust with your audience, and navigate the publishing landscape with confidence. Remember, a well-crafted byline is more than just a name; it’s a sign of ownership, credibility, and a gateway for connecting with your readers on a deeper level.

Whether you’re a novice in the freelance writing arena or a seasoned professional, nailing your byline is crucial. Check out our key recommendations:

Limit your byline to two or three concise sentences.
Aim for approximately 50 words.
Include a high-quality image reflecting your confidence, warmth, and authority.
Highlight your expertise without overtly promoting your services.
Infuse personality or a relevant fun fact.
Provide links to incentives from your product or service range, such as free templates, courses, or recipes.
Link to your blog or website’s landing page.
Customize your byline for each publication, ensuring relevance.

Crafting a brief and impactful byline is essential. Readers are drawn to your content for insights and expertise, with information about the author serving as an added bonus. Use powerful words like “effective,” “reputation,” “specialist,” and “mission,” tailoring them to the publication’s tone. Consider the target audience; a financial journal demands a different language than a parenting life hacks blog or a classic motorcycle magazine.

Your choice of photo also plays a role in shaping readers’ perceptions. A confident first impression fosters trust in your words.

Leverage your byline to guide readers to more of your content by including links to your website’s homepage or blog landing page, enhancing your freelance writing following.

Check Also: 27 Best Books On Writing To Make You A Top Writer

The modest byline, often overlooked, holds immense significance for both writers and readers. It acknowledges the author’s contribution, fosters trust with audiences, and lays the groundwork for building a recognizable name in the writing landscape.

By understanding the different forms of bylines, choosing the appropriate placement, and maximizing their potential through various strategies, you can transform this simple element into a powerful tool for your writing career.

Remember, a well-crafted byline is more than just a name printed on paper or displayed on a screen. It’s a mark of ownership, a symbol of credibility, and a gateway to connect with your readers on a deeper level.

So, embrace the power of the byline, use it strategically, and watch your journey as a writer blossom into a vibrant and impactful career.

As you embark on this path, remember to stay curious, keep learning, and most importantly, never stop writing!

A byline is a line of text that identifies the author of a written piece, typically found below the title or at the end of an article. It can include the author’s name, title, credentials, or a brief bio.

Bylines are important for several reasons: They credit the author: They acknowledge the writer’s contribution and effort. They build trust with readers: Knowing the author helps readers assess credibility and connect with the author’s voice. They establish an authorial brand: Consistent use of bylines helps writers build recognition and reputation. They can provide context: In some cases, the author’s expertise can add context or significance to the content.

Simple byline: Just the author’s name. Enhanced byline: Includes additional information like titles, credentials, or a brief bio. Company byline: Used for content created by a team or organization. Anonymous byline: Used for content where the author’s identity isn’t revealed. Ghostwritten byline: Credits the individual or entity for whom the content was created, not the actual writer.

There are two main options for placing your byline: Below the title: This is the most common placement, offering immediate recognition for the author. At the end of the article: Typically found in shorter pieces or online content, often within an “About the Author” section.

Here are some ways to maximize your byline: Share your published work on social media: Promote your work and draw attention to your authorship. Include a call to action: Add a link to your website or portfolio in your byline. Engage with readers: Respond to comments and questions to build a community. Track your progress: Monitor the reach and engagement of your published articles. Network and build relationships: Use your byline as a conversation starter with potential collaborators or editors.

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https://knowadays.com/blog/what-are-bylines-and-how-to-write-one/

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What is a Byline And Where Do You Put It in Your Article?

When it comes to being a freelance writer, you’ve probably come across many freelance writing terms being thrown around to describe different aspects of the job.

One common term that you should definitely know about is a byline.

But what is a byline?

What is a Byline And Where Do You Put It in Your Article?

When you’re getting paid to write articles for clients that feature your name as the author, or you are guest posting on other sites, a well-written byline is key to adding legitimacy to the article to show you are an expert!

And it can also be used to incentivize readers and clients to check out your site.

This little piece of copy is important for your business so that you can make a living as a writer online so it’s important to know what is a byline for an article.

If you don’t have a byline already, or you are looking to spruce up the one you have, let’s get into what bylines are and how you can write one that rocks!

What is a Byline in Writing?

Simply put, a byline is the name under the title of an article that indicates who wrote it.

This is also called an author bio .

You can use bylines that include a selection of articles to show who you have written for and build your portfolio.

What is a byline example?

Here is mine for Zapier.

Many freelance writing jobs , including big publications, will want to see a strong byline that matches their target audience and style of content.

Clients feel more confident commissioning a pitch from you if they know you have published similar content elsewhere.

Having a good byline builds trust with potential clients!

Bylines are also helpful when it comes to building a professional portfolio and showing the world that you are an expert in your niche.

And if you’re trying to drum up some traffic to your own site, bylines are a great way to catch the reader’s attention and encourage them to read more of your content.

While bylines are short and sweet, you need to put some thought into them to make them effective.

How to Write an Author Bio for Your Byline

Overall, bylines should only be 2-3 sentences or 40-60 words. This does depend on the publication or client you have.

This may not seem like a lot, but it’s enough room to include all of the key components of an amazing byline.

Let’s take a look at how you can write an author bio for your byline that will snag writing clients and pique the reader’s interest.

1. Say You Who Are and What You Do

When people are interested in your content, and what to learn more, they really want to know who you are, what you do , and why they should care.

You can use your byline to answer all three questions!

Try to make this section of your byline engaging and not just a matter-of-fact spewing of details.

Think of powerful words to describe what you do. Do you rock content marketing? Do you offer sanity-saving services for busy clients? Do you provide proven SEO optimization?

Doing this exercise can also help you figure out what type of writer you are .

2. Establish Authority

In order to boost your trust with clients, you have to establish authority as a writer in your writing niche.

You can use your byline to establish authority by highlighting information such as your experience, any awards you’ve received, or any major publications you have written for.

For example, in my GoDaddy byline I mention how I help my ideal client SaaS businesses in gaining traffic for leads.

Make sure you stick to accomplishments relevant to the content’s audience.

For example, if you are a financial writer , your audience isn’t going to care if you are a black-belt karate master.

3. Always Link to Your Portfolio

When you’re looking to attract readers and potential clients, it’s important to include a link back to your website or portfolio page.

In fact, you can even directly link to your site’s Hire Me page!

If you don’t have a writer’s website yet, don’t worry – I have you covered! Click here to check out Writer Website in a Weekend .

4. Link to Something Free (If it Makes Sense)

If you’re going to put links in your author byline, you have to give readers a reason to click on them!

Giving an incentive is more of a way to attract readers to your content, but curious clients may want to check out what you have to offer as well!

But just be careful. Some client will not want incentives in their bios so always look at other writers and see if they link to an inventive.

For Smartblogger I know that his authors link to incentives so I did the same in my byline.

Think about what you can offer the audience based on the niche you write for. You can offer a free guide related to something you mention in the article.

Just make sure you stick to one incentive in your byline. You don’t want to overwhelm your readers.

5. Tailor Byline to the Publication

When I say to make your byline unique, I mean to make it unique to the site you are writing for.

This means you can write a separate author bio for each site you write for!

Even though my writing niche is SaaS, as you saw with my SaaS clients – Zapier, GoDaddy and Smartblogger – each byline was tailored to the brand.

For instance, when I started as a freelance writer, I used one byline for all of my posts – then I started noticing popular freelance writers’ author bios on different sites and noticed that they weren’t all the same.

That’s when I started tailoring my byline to highlight my expertise depending on the site I was writing for.

So go ahead and change up your byline but try to stick to the same title or tagline .

6. Use Storytelling to be Personal

Even though you have such a short space to nail who you are and how awesome you are, it’s still important to add some personality to your byline either through storytelling or adding an interesting fact about yourself.

You can do this by mentioning what you do in your free time or giving a little tidbit about who you are.

It’s all about finding a nice balance between showing potential clients what you can do and showing them that you are a human being.

I often mention my twins or my Youtube channels or multiple sites as a way to differentiate myself from other writers.

You can also add some personality to your byline by including a picture that shows you are a professional but that you are also unique.

A Simple Byline Formula

If you’re staring at your computer screen, unsure of what to write for your byline, here’s a simple formula that will help spark your creativity:

[First Name Last Name] is [Title]. [Explanation of Expertise]. [Incentive/Link]. [Personality Sentence].

So, for example:

Elna Cain is a freelance writer specializing in digital marketing, branding, and general marketing tips. When she isn’t writing, she’s chasing around her kids, cat, and husband (and not necessarily in that order). You can find more information and view her profile on Innovative Ink.

From there, I can add in some more accomplishments and an incentive – but it’s the perfect place to start!

Byline Examples to Get You Started

You have the basic formula, but now you need some ideas!

Here are some real-life examples of bylines to get you started:

Rover is a blog for dog people, encouraging their writers to have fun with their bylines!

Here’s what a byline for creative writing elements from one of their authors, Elisabeth Geier looks like:

Elisabeth Geier is a writer, teacher, and animal advocate with extensive animal handling experience and a soft spot for bully breeds and big orange tabbies.

It’s short and sweet but hits on everything the author has expertise in – plus a cute little mention at the end about big orange tabbies!

GetResponse

Check out this byline from the site GetResponse (an email-sending tool):

Marya Jan is a Facebook Ad Strategist. She works with coaches, consultants and service-based entrepreneurs to build their email lists, fill up their webinars with Facebook ads and generate big profits in their businesses. Read more about Marya

Not only does the photo scream personality, but the information nicely highlights the author’s achievements, experience, and connects her writing to the brand she’s writing for: email.

ClearVoice is a platform for clients to connect with freelance writers.

Their writer Jorden provides this interesting byline :

Jorden Roper is a fuschia-haired freelance writer and found of the Writing Revolt blog, where she writes no-BS advice for freelance writers and bloggers. When she’s not working, you can find her traveling, playing music in her band, or hanging out with her Chihuahuas.

In this byline, not only do you get a very clear picture of what she does but also of who she is as a person.

Be a Better Blogger

I really love Beth Hayden’s byline on Be a Better Blogger :

Beth is a copywriter and content writer who specializes in ghostblogging, email marketing campaigns, and sales pages. Download Beth?s free report, The Ultimate Guide to Creating a Warm Welcome Message to get the step-by-step process she uses to create magical welcome messages for her clients.

The picture is warm and friendly and doesn’t look like a staunch professional photo.

She clearly states what she does and what she specializes in. She also included a link to a guide she offers as an incentive – which is perfectly related to her specializations.

Copyhackers

Lianna Patch is an author on the site Copyhackers, which focuses on copywriting. Here is her byline:

Lianna’s greatest dream is to make your customers pause, smile, and click (in that order). She does this through irresistible emails and shockingly effective landing pages. Conquer campaigns with her at Punchline Copy or get quick copy jobs done at SNAP Copy.

How many power words did you see in there???

Dream. Irresistible. Shockingly. Conquer. Quick.

This author nails it when it comes to writing a byline that grabs your attention and elicits an emotional response.

Globe & Mail

What is a byline in a newspaper?

For these types of bylines they are mostly comprised of a headshot, email address and a link to their main social media profile. For Globe & Mail bylines also mention the type of writer they are and location.

Here is an example:

Men’s Health

And what about what is a byline in a magazine look like?

These types of bylines are similar to website bylines like I would have for Wordtune or Blogging Wizard. They state the type of writing they do and where they have bylines.

Here’s one from Erica Sweeny.

Erica Sweeney is a writer who mostly covers health, wellness and careers. She has written for The New York Times, HuffPost, Teen Vogue, Parade, Money, Business Insider and many more.

So, Where Does a Byline Go?

To understand where an author byline goes, it’s important to understand how bylines are added to online content.

In many cases, the client or site you are posting for will give you WordPress login credentials so that you can post the content for review directly from the site.

You would then go under “Users” in the WordPress dashboard and include your byline in your profile.

Writers often do this when they guest post on FreelancerFAQs.com and add their own byline in the backend of WordPress.

Then, it will appear wherever the site owner has decided it will appear in the layout – usually at the end of the content, but sometimes right under the article title.

The other option is to include your byline in your written content when you send it to the client.

You can always ask the client where they prefer the byline to appear (before or after the content) before sending off your finished piece.

Otherwise, it’s most common to include the byline at the end of an article, so you can always paste it there.

I don’t always ask and just put the my byline at the end of the piece if this is the FIRST piece I give to a brand new client.

For example, when Zapier hired me this is what I did for my first article in Google Docs.

This is more beneficial in a way since your readers are more likely to want to know more about you after reading your content.

What is a Byline? Now You Know!

Yes, bylines seem to take a lot of work for something so short, but don’t worry if you don’t nail your byline on your first try.

I went through many bylines before I found the ones that worked for me!

Overall, it’s better to have any byline than none, so make sure you start including one with all of your written content.

And don’t forget to check out these other posts for more help:

50 Taglines for Freelance Writers + How to Create One Yourself
The Best Professional Title to Use as a Freelance Writer
How to Write a Bio That Will Snag Writing Clients

Do you have a byline you want to share?

Share this post with your friends!

What Are Bylines? (And How to Write One)

By Lynn Godson
Nov 03, 2023
Freelance Tips

Share this article:

If you write blog posts, articles, or news stories, you’re likely to come across the term byline . For a freelance writer, a byline is a way to take full credit for your work, get your name out there, and add to your portfolio .

But what is a byline, exactly?

This blog post will explain exactly what a byline is, why you need one, and how to write one.

What Is a Byline?

A byline is a line that tells readers who has written a piece of content (such as a blog post or article). At the very least, it comprises the author’s name, but a great byline can contain much more than that. Some bylines are more like mini-bios and may include a summary of the author’s background, a photograph, and contact information.

What Are the Benefits of Bylines?

As a freelance writer, it can be difficult to get your work noticed, but a byline can really help.

Your byline not only tells readers that you wrote a particular piece of content; it also gives them an insight into your areas of expertise . It allows you to establish credibility in that area and, in turn, develop a readership who trust your opinions.

Your byline also actively associates you with the brands and publications you write for. If that brand or publication is trusted, you are more likely to be trusted – so it’s a great way to boost your reputation. You are more likely to reach an audience of people who are interested in your particular area of expertise (whether that’s readers or potential clients). All of this can increase demand for what you do and the services you offer. Just keep in mind that readers tend to attribute the values of a publication to its writers, so take care that you do actually want to be associated with their values!

Finally, bylines help you build your portfolio. When seeking new writing opportunities, you need to be able to share examples of your work with potential clients. Clients want reassurance that you have the right knowledge and experience to deliver on their brief . Examples of previous work are the best way to showcase your skills and provide that reassurance.

How to Write a Byline

Whether you’re new to freelance writing or have plenty of experience, it’s important to get your byline right. Here are our top tips:

Keep your byline to two or three sentences.
Use around 50 words.
Include a high-quality image that shows your confident, warm, and authoritative self.
Emphasis your expertise but don’t try to sell your services.
Show your personality or add in a fun fact, if it seems appropriate for the publication.
Link to an incentive from your service or product range, such as a free template, course, or recipe.
Link to a landing page for your blog or your website.
Tailor your byline to each publication. Relevance is key.

It’s important to keep your byline short and punchy. People come to your article primarily because they want to read your content and learn from your expertise. Getting to know a little about you as the author is a great add-on, but it’s not their priority. So, what you say in your byline needs to be impactful.

Use strong words, such as “effective,” “reputation,” “specialist,” and “mission.” If you’re writing for an informal publication, add in adjectives that show your lighter side. There are thousands of dull bylines out there already. Don’t add to their number!

Focus carefully on the type of publication you’re writing for. A byline for a financial journal will contain very different vocabulary than a byline for a blog on life hacks for busy parents or for a magazine on classic motorcycles.

Your choice of photo is another means of influencing your readers toward seeking out more of your writing. If their first impression of you is confident, they’re more likely to have confidence in what you say.

Your byline is a great opportunity to direct readers to more of your content, so add in your website’s homepage or blog landing page, with an incentive if that’s appropriate. Your byline can really help you to build a following for your freelance writing.

Three Byline Examples

Our first example, from US Today , just gives the writer’s name, as is common in newspapers, whether online or in print.

The next example, from The Guardian , gives the writer’s name and a photo. The author’s name is a clickable link, which directs the reader to a portfolio of the author’s previous work for the publication.

This example, from the online version of the UK’s Motorcycle News , gives information about the writer’s role and his relevant interests. Much like the example above, the author’s name is a clickable link that takes the reader to a more in-depth bio, examples of previous work, and contact details.

Becoming a Freelance Writer

A good byline is the writer’s equivalent of a business card. We hope that, after reading our blog post, you’re ready to write your own!

If freelance writing is your dream career, let our Becoming A Freelance Writer course inspire you to realize that dream! The course covers everything you need to know to go from amateur wordsmith to full-fledged professional. Why not give it a go for free?

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What Is an Article Byline?

The byline tells the reader who wrote the article

Animation & Video

In design, a byline is a short phrase that indicates the name of the author of an article in a publication. Used in newspapers, magazines, blogs, and other publications, the byline tells the reader who wrote the piece.

In addition to giving credit where credit is due, a byline adds a level of legitimacy to the article; if a piece has a byline from an experienced writer with a good reputation, it's a sign of credibility for the reader.

Bylines in Online Articles

When the byline appears on an article on a website, it's often accompanied by a hyperlink to the writer's website, email address, or social media handle, or even to another web page on that same site that's full of information on that writer.

This isn't necessarily a standard practice; if a writer is a freelancer or not on staff with the publication in question, there might be no obligation to link to their outside work.

Bylines in Newspapers and Other Publications

Bylines on paper usually appear after the headline or subhead of an article but before the dateline or body copy. It's almost always prefaced by the word "by" or some other wording that indicates that the piece of information is the name of the author.

Difference Between Bylines and Taglines

A byline should not be confused with a tagline, which usually appears at the bottom of an article.

When an author credit appears at the end of the article, sometimes as part of a mini-bio of the author, this is usually referred to as a tagline. Taglines generally serve as complements to bylines. Usually, the top of an article is not a place where a publication wants lots of visual clutter, so things like dates or the writer's area of expertise are saved for the tagline area at the end of the copy.

A tagline may be used if a second writer (other than the one in the byline) contributed to an article but was not responsible for the majority of the work. Taglines also may be used to provide additional information about the author such as his or her email address or phone number.

If the tagline is positioned at the bottom of the article, it's usually accompanied by a couple of sentences giving the writer's credentials or biography. Usually, the author's name is bold or in a large font, and differentiated from the body text by a box or other graphics.

The Appearance of a Byline

The byline is a simple element. It's distinct from the headline and body copy and should be set apart but does not require a prominent design element like a box or a large font.

Here are some byline examples:

By John Q. Public
Written by John Q. Public
John Doe, Political Correspondent
John Doe, as told to John Q. Public
By John Doe, MD

After you decide on a style — font, size, weight, alignment, and format — for bylines in the publication you're working on, be consistent. Your bylines should look uniform and be unobtrusive unless there's a compelling reason to prominently highlight the writer's name.

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What Are Author Bios and Bylines and How to Write Them (+ Examples)

Updated on Dec 05, 2023
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Since I started publishing in magazines and websites owned by somebody else, I’ve had to consider these terms. If you’re a writer, I bet you’ve heard about them yourself. So, today, let’s look at what they are, why and when you need them, and how to write them.

And then, we’ll wrap up with some author bio examples for inspiration.

The Difference Between Author Bios and Bylines

A lot of people confuse author bios and bylines. Believe it or not, I’ve seen some bloggers literally say that bylines and bios are the same thing. They are NOT.

A byline is just the author’s name while a bio includes the name of the author and a paragraph with an overview of the author’s identity and/or accomplishments.

So, first thing first, let’s define a byline and a bio clearly and see how they’re different from each other.

What is an author’s byline?

The screenshot below is an example of a byline from the online magazine Splice Today . The byline with the author’s name (mine!) is in gray in between the headline (title) and the subheading.

Screenshot of a byline example: Here you can see my name (in gray) between the headline and the subheader. This article was published in an online magazine called Splice Today.

In other words, a byline is simply the author’s name and nothing more.

Exceptions to bylines:

Sometimes, especially in online publications such as personal blogs where there’s only one author—the owner of the blog website—they may choose not to publish their name in every single blog post. In this case, there are no bylines. However, in this scenario, the author’s identity is obvious even without the byline.
Ghostwriters never get a byline because that is the nature of ghostwriting. These writers’ names are hidden, or they write under someone else’s name. In the latter case, this “someone else” may get a byline even though they’re not the original author.

The screenshot below is from Neil Patel’s blog. Here, there is no byline, but it is clear that Neil Patel is the writer because it is his website. We also see his bio in the sidebar (we’ll talk about author bios in a minute!) and his photos are splashed all over the website, making it obvious who the author is.

However, is it really Neil Patel who wrote this article? Is it possible that a hired/contracted ghostwriter has written this post? We’ll never know because there’s no byline!

Screenshot of Neil Patel's blog where there is no byline.

Why should you care about bylines?

A byline is proof that you’re the author of a piece of writing. To us writers, bylines help us create our writing portfolios. We need them for our resumes.

If you pitch an editor of The New York Times and tell them you have bylines in The Atlantic and The Washington Post, they’ll likely pay it more attention than a total rando with no bylines.

Even in the world of bloggers, bylines can be handy, especially if you’re a freelance blogger/content writer. SaaS and UX writers, for example, can benefit from having bylines on websites like Zapier, GoDaddy Garage, HubSpot, etc. The reason why so many writers covet guest posts, even when it’s labor without monetary compensation, is for this very reason — they want to build up their writing portfolio.

Without a byline, there’s no proof of your accomplishments. Nobody will know what you’re capable of or if you’re worth hiring or commissioning.

So, unless you’re ghostwriting for a hefty payment, make sure all your writing comes with a byline. Otherwise, there’s no point in publishing in a magazine or blog that isn’t your own.

Should you have a byline in your own blog?

Depends on your personal taste.

In any case, on your own website, you should make it perfectly clear that whatever is written comes from you or has your approval. Basically, you are responsible and accountable for everything that is published on your website.

For example, in Neil Patel’s blog, even though there’s no byline, it is abundantly clear that it is indeed his website. His images are splashed all over the site. His face is basically the brand of his business. No matter who is writing these blog posts, it’s Neil’s words.

Personally, I like having a byline on The Side Blogger . This also allows me to commission other writers or have guest bloggers from time to time and they all publish under their own bylines. So, having a consistent design across the site where you always see the author’s name in every single article is useful.

Now, let’s talk about author bios.

What is an author bio?

The image below shows the author bio of Si Quan Ong who writes on Ahrefs blog .

An example of an author bio from Ahrefs blog.

In blogs or online magazines and news outlets, you may see the author bio in a few different ways:

In a website, an author bio may not appear alongside the article. But, the byline may be hyperlinked with the author’s bio page (as in, when you click the author’s name, it takes you to a separate page that has the author’s bio and a list of articles they have published on that website.)
A website may have the author’s bio alongside their article(s) on the same page. It may appear in the sidebar or under the article.
Some websites have an author page that lists all the articles published by that author on that website, but no bio.
Some other websites have the byline only and no bio or author page.

Do you need an author bio?

Author bios are typically built into the website’s larger system. Some websites have them. Others don’t. And they’re not nearly as important as a byline. Even if you do not have a bio, your byline proves your authorship of a piece of writing.

To give you an example, I’ve written several pieces for Splice Today and my author page simply includes a list of articles and no bio. But that’s fine. That’s how all of their author pages look like and I don’t care whether or not they include my bio.

But, if a website has author bios built into their system, then they’ll ask you for one. And when they do, you must provide it. And since it’ll be on that website, you better do a good job and not send over a sloppy paragraph, right?

Author bio specifications

All websites have their own specifications for author bios, and they’ll let you know what these are. If you’re writing for a website and they have author bios (do a little research before you pitch them or send over a piece of writing) and they haven’t given you specs, then feel free to ask for these.

Typical specifications include:

Whether or not you’ll need to give them a profile photo, and if so, what are the required dimensions?
Is there a minimum and/or maximum word/character count?

How to write an author bio

There’s no rule for writing author bios and it depends entirely on what you’re trying to achieve.

As I said earlier, the byline is the most important thing for a writer; the bio is a sweet extra.

What to include in an author bio:

I’ve seen writers include one or more of the following in their author bios.

Personal details (pronouns, sexuality, BIPOC denomination, or whatever establishes their identity, personality, background, etc.)
Past publications
Author’s social media and/or website
Author’s location (it doesn’t have to be specific, just the state/province or even just the country is fine.)

Author bio examples

Let’s look at a few author bio examples, shall we?

A mini resume

Often, SaaS, UX, and content writers will use their bio as a mini resume and they’ll list what they do, where their expertise lie, and a link to their website or a larger portfolio. This way, potential employers or anyone interested in hiring a writer with similar skill sets can get in touch with the author.

Below you’ll see an example of an author bio from Hubspot . I like it because it’s short but gets to the point quickly — introduces who Stephanie Trovato is and who she’s worked with to establish her expertise — all business, no play but that’s perfect for these short bios.

Stephanie is a content marketing expert with a passion for connecting the dots of strategy and content. She has worked with industry leaders including HubSpot, Oracle, Travel + Leisure, and Forbes.

Screenshot of an author bio from Hubspot.

You’re not only your job title

Krystina Martinez’s author bio on Zapier is a mix of business and fun facts about herself. I like this one a lot! It doesn’t have a link to her website or a long list of past clients, but maybe that’s not necessary? I mean, but the sound of it, she has a J.O.B. as a content writer at Zapier, so maybe the bio is just a nice touch here and not so much a tool for prospecting new clients or employers.

Krystina Martinez is a writer on Zapier’s content marketing team, based in Dallas, Texas. When she’s not working, you can find her sewing, exercising, or watching anime and gymnastics.

Screenshot of an author bio from Zapier.

The braggart

If you have names like the New York Times and the New Yorker on your resume, wouldn’t you want to boast too? That’s what Hala Alyan has done in Guernica .

Hala Alyan is a Palestinian American writer and clinical psychologist whose work has appeared in The New Yorker, The New York Times, POETRY, and elsewhere. Her poetry collections have won the Arab American Book Award and the Crab Orchard Series, and her debut novel, Salt Houses, won the Dayton Literary Peace Prize. Her latest novel, The Arsonists’ City, was a finalist for the 2022 Aspen Words Literary Prize. Her forthcoming collection of poetry, The Moon That Turns You Back, will be published by Ecco.

Screenshot of an author bio from Guernica.

Vainglory is not mandatory

In the end, nobody really cares about your author bio… except maybe you.

Let me remind you once again: your byline is more important than your author bio. If you want to brag about your long list of accomplishments in that tiny paragraph or two, you’re really just tickling your own ego… which is totally fine, by the way. I mean, when I’ve published in Guernica or Granta or the Paris Review , you bet I’ll be listing those names off on all of my bios whether or not other people give a damn! ‘Cause I do, dammit!

My point is, if you don’t care about listing off your past publications, that’s totally fine. The author bio has neither made nor dismantled anybody’s writing career as far as I know.

Here’s a modest author bio of Doug Crandell from The Sun magazine even though he has plenty to brag about.

Doug Crandell has fallen in love with fall crocuses. He plants the bulbs on a little farm in Douglasville, Georgia.

Screenshot of an author bio from The Sun magazine.

A few tips for author bios

Earlier I said an author bio neither makes nor breaks a career. I stand by it.

However, I also kinda sorta implied that nobody cares about your bio except for you.

Well, that may not be so true, after all.

Here’s why I’m contradicting myself: The only times I care to read an author bio is when I’ve been really impressed by a certain piece of writing. As a reader, I become interested in the person behind the words, so I click the byline and try to find out more about the author.

So, it may be that while bios are not as important for building a career as a byline, they’re still a great way to build connections with readers.

The publishing world looks very different these days, thanks to social media. If you have your own following, you can market your work more effectively, on your own, without having to rely on a third-party PR team. So, a bio could very well be a place where you try to woo your readers into following you or learning more about you.

A crafty writer may convince a reader to buy their books, or follow them on social, or sign up for their newsletter just by flirting their way through that teeny-tiny author bio!

So, brag away if you want to, or use humor to charm your reader, or do both! It’s up to you how to want to engage your readers, after all.

And finally, know that you can craft a bio based on where your writing appears.

For example, this is what my bio looks like on this website: a mix of business and some personal details:

Maliha (they/she) is a writer, blogger, editor, and content marketer. They’re the owner of The Side Blogger , a Canva Verified Expert, and a confident procrastinator at large.

Screenshot of an author bio from The Side Blogger.

But I have a totally different bio on Porter House Review where I published a short personal essay last year. Here I wrote whatever I wanted, really. I didn’t even mention anything about content marketing or blogging because, in an author bio for a literary magazine where I published creative nonfiction, these qualifications are unnecessary.

Maliha is an electrical engineer and writer of essays and short stories. She lives in sunny Colorado despite a mild sun allergy, spends way too much time walking around aimlessly or reading in libraries or drinking chai in coffee shops, and has a thing for analog cameras, especially Polaroids.

Screenshot of my author bio on Porter House Review.

That is all.

I hope this post helps you understand the difference between an author byline (literally a line in a piece of writing with the author’s name in it) and an author bio (a mini-biography of one or two paragraphs at most) and gives you enough ideas to draw from when you’re writing your own bio.

Questions or thoughts? Share in the comments below.

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Oxford University Press's Academic Insights for the Thinking World

How to write a byline

Dangerous Crooked Scoundrels

By Edwin L. Battistella
October 9 th 2020

A while back, I wrote a post on how to write a biography , with some tips for long-form writing about historical and public figures. However, that’s not the only kind of biographical writing you might be called upon to do. You might need to write about yourself.

Many people are comfortable writing a personal bio of about two hundred words, but it can be surprisingly tricky to write a short byline for use in a newspaper, magazine, web article, or announcement for a talk. Here are a few tips.

Keep it short: The challenge of a byline is not just what to say but what to leave out. We’ve all suffered though dreary introductions that go on way too long. A byline is not a résumé. More is not always better.

Be yourself, but without the boring parts and with some sass: When I teach writing for publication, I ask students to craft a handful of 12-15 word bylines on the first day. Here are some examples, where writers both exhibit personality and give readers something to ponder.

Aurora loves jogging, juggling, and haggling, not necessarily in that order. Joni plans a career in publishing once she is finished staring into the abyss. Brian is trying not to say “um” any more than is absolutely necessary. Cassidy is an incredibly sleep-deprived Pisces with a mild Twitter addiction. Readers can identify with these personal characteristics.

Build credibility indirectly: So-and-so “is the award-winning author of” is fine for some audiences, but often an interesting personal detail is a more engaging way to build your credibility. You can paint a picture:

Jasper Fforde recently traded a varied career in the film industry for vacantly staring out the window and arranging words on a page.

You can offer authority and authenticity, as these two mystery/thriller writers do:

John Straley, a criminal investigator for the state of Alaska, lives in Sitka, with his son and wife, a marine biologist who studies whales. April Henry knows how to kill you in a two-dozen different ways. She makes up for a peaceful childhood in an intact home by killing off fictional characters.

Consider the audience and occasion: You can—and you should—tailor your byline for particular audiences. What aspect of your background can you emphasize to make a connection to your audience? When I include that I’m from central New Jersey or that I own more dictionaries than anyone needs, I almost always get a reaction.

Use a byline to keep your focus: When you begin a piece of writing, consider writing a byline as your first step. The byline establishes a persona and defines your voice in the piece.

A student of mine, writing on the ways that millennials are revitalizing the plant industry, started with this byline, which gave her a voice to navigate the botany and economics of her topic.

Laura Becker is a tail-end millennial from California and currently resides in Oregon. She enjoys reading, spending time with her fur baby Ponyo, and watering her plants. When she isn’t doing one of those things, she can be found browsing Etsy or Amazon for her next plant.

When in doubt: If you are s tuck on a byline, make a list of your favorite things to do, places to go, or things to eat. Look through some old photos or memorabilia, or through your closet.

Browse your bookshelves to borrow from other writers. Here’s one from poet Zeke Hudson, that I really wish I had thought of:

Zeke Hudson is… he’s uh… well, he’s usually much better at writing bios. This one’s a real clunker. You can see some of his better bios in Wend Poetry, Nightblock, and Banango Street , or in his chapbook from Thrush Press . Sorry everyone.

What’s your twelve-word byline?

Featured image by Rishabh Sharma via Unsplash

As an undergraduate, Edwin Battistella was the world's worst Russian major. Linguistics came along just in time. His books include Bad Language: Are Some Words Better than Others? , Sorry About That: The Language of Public Apology , and Dangerous Crooked Scoundrels: Insulting the President, from Washington to Trump .

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What is a Byline?

Historical background.

A byline is a line in an article that names the author. Traditionally, bylines have been used in newspapers and magazines to credit the writer of a piece. The concept originated in the 19th century, providing a way for authors to receive recognition for their work.

Evolution of Byline in Journalism

The way bylines are used has changed over time. They were rare at first, mostly reserved for opinion pieces or special reports. Bylines are now a commonplace feature in practically all written content on a variety of media platforms.

The Structure of a Byline

Typical components.

Three things usually make up a byline: the name of the author, the publication date, and occasionally a short bio or qualifications. It is essential to include the author’s name because it acknowledges the writer and increases their legitimacy.

The information’s release date aids readers in comprehending the information’s relevance and context. A brief biography can add to the reader’s understanding of the author’s experience and credentials. When combined, these components give a byline impact.

Positioning in Articles

A byline is usually positioned immediately beneath the article’s headline. The author’s name is typically included, along with perhaps their title or qualifications.

By placing the author’s name prominently, readers are certain to know who produced the article right away, demonstrating their authority and ownership of the content.

Bylines also improve transparency by enabling readers to learn more about the author’s experience and credentials, which can have a big influence on how reliable the content is seen.

Importance of a Byline for Authors

Establishing credibility.

For writers, building credibility is essential, and a byline helps a lot with that. A byline, which is the name of the author placed beside their work, lets readers know that the information is reliable and supported by a real person.

It contributes to the author’s increased authority and reputation in their industry. By routinely utilizing a byline, writers can position themselves as trustworthy sources and encourage audience awareness.

Building a Professional Brand

For authors, developing a professional identity is essential, and a byline is a big part of that process. An article’s byline, which is the author’s name at the start or finish, lends authority and notoriety.

It makes it possible for readers to identify the author with the content, which fosters audience loyalty. A byline can also improve an author’s portfolio, which will help them get additional writing opportunities and progress their profession.

Byline vs. Ghostwriting

Key differences.

Ghostwriting and bylining are very different. An acknowledgement byline increases the author’s visibility and authority. On the other hand, ghostwriting is creating articles under someone else’s name without giving them credit in public.

An author’s reputation and portfolio are enhanced by a byline, whereas ghostwriters stay nameless in exchange for more compensation. In the writing industry, these roles have varying effects on an author’s career path and level of public recognition.

When to Choose Each

Think about your objectives while choosing between ghostwriting and a byline. If you want to establish your reputation and get noticed for your work, a byline is perfect.

It increases your visibility and credibility by adding your name to the article. Conversely, ghostwriting is best suited for people who would rather work in the background or write for clients who wish to claim authorship. Choose a byline to improve your credibility in the workplace.

Impact of Byline on Author Credibility

Reader trust and engagement.

Trust and engagement among readers are greatly impacted by a byline. Readers are more likely to accept and believe an author when they see a byline, which establishes legitimacy.

Readers can relate to the author’s experience and viewpoint by knowing who penned the piece. Readers are more likely to remark, share, and come back for more content when there is a connection between them and the article. As a result, a distinct byline increases reader loyalty while also establishing author legitimacy.

Professional Recognition

The professional recognition of an author is greatly enhanced by a byline. A byline establishes the author’s authority and credibility in their profession by linking their name to their work.

Additional chances, such speaking engagements, writing assignments, and collaborations, may arise as a result of this recognition.

Bylines serve as a sign of trust, demonstrating to readers and business professionals the author’s dependability as a knowledgeable and insightful source. In the end, a byline aids in the development of writers’ reputations and careers.

Byline in Different Types of Publications

A byline in a newspaper tells readers who wrote the piece and is an essential component. It usually shows up immediately beneath the headline at the start of an article.

By attributing the work to a particular journalist, the byline enhances the author’s credibility and gives readers confidence in the accuracy of the information provided.

In addition to providing recognition, a byline helps a writer establish a professional reputation in the journalism industry.

A byline in a magazine is essential since it identifies the writer of the piece, provides credit, and establishes the writer’s authority. It usually appears beneath the headline and occasionally has a little autobiography of the author attached.

A byline aids readers in identifying reputable contributors and comprehending their level of experience. In magazines, where preserving credibility is crucial for reader trust and engagement, this transparency is crucial. Therefore, the author’s perceived authority is greatly impacted by the byline.

Online Blogs

A byline is essential for building author reputation in online blogs. Usually, it contains the name of the author along with perhaps their qualifications or connections.

This makes it easier for readers to determine the author of the information and gauge their level of competence. A blog’s credibility can be increased with a clear byline, which increases the likelihood that visitors will appreciate and interact with the content. As a result, a clear byline enhances the blog’s trustworthiness overall and gives credit to the writer in online blogs.

Byline Etiquette

Proper usage.

To preserve professionalism and author credibility, a byline must be used correctly. The author of the content should be appropriately identified in the byline, with their name spelt and placed correctly on the piece.

Inaccurate crediting of others’ efforts or presenting false information might erode the audience’s faith in the author. Authors maintain their reputations and make sure their efforts are appropriately acknowledged by adhering to these byline etiquette guidelines.

Ethical Considerations

The ethical aspects of byline etiquette are very important. Giving credit where credit is due is ensured by having an accurate byline that identifies the genuine author of the work.

The credibility and trustworthiness of publication might be damaged by utilizing false names or bylining bylines. Important behaviors also include honoring confidentiality agreements and refraining from claiming excessive credit for teamwork. Accurate byline citation preserves the publication’s credibility while also acknowledging the author’s work.

How to Write an Effective Byline

Tips and best practices.

Keep it simple and professional.
Include relevant titles or positions.
Ensure accuracy and consistency.

Bylines are more than just a name under a headline. They play a crucial role in establishing author credibility, building professional brands, and enhancing reader trust. As digital media continues to evolve, the significance of bylines will only grow, making them an indispensable part of the writing world.

Frequently Asked Questions

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What Is Byline And Where To Put It In Article: The Ultimate Guide

In the realm of journalism and writing, the byline serves as a crucial identifier, connecting readers with the minds behind the words. Understanding what is byline and where to put it in article is important for all authors and publishers.

In this comprehensive guide, we delve into the essence of the byline, exploring its purpose, evolution, and its placement strategies. Whether you’re a seasoned journalist or an aspiring writer, unlocking the secrets of the byline promises to enhance your understanding.

Let’s delve deep into the details and learn what is byline and where to put it in the article.

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Table of Contents

What Is Byline In Writing:

A byline is the attribution of authorship, crediting the individual responsible for creating the content. It serves as a vital marker, connecting readers with the minds behind the words, and fostering transparency and accountability. Bylines provide recognition for writers’ work, establishing credibility and authority within their respective fields.

They serve as a hallmark of journalistic integrity, signaling the origin of information and inviting readers to engage with the writer’s perspective. Understanding the significance of the byline illuminates its role in shaping discourse and fostering connections between writers and audiences.

What Is The Purpose Of Byline:

The most common purposes are listed below:

Attribution of authorship
Provides recognition for the writer’s work
Establishes credibility and authority
Fosters transparency and accountability
Signals the origin of information
Invites readers to engage with the writer’s perspective
Facilitates connections between writers and audiences
Serves as a hallmark of journalistic integrity

Where To Put Byline In Your Article:

In the structure of an article, the placement of the byline holds significant importance, serving as a beacon guiding readers to the author’s identity. Typically positioned at the beginning or end of the piece, the byline offers immediate clarity or leaves a lasting impression. Placing it at the outset establishes the writer’s authority from the outset, setting the tone for the reader’s engagement.

Alternatively, positioning it at the conclusion provides a memorable sign-off, reinforcing the writer’s contribution and leaving a lasting imprint on the audience. Ultimately, strategic placement enhances the article’s impact and the writer’s visibility.

Difference Between Biography and Auto Biography:

How To Write Author Bio :

Introduction to the author bio:.

The author’s bio acts as a window into the writer’s persona, offering readers a glimpse into their background, expertise, and personality. It serves as a brief introduction, setting the stage for the reader’s engagement with the writer’s work. This section provides a crucial opportunity for writers to establish their identity and credentials, building trust and credibility with their audience.

Choose a Professional Tone:

Maintaining a professional tone in your author bio is essential for establishing credibility and authority. By adopting a professional demeanor, you convey competence and expertise, earning the trust of your audience. This sets the tone for your relationship with readers, signaling that you take your work seriously and are committed to delivering high-quality content.

Highlight Relevant Expertise and Credentials:

Emphasizing your relevant experience, qualifications, and achievements in your author bio helps to build trust and credibility with your audience. By showcasing your expertise, you demonstrate your authority on the subject, making your content more compelling and trustworthy. This section provides readers with valuable context, allowing them to understand why they should trust your insights and opinions.

Keep it Concise and Engaging:

Crafting a concise yet engaging author bio is crucial for capturing readers’ attention and conveying essential information about yourself. Avoid unnecessary details and focus on highlighting the most relevant aspects of your background and expertise to keep readers interested and informed. This section should be clear, concise, and easy to read, ensuring that readers can quickly grasp who you are and what you have to offer.

Incorporate a Personal Touch:

Injecting a personal touch into your author bio humanizes your writing and fosters a deeper connection with your audience. By sharing personal anecdotes , interests, or values, you create a sense of intimacy and relatability, making readers more inclined to engage with your work. This section allows you to showcase your personality and unique perspective, helping you stand out in a crowded field of writers.

Include Contact Information or Social Media Links:

Providing contact information or links to your social media profiles in your author bio encourages further interaction and connection with your audience. By making yourself accessible, you invite readers to reach out, ask questions, or engage in discussions, strengthening your relationship with them. This section serves as a bridge between you and your readers, facilitating ongoing communication and engagement beyond the confines of your written work.

Different Examples of Byline:

Here are a few examples with a short description of each.

Standard Byline:

“By John Smith”

This simple byline provides the author’s name without additional details, offering a clear attribution of authorship.

With Credentials:

“By Jane Doe, PhD”

Adding academic or professional credentials enhances the author’s credibility and expertise, lending weight to their writing.

With Affiliation:

“By Emily Johnson, Staff Writer at XYZ Magazine”

Including the author’s affiliation contextualizes their role within a specific publication or organization, establishing their professional standing.

With Expertise:

“By Michael Brown, Financial Analyst and Investment Advisor”

Mentioning the author’s expertise or specialization provides insight into their qualifications, bolstering their authority on the topic.

Byline with Personal Touch:

“By Sarah Lee, Avid Traveler and Dog Lover”

Adding personal details, such as hobbies or interests, humanizes the author, making them more relatable to readers.

Dual Byline:

“By Lisa Smith and Mark Johnson”

When multiple authors contribute, a dual byline credits both equally for their collaborative effort, ensuring recognition for each contributor.

Guest Byline:

“By Guest Contributor: Samantha Clark”

Guest bylines acknowledge external contributors, bringing diverse perspectives and expertise to the publication’s content.

Conclusion: What is Byline:

To sum up, the byline is not just a mere attribution but a gateway for writers to connect with their audience. By mastering the art of crafting a compelling byline, authors can assert their authority, engage readers, and leave a memorable impression.

Whether it’s through highlighting credentials, infusing personal touches, or acknowledging affiliations, each byline serves as a unique opportunity to establish credibility and build rapport. In today’s digital age, harnessing the potential of the byline is essential for writers aiming to thrive in the competitive landscape of publishing.

FAQs: What is Byline

What is byline?

It is the attribution of authorship in a published work, typically appearing at the beginning or end of an article, essay, or blog post.

Why is the byline important?

It helps readers identify the writer and establishes credibility and accountability for the content.

Where should I place my byline in an article?

These are usually positioned at the beginning or end of an article, with placement depending on editorial guidelines or personal preference.

What should I include in my author bio?

Your author bio should highlight relevant expertise, credentials, and a personal touch to connect with readers.

Can multiple authors share a byline?

Yes, it is common for authors to contribute in content and mention the credentials of each collaborator at the end.

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How to Write a Strong Byline

It’s hard for a writer to establish themselves and the brand they represent in a memorable way. A strong byline is key to freelancers standing out and cultivating their unique personal brand. Whether you’re creating content for your website, to submit to a publisher, or for a featured piece, knowing how to write a byline is an opportunity to build your brand and stand out in your field.

Our tips in the comprehensive guide below outline how to highlight your strengths, write a strong byline, and improve your writing skills .

What Is a Byline?

A byline is a text line that tells readers who the author of a piece is. At minimum, it will include the author’s name, but strong bylined articles typically have a short bio to let readers know the background and experience of the writer.

Bylines are a chance to familiarize readers with your work and field. Relevant and impressive bylines help present you as a credible authority on the subject of your article and help cement your brand as a writer. Think of your byline as your first impression that encapsulates your values and builds trust with your readers.

Why Are Bylines Important?

A byline tells readers who you are, what you value, and what makes you credible in your field. A strong byline can support readership, credibility, and your portfolio all at once. Especially in the freelance world, it’s important to establish yourself with a unique viewpoint that only you can offer.

In addition to readership, your byline can help associate you with the publications and brands you write for. If you work for a revered company that is highly regarded and trusted by customers, you are more likely to be trusted by readers by pure association and reputation.

What Should You Include in a Byline?

As a writer, your byline is your foot in the door with readers and their first impression of you. Here’s what to include to ensure your byline is the most effective it can be:

1. Who You Are and What You Do

It’s important to show your readers who you are. Personal information like where you’re from, where you live, and where you were educated are important inclusions to highlight your background while building credibility with readers. A byline may include a clear, professional photo of you (typically a headshot) that represents you as a writer.

Here’s an example: Dr. John Doe is a scientist specializing in microbiology. Doe studied at Harvard Medical School and runs a genetic disorder practice in Boston. He is the author of Genes Up Close .

You can even include a fun fact that shows off your personality if it fits the tone of the publication. Your byline will be edited for each publication — like a resume — so be prepared to make tweaks and adjustments for specific publications.

Looking at the example again, we can show off Doe’s personality a little more with the addition of: In his spare time, Doe is a tour guide at the Boston Museum of Science.

2. Previous Experience, Areas of Expertise, and Fields of Knowledge

Your byline should include your areas of expertise and fields of knowledge. If you’re publishing a scientific magazine or journal, include studies you’ve conducted in the field, certifications you have, or other background experience that qualifies you.

A byline from Science News for an article on climate change and Antarctic glaciers cites the author’s travel experience and funding to showcase experience and prestige: Douglas Fox is a freelance journalist based in northern California. He was funded by the National Science Foundation to travel to Antarctica from November 2019 to January 2020.

Fox builds trust with readers and subscribers as an authority through direct experience and first-hand study. Your byline should provide relevant information on why you’re trusted on your topic, as Fox does here. Previous experience writing in that field is always helpful.

As a writer or editor, your writing is your personal brand, so in order to build your business, you need readers to trust you. This will lead to higher retention in return readers. It helps you cultivate brand loyalty and grow your business.

3. Your Portfolio, Blog, or Website

A byline is an opportunity to connect your readers with more of your work. Including a link to your portfolio, blog, or website allows readers to find your work instantly and connect with your writing. This ultimately builds subscribers and helps you to create lasting bonds. If someone reads your piece and enjoys it, give them instant access to all of your writing in one place.

Your brand consists of your work and what you present to the world, so make sure your byline will boost and strengthen it. Include your niche as a writer and what makes you the right fit for each piece. A great byline is like a digital business card that connects your readers directly to you — so take the opportunity to build readership!

How to Write a Byline

Not sure where to begin or how to write a byline that will impress readers and search engines alike? Look no further. When you’re writing your byline, keep these tips in mind for the strongest and best results:

Keep It Short and Sweet

To get the most out of your byline, keep it short, sweet, and to the point. Limit it to 50 words or less and about two or three sentences. Don’t try to include everything here; your byline should show off your skills without overselling.

Include only the information that is most relevant and important to your piece. Ask yourself what the readers need to know for context and which information is pertinent to the story you’re telling. If your readers are curious and want to know more about you after reading, your byline will direct them to your portfolio or personal website.

Tailor to Each Publication

When you write your byline, think of it like a resume — you will need to tweak it for each specific article and publication. Relevance is key to your freelance success , so don’t include credentials on literature for a scientific article. Edit your byline to each specific publication your work is featured in.

Use a Great Photo

If available and appropriate for the domain, add a high-quality, professional photo that represents your brand. Your readers are more likely to remember your work when they can put your face to your name. Choose a high-quality, clear photograph that shows off your professionalism and your personal style. Don’t let an LQ or busy photo overshadow your writing.

What Is a Strong Byline?

Now that we’ve covered what a strong byline should incorporate, we’ll look at examples. These established writers are published in prominent newspapers, magazines, and newsletters.

Byline Examples

Here are a couple examples of excellent bylines from sources you already know and trust. Different writers and publications also have different styles, so don’t be afraid to personalize and make it your own.

Our first byline is from Saul J Takahashi, a contributor to Al Jazeera, covering conflict in the Middle East. While his website or portfolio isn’t linked, the author establishes their authority as a contributor to the publication. He lists his details, credentials, and location:

Professor of Human Rights and Peace Studies at Osaka Jogakuin University in Osaka, Japan

This next byline is from ContentWriters’ blog. Derek Johnson, Director of Content Strategy, covers the topic of “5 Organic Marketing Strategies for Lead Generation.” Why should we believe Derek’s tips? The byline with background and certification information highlights relevant experience and builds trust with the reader:

Derek is ContentWriters’ Director of Content Strategy. He has helped hundreds of companies improve their web traffic, conversion rate, and content creation efficiency. Derek is particularly knowledgeable in full-cycle sales, eCommerce, SaaS, and B2B marketing, having consulted in those areas for over 5 years. He is HubSpot Content Marketing certified.

Our last byline example is from Time m agazine, from a column on how to fix U.S. election issues. The author establishes her authority and includes links to her other work for the publication:

Thornton is the Senior Vice President of Democracy at the German Marshall Fund of the United States. She previously served overseas in leadership positions at the National Democratic Institute and International IDEA.

Through these varying styles and different examples, we’ve shown just a few potential inspirations for your byline. By highlighting your field, your goals, and your publication, your byline will be its strongest.

A byline is so much more than an author tag on an article. Bylines are an opportunity to build your brand, establish your credibility, and grow readership. Your byline tells readers who you are and what your background is, and it also helps establish your authority on a subject that readers can trust and rely on.

Bylined Articles for Businesses

At ContentWriters, we leverage our writers with expertise and experience valuable to our clients. We offer bylines of our US-based writers with subject matter expertise to be published on your domain alongside our high-quality content. If you need to build your team of writers with diverse experiences and perspectives, connect with our team to discover how we can help.

Kelly Carlin is a writer based in Philadelphia. She was born in Virginia and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in English Language and Literature from James Madison University. Kelly’s writing experience spans music journalism, SEO copy, and DIY self-published zines, as well as nonfiction, fiction, poetry, and prose.

Kelly enjoys live music, reading or watching films with her cats, and cheering on the local Philly sports teams. When she’s not writing, you can find her at local DIY music shows, watching Jeopardy, and going to the movies. Kelly is a founding member of After Hours, a writer’s social club and collective in Philadelphia.

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What is a Byline?

A line identifying the writer of an article or story., putting a face to the name: the importance of bylines in creative writing.

Bylines are an essential part of published pieces in the writing world. They provide readers with the opportunity to connect a name or pseudonym to a particular piece of writing, often leaving a lasting impression or recognition of style and quality. Bylines also carry a level of professionalism, as they indicate the writer is not simply writing anonymously, but is instead taking ownership and accountability for their work.

First appearing in the late 19th century, bylines have evolved from being simply a line of text stating the writer's name to becoming a platform for writers to build their brand and reputation. In addition to traditional publishing, a byline is also integral in digital writing and online content creation, where readers often have access to the writer's social media and website links.

While bylines are often associated with journalism and news articles, they are equally important in creative writing. Bylines in literary journals or on personal websites create a sense of community and allow readers to engage with the author on a deeper level. Moreover, for writers seeking to build a career, bylines serve as tangible evidence of published work and can be used as writing credentials when seeking new opportunities.

Bylines are not only important for writer recognition and credibility, they also play a role in the storytelling within literary works. Here are two examples:

In F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, Nick Carraway is not only the narrator, but the byline of the story, creating an immediate intimacy with his character. The byline serves as a way for Fitzgerald to instantly connect the reader with his protagonist and bring them into the fast-paced, decadent world of the 1920s.

Charlotte Perkins Gilman's The Yellow Wallpaper is presented as a series of journal entries with no byline. The absence of a byline serves to amplify the narrator's sense of isolation and voicelessness, highlighting the confines of her situation and the need to break free from societal expectations.

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A Non-Writer’s Guide to Bylines

Those new to the writing world (or who don’t write at all – but know “about” writing) hear terms like byline, biography, portfolio, and the like. While these are common to seasoned professionals, that isn’t the case for writers new to the industry. This guide to bylines discusses what they are, their benefits, how to build them, and how byline writing differs from ghostwriting.

Understanding Bylines

We’ve all heard it at one point in our career or another – a writer in our network landed a byline they’ve wanted for ages. But what does that mean? This guide to bylines explains:

What are they?

Bylines are short phrases introducing the article’s author for a specific article, blog post, or other publication. That way, readers can identify the name of the person writing what they’re reading. You’ll typically find bylines underneath the content’s title or in a short author blurb at the end of the piece.

Why are they beneficial?

Bylines are beneficial to writers in that they help them develop a professional portfolio and branding. Additional benefits include:

Establishing credibility: As far as branding and niching down go, a writer’s byline helps freelancers establish credibility in their area of expertise and target audience.
Establishing a platform: If writers are enthusiastic about a topic, bylines give them a sounding board to speak from when developing their platform.
Fostering connections for future engagements: Bylines allow writers to develop engagements with brands, clients, publications, and websites for future engagement.

How to Build Up Bylines

Every writer has to start somewhere, and if you don’t have bylines, you might feel like you aren’t getting anywhere. While it’s challenging to secure work or get pitches accepted without bylines, it isn’t impossible. Let’s look at two strategies for building your bylines:

Years ago, it seemed like everyone was jumping on the “blogging bandwagon.” We can still find countless blogs about every topic, but writers might relegate themselves to long-form social media posting instead. However, if you’re trying to create a list of bylines, those posts might not be as valuable as you think. They’re great for attracting your target audience, but they don’t give you a solid writing clip to which you can refer.

Here are three blogging strategies to consider instead of or alongside your social media efforts:

Start a blog on your business website: If you have a website, keep it up-to-date with content highlighting your strengths, expertise, and niche topics.
Guest posting: Break into a niche or industry by guest posting on a blog that’s willing to give you a byline. Choose high-traffic and reputable sites to position yourself as a thought leader.
Medium: You have options on Medium – you can publish on your account, start a publication, contribute to an existing publication, or any combination of these options.

Networking is a buzzword we hear throughout the writing and content marketing world. We all know it’s crucial to develop a social presence when branding ourselves in a niche. But did you know this is also an excellent way to connect with other writers and learn about:

where to find writing gigs
who is looking for article pitches
which sites or publications are actively seeking contributors

Bylines vs. Ghostwriting

This guide to bylines isn’t complete without a brief discussion of ghostwriting. Some writers refuse to ghostwrite, some make a living off doing it, and others do a combination of the two. No matter which direction you decide to go, it’s essential to understand what ghostwriting is and why it’s beneficial.

What is ghostwriting?

Brands and publications hire ghostwriters to create content without receiving credit for that work. They might write under the name of another brand, company, group, individual, or institution. Ghostwriters work on everything a bylined writer would and more. Here are six examples:

Blogs on behalf of a company CEO or other public figure
Case studies
eBook or print publications
Email and social media copy
Landing pages and other web copy
Whitepapers

Why is ghostwriting beneficial?

Even though you don’t receive a byline, there are benefits to becoming a ghostwriter. Companies that don’t have the chops to produce high-quality content turn to ghostwriters to fill that gap. Here are four benefits companies can reap from collaborating with ghostwriters:

Pitches: If you’re running short on ideas, you can ask ghostwriters to submit pitches – and then you can hand-pick which ideas you like the best.
Professionalism: You’re collaborating with elite writers who understand or have expertise in your industry, follow guidelines, and write using your voice and tone.
SEO: Include search engine optimization strategies in your guidelines for ghostwriters to follow.
Time constraints: It takes time to manage customers or clients, oversee employees, follow up on leads, and the like – collaborating with ghostwriters means companies don’t have to worry about producing content on top of everything else.

Guide to Bylines FAQs

What is a byline in an article.

A byline in an article is a short line featuring the writer’s name that gives them credit for the work in a publication or website.

What do you write in a byline?

You might see publications and websites giving writers space for a brief biography below their byline. That’s where they can include contact information, a blurb about their background, a link to additional content available on the site, and a link to their business website.

Encyclopedia

Writing with artificial intelligence, apa title page.

Table of Contents

What is an APA Title Page?

An APA Title Page refers to

a Title Page for a longer document that is formatted according to the conventions prescribed by the American Psychological Association’s Publication Manual .

The title page is comprised of four elements and two optional elements:

Related Concepts: Archive; Scholarly Conversation; Organization

The Title Page appears at the top of the first page of an APA-styled paper.

Like the rest of the paper, the title page should be double-spaced and typed in Times New Roman, 12 pt. The margins are set at 1” on all sides.

Summary of Required & Optional Elements

Page number
Full title of paper
Author byline (aka bio)
Affiliated Institution(s) or Organization(s)
Running head: The running head became optional in the 7th Edition of the Publication Manual.
Author note

Required Components

The full title of the paper is centered in the upper half of the page, and the first letter of each major word is capitalized. The paper’s title should be a maximum of 12 words and fill one or two lines; avoid using abbreviations and unnecessary words. Do not format the title with bold, italics, underlining, or quotation marks. The title should be centered in the upper portion of the page, centered, and written in boldface. Make sure to capitalize the major words of the title, such as The Silence of the Lambs . Keep your title as concise as possible! You’ll have plenty of time to be detailed in the body text.
The author byline is comprised of the author(s)’ first name(s), middle initial(s), and last name(s); this line follows after the full title of the research paper. Note that two authors are separated by the word and, but more than two authors’ names are separated by commas. Do not include titles, degrees, or honorifics (Mr., Mrs., Mx., etc.).
List the institutional affiliation of the author(s) involved with the research paper. Include the name of the college or university you attend, or the name of the organization(s) that provided support for your research.

Optional Components

Running head (or shortened title) and label – Optional In accordance with APA 7th Edition updates, student papers typically no longer include a running head. If you are unsure about the need for a running head, be sure to consult with your professor. The running head and label is flush with the upper left-hand corner of the title page, while the page number is flush with the upper right-hand corner of the page. The label “Running head” should only appear on the title page; on all other pages, simply include the shortened title of the paper. All letters of the running head should be capitalized and should not exceed 50 characters, including punctuation, letters, and spaces. Example: EFFECTS OF NUTRITION ON MEMORY
If you are a student, check to see whether your professor asked you to add any additional information in the Author note slot. Some professors require further information, including the date of submission, course number or title, or name of the professor. If your instructor requires you to include an author’s note, position it in the lower half of the title page. Follow your instructor’s directives regarding additional lines on the title page.

Example: APA Title Page of a Student Work

When creating the Title Page , professional and student papers have slightly different rules for APA. We’ll cover the rules that apply to both types first.

You’ll need to include the course number and name, the name of the professor, and the date your assignment is due. All of this should be done line by line beneath the name of your school.

Image courtesy of the APA style guide

Example: APA Title Page of a Professional Work

You’ll need to include an author’s note underneath your institution on the bottom half of the page. There will be a couple of brief paragraphs to write for this note.

The first paragraph should have the author’s name and symbol and URL for the ORCID iD. The ORCID iD can be excluded if you don’t have one.
The second paragraph should include any changes in the institution or deaths of the authors.
The third paragraph should include any disclosures, acknowledgments, or relevant information related to either.
The fourth/final paragraph is where you’ll include the contact information for the author.

If any of these paragraphs are irrelevant, there is no need to include them. Simply skip to the next relevant one.

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What Is A Byline In Journalism? Discover Its Origin

Learn what is a byline in journalism and how to write one.

A byline in journalism informs an audience of who reported and wrote the story they are reading. It refers to the publishing of the author’s name on the article they wrote. The most common position for a byline is fixed between the story’s headline and its opening paragraph. However, some magazine articles place the byline at the bottom of the page or article.

The Origin Of The Byline

The byline and its critics, different styles of bylines.

Byline (or by-line) first entered the lexicon of the English language in one of Ernest Hemmingway’s best books from 1926, The Sun Also Rises .

His description fits in with the typical definition of a byline: a writer’s name being attributed to a news story.

A passage within the book reads, “He sat in the outer room and read the papers, and the Editor and Publisher and I worked hard for two hours. Then I sorted out the carbons, stamped on a by-line, put the stuff in a couple of manila envelopes.”

Although the word ‘byline’ didn’t exist in print before then, the concept of journalists putting their names to stories they wrote did. Article bylines are linked back to the American Civil War. Back then, it was a means to ensure there was accountability for a reporter who gave away vital information.

Reporter Ted Fraser touched upon this point in an article entitled ‘To Understand the History of Journalism, Look Down’ .

He wrote: “After one newspaper published a piece “that contained information about the size and location of the Army of the Potomac,” Union general Joseph Hooker complained to the Secretary of War. Shortly thereafter, General Order №48 came into effect, “requiring all reporters with the Army of the Potomac to publish their communications over their own signatures.”

That requirement ensured that journalists had to put their signature to stories. Of course, this was for accountability and not all reporters were happy with the process.

In fact, as Fraser later states, French publication Le National argued against the idea. It stated that “the press (…) has to be anonymous. We do not want that a government, if it makes mistakes, only needs to face an individual and powerless opinion; it must face a collective expression”. You might also be wondering, what does off the record mean and what is beat in journalism ?

Since then that hasn’t been the case, as the byline has grown as a means to keep journalists accountable, but also as a means to increase the profile and give credit to the author of an article.

It could be argued that a writer being willing to stand by his story with his published attribution could add authority to a story. However, there is the opposing argument that publishing the writer’s name removes the air of objectivity within the news space.

Adolph Ochs, (1858-1935), owner and publisher of the New York Times, was not a fan of the byline.

In Alex S. Jones and Susan Tifft’s book, “The Trust: The Private and Powerful Family Behind the New York Times” .

It read: “Adolph had an ironclad policy on who got individual credit at the New York Times, insisting that ‘the business of the paper must be absolutely impersonal.”

Even then, other publications heralded the idea of bylines as they believed that they could build a following for their writers and increase demand. However, what became more commonplace was the middle ground. Publications who believe that bylines should be reserved only for outstanding work or stories that are featured on the front page .

However, those days are gone, and now bylines are dominant in newspaper copy. Jack Shafer linked this development to the 1970s in an article he wrote for Reuters.

It read: “At some point… every newspaper story… was deemed worthy of byline commemoration. Bylines on wire service stories, which newspapers routinely cut to distinguish their home-built stories from the conveyor belt of the wires, now appear regularly in many newspapers.

“Just about the only places you won’t find a byline in a modern newspaper these days is the tiny wire story, which a byline tends to make typographically top-heavy, and editorials…”

Putting the writer’s name to the article is virtually universal in all forms of contemporary print journalism. How, the process in which bylines can be attributed is not, with several different styles at play.

For instance, some bylines are accompanied by the news reporter’s position within the organization. An example is ‘By Matt Stout, Boston Globe Staff Writer’.

With other organizations, the byline is simply ‘by’, followed by the name. That is the way the Associated Press publishes its bylines.

Bylines can also be accompanied by datelines, which is a line at the beginning of an article that simply states the origin and date of the story. Whether the byline and dateline is written in capital letters is entirely up to the publication’s style.

Sometimes a byline includes a brief description of the article. An example of this type of byline would be: ”Staff writer Jacinta Henry examines what it takes to become a broadcast journalist in America”.

Magazine bylines and opinion pieces may have a short piece of biographical information about the writer and the article. This would look like this: ‘After working for 30 years as a broadcast journalist, Jacinta Henry discusses how the role has changed through the years’.

Nowadays, on online articles, bylines often feature a hyperlink that links to the article’s writers’ previous stories on a separate page within the website.

Whether you support bylines or not, there is little doubt that they are here to stay. In today’s era of misinformation, that is a good thing. Journalists should have to stand by what they are writing and distributing to the public.

Not only that, but they should also get credit for their work. Bylines ensure that newspaper and print newsrooms are kept accountable, but it also ensures that newsrooms get the credit they deserve when they do the work.

What Exactly Are Bylines?

If you have browsed through articles on the History Unfolded website, you may have question about the field: Author/Byline

What does Author/Byline mean? The byline gives the name of the author of the article. If there is a named author, you will usually find it directly below the article headline and sub-headline. For instance, in this Christian Scientist Monitor example below, Mary Hornaday wrote the article.

Refugee Board’s Aid Mainly Moral. The Christian Science Monitor. 1944-01-26

Authorless? Not quite.

Often, however, you will not see a named author. Why? One reason is that it was not common in the 1930s and 1940s for newspapers to identify the writer of each story. Another reason is because newspapers often subscribed to wire services to keep their readers informed about national and international events. Wire services like the Associated Press (AP), United Press (UP), or International News Service (INS) covered global stories and distributed them for newspapers to print. In some cases, a named author for one of these wire service organizations was listed. In many cases, only the wire service organization was listed.

While local paper staff did not write these stories, they still typically wrote the headlines and sub-headlines.

If you cannot find a named author, look for a wire service byline. It usually appears after the location and date (see next image.) It is common to see wire service bylines simply written as “(AP)” or “(UP)” or “(JTA).”

200 Jews Reported Executed By Nazis. The Richmond (CA) Record-Herald. 1938-11-19

Other Author/Byline Resources

If you are interested in learning more about American newspapers during the time period, check out “How Americans Got their News in the 1930s and 1940s” and “How to Read Newspapers from the 1930s and 1940s.”

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How to Write Bylines that are as Captivating as they are Memorable

We find bylines in newspapers, articles, and online, so it’s no wonder you want to write one yourself. Not sure how? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.

Here’s everything you need to know.

What Are Bylines?

Before we check out a byline example, it’s important to answer your burning question: “what is a byline?”

A byline is a snippet that tells readers more about the author by including their contact details and a link to their work. It’s important not to get them confused with an author’s bio, so don’t look towards author bio examples or author bio samples for inspiration.

How to Write Bylines

Whether it’s a newspaper or article byline there is an art to producing brilliant short bios and bylines. For instance:

Look at Examples

Bylines are distinct from the headline and body copy. Even though it’s set apart you don’t need a prominent design element to emphasize it like putting the text into a box.

Several examples include:

* By Sarah Smith * Written by Sarah Smith * Sarah Smith, Political Correspondent

This will be displayed at the top of an article alongside the date and their contact details.

First or Third Person?

You can choose whether you want to write in the first or third person. Pick the first person if you want to come across as down-to-earth and friendly. This is fantastic if you write most of your own content as it makes you appear more approachable.

Using third-person turns you into an authority in your field, fantastic if you want to come across more professional.

Add Your Credentials

Bylines run into author bios, so you may be asked to include examples of your credentials, like:

* Education * Previous publications (three to five most prestigious) * Professional writing experience * Awards or fellowships * Where you live

You should also include links to your website, blog, and social media channels. But, it’s important to note, that if you’re a freelancer or not on staff with the publication then you may not need to link your outside work.

But Don’t Brag

Even though it’s tempting to reel off your many accomplishments, be mindful of what you include. Only include achievements that readers would see as beneficial to them because they’re the target audience .

People Do Business With People

Your byline and author bio should make you sound like a human which is the best way to engage with your audience. Always be yourself, human, and relatable.

Final Thoughts on Bylines

As a writer, it’s essential to include bylines to your articles, web content, or if you’ve been published in a newspaper. Remember not to confuse bylines with author bios, as bylines merely state your name, occupation, and your social media handles.

If you’re expected to craft an author bio, keep it engaging, humble, and human to help your article gain traction. Happy writing!

Did you find this article helpful? If so, check out more of our articles on Career and Education.

I agree with all these tips. It is so important in my opinion to be humble about any article you publish.

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All About Bylines: Strategic Contributed Content Best Practices

May 11, 2021 Kristin Allaben

As the Content Manager at Inkhouse, I’ve had the chance to work with executives on dozens of bylines ranging in topic from thoughts on the latest data breach to advice for leading a company through a challenging year. Bylined articles provide an outlet for thought leaders to contribute stories and perspectives to industry conversation and elevate their profiles while staying in control of the message. By elevating executives’ profiles, you can also drive brand awareness and increase engagement with their organizations.

Our content team fields many questions about what goes into a strategic byline that can work for business, tech, or trade publications and how bylines fit into a broader PR strategy. Here are some of our top takeaways.

Personal stories are key.

With so many authors contributing bylines on timely topics, yours needs to stand out. Compelling bylines usually include plenty of personal anecdotes unique to the author that set it apart from others and establish the author as a credible source on the topic. In the case of leadership bylines, think stories from the early days of founding the company or examples of regretting a course of action that showcase a lesson learned.

Sometimes the best byline ideas are right in front of you.

Up against writer’s block? The best ideas can come from media or speaking opportunities executives have already participated in like podcasts, keynote presentations, or interviews. This is where the media and content teams can collaborate; the media team can point content to existing resources that can inform a compelling byline. Often, the idea-generation stage is already (at least partially) complete — you just need to know where to look.

Stay away from self-serving.

Most publications require that authors refrain from mentioning their company’s product or tying back to offerings in any way. Save the product mentions for blog posts or other internal content marketing materials and keep byline content as vendor-neutral as possible.

Keep on top of new content guidelines .

Contributed content guidelines change by the day, especially as many publications shift to paid column options. Our content team recently conducted a content audit to find out what types of bylines top-tier business and tech publications accept. Unsurprisingly, we found the bar is high for new executive contributors, who are up against industry researchers and academics who regularly contribute to top-tier publications. We also found standard word count ranges vary pretty significantly across outlets (from ~350 to as high as ~2,400 words). Double check guidelines and adhere to the editor’s unique preferences for formatting and sharing the content for review.

Once the byline publishes, the social team gets involved. Executives can share across their social media platforms and company social handles should share it too. There’s also an opportunity to republish the content on the executive’s LinkedIn or Medium page, depending on contributed content republication requirements (which vary by publication but usually ask the author to wait a few weeks before republishing and include a link back to the original source).

And finally, think about maintaining a steady cadence of thought leadership to further establish an executive’s brand. Many publications offer paid content opportunities for leaders to contribute on an ongoing basis (like Fast Company’s Exec Board, CNBC’s Tech Exec Council, Forbes Tech Council, etc.), and writing for one of those is an excellent way to maintain the thought leadership momentum.

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Definition of byline

(Entry 1 of 2)

Definition of byline (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

Examples of byline in a Sentence

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'byline.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

1916, in the meaning defined at sense 1

1938, in the meaning defined above

Dictionary Entries Near byline

Cite this entry.

“Byline.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/byline. Accessed 17 Aug. 2024.

Kids Definition

Kids definition of byline, more from merriam-webster on byline.

Nglish: Translation of byline for Spanish Speakers

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APA Guide: 7th Edition

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Summary of Changes

Student Paper Example

Student Paper Example This is a student paper example from the 7th Edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association.

Professional Paper Example

Professional Paper Example This is a professional paper example from the 7th Edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association.

Student Title Page Elements

The title page includes the following elements: Page number, Paper title, Author, Author Affiliation, Course, Instructor, and Due Date . Remember, your instructor can include other requirements for your assignment. Refer to their instructions carefully.

Your title page and paper is double-spaced. Use 1-inch margins.

Acceptable Fonts:

11-point Calibri
11-point Arial
10-point Lucida Sans Unicode
12-point Times New Roman
11-point Georgia
10-point Computer Modern 1
Should summarize the main idea in a succinct way .
Include strong keywords so that readers can find your work in a database or by using a search engine.
Avoid using abbreviations in a title.
The title should be provided in title case . This means that all major words are capitalized.
Be bolded, centered, and begin 3-4 lines down from the top margin of the paper.
Put a double-spaced blank line between the title and the byline.
The paper title also appears at the top of the first page of your paper.

Author Name(s) (Byline)

Beneath the title, type the author's or authors' full name(s) .
Do not use titles or degrees.
Order the names of authors based on their contributions.
Write all of the names on the same line.
Center the names in a standard font.
Smith and Doe
Smith, Doe, and Jones

Author Affiliation

Identify where you worked or studied when the body of work was completed.
Include no more than two affiliations for each author.
Example: College of Nursing and Health Innovation, University of Texas at Arlington
Include the department or division.
Include the name of the institution.
Include the location of the institution.
Example: Hematology/Oncology, Cook Children's Medical Center, Fort Worth, Texas, United States
Include the location.

Locations should include the city, state, province, and country.

Course Name

Put the course number and name below the Author Affiliation.
Check with your instructor on the preferred name.
Place the month, date, and year after the Instructor(s) name(s).

See the example title page below:

All content on this guide comes from the 7th edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association and from the APA Style Blog.

American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association ( 7th ed.). https://doi.org/10.1037/0000165-000

American Psychological Association. (2020, October). Blog . https://apastyle.apa.org/blog

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[ bahy -lahyn ]

a printed line of text accompanying a news story, article, or the like, giving the author's name.

verb (used with object)

Was the newspaper report bylined or was it anonymous?

Other Words From

un·bylined adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of byline 1

Example Sentences

If an assistant or staff member had, they would need to include them or be the byline.

So, goes the theory, Fenn opted to end the hunt by hiring Stuef, a former journalist with bylines in Buzzfeed, New York Magazine, and The Onion, and tipping him off to the treasure’s location.

The online equivalent of that would be to publish content without listing an author and including a byline with their credentials.

Each of Forth’s contributors will be vetted by editors before they’re allowed to start posting — past bylines will play a role, cofounder Xana O’Neill said — and they are all required to adhere to editorial policies.

Prior to the Summer Writers’ Challenge, Community contributors were awarded with “internet points” and “virtual trophies” for popular posts, which appear as a badge near the contributor’s byline on the page.

Tracie Egan Morissey, who gets the byline for “Disney Dudes' Dicks,” slammed the “makeover.”

He was egotistical even as a child, it is noted, infatuated with the sight of his name on a rubber stamp and later as a byline.

Politico posted a condensed version of the brief, and I shared the byline with Ilya.

An earlier version of this piece listed an incorrect byline.

Her byline later appeared on a blog post about how people could apply in the new exchanges.

Our newspaper ran an article by me or I got a byline on it stating this in general which I have stated today.

If she proved herself competent, she would take over the column entirely and get the byline.

You see, there was no byline on the story and they said, "Who wrote the story?"

A byline meant that a caption directly under the headline would proclaim: “By Elda Hunt.”

But as he gave the story to a copy reader who would write the headline, he said: “Give her a byline.”

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2. Be reflective . Think about how you’ve changed during high school. How have you grown and improved? What makes you feel ready for college, and how do you hope to contribute to the campus community and society at large?

3. Look to the future. Consider your reasons for attending college. What do you hope to gain from your education? What about college excites you the most, and what would you like to do after you graduate? Answering these questions will not only give colleges insight into the kind of student you’ll be, but it will also give you the personal insight you’ll need to choose the school that’s right for you.

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What is an essay byline?

Elia is the pseudonym adopted by Charles Lamb in "Essays of Elia."

Anonymous ∙

Add your answer:

Author unknown byline?

An author unknown byline will usually have the byline signed as "Anonymous". Sometimes things get written or said and people do not know who said them so they say it was Anonymous.

What are the two types of essay?

Two types of essay are the descriptive essay and the argumentative essay.

What is the thesis of a research essay?

The claim is the argument you plan to prove.

What is a type 2 essay?

A to type essay is a essay that you have to do on the computer " i think "

What is a exclamatory essay?

an exclamatory essay is an essay in which u explain something

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How to cite ChatGPT

Use discount code STYLEBLOG15 for 15% off APA Style print products with free shipping in the United States.

We, the APA Style team, are not robots. We can all pass a CAPTCHA test , and we know our roles in a Turing test . And, like so many nonrobot human beings this year, we’ve spent a fair amount of time reading, learning, and thinking about issues related to large language models, artificial intelligence (AI), AI-generated text, and specifically ChatGPT . We’ve also been gathering opinions and feedback about the use and citation of ChatGPT. Thank you to everyone who has contributed and shared ideas, opinions, research, and feedback.

In this post, I discuss situations where students and researchers use ChatGPT to create text and to facilitate their research, not to write the full text of their paper or manuscript. We know instructors have differing opinions about how or even whether students should use ChatGPT, and we’ll be continuing to collect feedback about instructor and student questions. As always, defer to instructor guidelines when writing student papers. For more about guidelines and policies about student and author use of ChatGPT, see the last section of this post.

Quoting or reproducing the text created by ChatGPT in your paper

If you’ve used ChatGPT or other AI tools in your research, describe how you used the tool in your Method section or in a comparable section of your paper. For literature reviews or other types of essays or response or reaction papers, you might describe how you used the tool in your introduction. In your text, provide the prompt you used and then any portion of the relevant text that was generated in response.

Unfortunately, the results of a ChatGPT “chat” are not retrievable by other readers, and although nonretrievable data or quotations in APA Style papers are usually cited as personal communications , with ChatGPT-generated text there is no person communicating. Quoting ChatGPT’s text from a chat session is therefore more like sharing an algorithm’s output; thus, credit the author of the algorithm with a reference list entry and the corresponding in-text citation.

When prompted with “Is the left brain right brain divide real or a metaphor?” the ChatGPT-generated text indicated that although the two brain hemispheres are somewhat specialized, “the notation that people can be characterized as ‘left-brained’ or ‘right-brained’ is considered to be an oversimplification and a popular myth” (OpenAI, 2023).

OpenAI. (2023). ChatGPT (Mar 14 version) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com/chat

You may also put the full text of long responses from ChatGPT in an appendix of your paper or in online supplemental materials, so readers have access to the exact text that was generated. It is particularly important to document the exact text created because ChatGPT will generate a unique response in each chat session, even if given the same prompt. If you create appendices or supplemental materials, remember that each should be called out at least once in the body of your APA Style paper.

When given a follow-up prompt of “What is a more accurate representation?” the ChatGPT-generated text indicated that “different brain regions work together to support various cognitive processes” and “the functional specialization of different regions can change in response to experience and environmental factors” (OpenAI, 2023; see Appendix A for the full transcript).

Creating a reference to ChatGPT or other AI models and software

The in-text citations and references above are adapted from the reference template for software in Section 10.10 of the Publication Manual (American Psychological Association, 2020, Chapter 10). Although here we focus on ChatGPT, because these guidelines are based on the software template, they can be adapted to note the use of other large language models (e.g., Bard), algorithms, and similar software.

The reference and in-text citations for ChatGPT are formatted as follows:

Parenthetical citation: (OpenAI, 2023)
Narrative citation: OpenAI (2023)

Let’s break that reference down and look at the four elements (author, date, title, and source):

Author: The author of the model is OpenAI.

Date: The date is the year of the version you used. Following the template in Section 10.10, you need to include only the year, not the exact date. The version number provides the specific date information a reader might need.

Title: The name of the model is “ChatGPT,” so that serves as the title and is italicized in your reference, as shown in the template. Although OpenAI labels unique iterations (i.e., ChatGPT-3, ChatGPT-4), they are using “ChatGPT” as the general name of the model, with updates identified with version numbers.

The version number is included after the title in parentheses. The format for the version number in ChatGPT references includes the date because that is how OpenAI is labeling the versions. Different large language models or software might use different version numbering; use the version number in the format the author or publisher provides, which may be a numbering system (e.g., Version 2.0) or other methods.

Bracketed text is used in references for additional descriptions when they are needed to help a reader understand what’s being cited. References for a number of common sources, such as journal articles and books, do not include bracketed descriptions, but things outside of the typical peer-reviewed system often do. In the case of a reference for ChatGPT, provide the descriptor “Large language model” in square brackets. OpenAI describes ChatGPT-4 as a “large multimodal model,” so that description may be provided instead if you are using ChatGPT-4. Later versions and software or models from other companies may need different descriptions, based on how the publishers describe the model. The goal of the bracketed text is to briefly describe the kind of model to your reader.

Source: When the publisher name and the author name are the same, do not repeat the publisher name in the source element of the reference, and move directly to the URL. This is the case for ChatGPT. The URL for ChatGPT is https://chat.openai.com/chat . For other models or products for which you may create a reference, use the URL that links as directly as possible to the source (i.e., the page where you can access the model, not the publisher’s homepage).

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IMAGES

Under Your Byline: 7 Steps to Getting Your Bylined Articles Published
What is a Byline And Where Do You Put It in Your Article?
What is a Byline And Where Do You Put It in Your Article?
9 Brilliant Author Byline Examples + How to Write Your Own in 2024
How To Write An Author Bio: 7 Byline Examples Turning Readers Into Leads
What is a Byline And Where Do You Put It in Your Article?

COMMENTS

What is a Byline And Where Do You Put it in Your Article?
What is a Byline. In an article, a byline is a line of text that identifies the author of the piece. It typically appears either below the title or at the end of the article and can include the following information: Author's name: This is the most common element of a byline. Title or credentials: Sometimes, the byline might also mention the ...
What is a Byline And Where Do You Put It in Your Article?
Simply put, a byline is the name under the title of an article that indicates who wrote it. This is also called an author bio . You can use bylines that include a selection of articles to show who you have written for and build your portfolio. What is a byline example? Here is mine for Zapier.
What Are Bylines? (And How to Write One)
What are bylines? For a freelance writer, a byline is a way to take full credit for your work and add to your portfolio.
What Is an Article Byline?
A byline is a short phrase at the top of an article that indicates the name of the author. It's an important thing to consider when designing a page.
What Are Author Bios and Bylines + How to Write Them (Examples)
Confused about author bylines and bios? Read to learn what they are, why or when you need them, and how to write your own author bio.
How to write a byline
Use a byline to keep your focus: When you begin a piece of writing, consider writing a byline as your first step. The byline establishes a persona and defines your voice in the piece. A student of mine, writing on the ways that millennials are revitalizing the plant industry, started with this byline, which gave her a voice to navigate the ...
What is a Byline Article, and Should You Write One?
The term "byline" tells the readers who wrote the article by giving credit to the author - literally, the "by whom.". You don't have to be employed at that publication or even be in the editorial field to write a byline, or contributed piece. Publications are always looking for new content with a fresh outlook to appeal to their ...
What is Byline and How Does It Impact Author Credibility?
A byline is very important in the writing business, be it blogging, journalism, or book publication. However, what is a byline exactly, and why is it relevant to writers? Let's examine the nuances of a byline and how an author's trustworthiness is affected by it.
What Is Byline And Where To Put It In Article: The Ultimate Guide
In the realm of journalism and writing, the byline serves as a crucial identifier, connecting readers with the minds behind the words. Understanding what is byline and where to put it in article is important for all authors and publishers.
How to Write a Byline That Impresses Readers & Search Engines
What Is a Byline? A byline is a text line that tells readers who the author of a piece is. At minimum, it will include the author's name, but strong bylined articles typically have a short bio to let readers know the background and experience of the writer. Bylines are a chance to familiarize readers with your work and field.
What is a Byline?
Bylines are an essential part of published pieces in the writing world. They provide readers with the opportunity to connect a name or pseudonym to a particular piece of writing, often leaving a lasting impression or recognition of style and quality. Bylines also carry a level of professionalism, as they indicate the writer is not simply ...
A Non-Writer's Guide to Bylines
A Non-Writer's Guide to Bylines. Those new to the writing world (or who don't write at all - but know "about" writing) hear terms like byline, biography, portfolio, and the like. While these are common to seasoned professionals, that isn't the case for writers new to the industry. This guide to bylines discusses what they are, their ...
APA Title Page
The author byline is comprised of the author (s)' first name (s), middle initial (s), and last name (s); this line follows after the full title of the research paper.
What Is A Byline In Journalism? Discover Its Origin
A byline in journalism informs an audience of who reported and wrote the story they are reading. It refers to the publishing of the author's name on the article they wrote. The most common position for a byline is fixed between the story's headline and its opening paragraph. However, some magazine articles place the byline at the bottom of ...
History Unfolded: US Newspapers and the Holocaust
What does Author/Byline mean? The byline gives the name of the author of the article. If there is a named author, you will usually find it directly below the article headline and sub-headline. For instance, in this Christian Scientist Monitor example below, Mary Hornaday wrote the article.
Byline
Byline. The byline (or by-line in British English) on a newspaper or magazine article gives the name of the writer of the article. Bylines are commonly placed between the headline and the text of the article, although some magazines (notably Reader's Digest) place bylines at the bottom of the page to leave more room for graphical elements ...
How to Write Bylines that are as Captivating as they are Memorable
A byline is a snippet that tells readers more about the author by including their contact details and a link to their work. It's important not to get them confused with an author's bio, so don't look towards author bio examples or author bio samples for inspiration.
All About Bylines: Strategic Contributed Content Best Practices
Use contributed content to create a steady cadence of thought leadership and drive brand awareness. Here's how to write a byline.
Byline Definition & Meaning
The meaning of BYLINE is a secondary line : sideline.
Subject and Course Guides: APA Guide: 7th Edition : Title Page
Avoid using abbreviations in a title. The title should be provided in title case . This means that all major words are capitalized. Be bolded, centered, and begin 3-4 lines down from the top margin of the paper. Put a double-spaced blank line between the title and the byline. The paper title also appears at the top of the first page of your paper.
BYLINE Definition & Meaning
Byline definition: a printed line of text accompanying a news story, article, or the like, giving the author's name.. See examples of BYLINE used in a sentence.
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What is a Byline And Where Do You Put it in Your Article?

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What is a Byline And Where Do You Put It in Your Article?

What is a Byline in Writing?

How to Write an Author Bio for Your Byline

1. Say You Who Are and What You Do

2. Establish Authority

3. Always Link to Your Portfolio

4. Link to Something Free (If it Makes Sense)

5. Tailor Byline to the Publication

6. Use Storytelling to be Personal

A Simple Byline Formula

Byline Examples to Get You Started

GetResponse

Be a Better Blogger

Copyhackers

Globe & Mail

Men’s Health

So, Where Does a Byline Go?

What is a Byline? Now You Know!

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What Are Bylines? (And How to Write One)

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What Is a Byline?

What Are the Benefits of Bylines?

How to Write a Byline

Three Byline Examples

Becoming a Freelance Writer

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What Is an Article Byline?

Bylines in Online Articles

Bylines in Newspapers and Other Publications

Difference Between Bylines and Taglines

The Appearance of a Byline

What Are Author Bios and Bylines and How to Write Them (+ Examples)

The Difference Between Author Bios and Bylines

What is an author’s byline?

Exceptions to bylines:

Why should you care about bylines?

Should you have a byline in your own blog?

What is an author bio?

Do you need an author bio?

Author bio specifications

How to write an author bio

What to include in an author bio:

Author bio examples

A mini resume

You’re not only your job title

The braggart

Vainglory is not mandatory

A few tips for author bios

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How to write a byline

Dangerous Crooked Scoundrels

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What is a Byline?

Evolution of Byline in Journalism

The Structure of a Byline

Positioning in Articles

Importance of a Byline for Authors

Building a Professional Brand

Byline vs. Ghostwriting

When to Choose Each

Impact of Byline on Author Credibility

Professional Recognition

Byline in Different Types of Publications

Online Blogs

Byline Etiquette

Ethical Considerations

How to Write an Effective Byline

Frequently Asked Questions

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