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How To Write A Biography
By Alan Leach
A biography is essentially the story of someone's life. If you take a trip to your local library you'll find rows and rows of biographies about famous and not so famous (for you, anyway) people. Even so, when you learn how to write a biography, remember there is no set length for how long a biography should be. There is also no rule that says a biography should be about a famous person or that the person should have died already. In other words, you can just as easily write a one-page biography about your cat (who is sitting on your lap as you write it) than about Abraham Lincoln!
Here we assume the biography you need to learn how to write is for some kind of homework assignment, although the information should prove useful for others. While you may have been given the person you have to write about, if you can choose, it of course pays to choose someone you are interested in. This person could be a historical figure, a movie star, a sport star or someone else.
The first step in learning how to write a biography is to spend time researching the subject. Again, the local library or the Internet are good places to start. Encyclopaedias often have brief biographical information about famous people which will give you some ideas, and the library may have several biographies written already about the person you have chosen. When learning how to write a biography, begin by noting down the key factual events in the person's life. It helps to daw a timeline here to make it clear in your own mind.
Most biographies follow a chronological order, with the earliest events in a person's life first. When learning how to write a biography though, avoid simply listing facts about the person's life. The important thing is to try to bring this person to life in the mind of the reader, so that they can understand this person. Analysis is the key to a good biography. Rather than simply listing facts, you need to analyze these facts.
Try to bring this person to life by discussing what made this person tick. Give lots of information about personality, especially strengths and weaknesses, and discuss how the subject's personality was formed, including key events in childhood. Many famous people are considered great in some areas but may have had weaknesses in others. Readers are always interested in flawed geniuses.
Another thing to remember when learning how to write a biography is that many famous people were controversial figures. In other words, while some people may have looked up to them others may have had less positive feelings towards them. When you write your biography, try to give a balanced view of the subject, and while it is fine to give your own opinion, make sure you also mention the opinions of others, for a more rounded and balanced biography.
When learning how to write a biography, the last part could refer to the impact the subject had on those around him or her and the world in general. What made this person special? Perhaps the subjects influence has changed over time. Finally, you could refer to the future. What legacy has the subject left for the future and how do you think the subject will be remembered in years to come.
One of the joys of writing a biography is finding out new information about someone you though you knew. Writing an interesting piece of work will enable others to experience this interest.
See Also:
More info on how to write a biography
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