What makes up an autobiography

Close reply. Post Comment. August 16, August 26, I am 77 Plan to write my autobygraphi. Thanks so much. August 31, July 9, Thank you so much for sharing. I highly appreciated. Maraming Salamat Po. July 10, Thank you so much for your kind words. It means so much for us! April 23, May 1, February 2, February 19, So glad to hear that!

We look forward to seeing you again! January 9, Lovely tips…thanks a lot …you made my day cuz I really wanted to explore myself. January 10, Thank you very much for your kind words indeed. September 5, September 7, Thanks for your attention, Andrei.

September 3, It takes time and it takes lots of writing practice. However, there are some simple, helpful strategies students can use to help them discover their authentic voice in their writing quickly. All writing is written to be read — with the possible exception of journals and diaries. Showboating can replace the honesty that is such a necessary part of good writing.

A useful trick to help students overcome this hurdle is to tell them to imagine they are writing their autobiography to an intimate friend or family member. Someone who makes them feel comfortable in their skin when they are around. This will give their writing an honest and intimate tone that is very engaging for the reader. We recognize the actual voice of people we know from its many qualities, from its timbre, tone, pacing, accent, word choice, etc. Writing is much the same in this regard. One great way to help students detect whether their writing captures their authentic voice is to have them read it out loud, or listen to a recording of their work read out loud.

Finding their real voice in their writing will help students imbue their writing with honesty and personality that readers love. In the first draft, the brushstrokes will be large and broad, sweeping through the key events. The main notes of the tune will be there but with sometimes too much ornamentation and, at other times, not enough. This is why redrafting is an essential part of the writing process.

Students should understand that every piece of writing needs redrafting, editing, and proofreading to be at its best. There are no masterpieces full-borne into the world in a single draft. For many, the tightening-up of a piece will involve the merciless cutting out of dead words. But, for some, the redrafting and refining process will demand the adding of more description and detail.

In these instances, it can be best to enrol the eyes of a friend or family member in the role of editor or critic. Employing the 5 tips above will go a long way to ensuring a well-written and engaging autobiography. While autobiography is a nonfiction genre, it is clear that with its emphasis on narrative, it has much in common with other fictional genres.

As with all good story-telling, there are some necessary elements to include, including a plot of sorts, a cast of characters, and an exploration of some central themes. Some things to consider:. It might be tempting to start your story with "I was born in Dayton, Ohio It's better to start with an experience.

You may wish to start with something like why you were born where you were and how your family's experience led to your birth. If your narrative centers more around a pivotal moment in your life, give the reader a glimpse into that moment.

Think about how your favorite movie or novel begins, and look for inspiration from other stories when thinking about how to start your own. You may not have had the most interesting childhood in the world, but everyone has had a few memorable experiences. Highlight the best parts when you can. If you live in a big city, for instance, you should realize that many people who grew up in the country have never ridden a subway, walked to school, ridden in a taxi, or walked to a store a few blocks away.

On the other hand, if you grew up in the country you should consider that many people who grew up in the suburbs or inner city have never eaten food straight from a garden, camped in their backyards, fed chickens on a working farm, watched their parents canning food, or been to a county fair or a small-town festival. Something about your childhood will always seem unique to others.

You just have to step outside your life for a moment and address the readers as if they knew nothing about your region and culture. Pick moments that will best illustrate the goal of your narrative, and symbolism within your life. Your culture is your overall way of life , including the customs that come from your family's values and beliefs.

Culture includes the holidays you observe, the customs you practice, the foods you eat, the clothes you wear, the games you play, the special phrases you use, the language you speak, and the rituals you practice. As you write your autobiography, think about the ways that your family celebrated or observed certain days, events, and months, and tell your audience about special moments.

Consider these questions:. Think honestly about your experiences, too. Don't just focus on the best parts of your memories; think about the details within those times. Third person uses words like he and she to refer to the characters within the story, including yourself. An outside observer is telling the story from their point of view rather than your own.

Tense indicates whether the events have occurred in the past, the present or the future. The past tense is comfortable for most people as they are naturally recalling events from the past. Present tense may be enticing for more stylistic writers. This tense can create a sense of immediacy and excitement in the writing.

Future tense can be quite difficult to manage when writing an autobiography. All that being told, most autobiographies, or memoirs, are told from a first-person point of view in the past tense. After all, you are the person telling your own life story and the events have all happened in the past. Many people who sit down to write their autobiography struggle with starting the process.

It seems like with many things in life, starting can be the biggest challenge. You may want to tell your story chronologically: from birth to childhood to adulthood to today. You may want to start with today, then work your way backward. You may want to start with a particular day or event and move forward from there. Or you may decide to tell stories as they come to you and worry about organizing them later.

The possibilities are almost endless, and there is no right or wrong answer here. The order and manner in which you record your story is completely up to you. You may also want to look back at the turning points of life when consider how to write your life story. There is a growing trend across the country of people writing their own obituaries. Parents are looking to lift this burden from their children, in addition to taking control over how they will be remembered.

As a result, the mundane death notices are becoming a thing of the past and are being replaced with self-written obituaries that are fun, light-hearted and easy to ready.

Read more here on how to write an obituary Try to resist editing as you write. It may be a good idea to turn that internal editor off during the creative process. The journey of writing your memoir is not about perfection, but about getting your story on paper—or audio or video. Keep it simple. Just be yourself, be honest, and be kind. The great news is that you are the author of your own autobiography.

So, what is included—and not included—is up to your sole discretion. To get you started, here are some common topics that are often included in your autobiographical outline:.