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Autobiography vs. Biography vs. Memoir

The three primary formats of a memory book , used to tell a life story, are a biography, an autobiography, and a memoir. Distinguishing between the three can feel a bit confusing since they all share several similarities. But there are some distinct differences.

Simply put, a biography is the life history of an individual, written by someone else. An autobiography is the story of a person’s life, written by that person. And a  memoir  is a collection of memories written by the person themselves.

What is a Biography?

A biography, also called a bio, is a non-fiction piece of work giving an objective account of a person’s life. The main difference between a biography vs. an autobiography is that the author of a biography is not the subject. A biography could be someone still living today, or it could be the subject of a person who lived years ago.

Biographies include details of key events that shaped the subject’s life, and information about their birthplace, education, work, and relationships. Biographers use a number of research sources, including interviews, letters, diaries, photographs, essays, reference books, and newspapers. While a biography is usually in the written form, it can be produced in other formats such as music composition or film.

If the target person of the biography is not alive, then the storytelling requires an immense amount of research. Interviews might be required to collect information from historical experts, people who knew the person (e.g., friends and family), or reading other older accounts from other people who wrote about the person in previous years. In biographies where the person is still alive, the writer can conduct several interviews with the target person to gain insight on their life.

The goal of a biography is to take the reader through the life story of the person, including their childhood into adolescence and teenage years, and then their early adult life into the rest of their years. The biography tells a story of how the person learned life’s lessons and the ways the person navigated the world. It should give the reader a clear picture of the person’s personality, traits, and their interaction in the world.

Biographies can also be focused on groups of people and not just one person. For example, a biography can be a historical account of a group of people from hundreds of years ago. This group could have the main person who was a part of the group, and the author writes about the group to tell a story of how they shaped the world.

Fictional biographies mix some true historical accounts with events to help improve the story. Think of fictional biographies as movies that display a warning that the story is made of real characters, but some events are fictional to add to the storyline and entertainment value. A lot of research still goes into a fictional biography, but the author has more room to create a storyline instead of sticking to factual events.

Examples of famous biographies include:

• His Excellency: George Washington  by Joseph J. Ellis
• Einstein: The Life and Times  by Ronald William Clark
• Princess Diana – A Biography of The Princess of Wales  by Drew L. Crichton

What is an Autobiography?

An autobiography is the story of a person’s life written by that person. Because the author is also the main character of the story, autobiographies are written in the first person. Usually, an autobiography is written by the person who is the subject of the book, but sometimes the autobiography is written by another person. Because an autobiography is usually a life story for the author, the theme can be anything from religious to a personal account to pass on to children.

The purpose of an autobiography is to portray the life experiences and achievements of the author. Therefore, most autobiographies are typically written later in the subject’s life. It’s written from the point of view of the author, so it typically uses first person accounts to describe the story.

An autobiography often begins during early childhood and chronologically details key events throughout the author’s life. Autobiographies usually include information about where a person was born and brought up, their education, career, life experiences, the challenges they faced, and their key achievements.

On rare occasions, an autobiography is created from a person’s diary or memoirs. When diaries are used, the author must organize them to create a chronological and cohesive story. The story might have flashbacks or flashforwards to describe a specific event, but the main storyline should follow chronological order from the author’s early life to their current events.

One of the main differences between an autobiography vs. a biography is that autobiographies tend to be more subjective. That’s because they are written by the subject, and present the facts based on their own memories of a specific situation, which can be biased. The story covers the author’s opinions on specific subjects and provides an account of their feelings as they navigate certain situations. These stories are also very personal because it’s a personal account of the author’s life rather than a biography where a third party writes about a specific person.

Examples of famous autobiographies include:

• The Story of My Life  by Helen Keller
• The Diary of a Young Girl  by Anne Frank
• Losing My Virginity  by Richard Branson

What is a Memoir?

Memoir comes from the French word  mémoire , meaning memory or reminiscence. Similar to an autobiography, a memoir is the story of a person’s life written by that person. These life stories are often from diary entries either from a first-person account or from a close family member or friend with access to personal diaries.

The difference between a memoir vs. an autobiography is that a memoir focuses on reflection and establishing an emotional connection, rather than simply presenting the facts about their life. The author uses their personal knowledge to tell an intimate and emotional story about the private or public happenings in their life. The author could be the person in the story, or it can be written by a close family member or friend who knew the subject person intimately. The topic is intentionally focused and does not include biographical or chronological aspects of the author’s life unless they are meaningful and relevant to the story.

Memoirs come in several types, all of which are written as an emotional account of the target person. They usually tell a story of a person who went through great struggles or faced challenges in a unique way. They can also cover confessionals where the memoir tells the story of the author’s account that contradicts another’s account.

This genre of writing is often stories covering famous people’s lives, such as celebrities. In many memoir projects, the celebrity or person of interest needs help with organization, writing the story, and fleshing out ideas from the person’s diaries. It might take several interviews before the story can be fully outlined and written, so it’s not uncommon for a memoir project to last several months.

Memoirs do not usually require as much research as biographies and autobiographies, because you have the personal accounts in diary entries and documents with the person’s thoughts. It might require several interviews, however, before the diary entries can be organized to give an accurate account on the person’s thoughts and emotions. The story does not necessarily need to be in chronological order compared to an autobiography, but it might be to tell a better story.

Examples of famous memoirs include:

• Angela’s Ashes  by Frank McCourt
• I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings  by Maya Angelou
• Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S.  Grant by Ulysses S. Grant

Autobiography vs. Biography vs. Memoir Comparison Chart

Check out some of our blogs to learn more about memoirs:

• What is a memoir?
• 5 tips for writing a memoir
• Your memoir is your legacy

Ready to get started on your own memoir, autobiography, or biography? Download our free desktop book-making software, BookWright .

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Autobiography vs. Biography vs. Memoir: Differences of Each Type

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Do you ever get confused when trying to differentiate between an autobiography, biography, and memoir? If so, you’re not alone—these three genres are often used interchangeably, but each one actually requires its own unique approach. In this blog post, we’ll discuss the differences of each type and provide some handy tips on how best to write them all!

Introducing the different genres of writing—autobiography, biography, and memoir 

Three genres that often get jumbled together are autobiography, biography, and memoir. While they may seem similar at first glance, each genre has its own unique characteristics. An autobiography, for example, is a first-person account of someone’s life, typically written by the subject themselves. A biography, by contrast, is a third-person account of someone’s life, written by someone else. And a memoir is a focused, often thematic account of a particular period or experience in someone’s life. Knowing the distinctions between these genres can help you decide which approach is best for telling your own story or for crafting a compelling biography or memoir.

Understanding the differences between autobiography, biography and memoir

Autobiography, biography, and memoir are often confused with each other. An autobiography is a book written by the author about their own life experiences. In contrast, a biography is a book written by someone else about another person’s life experiences. Finally, a memoir is a book written about a specific time or event in the author’s life. These three genres require different approaches to writing and reading. Autobiographies are generally more personal, while biographies generally intend to provide a more objective view of a person’s life. Memoirs allow for a deeper exploration of a specific period of time or event.

Exploring the benefits of writing an autobiography

Writing an autobiography can serve as a time capsule for one’s life experiences and also act as a vehicle for personal growth and self-reflection. Through the process of writing, individuals have the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of themselves. Additionally, an autobiography can be an invaluable resource for future generations by providing them with a window into the past and the inner workings of their ancestors. If you’re looking for a way to capture your life story and leave a meaningful legacy, writing an autobiography might be a good idea.

Discovering the advantages of writing a biography

A biography records the life and accomplishments of a person. A biography can provide insight into the individual’s beliefs, accomplishments, and experiences that shaped their life. Writing a biography requires research , attention to detail, and a thorough understanding of the individual’s life. It takes time and effort. By capturing a person’s story in writing, we can learn from their life experiences and be inspired to pursue our own passions and dreams. Writing a biography can be challenging, but the end result is a rewarding tribute to a person.

Examining the unique aspects of writing a memoir

Writing a memoir is an incredible way to tell your story and leave a lasting legacy. What makes a memoir unique is that it is not just about recounting facts or events. It is more so about exploring the deeper meaning and emotions behind those experiences. It requires a delicate balance of vulnerability and objectivity, as you must be willing to share personal details while also maintaining a sense of clarity and purpose. To truly connect with your audience, it is important to infuse your writing with your own voice and personality, making the story feel authentic and relatable.

Making efficient use of resources when writing your story

Making an efficient use of resources will help create a compelling story that resonates with readers. Whether it’s time management, research, or even word choice, every decision plays an integral role in crafting a well-structured narrative. One useful tool for maximizing your efficiency is outlining your story beforehand, allowing you to flesh out characters and plot points in a clear and concise manner. Additionally, don’t be afraid to take advantage of resources such as writing groups, online tutorials, and feedback from industry professionals who can provide valuable perspective and insight into your work.

As you now know, autobiographies, biographies, and memoirs each have their own unique focus, purpose, and advantages. Writing your life story can be rewarding and fulfilling. Having a writing partner experienced with these genres to guide you on your journey can be invaluable in producing the story you want to tell. If it is time to tell your story―whether fact or fiction―contact Elite Authors today! We will help you choose the genre that best fits your project goals while helping you craft a stunning personal account that is sure to capture the imagination of readers everywhere.

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Autobiography vs. Biography vs. Memoir: Understanding the Differences

Autobiography, biography, and memoir are three genres of literature that share similarities but are also distinct from one another. While they tell stories about people’s lives, they differ in scope, perspective, and purpose. Understanding the differences between these genres is vital for readers, writers, and researchers alike.

So, what exactly makes them different from each other?

In this article, we’ll compare autobiography vs. biography vs. memoir, discover the definitions of each, and see the best examples of each genre.

But before we dive deep into the topic and learn about these three book genres, let’s see a quick overview of what an autobiography, a biography, and a memoir are for those in a hurry!

An autobiography is a book written by the person whose life is being described. It is a first-person narrative that covers the author’s entire life, from birth to the present day. On the other hand, a biography is a book written about a person’s life by someone else. It is a third-person narrative that covers the subject’s life in a factual and objective manner.

Meanwhile, a memoir is similar to an autobiography, but instead of describing the person’s entire life, it focuses on a particular event or a specific period and delves deeper into the author’s state of mind at the time.

Now that you have a rough idea of what an autobiography, a biography, and a memoir mean, let’s move ahead and explore all these book genres in much more detail.

What is an Autobiography?

An autobiography is a book written by an individual about their own life. It covers the author’s experiences, thoughts, and feelings throughout their life.

Autobiographies are typically written in the first person and are subjective in nature. They can cover many topics, including personal experiences, family history, career achievements, and more.

An autobiography aims to provide readers with an in-depth look into the author’s life. It can be a way for the author to share their story, inspire others, or leave a legacy. Autobiographies can also be used as a form of therapy, allowing the author to reflect on their life experiences and gain a deeper understanding of themselves.

Autobiographies can be both subjective and objective. While they are written from the author’s point of view, they can still provide an accurate account of events. However, it is essential to note that autobiographies are not always completely accurate, as memories can be flawed and biased.

Autobiographies can cover a wide range of events and information. Some may focus on a specific period or event in the author’s life, while others may cover their entire life from birth to the present day.

Autobiographies are often written by famous people, such as politicians, athletes, and celebrities, who want to tell their life stories in their own words. They can be insightful and revealing, but they can also be self-serving and biased.

Here are a few famous autobiographies:

• “The Diary of a Young Girl” by Anne Frank
• “Born a Crime” by Trevor Noah
• “Becoming” by Michelle Obama
• “An Autobiography” by Agatha Christie
• “The Autobiography of Malcolm X” by Malcolm X
• “Long Walk to Freedom” by Nelson Mandela

What is a Biography?

A biography is a non-fictional account of someone’s life written by another person. It provides an objective understanding of the person’s life, covering various aspects such as their upbringing, education, career, achievements, and personal life.

The author of a biography is not the subject, and their interpretation of the subject’s life is not expected to be included in the text.

Biographies can be written about anyone, from historical figures to ordinary people who have made a significant impact on society. They are often researched and written by scholars, journalists, and other experts who want to provide a comprehensive and accurate account of a person’s life. And so, they are generally considered to be objective, as the author is expected to present a factual account of the subject’s life without any personal bias.

Biographies cover various events and information about the subject’s life. They may include details about the subject’s childhood, education, family life, career, and personal relationships. Biographies may also provide insights into the subject’s personality, beliefs, and values.

Here are some popular biographies and their authors:

• “Steve Jobs” by Walter Isaacson
• “A Beautiful Mind” by Sylvia Nasar
• “Unbroken” by Laura Hillenbrand
• “Mao: The Unknown Story” by Jung Chang
• “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” by Rebecca Skloot
• “Einstein: His Life and Universe” by Walter Isaacson

What is a Memoir?

A memoir is a form of autobiographical writing that focuses on a specific period, theme, or series of events in the author’s life. It is much similar to an autobiography; the only difference is that an autobiography covers the author’s entire life while the memoir is focused on a particular period or event.

Memoirs are personal narratives that typically include the author’s reflections, emotions, and thoughts about their experiences. They are often considered to be subjective, as they are based on the author’s memories and perceptions of events, rather than objective facts.

To be considered a memoir, a book must be a factual account of the author’s life, but it does not have to be a comprehensive chronicle of their entire life. Instead, it should provide insight into a particular aspect of their life, such as their childhood, career, or personal relationships.

Here are some popular memoirs that have resonated with readers:

• “Educated” by Tara Westover
• “The Glass Castle” by Jeannette Walls
• “Heavy: An American Memoir” by Kiese Laymon
• “Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail” by Cheryl Strayed
• “Running with Scissors” by Augusten Burroughs
• “Night” by Elie Wiesel

These memoirs are just a few examples of the wide range of experiences and themes that can be explored through this genre of writing.

Autobiography vs. Biography vs. Memoir – Key Differences:

When it comes to writing about someone’s life, there are three main options: autobiography, biography, and memoir. While they all share similarities, there are some key differences between them.

Autobiography

An autobiography is a factual and historical account of one’s entire life written by the person themselves. It is usually written in the first person and covers the author’s life from beginning to end. Although autobiographies are often written by famous people, they can be written by anyone.

A biography is the story of someone’s life written by someone else. It is usually written in the third person and covers the subject’s life from birth to death.

A memoir is a nonfiction narrative in which the author shares their memories from a specific time period or reflects upon a string of themed occurrences throughout their life. Memoirs tend to focus on a particular aspect of the author’s life rather than their entire life story.

Comparison Chart

Here is a comparison chart highlighting the key differences between autobiography, biography, and memoir:

After examining the similarities and differences between autobiography, biography, and memoir, it is clear that each genre has its unique characteristics. While all three genres involve storytelling, they differ in their scope, focus, and style.

One notable difference between these genres is the level of objectivity. Biographies are often the most objective, as they are written by a third-party author who is not emotionally invested in the subject. In contrast, memoirs and autobiographies can be highly subjective, as they are written from the author’s perspective and often include their emotions and opinions.

Another difference is the audience. Autobiographies and biographies are usually intended for a broader audience, while memoirs are often more personal and may only appeal to a specific group of readers.

Overall, each genre has its strengths and weaknesses. It is up to the reader to decide which genre best suits their interests and preferences.

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Autobiography vs. Biography vs. Memoir: What’s the Difference?

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Autobiographies, biographies, and memoirs. These are the three main formats that tell a real person’s life story.

But unless you’re in the know, it can be a little confusing to tell the difference between each one. While they all serve a similar purpose, they each have distinctions that set them apart from one another.

In this post, I’ll explain the differences between autobiographies, biographies, and memoirs. And to clear up any confusion, I’ll provide some famous examples of each one.

Table of Contents

Autobiography vs. Biography vs. Memoir

Autobiographies.

An autobiography is an account of a person’s life, written by that person. The word originates from the Greek’ auto’, ‘bios’ and ‘graphein’, meaning ‘self,’ ‘life,’ and ‘to write.’

Since the narrator is also the subject of the story, autobiographies tend to be written in the first person.

The majority of autobiographies begin by documenting childhood experiences, working their way chronologically upwards through the decades. The author will include major and minor events that have shaped their lives and stood out to them on their journey.

A detailed autobiography will cover things like a person’s earliest memories, early family life, and upbringing. They might share stories from their education, their careers, and their relationships, as well as triumphs and challenges they’ve faced along the way.

Since an autobiography is a life story, most people wait until their later years before they pen their own, but this isn’t always true. There are plenty of autobiographies written by younger people too. Anyone that has led an interesting life can write an autobiography.  

Here’s a few examples of autobiographies written by famous people:

• Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin by Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin wrote his autobiography from 1771 to 1790. It tells the fascinating tale of his rise to power, from a boy born into a lower-middle-class family in Boston, Massachusetts, to becoming one of America’s founding fathers.

• Mein Kampf by Adolf Hitler

Adolf Hitler’s autobiography Mein Kampf, meaning ‘my struggle,’ gives us a raw and eye-opening look into the unseen life of this mass-murdering dictator. It’s not an easy or lighthearted read by any means. Still, it gives the reader a fascinating insight into his early life, his rise to power, and his own justifications behind his monstrous genocidal policies.

• The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank

This is a more unusual example of an autobiography, but it’s an autobiography non the less. Ann Frank’s real-life diary documents her experience as a Jewish teenager who was  forced into hiding  during World War II.

Biographies

Just like an autobiography, a  biography  tells a person’s life story. But in this case, it is written by another author, rather than the person themselves.

Biographies are most often written about famous, notable people who have led interesting lives. They usually include factual details, such as their birthplace, their education, their partners and relationships, and facts about their career.

But a good biography will also cover how key events have shaped a person’s life. Biography authors will compile information from a wide range of sources, including interviews with the person in question or their friends, colleagues, and family members. They may also source information from letters, diaries, past interviews, and periodicals.

Here are a few examples of famous biographies:

• Churchill: A Life by Martin Gilbert

Many authors over the year have written biographies about his iconic British prime minister. Still, it’s Martin Gilbert’s work which has been by far the most successful and celebrated. 

Through years of in-depth research, Gilbert gives readers a comprehensive and honest insight into the life of the man who led Britain through the Second World War.

• Frida: Biography of Frida Kahlo by Hayden Herrera

Hayden Herrera wrote this eye-opening biography of celebrated painter Frida Kahlo back in 1983, and it has since become the most authoritative account of her life in print.

The book documents Kahlo’s struggles and pain, but it also tells of her artistic prowess and her determination to leave a positive influence on the world.  

• Sylvia Plath and Life Before Ted by Andrew Wilson 

Rather than focusing on Sylvia Plath’s painful struggles with mental health and her turbulent marriage to English poet Ted Hughs, this biography tells of Plath’s earlier life, before the pair ever met. Taking information directly from her detailed diary entries, Wilson has complied an insightful picture of the American writer’s early experiences before she found fame.

Taken from the French word for ‘memory,’ a  memoir  is a non-fiction, self-written account of a person’s life. But unlike an autobiography, a memoir focuses much more on the emotional journey rather than chronologically recounting facts and events.

Memoirs are essentially a collection of memories that are important to the author, and they paint an intimate portrait of what it was like to be in their shoes.

Due to the similar nature of memoirs and autobiographies, it’s sometimes hard to denote the difference between the two, especially in the modern era when genres are often blended, and new ways of writing become commonplace.

One key thing to remember is that a memoir is usually less of a timeline of events and more an informal, emotional picture of a person’s life. Memoirs will often focus on things like past regrets and life lessons learned along the way, whereas autobiographies concentrate on facts and things that happened.

Here are a few examples of famous memoirs:

• I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou

The American writer and civil rights activist Maya Angelou wrote a total of seven autobiographies and memoirs during her lifetime, but this is the most notable one of them all.

This famous memoir documents the first seventeen years of her life as a young African American woman, and all of the struggles and turmoils she faced and overcame during that time.

• Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

This travel memoir written by the New York Times best-selling author Elizabeth Gilbert was subsequently turned into a blockbuster movie starring Julia Roberts.

It documents Gilbert’s personal journey of rebirth following a painful divorce and invites the reader to share the valuable and life changing lessons she learns along the way.

• Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt

Frank McCourt’s moving memoir takes us on an in-depth journey through his childhood years when he lived a profoundly impoverished life in Ireland during the midst of the Great Depression.

It won a 1997 Pulitzer Prize and has also been adapted to the silver screen.

Autobiographies, biographies, and memoirs all do one job: they tell a person’s non-fictional life story. But as you can see, each one is unique in its own way.

Do you have a favorite autobiography, biography, or memoir?

Let us know in the comments below.

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The Differences between Memoir, Autobiography, and Biography - article

Creative nonfiction: memoir vs. autobiography vs. biography.

Writing any type of nonfiction story can be a daunting task. As the author, you have the responsibility to tell a true story and share the facts as accurately as you can—while also making the experience enjoyable for the reader.

There are three primary formats to tell a creative nonfiction story: memoir, autobiography, and biography. Each has its own distinct characteristics, so it’s important to understand the differences between them to ensure you’re writing within the correct scope.

A memoir is a collection of personal memories related to specific moments or experiences in the author’s life. Told from the perspective of the author, memoirs are written in first person point of view.

The defining characteristic that sets memoirs apart from autobiographies and biographies is its scope. While the other genres focus on the entire timeline of a person’s life, memoirs structure themselves on one aspect, such as addiction, parenting, adolescence, disease, faith, etc.

They may tell stories from various moments in the author’s life, but they should read like a cohesive story—not just a re-telling of facts.

“You don’t want a voice that simply relates facts to the reader. You want a voice that shows the reader what’s going on and puts him or her in the room with the people you’re writing about.” – Kevan Lyon in Writing a Memoir

Unlike autobiographies and biographies, memoirs focus more on the author’s relationship to and feelings about his or her own memories. Memoirs tend to read more like a fiction novel than a factual account, and should include things like dialogue , setting, character descriptions, and more.

Authors looking to write a memoir can glean insight from both fiction and nonfiction genres. Although memoirs tell a true story, they focus on telling an engaging narrative, just like a novel. This gives memoir authors a little more flexibility to improve upon the story slightly for narrative effect.

However, you should represent dialogue and scenarios as accurately as you can, especially if you’re worried about libel and defamation lawsuits .

Examples of popular memoirs include Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert and The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls.

Key traits of a memoir:

- Written in 1 st person POV from the perspective of the author - Less formal compared to autobiographies and biographies - Narrow in scope or timeline - Focused more on feelings and memories than facts - More flexibility to change the story for effect

Autobiography

Like a memoir, an autobiography is the author’s retelling of his or her life and told in first person point of view, making the author the main character of the story.

Autobiographies are also narrative nonfiction, so the stories are true but also include storytelling elements such as a protagonist (the author), a central conflict, and a cast of intriguing characters.

Unlike memoirs, autobiographies focus more on facts than emotions. Because of this, a collaborator often joins the project to help the author tell the most factual, objective story possible.

While a memoir is limited in scope, an autobiography details the author’s entire life up to the present. An autobiography often begins when the author is young and includes detailed chronology, events, places, reactions, movements and other relevant happenings throughout the author’s life.

“In many people’s memoir, they do start when they’re younger, but it isn’t an, ‘I got a dog, then we got a fish, and then I learned to tie my shoes’…it isn’t that kind of detail.” – Linda Joy Meyers in Memoir vs. Autobiography

The chronology of an autobiography is organized but not necessarily in date order. For instance, the author may start from current time and employ flashbacks or he/she may organize events thematically.

Autobiographers use many sources of information to develop the story such as letters, photographs, and other personal memorabilia. However, like a memoir, the author’s personal memory is the primary resource. Any other sources simply enrich the story and relay accurate and engaging experiences.

A good autobiography includes specific details that only the author knows and provides context by connecting those details to larger issues, themes, or events. This allows the reader to relate more personally to the author’s experience. 

Examples of popular autobiographies include The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank and I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou.

Key traits of an autobiography:

- Written in 1 st person POV from the perspective of the author, occasionally with the help of a collaborator - More formal and objective than memoirs, but more subjective than biographies - Broad in scope or timeline, often covering the author’s entire life up to the present - Focused more on facts than emotions - Requires more extensive fact-checking and research than memoirs, but less than biographies

A biography is the story of events and circumstances of a person’s life, written by someone other than that person. Usually, people write biographies about a  historical  or  public figure . They can be written with or without the subject’s authorization.

Since the author is telling the account of someone else, biographies are always in third person point of view and carry a more formal and objective tone than both memoirs and autobiographies.

Like an autobiography, biographies cover the entire scope of the subject’s life, so it should include details about his or her birthplace, educational background, work history, relationships, death and more.

Good biographers will research and study a person’s life to collect facts and present the most historically accurate, multi-faceted picture of an individual’s experiences as possible. A biography should include intricate details—so in-depth research is necessary to ensure accuracy.

“If you’re dealing principally with historical figures who are long dead, there are very few legal problems…if you’re dealing with a more sensitive issue…then the lawyers will be crawling all over the story.” – David Margolick in Legal Issues with Biographies

However, biographies are still considered creative nonfiction, so the author has the ability to analyze and interpret events in the subject’s life, looking for meaning in their actions, uncovering mistakes, solving mysteries, connecting details, and highlighting the significance of the person's accomplishments or life activities.

Authors often organize events in chronological order, but can sometimes organize by themes or specific accomplishments or topics, depending on their book’s key idea.

Examples of popular biographies include Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson and The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot.

Key traits of a biography:

- Written about another person, often a celebrity or public figure, and told in 3 rd person point of view - More formal and objective than both memoirs and autobiographies - Broad in scope or timeline, often covering the subject’s entire life up to the present - Focused solely on facts - Requires meticulous research and fact-checking to ensure accuracy

• Biographies and Memoirs
• Zeinab el Ghatit</a> and <span class="who-likes">7 others</span> like this" data-format="<span class="count"><span class="icon"></span>{count}</span>" data-configuration="Format=%3Cspan%20class%3D%22count%22%3E%3Cspan%20class%3D%22icon%22%3E%3C%2Fspan%3E%7Bcount%7D%3C%2Fspan%3E&IncludeTip=true&LikeTypeId=00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000" >

Met you this morning briefly and just bought your book on Amazon. Congratulations. 

Very helpful. I think I am heading down the path of a memoir.

Thank you explaining the differences between the three writing styles!

Very useful article. Well done. Please can we have more. Doctor's Orders !!!

My first book, "Tales of a Meandering Medic" is definitely a Memoir.

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Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

Memoir, biography, autobiography, oh my! All these book genres have a focus on someone’s life and are written in completely factual ways. The adage that truth is stranger than fiction rings true when we delve into the lives of significant people or people who have endured something significant.

Table of Contents: • What is a biography? • What is an autobiography? • What is a memoir? • Differences between a memoir vs. autobiography vs. biography • Key features of a memoir • Key features of an autobiography • Key features of biography • BookBaby can help you self-publish

It’s easy to confuse the style and tone of these three different nonfiction books. Each has different requirements to qualify as a memoir vs. biography vs. autobiography.

What is a biography?

A biography is a novel written about someone’s entire life, typically in chronological order, written by someone other than the subject.

The topic of a biography will often be someone who is an important historical figure, a celebrity, or a person who has had significant cultural or societal impact.

One excellent example of a biography is The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, by Rebecca Skloot. This biography describes how a black woman’s body was used to advance modern medicine. Henrietta Lacks’ cancer cells were taken — without her knowledge — for medical testing and has served as the blueprint for cancer treatment.

This real-life tale reveals a hidden narrative in modern medicine and points to a history of racism in the field. The story was written and recounted by Rebecca Skloot, an American writer who has contributed to many scientific publications.

What is an autobiography?

While a biography is a written account of someone else’s life, an autobiography is written by the person who is the subject of the book.

The Autobiography of Malcolm X: As Told to Alex Haley details the life of civil rights activist Malcolm X. Written by Malcolm, this autobiography features a collaboration with author and journalist Alex Haley and was released nine months after Malcolm X’s assassination.

Reading an autobiography can be more powerful and intriguing than a biography, partly because the words and perspectives are unique to the subject. There are details and insights that only the person who is the subject can convey — unfiltered by the lens of someone else. As they recount the important events of their lives from start to finish, we get to experience it in their own words.

What is a memoir?

While a biography or autobiography usually focuses on impactful historical figures or someone who had significant cultural impact, it’s not only famous people who can write about their lives. While some lesser-known figures will be the subjects of those books, memoirs allow someone who has led a less “public” life to write about their experiences and the lessons they’ve learned.

A memoir covers a specific period of the subject’s life, often detailing a unique personal experience and how the subject was transformed by it. Unlike autobiographies and biography, a memoir does not present someone’s life from the beginning to the present (or the end). It gives us a unique look into a specific period that was transformational to the person writing it.

More than the other real-life accounts, memoir proves over and over how ordinary people can have great impact and insight writing about the trials they overcome.

Wild, by Cheryl Strayed, is a compelling example of a memoir vs. autobiography. This is a story about a young woman who, after losing her mother to cancer and getting divorced (among other travails), embarks on a 1,100-mile hike on the Pacific Crest trail — alone.

Having no previous professional hiking experience, her expedition mirrors the inner trials and tribulations she overcame before surviving in the wild on this extraordinary hike.

Men We Reaped: A Memoir, by Jesmyn Ward, is another notable memoir. The story focuses on the death of five black men in Ward’s life between the years 2000–2004. Ward details the lives of these young black men who die early in her life and speaks to how young black men’s lives are cut short far too often. She traces the impact of these losses through her own family history and writes of the complexities of love and grief.

Differences between a memoir vs. autobiography vs. biography

Key features of a memoir.

As a rule, a memoir is pulled from the writer’s real-life experience. When a person picks up a memoir, they are expecting a story that truly happened to the author. That said, a memoir isn’t just recalling events and re-told to the reader. A satisfying memoir touches on universal themes about the life story uncovered by the events that happened to the writer.

Of course, memoirs aren’t here to preach a specific message or serve as a “how-to” guide to overcoming a particular experience — in the best memoirs, the author shows their emotional truth as opposed to the truth.

Memoirs do not have to be recounted in chronological order, and there is room for creative freedom. You can’t make up important events, but there is some wiggle room around specific details in dialogue and other specifics.

Notably, a memoir also doesn’t recount the author’s whole life, but details a pivotal part of it that holds significance based on the author’s transformation. It is the author’s recollection of memories and their perspective on it.

Key features of an autobiography

An autobiography is a life account written by the subject themself. An autobiography is a recounting of the writer’s entire life from childhood up until the age they are at the time of the writing, accurately detailing significant accomplishments and telling the story of the making of who the writer is and the events that shaped their life. All of the contents of an autobiography must be 100 percent true.

Key features of biography

A biography is an account of a person’s life story written by someone other than the subject. It is the author’s rendition of what the author knows about the person’s life, sometimes personally and certainly by collecting and researching information about their life. It is typically focused on someone of cultural or historical significance.

BookBaby can help you self-publish

Whether you’re embarking on an autobiography, a biography, or a memoir, drawing universal truths from the lives of real people is a rewarding task. Of course, as a writer, once you have completed the first draft of your manuscript, it’s important to have an editor work on your manuscript to ensure it reads clearly to your reader.

BookBaby offers three types of book editing services that will be good to use at different stages of your editing process.

Line editing is our most popular editing service for first-time authors. Our line editors will review your manuscript and check for style, structure, word choice and syntax. You will also receive feedback regarding pacing, advice for writing flow, and an audit on tone and style.

Copy editing might be the best option for nonfiction authors writing a biography, autobiography, or memoir. Copy editing is a “word-by-word” edit, focusing on spelling and punctuation, along with an intensive grammar audit.

Proofreading is the last and final stage. It includes a basic check for grammar, spelling, and any lingering typos before publishing.

When your manuscript is proofed and ready, BookBaby offers print-on-demand services and distribution of your book, so you can get your work in the hands of readers. Call one of our publishing specialists to get started at 1-877-961-6878 or visit us at www.bookbaby.com .

Related Posts What is Copy Editing and Does Your Book Need It? Finding Your Story In Your Memoir Sensory Language Makes Your Writing Come Alive What To Include In Your Memoir To Create A Powerful Reading Experience The Art Of The Memoir

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What’s the Difference Between a Memoir and an Autobiography?

By ellen gutoskey | jan 5, 2022.

On the literary genre spectrum, memoirs and autobiographies are right next to each other. They’re both nonfiction accounts of the author’s personal experience, usually written in first person (i.e. using I , me , and other first-person pronouns). But despite their similarities—and the fact that memoir and autobiography are often used interchangeably—they’re technically separate genres.

Since an autobiography is essentially just a biography written by the person it’s about, it has pretty much all the characteristics of a regular biography. As MasterClass explains , the narrative typically progresses chronologically and covers the subject’s whole life (thus far), with a focus on facts. That’s not to say autobiographies by default have bare-bones prose or a lack of emotion—the story of someone’s life will likely feature some fascinating formative memories and the feelings that came with them.

But those elements are much more integral to a memoir than an autobiography. According to Book Riot , a memoir doesn’t usually cover the author’s entire life, but instead a specific period or themes within it. Joan Didion’s The Year of Magical Thinking , for example, centers on the year after her husband, John Gregory Dunne, died of a heart attack in late 2003. It’s just as much a discourse on grief as it is an account of what happened in Didion’s life that year—and you might pick it up to read about grief rather than to learn about the author herself. Though Didion was, by that point in her career, famous enough that people would be interested to read about her experiences in particular, that’s not always the case with memoirists. Sometimes, it’s the subject matter that attracts readers, not the name of the author.

If you crack open an autobiography, on the other hand, it’s probably because you want to learn about the person who wrote it. Autobiographers are usually celebrities, from activists like Malala Yousafzai and Nelson Mandela to athletes like Andre Agassi —people who’ve achieved such success and/or have lived such high-profile lives that you’d want to read their full stories, starting from the cradle.

All that said, the differences between memoirs and autobiographies are more general trends than definitive guidelines. There’s no rule that says your memoir can’t be chronological, or that your autobiography must include your year and place of birth in order to be considered a true autobiography.

Have you got a Big Question you'd like us to answer? If so, let us know by emailing us at [email protected] .

What Are the Major Differences Between Memoir and Autobiography?

Rebecca Hussey

Rebecca holds a PhD in English and is a professor at Norwalk Community College in Connecticut. She teaches courses in composition, literature, and the arts. When she’s not reading or grading papers, she’s hanging out with her husband and son and/or riding her bike and/or buying books. She can't get enough of reading and writing about books, so she writes the bookish newsletter "Reading Indie," focusing on small press books and translations. Newsletter: Reading Indie Twitter: @ofbooksandbikes

View All posts by Rebecca Hussey

Feeling confused about the difference between memoir and autobiography? You’re not the only one. The terms are sometimes used interchangeably, and there is a lot of overlap between the two, so confusion is understandable. But there are some basic differences that will help you distinguish between them and make sure you are using the most appropriate word. Knowing the difference will help you choose what to read, as well: you should know what you are getting into when you pick up a book labeled memoir vs. autobiography.

First, let’s discuss similarities between the two. Both autobiography and memoir are first-person accounts of the writer’s life. This means the writer is describing her or his life using “I” and “me” (“I did this, then this happened to me,” etc.) One exception to this is that sometimes autobiographies are written in the third person (where the author refers to him or herself as “he” or “she”), but this is not common and rarely seen in contemporary writing. Mostly, both genres are about writers telling readers about their lives in their own voice.

That’s pretty simple. What’s trickier is figuring out what makes these genres different. So here’s a breakdown of the difference between memoir and autobiography, that I’ll discuss more below.

Memoir vs. Autobiography Basics

1. autobiography usually covers the author’s entire life up to the point of writing, while memoir focuses only on a part of the author’s life..

There are going to be exceptions to every point on this list, but generally speaking, autobiography aims to be comprehensive, while memoir does not. Autobiographers set out to tell the story of their life, and while some parts will get more detail than others, they usually cover most or all of it.

Memoirists will often choose a particularly important or interesting part of their life to write about and ignore or briefly summarize the rest. They will sometimes choose a theme or subject and tell stories from different parts of their life that illustrate its significance to them.

As examples,  The Autobiography of Malcolm X  covers the major points of Malcolm X’s life, while  Abandon Me: A Memoir by Melissa Febos focuses mainly on two significant relationships (with her father and with a lover).

2. In autobiography, authors usually tell their life stories because they are famous and important. A memoirist can be anybody, famous or not.

Long Walk to Freedom,  Nelson Mandela’s autobiography, is a good example: he was an important person whose personal account of his life matters because of who he was and everything he accomplished.

For memoir, Mary Karr’s  The Liar’s Club is not the story of a famous person; instead, it’s an account of a regular person’s childhood. Her childhood was especially eventful, but it doesn’t stand out because she was famous. Memoirists do sometimes become famous, but usually it’s for writing memoirs.

3. People read autobiographies because they want to know about a particular (probably famous) person. They read memoirs because they are interested in a certain subject or story or they are drawn to the writer’s style or voice.

The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin is a book people might read because they want to learn about an important historical figure. They may also have heard it’s exceptionally interesting and well-written, but the desire to learn about a person who shaped U.S. history is probably the main motivation.

On the other hand, readers may pick up Roxane Gay’s memoir  Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body because they want to read about food, weight, and body image. Or they may admire Gay’s essays available online and want to explore more of her work. The motivation here is more about subject and style and less about the writer as a historical or cultural figure.

4. Autobiographies tend to be written in chronological order, while memoirs often move back and forth in time.

When readers pick up an autobiography, they expect it to begin with the author’s childhood (or perhaps even with the author’s parents’ lives), to proceed through young adulthood and middle age, through to the time of the writing. Olaudah Equiano’s  The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano  does just that, opening with his childhood and proceeding in a straightforward manner through time.

Memoirs, on the other hand, can be much looser in their treatment of time.  Heart Berries by Terese Marie Mailhot shifts back and forth in time and has a structure more focused on theme than chronology. We finish the book with a sense of the major events of Mailhot’s life, but not necessarily their order.

5. Autobiography places greater emphasis on facts and how the writer fits into the historical record, while memoir emphasizes personal experience and interiority.

Autobiographies are sometimes thought of as a form of history and they are used as source material for historians. While it’s possible for both autobiographers and memoirists to get their facts wrong, the stakes are higher for the autobiographer who made history or witnessed historically-important events.

Frederick Douglass’s Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass  is important in part because of Douglass’s work as an orator, statesman, and abolitionist. His historical stature adds to the significance of his book.

The facts matter in memoir, but it’s understood that memoirists select and shape the facts of their lives to explore their chosen theme. Darin Strauss’s  Half a Life: A Memoir is rooted in a real-life event—a car crash in which Strauss accidentally hit and killed a classmate—but it focuses on the emotional aftereffects of this event rather than the historical context of Strauss’s life.

And there you have it! Again, these distinctions are loose ones, but hopefully they have helped you understand the different connotations of the two words.

Want to read more about memoir? Check out this list of 100 must-read memoirs , this discussion of how to define the term “memoir,” and this post on short memoirs .

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Biography vs autobiography vs memoir: Which Genre Best Tells Your Story?

As a writer, it’s essential to choose the right genre to tell your story effectively. However, distinguishing between memoir, autobiography, and biography can be confusing. In this article, we’ll clarify the core differences between these genres and provide insights to help you choose the one that best fits your unique story. Whether you’re interested in exploring your own experiences or delving into the lives of others, understanding the difference between a memoir and a biography and autobiography is critical to crafting a compelling narrative. So let’s get started and discover which genre will best tell your story.

The Power of Biographies: Discovering Lives and Learning Lessons

A biography is a personal story narrated from real life. The biographies come in different sub-genres, but what they have in common is the factual loyalty. Biographies provide an in-depth look into the lives of individuals, whether they’re still alive or historical figures. For a collection of famous biographies, you might want to explore Biography.com .

Professional bio writers usually conduct a great deal of research. They can describe the life events of someone still alive or a famous person who lived years ago. The author focuses his attention significantly on childhood, relationships, and ups and downs to create a complete picture of a person’s life.

The distinct feature of the story is the writer’s presence. That’s where you don’t align memoir vs biography: while people write memoirs alone, biographies require professional writers.

The main types of biographies include:

• Contemporary biography: a story of a person who’s alive and usually at the peak of their success. It can be about well-known entrepreneurs, musicians, or politicians. It can also include the people who are especially valuable at the moment or have done something great that you have to commemorate.

The examples are: “His Way: The Unauthorized Biography of Frank Sinatra” (written by Kitty Kelley) and “Robin” (Dave Itzkoff’s intimate look at the life and career of Robin Williams).

• Historical biography: provides in-depth information on the life of historical figures or people who died without the recognition they deserved.

The examples are: “Alexander Hamilton” (an epic 800+ page biography created by Ron Chernow) and “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” (written by Rebecca Skloot).

• Group biography: the authors apply this type of biography quite rarely. One of the first examples is “A General History of the Pirates,” narrated by Captain Charles Johnson in 1724. One of the latest group biographies includes an account of the life stories of famous British royals, “HRH: So Many Thoughts on Royal Style,” written by Elizabeth Holmes.

Autobiographies: Understanding the Genre, Types, and Significance

An autobiography is someone else’s story that doesn’t involve a third party. A memoir writing service puts it differently because autobiography is the first person’s account of events.

Autobiographies have been vital throughout history. They provide invaluable stories and thoughts, giving the audience an accurate impression of historical leaders and the value they represent. Also, they allow individuals to tell their own stories in their own words. For examples of famous autobiographies that have captivated readers, check out this list on Goodreads .

The main difference between autobiography and biography is that the last one provides a person’s story written by someone else. The peculiar advantage that autobiographies provide is decreasing the number of discrepancies or mistakes. Hiring cheap ghostwriters for hire may be incorrect in describing significant events.

The types of autobiography include:

• Traditional: a complete story narrated from the first person, discussing all significant events from birth, throughout childhood, and up to the present time. It’s a challenging genre since a life story should be captivating and exciting to engage the reader.
• Overcoming adversity: on the contrary, many people don’t have as shiny lives. Some survived a series of challenging circumstances, such as assaults, murders, or other life-threatening situations. Sharing the story of the “survivor” might heal people undergoing a similar journey.
• Intellectual: focus on critical events or experiences that have changed someone’s perspective on life. Prominent examples include the “Autobiography” of the philosopher John Stuart Mill and “The Education of Henry Adams.”
• Fictionalized is a story that uses made-up characters to represent an author’s experience. This autobiography reflects on actual events vs. serving as an accurate retelling of what happened. Some of the interesting examples are “The Way of All Flesh” (by Samuel Butler) and “A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man” (by James Joice).

Memoir vs autobiography: what’s the catch?

If you’re wondering what does a ghostwriter do when writing a memoir, let’s explore its main features.

Memoir highlights the essential part of someone’s life. It can describe the critical historical period or a breakdown, focusing on the events that led to the collapse. That’s where memoirs vs autobiography differ: the first ones only focus on particular excerpts instead of telling the whole story.

• A memoir is a factual story in which the author reflects on a series of related events from their life or recounts memories from a particular period.
• An autobiography is a chronological description of a person’s life.

Although the memoir can be subjective, it must lean on facts. The authors choose a pivotal moment they’d like to shed light on and recreate the event using storytelling tools.

There’s not a specific number of memoirs in a professional book writing history. Nevertheless, we will explore the most prominent types of memoirs to let you dive into the industry:

• Transformation memoirs: tell about the most significant challenges authors These stories lead with the topic of redemption, whether you achieved it or you’re trying to gain it.

The examples are “Here We Are: American Dreams, American Nightmares” (by Aarti Namdev Shahani), “Educated” (by Tara Westover), and “Finding Freedom” (by Erin French).

• Confessional memoirs: reveal the painful or dirty secrets about authors or their families and how the particular series of events has affected them.

The examples are: “Confessions” (by Jean-Jacques Rousseau) and “Running with Scissors” (by Augusten Burroughs).

• Professional or celebrity memoirs: describe the road to fame and success. Famous people often think about how to find a ghost writer to talk about their lives and significant events in a more professional tone.

The examples are: “I Am Malala” (by Malala Yousafzai) and “Just Kids” (by Patti Smith).

• Travel memoirs: focus on exciting adventures that happen while traveling. These memoirs are often the most pleasant, allowing readers to escape everyday reality.

The examples are “Wild” (by Cheryl Strayed) and “A Year in Provence” (by Peter Mayle).

Autobiography vs biography vs memoir: where’s your match?

You don’t need to be a writing professional to comprehend the difference between memoir and autobiography and biography. Let’s take a look at some of the key points to consider.

The Bottom Line

Writing a book about your life is a challenging process. It requires lots of patience and a great deal of memory to recall the most significant events. Meanwhile, it allows you to look at your life and experiences from a whole new perspective.

If you need any help with writing a biography vs autobiography vs memoir, Penfellow will gladly assist! Our professional writers have years of experience completing similar tasks and will do the job for you. We will ensure the final paper meets your requirements and writing standards. Get in touch with us today to get your biography done in no time!

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Autobiography vs Memoir: Which One Should You Write?

There is often a lot of confusion when it comes an autobiography vs memoir. While both are true stories about an individual, they share different story arcs and structures.

If you want to write a story about your life, it’s important to understand the difference between memoir and autobiography, which is what we will delve into today. After you read our article on autobiography vs memoir, you’ll be able to write your life story with clarity and confidence.

Maybe your life story is unique. You want to share it and leave a lasting legacy behind. Well, it’s time to start the process. It’s time to write your story. 

Before sitting down to write, it’s important to articulate to yourself what you specifically want to share and why. Just as writing a fiction book demands planning and deciding exactly where to start and what theme to write about, so does writing your life story. 

Whatever your story is, it will likely fall under the category of memoir or autobiography. 

The most important choice to make prior to writing your opening sentence is deciding which genre (in the giant list of book genres ) you are going to share your story through.

It’s crucial to choose the correct genre in which to tell your story. Autobiographies vs memoirs each have different purposes. 

Using an autobiography when you want to communicate your memoir is similar to filming a documentary when you want to film a drama. 

Documentaries usually cover many details of a specific time period and are told through a linear fashion. They start at a single point in time and work their way to the end of a time period or to the present day.

Dramas focus on a theme and use specific aspects of a person’s life to articulate and highlight this theme. 

Autobiographies vs memoirs are much the same. 

Need A Nonfiction Book Outline?

This autobiography vs memoir guide will cover:

Autobiography vs memoir: the difference explained.

While both genres are personal stories, the difference between memoir and autobiography is distinct.

According to Merriam-Webster, a memoir is, “A narrative composed from personal experience” and an autobiography is, “The biography of a person narrated by that person, a usually written account of a person’s life in their own words.” 

In the publishing world, a memoir is a book about you that is focused on the reader. In other words, it’s pieces of your life story written with the intention of communicating a specific message to a specific audience. 

An autobiography is your life story from birth to present day, including all major events, without too much thought for theme. 

The purpose of an autobiography is simply to communicate your life story . 

The purpose of a memoir is to communicate a theme, and use stories from your life to do so.

This is the main difference between memoir and autobiography.

Both memoirs and autobiographies should be written with the focus on the reader, however. Writing succeeds because of readers. Whether you’re covering your life from birth to now, or sharing specific stories, keep the reader at the forefront of your mind at all times. 

The more you think “reader first” the better your writing will be, regardless of whether you are writing an autobiography vs memoir. 

When should I write an autobiography vs memoir?

Celebrities and well-known figures often communicate their life stories through autobiographies, while lesser known individuals communicate a theme through specific stories from their lives. 

The public wants to know the details of celebrities’ lives and is willing and eager to read through all the details of their growing up years, young adult successes and failures, and all the way to the present day.

Individuals with less of a public presence who still have valuable stories, information, or an important theme to share, may want to do so through memoirs. This way they can still communicate their message, but use life stories that directly apply to this message to do so.

Learning how to write a memoir allows you to use anecdotes from your life to communicate your theme. Remember, if you aren’t a household name, readers are unlikely to be interested in your stories if they don’t provide some type of value.

Always think reader-first with these questions:

• Is your theme focused on helping the reader?
• What stories contribute to the power of your theme?
• What stories distract from your theme and shift the focus to you? 
• Will your reader walk away feeling empowered or inspired? 

When writing an autobiography, it’s still important to think of the reader first. But readers are more likely to expect stories that focus on your life and the interesting things you’ve done in an autobiography vs memoir.

If you are a celebrity or household name, writing your autobiography is likely the way to go. Otherwise, you should use creative nonfiction writing skills to make your memoir as interesting and impactful as possible.

Two things to remember when writing your life story

Whether you are writing an autobiography vs memoir, here are two important things to consider:

1. Portray the basic essence of life events

While autobiographies and memoirs are about your life and your interactions, achievements, goals, failures, etc., it’s impossible to remember every word of dialogue you and others have spoken. Readers understand that exact wording has been written to the best of your memory, but is not exact.

Be careful to write in a way that reflects the attitudes and intentions of the dialogue in that moment, however many years ago it took place, but rest assured the dialogue in memoirs and autobiographies cannot be completely accurate. 

Sharing your story with the world is a bold step. It’s brave to think through your life and write it all down for hundreds (if not millions) to read.

As you plunge into your story, whether it be autobiography vs memoir, writing, editing, and eventually self-publishing it will take time. Don’t get discouraged if you need to rearrange parts, chop large portions, or add stories when you think you are finished. 

Writing your story takes time . It’s your life, after all! Just make sure you capture the basic essence of your life events in an authentic manner.

2. Change names of people and locations

While I just said to be authentic, it’s also important to have some protections in place.

Whether you write an autobiography vs memoir, protect yourself and others by changing names, locations, and any other detail as you see fit. You can make a simple note at the front of your book explaining that some details have been changed to protect individuals. The last thing you want is to be accused of libel or slander the week your book comes out. 

As you work towards your book launch , enjoy the process. Writing your story is something many dream of, few start, and even less complete. You didn’t just have the dream, you saw it through to its completion. 

You took a big step. Whether you chose to embark on an autobiography vs memoir, you are writing your story and putting it out into the world. Your legacy will have the possibility of impacting countless individuals around the world for years to come – and that’s extremely exciting!

If you’re still not certain on the difference between an autobiography vs memoir (or if what you are writing is an autobiography vs memoir) let’s take a look at some examples of each.

Examples of memoirs

If you plan to write your memoir, reading other successful memoirs is a great place to start.

Here are some examples to get you started:

• O n Writing: A Memoir of the Craft , by Stephen King
• The Glass Castle , by Jeannette Walls
• Writing For the Soul , by Jerry B. Jenkins
• All Over but the Shoutin’ , by Rick Bragg
• Running for My Life , by Lopez Lomong

As you read, focus on what the theme is, what stories the author uses to illustrate this theme, and how the story isn’t focused just on the author, but on you, the reader.

Again, think reader first.

It may be helpful to take notes so that when it’s time to write your own memoir, you have examples to refer back to as needed. This will help you when you feel stuck or unsure of which stories to use. 

You can also reference our memoir outline to help you in your writing process.

Examples of autobiographies 

If, on the other hand, you decide to write your autobiography vs memoir, you’ll want to brush up on autobiographies and biographies instead. 

Whether you pick up an autobiography or a biography, the same lessons can be learned: 

• Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave , by Frederick Douglass
• Autobiography of Mark Twain , Samuel Clemmons 
• Let Us Now Praise Famous Men , by James Agee
• Churchill: A Life , by Martin Gilbert

As you write your autobiography, remember that although it is about you, you should still think reader first. Write in a way that readers will be able to easily understand and follow. Starting at birth and moving forward chronologically will likely work well when writing an autobiography vs memoir.

Share your story with the world

Now that you know the difference between an autobiography vs memoir, it’s time to start the writing process. 

Regardless of which you decide to write, take some time to think back over your life, years or weeks that affected you in a particularly positive or negative way, people who influenced you, the themes you see tracing through your story, and dreams or goals you worked for. 

Once you have the big moments at the forefront of your mind you can start planning your creative autobiography or memoir ideas . If you need more inspiration on how to share your story, you can use our nonfiction book outline below.

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Home / Book Writing / Autobiography vs. Biography vs. Memoir

Autobiography vs. Biography vs. Memoir

Telling the difference between an autobiography, a biography, and a memoir is easier said than done. They're generally about a person's life (often a famous person or public figure), but they each go about telling the story in different ways. They have different expectations and often cover different facets of the subject's life. But once you know what differentiates these three types of books, you'll be able to tell them apart with ease.

• The difference between autobiographies, biographies, and memoirs
• What defines each type of nonfiction book
• Famous examples of each type

Table of contents

• The Difference Between Autobiographies, Biographies, and Memoirs
• What is an Autobiography?
• What is a Memoir?
• What is a Biography?

An autobiography is a book written by the subject him or herself, detailing the important events of their life. Similarly, a memoir is also written by the subject, but focuses more on the emotional aspects of their life story, rather than the events themselves. Lastly, a biography is an account of a person's life written by someone other than the subject, usually relying on many different sources for factual accuracy.

That’s the broad view. Now let's get a little more in depth to make these differences a little clearer.

Reading an autobiography is reading a first-person account of a person's life. You get to walk a mile in the subject's shoes, seeing the world through their eyes as they share their experiences.

Since most autobiographies detail an interesting life lived, they're often written by the subjects in their later years. However, there are always exceptions to this. Some people have written autobiographies while they were still young because their younger years were interesting or extraordinary. The three most famous examples of autobiographies written by young people include:

• The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
• I Am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban by Malala Yousafzai
• Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave by Frederick Douglass

Since autobiographies are about the author's life as told by them, they can be biased, since everyone sees the world a little differently and human memory isn't always the most accurate thing.

Most autobiographies work chronologically through the subject's life, including stories from their childhood and early years, their career, and any other milestones throughout their life.

Although autobiographies are ostensibly written by the subjects, it's not uncommon for a professional ghostwriter to be involved in the project. A ghostwriter can bring a flow and cohesive narrative to the subject's life story.

Some other famous autobiographies, written later in the subject's life, include:

• Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin by Benjamin Franklin
• Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela
• Agatha Christie: An Autobiography by Agatha Christie

An “event” autobiography is less common, but there are some famous examples. Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer is a first-person account of a Mount Everest climb that went terribly wrong, costing the lives of eight people.

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Since a memoir is considered a type of autobiography, it's best to cover it now before we dive into biographies. Like an autobiography, a memoir is written by the subject — usually in the first person. It's a personal narrative that focuses more on the feelings, emotions, and memories that are important or impactful to the author.

While key events may be present in the memoir, they're generally there in relation to the emotional journey the author experienced. They focus more on the life lessons learned, regrets, and those things the subject was grateful for over their life.

While both autobiographies and memoirs are nonfiction, you're more likely to get a chronological sequence of life events and professional achievements in an autobiography . In a memoir, you're more likely to get a collection of personal details and life experiences in terms of how they affected the subject emotionally and influenced their personality and decisions.

(Interested in publishing a memoir? Check out our step-by-step article on publishing a memoir !)

Some famous memoirs include:

• The Liars' Club by Mary Karr
• I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
• A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway

Another good example is On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King. It's half memoir and half writing tips from one of the masters of fiction. The memories King shares give you an insight into his upbringing, his family, and his first successes as an author. But it's all in service of talking about writing fiction.

A biography is a nonfiction account of a person's life similar to an autobiography, with the major difference that it's not written by the subject. For this reason, biographies can be written any time. In fact, new biographies about famous historical figures are often released when new information comes to light.

Biographers use a number of different sources to piece together the information they need to give the reader a look into the subject's life. They may use interviews with those who were close to the subject (such as a family member or friend) and interviews with the subject him or herself. They'll use photos, news articles, diaries, and many other sources to present a cohesive, and usually chronological, biographical sketch of the person's life.

Sometimes, the author is someone who was close to the subject. Other times, it's a professional writer who didn't know the subject personally. A biography will usually cover childhood, professional experience, personal information, accomplishments, and key events in the person's life.

Some examples of famous biographies include:

• Steve Jobs: The Exclusive Biography by Walter Isaacson
• Red Comet: The Short Life and Blazing Art of Sylvia Plath by Heather Clark
• His Excellency: George Washington by Joseph J. Ellis

A good example of a biography written by a relative is Virginia Woolf: A Biography , written by her nephew, Quentin Bell.

Biographies, autobiographies, and memoirs are all different ways to write about a person's life. Memoirs and autobiographies differ in their presentation and focus, but both are written by the subject. A biography is written by someone aside from the subject, who relies on various sources to present a thorough and (usually) chronological book of the subject's life story.

Although memoirs and autobiographies are “straight from the horse's mouth,” so to speak, they do allow room for some unconscious (or conscious) bias. Biographies are generally more objective because of the extensive research required to write about another person's life and accomplishments.

Now you know the difference between these three types of nonfiction books (not to mention some great recommendations for new books to read). Enjoy!

Dave Chesson

When I’m not sipping tea with princesses or lightsaber dueling with little Jedi, I’m a book marketing nut. Having consulted multiple publishing companies and NYT best-selling authors, I created Kindlepreneur to help authors sell more books. I’ve even been called “The Kindlepreneur” by Amazon publicly, and I’m here to help you with your author journey.

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Autobiography Writing Guide

Autobiography Vs Memoir

Last updated on: Feb 9, 2023

Autobiography vs. Memoir: Definitions & Writing Tips

By: Barbara P.

Reviewed By: Chris H.

Published on: Mar 2, 2021

Autobiography and memoirs are written to tell the life story of the writer. An  autobiography  covers the author’s whole life, while a memoir focuses on specific events. These two terms are used interchangeably, but there are obvious and practical differences between the two similar genres.

Writing a memoir and autobiography is a creatively challenging experience, even for the most experienced of writers.

Therefore, read on this blog and get to know the difference and similarities between autobiography vs. memoir.

On this Page

Definition of Memoir vs. Autobiography

The memoir and autobiography are the terms that overlap each other, so the confusion is understandable. These two are the formats that are used to tell a creative non-fiction story. However, there are some differences that you need to know before using the most appropriate one.

Let us discuss the definition of both in detail.

A memoir is based on the author’s real-life experience, and it is written from the author’s point of view. Also, they are not covering their whole life from birth to the present. However, they explore a specific era in great detail, which makes them much different from other writing genres.

Memoirs are more personal and focused on the writer's life. It should be written from the first-person point of view.

The main purpose of the memoir is to:

• Share your personal life experience with the readers.
• Tell the story from the author’s perspective.
• Connect with others who have similar or the same situations.
• Help the people to understand that they are not alone in their experiences.
• Make sense of the threads and themes of their life, as well as identify what's important.

Moreover, the memoir is a type of autobiography that gives a glimpse of the specific event of the writer’s life. Also, the memoir should be:

• Descriptive
• Well-written

The memoir also focuses on the relationship between the author and a particular place or person. Also, they tend to be read more like a fiction novel than a factual account. It includes the following things:

However, for a great memoir, you should share snippets from their life. Also, do not try to tell the entire story in one sitting.

Here is an example that gives you a better idea of the memoir.

Memoir Example

Autobiography

An autobiography focuses on the writer’s entire life and discusses the significant events of their life. It comes through the writer’s own life and in his own words. People write autobiographies to record their feelings and ideas to share with others. Then get it published to reach a greater number of people.

The main purpose of the autobiography is to:

• Inform or teach someone about something.
• Present the facts based on a memoir.
• Focus on the most important events and people in the writer’s life.
• Give you a better insight into how their experiences have shaped them as a person.

Moreover, an autobiography is written in a fictional tale that closely mirrors events from the author’s real life. However, your autobiography should be:

• Easy to read
• Free from obscure details

The below example will help you in writing a good autobiography.

Autobiography Example

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Autobiography vs. Memoir: Differences and Similarities

The autobiography and memoir have some differences and similarities. You must know them before you start writing it.

The below table shows the differences between autobiography and memoir.

Here are some similarities between autobiography and memoir.

• Both use the first-person point of view.
• Both demonstrate the life of the author.
• Focus on the limited aspect of the author’s life.
• Nonfiction literary genre.
• Presents facts as the person experiencing them.

Biography vs. Autobiography vs. Memoir

Some students get confused between biography, autobiography, and memoir. They are not the same and are written for different purposes.

Check the below table and better understand the similarities and differences between biography, autobiography, and memoir.

Memoir vs. Autobiography vs. Personal Narrative

The below table shows the differences and similarities between memoir, autobiography, and personal narrative.

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Tips for Writing the Autobiography and Memoir

The following are the tips that you should follow and create a well-written autobiography and memoir.

• Use fiction-writing techniques.
• Write in an engaging way.
• Mention the specific dates of the events.
• Focused on facts.
• Dialogues in memoir should be natural instead of journalistic.
• Do in-depth research.
• Start with a strong hook.
• Use the correct memoir and  autobiography format .
• Pick a strong theme.
• Focus on the main events of the person’s life.

Now, you get a complete understanding of the autobiography and memoir. However, if there is still any confusion in writing, then simply consult 5StarEssays.com.

Our  essay writer  will help you make your writing process easy. All your write my essay requests are managed by professional writers.

So, contact us now and get professional academic help at an affordable rate.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the 3 characteristics of a memoir.

The 3 characteristics are:

• It focuses on a specific life event
• The subject becomes alive in the writing
• They are more limited than biographies

Is a memoir more factual than an autobiography?

No! On the contrary, an autobiography is more factual than a memoir. An autobiography encompasses many facts and real incidents from one’s life.

Can we use memoir and autobiography interchangeably?

In some instances, when autobiographies become exceedingly short, they are often called memoirs. However, they are still different in their essence and purpose.

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Dr. Barbara is a highly experienced writer and author who holds a Ph.D. degree in public health from an Ivy League school. She has worked in the medical field for many years, conducting extensive research on various health topics. Her writing has been featured in several top-tier publications.

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• How to Write an Autobiography - A Complete Guide

• Autobiography Examples – Detailed Outline and Samples

• Know the Different Types of Autobiography Here

• Autobiography Format for Students - A Detailed Guide

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Table of Contents

Memoir vs. Autobiography: The Difference Is a Lie

Famous authors vs. not-famous authors, a whole life vs. part of a life, chronological order vs. moving back-and-forth, facts vs. emotional experience, what’s the difference between a memoir and an autobiography.

What’s the difference between an autobiography and a memoir? I’ll tell you right now:

Memoirs are autobiographies without the elitist attitude.

Even though people say they’re distinct, there’s no real difference between these two terms. Especially once you start diving into what people claim the differences are.

It’s like saying a dog is different from a canine. Or a car is different from an automobile.

It’s completely bogus.

Literary distinctions like this are made up by English professors who want to sound superior.

For most nonfiction Authors, there’s no meaningful difference between an autobiography and memoir .

You don’t have to choose which one to write.

The whole idea of having to choose between them is ridiculous. This post will show you why.

Let’s start with the similarities between a memoir and an autobiography( since everyone agrees that they’re very similar):

• Both are books that you write about your own life.
• Both are written from the first-person point of view, a.k.a., the “I” perspective. Because you’re writing about your life story, that’s a no-brainer.
• Both are based entirely on real-life experiences. The Author might get creative with the style, but it’s a true story.

Now, let’s look at the commonly accepted differences.

Some people will tell you that anyone can write a memoir about their personal experiences.

But then they’ll say autobiographies can only be about famous people. They argue that people read them to learn about a famous person just because they’re famous.

That distinction is obviously made up by stuck-up literati assholes.

Who in their right mind would argue that we need to have two entirely separate genres of first-person books just because some people are famous and others aren’t?

That’s ridiculous.

Every person’s life is important. Everyone has a story to tell. And everyone who wants to write a book should.

Anyone who says otherwise is an elitist prick.

Literature professors will tell you that an autobiography covers the Author’s entire life, from birth to publication. Memoirs, on the other hand, only cover part of a life. It might be about a specific event or a set of specific dates from the Author’s life.

Again, that’s ridiculous.

First of all, no book covers an ENTIRE life.

Is there a difference between writing about your childhood, teenage years, and all the way through your big invention, versus just writing about the development of the big invention?

Maybe. But this decision isn’t about whether you want to write an “autobiography” or a “memoir.” It should be about what will be most interesting to the reader .

Making some artificial distinction between an autobiography and memoir puts the focus on the wrong thing. It makes the book more about the Author or the book itself than about the reader.

No one writes a book entirely for themselves. If they do, it’s not a book. It’s a diary.

I don’t mean that in a bad way. Diaries are great. But there’s no reason to publish a diary.

Even if you’re writing a memoir to tell your story to your friends and family, you’re writing for someone else. A small audience is still an audience.

That means that you should always keep your readers in mind when you write a book.

Readers don’t care whether your book is a “memoir” or “autobiography.” They care whether it’s entertaining, helpful, or enlightening.

These just get dumber and dumber.

Most other websites will tell you that autobiographies and memoirs are both written mostly in chronological order.

But genre purists insist that autobiographies are strictly chronological, whereas memoirs are mostly chronological but might have some flashbacks or move around in time.

So, here’s a philosophical question: if a famous person writes the book, but it jumps around, is it an autobiography or a memoir?

Nobody knows!

That’s because the whole distinction is completely made up.

Tell your story in the order that makes the most sense and that’s most entertaining to the reader. Period.

Whoever decided that an autobiography contains facts while a memoir focuses on emotional truths is full of crap.

This “distinction” ties back to the idea that only famous people write autobiographies. So, naturally, their readers picked up the book to learn FACTS about the famous person.

That might sound a tiny bit logical until you actually start to think about it.

When have you ever picked up a book that only listed facts about someone and actually read the whole book?

They were born here.

They grew up there.

They liked pancakes.

They didn’t like beets.

Be honest. You wouldn’t read that. No one would read that nonsense.

Lists of facts are dull, and no one is going to read a book that’s just a list of facts (that, in itself, is a fact).

People connect with stories about people. ​​​​ All great books about anyone’s life are the stories about the emotional experience of that life.

People read memoirs and autobiographies to learn something about their own lives through the life experiences of others.

When you break it down, there’s no difference between a memoirist and an autobiographer. They’re both writers sharing real-life stories in order to make an impact on a reader’s life.

Anyone who tells you there’s a difference has an elitist attitude.

The Scribe Crew

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Q. What's the difference between an autobiography, biography or a memoir?

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Answered By: Jeffrey Orrico Last Updated: Jul 18, 2023     Views: 47452

While each of these forms of writing illuminates the life, work, and worldview of an individual, they are differentiated by the degree of objectivity and factual content, as well stylistic approaches and perspectives.

Note: The below definitions are from the Oxford English Dictionary [electronic resource.] 

Autobiography, n. – 

Typically in book form, an autobiography is an account of a person’s life told by the himself or herself. An autobiography tends to be a more general history, while a memoir focuses on a specific piece of the author's life.    

Biography, n. –

A biography is a written account (although it may come in other forms such as recorded or visual media) of events and circumstances of another person’s life. Most commonly written about a historical or public figure, it profiles a person’s life or life’s work.

Title Ella Fitzgerald : a biography of the first lady of jazz / Stuart Nicholson. Author Nicholson, Stuart. Diary, n. –  A daily record of personal matters, transactions or events affecting the writer personally or the result of the author’s observations.  Title The diary of a young girl : the definitive edition / Anne Frank ; edited by Otto H. Frank and Mirjam Pressler ; translated by Susan Massotty. Author Frank, Anne, 1929-1945. Journal, adj. AND  n. –  Often referring to a more detailed account than that of a diary, a journal contains events or matters of personal interest, kept for one’s own use. Either in the form of daily accounts or entries for when events occur.  Title The unabridged journals of Sylvia Plath, 1950-1962 / edited by Karen V. Kukil. Author Plath, Sylvia. Memoir, n. –  A record of events or history from the personal knowledge, experience, perspective or special source information of the author. Frequently include autobiographic reminiscences. Memoirs tend to cover in detail a specific aspect of an author's life, while an autobiography is a more general history.  Title A Vietcong memoir / Truong Nhu Tang, with David Chanoff and Doan Van Toai. Author Truong, Nhu Tang. Narrative, n. –  When writing a narrative essay, one might think of it as telling a story. These essays are often anecdotal, experiential, and personal—allowing students to express themselves in a creative and, quite often, moving ways.    Purdue Online Writing Lab Expository, n. – The expository essay is a genre of essay that requires the student to investigate an idea, evaluate evidence, expound on the idea, and set forth an argument concerning that idea in a clear and concise manner. This can be accomplished through comparison and contrast, definition, example, the analysis of cause and effect, etc. Purdue Online Writing Lab Oral history, n. –  A story or collection of stories or past events that have been passed down by word of mouth. Sometimes including record oral histories, this form of history relies on compiling recollections from people who were told these histories or whom lived these stories.   Conducting Oral Histories with Veterans In recent years, publishers have avoided classifying life stories as “autobiographies”, with the attendant expectation of editorial fact-checking.  By using  a classification such as  “memoir” or “personal essay” or “narrative”, a number of works later determined to be mostly or entirely fictional have been initially presented as nonfiction (e.g.  A Thousand Little Pieces by James Frey).  As when evaluating other research materials, it is important to consider whether the author is objective and complete in his or her writing. In addition, only a biographer writing after the subject’s death is able to relate the events surrounding the death and the post-death consensus as to the individual’s significance. Nonetheless, the personal narrative, even if subjective or incomplete, may add to one’s understanding of the individual’s values and viewpoint. For briefer articles on individuals, try the biographies contained in print and online reference works, including: Gale In Context: Biography American National Biography Oxford Dictionary of National Biography Below are some library resources on interpreting the various forms of life writing. Wolfreys , Julian.  Critical keywords in literary and cultural theory.  New York :  Palgrave Macmillan, 2004. [ PN44.5.W64 2004 ] Cuddon , J.A.  ; Preston, C.E..  (rev.)   A dictionary of literary terms and literary theory . Malden, Mass. : Blackwell, 1998. [ REF  PN41 .C83 1998 ] Turco , Lewis.  The book of literary terms : the genres of fiction, drama, nonfiction, literary criticism, and scholarship.  Hanover, NH : University Press of New England,  c1999. [ PN44.5.T87 1999 ] Spengemann , William C.  The forms of autobiography : episodes in the history of a literary genre.  New Haven : Yale University Press, 1980. [ CT25.S63 1980 ] Memories are made of this - and that Share on Facebook Was this helpful? Yes 14 No 14 Comments (0) Related topics. QuickSearch Library Catalog Databases A-Z Publication Finder Course Reserves Citation Linker Digital Commons Research Support Ask a Librarian Appointments Interlibrary Loan (ILL) Research Guides Databases by Subject Citation Help Using the Library Reserve a Group Study Room Renew Books Honors Study Rooms Off-Campus Access Library Policies Library Technology User Information Grad Students Online Students COVID-19 Updates Staff Directory News & Announcements Library Newsletter My Accounts Interlibrary Loan Staff Site Login FIND US ON   Britannica Homepage Ask the Editor Word of the Day Core Vocabulary Most Popular Browse the Dictionary My Saved Words The Difference between Memoir and Autobiography The words 'memoir' and 'autobiography' are both used to describe written accounts of a person's life that are written by the person themselves. Sometimes the words are used interchangeably to mean "a written history of a person's life." Sometimes 'memoir' is used to mean something different. An autobiography is an account of a person's entire life, but a memoir usually is only about one part of a person's life. A memoir might be about a person's struggles with homelessness or addiction, or about their adventures traveling the world, or about their experience becoming an actor. A narrative about a person's life from birth or early childhood is usually called an autobiography. A narrative about a specific period of a person's life or a specific experience is usually called a memoir. I hope this helps. causing wonder and admiration About Us & Legal Info Partner Program Privacy Notice Terms of Use Pronunciation Symbols Biography, Autobiography, and Memoir: What is the Difference? Apr. 4th, 2022 If you have a true story you would like to tell, it is important to decide how you want to tell it. What is the difference between a biography, autobiography, and a memoir? We will discuss each form of nonfiction storytelling in this blog.  A biography is one’s life story written by someone other than themself. Often, someone chooses a biographer to tell their story after careful consideration. People want to make sure their biographer is a writer who can tell their story well. Authors can also write biographies about a figure they are interested in without that person’s official consent. Biographies can be about any person, living or dead, famous or simply a regular person with a fascinating tale. A biographer spends time interviewing with their subject, conducting research, and also speaking to people who know the subject in order to form a full picture of their life. Factual accuracy is important in biographies. While factual accuracy is important, it is also essential to write in a way that flows nicely rather than a laundry list of facts. Biographies still use structures found in fiction such as scenes and characterization in order to accomplish this. Summarize when appropriate, but use action scenes to describe important events. Biographies are broad in scope, focusing on most of a subject’s life or a certain long period of their life. They are heavily structured, usually in chronological order. The biographer uses a bird’s eye view – third person perspective – to tell the story of their subject. That way, they themselves do not become a character in the story.  If you would prefer to tell your life story on your own terms, then an autobiography may be right for you. Autobiography An autobiography is one’s life story as told by themselves. Autobiographies have all the traits of biographies, except the writer is telling their own story. As an autobiographer, a writer will use first person point of view. Speaking from your own perspective will lend your autobiography more credibility. Like biographies and fiction, autobiographies utilize scenes and characterization to tell the story in a way that is compelling, rather than simply reciting facts.  However, it is still important to be factually accurate so your whole story lines up. If you would like to delve deeper into how something felt rather than how it happened in a literal sense, perhaps a memoir is a better choice. A memoir is a nonfiction story that centers on one event or period in someone’s life, rather than a longer period or their whole life. Memoirs often use the same literary devices as fiction stories and poetry in order to make them more dynamic and compelling. As creative nonfiction, memoirs deal in finer detail than biographies and autobiographies. Authors attempt to convey their feelings. They talk about how an experience changed them. They focus on sensory details and crafting a unique narrative voice. In memoir, the accuracy of how an event might have happened takes a backseat to how that event felt to the writer. Most importantly, a memoir attempts to reach a universal appeal through one’s own experience. While your experience may be something that only happened to you, it will be relatable to your audience.  Ultimately, which format you decide will, in many ways, determine the course of your book. Therefore, it is important to choose wisely. Sources consulted: Author Learning Center For more tips on nonfiction writing, check out this blog.   Have a biography, autobiography, or memoir you would like to publish? Contact us!   Next Post Back to Blog Previous Post   Ready to Get Started? Publication via the Dorrance imprint is a perfect choice for the author looking for a complete, high quality, personal publishing program that leverages the expertise of publishing professionals. Find out for yourself today! A Dorrance Publishing representative will be in touch with you shortly. We're Sorry An error has occurred. Please try again. If you keep seeing this error, please contact us . Like what you're reading? Sign up for the Dorrance Newsletter! You have been successfully subscribed to our newsletter! Key Differences Know the Differences & Comparisons Difference between Biography and Autobiography Both of these two presents the view of, what happened in the past where the author lived. These are non-fiction books, written in chronological order, tells a story about the person who made a significant contribution in a specific field. Many think that the two writing forms are one and the same thing, but there are noticeable difference between the two, that are presented in the given article. Content: Biography Vs Autobiography Comparison chart. Basis for Comparison Biography Autobiography Meaning Biography refers to an account that tells someone else's life story. Autobiography means an account that tells your life story. Authorization Can be written, with or without the authorization of the subject. Not required Written in Third person First person Purpose To inform To express and inform Outlook Based on facts collected by the author. Full of emotions and thoughts. Definition of Biography A biography also referred as ‘bio’ is a detailed account of a person’s life written or produced by another person. It gives an elaborate information regarding the birthplace, educational background, work, relationships and demise of the person concerned. It presents the subject’s intimate details about life, focusing on the highs and lows and analysing their whole personality. A biography is usually in the written form but can also be made in other forms of a music composition or literature to film interpretation. It is the recreation of the life of an individual composed of words by another person. The author collects every single detail about the subject and presents those facts in the biography, which are relevant and interesting, to engross the readers in the story. Definition of Autobiography An autobiography is the life sketch of a person written by that person himself or herself. The word auto means ‘self.’ Therefore, autobiography contains all the elements of a biography but composed or narrated by the author himself. He/She may write on their own or may hire ghostwriters to write for them. An autobiography presents the narrator’s character sketch, the place where he is born and brought up, his education, work, life experiences, challenges, and achievements. This may include events and stories of his childhood, teenage, and adulthood. Key Differences Between Biography and Autobiography The difference between biography and autobiography are discussed in detail in the following points: Biography is a detailed account of a person’s life written by someone else, while an autobiography is written by the subject themselves. Biography can be written with (authorised) or without permission (unauthorised) from the person/heir’s concerned. Therefore, there are chances of factual mistakes in the information. On the other hand, autobiographies are self-written and therefore doesn’t require any authorization. Biographies contain information that is collected over a period of time from different sources and thus, it projects a different outlook to the readers. On the other hand, autobiographies are written by the subject themselves, therefore, the writer presents the facts and his thinking in his own way, thus providing an overall narrow and biased perspective to the readers. In an Autobiography, the author uses the first narrative like I, me, we, he, she, etc. This, in turn, makes an intimate connection between the author and the reader since the reader experience various aspects as if he/she is in that time period. As opposed a biography is from a third person’s view and is much less intimate. The purpose of writing a biography is to introduce and inform the readers about the person and his life whereas an autobiography is written in order to express, the life experiences and achievements of the narrator. Video: Biography Vs Autobiography There are several autobiographies which are worth mentioning like ‘The Story of My Life’ by Helen Keller, ‘An Autobiography’ by Jawaharlal Nehru, ‘The Diary of a Young Girl’ by Anne Frank, ‘Memoirs of the Second World War’ by Winston Churchill, ‘Wings of Fire’ by A. P. J. Abdul Kalam and much more. Examples of some famous biographies are- Tolstoy: A Russian Life by Rosamund Bartlett, His Excellency: George Washington by Joseph J. Ellis, Einstein: The Life and Times by Ronald William Clark, Biography of Walt Disney: The Inspirational Life Story of Walt Disney – The Man Behind “Disneyland” by Steve Walters, Princess Diana- A Biography Of The Princess Of Wales by Drew L. Crichton. You Might Also Like: May 4, 2017 at 12:13 am This website is amazing because my class is reading over it Joseph says February 21, 2023 at 8:18 am I have gotten the answers I really needed at this site Mukesh Kumar Guar says February 12, 2019 at 1:52 pm Little and complete information I was looking for. Abdul Rahim Muhammad Latif says February 26, 2019 at 6:09 pm nice wake well done Hanady says October 18, 2019 at 5:51 pm Amazing! Very helpful and useful. Thank you! May 7, 2023 at 6:47 am your article is very well explained Manish Bhati says June 21, 2023 at 11:51 am Great explanation by Surbhi S, it clears confusion between biographies and autobiographies. Leave a Reply Cancel reply Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked * Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Buy and sell your books at the best price 25 best biographies of all time. It can be challenging to determine the best biographies of all time . Some of them feature a compelling storytelling or narrative voice. Others depict an eventful life full of intriguing developments. A portion of them also have a relatable style with overwhelming authenticity, which helps readers connect with the human they’re reading about. The following biographies or memoirs stand out from the rest by being exceptional in any—or all—of the aforementioned elements. They are extraordinary works that have, in many different ways, made a lasting impact on culture and could be the next engaging read you need. by Prince Harry The Duke of Sussex A tell-all written by the rebellious prince himself, Spare truly spares no detail portraying the intimate details of his struggle between love, duty, and pain at the heart of the Royal Family. Leonardo Da Vinci by Walter Isaacson In the book Leonardo Da Vinci , Renowned American historian and journalist Walter Isaacson provides powerful insight into the life of one of humanity’s most notable geniuses by reading and studying Leonardo’s notebooks and written thoughts. Once again, Isaacson ventures into studying the minds of prominent figures by releasing Elon Musk , an authorized biography of the noted business magnate covering his life, projects, and controversies up until the publishing date. American Prometheus: The Inspiration for the Major Motion Picture OPPENHEIMER by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin Based on interviews, records, letters, and other exhaustive research, American Prometheus won the Pulitzer Prize for depicting J. Robert Oppenheimer’s life before, during, and after he becomes Death, destroyer of worlds. by Michelle Obama The life of America’s first African-American First Lady is a rollercoaster of struggle and success, meaning and accomplishment. With creative narrative choices and clever wordsmithing, Becoming has become one of the most celebrated autobiographies and even won a Grammy. The Woman in Me by Britney Spears As the long-awaited autobiography of the Princess of Pop, The Woman in Me reveals the most intimate details of her life in her words. Direct, candid, and vulnerable, Britney exposes her life—from childhood to her fight for freedom. In Order to Live: A North Korean Girl’s Journey to Freedom by Yeonmi Park and Maryanne Vollers In Order To Live is the harrowing yet inspiring memoir of Yeonmi Park, a human rights activist who escaped North Korea alongside her mother in 2007 at 13 years old. From fear to slavery, this is her journey towards freedom. Diana: Her True Story by Andrew Morton Princess Diana continues to be admired, remembered, and beloved long after her untimely passing. But before becoming Lady Di, she was simply Diana—and there is no better way to learn about her than through her words in Diana: Her True Story book. Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing: A Memoir by Matthew Perry Matthew Perry’s memoir exposes his soul—the good and the bad—as he deals with both friends and Friends, lovers along the way, and, of course, the Big Terrible Thing : his addictions. Benjamin Franklin: An American Life Benjamin Franklin had both a brilliant mind and an intriguing life. Benjamin Franklin’s biography explores his life, death, and achievements while unraveling the man behind the legend, the kite, and the lightning. Einstein: His Life and Universe Einstein is another emblematic biography by best-seller writer Walter Isaacson, focusing on one of humanity’s brightest minds and the tenacious curiosity that drove him to change the world. Churchill: Walking with Destiny by Andrew Roberts British historian and journalist Andrew Roberts breathes new literary life into Prime Minister Winston Churchill’s figure and legend in the Churchill biography that reveals brand-new information through letters and transcripts of war cabinet meetings. The Accidental President: Harry S. Truman and the Four Months That Changed the World by A. J. Baime An ordinary man in extraordinary circumstances, Harry S. Truman’s first four months in office took place right at the climax of World War II and its unraveling consequences, challenging who he was and who he wanted to become. The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music by Dave Grohl The autobiography of one of the living rock legends, The Storyteller follows Dave Grohl from childhood to Nirvana, Foo Fighters, and everything in between through a collection of short stories. Me: Elton John Official Autobiography by Elton John As seen on the screen in Rocketman, Elton John has had an electrifying and extraordinary life. In Me , he exposes his soul in his words—from his days as Reginald Dwight to now. Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey Written by the Academy Award-winning actor after a self-imposed exile, Greenlights is equal parts a memoir and a philosophical journey through his perspective on life, hopes, and dreams. A Promised Land by Barack Obama From his start as a young boy trying to find himself to his position as one of the most powerful men in the world, Barack Obama has seen it all. His presidential memoir A Promised Land shares some of that and his insights, thoughts, and analysis. Yet another exceptional biography by Isaacson, Steve Jobs explores the revolutionary entrepreneur’s outer achievements and inner world, based on countless interviews. An Autobiography Or The Story of My Experiments With Truth by M. K. Gandhi Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was a man before becoming a world-class leader and symbol of peace. In his autobiography , he reflects on his beginnings until 1920 and the events that shaped his philosophy on leadership. The Nazi Officer’s Wife: How One Jewish Woman Survived the Holocaust by Edith Hahn Beer and Susan Dworkin Originally published in 1999, The Nazi Officer’s Wife follows the life of Austrian Jewish Edith Hahn Beer amidst the horrors of Nazi control, her trials to avoid deportation, and the terror of living in fear of capture. No Time Like the Future by Michael J. Fox Michael J. Fox is more than his Parkinson’s diagnosis. Renowned for his role as Marty McFly in Back to the Future, No Time Like the Future shares his insight on illness, health, mortality, and, ultimately, the will to live. by Ron Chernow Ulysses S. Grant is one of the most controversial figures in American history. Nonetheless, Chernow’s biography invites readers to discover the complexity and accomplishments beneath his tainted reputation. Twelve Years a Slave by Solomon Northup Written in 1853, Twelve Years a Slave recounts Northup’s eponymous twelve years as an enslaved man—a Black man born free who was nonetheless kidnapped, sold, and forced into slavery. Trejo: My Life of Crime, Redemption and Hollywood by Danny Trejo Upon its publication in 2021, Danny Trejo’s memoir became a best-seller. In it, he recounts his troubled childhood, early start into a life of drugs and crime, and eventual redemption and recovery in front of the screens. Alexander Hamilton Ron Chernow’s biography of Hamilton famously inspired Lin Manuel-Miranda’s acclaimed musical. It takes a deep dive into Hamilton’s life—his humble origins, ambitious ideas, scandalized fall from grace, and indispensable role as a Founding Father. Fascinating Narratives For Fascinating Lives Biographies and memoirs offer a treasure trove of engaging tales, insights, and sometimes even life lessons. They are a window into the lives of people who have—in many ways—lived lives worth sharing with others. Although these books are among the best, this list is far from all-inclusive. From geniuses to artists and heroic tales of self-improvement, there are many other biographies that also offer a captivating insight into the beauty of the human experience, so don’t hesitate to choose them for your next read. Did you know that in the United States, the publishing industry consumes approximately 32 million trees each year to produce books? Why not use BookScouter.com to buy your next read in used condition? Save money and support nature and green living! For those stuck on their next book choice, see even more cool booklists on the BookScouter blog: Madeline Miller’s Books , The Bridgerton Books in Order , Must-Read Books for Your Vacation , and even the Hardest Books to Read for those who love reading challenges. Elbana Bellorín Elbana is a Venezuelan Magna Cum Laude graduate with a B.Sc. in International Affairs and a Master’s in International Law and Politics. With an academic affinity for grounded non-fiction and a heartfelt personal love for creative fiction, her intellectual pursuits and writing projects seek to conciliate both. You may also like Top 100 Books Searched in 2011 10 Most Searched Sociology Books on BookScouter in 2024 10 Most Searched History Books on BookScouter in 2024 Copy and paste this code to display the image on your site Last Updated on August 9, 2024 by Olivia Smith 374 IMAGES How to write an Autobiography? Key Structure, Elements & Need What's the Difference Between Memoir and Autobiography? Difference Between Memoir and Autobiography Know the difference between a memoir and an autobiography Memoir vs Autobiography vs Biography: Differences Best Memoir Examples that Will Stir Your Imagination COMMENTS Memoir vs. Autobiography: What's the Difference? Memoir and autobiography are often used synonymously. These two nonfiction genres are very similar, so it's easy to get them confused. They're both the story of someone's life written by that person, and they both use the pronouns "I" and "me" since they're written in the first person.They're both true stories from the author's life. Autobiography vs. Biography vs. Memoir The three primary formats of a memory book, used to tell a life story, are a biography, an autobiography, and a memoir. Distinguishing between the three can feel a bit confusing since they all share several similarities. But there are some distinct differences. Simply put, a biography is the life history of an individual, written by someone […] Autobiography vs. Biography vs. Memoir: Differences of Each Type An autobiography is a book written by the author about their own life experiences. In contrast, a biography is a book written by someone else about another person's life experiences. Finally, a memoir is a book written about a specific time or event in the author's life. These three genres require different approaches to writing and reading. Autobiography vs. Biography vs. Memoir: Understanding the Differences It is a first-person narrative that covers the author's entire life, from birth to the present day. On the other hand, a biography is a book written about a person's life by someone else. It is a third-person narrative that covers the subject's life in a factual and objective manner. Meanwhile, a memoir is similar to an autobiography, but ... Autobiography vs. Biography vs. Memoir: What's the Difference? An autobiography is an account of a person's life, written by that person. The word originates from the Greek' auto', 'bios' and 'graphein', meaning 'self,' 'life,' and 'to write.'. Since the narrator is also the subject of the story, autobiographies tend to be written in the first person. The majority of ... The Differences between Memoir, Autobiography, and Biography Creative Nonfiction: Memoir vs. Autobiography vs. Biography. Writing any type of nonfiction story can be a daunting task. As the author, you have the responsibility to tell a true story and share the facts as accurately as you can—while also making the experience enjoyable for the reader. Memoir and Autobiography: Learn the Differences and Tips for Writing Learn the key comparison points of a memoir and an autobiography, as well as tips for writing in both formats. In the literary world, first-person accounts are often categorized into two main genres: autobiography and memoir. Learn the key comparison points of a memoir and an autobiography, as well as tips for writing in both formats. Memoir vs Autobiography vs Biography: Differences Copy editing might be the best option for nonfiction authors writing a biography, autobiography, or memoir. Copy editing is a "word-by-word" edit, focusing on spelling and punctuation, along with an intensive grammar audit. Proofreading is the last and final stage. It includes a basic check for grammar, spelling, and any lingering typos ... Memoir vs. Autobiography: What's the Difference? Unclear whether this is a memoir or an autobiography. / redstallion/iStock via Getty Images Plus On the literary genre spectrum, memoirs and autobiographies are right next to each other. What's the Difference Between Memoir and Autobiography? Memoir vs. Autobiography Basics. 1. Autobiography usually covers the author's entire life up to the point of writing, while memoir focuses only on a part of the author's life. There are going to be exceptions to every point on this list, but generally speaking, autobiography aims to be comprehensive, while memoir does not. Memoir vs. biography vs. autobiography: similarities and ... A memoir is a factual story in which the author reflects on a series of related events from their life or recounts memories from a particular period. An autobiography is a chronological description of a person's life. Although the memoir can be subjective, it must lean on facts. Autobiography vs Memoir: Clear Differences + Examples While both genres are personal stories, the difference between memoir and autobiography is distinct. According to Merriam-Webster, a memoir is, "A narrative composed from personal experience" and an autobiography is, "The biography of a person narrated by that person, a usually written account of a person's life in their own words.". Memoir vs. Autobiography An autobiography focuses on the chronology of the writer's entire life while a memoir covers one specific aspect of the writer's life. So, if I chose to write about my complete life up to this point—including growing up in Cincinnati, my time in New York, the few years I spent in Chicago, and eventually landing at Writer's Digest—I'd write an autobiography. Autobiography vs. Biography vs. Memoir An autobiography is a book written by the subject him or herself, detailing the important events of their life. Similarly, a memoir is also written by the subject, but focuses more on the emotional aspects of their life story, rather than the events themselves. Lastly, a biography is an account of a person's life written by someone other than ... Autobiography vs. Memoir Published on: Mar 2, 2021. Autobiography and memoirs are written to tell the life story of the writer. An autobiography covers the author's whole life, while a memoir focuses on specific events. These two terms are used interchangeably, but there are obvious and practical differences between the two similar genres. What's the Difference Between a Memoir and an Autobiography? A Whole Life vs. Part of a Life. Literature professors will tell you that an autobiography covers the Author's entire life, from birth to publication. Memoirs, on the other hand, only cover part of a life. It might be about a specific event or a set of specific dates from the Author's life. Again, that's ridiculous. Unveiling Differences: Memoir vs. Autobiography Explained A biography is written about someone else's life. For example, Stephen King: A Biography is written by Albert Rolls. King himself hasn't written an autobiography, but he's published On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, which - as the name suggests - is a memoir because it revolves around one specific theme. RELATED READ: Non-Fiction ... What's the difference between an autobiography, biography or a memoir Typically in book form, an autobiography is an account of a person's life told by the himself or herself. An autobiography tends to be a more general history, while a memoir focuses on a specific piece of the author's life. Title. Autobiography : I wonder as I wander / edited with an introduction by Joseph McLaren. The Difference between Memoir and Autobiography An autobiography is an account of a person's entire life, but a memoir usually is only about one part of a person's life. A memoir might be about a person's struggles with homelessness or addiction, or about their adventures traveling the world, or about their experience becoming an actor. A narrative about a person's life from birth or early ... Biography, Autobiography, and Memoir: What is the Difference? As creative nonfiction, memoirs deal in finer detail than biographies and autobiographies. Authors attempt to convey their feelings. They talk about how an experience changed them. They focus on sensory details and crafting a unique narrative voice. In memoir, the accuracy of how an event might have happened takes a backseat to how that event ... Difference Between Autobiography and Memoir (with Comparison Chart A memoir is recognised as a subgenre of the biography and autobiography. The basic difference between these two literary forms is that an autobiography is a story of a life that contains all the details of the life of the main character like birthplace, education, work, relationship, etc. of the subject. Telling Your Story: Memoir vs Autobiography vs Biography A chapter in your life is where the meat of the story is. Also, memoir is hot right now. Readers and publishers often search specifically for memoir, not autobiography or biography unless you are famous. This is because memoir tends to read like fiction - it has conflict, story and character arcs, tension, and mystery that keep readers invested. Difference between Biography and Autobiography (with Comparison Chart Biography is the life history of an individual, written by someone else, whereas the autobiography is an expression of a person's life, written by self. Both of these two presents the view of, what happened in the past where the author lived. These are non-fiction books, written in chronological order, tells a story about the person who made ... 25 Best Biographies of All Time Yet another exceptional biography by Isaacson, Steve Jobs explores the revolutionary entrepreneur's outer achievements and inner world, based on countless interviews. An Autobiography Or The Story of My Experiments With Truth. by M. K. Gandhi. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was a man before becoming a world-class leader and symbol of peace. essay homework paper phd project resume review speech thesis