It’s Biographer's Day! How to Write a Biography

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Pin ItArticle EditDiscussNo matter how exciting or significant a person's life is, a poorly written biography will make it seem like a snore. On the other hand, a good biographer can draw insight from an ordinary life--because they recognize that even the most exciting life is an ordinary life! After all, a biography isn't supposed to be a collection of facts assembled in chronological order; it's the biographer's interpretation of how that life was different and important.

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Biography Help

Sample Biography Research Notes

Sample Biography Outline

Sample Biography Excerpt

Research1Find anything written by/about the subject: books, newspapers, magazines, Internet, journals, letters, videos, interviews, existing biographies, or an autobiographies! Only use material that is available to the public, or that you can gain explicit permission to use in your research, especially if you are going to publish and distribute the biography (or else you could end up with a lawsuit on your hands).

2Conduct interviews. If you can't interview the person you're writing about, see if you can interview someone who knows or knew the subject. You can do this in person, by phone, or through e-mail. Remember to be courteous and professional.

3Visit places significant to the subject's life. This can be helpful in putting yourself in his or her shoes. Visualize witnessing what they witnessed. Imagine how they felt. Take pictures for the biography. If you can't visit the actual place, try to visit a place like it. Here are some ideas:

Where the person was born and died. Illustrate a sharp contrast or powerful similarity between the two.The subject's "refuge". Where did they go to recharge their batteries, or escape the chaos of their life? Where did they find peace or inspiration?Locations of trauma. Were there any significantly negative events in the person's life that deeply impacted them? An injury, death, natural disaster, car accident, or even a bad break-up?4Explore what interested, influenced and inspired the subject. What was he or she passionate about? Whether it was botany, poetry, classical music, or architecture, immerse yourself in it. Try and discover why the subject enjoyed it.

5Study the time and place of the subject's life. If it was a long time ago, do some homework on what life was like back then. What were the social norms? What was going on economically and politically? What about in that person's field? Also account for regional differences. What's frowned upon in one place may be celebrated 30 miles away. This can shed light on the subject's decisions, and their consequences.

Writing1Assemble a timeline. Record every event that you can, from basic facts like birth, death and marriage, to minor personal anecdotes, like the night your subject had an argument with their spouse.

2Look for patterns. See the forest, not the trees.

Phases. Many people go through phases during their lives. Sometimes the phases are backlashes of each other; for example, a person may go through a very dependent phase, then a very independent phase, then something in the middle. This can happen with relationships, too. One may end up with a string of abusive partners, then, being fed up, starts seeking very submissive mates, then begins to prefer aloof partners, etc.Progression/regression. Look for a steady refining of the person's character or work, an improvement over time, leading up to a defining event that shows how far the person's come. Alternatively, perhaps someone's life begins promisingly and gradually unravels--a tragedy of sorts.Cycles. Pay attention to situations that repeat themselves in a person's life. Maybe this person reaches out, gets hurt, becomes reclusive, heals, and begins again. Or the subject sets a lofty goal, burns out, draws wisdom from the experience, and starts over with a new goal. Addiction also tends to play out in cycles. Whatever the situation, it repeats itself throughout a significant portion of the person's life (maybe signifying a phase) and at some point, the person might "break the cycle".Turning points. What are the moments in the subject's life when their direction changed dramatically? The birth of a child? A near-death experience? Hitting rock bottom? It's the point at which a pattern changes; a new phase begins, progression become regression (or vice versa), a cycle ends or a new ones starts.3Make a thesis statement. Based on your "big picture" view of this person's life, what's a point that you can prove? This will be your twist on the biography - what makes it unlike any other biography on this subject. It answers the question posed in the introduction: what makes this person's life different and important? Some ideas:

What is the significance of this person's life? How did he or she change the world? What would happen if this person never existed? What is unique about what they did or made?What led to the subject's success or demise? A particular relationship? A single incident of good or bad luck? A decision by the subject? A particular circumstance?4Decide how to recount the person's life. Write an outline and fill in the details. Try to use the organization to support the thesis.

Chronological. Go by the timeline, recounting each event in the order in which it happened. This is the simplest way to go, but it's difficult to support your thesis in this context.Flashbacks. Describe a recent or current situation, then "flashback" to an earlier point in that person's life. This is good for illustrating cause and effect, or how this led to that. You can even go in complete reverse order; begin at the end, and work your way backwards.Work. If the person's life is closely tied to his or her career, you can break it up by job positions or works created. This can be tied to phases or cycles in the subject's life.Accomplishments/events. One idea is to start and end with events that mirror each other in some way. Maybe you can start with a toy boat that the subject made when they were 5, and end off with a military submarine that they designed at age 55.5Sit down and write. Using your outline, assemble the biography. You can start at the beginning, but you don't have to. You may find yourself rearranging the content as you go along. You should go through many drafts, and have other people read the biography before you call it a day. See if they can guess the thesis, and find out if you've made your point about this person's life.

Edit TipsYour title (or at least your subtitle) should allude to your thesis.

Edit WarningsIf you're publishing the biography, you could get sued.

Have the sources to back up your statements about the subject's life. Untruthful written statements can lead to a libel action. If it is your opinion, be clear that it is an opinion and not fact (although you can support your opinion with facts).Be careful when publishing private or embarrassing information, especially if the person is not a celebrity. You may violate their "Right of Privacy" or equivalent.If the subject didn't authorize the biography, don't imply that they did.Keep copyright laws in mind when republishing anything by or about the subject. See How to Understand Copyright Basics.

Edit Related wikiHowsHow to Write an AutobiographyHow to Self Publish a BookHow to Be a Good WriterHow to Become a WriterHow to Publish a Book at a Young AgeHow to Begin an Autobiography

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Categories: Featured Articles | Non Fiction

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