how to write your parents biography

11 Do’s & Don’ts of Writing Family Biographies

June 19, 2015 by Elly - Legacy Tree Genealogists Project Manager 11 Comments

 Our team has completed thousands of hours of writing client biographies. Review our tips for writing family biographies that will help make your ancestors come to life!

Recently, we published a post on tips for writing a family biography that others would want to read. Perhaps that article inspired you to begin your own, or to dig up an unfinished manuscript and take a closer look. Maybe you’ve got the organization part figured out, but your writing itself needs some polishing.

At Legacy Tree Genealogists, we have a lot of experience writing – not just on the part of our researchers, but also by our project managers and editors, who look over each report and make sure it is ready for publication. As you can imagine, the daily application of these skills has been very educational. Here, then, are eleven do’s and don’ts of writing family biographies using real examples from real biographies that we’ve really written…or rewritten.

1.  Do Begin with an Interesting Story or Detail to Engage The Reader's Interest

“With no way of knowing that a ceasefire would be signed exactly one month later, James Ralph Wilson registered for the Great War draft on 1 September 1918 in Birmingham, Jefferson, Alabama. He was 33 years old. As a salesman for the Shapleigh Hardware Company of St. Louis, Missouri, James Ralph Wilson had no home of his own and gave an address at the Edwards Hotel in Jackson, Mississippi. His nearest relative was his mother, Mrs. R.O. Wilson, living 250 miles away in Irondale, Alabama.”

2.  Don't  Use Overly Sentimental Verbiage

This is not a romance novel.

“devoted friends” “tears could never compensate for the loss” “mother’s arms and sweet lullabies” “saddened the hearts”

3.  Do  Use Wider Local and National Historical Context to Bring Your Ancestors’ World to Life

“As disastrous as the Civil War was, particularly for the South, Jonathan was one of the fortunate ones who made it back home alive. This was especially amazing in view of the fact that his regiment participated in many of the most gruesome, storied battles of the whole conflict: John’s baptism by fire occurred at Williamsburg as part of the Peninsula Campaign shortly after his enlistment. He would also have been involved at the Battle of Gettysburg in summer 1863, which had the highest death toll of the entire war.”

4.  Don’t  Use Clichéd Idioms (Unless it is a Specific One that Plays an Important Role in Your Family’s Verbal Culture!)

  “pillar of society” “across the pond” “needle in a haystack” “kill two birds with one stone” “barking up the wrong tree” “went over it with a fine tooth comb”

5.  Do  Look Outside Typical Genealogy Sources to Glean Supplementary Details

“This invoice, for the cutting of cloth for a vest and coat, suggests that Washington was embarking on some adventure which required a new suit. Since we know that Washington married his wife, Nancy, in 1843, it is possible that the new vest and coat were for courting purposes.”

6.  Don’t  Paraphrase Existing Biographies or Histories. Beware of Plagiarism!

Either include a direct quote, or rewrite the facts in a completely different order in your own words. Footnotes with citations are always helpful, too!

“‘John P. Osatiuk immigrated to Canada from the village of Waskevche, Bukovina, in Ukraine and came to the Canora district. He spent the winter in Canora, married Katie Boychuk of Buchanan. Her family was also from the village of Waskevche and came to Canada in 1906. They moved to Preeceville area in 1907 and took up a homestead, south of Lady Lake N.E. 10-35-5.’” [1]

  John P. Osatiuk came to Canada from the small town of Waskevche, Bukovina, Ukraine. He wintered in Canora and then married Katie Boychuk of Buchanan. Her family also came from the same village of Waskevche, arriving in 1906. John and Katie took up a homestead in the Preeceville area in 1907.

7.  Do  Use Visuals to Add Interest

If you don’t have photos of your ancestors, consider using screenshots from Google Maps of places they lived, historical maps, images of historically-relevant artifacts, or illustrations of historical events.

8.  Don’t Data-Dump

Hint: If you cross out the names, dates, and places and there are hardly any words left , you need to rewrite.

  “ ⊠ married ⊠ ⊠ in ⊠. The couple had nine children, the first six born in ⊠ : ⊠ was born ⊠ , ⊠ was born ⊠ , ⊠ was born ⊠ , ⊠ was born ⊠ , ⊠ was born ⊠ , and ⊠ was born ⊠ .”

9.  Do Include The Hard Parts

It’s good for us to remember that our ancestors were people, too.

  “In 1850, Alden Harrington was found living among approximately 175 prisoners of the Connecticut State Prison in Wethersfield, Hartford, Connecticut. Interestingly, the census enumerator recorded the prisoner’s crime in the far right column—Alden’s was listed as theft. In addition to this extra information, the enumerator also listed a year next to the prisoner’s name. No notation could be located in the census that explained this year, though it was likely the year in which the prisoner entered the prison. Next to Alden’s name was recorded the year 1850, suggesting that he was imprisoned the year the census was taken. The crimes of his fellow convicts ranged from murder and rape to horse stealing and adultery.”

10.  Don’t Pass Judgment on Your Ancestors

Tell the facts and let the readers draw their own conclusions.

  “If Maude’s birthdate is correct (as several documents will attest), she was only about 13 or 14 years old when she and Howard—who was 18 or 19—married, and she had her first child before the year was out. Although average age at first marriage has fluctuated historically and often been lower than we would consider normal in the 21 st century, even this degree of youth was unusual for the time. It appears likely that Maude had found herself pregnant, and the wedding was hastened in order to legitimize the baby and guarantee support. It seems that something more than young love must have acted as the catalyst to the union.”

“It is possible that Maude became pregnant, and the teenage couple married in order to legitimize the baby and guarantee its support. However, without their marriage record (and its exact date), we can’t know for certain.”

11.  Do Ask For Help!

Instead of procrastinating indefinitely, let us help you share your ancestors’ stories with the world. Contact us to learn more and to speak with a project manager.

[1] Preeceville Historical Society (Saskatchewan), Lines of the Past (Preeceville, Saskatchewan: Preeceville Historical Society, 1982), pages 714-175, Family History Library book 971.242/P4 H2L.

June 19, 2015 at 11:47 pm

I want to let you know that your blog post is listed in today’s Fab Finds post at http://janasgenealogyandfamilyhistory.blogspot.com/2015/06/follow-friday-fab-finds-for-june-19-2015.html

Have a great weekend!

June 23, 2015 at 1:03 am

Thanks Jana!

June 24, 2015 at 4:23 am

I really appreciate all of this information. It is nice to know that Legacy Tree cares about how we write our family legacies so that future families will want to pass it on and not allow it to be discarded in future years. Thank you

June 24, 2015 at 8:02 am

Thank you! We love working with you.

June 24, 2015 at 5:17 am

The “11 Dos and Don’ts” was very good. Perhaps Legacy could do a short “Roots” lecture at the 2016 “RootsTech” Conference in SLC. Also, maybe Legacy could evaluate/comment on someone’s draft family history book (or mini-book) and/or hold a 1 day or 2 day course on “11 Dos and Don’ts” before or after the “RootsTech 2016” in SLC.

June 24, 2015 at 8:01 am

That would be fun Wayne! We’ll keep your thoughts in mind as we plan our participation in RT for 2016.

July 1, 2015 at 1:59 am

Loved these writing tips, especially that you gave the definition and then offered illuminating examples. Especially helpful was the list of overly sentimental verbiage, adding visual interest, and avoiding data dump.

August 11, 2021 at 10:28 am

This post helps me very much. I got the answers for all of my questions. I would like to visit again for more interesting articles. Thanks for for sharing such a greatest prince of content!

August 12, 2021 at 9:07 pm

Sughra, we are glad the post was helpful! Subscribing to our blog is a way to have our posts delivered to your inbox each week!

December 28, 2021 at 5:31 pm

I have spent many years researching family information back to immigration in the 1600s from England to Massachusetts to the west coast of America.

Writing a family biography I can provide to my relatives is my goal for putting my project together in a way that informs the family as well as enjoying a compelling story.

I am trying to decide upon the best Point of View for writing my book. Third person omniscient is a POV style that I am considering. Would you recommend that, or can you give me a better idea for putting my information into a creative biography that of course will be based upon factual data gathered that will also include general history contexts. Will you advise. I would appreciate it very much!

December 29, 2021 at 11:23 am

Hi Laura, thank you for contacting us. It’s so nice that you are writing a family biography to share your research with your relatives. Third-person omniscient is the most common for this type of writing; however, if you would like to make the biography more personal and fun, you might consider writing each section in the first person from a different family member of that era. It could be an interesting way of bringing out specific concerns or facts from that period. Congratulations on researching back to the 1600s!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses cookies to enhance your experience. Consent allows us to track browsing data. Opting out may affect functionality.

ADVERTISEMENT

6 Tips for Writing Your Life Story

Sign up for the Family Tree Newsletter Plus, you’ll receive our 10 Essential Genealogy Research Forms PDF as a special thank you!

Get Your Free Genealogy Forms

" * " indicates required fields

I was born on August 19, 1933 …” Yawn. Mind wanders. Go to kitchen and look for something to eat. Sit back down at computer. “…my mother’s name was Rose Norton; my father was Paul Franklin …” Squirm in seat. Memories of having to write about summer vacations in grade school come flooding back. Check e-mail. Return to word processor. “My earliest childhood memory is …” Suddenly realize that it will take forever to record the past 66 years. And who would want to read it, anyway? Shut down computer. Turn on TV. Get more snacks.

Ever have this problem? Me, too. And I have only 42 years to write about. But I bet my 16-year-old daughter would have the same problem. Why does writing your life story have to be so overwhelming?

Or does it? If more people realized there are other ways of getting their life story on paper, more would probably do it. And more of their descendants would be thrilled that they did. For example, how does this life-story opening grab you:

My aunt used to tie me occasionally to the clothesline. We lived on a main street, and my aunt didn’t want me to go out into the street. The clothesline went the full length of the backyard. It ran from a window in the back of the house to a big tree, where the playhouse and swing were. My brother and sister were at school, so Aunt Emily used to tie me to the clothesline, and I could run around in the backyard. One day a dog came along and started chasing me. He thought I was playing because I was running back and forth. I hollered for my aunt, and she came out and got me. I was scared to be tied after that.

Not only is this more fun to read, it’s also more fun to write. Writing the story of your life — or your parents’ or grandparents’ — doesn’t have to be a chore. It can be enjoyable, entertaining and cathartic for you and your readers.

Your life may not seem like anything anyone would want to read about. No doubt most of our ancestors felt the same way about their lives. But if they had written an autobiography or memoir, wouldn’t you be thrilled to be able to read it today? Remember, there is only one you who’ll ever walk this earth, and no one will ever be able to tell your life story better than you.

People record their life events for many reasons, including:

• to leave a record for their descendants
• to re-live pleasant events of the past
• to resolve painful experiences
• to tell a story

Whatever your reasons, they are valid. Writing your life story is one of the most rewarding and important things you can do. And there will be someone who will be delighted you did. Remember what Clarence, the angel, said in It’s a Wonderful Life ? “Strange, isn’t it, how a man’s life touches so many other lives? When he isn’t around, he leaves an awful hole, doesn’t he?” You have touched innumerable lives over the years, and those you have touched will want to read your story.

1. Autobiography vs. Memoir

Before you start putting memories down on paper, though, think about what type of life story you want to write. An “autobiography” covers your whole life; a “memoir” focuses on a few key themes and important years of your life.

In autobiography, you not only record your life story, but also add facts and explanations about historical topics that affected you. For example, you might write about the day John F. Kennedy was assassinated and what you were doing when you heard the news. First, you need to fact check and make sure you’ve got the right date. Then, to broaden the scope of the story, you would research newspaper articles to see how and why this event rocked an entire nation. Finally, you would tell how it affected you.

A memoir focuses more tightly on a slice of your personal experiences. Suppose you’re a baby boomer who, as a teen in the early 1970s, wore love beads and bell bottoms and protested the Vietnam War. Your memoir might cover just that decade in your life — the theme being coming of age in the ’70s — and include not only your experiences, but examples of what being a “typical” teenager in the 1970s was like.

As in fiction, characters in a memoir must grow and change, which usually springs from conflicts or problems. Discuss these as part of your story Discuss decisions you have made and why. Include details that led to resolutions and decisions. Reflect on your past; don’t just record it.

If you’re not up to tackling a book-length autobiography or memoir, you could start writing your life story as a collection of short-story-length memoirs or essays — like that school paper you wrote on what you did on your summer vacation. Each essay should have an independent theme, focusing on one event or experience in your life. Your ultimate collection may have a common connecting thread, or each may represent a stand-alone experience.

To help prod your memory or to select themes and topics for essays, use guidebooks on oral history interviewing, taking one question at a time from the book to write about. A good book for this approach is William Fletcher’s Recording Tour Family History . Fletcher breaks down events in a person’s life by age, with subtopics, such as “the first time you saw your spouse,” followed by specific questions:

• Do you remember the first time you ever saw your wife/husband — the very first time your eyes met?
• Do you remember the first time you talked to each other?
• Do you remember what you talked about?
• Did you have any idea at that time how your relationship would develop?
• What did you think of him/her at first?

Flip through such a list, find a topic that intrigues you, then write about it using the questions to get started. This collection of essays can be simply that: an assortment of short life stories you keep in a three-ring notebook. You can arrange them in chronological order or thematically Or you can buy a blank journal book and record your essays there.

If you keep a diary you can include your stories as part of it. If you don’t already keep a diary consider it as an alternative to writing essays, autobiography or a memoir. A diary or journal doesn’t have to be a day-by-day account of your activities; your diary can be whatever you want it to be. Your descendants will be thrilled with whatever you choose to record.

2. What to Include, What to Leave Out

Even if you choose to write your life story as autobiography, that doesn’t mean you have to account for every second of every day of your life. Not only is that overwhelming for you and the reader; it would be boring. This may be one reason to choose writing memoir over autobiography or to write your life story as a collection of essays: You can skip the more routine aspects of your life. On the other hand, you don’t want to completely ignore your daily routines; this gives your readers and descendants a taste of your everyday life, which is also important and part of your story.

A tougher decision is how intimate to make your narrative — what private things to put in, what to leave out. This, of course, is up to you and how comfortable you feel with exposing personal matters. (Personally, I’d include everything, no matter how intimate — but I wouldn’t want it published until long after my death!)

When you’re trying to decide, think about your likely audience. Of course, it will probably be family members, but it may also include others reading your story as an example of how to write their own narrative, future generations and even social historians studying daily life. While you can’t satisfy all your readers, keep in mind that your life story will be a contribution to history one day It is through the surviving memoirs, letters and diaries of people of the past that we know today how they dressed, thought and behaved.

Another aspect of writing your life story is the inclusion of friends and family None of us lives on a desert island. We come in contact with people daily many of whom are close to us and affect our lives. Your life story would be incomplete and inaccurate if you didn’t mention and include them. Though you can write about your life in as much detail as you want, writing about someone else’s as part of your story may infringe on that person’s privacy It is always best to run the sections by the people about whom you’ve written and get their permission, prefrrablv in writing.

“Open your story with one of the happiest, most memorable, unusual or exciting events in your life.”

3. Where Do You Start?

While it seems logical to begin your life story with the day you were born, that’s exactly what makes the task seem overwhelming. Instead, try the flashback writing technique so common in novels: start in the middle of the story then use flashbacks to fill in the gaps. Open your story with one of the happiest, most memorable, unusual or exciting events in your life; it could be the day your first child was born, your first kiss, that big break on the job, or the day you got divorced.

As with any writing, you need to grab readers’ attention right from the start. Look at these reader-grabbing memoir openings:

I now want to claim Chokio. In elementary school, when my third-grade teacher asked as what nationality we were, we knew what she meant. Hands flew in the air as we acknowledged our heritage — part German, part Swedish, part Ojibway, part Irish. All of our ancestors had come from another country or another culture, and we claimed them as a way to define ourselves. Mary Locue, Halfway Home: A Granddaughter’s Biography

Whenever a telephone rings late at night or at an odd time of day, I still — even now that Frances has been dead for almost a decade — think someone is calling to say that my mother has taken her life. I grew up with stories of women who wanted to die. My mother’s grandmother jumped from a window in Vienna at the end of the 19 th century. My mother’s mother repeatedly threatened to commit suicide in Prague. My mother locked herself inside the bathroom in New York, saying she had had enough, that she could not go on. Helen Epstein, Where She Came From: A Daughter’s Search for Her Mother’s Story

Each author picked interesting or unusual aspects of her life to start the narrative and to plunge the reader into the story. These openings also give readers clues as to what the story will be about.

Both of these openings are examples from what I call “family-history memoir.” Mary Logue’s story discusses her search for her grandmother’s story; Helen Epstein’s is the search for her mother’s, grandmother’s and great-grandmother’s life stories. The stories are thematic, covering their search for their ancestors, but do not directly deal with the authors themselves. Through the course of their search and telling their ancestors’ stories, however, they learn about themselves and indirectly reveal their self-discovery

4. Writing Your Parents’ or Grandparents’ Life Stories

Once you get the hang of life-story writing, you may want to immortalize your parents or grandparents on paper, too. Always begin with living relatives, assuming they’re willing to be the focus of a narrative, because their stories will be lost after they are gone. Again, using guides on oral history interviewing to prod you on questions, get as much of the person’s life on tape as you can. Or, if the person likes to write, show them this article and get them started writing their own story.

But writing about living people can be tricky. While you may think that story about your mother walking in on her parents making love is wonderful and adds color to the family history, she may not agree. She may have found the whole incident terribly embarrassing, and thought she was telling you about it in confidence. Though I doubt your mom would sue you if you printed the story, you should certainly respect her wishes and not include anything she would not want you to include.

Remember, you don’t own a person’s memories. This isn’t journalism: Even though the person consented to an interview and told you deep, dark secrets, that doesn’t mean you should print them. To keep peace, always let the person about whom you are writing read it first and get that person’s permission to publish or circulate it among other family members.

When writing life stories about family members, also remember to put them into historical context. If Grandpa tells you about his experiences in World War II, include general information about the war and what other soldiers like your grandfather experienced. If Grandma grew a Victory Garden and redeemed ration coupons, research and write about what those were and why they were important. If your dad recalls the blackout shades on his bedroom window during the war, tell the reader why that was significant. Putting memories into context this way is what makes someone’s life story valuable to an audience beyond family members.

You can get a sense of past times by looking at old magazines and newspapers; most large libraries have back issues on microfilm or in a special section. Categorize your life or your parents’ and grandparents’ into topics, then search for books with background on each topic. For example, my paternal grandmother was an emigrant from Italy in 1910. I’ve just categorized her: “an emigrant from Italy in 1910.” I’ll now look for books that will tell me what it was like to be an emigrant from Italy in the early twentieth century. She also came to this country through Ellis Island, so I’ll look for books on immigrant processing there. To learn what the community in America was like where she and her family settled, I can read local newspapers or town and county histories. When I write her story and blend this general information with her specific experience, it will broaden the narrative and make it more interesting to read.

5. Handling Sensitive Issues

Historical context will also help you write about sensitive issues. When I began interviewing my mother to write her life story, I knew there were aspects of her life she might be reluctant to talk about. Social histories, such as Brett Harvey’s The Fifties: A Women’s Oral History , which discusses the everyday lives of ordinary housewives in the 1950s, helped me frame my questions.

Knowing that my parents’ divorce was a sensitive topic, for instance, it helped to have the background knowledge that many women who married in the 1950s were unhappy and that a quarter to a third of the marriages of the ’50s ended in divorce. Now I was able to preface my question to her about divorce with, “I’ve been reading that many marriages of the 1950s ended in divorce….” When it came time to write her story, I interwove these general, typical experiences with her personal story: Rather than making her divorce seem unique, by placing it in historical context, it became part of the norm for that time in history.

When discussing premarital sex, to save us both from discomfort and potential embarrassment, I phrased the question in a non-personal way I asked, “Do you know what young women of your day did for birth control if they had sex before they married?” This way, she could answer without revealing directly whether or not she engaged in premarital sex.

Not all the answers on sensitive issues may be pleasant ones, and that’s OK. Like life, the chronicle of your life story doesn’t have to wind up happily ever after.

6. Getting Motivated and Finding Time

So do I practice what I preach? Have I written an autobiography or memoir? No, not yet. But I have faithfully kept a diary since I was nine. Though I plan one day to write personal and family-history memoirs, I figure if I never get around to it, at least my descendants will know me through my diaries.

We all make time for things that are important to us. Recording your life story, no matter which method you choose, is probably one of the most important things you can do — for yourself and for your descendants. Set aside a few hours each week (or more frequently) to devote to your life story.

If you need motivation and prodding, many community colleges and continuing education programs offer courses on life story writing, some as correspondence courses. (Writer’s Digest School, for example, offers a home-study workshop to help you research, organize and write your personal or family history with the step-by-step guidance of a published writer. For information, call 800-759-0963, or e-mail [email protected].) If you have trouble finding a class that’s right for you, consider starting a life story writing group. Even if it’s just you and another person getting together once a month to read and offer suggestions on each other’s narrative, this can be a great motivator.

However you choose to record your life, the important thing is that you do it. You owe it to yourself — and to those who come after you. Remember the golden rule of family history: Leave for your descendants what you wish your ancestors had left for you. They’ll want to know your story and no one can tell your life story better than you.

A version of this article appeared in the January 2000 issue of Family Tree Magazine.

Sharon DeBartolo Carmack

related articles

Writing compelling characters in your family history.

Storytelling, Writing

7 creative writing forms for sharing your family history.

How to Adapt Old Family Diaries, Journals and Letters for Modern Audiences

How to Handle “Blemishes” When Writing Family Stories

Writing Compassionately about Parents

Today ’s post is by writer and editor Katie Bannon ( @katiedbannon ).

You may be familiar with the iconic opening line of Anna Karenina : “All happy families are alike. Each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.”

Many of us end up writing about our family dynamics in memoir and personal essays, whether we planned to or not. Family members, for better or for worse, are endlessly fascinating. But how do we write about our uniquely dysfunctional families—and our parents, in particular—without being petty? How can we craft rich portraits that show their full, flawed humanity?

The more complex, the better.

Readers respond most to complicated characters. Try to be as balanced as possible in your portrayal of your parents. Showing their redeeming qualities alongside their shortcomings will make them read as human on the page. As a species, we are full of contradictions, and your parent characters should be too.

Remember that it’s difficult for readers to connect with characters who appear one-dimensional. If your mother or father is coming across as either wholly good or wholly bad, the reader is likely to distrust you as a narrator. Readers might wonder if you’ve done the processing necessary to come to terms with who your parents are/were, and if personal grievances are causing you to portray them unfairly.

Readers are also highly attuned to moments when the narrator wants them to see a character a particular way, rather than allowing them to form their own judgments. A one-sided portrayal of a parent won’t cause a reader to hate or love them—it will probably only make them detach from the narrative entirely. Capturing our parents’ complexity isn’t about giving them a “free pass” or sugar-coating their flaws. It’s about ensuring our readers can feel invested in them as characters, and as a result, stay engaged in the narrative as a whole.

If you’re writing about a difficult parent, consider how you might add nuance and compassion to their portrayal by asking the following questions:

• What might have motivated the parent to act the way they did? Was it protectiveness? Fear? Low self-esteem?
• As an adult, what do you understand about the parent that you didn’t know when you were a child?
• Think about the parent’s own trauma and family history. Can you draw connections between the parent’s actions/behaviors and their own past? The ways their own parents treated them?

On the flipside, maybe you idealize a parent. Sometimes this happens once parents have passed away; grief can make it difficult for us to recognize a parent’s shortcomings. But readers distrust perfect characters—they often read as inauthentic or cartoon-like. To help dig deeper into your parent’s complexity, ask yourself the following questions:

• What scares/scared this person? What is/was their greatest fear?
• What do you imagine is/was their biggest regret in life?
• What makes/made your parent feel embarrassed or ashamed?

Don’t tell us who your parents are. Show us instead.

Scenes allow us to watch your parents in action. We can see how they interact with you and others, observe their body language and mannerisms (biting fingernails, scowling, etc.), and hear the way they speak. Detail is at the heart of excellent character portrayals, and scenes are the perfect place to create the color and texture that brings parent characters to life.

Many of us harbor strong feelings toward our parents. This may result in a tendency to sum them up neatly in the narration: “My father was an angry man.” “My mother dealt with a lifetime of guilt.” While telling certainly has its place in memoir and personal essay, it’s often more effective to show us your parents’ personalities through scenes.

Instead of telling us your father was an angry man, show us a scene of him throwing a plate across the kitchen. Paint a picture of his anger through the details: the furrowing of his brow, the thunderous sound of the plate smashing, the way his screams echoed off the walls. A scene like this will allow readers to feel your father’s rage in a visceral, immersive way.

Showing parents in scene also helps you avoid labeling them. Labels reduce your parents to a “type,” diluting the nuance of your character portrayals. Mary Karr doesn’t call her parents “alcoholics” in her memoirs; instead, we see her pouring her parents’ vodka down the drain. Scenes and hyper-specific details are what make your parents idiosyncratic and believable to a reader.

Need help showing your parents on the page? Try this writing exercise:

Write a scene about a time you fought with or were scolded by a parent. The key here is using details to humanize the parent and show the reader the dynamic between the two of you. Play with the tension between what the character of “you ” wants in the scene, versus what the character of your parent wants. Try to include the following elements:

• Your parent’s physical characteristics
• Your parent’s body language (twirling hair, stiffening of the shoulders, etc.)
• Your parent’s speech (word choice, tone, cadence)
• Your parent’s actions and reactions
• Speculation about what your parent might have wanted and/or felt in the scene (which may be in conflict with what you felt/wanted)

Use “telling details” that capture your parents’ essence.

Sometimes just one detail about a parent can speak volumes about who they are. These “telling details” could be as simple as a nervous tic, a favorite catchphrase, or the way they take their coffee. In my memoir, I describe how my father told waiters we had a show to catch (even when we didn’t) just to speed up the service. My mother insisted on standing on the outside of the group in family photos, doing her best to slip out of the photo entirely. Carefully chosen details evoke a huge amount about a parent’s life and identity.

Don’t neglect “telling” physical descriptors. Sometimes we’re so familiar with family members we don’t include the level of detail necessary for readers to see, hear, and feel them on the page. Details like how your parents dressed, the way they walked, what cherished objects they kept in their purse or wallet, can go a long way.

Which “telling details” about your parents will capture their essence on the page? Brainstorm ideas by filling in the blanks.

• On a hot day, my mother/father always wore _______ and drank _______.
• The object my mother/father most treasured was ______ because _______.
• When we had company over, my mother/father would ________.
• When my mother/father was annoyed, her/his voice would ________ and her/his face looked like ________.
• Around the holidays, my mother/father would _________, but she/he would never ________.

Final thoughts

Parents have the potential to be your most vivid characters. Their nuances and contradictions provide incredibly fertile ground for writers. Still, writing compassionately about parents is no easy task. Applying character-focused craft techniques—leaning into complexity, developing scenes, and using evocative details—is crucial to making parent characters believable and engaging for the reader. Only then can we hope to bring our parents, and their humanity, to life on the page.

Katie Bannon  is a writer, editor, and educator whose work has appeared in  The Rumpus, ELLE Magazine, Narratively , and more. Her memoir manuscript, which charts her journey as a compulsive hair puller, was a finalist for the Permafrost Nonfiction Book Prize. A graduate of GrubStreet’s Memoir Incubator, she holds an MFA in creative nonfiction from Emerson College. She is a developmental editor who loves working with memoirists and essayists on how to write and revise their most vulnerable, taboo stories. She teaches at GrubStreet and lives in Central Massachusetts with her partner and two cats.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Great piece. Really helpful!

I’m so glad it was useful, Ellen!

This teaching article has helped me very much. I have struggled for over a year at writing a memoir of my relationship with my father and how I have come to forgive him since his death 8 years ago. Thank you for publishing this. I am certain I will reread it several times as I work towards finishing the book.

I’m so glad to hear it helped, Elizabeth! Your story sounds really powerful — best of luck as you work toward completing the manuscript!

Thank you for this insightful post. It was exactly what I needed at this juncture in my writing. I am writing about my sister and I had completely forgotten to do a physical description. Can you believe it?

I’m so glad this was useful, Naomi! And I can absolutely believe it — it took me multiple drafts of writing about family members before I realized I’d included almost no physical description of them…it’s easy to forget to do that on the page when we can picture them so well in our own minds!

How to Write a Biography in 8 Steps (The Non-Boring Way!)

Compelling biographies help us better connect with others while fostering empathy and understanding. Discover the steps to write one that captivates your audience!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter

Have you ever been captivated by someone’s life story? From the ancient tales of great conquerors to the modern accounts of influential figures, biographies have enchanted readers and viewers for centuries. 

The stories of real people’s lives not only entertain and educate but also provide a unique window into the human experience. In fact, according to research 1 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8796048/ , human stories like biographies can help us better connect with others while fostering empathy and understanding.

In this article, let’s dive into how to write a compelling biography, from the research phase to delivery.

What Are the Key Elements of a Biography?

The key elements of a well-written biography bring characters to life. They include thorough research, relevant interviews, clear structure, captivating prose, compelling themes, and a balance between objectivity and empathy. 

• Thorough research: Helps create an accurate portrayal of your subject
• Relevant interviews: Insights help provide a deeper understanding of your subject
• Clear structure: Helps you outline your ideas for a compelling narrative
• Captivating prose: Provides descriptive language to paint a picture of your subject
• Compelling themes: Showcases the motivations and desires behind your subject
• A balance between objectivity and empathy: Keeps biases in check and allows your subject to shine for who they are

As you develop your biography, remember that these stories hold an enduring appeal because they offer people an opportunity to explore the depths of the human psyche, unravel extraordinary accomplishments, and discover the vulnerabilities and triumphs of individuals who have left their mark on the world. 

Here are the topics a biography typically covers:

• Early life and background : Provide context about the subject’s upbringing, family, and cultural influences.
• Achievements and milestones: Highlight notable accomplishments, contributions, and significant events throughout their life.
• Challenges and struggles: Explore the obstacles they faced, the lessons learned, and how they overcame adversity.
• Personal characteristics: Describe their personality traits, values, beliefs, and motivations that shaped their actions and decisions.
• Impact and legacy: Discuss the lasting influence and contributions of the subject, both during their lifetime and beyond.

Ready to start crafting your biography? Find greater success with this helpful goal-setting resource!

How To Set Better Goals Using Science

Do you set the same goals over and over again? If you’re not achieving your goals – it’s not your fault! Let me show you the science-based goal-setting framework to help you achieve your biggest goals.

Let’s look at the six key elements of a well-written biography more closely and the steps you can follow to develop your own.

How to Write a Biography in 8 Steps Using Key Elements

Choose your presentation format.

Presenting your biography can take on various forms, the most traditional being written form. The basis for this article assumes you’re writing a conventional biography; however, this foundation can also help you create a multimedia presentation or website as well. 

Consider these various formats to present your biography:

• Traditional Written Biographies: This classic approach provides a comprehensive account of a person’s life through the written word. Traditional biographies can be published in print or ebooks , allowing readers to engage deeply with the subject’s story.
• Multimedia Presentations: In the digital age, multimedia presentations offer a dynamic way to present biographies. Incorporate audio, video, photographs, and interactive elements to enhance the audience’s experience.
• Online Platforms: Online platforms, such as blogs or dedicated biography websites, provide accessible avenues for sharing biographies. They allow for easy updates, reader engagement, and the incorporation of multimedia elements. 

Choose your subject and conduct research

To create a vivid and accurate portrayal of a person’s life, conduct extensive research. Dive into archives, read letters, examine diaries, explore photographs, and immerse yourself in the historical and cultural context surrounding your subject. This will help you unearth the small details that breathe life into your biography. 

Whether you’re writing a biography about a historical figure, contemporary icon, or everyday individual, you’ll want to consider the different factors to focus on. Here are some examples of three types of individuals and the kind of research that will be most helpful.

• Historical Figures: When writing about historical figures, immerse yourself in their era. Understand the social, political, and cultural forces that shaped their lives. I recommend visiting your local library and connecting with a research librarian for support. Otherwise, other tools for historical research include Google Scholar. Analyze primary sources and multiple perspectives to present a well-rounded account.
• Contemporary Icons: Biographies of modern icons offer a chance to delve into their ongoing impact. Conduct interviews or gather insights from their close associates to understand their present-day influence. Stay current with the latest developments, and be prepared to update your work as the subject’s story unfolds.
• Everyday Individuals: Biographies need not be reserved for the famous. Every day individuals possess stories that can be just as compelling. Uncover the extraordinary within the ordinary, highlighting the struggles, triumphs, and personal growth of individuals who might otherwise remain unsung.
• Yourself! Want to write a biography on yourself? Autobiographies are a great way to explore who you are. Get ready to do some serious self-reflection with the steps below.

Pro Tip: Compile your research digitally using helpful cloud filings systems like Google Drive , OneDrive , or Dropbox . Organize your files by category, including information about their youth, family, achievements, and life lessons. You may also choose to write down research references or collect paper clippings on note cards, categorizing your physical files of research along the way.

Develop compelling themes and motifs 

Identify overarching themes or motifs that emerge from the subject’s life. These could be resilience, ambition, love, or societal change. Weave these elements into the narrative, highlighting their significance and impact on the person’s journey. Here are some examples:

• Overcoming Adversity: These biographies feature perseverance, resilience, and determination. Examples include Helen Keller, Nelson Mandela, and Malala Yousafzai.
• Pursuit of Excellence: These biographies highlight people who have worked tirelessly to achieve their goals. Examples include Steve Jobs, Serena Williams, and Michael Jordan.
• Quest for Knowledge: These biographies focus on the curiosity that led to significant contributions to our world. Examples include Albert Einstein, Marie Curie, and Charles Darwin.
• Personal Transformation: These biographies explore a change in beliefs, values, or priorities. Examples include Malcolm X, Oprah Winfrey, and Maya Angelou.
• Legacy and Impact: These biographies examine a body of work that made a lasting contribution to society. Examples include Martin Luther King Jr., Mother Teresa, and Mahatma Gandhi.

Conduct relevant interviews 

Whenever possible, seek firsthand accounts from those who knew or interacted with the subject. Conduct interviews with family members, friends, colleagues, or experts in the field. Their insights and anecdotes can provide a deeper understanding of the person’s character and experiences.

When conducting interviews for a biography, consider the following tips to ensure a productive and insightful conversation:

• Familiarize yourself with the interviewee’s background and accomplishments.
• Develop a list of well-thought-out questions that cover key aspects of their lives and experiences, including questions about your subject’s youth, family, achievements, and life transitions or struggles.
• Begin the interview by establishing a comfortable and friendly atmosphere to put the interviewee at ease.
• Show genuine interest in their story and listen actively to their responses.
• Ask open-ended questions encouraging detailed and reflective responses.
• Avoid yes/no questions and ask for their insights, memories, and personal perspectives.
• Some topics you might consider for your questions include early life, achievements, challenges, motivations, values, relationships, lessons learned, and advice.
• Pay close attention to the interviewee’s answers, body language, and tone of voice.
• Ask follow-up questions to clarify or delve deeper into specific topics.
• Show empathy and understanding, creating a safe space for the interviewee to share personal or sensitive information.
• Remain flexible during the interview, allowing the conversation to flow naturally.
• Be prepared to deviate from your prepared questions if unexpected but relevant topics arise.
• Respect the interviewee’s boundaries and be mindful of any topics they may not wish to discuss.
• Take thorough and organized notes during the interview to capture important details.
• Consider recording the interview (with permission) to ensure accurate quotes and references.
• Ask for permission to follow up with additional questions or for clarification.
• Doing a biography on yourself? Ask yourself deep questions to harvest new stories and anecdotes.

Remember, the goal of the interview is to gather valuable information and personal perspectives that will contribute to the authenticity and depth of your biography. Approach the interview process with sensitivity, respect, and genuine curiosity about the interviewee’s life and experiences.

Develop a clear structure

Outline your biography, ensuring a logical and engaging narrative flow. Consider the chronological order, significant milestones, and turning points in the subject’s life. Organize your gathered information to capture the essence of their journey while maintaining a compelling rhythm throughout. 

A good outline for a biography can vary depending on the specific subject and the desired structure of the narrative. However, here’s a general outline that can serve as a starting point:

A. Introduction

a) Hook or engaging opening to capture the reader’s attention

b) Background information (birthplace, date, family, etc.)

c) A brief overview of the subject’s significance or why they are worth exploring

B. Early Life and Background

a) Childhood and upbringing

b) Influences, such as family, education, or cultural factors

c) Formative experiences or events that shaped the subject’s character or interests

C. Major Achievements and Milestones

a) A chronological exploration of the subject’s notable accomplishments, contributions, or milestones

b) Focus on key moments or achievements that highlight their impact or significance.

c) Provide context and details to paint a vivid picture of their achievements

D. Challenges and Obstacles

a) Discussion of the challenges, setbacks, or adversities the subject encountered

b) How they overcame obstacles or grew through difficult experiences

c) Insights into their resilience, determination, or problem-solving abilities

E. Personal Life and Relationships

a) Exploration of the subject’s relationships, such as family, friends, or romantic partners

b) Insights into their personal joys, struggles, or transformative experiences

c) How their personal life intersected with their professional or public achievements

F. Legacy and Impact

a) Examination of the subject’s lasting influence, contributions, or impact on society

b) Discuss how their work or actions continue to resonate or shape the world today

c) Reflection on their legacy and the lessons we can learn from their life story

G. Conclusion

a) Summarize the key aspects of the subject’s life and their significance

b) Provide a final reflection or insight on their overall journey or impact

c) Leave the reader with a lasting impression or call to action

Pro Tip: Looking for help drafting an outline to get you started? Use free tools like ChatGPT to jumpstart your outline by putting in a prompt request like, “Write an outline for a biography about X, including any relevant details on the subject that should be included.”

Craft captivating prose

Employ descriptive language to transport readers into the subject’s world. Paint vivid portraits of their physical appearance, mannerisms, and surroundings. Use sensory details to evoke emotions and create a strong connection between the reader and the subject. 

Here are some examples:

• “She was a force of nature, with a fierce determination and an unwavering commitment to justice.” (Ruth Bader Ginsburg)
• “His piercing blue eyes seemed to look right through you, and his voice had a commanding presence that demanded attention.” (Winston Churchill)
• “She moved with a grace and elegance that belied her inner strength and resilience.” (Audrey Hepburn)
• “His rugged features and piercing gaze made him a natural leading man, but it was his depth and vulnerability that set him apart.” (Marlon Brando)
• “She had a contagious energy and a magnetic personality that drew people to her like a moth to a flame.” (Princess Diana)
• “His quiet intensity and unwavering dedication to his craft made him one of the greatest artists of his time.” (Leonardo da Vinci)

Action Step: While writing descriptive prose takes some practice, it’s an art you can master with little creative writing skills. To help you write descriptive prose, practice closing your eyes and imagining your subject. 

• What expression is on their face? 
• How are they dressed? 
• What does their body language express? 
• How do they smell? 
• How do they make you feel? 
• How do they make others feel? 
• What’s in their surroundings? 
• What are they doing with their hands? 
• What do you imagine they’re thinking about? 

With questions like these, you’ll start to use descriptive language to bring your subject to life.

Build a balance of objectivity and empathy

Strive for an objective portrayal while infusing empathy and understanding into your writing. Remain aware of biases and preconceived notions, giving your subject the space to shine in their unique light. 

To check yourself, filter your writing and interviewing with these tips:

• Verify Information: Cross-reference information from various sources to ensure accuracy. Use tools like Fact Check Explorer to fact-check claims, dates, and events to avoid errors or inaccuracies that could skew the narrative. 
• Multiple Perspectives: Seek out different viewpoints on the subject. This includes interviewing or reaching out to people with significant interactions or relationships with the subject. Incorporating diverse perspectives can counterbalance biases and provide a broader understanding.
• Empathetic Listening: During interviews or conversations, practice active listening and empathize with the interviewee’s experiences and emotions. This allows you to understand the subject’s perspective and incorporate their insights and feelings into the narrative.
• Contextualize Emotions: When sharing the subject’s emotional experiences or personal struggles, provide sufficient context and background. This helps readers understand the motivations and circumstances behind their actions and allows for empathetic understanding without veering into excessive sentimentality.
• Credible Interpretation: While interpreting the subject’s thoughts, motives, or intentions, be clear about what is factual and what is speculative. Clearly distinguish between evidence-based information and your interpretations to maintain objectivity.
• Respect Boundaries: Be mindful of the subject’s privacy and any requests they may have regarding sensitive or personal information. Respecting their boundaries shows empathy and allows for a respectful portrayal while maintaining the necessary level of objectivity.
• Acknowledge Limitations: Recognize that achieving complete objectivity in a biography is challenging. Biases can inadvertently seep into the narrative. However, by being aware of your biases and consciously presenting a fair and balanced account, you can mitigate their influence.

Respect truth, privacy, and sensitivity

Remember, writing biographies carries ethical responsibilities. It’s important to maintain accuracy through credible research and gain consent while being sensitive to controversial or difficult topics. Here are some considerations:

• Accuracy: Maintain a commitment to truth and accuracy. Verify facts and corroborate information from multiple sources to ensure the reliability of your narrative. Cite your sources and be transparent about any uncertainties or gaps in knowledge.
• Privacy and Consent: Respect the privacy of living individuals mentioned in your biography. Seek consent when sharing personal details or sensitive information. Balance the subject’s right to privacy with the importance of honesty and transparency.
• Sensitivity: Approach sensitive or controversial topics with care and empathy. Consider the potential impact of your words on the subject’s loved ones or affected communities—present differing perspectives without sensationalism or bias.

Writing a Biography FAQs

The length of a biography can vary greatly, depending on the subject and the depth of exploration. Some biographies span a few hundred pages, while others extend to multiple volumes. Focus on capturing the subject’s life’s essence rather than strictly adhering to a predetermined length.

Some common mistakes to avoid when writing a biography include the following: Lack of thorough research or reliance on a single source. Inaccurate or misleading information. Excessive personal bias or projection onto the subject. Neglecting to verify facts or failing to cite sources. Poor organization or a disjointed narrative flow. Neglecting to balance objectivity with empathy. Overloading the biography with irrelevant details or digressions. Failing to respect privacy or ethical considerations.

While chronological order is commonly used in biographies, it is not required. Some biographers employ a thematic approach or explore specific periods or events in the subject’s life. Experiment with different structures to find the most engaging way to tell your subject’s story.

The purpose of writing a biography is to capture and share an individual’s life story. Biographies provide insights into a person’s experiences, achievements, and challenges, offering readers inspiration, knowledge, and understanding. They preserve the legacy of individuals, contribute to historical records, and celebrate the diversity of human lives.

When choosing a subject for your biography, consider someone who inspires you, interests you, or has significantly impacted society. It could be a historical figure, a contemporary icon, or even an everyday individual with a remarkable story. Choose a subject with sufficient available information, access to primary sources or interviews, and a narrative that resonates with you and potential readers.

Key elements to include in a biography are: Early life and background: Provide context about the subject’s upbringing, family, and cultural influences. Achievements and milestones: Highlight notable accomplishments, contributions, and significant events throughout their life. Challenges and struggles: Explore the obstacles they faced, the lessons learned, and how they overcame adversity. Personal characteristics: Describe their personality traits, values, beliefs, and motivations that shaped their actions and decisions. Impact and legacy: Discuss the lasting influence and contributions of the subject, both during their lifetime and beyond.

Including personal anecdotes can add depth and humanize the subject of your biography. However, be selective and ensure that the stories are relevant, contribute to understanding the person’s character or experiences, and align with the overall narrative. Balancing personal anecdotes with factual information is critical to maintaining accuracy and credibility.

Conducting research for a biography involves exploring a variety of sources. Start with primary sources such as personal papers, letters, journals, and interviews with the subject or people who knew them. Secondary sources such as books, articles, and academic papers provide additional context and perspectives. Online databases, archives, libraries, and museums are valuable resources for finding relevant information.

Consult a wide range of sources to ensure a comprehensive and accurate biography. Primary sources, such as personal documents, letters, diaries, and interviews, offer firsthand accounts and unique insights. Secondary sources provide broader context and analysis, including books, articles, scholarly works, and historical records. Remember to evaluate the credibility and reliability of your sources critically.

Organize the information in your biography logically and engagingly. Consider using a chronological structure, starting with the subject’s early life and progressing through significant events and milestones. Alternatively, adopt a thematic approach, grouping related information based on themes or significant aspects of their life. Use clear headings, subheadings, and transitions to guide readers through the narrative flow.

Writing Biographies Key Takeaways

In summary, take note of these ideas and tips before you start writing your biography:

• Biographies hold enduring appeal, offering a glimpse into the human experience across time.
• Thorough research, interviews, and captivating prose are essential for crafting compelling biographies.
• Ethical considerations, such as accuracy, privacy, and sensitivity, are crucial when writing about real people’s lives.
• Choose subjects that genuinely inspire and resonate with you.
• Immerse yourself in the subject’s world to understand their motivations and challenges.
• Develop strong research skills and utilize a wide range of sources.
• Craft a compelling narrative that engages readers from the very first page.
• Seek feedback from trusted sources to refine your writing and storytelling abilities.
• Continuously explore new biographies to broaden your understanding of different styles and approaches.
• Embrace the unique voice and perspective you bring to the storytelling process.

Writing a biography book? Check out this helpful article, How to Write a Book: 10 Questions to Ask Before You Start Writing !

Article sources

Popular guides, how to deal with difficult people at work.

Do you have a difficult boss? Colleague? Client? Learn how to transform your difficult relationship. I’ll show you my science-based approach to building a strong, productive relationship with even the most difficult people.

Related Articles

Science of People offers over 1000+ articles on people skills and nonverbal behavior.

Get our latest insights and advice delivered to your inbox.

It’s a privilege to be in your inbox. We promise only to send the good stuff.

• Writing biographies

How to Collect and Record Memories

Writing family biographies in just 7 easy steps, let’s start with all your concerns about writing biographies:.

• “I don’t have time to do this.”
• “I’m not a writer.”
• “I’m not creative. My brain doesn’t work this way.”
• “I don’t know where to begin.”
• “No one wants to read my memories.”
• “Nobody cares about our family stories.”
• “This is going to be sooo hard.”

Sorry to be blunt, but these are pretty weak excuses … Collecting and recording your family stories and biographies does not require one bit of professional writing skills, creativity, publishing know-how, or any other special skills.

Anyone, and everyone, can and should do this!

The only requirement to record and preserve family stories and biographies is that you passionately care about your family..

Do you love them? Do you want to show them that love? Do you want future generations of your family to understand who they came from and what was important to the family?

That’s what we thought.

You’re doing this. Let’s get started !

7 easy steps to collect, record, and preserve your stories.

Here are the seven easy steps you’ll follow to collect, record, and preserve your family stories and biographies. Each step has free resources and tools to help keep you moving.

Step 1: Collect stories and memories

Step 2: collect photographs, step 3: collect other artifacts, step 4: write an outline.

Step 5: Arrange stories and images

Step 6: Pick a format

Step 7: Print and enjoy!

This can be one of the most time-consuming, but enjoyable steps of your family memories or biography project – collecting the stories! There are many ways to do this:

• Write down your own life memories
• Write down your favorite family stories
• Write down your memories about a specific family member
• Interview a family member about his/her life and memories
• Interview several family members about a loved one who has passed away
• Interview many family members about a beloved (and still living) family member

Collect as many memories and stories as you can. You’ll edit and prioritize later. Right now you just want to get them typed into your computer! When you’re writing your own memories, start with our 200+ interview questions to get you started. If you don’t have a computer or aren’t fond of typing, you can write your memories on paper and sweet talk a friend or family member into typing them.

Another option is speaking your memories into a recording device, like your smartphone or a small voice recorder. You can transcribe your notes or pay for a transcription service. It’s well worth the $1/minute fee many of them charge. Go to the Resources page for recommendations on voice recording apps and transcription services.

Nothing complements your heartfelt memories and beloved family stories like good photographs of the people and places in them. Unlike collecting memories and stories, too many photographs can quickly send you down a rabbit hole and stall your project.

Don’t go for quantity, go for quality photos. List the most prominent people mentioned in your memories and stories and look for a few relevant, high-quality photographs for each. It’s nice to have a mix of old and current photos. Now list some of the major events and places in your stories and memories. If you have sharp, high-quality photographs of these exact places or events, add them to your photo pile.

Once you have your photos, you’ll need to scan printed photos so you have digital versions of them. It’s likely any current photos will already be digital files. Head over to the Resources page for tips on how to scan photos.

There’s no need to dig deeper and search for related artifacts, but some people like to include them. What are artifacts? An artifact is a printed item that relates to the people, places, or events in your stories.

Common artifacts include:

• Newspaper articles
• Pictures, paintings, or other artwork
• Handwritten or typed letters, cards, notes, stories, inscriptions, etc.
• Event programs, ticket stubs, autographs
• Official documents, like licenses, diplomas, etc.
• Maps, brochures, travel guides, itineraries
• Anything else interesting you find!

Like photographs, hunting for artifacts can quickly eat up time and delay your project. If you find them and they’re relevant to your story, awesome! But don’t worry if you can’t find them, or don’t want to. These artifacts can always be collected in an envelope and kept with your memory book.

If you find artifacts that you want to use in your memory book, you will need to scan them and create digital files. Look at the Resources page for recommendations on how to scan artifacts.

You’ve now collected everything for your memory or biography book. Good job! The hardest part is now finished. The rest of your project will go more quickly. Read some inspirational biographies to get started. There’s one key tip to remember at this stage: don’t overthink it.

Keep your memory or biography project outline simple and straightforward. There are a couple of ways to write your memory or biography book outline:

• Chronologically – This can be an easy, no-nonsense way to organize your stories: put them in the order they occurred.
• Life stages – Instead of trying to determine what years each story occurred, just group them together by major life stages: childhood, adolescence, young adult, career, retirement, etc.
• Major events – Similar to life stages, this approach will group your memories and stories by significant life events, like birthdays, school years, weddings/anniversaries, births, deaths, vacations, career/jobs, military service, etc.
• Family members – Thinking about your readers (your family members) one of the nicest ways to organize your memories are by them! You could have a chapter for each family member, or group them by generation, like parents, siblings, spouse, children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and so forth.
• Random – For all you free spirits out there, this style is for you! This approach is less about organizing by topic, and more about creating many chapters of random, unrelated but interesting stories.

Step 5: Arrange your stories and images

Now it’s time to arrange your stories into one document. Your outline will be a good starting place, but you might decide there’s a better way to organize them. Don’t be afraid to change it and try different approaches. Your goal is simply to make it easy and enjoyable to read. There is no right or wrong way to do this.

When you’re finished, you’ll have a big document with a lot of text. Nobody, not even your loving family who is interested in these stories, wants to read page after page of text. It’s time to make your stories more reader-friendly.

Depending on how you organize your biography or memory book, there are different writer’s tricks you can add to really make your stories shine. Consider adding:

• Headlines and subheads: Write a headline and subhead for each section or story. This lets the reader quickly scan and understand what they’ll learn.
• Pull quotes: These are super interesting quotations you want to emphasize and draw attention to. For now, just highlight, underline or bold the quotes or sentences you might want to emphasize.
• Sidebars/information in a box: Sometimes you have an interesting tidbit about a place or event that doesn’t quite fit into your story. Turn these facts or historical research into a sidebar. Again, don’t worry about the design, just find and label paragraphs that would make good sidebars.
• More paragraphs: If you’re looking at your document and there is a wall of text with no paragraph breaks, you need to add some. Don’t worry about grammar rules – this is about making your text easier to read.
• Space between stories: Add more white space between stories or sections in your book.
• Lists: A great way to quickly educate and entertain a reader is by turning big blocks of text into a list. Look for paragraphs that could become a list of bullet points.

Now it’s time to match up photos and artifacts to your stories. No need to insert your digital images into your document. Instead, list the photo or artifact file names you want to use at the start of the corresponding story. This makes the design process much easier and faster.

Check out our story template in the Resources section for an example of how to set up your document.

Step 6: Pick a format for your project

It’s time to decide how you want to finish this biography or memory book project. You’ve put a lot of work and effort into these memories and family stories, and they deserve a high-quality finish! There are so many do-it-yourself publishing companies that make it easy and affordable to design and print hardcover copies of your biography or memory book. See our top recommendations for book printers in the Resources section.

Here are a few options and the general cost of each:

• Basically free: Design the book yourself, print it at home, and preserve your hard work in a nice binder or folder.
• Inexpensive: Design the book yourself, print it at a local copy shop, and have them add a clear or vinyl front cover, coil bind, or other finishing options.
• Moderately expensive: Use an online printing service to design and print a soft- or hard-cover book.
• More expensive: Hire a company like Circa Legacy to edit, design, and print your biography or memory book for you.

Step 7: Print your project

Hip hip hooray!!!! You did it! You’ve created an amazing gift for yourself, you family, and future generations. You should be so proud of yourself! All that’s left is to print multiple copies of your beautiful biography or memory book and present it to your family members.

This is no regular gift. You poured your heart and soul into this. Don’t just shyly slide it over to them at the end of a family dinner. Put it in a box or nice envelope. Wrap it. Include a little note about why this was an important project for you and what you hope they will get out of it. And then, you can give it to them.

Have a friend or family member who wants to write an autobiography or memory book but doesn’t know where to start? Take a look at our Products page for fun and easy do-it-yourself story kits to help them get started.

Read the Blog

Grab your free checklist, shop custom book packages.

• Shop Products
• Our Services
• Obituary Writing

Start typing and press Enter to search

• PRO Courses Guides New Tech Help Pro Expert Videos About wikiHow Pro Upgrade Sign In
• EDIT Edit this Article
• EXPLORE Tech Help Pro About Us Random Article Quizzes Request a New Article Community Dashboard This Or That Game Happiness Hub Popular Categories Arts and Entertainment Artwork Books Movies Computers and Electronics Computers Phone Skills Technology Hacks Health Men's Health Mental Health Women's Health Relationships Dating Love Relationship Issues Hobbies and Crafts Crafts Drawing Games Education & Communication Communication Skills Personal Development Studying Personal Care and Style Fashion Hair Care Personal Hygiene Youth Personal Care School Stuff Dating All Categories Arts and Entertainment Finance and Business Home and Garden Relationship Quizzes Cars & Other Vehicles Food and Entertaining Personal Care and Style Sports and Fitness Computers and Electronics Health Pets and Animals Travel Education & Communication Hobbies and Crafts Philosophy and Religion Work World Family Life Holidays and Traditions Relationships Youth
• Browse Articles
• Learn Something New
• Quizzes Hot
• Happiness Hub
• This Or That Game
• Train Your Brain
• Explore More
• Support wikiHow
• About wikiHow
• Log in / Sign up
• Education and Communications

How to Write a Biography

Last Updated: May 28, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Stephanie Wong Ken, MFA . Stephanie Wong Ken is a writer based in Canada. Stephanie's writing has appeared in Joyland, Catapult, Pithead Chapel, Cosmonaut's Avenue, and other publications. She holds an MFA in Fiction and Creative Writing from Portland State University. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 1,873,912 times.

Writing a biography can be a fun challenge, where you are sharing the story of someone’s life with readers. You may need to write a biography for a class or decide to write one as a personal project. Once you have identified the subject of the biography, do your research so you know as much about them as possible. Then, dive into the writing of the biography and revising it until it is at its finest.

Researching Your Subject

• If the subject does not give you permission to write the biography, you may want to choose a different subject. If you decide to publish the biography without the subject’s permission, you may be susceptible to legal action by the subject.
• If the subject is no longer alive, you obviously do not need to ask permission to write about them.

• You may create research questions to help focus your research of the subject, such as, What do I find interesting about the subject? Why is this subject important to readers? What can I say that is new about the subject? What would I like to learn more about?

• For in person interviews, record them with a tape recorder or a voice recorder on your computer or phone.
• You may need to interview the subject and others several times to get the material you need.

• You may also want to visit areas where the subject made a major decision or breakthrough in their life. Being physically in the area can give you a sense of how the subject might have felt and help you write their experiences more effectively.

• When researching the time period ask yourself: What were the social norms of that time? What was going on economically and politically? How did the social and political climate affect the subject?

• You may also include historical events or moments that affected the subject on the timeline. For example, maybe there was a conflict or civil war that happened during the person’s life that affected their life.

Writing the Biography

• You may end up focusing on particular areas of the person’s life. If you do this, work through a particular period in the person’s life chronologically.

• For example, you may have a thesis statement about focusing on how the person impacted the civil rights movement in America in the 1970s. You can then make sure all your content relates back to this thesis.

• Flashbacks should feel as detailed and real as present day scenes. Use your research notes and interviews with the subject to get a good sense of their past for the flashbacks.
• For example, you may jump from the person’s death in the present to a flashback to their favorite childhood memory.

• For example, you may focus on the person’s accomplishments in the civil rights movement. You may write a whole section about their contributions and participation in major civil rights marches in their hometown.

• For example, you may notice that the person’s life is patterned with moments of adversity, where the person worked hard and fought against larger forces. You can then use the theme of overcoming adversity in the biography.

• For example, you may note how you see parallels in the person’s life during the civil rights movement with your own interests in social justice. You may also commend the person for their hard work and positive impact on society.

Polishing the Biography

• Revise the biography based on feedback from others. Do not be afraid to cut or edit down the biography to suit the needs of your readers.

• Having a biography riddled with spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors can turn off your readers and result in a poor grade if you are handing in the text for a class.

• If the biography is for a class, use MLA , APA , or Chicago Style citations based on the preferences of your instructor.

Biography Help

Community Q&A

• Be careful when publishing private or embarrassing information, especially if the person is not a celebrity. You may violate their "Right of Privacy" or equivalent. Thanks Helpful 31 Not Helpful 5
• Have the sources to back up your statements about the subject's life. Untruthful written statements can lead to litigation. If it is your opinion, be clear that it is such and not fact (although you can support your opinion with facts). Thanks Helpful 16 Not Helpful 15

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://grammar.yourdictionary.com/writing/how-to-write-a-biography.html
• ↑ https://au.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/how-to-write-a-bio
• ↑ https://www.writersdigest.com/writing-articles/3-tips-for-writing-successful-flashbacks
• ↑ https://www.grammarly.com/blog/how-to-write-bio/
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/editing-and-proofreading/
• ↑ https://www.plagiarism.org/article/how-do-i-cite-sources

About This Article

Before you write a biography, gather as much information about the subject that you can from sources like newspaper articles, interviews, photos, existing biographies, and anything else you can find. Write the story of that person’s life, including as much supporting detail as you can, including information about the place and time where the person lived. Focus on major events and milestones in their life, including historical events, marriage, children, and events which would shape their path later in life. For tips from our reviewer on proofreading the biography and citing your sources, keep reading! Did this summary help you? Yes No

• Send fan mail to authors

Reader Success Stories

Jan 24, 2021

Did this article help you?

Janis Hendrick

Oct 10, 2018

Teresa Bradley

Sep 15, 2020

Apr 18, 2016

Latanya Foster

Apr 26, 2016

Featured Articles

Trending Articles

Watch Articles

• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• Do Not Sell or Share My Info
• Not Selling Info

Don’t miss out! Sign up for

wikiHow’s newsletter

TRY OUR FREE APP

Write your book in Reedsy Studio. Try the beloved writing app for free today.

Craft your masterpiece in Reedsy Studio

Plan, write, edit, and format your book in our free app made for authors.

Blog • Perfecting your Craft

Posted on Jun 30, 2023

How to Write a Biography: A 7-Step Guide [+Template]

About the author.

Reedsy's editorial team is a diverse group of industry experts devoted to helping authors write and publish beautiful books.

About Dario Villirilli

Editor-in-Chief of the Reedsy blog, Dario is a graduate of Mälardalen University. As a freelance writer, he has written for many esteemed outlets aimed at writers. A traveler at heart, he can be found roaming the world and working from his laptop.

From time to time, nonfiction authors become so captivated by a particular figure from either the present or the past, that they feel compelled to write an entire book about their life. Whether casting them as heroes or villains, there is an interesting quality in their humanity that compels these authors to revisit their life paths and write their story.

However, portraying someone’s life on paper in a comprehensive and engaging way requires solid preparation. If you’re looking to write a biography yourself, in this post we’ll share a step-by-step blueprint that you can follow. 

How to write a biography: 

1. Seek permission when possible 

2. research your subject thoroughly, 3. do interviews and visit locations, 4. organize your findings, 5. identify a central thesis, 6. write it using narrative elements, 7. get feedback and polish the text.

FREE RESOURCE

Biography Outline Template

Craft a satisfying story arc for your biography with our free template.

While you technically don’t need permission to write about public figures (or deceased ones), that doesn't guarantee their legal team won't pursue legal action against you. Author Kitty Kelley was sued by Frank Sinatra before she even started to write His Way , a biography that paints Ol Blue Eyes in a controversial light. (Kelley ended up winning the lawsuit, however).  

Whenever feasible, advise the subject’s representatives of your intentions. If all goes according to plan, you’ll get a green light to proceed, or potentially an offer to collaborate. It's a matter of common sense; if someone were to write a book about you, you would likely want to know about it well prior to publication. So, make a sincere effort to reach out to their PR staff to negotiate an agreement or at least a mutual understanding of the scope of your project. 

At the same time, make sure that you still retain editorial control over the project, and not end up writing a puff piece that treats its protagonist like a saint or hero. No biography can ever be entirely objective, but you should always strive for a portrayal that closely aligns with facts and reality.

If you can’t get an answer from your subject, or you’re asked not to proceed forward, you can still accept the potential repercussions and write an unauthorized biography . The “rebellious act” of publishing without consent indeed makes for great marketing, though it’ll likely bring more headaches with it too. 

✋ Please note that, like other nonfiction books, if you intend to release your biography with a publishing house , you can put together a book proposal to send to them before you even write the book. If they like it enough, they might pay you an advance to write it.  

Book Proposal Template

Craft a professional pitch for your nonfiction book with our handy template.

Once you’ve settled (or not) the permission part, it’s time to dive deep into your character’s story.  

Deep and thorough research skills are the cornerstone of every biographer worth their salt. To paint a vivid and accurate portrait of someone's life, you’ll have to gather qualitative information from a wide range of reliable sources. 

Start with the information already available, from books on your subject to archival documents, then collect new ones firsthand by interviewing people or traveling to locations. 

Browse the web and library archives

Put your researcher hat on and start consuming any piece on your subject you can find, from their Wikipedia page to news articles, interviews, TV and radio appearances, YouTube videos, podcasts, books, magazines, and any other media outlets they may have been featured in. 

Establish a system to orderly collect the information you find 一 even seemingly insignificant details can prove valuable during the writing process, so be sure to save them. 

Depending on their era, you may find most of the information readily available online, or you may need to search through university libraries for older references. 

For his landmark biography of Alexander Hamilton, Ron Chernow spent untold hours at Columbia University’s library , reading through the Hamilton family papers, visiting the New York Historical Society, as well as interviewing the archivist of the New York Stock Exchange, and so on. The research process took years, but it certainly paid off. Chernow discovered that Hamilton created the first five securities originally traded on Wall Street. This finding, among others, revealed his significant contributions to shaping the current American financial and political systems, a legacy previously often overshadowed by other founding fathers. Today Alexander Hamilton is one of the best-selling biographies of all time, and it has become a cultural phenomenon with its own dedicated musical. 

Besides reading documents about your subject, research can help you understand the world that your subject lived in. 

Try to understand their time and social environment

Many biographies show how their protagonists have had a profound impact on society through their philosophical, artistic, or scientific contributions. But at the same time, it’s worth it as a biographer to make an effort to understand how their societal and historical context influenced their life’s path and work.

An interesting example is Stephen Greenblatt’s Will in the World . Finding himself limited by a lack of verified detail surrounding William Shakespeare's personal life, Greenblatt, instead, employs literary interpretation and imaginative reenactments to transport readers back to the Elizabethan era. The result is a vivid (though speculative) depiction of the playwright's life, enriching our understanding of his world.

Many readers enjoy biographies that transport them to a time and place, so exploring a historical period through the lens of a character can be entertaining in its own right. The Diary of Samuel Pepys became a classic not because people were enthralled by his life as an administrator, but rather from his meticulous and vivid documentation of everyday existence during the Restoration period.

Once you’ve gotten your hands on as many secondary sources as you can find, you’ll want to go hunting for stories first-hand from people who are (or were) close to your subject.

With all the material you’ve been through, by now you should already have a pretty good picture of your protagonist. But you’ll surely have some curiosities and missing dots in their character development to figure out, which you can only get by interviewing primary sources.

Interview friends and associates

This part is more relevant if your subject is contemporary, and you can actually meet up or call with relatives, friends, colleagues, business partners, neighbors, or any other person related to them. 

In writing the popular biography of Steve Jobs, Walter Isaacson interviewed more than one hundred people, including Jobs’s family, colleagues, former college mates, business rivals, and the man himself.

🔍 Read other biographies to get a sense of what makes a great one. Check out our list of the 30 best biographies of all time , or take our 30-second quiz below for tips on which one you should read next. 

Which biography should you read next?

Discover the perfect biography for you. Takes 30 seconds!

When you conduct your interviews, make sure to record them with high quality audio you can revisit later. Then use tools like Otter.ai or Descript to transcribe them 一 it’ll save you countless hours. 

You can approach the interview with a specific set of questions, or follow your curiosity blindly, trying to uncover revealing stories and anecdotes about your subject. Whatever your method, author and biography editor Tom Bromley suggests that every interviewer arrives prepared, "Show that you’ve done your work. This will help to put the interviewee at ease, and get their best answers.” 

Bromley also places emphasis on the order in which you conduct interviews. “You may want to interview different members of the family or friends first, to get their perspective on something, and then go directly to the main interviewee. You'll be able to use that knowledge to ask sharper, more specific questions.” 

Finally, consider how much time you have with each interviewee. If you only have a 30-minute phone call with an important person, make it count by asking directly the most pressing questions you have. And, if you find a reliable source who is also particularly willing to help, conduct several interviews and ask them, if appropriate, to write a foreword as part of the book’s front matter .

Sometimes an important part of the process is packing your bags, getting on a plane, and personally visiting significant places in your character’s journey.

Visit significant places in their life

A place, whether that’s a city, a rural house, or a bodhi tree, can carry a particular energy that you can only truly experience by being there. In putting the pieces together about someone’s life, it may be useful to go visit where they grew up, or where other significant events of their lives happened. It will be easier to imagine what they experienced, and better tell their story. 

In researching The Lost City of Z , author David Grann embarked on a trek through the Amazon, retracing the steps of British explorer Percy Fawcett. This led Grann to develop new theories about the circumstances surrounding the explorer's disappearance.

Hopefully, you won’t have to deal with jaguars and anacondas to better understand your subject’s environment, but try to walk into their shoes as much as possible. 

Once you’ve researched your character enough, it’s time to put together all the puzzle pieces you collected so far. 

Take the bulk of notes, media, and other documents you’ve collected, and start to give them some order and structure. A simple way to do this is by creating a timeline. 

Create a chronological timeline

It helps to organize your notes chronologically 一 from childhood to the senior years, line up the most significant events of your subject’s life, including dates, places, names and other relevant bits. 

You should be able to divide their life into distinct periods, each with their unique events and significance. Based on that, you can start drafting an outline of the narrative you want to create.  

Draft a story outline 

Since a biography entails writing about a person’s entire life, it will have a beginning, a middle, and an end. You can pick where you want to end the story, depending on how consequential the last years of your subject were. But the nature of the work will give you a starting character arc to work with. 

To outline the story then, you could turn to the popular Three-Act Structure , which divides the narrative in three main parts. In a nutshell, you’ll want to make sure to have the following:

• Act 1. Setup : Introduce the protagonist's background and the turning points that set them on a path to achieve a goal. 
• Act 2. Confrontation : Describe the challenges they encounter, both internal and external, and how they rise to them. Then..
• Act 3. Resolution : Reach a climactic point in their story in which they succeed (or fail), showing how they (and the world around them) have changed as a result. 

Only one question remains before you begin writing: what will be the main focus of your biography?

Think about why you’re so drawn to your subject to dedicate years of your life to recounting their own. What aspect of their life do you want to highlight? Is it their evil nature, artistic genius, or visionary mindset? And what evidence have you got to back that up? Find a central thesis or focus to weave as the main thread throughout your narrative. 

Or find a unique angle

If you don’t have a particular theme to explore, finding a distinct angle on your subject’s story can also help you distinguish your work from other biographies or existing works on the same subject.

Plenty of biographies have been published about The Beatles 一 many of which have different focuses and approaches: 

• Philip Norman's Shout is sometimes regarded as leaning more towards a pro-Lennon and anti-McCartney stance, offering insights into the band's inner dynamics. 
• Ian McDonald's Revolution in the Head closely examines their music track by track, shifting the focus back to McCartney as a primary creative force. 
• Craig Brown's One Two Three Four aims to capture their story through anecdotes, fan letters, diary entries, and interviews. 
• Mark Lewisohn's monumental three-volume biography, Tune In , stands as a testament to over a decade of meticulous research, chronicling every intricate detail of the Beatles' journey.

Finally, consider that biographies are often more than recounting the life of a person. Similar to how Dickens’ Great Expectations is not solely about a boy named Pip (but an examination and critique of Britain’s fickle, unforgiving class system), a biography should strive to illuminate a broader truth — be it social, political, or human — beyond the immediate subject of the book. 

Once you’ve identified your main focus or angle, it’s time to write a great story. 

While biographies are often highly informative, they do not have to be dry and purely expository in nature . You can play with storytelling elements to make it an engaging read. 

You could do that by thoroughly detailing the setting of the story , depicting the people involved in the story as fully-fledged characters , or using rising action and building to a climax when describing a particularly significant milestone of the subject’s life. 

One common way to make a biography interesting to read is starting on a strong foot…

Hook the reader from the start

Just because you're honoring your character's whole life doesn't mean you have to begin when they said their first word. Starting from the middle or end of their life can be more captivating as it introduces conflicts and stakes that shaped their journey.

When he wrote about Christopher McCandless in Into the Wild , author Jon Krakauer didn’t open his subject’s childhood and abusive family environment. Instead, the book begins with McCandless hitchhiking his way into the wilderness, and subsequently being discovered dead in an abandoned bus. By starting in the middle of the action  in medias res, Krakauer hooks the reader’s interest, before tracing back the causes and motivations that led McCandless to die alone in that bus in the first place.

You can bend the timeline to improve the reader’s reading experience throughout the rest of the story too…

Play with flashback 

While biographies tend to follow a chronological narrative, you can use flashbacks to tell brief stories or anecdotes when appropriate. For example, if you were telling the story of footballer Lionel Messi, before the climax of winning the World Cup with Argentina, you could recall when he was just 13 years old, giving an interview to a local newspaper, expressing his lifelong dream of playing for the national team. 

Used sparsely and intentionally, flashbacks can add more context to the story and keep the narrative interesting. Just like including dialogue does…

Reimagine conversations

Recreating conversations that your subject had with people around them is another effective way to color the story. Dialogue helps the reader imagine the story like a movie, providing a deeper sensory experience. 

One thing is trying to articulate the root of Steve Jobs’ obsession with product design, another would be to quote his father , teaching him how to build a fence when he was young: “You've got to make the back of the fence just as good looking as the front of the fence. Even though nobody will see it, you will know. And that will show that you're dedicated to making something perfect.”

Unlike memoirs and autobiographies, in which the author tells the story from their personal viewpoint and enjoys greater freedom to recall conversations, biographies require a commitment to facts. So, when recreating dialogue, try to quote directly from reliable sources like personal diaries, emails, and text messages. You could also use your interview scripts as an alternative to dialogue. As Tom Bromley suggests, “If you talk with a good amount of people, you can try to tell the story from their perspective, interweaving different segments and quoting the interviewees directly.”

FREE COURSE

How to Write Believable Dialogue

Master the art of dialogue in 10 five-minute lessons.

These are just some of the story elements you can use to make your biography more compelling. Once you’ve finished your manuscript, it’s a good idea to ask for feedback. 

If you’re going to publish your own  biography, you’ll have to polish it to professional standards. After leaving your work to rest for a while, look at it with fresh eyes and edit your own manuscript eliminating passive voice, filler words, and redundant adverbs. 

Then, have a professional editor give you a general assessment. They’ll look at the structure and shape of your manuscript and tell you which parts need to be expanded on or cut. As someone who edited and commissioned several biographies, Tom Bromley points out that a professional “will look at the sources used and assess whether they back up the points made, or if more are needed. They would also look for context, and whether or not more background information is needed for the reader to understand the story fully. And they might check your facts, too.”  

In addition to structural editing, you may want to have someone copy-edit and proofread your work.

MEET EDITORS

Polish your book with expert help

Sign up, meet 1500+ experienced editors, and find your perfect match.

Importantly, make sure to include a bibliography with a list of all the interviews, documents, and sources used in the writing process. You’ll have to compile it according to a manual of style, but you can easily create one by using tools like EasyBib . Once the text is nicely polished and typeset in your writing applications , you can prepare for the publication process.  

In conclusion, by mixing storytelling elements with diligent research, you’ll be able to breathe life into a powerful biography that immerses readers in another individual’s life experience. Whether that’ll spark inspiration or controversy, remember you could have an important role in shaping their legacy 一 and that’s something not to take lightly. 

Continue reading

Recommended posts from the Reedsy Blog

450+ Powerful Adjectives to Describe a Person (With Examples)

Want a handy list to help you bring your characters to life? Discover words that describe physical attributes, dispositions, and emotions.

How to Plot a Novel Like a NYT Bestselling Author

Need to plot your novel? Follow these 7 steps from New York Times bestselling author Caroline Leavitt.

How to Write an Autobiography: The Story of Your Life

Want to write your autobiography but aren’t sure where to start? This step-by-step guide will take you from opening lines to publishing it for everyone to read.

What is the Climax of a Story? Examples & Tips

The climax is perhaps a story's most crucial moment, but many writers struggle to stick the landing. Let's see what makes for a great story climax.

What is Tone in Literature? Definition & Examples

We show you, with supporting examples, how tone in literature influences readers' emotions and perceptions of a text.

Writing Cozy Mysteries: 7 Essential Tips & Tropes

We show you how to write a compelling cozy mystery with advice from published authors and supporting examples from literature.

Join a community of over 1 million authors

Reedsy is more than just a blog. Become a member today to discover how we can help you publish a beautiful book.

We made a writing app for you

Yes, you! Write. Format. Export for ebook and print. 100% free, always.

1 million authors trust the professionals on Reedsy. Come meet them.

Enter your email or get started with a social account:

Writing a Parent: The Dos and Don’ts

• by Paige Duke
• June 26, 2017

Standout Books is supported by its audience, if you click and purchase from any of the links on this page, we may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products we have personally vetted. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

If I’ve learned anything from my own experience as a parent, it’s that children are mirrors. They bring out the best and worst in parents and reflect to us the truth about our deepest struggles, needs, and desires. They give their adults the opportunity to see themselves for what and who they truly are; what parents do with that information is up to them. This is great news for authors writing characters in the role of a parent, as it provides a wealth of possibilities for character development .

Of course, this cuts both ways, and there’s the risk that portraying a character in a parental role might render them unrealistic, or expose the flaws in your plotting. Here, then, is a list of Dos and Don’ts to help you get the benefits of a parent character without the flaws.

Don’t rely on clichés when you write about your parent character. The problem with a cliché is not that it isn’t true , it’s that it’s not mined for complexity. Your character might seem cliché on the surface – maybe he or she is the heartless, uncaring, absent parent; the perfect, selfless mother; or the harried soccer mom – but that shouldn’t be all  they are. Don’t stop at the label.

Do strive for authenticity in portraying these roles. To make a stereotype authentic, you have to identify the psychology behind the façade. What experiences, voices, and people shaped that workaholic father? Does he think his dollars are how society expects him to show his children love? Is he wrong? Is that perfect mom really so perfect? Is she doing what comes naturally, or seeking a specific kind of fulfillment?

Question your characters until you understand their motives, their desires, their fears, and their protective mechanisms. Is she afraid of what her children reveal to her about her deepest self? Is he so hurt by his past that he’s driven to create a different life for his children?

In Lionel Shriver’s We Need to Talk About Kevin , the titular character’s mother resents the limitations children place on her life. This is woven through her behavior and expressed in many forms – for example, in her decision to decorate a room with rare maps. Not only does this make the character seem more believable, but it opens up new possibilities for plot and metaphor; when Kevin destroys the maps, the moment gains a deliberate symbolic significance.

Responsibility

Don’t neglect the reality of a parent’s responsibility to their children. I’m not just talking about the day-to-day chores that come along with parenthood; many parents are also emotionally and mentally burdened by the reality of their children’s safety, happiness, health, education, and development. It’s another cliché that a mother lies in bed at night worrying about any number of things that could happen to her kids, but that’s because it’s a reality for so many parents. Even when their children are perfectly happy and healthy, parents are all too aware of the dangers around them at every moment. It’s not a constant burden, but it’s a very central part of the experience of being a parent.

Do develop your characters in a way that reflects their preoccupation with their children. Does your character worry that her children might get hurt or sick ? Is he afraid he won’t be able to provide for their future? Then think about ways this preoccupation might manifest in a parent’s behavior and speech. Are they overprotective? Do they place unrealistic expectations or responsibilities on their kids? Are they up at night or working overtime to compensate for these anxieties?

In Terry Pratchett’s Thud! , this sense of responsibility is a central plot point. Here, Sam Vimes has sworn to read to his son at the same time every day, no matter what the circumstances.  Later, faced with exhaustion and life-threatening danger, it’s only the drive to honor his promise that allows Vimes to triumph.

Don’t underestimate the importance of a parent’s value system. Every parent has a parenting philosophy that determines the way they’re bringing up their kids. For many, this is a conscious list of guiding principles, for other’s it’s an unconscious worldview that informs their decisions and interactions with their kids. But whether they’re intentional about it or not, every parent pulls from their own upbringing to form their parenting approach. For some, this means doing what their parents did, for others it means not doing what their parents did.

Do develop this parenting philosophy in your characters. This doesn’t have to be something overt that you explore during the story itself, but it can be a powerful tool to guide your character development. Is he a permissive parent? Is she overbearing? Do they push their kids too hard? Are they always making excuses for their kids’ bad behavior? What does this reveal about their own identity? Are they conscious or unconscious of this dynamic, and does that make them flexible to change or stubborn? There are a wealth of ways this aspect of a parent can inform their own self-awareness or lack thereof.

Perhaps one of the most famous parenting philosophies in literature comes from Roald Dahl’s Matilda .

I’m right and you’re wrong, I’m big and you’re small, and there’s nothing you can do about it.

It may be simple, but it’s the consistent motivation behind Matilda’s clashes with various guardians, and one that’s struck a chord with generations of readers.

Writing a parent

There’s a central tension that many people face when they have children. They go from being their own person to being another person’s parent. Suddenly, their life is not all about them and their desires. It’s easy for a person to lose a sense of themselves, to forget where they end and their children begin. It brings a whole new level of complexity to a person and their family dynamic.

These three aspects of the parenting role – complexity, responsibility, and philosophy – can be useful tools for developing a believable and textured character. Imagining how these facets of a person inform their relationships, behaviors, and even speech patterns can help you avoid clichés and stereotypes and write more nuanced characters.

If you need some inspiration or you get stuck, interview a real-life parent. I guarantee they’ll have plenty to say!

What insights have you gained from writing a character who is a parent? How do you bring complexity to the roles of parents in your stories? Who are some of your favorite literary parents, and what have they taught you about your own characters? Let me know in the comments.

Complement your newfound skills with The 3 ‘P’s Of Writing From A Child’s Perspective or, for more on developing your characters, check out  Get To Know Your Characters Better With This Novel Device  and  Don’t Let Fake Minor Characters Ruin Your Story .

• Case study , Characters , Exercises , Point of view

Suspension of Disbelief: What is it and How to Use it

What is Conflict in a Story, and Why Should I Care?

How To Write Characters Who Actually Like Each Other

What You Need To Know About John Yorke’s Theory of Fractal Storytelling

5 Ways To Find The Best Form Of Your Scene

How To Master Similes And Metaphors In Your Writing – Part 2

4 thoughts on “Writing a Parent: The Dos and Don’ts”

And there is a scenario where the parents are the children, and their children (or some of their children) mature to become successful parents anyway. How’s that for a plot?

Right! Good point, Jim.

I’m writing a parent right now who has two different kids who have very different issues. One child has autism and the other is rebelling. They’re all dealing with the loss of the husband/dad. I think these kinds of complex situations can be difficult to write, but also provide opportunities to birth an amazing character.

Hi Heather,

This sounds like a really intriguing story. You’re so right–the parent-child dynamic offers so much opportunity for character development.

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

How to Record Your Parents' Life Story

Recording your parents' life story doesn't have to be a huge, labor-intensive process. Here's a simple how-to you can (and should) follow!

Storii Team

April 13, 2023

I wish I would've captured their stories!

This is one of the first thoughts that comes to mind after a parent dies. Recording a loved one's life story is always something we intend to do, but it often remains an intention until it's too late. The to-do lists pile up, we have kids of our own to care for, work gets busy, our family moves away, etc. Whatever the reasons or excuses are, we always regret them later. If your loved one is still here and you want to record their history, make the time! Do it while you have the chance. Let this article serve as a reminder that recording your parents' life story doesn't have to be a huge, labor-intensive process. Here's a simple how-to you can (and should) follow: 

Decide on the life story format

There are a few options to consider: 

Audio Recording : Using the Voice Notes/Memo app on your smartphone and a lavalier microphone (or an old school recorder), conduct and record a life story interview. This could be done in segments and recorded like podcast episodes . This is a fantastic option if your parent is a particularly great storyteller, they get nervous around a video camera, or you want a creative way of separating out their life history into distinct parts.

Video Recording: Video is arguably the most compelling format to record your parent's life story. There is nothing quite as special as being able to see your loved one's face again after they've been gone for awhile. It's like having them in the room with you. Personality really comes through in body language and expressions, which are most evident on film. It's a wonderful thing to be able to share the essence of your loved one with future generations who did not get to meet them. Taking bandwidth and storage into consideration, you can record a video interview on your smartphone or a dSLR video camera. For video, you will want a tripod and a lavalier to enhance the quality. We'd also recommend recording indoors in a spot with a lot of natural light so you aren't competing with outdoor noise and elements.

Life Story Book: A quick Google search will evidence that there are many great life story book services to choose from! Most will allow you to upload photos to accompany the text, so be sure to scan old photos you want to use onto your computer. You will have to go through your interview recording and decide how you want to tell the story of your loved one's life. Do you want to go chronologically? Are there certain parts of their legacy that you want to focus on? Books make excellent gifts and they can be wonderful additions to a coffee table or mantle, where you can easily pick it up and be transported into your loved one's story.

Professional Production: Hiring a professional service is the best option for those whose number one concern is quality. It is also ideal for people who are more strapped for time than cash. You can hire any video production company, but it is possible to find bespoke companies that specialize in capturing life bios. This means they come with the fancy gear AND the interview skills. This is important. Plenty of people know how to professionally light a room and edit hours of footage, but interviewing older people (especially where there might be cognitive impairment or emotionally difficult stories) involves skills and training to do professionally. Furthermore, you might find that your parent is more open and honest with their story when speaking to a stranger, rather than their own child. To find a service like this, try Googling "life story video" or "video biography" and the city or state where your parent lives.

Self-guided Service: Another great option for busy people would be taking advantage of online services like Storii or LifeBio. These businesses enable your parents to record their life history at their own pace and in their own way. Ideal for those who live long distance from their parents or are looking for a meaningful gift that will support your loved one to reminisce and enjoy a new project. They can create an online, instant biography for a small fee. With hundreds of life story question prompts, they can design their own template and answer questions in the format of their choice. Those answers can easily be shared with friends and family or later exported for creating a book or saving a hardcopy file.

Gather supporting elements

Once you've decided how you're going to format the life story, gather up all the bits and pieces that will really bring them to life. Doing this before the interview will actually help you become aware of potential stories, relevant topics, questions to ask, and who else to interview.

If you're using audio, consider adding in songs that your parent associates with a specific memory. If they grew up on a farm, you might incorporate some background noise of chickens clucking or driving on a gravel road. When creating a life story book, pick out photos you want to include. You might even find other memorabilia that could be scanned in and uploaded like newspaper clippings, birth certificates, love letters, ticket stubs, etc. If using video footage, are there certain places, people, or things your parent wants to include or showcase? Is there any B-roll footage or old family videos that would support the production? 

Conduct the interviews

Will this life story include interviews with a spouse, friends or other family members? You might end up gathering other stories or perspectives to help paint a full picture of who your parent was and what they were known and loved for. Whether you plan to do the interview in one-go, or break it up into various sessions over a period of time, here are some things to keep in mind: 

• Know what gear you're going to use, where you're going to do this, what questions you want to ask, and for how long
• Ask open-ended questions and learn about their motivations, fears, beliefs, etc. Not just about what they did and when.
• Save files on a cloud-based platform so you have it backed up
• Embrace emotions, offer empathy, and be sensitive to their pace

Take a look at more life story interview tips .

Organize and edit your material

This is the part that takes people the longest. Many find it beneficial to enlist the help of a professional when it comes to editing, whether it's audio, video or text. Keep in mind, there is no right or wrong way to organize a life story. That said, there is an art to storytelling and it's a good idea to look at other examples for creative inspiration. You could:

• Categorize the interviews by subject matter and weave together the interviews by stories or periods of time
• Organize the interviews by time (e.g. childhood, adolescence, adult years)
• Decide on an overarching theme or legacy. Then select and order interviews that directly contribute.

Here are some video editing tips .

Share before making the final cut

Share a draft of your loved one's life story with them and other close family members before you finalize the piece. This allows them to give you feedback on any factual errors, gaps in history, images or materials they don't want included, etc. Each family has unique dynamics and sensitive subjects, but do your best to ensure everyone is comfortable with the final product.

Record Your Parent's Life Stories

Don't miss the opportunity to have another loved one's personal history recorded and preserved. Storii gives you access to a database of thousands of life story questions. Questions can be answered with video, audio, text, and/or images. Answers can easily be shared, downloaded, or printed off as a keepsake.

Crunched for time? Storii's Life Story Calls makes it super simple to capture your loved one's memories and stories with virtually no effort on your part. Storii makes a great gift and enables people to build up a legacy over time to be cherished for many lifetimes.

Storii offers a Life Story Gift Box, which makes a great gift for grandparents . Your loved one doesn't need WiFi or a smartphone - Storii works with landline phones too! They receive calls on selected days and times asking meaningful life story questions. Their answers are recorded, transcribed and stored on their secure Storii profile. Recordings can be shared and downloaded with other family members who would enjoy hearing them too!

Storii Gift Box

Best for special occasions such as Mothers Day, Fathers Day, Birthdays and the Holidays.

Get great curated articles every week

Thanks for becoming a part of our mailing list. You can unsubscribe at any time from the email footer

• Grammar Checker
• Paraphrasing Tool
• Critique Report
• Writing Reports
• Learn Blog Grammar Guide Community Events FAQ
• Grammar Guide

How to Write a Biography: A Step-by-Step Guide

By Hannah Yang

Table of Contents

What is a biography, a step-by-step guide to writing a biography, tips for how to write a great biography, conclusion on how to write a biography.

Writing a biography can be a rewarding endeavor, but it can also feel a bit daunting if you’ve never written one before.

Whether you’re capturing the life story of a famous person, a family member, or even yourself, creating a compelling biography involves a mix of thorough research, narrative skill, and a personal touch.

So, how exactly do you write a successful biography? 

In this guide, we’ll break down the essentials to help you craft a biography that’s both informative and engaging, as well as our top tips for how to make it truly shine.

A biography is a detailed account of someone’s life.

A well-written biography needs to be objective and accurate. At the same time, it needs to depict more than just the basic facts like birth, education, work, relationships, and death—it should also portray the subject’s personal experience of those events.

So, in addition to being a good researcher, a good biographer also needs to be a good storyteller. You should provide insights into the subject’s personality, motivations, and impact on the world around them.

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

Understanding the distinctions between different genres of life writing is crucial for both writers and readers. Here’s a quick breakdown of the key differences between a biography and other related genres.

Biography: a detailed account of a person’s life, usually written in the third-person POV and supported by extensive research 

Autobiography: a self-written account of the author’s own life, usually written in the first person POV and following a chronological order 

Memoir: a collection of memories that an individual writes about moments or events that took place in their life, usually in the first person POV and in an introspective and personal way

Narrative nonfiction: a book that tells true stories using the techniques of fiction writing, such as character development, narrative arc, and detailed settings

Best Biography Examples to Study

The best way to learn how to write well is to read other successful books within the genre you’re writing. 

Here are five great biographies to add to your reading list. For a longer list, check out our article on the 20 best biographies to read . 

Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand: the incredible true story of Louis Zamperini, an Olympian and World War II hero.

Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson: a comprehensive and engaging account of the Apple co-founder’s life.

Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow: the biography that inspired the hit musical, providing a deep dive into Hamilton ’ s life and legacy.

Savage Beauty: The Life of Edna St. Vincent Millay by Nancy Milford: a nuanced story that uncovers the family connection between the three Millay sisters and their mother.

Barracoon by Zora Neale Hurston: the story of Cudjo Lewis, one of the last-known survivors of the Atlantic slave trade.

As with writing any book, writing a biography is a marathon, not a sprint. It’s easier to think of it as a series of smaller steps than as one big challenge to tackle. 

Let’s break down the process step by step.

1. Choose Your Subject

Decide who you want to write about. It could be a well-known celebrity, a historical figure, or someone close to you.

In addition to figuring out who you’re writing about, this is also the step where you figure out why you want to write about them. Why is this a story worth telling, and what makes you interested in it? 

Maybe the subject of your biography overcame major hardships in life to achieve success, and that story will inspire others facing similar struggles. Or maybe they made a really unique contribution to the world that not enough people know about, and you want to shine a bigger spotlight on that impact.

Knowing why you’re telling this story will help you make the right decisions about how to research, outline, draft, and edit your biography.

2. Identify Your Target Audience

Understanding your target audience is a crucial step in writing a good biography. You should tailor your biography to the interests and knowledge level of your audience.

A biography for a general audience will differ from one written for experts in a particular field. For example, two biographies about Emily Dickinson would be vastly different if one is written for young children and the other is written for adult poets. 

3. Conduct Research

Dive deep into your research. Use a variety of sources to get a well-rounded view of your subject’s life. Take detailed notes and organize your findings.

Gather as much information as you can about your subject. This includes primary sources like interviews, letters, and diaries, as well as secondary sources such as books, articles, and documentaries.

Here are some primary sources to look for: 

Letters and diaries: These provide intimate insights into the subject’s thoughts, feelings, and daily life, and can often be found in family archives, libraries, and historical societies.

Birth, marriage, and death certificates: These documents can provide crucial dates and familial relationships.

Census data: Census records can provide demographic information and track changes over time.

Property records: These can reveal where the subject lived and owned property.

Employment and school records: These records offer formalized insights into the subject’s education and career.

Military records: If applicable, military records can provide information on service, ranks, and honors.

Photos and videos: Look for photographs and videos in public libraries, historical societies, online databases like the Library of Congress, and family photo albums.

Historical newspapers: Access archives of local and national newspapers for articles, interviews, and obituaries related to the subject.

Digital archives: Use online resources like ProQuest, Chronicling America, and newspaper databases available through public libraries.

You can also look for secondary sources, which provide more context and perspective, such as:

Existing biographies: Search for existing biographies and books about the subject or their era. How does your project stand out from the crowd? 

Academic articles and papers: Access journals through university libraries, which often have extensive collections of scholarly articles.

Documentaries and biographical films: You can often find these on streaming services or public television archives.

Websites and blogs: Look for reputable websites and blogs dedicated to the subject or related fields.

Social media platforms: The things people say on social media can offer insights into public perception about your subject.

Finally, you can also conduct your own interviews. Talk to the subject if they’re still alive, as well as their friends, family, and colleagues. You can ask them for personal anecdotes to add more color to your book, or more information to fill in any gaps in your knowledge. 

4. Ask Engaging Questions

Great biographers start from a place of curiosity. Before you start writing, you should know the answers to the following questions: 

What makes your subject’s story worth telling?

What was your subject’s childhood like? 

What were your subject’s early interests and hobbies?

What level of education did your subject achieve and where did they study?

What was your subject’s personality like?

What were their beliefs and values? 

How did your subject’s personality and beliefs change over time?

What were the major turning points in your subject’s life? 

How was your subject affected by the major political, cultural, and societal events that occurred throughout their life?  

What did their career path look like?

What were their major accomplishments? 

What were their major failures? 

How did they contribute to their field, their country, or their community?

Were they involved in any major controversies or scandals?

Who were the most important people in the subject’s life, such as friends, partners, or mentors?

If the subject is no longer living, how did they pass away?

What lasting impact did the subject leave behind? 

5. Create an Outline

An outline helps you structure your biography. You can write an extensive outline that includes every scene you need to write, or you can keep it simple and just make a list of high-level bullet points—whatever works best for your writing process. 

The best structure to use will depend on the shape of the story you’re trying to tell. Think about what your subject’s life looked like and what core messages you’re trying to leave the reader with.

If you want to keep things simple, you can simply go in chronological order. Tell the story from the birth of your subject to the death of your subject, or to the present day if this person is still living. 

You can also use a more thematically organized structure, similar to what you would find on a Wikipedia page. You could break your book down into sections such as major life events, personal relationships, core accomplishments, challenges, and legacy.

Or, if you want to be more creative, you can use a nonlinear story structure, jumping between recent events and older flashbacks based on which events feel thematically tied together. 

6. Write Your First Draft 

Now that you have an outline, it’s time to sit down and write your first draft.

Your opening chapters should hook the reader and give a preview of what’s to come. Highlight a compelling aspect of the subject’s life to draw readers in.

In your middle chapters, cover all the key events you need to include about your subject’s life and weave in themes and anecdotes that reveal their personality and impact.

In your final chapters, wrap up your biography by summarizing the subject’s legacy and reflecting on their overall significance. This provides closure and leaves the reader with a lasting impression.

Remember that it’s okay if your first draft isn’t perfect. Your goal is simply to get words down on the page so you have something to edit. 

7. Make Developmental Revisions

Now that you’re done with your first draft, it’s time to make big-picture revisions.

Review your biography for coherence and organization. Does the overall structure make sense? Are there any arcs or themes that aren’t given enough attention? Are there scenes or chapters that don’t need to be included? 

8. Make Line Edits

Once you’ve completed your developmental edits, it’s time to make smaller line edits. This is your time to edit for grammar, punctuation, and style.

Make sure you keep a consistent voice throughout the book. Some biographies feel more conversational and humorous, while others are serious and sophisticated. 

To get through your editing faster, you can run your manuscript through ProWritingAid , which will automatically catch errors, point out stylistic inconsistencies, and help you rephrase confusing sentences. 

Don’t be afraid to ask others for feedback. No good book is written in a vacuum, and you can ask critique partners and beta readers to help you improve your work.

What makes a great biography stand out from the rest? Here are our best tips for how to take your manuscript to the next level.

Tip 1: Focus on Key Themes

Identify the central themes or patterns in the subject’s life—the ones that will really make readers keep thinking about your book. These could be related to the subject’s struggles, achievements, relationships, or values.

Tip 2: Balance Facts and Narrative

A good biography should read like a story, not a list of facts.

Use narrative techniques like imagery, character development, and dialogue to create a compelling and coherent story.

Tip 3: Add Your Own Perspective

Biographies need to be objective, but that doesn’t mean the author has to be entirely invisible. Including your own perspective can make the biography relatable and engaging. 

Letting your voice shine can help illustrate the subject ’ s character and bring their story to life. It will also help make your biography stand out from the crowd. 

Tip 4: Create a Timeline

Organize the key events of the subject’s life in chronological order. This will help you see the bigger picture and ensure you cover all important aspects.

Tip 5: Be Considerate

Because biographies are about real people, you should be mindful of who will be impacted by the story you’re telling, especially if your subject is still alive or still has living family members.

If the subject is still alive, ask them for permission to tell their story before you start writing. This also helps ensure that you don’t get sued. 

Writing a biography is a journey of discovery, not just about the subject, but also about the craft of storytelling.

By combining thorough research, a clear structure, and engaging narrative techniques, you can create a biography that not only informs but also inspires and captivates your readers. 

Don’t forget to run your manuscript through ProWritingAid so you can make sure your prose is as polished as possible. 

Now, pick your subject, gather your resources, and start writing—there’s a fascinating story waiting to be told.

Good luck, and happy writing!

Write like a bestselling author

Love writing? ProWritingAid will help you improve the style, strength, and clarity of your stories.

Hannah Yang

Hannah Yang is a speculative fiction writer who writes about all things strange and surreal. Her work has appeared in Analog Science Fiction, Apex Magazine, The Dark, and elsewhere, and two of her stories have been finalists for the Locus Award. Her favorite hobbies include watercolor painting, playing guitar, and rock climbing. You can follow her work on hannahyang.com, or subscribe to her newsletter for publication updates.

Get started with ProWritingAid

Drop us a line or let's stay in touch via :

• How it works
• Browse Our Writers
• Write For Us
• Testimonials
• Free Consultation

The First 4 Steps to Writing Your Life Story

There are dozens of reasons to start writing your biography. You might wish to share your experiences with friends and family, publish a memoir for the general public to read, or preserve the heritage of your family for future generations. You might even find the process therapeutic! Your life story is unique, and there are plenty of reasons to want to record it in writing. But… how do you go about actually doing that?

When you first think about writing your life story, it can feel like a daunting job. How will you turn a life full of thoughts, memories, connections, and events into a paper and ink book? Here’s a simple, four-step approach that should help get you started on the road to a personal biography that you can be proud of…

1. Decide to write your life story

When setting out on any big project, it’s easy to let doubts get in the way. In the case of writing your biography, for example, you might find yourself wondering if it’s really worthwhile. After all, aren’t memoirs really only for celebrities? Who will want to read the story of your life?

These worries are understandable, but shouldn’t hold you back. Your story is certainly worth telling ! After all, many of the most fascinating stories are found in the most unassuming places. As for who will read your story… you might be surprised at just how interesting and important your memories are to your children, grandchildren, friends, and family.

And, for that matter, you might also be surprised by just how important writing your biography is to you .

The first step to getting your biography written is to conquer your doubts, decide that you will write your biography, and start taking action. Need a little more inspiration to do just that? Take a look at our blog post Four Inspirational Reasons to Write Your Biography .

2. Gather information

A memoir is a true life story. It’s told from your perspective, and composed from your memories, thoughts, opinions, and feelings. That’s not to say, however, that it can’t be bolstered with information from other sources. These can be anything from photographs, diaries and journals, to conversations with the people closest to your life.

Your friends and family are a good place to start. Tell them that you’re writing your biography, and ask them about key life events. You may be stunned by the insight which they have into your life, and which events they remember even more clearly than you do. Better yet, some of your relations might be able to provide you with diaries, photo albums, or other materials to jog your memory.

3. Plan your story

There’s more than one way to tell your story. A good biography isn’t just a list of memories from your oldest to your most recent. Instead, your memoirs should be selective, focusing on a theme that runs throughout your life, or picking a number of notable anecdotes to build your story around.

Of course, it’s up to you to decide what that theme or those anecdotes will be! Should you focus on your friends and family? The things you’ve achieved? Places you’ve been and people you’ve met? Trying to cram everything in is a recipe for disaster, so focus on getting what matters the most to you down on paper.

It can be helpful to make a list of all the anecdotes and points of interest that you’d like to include. Once you have them all in front of you, you can begin to shuffle, edit, and prioritise. You might end up picking one incident (such as a trip to a single country) to represent a whole swathe of time in your life (such as a round-the-world trip).

Once you’ve decided to write your life story, gathered information about your history, and made a plan, there’s only one thing left to do: write! Whether you’re a seasoned scribbler or you’ve never put pen to paper before, there are a few things to keep in mind as you finally start writing your biography.

Writing a book is a big job, so don’t rush it! Do try to be consistent, though. It’s a good idea to work on writing your biography a little each day. By making it a regular habit like this you’ll keep your biography fresh in your mind, and start to build up your word count faster than you might think.

Don’t be afraid to rewrite! Your story doesn’t have to be perfect the first time around, so don’t let worries about whether the finished thing will be any good stop you from writing it in the first place. It’s much easier to edit something that’s been written than to write fresh, so focus on putting your thoughts on paper, and worry about tidying up your work later on!

And when it does come to editing and polishing your work, your friends and family are once again extremely valuable. Consider asking someone who knows you well to read your draft and tell you what they think. As well as picking out typos and stray commas, they might also be able to tell you what memories need more detail, or what anecdotes they'd like to hear more of.

Of course, not everyone enjoys writing. If you find it difficult to get your memories in order, you might want to consider working with StoryTerrace . Our experienced ghost writers and editorial team can handle the planning, writing, and printing of your biography for you from start to finish.

Final Thoughts…

Congratulations! You’re well on your way to having written your life story. But the journey doesn’t end once your manuscript is complete. As you approach that final chapter, it’s time to start thinking about what you want to do when your masterpiece is complete.

Will you offer a copy to a local bookshop? Give out copies to your friends and family? Keep a volume safe for children, grandchildren, and future generations? Share your biography with colleagues and other people in your field? It’s your life story, so it’s up to you what you do next.

Are you ready to take that first step? Want to learn more about writing your biography? Story Terrace are here to help. Get in touch for a free consultation, or sign up for our newsletter for more inspiring stories and useful advice.

More stories in this category

Love and Dating Across the Centuries

Have you ever wondered how dating began?

Lessons From 100 Years of Life

We all know the saying: With age comes wisdom.

Meet Desiree Home: And Then, Positivity

Desiree Home has two simple yet powerful words for her catch...

Create a book with Story Terrace

Submit your details to learn more about our writers, how it works, and our pricing & packages

Free Timeline Template

Submit your details to receive our timeline template. Plus we'll send you more guides, templates and resources in the coming weeks!

Free Guide: 65 Memory Prompts

Submit your details to receive the 65 Memory prompts we use to start writing a life story. Plus we'll send you more guides, templates and resources in the coming weeks!

Writer Match

Check for a writer near you.

Enter a zip code to look for writers near you. We can arrange your interviews by phone, video call or in person.

Capturing Your Parents' Story with Story Terrace

• Terms & Conditions
• How it Works

+1 (323) 446-2870 [email protected] 113 N. San Vicente Blvd, Suite 200 Beverly Hills, CA 90211

© 2022 by StoryTerrace.

Subscribe to our newsletter to receive regular updates. You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our privacy policy .

Follow us on social media.

How to Write a Biography

Biographies are big business. Whether in book form or Hollywood biopics, the lives of the famous and sometimes not-so-famous fascinate us.

While it’s true that most biographies are about people who are in the public eye, sometimes the subject is less well-known. Primarily, though, famous or not, the person who is written about has led an incredible life.

In this article, we will explain biography writing in detail for teachers and students so they can create their own.

While your students will most likely have a basic understanding of a biography, it’s worth taking a little time before they put pen to paper to tease out a crystal-clear definition of one.

What Is a Biography?

A biography is an account of someone’s life written by someone else . While there is a genre known as a fictional biography, for the most part, biographies are, by definition, nonfiction.

Generally speaking, biographies provide an account of the subject’s life from the earliest days of childhood to the present day or, if the subject is deceased, their death.

The job of a biography is more than just to outline the bare facts of a person’s life.

Rather than just listing the basic details of their upbringing, hobbies, education, work, relationships, and death, a well-written biography should also paint a picture of the subject’s personality and experience of life.

Full Biographies

Teaching unit.

Teach your students everything they need to know about writing an AUTOBIOGRAPHY and a BIOGRAPHY.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ( 26 reviews )

Features of a Biography

Before students begin writing a biography, they’ll need to have a firm grasp of the main features of a Biography. An excellent way to determine how well they understand these essential elements is to ask them to compile a checklist like the one-blow

Their checklists should contain the items below at a minimum. Be sure to help them fill in any gaps before moving on to the writing process.

The purpose of a biography is to provide an account of someone’s life.

Biography structure.

ORIENTATION (BEGINNING) Open your biography with a strong hook to grab the reader’s attention

SEQUENCING: In most cases, biographies are written in chronological order unless you are a very competent writer consciously trying to break from this trend.

COVER: childhood, upbringing, education, influences, accomplishments, relationships, etc. – everything that helps the reader to understand the person.

CONCLUSION: Wrap your biography up with some details about what the subject is doing now if they are still alive. If they have passed away, make mention of what impact they have made and what their legacy is or will be.

BIOGRAPHY FEATURES

LANGUAGE Use descriptive and figurative language that will paint images inside your audience’s minds as they read. Use time connectives to link events.

PERSPECTIVE Biographies are written from the third person’s perspective.

DETAILS: Give specific details about people, places, events, times, dates, etc. Reflect on how events shaped the subject. You might want to include some relevant photographs with captions. A timeline may also be of use depending upon your subject and what you are trying to convey to your audience.

TENSE Written in the past tense (though ending may shift to the present/future tense)

THE PROCESS OF WRITING A BIOGRAPHY

Like any form of writing, you will find it simple if you have a plan and follow it through. These steps will ensure you cover the essential bases of writing a biography essay.

Firstly, select a subject that inspires you. Someone whose life story resonates with you and whose contribution to society intrigues you. The next step is to conduct thorough research. Engage in extensive reading, explore various sources, watch documentaries, and glean all available information to provide a comprehensive account of the person’s life.

Creating an outline is essential to organize your thoughts and information. The outline should include the person’s early life, education, career, achievements, and any other significant events or contributions. It serves as a map for the writing process, ensuring that all vital information is included.

Your biography should have an engaging introduction that captivates the reader’s attention and provides background information on the person you’re writing about. It should include a thesis statement summarising the biography’s main points.

Writing a biography in chronological order is crucial . You should begin with the person’s early life and move through their career and achievements. This approach clarifies how the person’s life unfolded and how they accomplished their goals.

A biography should be written in a narrative style , capturing the essence of the person’s life through vivid descriptions, anecdotes, and quotes. Avoid dry, factual writing and focus on creating a compelling narrative that engages the reader.

Adding personal insights and opinions can enhance the biography’s overall impact, providing a unique perspective on the person’s achievements, legacy, and impact on society.

Editing and proofreading are vital elements of the writing process. Thoroughly reviewing your biography ensures that the writing is clear, concise, and error-free. You can even request feedback from someone else to ensure that it is engaging and well-written.

Finally, including a bibliography at the end of your biography is essential. It gives credit to the sources that were used during research, such as books, articles, interviews, and websites.

Tips for Writing a Brilliant Biography

Biography writing tip #1: choose your subject wisely.

There are several points for students to reflect on when deciding on a subject for their biography. Let’s take a look at the most essential points to consider when deciding on the subject for a biography:

Interest: To produce a biography will require sustained writing from the student. That’s why students must choose their subject well. After all, a biography is an account of someone’s entire life to date. Students must ensure they choose a subject that will sustain their interest throughout the research, writing, and editing processes.

Merit: Closely related to the previous point, students must consider whether the subject merits the reader’s interest. Aside from pure labors of love, writing should be undertaken with the reader in mind. While producing a biography demands sustained writing from the author, it also demands sustained reading from the reader.

Therefore, students should ask themselves if their chosen subject has had a life worthy of the reader’s interest and the time they’d need to invest in reading their biography.

Information: Is there enough information available on the subject to fuel the writing of an entire biography? While it might be a tempting idea to write about a great-great-grandfather’s experience in the war. There would be enough interest there to sustain the author’s and the reader’s interest, but do you have enough access to information about their early childhood to do the subject justice in the form of a biography?

Biography Writing Tip #2: R esearch ! Research! Research!

While the chances are good that the student already knows quite a bit about the subject they’ve chosen. Chances are 100% that they’ll still need to undertake considerable research to write their biography.

As with many types of writing , research is an essential part of the planning process that shouldn’t be overlooked. If students wish to give as complete an account of their subject’s life as possible, they’ll need to put in the time at the research stage.

An effective way to approach the research process is to:

1. Compile a chronological timeline of the central facts, dates, and events of the subject’s life

2. Compile detailed descriptions of the following personal traits:

•      Physical looks
•      Character traits
•      Values and beliefs

3. Compile some research questions based on different topics to provide a focus for the research:

• Childhood : Where and when were they born? Who were their parents? Who were the other family members? What education did they receive?
• Obstacles: What challenges did they have to overcome? How did these challenges shape them as individuals?
• Legacy: What impact did this person have on the world and/or the people around them?
• Dialogue & Quotes: Dialogue and quotations by and about the subject are a great way to bring color and life to a biography. Students should keep an eagle eye out for the gems that hide amid their sources.

As the student gets deeper into their research, new questions will arise that can further fuel the research process and help to shape the direction the biography will ultimately go in.

Likewise, during the research, themes will often begin to suggest themselves. Exploring these themes is essential to bring depth to biography, but we’ll discuss this later in this article.

Research Skills:

Researching for biography writing is an excellent way for students to hone their research skills in general. Developing good research skills is essential for future academic success. Students will have opportunities to learn how to:

• Gather relevant information
• Evaluate different information sources
• Select suitable information
• Organize information into a text.

Students will have access to print and online information sources, and, in some cases, they may also have access to people who knew or know the subject (e.g. biography of a family member).

These days, much of the research will likely take place online. It’s crucial, therefore, to provide your students with guidance on how to use the internet safely and evaluate online sources for reliability. This is the era of ‘ fake news ’ and misinformation after all!

COMPLETE TEACHING UNIT ON INTERNET RESEARCH SKILLS USING GOOGLE SEARCH

Teach your students ESSENTIAL SKILLS OF THE INFORMATION ERA to become expert DIGITAL RESEARCHERS.

⭐How to correctly ask questions to search engines on all devices.

⭐ How to filter and refine your results to find exactly what you want every time.

⭐ Essential Research and critical thinking skills for students.

⭐ Plagiarism, Citing and acknowledging other people’s work.

⭐ How to query, synthesize and record your findings logically.

BIOGRAPHY WRITING Tip #3: Find Your Themes In Biography Writing

Though predominantly a nonfiction genre, the story still plays a significant role in good biography writing. The skills of characterization and plot structuring are transferable here. And, just like in fiction, exploring themes in a biographical work helps connect the personal to the universal. Of course, these shouldn’t be forced; this will make the work seem contrived, and the reader may lose faith in the truthfulness of the account. A biographer needs to gain and maintain the trust of the reader.

Fortunately, themes shouldn’t need to be forced. A life well-lived is full of meaning, and the themes the student writer is looking for will emerge effortlessly from the actions and events of the subject’s life. It’s just a case of learning how to spot them.

One way to identify the themes in a life is to look for recurring events or situations in a person’s life. These should be apparent from the research completed previously. The students should seek to identify these patterns that emerge in the subject’s life. For example, perhaps they’ve had to overcome various obstacles throughout different periods of their life. In that case, the theme of overcoming adversity is present and has been identified.

Usually, a biography has several themes running throughout, so be sure your students work to identify more than one theme in their subject’s life.

BIOGRAPHY WRITING Tip: #4 Put Something of Yourself into the Writing

While the defining feature of a biography is that it gives an account of a person’s life, students must understand that this is not all a biography does. Relating the facts and details of a subject’s life is not enough. The student biographer should not be afraid to share their thoughts and feelings with the reader throughout their account of their subject’s life.

The student can weave some of their personality into the fabric of the text by providing commentary and opinion as they relate the events of the person’s life and the wider social context at the time. Unlike the detached and objective approach we’d expect to find in a history textbook, in a biography, student-writers should communicate their enthusiasm for their subject in their writing.

This makes for a more intimate experience for the reader, as they get a sense of getting to know the author and the subject they are writing about.

Biography Examples For Students

• Year 5 Example
• Year 7 Example
• Year 9 Example

“The Rock ‘n’ Roll King: Elvis Presley”

Elvis Aaron Presley, born on January 8, 1935, was an amazing singer and actor known as the “King of Rock ‘n’ Roll.” Even though he’s been dead for nearly 50 years, I can’t help but be fascinated by his incredible life!

Elvis grew up in Tupelo, Mississippi, in a tiny house with his parents and twin brother. His family didn’t have much money, but they shared a love for music. Little did they know Elvis would become a music legend!

When he was only 11 years old, Elvis got his first guitar. He taught himself to play and loved singing gospel songs. As he got older, he started combining different music styles like country, blues, and gospel to create a whole new sound – that’s Rock ‘n’ Roll!

In 1954, at the age of 19, Elvis recorded his first song, “That’s All Right.” People couldn’t believe how unique and exciting his music was. His famous hip-swinging dance moves also made him a sensation!

Elvis didn’t just rock the music scene; he also starred in movies like “Love Me Tender” and “Jailhouse Rock.” But fame came with challenges. Despite facing ups and downs, Elvis kept spreading happiness through his music.

Tragically, Elvis passed away in 1977, but his music and charisma live on. Even today, people worldwide still enjoy his songs like “Hound Dog” and “Can’t Help Falling in Love.” Elvis Presley’s legacy as the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll will live forever.

Long Live the King: I wish I’d seen him.

Elvis Presley, the Rock ‘n’ Roll legend born on January 8, 1935, is a captivating figure that even a modern-day teen like me can’t help but admire. As I delve into his life, I wish I could have experienced the magic of his live performances.

Growing up in Tupelo, Mississippi, Elvis faced challenges but found solace in music. At 11, he got his first guitar, a symbol of his journey into the world of sound. His fusion of gospel, country, and blues into Rock ‘n’ Roll became a cultural phenomenon.

The thought of being in the audience during his early performances, especially when he recorded “That’s All Right” at 19, sends shivers down my spine. Imagining the crowd’s uproar and feeling the revolutionary energy of that moment is a dream I wish I could have lived.

Elvis wasn’t just a musical prodigy; he was a dynamic performer. His dance moves, the embodiment of rebellion, and his roles in films like “Love Me Tender” and “Jailhouse Rock” made him a true icon.

After watching him on YouTube, I can’t help but feel a little sad that I’ll never witness the King’s live performances. The idea of swaying to “Hound Dog” or being enchanted by “Can’t Help Falling in Love” in person is a missed opportunity. Elvis may have left us in 1977, but he was the king of rock n’ roll. Long live the King!

Elvis Presley: A Teen’s Take on the Rock ‘n’ Roll Icon”

Elvis Presley, born January 8, 1935, was a revolutionary force in the music world, earning his title as the “King of Rock ‘n’ Roll.” Exploring his life, even as a 16-year-old today, I’m captivated by the impact he made.

Hailing from Tupelo, Mississippi, Elvis grew up in humble beginnings, surrounded by the love of his parents and twin brother. It’s inspiring to think that, despite financial challenges, this young man would redefine the music scene.

At 11, Elvis got his first guitar, sparking a self-taught journey into music. His early gospel influences evolved into a unique fusion of country, blues, and gospel, creating the electrifying genre of Rock ‘n’ Roll. In 1954, at only 19, he recorded “That’s All Right,” marking the birth of a musical legend.

Elvis wasn’t just a musical innovator; he was a cultural phenomenon. His rebellious dance moves and magnetic stage presence challenged the norms. He transitioned seamlessly into acting, starring in iconic films like “Love Me Tender” and “Jailhouse Rock.”

However, fame came at a cost, and Elvis faced personal struggles. Despite the challenges, his music continued to resonate. Even now, classics like “Hound Dog” and “Can’t Help Falling in Love” transcend generations.

Elvis Presley’s impact on music and culture is undeniable. He was known for his unique voice, charismatic persona, and electrifying performances. He sold over one billion records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling solo artists in history. He received numerous awards throughout his career, including three Grammy Awards and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.

Elvis’s influence can still be seen in today’s music. Many contemporary artists, such as Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga, and Justin Timberlake, have cited Elvis as an inspiration. His music continues to be featured in movies, TV shows, and commercials.

Elvis left us in 1977, but his legacy lives on. I appreciate his breaking barriers and fearlessly embracing his artistic vision. Elvis Presley’s impact on music and culture is timeless, a testament to the enduring power of his artistry. His music has inspired generations and will continue to do so for many years to come.

Teaching Resources

Use our resources and tools to improve your student’s writing skills through proven teaching strategies.

BIOGRAPHY WRITING TEACHING IDEAS AND LESSONS

We have compiled a sequence of biography-related lessons or teaching ideas that you can follow as you please. They are straightforward enough for most students to follow without further instruction.

BIOGRAPHY LESSON IDEA # 1:

This session aims to give students a broader understanding of what makes a good biography.

Once your students have compiled a comprehensive checklist of the main features of a biography, allow them to use it to assess some biographies from your school library or on the internet using the feature checklist.

When students have assessed a selection of biographies, take some time as a class to discuss them. You can base the discussion around the following prompts:

• Which biographies covered all the criteria from their checklist?
• Which biographies didn’t?
• Which biography was the most readable in terms of structure?
• Which biography do you think was the least well-structured? How would you improve this?

Looking at how other writers have interpreted the form will help students internalize the necessary criteria before attempting to produce a biography. Once students have a clear understanding of the main features of the biography, they’re ready to begin work on writing a biography.

When the time does come to put pen to paper, be sure they’re armed with the following top tips to help ensure they’re as well prepared as possible.

BIOGRAPHY LESSON IDEA # 2:

This session aims to guide students through the process of selecting the perfect biography subject.

Instruct students to draw up a shortlist of three potential subjects for the biography they’ll write.

Using the three criteria mentioned in the writing guide (Interest, Merit, and Information), students award each potential subject a mark out of 5 for each of the criteria. In this manner, students can select the most suitable subject for their biography.

BIOGRAPHY LESSON IDEA # 3:

This session aims to get students into the researching phase, then prioritise and organise events chronologically.

Students begin by making a timeline of their subject’s life, starting with their birth and ending with their death or the present day. If the student has yet to make a final decision on the subject of their biography, a family member will often serve well for this exercise as a practice exercise.

Students should research and gather the key events of the person’s life, covering each period of their life from when they were a baby, through childhood and adolescence, right up to adulthood and old age. They should then organize these onto a timeline. Students can include photographs with captions if they have them.

They can present these to the class when they have finished their timelines.

BIOGRAPHY LESSON IDEA # 4:

Instruct students to look over their timeline, notes, and other research. Challenge them to identify three patterns that repeat throughout the subject’s life and sort all the related events and incidents into specific categories.

Students should then label each category with a single word. This is the thematic concept or the broad general underlying idea. After that, students should write a sentence or two expressing what the subject’s life ‘says’ about that concept.

This is known as the thematic statement . With the thematic concepts and thematic statements identified, the student now has some substantial ideas to explore that will help bring more profound meaning and wider resonance to their biography.

BIOGRAPHY LESSON IDEA # 5:

Instruct students to write a short objective account of an event in their own life. They can write about anyone from their past. It needn’t be more than a couple of paragraphs, but the writing should be strictly factual, focusing only on the objective details of what happened.

Once they have completed this, it’s time to rewrite the paragraph, but they should include some opinion and personal commentary this time.

The student here aims to inject some color and personality into their writing, to transform a detached, factual account into a warm, engaging story.

A COMPLETE UNIT ON TEACHING BIOGRAPHIES

Teach your students to write AMAZING BIOGRAPHIES & AUTOBIOGRAPHIES using proven RESEARCH SKILLS and WRITING STRATEGIES .

• Understand the purpose of both forms of biography.
• Explore the language and perspective of both.
• Prompts and Challenges to engage students in writing a biography.
• Dedicated lessons for both forms of biography.
• Biographical Projects can expand students’ understanding of reading and writing a biography.
• A COMPLETE 82-PAGE UNIT – NO PREPARATION REQUIRED.

FREE Biography Writing Graphic Organizer

Use this valuable tool in the research and writing phases to keep your students on track and engaged.

WRITING CHECKLIST & RUBRIC BUNDLE

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (92 Reviews)

To Conclude

By this stage, your students should have an excellent technical overview of a biography’s essential elements.

They should be able to choose their subject in light of how interesting and worthy they are, as well as give consideration to the availability of information out there. They should be able to research effectively and identify emerging themes in their research notes. And finally, they should be able to bring some of their personality and uniqueness into their retelling of the life of another.

Remember that writing a biography is not only a great way to develop a student’s writing skills; it can be used in almost all curriculum areas. For example, to find out more about a historical figure in History, to investigate scientific contributions to Science, or to celebrate a hero from everyday life.

Biography is an excellent genre for students to develop their writing skills and to find inspiration in the lives of others in the world around them.

HOW TO WRITE A BIOGRAPHY TUTORIAL VIDEO

OTHER GREAT ARTICLES RELATED TO BIOGRAPHY WRITING

How to write an Autobiography

How to Write a Historical Recount Text

15 Awesome Recount & Personal Narrative Topics

Personal Narrative Writing Guide

How to Write an Effective “About Me” Page (Examples Included!) 

An “About Me” page is one of the most crucial elements of any personal website, portfolio , or blog. It’s where visitors get to know who you are, what you do, and why they should care. Whether you're a freelancer , entrepreneur , or creative professional , this page can make or break a visitor’s first impression of you.

Let’s dive into the essentials of creating a standout one pager about yourself, provide actionable tips, and share examples to inspire you.

Add an “About Me” to your resume or portfolio and then put it to the test! Apply to these open jobs on The Muse »

What is an “About Me” page?

An “About Me” page is a dedicated section on your website where you introduce yourself to your visitors. This page goes beyond a simple biography and a list of your credentials; it's an opportunity to convey your personality, share your story, and connect with your audience on a deeper level. 

It often includes key elements such as a brief professional summary , personal anecdotes, and highlights of your skills and experiences. By providing a narrative of your journey, accomplishments, and aspirations, you create a relatable and authentic presence that can engage and build trust with your visitors.

An “About Me” page serves multiple purposes:

• It outlines your mission and vision, helping visitors understand what motivates you and what sets you apart.
• It can serve as a platform to showcase testimonials, notable projects, and any media coverage or recognition you have received.
• Your story helps humanize your brand. People connect with people, not faceless entities. 
• It lets visitors know what they can expect from your site and how you can help them.
• A well-crafted “About Me” page can improve your website’s SEO for Google by incorporating relevant keywords and phrases.

Where can you usually find “About Me” pages? 

An “About Me” can be a valuable addition to various platforms and contexts. Here are some common uses:

• Personal website: Whether it’s a blog or a personal brand site, an “About Me” page helps visitors understand who you are and why they should follow you.
• Portfolio: For creatives like designers, writers , and photographers, an “About Me” page showcases your background and expertise, helping potential clients or employers get to know you better.
• Resume: Adding an “About Me” section to your online resume provides a personal touch and highlights your unique strengths and career journey.
• Business website: Entrepreneurs and small business owners can use an “About Me” page to share their story, mission, and the values behind their business.
• Freelance profiles: On freelance platforms, an “About Me” page can differentiate you from other freelancers by highlighting your experience and skills.
• Social media profiles: Sites like LinkedIn benefit from a detailed “About Me” section, helping you network and connect with potential employers or collaborators.
• Author pages: For writers and authors, an “About Me” page helps readers connect with you on a personal level and understand the inspiration behind your work.
• E-commerce sites: Store owners can add an “About Me” page to build trust with customers by sharing their journey and the story behind their products.
• Professional associations: Members of professional organizations can use an “About Me” page to share their professional background, expertise, and contributions to their field.

Checklist for “About Me” pages 

What to include in an “About Me” page? Effective content should include the following elements:

• Your name and profession : Clearly state who you are and what you do.
• A photo : Adding a photo humanizes your profile and makes it more relatable.
• Your story : Share your background, journey, and what inspired you to pursue your path.
• Your values and mission : Explain what drives you and what you aim to achieve.
• Your skills and expertise : Highlight your key skills, qualifications, and achievements.
• Testimonials : If applicable, include testimonials from clients or colleagues to build credibility.
• Contact information : Provide a way for visitors to get in touch with you.

How to write an “About Me” in 5 steps

Writing an “About Me” page involves balancing personal storytelling with professional insights. Here are five tips to help structure yours.

1. Start with a strong—and catchy—opening

Begin with a compelling hook that grabs the reader’s attention. This could be an interesting fact, a personal anecdote, or a bold statement about your mission.

2. Who are you?

Provide a brief introduction that includes your name, profession, and a high-level overview of what you do. Make sure to keep it concise and engaging.

3. Tell your story

Narrate your journey—how you got started, the challenges you’ve overcome, and the milestones you’ve achieved. This is where you can infuse your personality and make your story relatable.

4. Highlight your expertise

Explain what you do and how you can help your audience. Call out your skills , qualifications, and any notable accomplishments.

5. Include a call to action (CTA)

A call to action is a prompt that tells your visitors what to do next, like contacting you, following you on social media, or checking out your portfolio. Make sure your CTA is clear and compelling so they know exactly what action to take.

Bonus tips on writing an “About Me” page

To write an “about me” paragraph that not only introduces you effectively but also engages your audience and enhances your online presence, follow these recommendations:

• Know your audience: Understand who you are writing for. Tailor your tone and content to resonate with your target audience.
• Be authentic : Authenticity is key. Be genuine in your storytelling and avoid overly formal language.
• Keep it concise: While it’s important to provide enough detail, avoid overwhelming your readers with too much information. Aim for clarity and brevity.
• Use visuals: Incorporate photos, videos, or infographics to make your page visually appealing and engaging.
• Optimize for SEO: Incorporate relevant keywords naturally throughout your “About Me” page to improve search engine visibility.
• Update regularly: Your “About Me” page should evolve as you grow. Regularly update it to reflect new experiences, skills, and achievements.

“About Me” template text

How to write an “About Me”? Here’s a simple and general template to get you started:

[Your name]

[Your profession/title]

Introduction:

Hi, I’m [Your name], a [Your profession] with [number] years of experience in [your field]. I’m passionate about [your passion] and have dedicated my career to [your mission].

Your story:

My journey began [describe how you started]. Over the years, I’ve [mention key milestones and achievements]. My work has been featured in [mention notable publications or collaborations].

Your expertise:

I specialize in [mention your key skills and areas of expertise]. My clients have included [mention notable clients or projects].

Call to action:

If you’d like to [mention what you want your readers to do next – contact you, follow you, etc.], feel free to [provide contact details or a CTA].

“About Me” page examples for different scenarios

You might be looking for information on how to write your “About Me” page for your new blog, maybe your LinkedIn profile, or other context. These could have some differences, so find the “About Me” paragraph example that suits you best.

For a website: “About Me” blog example

Hi, I’m Sarah, a passionate travel blogger who has visited over 50 countries. I share my adventures, tips, and travel guides to help you plan your next trip. My journey began in 2010 when I left my corporate job to explore the world. Since then, I’ve been featured in numerous travel magazines and have collaborated with top travel brands. Follow along as I explore new destinations and share my insights.

Portfolio “About Me” example

Hello! I’m Mark, a freelance graphic designer with over 10 years of experience in creating stunning visuals for brands. My work includes logo design, branding, and digital marketing materials. I started my career working for a design agency, but my passion for creativity led me to freelance. My clients include Fortune 500 companies and startups alike. Take a look at my portfolio to see my work and let’s collaborate on your next project.

For your resume: What is an example of best “About Me”?

I’m Emily, a marketing professional with a decade of experience in digital marketing and brand strategy. I specialize in SEO, content marketing, and social media management. My career highlights include leading successful campaigns for high-profile clients and earning industry awards. I’m currently seeking new opportunities to leverage my skills and drive impactful marketing initiatives.

Other type of site: “About Me” example

As a bestselling author, I’ve always been passionate about storytelling. My journey began with a love for reading, which soon transformed into writing my own stories. Over the years, I’ve published five novels and numerous short stories. My work explores themes of love, loss, and resilience, drawing inspiration from my personal experiences. When I’m not writing, you can find me at book signings or conducting writing workshops.

How parents can promote positive sibling relationships

Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Department of Psychology, University of Calgary

Professor, Canada Research Chair in Determinants of Child Development, Owerko Centre at the Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary

Disclosure statement

Marissa Nivison receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

Sheri Madigan receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Alberta Children's Hospital Foundation, an anonymous donor, and the Canada Research Chairs program.

University of Calgary provides funding as a founding partner of The Conversation CA.

University of Calgary provides funding as a member of The Conversation CA-FR.

View all partners

Sibling relationships are some of the longest-lasting relationships we have in our lives . Half of Canadians and around 80 per cent of people worldwide have at least one sibling. Sibling relationships are unique from all other relationships because siblings often grow up together and share family history. Biological siblings even share genetics.

In childhood, children spend more time with their siblings than anyone else, including their parents . A longitudinal study found that the quality of sibling relationships in young adulthood was one of the strongest predictors of well-being at age 65 .

Sibling relationships change as we grow. In early adulthood, maintaining the sibling relationship becomes a matter of choice, although most sibling relationships last a lifetime . In childhood, parents have important roles to play setting the stage for life-long positive sibling relationships.

As developmental and clinical psychologists, we recognize the profound impact siblings can have on development, especially having personally experienced the benefits, and sometimes the frustrations, within our own sibling relationships.

Sibling relationships and child development

Not only is the sibling relationship unique, but it also serves an important role in a child’s development. Children with siblings tend to develop better relationships with their peers, engage in more creative play and have higher empathy and a better understanding of others’ thoughts and feelings . They often develop social skills much earlier than children without siblings, which helps them form friendships when they start school .

Some studies have shown that positive sibling relationships also serve as a protective factor during difficult times, like high levels of life stress and marital conflict between parents .

It is not surprising that siblings can have a large impact on an individual’s development. For example, children may adjust their personalities to avoid conflict and competition with their sibling . Additionally, just knowing they have a sibling can positively affect a child .

Sibling conflicts, rivalry

When we are kids, sibling relationships can be full of rivalry. In adolescence, sibling relationships tend to drift as we explore new relationships with peers and our own identity.

It is probably no surprise that a major topic in research on sibling relationships is conflict. Sibling conflict is quite common and, to some extent, can actually be good for children’s development . The sibling relationship offers a unique context for children to resolve conflict because, unlike friendships, the sibling relationship cannot just end after a quarrel. Through navigating conflict with siblings, children can learn valuable skills such as understanding others’ perspectives, developing empathy, improving listening skills, setting boundaries and standing up for their own self interests.

However, there is a fine line between small disagreements and conflict being the main feature of the sibling relationship. It is normal for siblings to feel rivalry and competition, but when this becomes the defining feature of the relationship, it can create a negative environment. Specifically, children can become jealous and start to resent their sibling when they feel the need to compete for their parents’ attention and approval .

How parents can navigate sibling conflict

Although most parents say they don’t play favourites among siblings, up to 85 per cent of children believe their parents had a favourite.

One of the biggest predictors of sibling conflict is differential treatment by parents — including perceived differences in parenting. This means that even if a parent believes they are treating all children equally, a child often feels they are being treated differently .

For example, if both children are running through the house on separate occasions and one child receives a time out while the other is not allowed to go to a friend’s birthday party, the second child may perceive this as unfair, and naturally it creates tension in the sibling relationship. Parents should strive to be as fair as possible in their parenting by ensuring consistent consequences for similar misbehaviours among siblings.

Another key factor is for parents to recognize the individual strengths of each child and avoid unhealthy competition between siblings. For example, if one child does well in math, and the other does well in science, recognize their individual abilities and accomplishments and avoid comparing one sibling’s strength with the other’s weakness.

Promoting positive sibling relationships

There are science-backed ways parents can promote positive sibling relationships.

Encourage positive engagement : Choose activities and interests that all siblings can enjoy together.

Identify what’s going well: Recognize when siblings support, co-operate and help each other.

Engage in shared experiences : Highlight each sibling’s unique strengths during activities that require teamwork.

Regulate emotions : Help children identify and process their emotions during difficult times.

Facilitate social and emotional understanding : Teach children about how to share their own feelings and understand and respect feelings of siblings.

Manage undesirable behaviours : Address negative behaviours like bossiness towards siblings.

Help children learn to consider the actions of their siblings, without assuming these actions are directed at them : It is important for children to understand that accidents happen and their siblings often do not have malicious intent toward them. For example, a parent might see a sibling accidentally knock over the toy tower.

Manage conflict : Parents can mediate conflict between children to help resolve situations fairly.

Examine parental differential treatment : Talk with children about instances when they feel they are being treated unfairly. Ask them to explain why they think something is “not fair” and discuss it together.

By implementing these strategies, parents can help build strong, positive and supporting relationships between siblings, which can support their well-being throughout their lifetimes.

• Child development
• Sibling rivalry
• Starting school
• Parent-child relationships
• Family relationships

Service Delivery Consultant

Newsletter and Deputy Social Media Producer

College Director and Principal | Curtin College

Head of School: Engineering, Computer and Mathematical Sciences

Educational Designer

• Investigates
• Houston Life
• Newsletters

How to protect your kids when posting ‘back-to-school’ pictures on social media

Gage Goulding , News Reporter , Houston, TX

Oscar Chavez , Photojournalist

Michael Horton , Digital Content Producer , Houston, TX

HOUSTON – As kids across Houston get ready for another year of school, many parents are also gearing up for an activity that has become widely accepted as an annual tradition: first day of school pictures of the kiddos.

Many of these back-to-school snaps will find their way on social media platforms, like Facebook and Instagram.

While these posts are made with wholesome intentions, they actually have the potential to put your child in danger.

“Once it’s on the internet, you have no control where it goes from there,” said Captain Jonathan Zitzmann with the Harris County Precinct 4 Constable’s Office.

One of the primary risks associated with these posts is revealing your child’s personal information.

While it can be tempting to have your child hold up a chalkboard-themed sign with their full name, school and grade, it is best to keep that information to a minimum to avoid giving a potential predator sensitive information about where to find your child.

“Oftentimes we see first, middle, and last names. We see what elementary school or middle school they go to. We see what grade they’re in,” Zitzman explains.

Harris County Precinct 4 Constable Mark Herman posted a graphic naming social media identifiers that could put your child in danger.

This could be dangerous if it ends up in the wrong hands; like someone looking to harm your kids, break into your home when everyone’s away or even target children at school.

Gage Goulding: “Is that a legit worry that you have?”

North Houston woman Sonia Eubanks: “Yeah, I’m always concerned about that. I have grandkids now.”

It’s not just photos that could cause problems. Stickers on your vehicle, or even school spirit signs, can all be all too telling.

“I’m a proud parent. My wife is an educator,” Zitzmann said. “So, we’ve got school spirit and school pride. But, in our opinion, safety comes first.”

If you want to post a picture on social media, a plain photo is perfect. There are also safe, generic signs that don’t give away everything.

If you realize that there’s sensitive information in your pictures after they’ve been taken, have no fear! You can always blur or cover the information before clicking “post!”

😃 SAY, CHEESE! It’s back to school time all around Houston! ✋ PARENTS! Wait! Before you post that back to school picture online, we have some warnings that could help protect your family and your kids. Join me at 5 and 6 on @KPRC2 . pic.twitter.com/b0GDi6P7SO — Gage Goulding - KPRC 2 (@GageGoulding) August 8, 2024

Copyright 2024 by KPRC Click2Houston - All rights reserved.

About the Authors

Gage goulding.

Gage Goulding is an award-winning TV news reporter and anchor. A native of Pittsburgh, PA, he comes to Texas from Fort Myers, FL, where he covered some of the areas most important stories, including Hurricane Ian.

Oscar Chavez

A creative force with a lifelong passion for the arts. Exploring the realms of acting, singing, and film at an early age. With nearly 100 original songs, he is a BMI-published author, his music resonates on all major platforms, international video, films and Netflix.

Recommended Videos

85 Heartfelt "Thank You" Messages and Words of Appreciation

A handwritten note is so much more meaningful than a generic store-bought card.

Thank you messages for gifts

Thank you messages for wedding presents, birthday thank you messages, graduation thank you messages, thank you messages for help given.

Saying "thank you" in person is a great way to show your appreciation, but taking the time to sit down and write a thoughtful handwritten "thank you" note can express your gratitude in a more meaningful way.

While the etiquette is clear on the necessity of thank you cards, what goes inside can be a bit trickier. Sure, you can always buy a pre-written card at any store, with the sentiment still being very sweet, but a personalized "thank you" message really goes the extra mile to show someone you cherish their effort, time and ultimately, their sweet gesture.

What is the best thank you message?

While the best message to write in any kind of card is always a personalized one, we all need a little inspiration sometimes. Start with some of these sentiments, and then add an element that makes it your own.

Maybe that's a memory you share from the party where you received a gift, an inside joke from a vacation you went on together, or how you plan to use a monetary gift. Whatever it is, don't forget to seal it with love. And while it's best to send thank-you cards as soon as you can after a birthday, wedding, special event or meaningful favor, there's no expiration date on gratitude. Whenever you get to it, they'll appreciate the thought.

• I couldn't have picked out a better gift for myself if I tried.
• I am touched you remembered me.
• Your gift really made me smile.
• I'll think of you every time I use your gift.
• Every time I look at your gift, I'll think of our friendship.
• You didn't have to, but I'm sure glad you did!
• Your presence is my present, but I love this one too. Thank you!
• Thank you for the meaningful present.
• How did you know your gift was just what I needed?
• Receiving your thoughtful present really made my day.
• You know me so well! Thanks for the gift.
• You're the best gift I could ask for, but this one is pretty great too.
• I'll cherish your present always, just like I will our relationship.
• You hit it out of the park again, slugger!
• Finding your present in my mailbox meant so much. Thanks!
• Grateful AF.
• You're so sweet, and so is this gift.

• Thank you for celebrating this milestone with us.
• We're so appreciative to have friends/family like you!
• We can't wait to use [insert gift] in our lives together.
• We appreciate the miles traveled to attend our celebration, and can't thank you enough for being here. It means the world to us.
• We appreciate you coming to celebrate with us.
• Thank you for being a part of our special day.
• Our wedding was so special, and your presence made it even better.
• Thank you for helping us start our life together.
• Your generosity is only outdone by your kindness. Thank you.
• We are so touched by your generous gift.
• We're blessed to have friends like you who are really family.
• We knew you were a great friend, but we didn't realize you were a dancing queen!
• Thank you for making the trip to celebrate our wedding. We appreciate it.
• It means so much that you welcomed me into the family with open arms. Thank you.
• Your marriage is truly #goals for us! Thanks for being such a great example.
• We appreciate all of the time and effort you put in to make our wedding such a success.
• Thank you for being a bridesmaid — hope I wasn't too much of a bridezilla!
• I'd have been lost up there without you. Thanks for being my groomsman.
• Thanks for being you so we could be us.

• Thank you for thinking of me on my special day.
• Another year older, another year wiser, another year I'm so grateful for you.
• Thank you for making my birthday so special!
• Thank you for making me feel so loved on my birthday!
• Getting older is a pleasure with you by my side.
• I'm overwhelmed with love and gratitude for all the birthday wishes. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.
• You really bring the party! Thanks for dancing the night away.
• Thanks for the best birthday gift ever — of always being older than me.
• Waking up to your birthday text made my whole day.
• Your birthday messages made me feel like royalty. Thanks!
• People like you make every year special.
• I'm so blessed we could spend my special day together. Thanks for being there.
• It means the world that you took the time out of your busy schedule to spend some time with me. Thank you!
• Thanks for being one of the people who knew me when (and for sticking around all these years!)
• You made what can be a tough day so much lighter. Thank you.
• If I have to get older, at least I can spend more time with people like you.

• I'm thankful to have you in my corner as I take this next step.
• I wouldn't be where I am without your help along the way.
• Thank you for being such a great friend and mentor to me. It means a lot.
• Thanks for the thoughtful gift to help start me on my next phase of life.
• I wouldn't have made it this far without you. Thank you for your support.
• It means so much that you were there to celebrate my graduation.
• Seeing you in the crowd made graduating that much sweeter. Thanks for being there!
• You've always been one of my biggest cheerleaders. Thank you for your support.
• I believe in myself because you believed in me first. Thank you.
• Thanks for celebrating this achievement with me.
• Thank you for being the teacher who made me want to come to class.
• I never thought I'd like math/science/English/gym, but you made it fun. Thanks for all you do!
• It's teachers like you who make school a blast. Thanks for all of your hard work for students like me!
• Thank you for being there as I start my next chapter.
• Going off to college is a big step, but you helped me feel ready.
• Thanks for always believing in me.
• It's such a gift that you've always been there for my milestones, and especially this one.

• I am so grateful for your generosity and willingness to lend a hand. You've made a positive impact on my life.
• I don't know where we'd be without you. Thank you for your help.
• Thank you for being my rock.
• You're my port in a storm. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
• Thanks for always putting up with me. It means more than you know.
• You showed up just when I needed a shoulder to lean on, and it means so much to me.
• There aren't enough words to express what your support means.
• Thank you for always being the person I can count on.
• I am so blessed to have you in my life!
• Thank you for always being the first to show up and the last to leave.
• You're the peanut butter to my jelly.
• You always lift me up when I'm down.
• Thank you for coming through on such short notice. You're a lifesaver.
• I love you and am so thankful for you.
• How can I ever thank you enough? This is a start.
• Everything turned out perfectly, thanks to your help.

Lizz (she/her) is a senior editor at Good Housekeeping , where she runs the GH Book Club, edits essays and long-form features and writes about pets, books and lifestyle topics. A journalist for almost two decades, she is the author of Biography of a Body and Buffalo Steel. She also teaches journalism as an adjunct professor at New York University's School of Professional Studies and creative nonfiction at the Muse Writing Center, and coaches with the New York Writing Room. 

@media(max-width: 64rem){.css-o9j0dn:before{margin-bottom:0.5rem;margin-right:0.625rem;color:#ffffff;width:1.25rem;bottom:-0.2rem;height:1.25rem;content:'_';display:inline-block;position:relative;line-height:1;background-repeat:no-repeat;}.loaded .css-o9j0dn:before{background-image:url(/_assets/design-tokens/goodhousekeeping/static/images/Clover.5c7a1a0.svg);}}@media(min-width: 48rem){.loaded .css-o9j0dn:before{background-image:url(/_assets/design-tokens/goodhousekeeping/static/images/Clover.5c7a1a0.svg);}} Relationships

9 Phrases to Never Say to a Partner

How to Wish Your Coworker a Happy Birthday

Make Your Spouse LOL With These Anniversary Quotes

85 Happy Birthday Wishes for Your Boyfriend

100 Sweet Nicknames to Call Your Girlfriend

Love Quotes for Every Hopeless Romantic

Romantic "Good Night" Texts to Send Tonight

135 Best Birthday Wishes for Your Sister

How to Wish Your Dad the Happiest Birthday

What You Should Write in a Bridal Shower Card

What Is a Sleep Divorce?

• Skip to main content
• Keyboard shortcuts for audio player

• Dear Life Kit
• Life Skills

6 ways grown-ups can recreate that fresh, buzzy feeling of a new school year

Back-to-school season can still be an opportunity for a refresh, even if you're not headed back to the classroom. Maria Korneeva/Getty Images/Moment RF hide caption

Ah, remember the excitement of starting a new school year? Shopping for new notebooks, picking out the perfect outfit for the first day of school, the smell of pencil sharpenings in the classroom?

Just because you’re a grown-up doesn’t mean you can’t harness that buzzy back-to-school energy. Here are seven activities you probably did in school as a kid -- like playing at recess and packing lunches -- updated for the adult version of you. We hope these ideas inspire new routines and positive changes as you transition into fall.

Miss packing a school lunch? Try meal-prepping

Kevin Curry, founder of FitMenCook , meal preps two nights a week. On these nights, he'll spend 45 minutes cooking five dishes to mix and match over the next few days — for example, chickpeas, chicken, jasmine rice, roasted vegetables and a green medley of spinach, chard and kale.

How To Learn A New Skill

"With those five foods I prepped, I made about ten different meal combinations," he says. One day you might want chicken, rice and greens, another day you might want chickpeas, greens and chicken. Transform the flavor of each meal with different condiments like tahini dressing or barbecue sauce. Read more tips here .

Miss back-to-school shopping? Spruce up your wardrobe

Even if you aren’t doing any back-to-school shopping this fall, you can prioritize your personal style with a closet purge. Asia Jackson, actor and YouTuber, says to try on every item in your wardrobe and ask yourself a few questions to determine if you should donate or keep that sweater you haven’t worn in years.

“Do you feel good in this item? Do you look good in this item?” says Jackson. “If it doesn't make you feel good, then you should get rid of it.” Once you’ve identified the pieces you love, use them as the foundation for your revamped style. Read more tips here . 

Miss learning new things? Read more books

If you want to read more books, try getting in a few pages in the morning before you start your day. NickyLloyd/Getty Images/E+ hide caption

Got a fall reading list you can’t wait to get through? Set yourself up for success by reading in the morning, says NPR culture correspondent Lynn Neary, “particularly on weekend mornings.”

You’re less likely to fall asleep the way you can if you try to read before bed, and it’s a nice way to start your day. Read more tips here . 

4 questions to ask yourself if you're considering going back to school

Miss writing in your planner make a better to-do list.

To create clear, short and doable action items, follow the two-minute rule. "If it takes less than two minutes, just do it right then and there," says Angel Trinidad , founder and CEO of Passion Planner, a company that sells paper and digital planners and journals. "It's not worth the bandwidth to write it down, remember it and do it."

For larger tasks, break them down into smaller chunks. People aren't specific enough when they write down items on their to-do lists, says Oliver Burkeman, author of Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals . And what ends up happening, he adds, is that "we don't get them done because we're not expressing them in a doable form." Read more tips here .

Miss recess? Bring more play into your life

Not sure how to incorporate more play into your life? Ask yourself what kind of play you enjoyed as a child. Stephen Zeigler/Getty Images/The Image Bank RF hide caption

If you want to bring more play into your life, you don't necessarily need to make any significant life changes or rework your entire schedule. Play is as simple as observing tiny moments in nature, says Stuart Brown , founder of the National Institute for Play. Any increase in play throughout your day is a win – whether it's a playful hobby like painting, playing a board game, or just a new, playful outlook.

If you aren’t sure what kind of play you’ll enjoy now as an adult, ask yourself – how did I like to play as a kid? And how can I incorporate that form of play into my life now? Read more tips here .

Miss meeting new people? Change your mindset on friendship

If you want to make more friends, assume that other people also need friends, says Heather Havrilesky, author of the advice column Ask Polly .

“People assume that everybody already has friends,” she says. The truth is, “nobody already has their friends.”

It may feel uncomfortable to send the first text message to hang out one-on-one for the first time. But accept the awkwardness, she says. It stems from vulnerability -- and you can't have friends without getting vulnerable. Read more tips here .

This digital story was written by Clare Marie Schneider. It was edited by Malaka Gharib. The visual editor is Rebecca Harlan. We'd love to hear from you. Email us at [email protected]. Listen to Life Kit on Apple Podcasts  and Spotify , or sign up for our newsletter .

More From Forbes

A psychologist explains how the ‘lion’s gate portal’ can benefit you.

• Share to Facebook
• Share to Twitter
• Share to Linkedin

Days like 8/8 can benefit you regardless of your belief in them as they create the perfect storm of ... [+] positivity, placebo and manifestation practice.

Research has confirmed time and again that the gaps between psychological science and spirituality are wide. While one uses treatment modalities developed through scientific rigor, the other banks on faith, belief and optimism.

Paradoxically, however, psychological healing often intersects with spirituality in the realm of practice. “Manifestation” exercises such as meditation and chanting, positive visualization, journaling and affirmations are prescribed in both spaces regularly and are often rooted in gaining more knowledge of and control over the subconscious and unconscious mind.

Research published in 2023 also indicates that certain psychological constructs, like being in a “flow state,” mirror spiritual experiences. The study further argues that incorporating spirituality into your life may enhance self-understanding and potential through self-belief, a goal therapists often set for clients they treat.

All of this is to say that there are many paths that lead to a desired destination. Whether you are a realist with elaborate plans for the future or you’re a spiritual soul building a deeper connection with the universe, manifestation exercises can help you break substantial ground on the journey you’re already on.

And while there is no perfect time to start this journey, many swear by certain fated days, meant to be more powerful and “bountiful” than others. Today is supposed to be one such day, marking the opening of the “Lion’s Gate portal.” Here’s the lore behind the popular legend.

‘Very, Very High’—$20 Trillion Bitcoin Predicted As ‘Stampede’ Suddenly Sends Price Soaring

What to know about olympics gender debate as imane khelif wins women’s boxing final, trump vs. harris 2024 polls: harris widens lead—up 5 points in latest survey, the astrological tale behind lion’s gate portal.

Spiritual practitioners claim the eighth of August to be the day the universe supposedly opens a cosmic gateway known as the Lion’s Gate Portal. With Sirius rising and the Sun in Leo, believers claim this is a magical window for transformation and manifestation, as if the universe itself is conspiring to grant all wishes.

For those who believe the lore, it presents a tantalizing chance to harness the universe’s supposed powers. Whether it’s celestial truth or just a fanciful story lacking scientific or cosmic corroboration, the intent to start manifesting in your life is never unuseful. Regardless of these beliefs, manifestation can always help people achieve their best potential.

Why Does Manifestation Work Well With Spirituality?

While they may use vastly different language, construct different arguments and are trying to prove different things—spiritual healing and psychological healing often coincide when it comes to execution. Here’s a psychologist’s take on why manifestation works in both worlds:

• The placebo effect of faith and positive outcomes. Research published in Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B suggests that belief systems, including spiritual practices, can impact physical health and well-being. Another study examining the Covid-19 pandemic found that patients with higher emotional, social, physical and spiritual resilience experienced less severe symptoms and recovered more quickly, illustrating how faith can influence outcomes through the placebo effect. And finally, in a 2020 article discussing the power of religious practices, psychiatrist Harold Koening notes: “Placebos have been used in medicine since antiquity and may have significantly improved health and quality of life when little was known about the causes of most illnesses. Many outcomes were likely due to the placebo effect, as available treatments were either unproven or later disproven.” In the same vein, practices like manifestation may rely on the placebo effect, where believing in positive outcomes creates a psychological environment that supports achieving those outcomes.
• The powerful role of self-efficacy. Prolific researcher Albert Bandura's work on self-efficacy highlights the power of one’s belief in their own ability to succeed. When individuals engage in manifestation practices, spiritual or not, they are essentially boosting their self-efficacy—which can lead to better performance and greater resilience in the face of challenges. This helps in building a positive self-image and enhances strength to take righteous actions towards one's ambitions.
• Principles of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). CBT , a well-established psychological treatment modality, emphasizes the importance of changing negative thought patterns to improve mental health. Manifestation techniques, such as affirmations and visualization, align closely with CBT principles by encouraging individuals to focus on positive thoughts and outcomes, thereby reducing anxiety and self-sabotaging thoughts.

How You Can Harness The “Magic” Of Days Like 8/8

Whether ordained by the universe or not, there may not be a better time than now to channelize your mental and spiritual energy toward manifesting the goals you desire to achieve. Here’s why the efficacy of these tools can feel like magic:

• Meditation and visualization. Meditation and visualization are powerful tools that help individuals focus their intentions and reduce stress. Research led by epidemiologists at West Virginia University shows that regular meditation can enhance cognitive function and emotional regulation.
• Journaling. Writing down aspirations and goals can clarify intentions and create a tangible blueprint for success. Journaling has been shown to improve mental health by allowing individuals to process emotions and articulate their own thoughts.
• Environmental enhancements. Creating a conducive environment for manifestation, such as lighting candles or using fragrances, can enhance mood and focus. Research published in Scientia Pharmaceutica suggests that certain olfactory stimulation can positively affect mood and cognitive function.
• Affirmations. Repeating affirmations can reinforce positive beliefs and motivate individuals to pursue their goals. A 2015 study indicates that affirmations, when practiced consistently and spoken as if true, can improve performance and self-perception through a sense of achieving rewards.

While the myths surrounding events like the Lion’s Gate portal may blend astrological assumptions into daily life, the practice of manifestation itself holds significant psychological value at all times in life. The power of intention, belief and structured practice can have profound effects on cognitive health and personal growth. By understanding and harnessing these psychological techniques, individuals can achieve positive transformations, regardless of their spiritual beliefs.

Test your levels of spirituality by taking the science-backed Ego Dissolution Scale, here .

• Editorial Standards
• Reprints & Permissions

Join The Conversation

One Community. Many Voices. Create a free account to share your thoughts. 

Forbes Community Guidelines

Our community is about connecting people through open and thoughtful conversations. We want our readers to share their views and exchange ideas and facts in a safe space.

In order to do so, please follow the posting rules in our site's  Terms of Service.   We've summarized some of those key rules below. Simply put, keep it civil.

Your post will be rejected if we notice that it seems to contain:

• False or intentionally out-of-context or misleading information
• Insults, profanity, incoherent, obscene or inflammatory language or threats of any kind
• Attacks on the identity of other commenters or the article's author
• Content that otherwise violates our site's  terms.

User accounts will be blocked if we notice or believe that users are engaged in:

• Continuous attempts to re-post comments that have been previously moderated/rejected
• Racist, sexist, homophobic or other discriminatory comments
• Attempts or tactics that put the site security at risk
• Actions that otherwise violate our site's  terms.

So, how can you be a power user?

• Stay on topic and share your insights
• Feel free to be clear and thoughtful to get your point across
• ‘Like’ or ‘Dislike’ to show your point of view.
• Protect your community.
• Use the report tool to alert us when someone breaks the rules.

Thanks for reading our community guidelines. Please read the full list of posting rules found in our site's  Terms of Service.

• Voter Guide
• Michigan Politics
• John Carlisle
• M.L. Elrick
• Observer & Eccentric

Paul Whelan released from Russia in prisoner swap: What to know about Michigan man

When women's basketball star Brittney Griner was released in December 2022 from the Russian prison system — traded for convicted Russian arms trafficker Viktor Bout — the nation's eyes turned to the man who was left behind: Michigan's Paul Whelan .

A year and a half later, Whelan was freed Thursday in a deal that included Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who also was wrongfully detained on spying charges the U.S. government says he didn’t commit.

More: Biggest prisoner swap since the Cold War could be underway, movements suggest

Whelan, a former Marine who lived in Novi, was the head of global security for BorgWarner when he was arrested Dec. 28, 2018. He has been imprisoned in Russia, accused of espionage. He was convicted in June 2020 during a closed-door trial and sentenced to 16 years of hard labor in a work camp.

This is his story.

Who is Paul Whelan?

Paul Nicholas Whelan was born in March 1970 in Ottawa, Ontario — Canada's national capital. His parents, Edward and Rosemary Whelan, immigrated to Canada from Britain.

He has a twin brother, David; a sister, Elizabeth; and another brother, Andrew. The family moved to Ann Arbor when the twins were young; they went on to graduate in Huron High School's Class of 1988.

Whelan is now a U.S. citizen but holds passports in four countries — the U.S.; his native Canada; Britain, where his parents were born; and Ireland, where his grandparents were born. He never married and has no children.

He testified in a 2013 court deposition that he worked as a Chelsea police officer in 1988-2000, and also worked for the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office. Whelan joined the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves on May 10, 1994, according to his service record.

Whelan was hired in 2001 by Kelly Services , a Troy-based company that offers consulting and temporary workers to businesses around the world. He took a military leave of absence from Kelly Services in 2003-08 to serve in Iraq, he testified.

At Kelly Services, Whelan's title was senior manager of global security and investigations. His job included campus security as well as electronic and IT-related security.

He started working in early 2017 for BorgWarner, company spokeswoman Kathy Graham told the Free Press in a previous interview. Whelan was global security chief when he was arrested and accused of spying.

According to business licensing records, Whelan also ran an online firearms business known as Kingsmead Arsenal. The business was started in 2012, and its address is the same as Whelan's apartment on Wellington Drive in Novi. 

He also testified in the 2013 deposition that he has a federal firearms license. 

Was Paul Whelan given a bad-conduct discharge from the Marines?

Yes. Whelan worked as an administrative clerk and administrative chief and was deployed in the war against Iraq in 2004 and 2006.

He rose to the rank of staff sergeant in December 2004, but a few years later was convicted in special court-martial of attempting to steal more than $10,000 while at Al Asad Airbase in Iraq. Other related convictions included dereliction of duty, making a false official statement, wrongfully using other people's Social Security numbers and bouncing checks.

He was given a bad-conduct discharge in December 2008 at the rank of private. Whelan's last place of duty was Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in California.

While stationed in Iraq, Whelan was part of “The Rest and Recuperation Leave Program,” which authorized 15 days of leave to service members on yearlong deployments to Iraq, according to a 2007 story posted on the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing page of the Marine Corps website. The military paid for the travel and most service members chose to return home, but others could travel abroad.

Whelan spent his two weeks in Russia, saying in the interview that the leave program “gives those of us who are single an opportunity to travel throughout the world wherever we want to go and experience the diversity of culture.”

During his military career, Whelan received awards that included the Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation and Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal.

Novi District Court records show that Whelan was also involved in landlord-tenant disputes in 2007 over nonpayment of rent while he was on active service in the military. Court records also show a case was filed against Whelan in 2011 by a Norfolk, Virginia-based debt collector for $1,210.35.

Was Paul Whelan a spy?

The Russian Foreign Ministry alleges Whelan was caught "red-handed" in an act of espionage. Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB), a successor to the Soviet Union's KGB, says its agents found a USB drive containing classified information in Whelan's room at the swanky Metropol Hotel in Moscow. 

Whelan insists that he was set up, and that he was simply a tourist. He was there, he said, to attend the wedding of a friend, a fellow former Marine.

In the days leading up to his arrest, he led tours of Moscow historical sites for the wedding party, David Whelan told the Free Press in a previous interview. And he shared Christmas dinner at a steakhouse in Moscow with a Russian man named Ilya Yatsenko, whom he'd met a decade earlier during one of his trips to the country.

Over about a half-dozen visits to Russia since 2006, Whelan got to know Yatsenko — or so he thought — even visiting Yatsenko's parents and siblings in the town of Sergiev Posad, about 50 miles northeast of Moscow, David Whelan said.

It was Yatsenko who gave Whelan key evidence in Russia's case against him: a USB drive containing government secrets, David Whelan alleges.

"Paul expected there to be photographs on it and something else was put on that drive in order to entrap him," he said. 

At the time, then-President Donald Trump made no public statements about Whelan's arrest. Trump administration officials made careful and measured statements about him.

More than a year after her brother's arrest, Elizabeth Whelan said: "This is ridiculous. Russia has a legal system but not a judicial system. Everybody knows that once you get on this conveyor belt, that the end result before you're popped off at the other end is 100% chance of conviction and sentencing."

She was right. Whelan was convicted of espionage in a Moscow courtroom in June 2020. John Sullivan, then-U.S. ambassador to Moscow, described the conviction a "mockery of justice." 

Whelan was taken to IK-17, a gulag in the Republic of Mordovia, about an eight-hour drive southeast of Moscow. There, he spent hours each day cutting threads from newly made prison uniforms. He later was promoted to sewing buttonholes. 

The U.S. House and U.S. Senate both have passed resolutions demanding Whelan's release. The U.S. State Department now considers him wrongfully detained and has been insistent that his conviction was a sham.

Does Paul Whelan's work history have ties to Russia?

Though Whelan said he traveled to Russia as a tourist, he entered the country on a business travel visa supported by BorgWarner Inc., he told his lawyers in Moscow.

The Auburn Hills-based auto supplier BorgWarner  has 49,000 employees working among its 93 sites around the world, but spokeswoman Graham told the Free Press in 2019 that it didn't have any locations in Russia. The company would not confirm that it sponsored Whelan's Russian business visa.

"As a general policy BorgWarner does not comment on travel of any of its employees, nor does the company discuss information about individual customers," said Graham in an email to the Free Press at the time. "Paul was not in Russia on company business. We are deferring to the State Department regarding updates to his situation."

Although BorgWarner operates no facilities in Russia, the company does have a history of doing business there. 

BorgWarner supplied  Kamaz Inc. , Russia's largest truck-maker, with turbochargers, fan drives and high-performance fans, according to U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission  documents . BorgWarner parts are used in nonmilitary Kamaz trucks and Nefaz buses, and its total sales to Kamaz in 2013-15 through non-U.S. subsidiaries was $12.1 million.

"For over 15 years, BorgWarner has supported (Kamaz) with advanced air-flow technologies, and we are looking forward to continuing the successful collaboration," Daniel Paterra, who was then BorgWarner's president and general manager of thermal systems, said in a  2015 news release  about the  Dakar Rally , an off-road rally in South America in which Kamaz trucks are used.  

What did Trump say about Whelan's case?

Trump didn't speak publicly about Whelan's arrest during his time in office. But the former president took to his social media platform, Truth Social , in December 2022 to criticize the deal that President Joe Biden's administration made to swap Griner for Bout.

"I turned down a deal with Russia for a one on one swap of the so-called Merchant of Death for Paul Whelan," Trump wrote. "I wouldn’t have made the deal for a hundred people in exchange for someone that has killed untold numbers of people with his arms deals. I would have gotten Paul out, however, just as I did with a record number of other hostages. The deal for Griner is crazy and bad. The taking wouldn’t have even happened during my Administration, but if it did, I would have gotten her out, fast!"

David Whelan took to Twitter , saying: "Former President Trump appears to have mentioned my brother #PaulWhelan 's wrongful detention more in the last 24 hours than he did in the 2 years of his presidency in which Paul was held hostage by #Russia (zero). I don't suggest he cares now any more than he did then (zero)".

What did President Joe Biden do?

Biden met with Elizabeth Whelan during the summer of 2022 to assure her of his commitment to freeing her brother.

In the Dec. 8, 2022, announcement that Griner was coming home, Biden said: "We’ve not forgotten about Paul Whelan. This was not a choice about which American to bring home. … Sadly, for totally illegitimate reasons, Russia is treating Paul's case differently than Brittney's. ... We will never give up."

How did Paul Whelan's family respond when Griner was freed but he was not?

Though they were disappointed that Whelan wasn't freed along with Griner, the family supported Biden's decision to make the one-on-one trade, David Whelan said.

"There is no greater success than for a wrongful detainee to be freed and for them to go home," he said. "The Biden administration made the right decision to bring Ms. Griner home, and to make the deal that was possible, rather than waiting for one that wasn't going to happen."

Since then, he said the family has been overwhelmed by the swell of support for his brother.

"Even in these hyper-partisan days, we have received emails and donations from people of what seems to be all political perspectives sending Paul their best wishes and hope for a speedy return home. Americans pulling together for an American," David Whelan said.

"Paul has continued to call home on a daily basis and speak to our parents. We have been sending him updates about the support shown through GoFundMe donations as well as the many people indicating they're writing him letters and cards. ... In the months ahead, those will bring Paul great comfort. If he ever worried that he'd been forgotten, I think this will provide Paul reassurance that he remains in people's prayers."

White House staff met virtually with Elizabeth Whelan in December 2022, who was told her brother's freedom remains "as high a priority as the President has," David Whelan said.

Contact Kristen Shamus: [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @kristenshamus.

Subscribe to the Free Press.

Advertisement

Supported by

Stalkers, Disease and Doubt: A Gymnast’s Hard Road Back to the Games

Sunisa Lee, the all-around women’s champion at the Tokyo Olympics, overcame personal strife, family expectations and serious illness to get to Paris.

• Share full article

By Juliet Macur

Juliet Macur is in Paris, covering her 13th Olympic Games. She reported this article from Paris, Fort Worth and Minneapolis, and St. Paul, Minn.

Simone Biles aims for her second gymnastics all-around title. Follow live updates from the Paris Olympics.

Sunisa Lee, the all-around gold medalist in women’s gymnastics at the Tokyo Olympics, woke up one morning last year and was startled by her reflection in the mirror.

Her face looked as if it had been inflated with an air pump. Her leg joints were so swollen that she could hardly bend her knees or ankles. A scale revealed she had gained more than 10 pounds.

Her mind raced: Had she been eating too much? Was it the pollen in the air? Maybe she was allergic to her roommate’s new dog?

“I was like, who is this person looking back at me?” Lee, who is competing for the United States at the Paris Games, said in an interview. “It was so scary. I didn’t know it then, but the old Suni was gone. And she would never be back.”

Lee had been a surprise winner in Tokyo : Simone Biles — the overwhelming favorite for that gold medal — had withdrawn from the Games with a mental block that made her feel unsafe performing her flips and twists in the air.

We are having trouble retrieving the article content.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and  log into  your Times account, or  subscribe  for all of The Times.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access.

Already a subscriber?  Log in .

Want all of The Times?  Subscribe .