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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!

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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.

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• how to write a short biography about your child

If your teacher has not already given you a list, here are some suggestions on creating a one-page letter about your child. Explain to your child that she will be writing her own life story, not someone else's. Your child will enjoy hearing stories about herself that she no longer remembers, and she will garner useful information for her autobiography. ", End the biography with a mention of someone the child is grateful to. Avoid listing personal statistics, such as family and hobbies; instead angle the bio to the intended audience, whether for a personal website or a professional networking website. Ask your child questions about his life, such as where he was born, where he lives, where he goes to school and how he spends his days. The youngest of all my cousins and the only child in a small neighborhood that consisted of a bunch of adults, I never really learned what it meant to just be a kid. If you do not have a head shot, ask the director what kind of photograph he would like. Reading another person's autobiography will help your child get a better idea of what type of information to include in an autobiography. September 4, 2017. Introduce your child in the first sentence, positively stating how he feels about the production and his relationship to it. ", List other roles your child has had. Aside from each having played more than 1,000 shows on Broadway, "The Sound of Music," "The Music Man" and "Annie" share another trait: they all feature children characters 1. Copyright © 2020 Leaf Group Ltd., all rights reserved. For example, "Matthew Mattle is excited about his first appearance with Broadstreet High," or "Cassandra Cassle is happy to be returning to the Mahalok Repertory stage, having previously been seen in their Young Actor's Workshop. Bios should be short and concise, listing only relevant information. How to Write a Good (Funny, Short) Bio in Under 10 Minutes. Share your child’s gifts and talents. For example, "Matthew would like to thank his parents for their support and chauffeuring" or "Cassandra is appreciative of cast members taking her under their wings.". Keep the biography current and concise. Writing an outline serves two purposes: it organizes your child's thoughts and guides him in the writing process, and it records his ideas so that he does not forget what he want to include in his autobiography. To write a good biography, you'll need to take notes about the person you are writing about. for IT support professionals you may write “troubleshoot software and hardware issues to ensure all systems are operational both for your clients and internal employees”). If you do not have a head shot, ask the director what kind of photograph he would like. The assignment helps children learn about their history and clarify their future goals. For example, "Matthew takes voice classes with Ari Newlander," or "In addition to her previous Mahalok role, Cassandra was in the ensemble of Theater in the Park's 'Annie' and played Bielke in 'Fiddler on the Roof' at the Newlindian Theater. Aube Ergine began writing professionally for Demand Media in 2010 and has experience with grant writing, activity and event planning, and lesson planning. And I certainly never learned how to relate to other children. The short biographies explain a person’s basic life facts and their importance, but the long biographies would go an extra mile and include more details to make an interesting read. Write a brief biography to introduce yourself, highlight achievements, list credentials and any notable projects with which you are involved. In a program, the young actors who portray child characters are given their space for biographies alongside adult actors. Regardless of how old we are, we never stop learning. Show your child photographs from his past. She has worked with children and youth for 15 years in schools and recreational settings. Writing an autobiography is a common assignment issued by school teachers. However, each biography will include the basic details. While a child actor won't have the lengthy resume of an older, more established performer, you can still write an informative piece so the audience can learn about your young thespian. Photos can bring back memories and enhance creativity. Do not list roles from six years ago -- unless they are they only roles she has had. ", Cite some interests that your child has. Write the biography in the third person. Children often find it hard to write an autobiography. If a photograph is used in the program, it will usually be the head shot with which your child auditioned. Do not list roles from six years ago -- unless they are they only roles she has had. Most people would rather spend 3 hours in a dentist’s chair than spend 30 minutes writing a bio. See disclaimer. For example, "In addition to acting and singing, Matthew likes to read and study the stars," or "Cassandra can be found on her dirt bike when not reciting her favorite lines from the Bard. Write an outline with your child. Choose an age-appropriate autobiography so that they do not get bored. A fourth grade biography will be much different from a middle school-level biography or a high school or college-level biography. Kivi has authored educational textbooks, patient health care pamphlets, animal husbandry guides, outdoor survival manuals and was a contributing writer for two books in the Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader Series. Paul Hawthorne/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images. The assignment helps children learn about their history and clarify their future goals. If he has not had any roles, list any training that is relevant, or skip to interests. Privacy Policy, Top 10 Tips for Room Moms (with teacher printable). // Leaf Group Lifestyle. Assure your child that her life is interesting and special. Every student will write a biography at some point, but the level of detail and sophistication will differ. Your email address will not be published. If you do not have a head shot, ask the director what kind of photograph he would like. I was also an only grandchild on both sides. I grew up an only child. This allows for immediate connection. How To Describe Your Child. Based on the Word Net lexical database for the English Language. Writing an autobiography is a common assignment issued by school teachers. to appropriate action verb + goal or problem you can solve because of your professional skills (e.g. A biography can be short in the case of few sentences biography, and it can also be long enough to fill an entire book. Have patience with your child. Whether you’re studying times tables or applying to college, Classroom has the answers. Name helps your target employer’s industry (e.g. But what if there was a secret shortcut that not only makes the process easier and faster, but actually makes your bio smart, witty and totally you? References. Keep the biography current and concise. I get it. Here’s how to write to your child’s teacher! Read an autobiography with your child. Children often confuse the difference between a biography and an autobiography. She has a background in the nursing field, wildlife rehabilitation and habitat conservation. Tips and Ideas For Starting Middle School. Keep the biography current and concise. Sample Personal Biography. My name is Cassandra Duncan. marketing agencies, IT companies, or hotels, etc.) They may think that their life has not been eventful enough to make an interesting story. Do not list roles from six years ago -- unless they are they only roles she has had. Classroom is the educational resource for people of all ages. However, a child may not know how to start writing her autobiography, so here are some tips to help her along the way. First, introduce your child and your family. Rose Kivi has been a writer for more than 10 years. © 2020 Leaf Group Ltd. / Leaf Group Media, All Rights Reserved. If a photograph is used in the program, it will usually be the head shot with which your child auditioned. Tell your child stories about her life when she was a baby and a toddler. Asking questions will spark your child's imagination and help him form ideas for his autobiography. Define what an autobiography is to your child.

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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

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How to Write a Historical Recount Text

15 Awesome Recount & Personal Narrative Topics

Personal Narrative Writing Guide

• How to Cite
• Language & Lit
• Rhyme & Rhythm
• The Rewrite
• Search Glass

How to Write a Child's Biography

Writing biographies for children is an emotionally rewarding task, often for both the writer and the biographical subject. A child's biography can create special moments of remembrance together and a record of these memories when the child is older.

Ask permission to write the biography, from the child and/or the parent. This is respectful to the child. Adults will too often not consider children as people and act toward them without thought for the child's feelings. Familiarize your informants, especially the children, with the purpose of creating the biography. This courtesy will give guidelines to the project and put shy children at ease.

Collect the basic facts of name, parents, date of birth, place of birth, gender, and pertinent physical concerns such as eye and hair color.

Ask the child, if the child is of a age where this can be done, about important events that have occurred in his life. Recording the stories is an excellent way to capture the narratives. Pre-literate children can be asked to draw their stories while questioned. These exercises in narration provide visually engaging and unique documents. Place a date on the pictures to provide a chronological archive.

Collect stories about the child from family and friends. Make sure that these stories will not humiliate or otherwise harm the child. Ask the child if these stories should be included in the biography.

Compile your notes and other documents into chronological order. Verify facts, check again on story appropriateness and get feedback on the tentative manuscript from the child.

Write and proofread the narrative. Read this to the child so that you both may enjoy the story.

Things You'll Need

• Children's Earliest Memories: A Narrative Study
• How To Write A Biography

Anne Cagle has been writing ever since she was a toddler who could scribble with crayons. Her first published article, at age 12, was in a teachers' newsletter. She was published in "Optical Prism" magazine and has worked as a reviewer for the Webby Awards. She holds a degree in English from the University of Oregon.

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!

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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 !

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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 1,875,546 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

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Writing a Life: How to Write a Biography for Children

Writing someone’s biography can be a tricky business. First—and this is important— you’ve got to be enthusiastic about the person you’re writing about . Otherwise, it won’t work. Readers will know that on some level you’re not engaged and they won’t enjoy reading the book any more than you enjoyed writing it. I was asked once to write a biography of the Three Stooges. I said no, because I’ve never found their humor to be funny. Sure, I could get the facts right, but that’s not enough. You have to have passion.

Next comes the research. For many people, this is the dullest part of writing a nonfiction book: the hundreds of hours that they have to spend reading about Thomas Edison or Clara Barton or global warming. When the pile of notes you’re taking is getting higher and higher, it can be discouraging knowing that you’ll end up using only a small portion of them. But that’s the way it should be. You don’t want to overwhelm the reader with too many facts.

A good biography should be accurate, but it should also move. Once I read a book review of a biography of a minor American actress. The reviewer complained about the overload of unimportant detail—the author, he said, had even included the actress’s Social Security number. Social Security number? That’s an example of an author who threw all of his notes into the text without bothering to weigh their individual importance. Remember, in most cases, shorter is better.

There are two kinds of biography: a straight, cradle-to-grave nonfiction approach, and a fictionalized approach. I have written a half-dozen so-called fictionalized biographies, and in some ways they’re harder to write than the other kind. A fictionalized biography attempts to dramatize a person’s life (or, more commonly, a portion of that person’s life). In order to make it work, you have to know where to start and where to end. Start too early in a person’s life and you end up wasting pages and the reader’s patience. And don’t keep rambling on once the story has come to its natural end. Bring it to a dramatic and appropriate close, then stop. If you’ve still got information you’d like to share with the reader, save it for the Afterword or the Author’s Note.

Dialogue is one of the easiest, and most effective, ways of dramatizing your story. A few well-chosen words, a snappy turn of phrase, an impassioned speech—these can all be used to highlight personalities, to create conflict, to set a mood, to change the rhythm or pacing of a story, and to punctuate your main character’s aim or goal. Dialogue is my favorite part of writing. I’ll spend hours crafting a short conversation between two or three people . Even if I end up cutting most of it, I enjoy the process. It helps me to get to know my characters better.

Finally, the trickiest part of writing a fictionalized biography is coming up with a plot that is both true and involving. As tempting as it may be, you can’t simply make up details in order to suit your story. Everything has to be based in truth . Most readers may not know at what age George Washington began losing his teeth, or on what side of the Chesapeake Bay Harriet Tubman lived, but someone will, and if you’ve made up facts, or gotten them wrong, you’ll be found out.

The combination of accuracy and a compelling plot is probably the hardest part of writing a fictionalized, or dramatized, biography. You’ve got to get the balance right, and you’ve got to make it come alive. You’ve got to make the reader care about your character and his or her problem. And the problem—the conflict—has to be one that your character faced in real life. To invent a problem, or to make it more dramatic than it really was, is a form of cheating, and that’s no fun at all. If you search long enough, and dig deep enough, you’ll almost certain to find an incident worth dramatizing, a character who practically begs to be brought to life. Respect the facts of that life and, with luck, you’ll be well on your way to producing a memorable and satisfying biography.

For more advice from authors and editors, visit the Editor’s Desk section of our website.

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Expert Tips for Exploring Biographies With Your Kids

Ignite a love for real stories in your child with these effective and accessible strategies..

While fostering a love for any kind of reading is crucial for your child’s learning and development, exploring biographies offers an enriching experience that motivates your child to learn in a new way. Reading biographies not only allows kids to gain valuable new perspectives, but it also encourages their own self-discovery, says Karen Burke, senior vice president of education at Scholastic Education.

“In learning about the life of another, you create comparisons and differences and begin to understand yourself a bit more,” says Burke. “Kids can see ‘famous’ and ordinary people as real people — with their failures, successes, challenges, feelings, and emotions — making extraordinary accomplishments. This can influence how a child reacts to their environment and expand their thinking.”

Getting your younger reader interested in biographies, however, may not be as habitual as encouraging them to read an action-packed fiction book. Here are five tips that will make it a joy for everyone.

1. Make a Solid Introduction

When first exploring biographies with your child, it’s important to start small and steadily build your child’s interest. Marissa Jordening, a fourth-grade teacher in Colorado, recommends starting with picture books.

“Biographical picture books are often rich in word choice and sentence structure, so they may match your child's reading level — even if it looks like a simpler book,” says Jordening. 

She suggests starting with a picture book about a notable individual or even a collection with a short biography on several individuals. The Ordinary People Change the World books about Harriet Tubman and Jane Goodall or titles such as Mae Among the Stars could be a great place to start.

2. Let Your Child’s Personal Interests Guide You

Enhance your child’s personal interests by exploring biographies of people your child admires or shares a personal connection with. 

“Readers are constantly creating connections while they read, so encourage your child to pick a biography of someone they have something in common with,” Jordening says.

Jordening also notes that a personal connection can encourage deeper examination and discussion. She recommends asking your child questions such as: How is that person similar to you? How are they different? Have you ever felt the way they felt? This will help your child in their own self-discovery.

3. Don't Get Overzealous With Advanced Texts

One recommendation all experts emphasize is choosing biographies suitable for your child’s age level. For Joe Saenz, a fifth-grade teacher from New Jersey, this can make a critical difference for your child.

“We can do a quick Google search and pull up a bunch of information, however, that information can be very lengthy, challenging to understand, and it’s not always reliable,” he says.

Both Saenz and Jordening favor the Who Is / Who Was series for older elementary readers, as it is both age appropriate and provides a fun read. Jordening graduates her students to this series after picture books. 

“They are simple yet engaging chapter books that motivate my students and introduce them more fully into the genre of biographies,” she says.

4. Actively Create Excitement for Your Child

While kids usually enjoy fiction books filled with interesting dialogue, some of them will be resistant to explore the stories of real people.

To combat this, Saenz recommends framing the biography as a mystery to be solved. “If the parents show their excitement to learn more about people through their biographies, the kids will also tend to show excitement,” he says.

Burke also suggests creating excitement by having your child write their own autobiography, with inspiration from titles such as Turning Pages . Children love to hear stories about themselves, so helping them to write their own life story at a young age can spark an interest in exploring the stories of others. 

5. Encourage More Exploration

Biographies help kids understand history and experiences through another person’s eyes, which may spark more questions from your child. If this is the case, Jordening recommends encouraging your child to dig deeper.  

“If they have more questions about the individual, model for them what it looks like to use research strategies online. Biographies often serve as a starting point for learning more about a passion,” she says.

Another way to put your child’s research skills into practice is to have them write a biography about a family member. Burke suggests having your child interview a family member to find out more about their life. Your child can then share their biography as a read-aloud with that family member or the whole family.   

Get started by shopping fascinating biographies for Women's History Month below! You can find more books and activities at The Scholastic Store .

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Biography Research for Kids {Facts, Templates & Printables}

Published: September 6, 2022

Contributor: Jeannette Tuionetoa

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning if you decide to make a purchase via my links, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. See my disclosure for more info.

The telling of a person’s life could be one of the most personal literature pieces your children will read while in school. Learn how to teach biography research for kids in an easy way so they can write their very own biography report.

Biography Research for Kids

To obtain correct information about a particular person (famous person or historical figure), it is important to gather as much information as possible. To ensure the information you find is accurate, the sources you use should be reliable and should be cross-checked with other information.

Biography Facts for Kids

Before tackling biography research for kids, it is important they know what a biography is and what it is not. Here are a few important things to know about biography in literature lessons.

A biography is a story about a particular person’s life, whether it be a famous person, athlete, historical figure, or a specific person.

Biographies of people are written in third person , meaning it is about someone else. In contrast, an autobiography is a person themselves telling their life story.

The Purpose of a Biography

Many times biographies of people are used as historical accounts of an era. Biographies tell basic facts about people, their education, work, and relationships. Yet, they also are personal accounts and portrayals of experiences through events of the time in their life story.

What are the key features of a biography?

There are key features of a biography that make this literary artwork a retelling of a life story. Here are a few key features of biography to get a child’s mind in the flow of gathering information for a biography research project, author study, or important events for biography research.

• date and place of birth and/or death
• where the public figure lived or location of residence
• educational background
• professional experience (i.e. work, artwork, skills, hobbies)
• area of expertise (What was/is this person famous for?)
• major achievements in life (Which of the areas of expertise was he/she best known for?)
• expound on the information, find interesting facts, and include your thoughts.

How to Write a Biography

There are specific ways to keep focused when writing a biography. Explore these steps to help your students write and understand biographies.

Step One: Choose Who to Write About

There are loads of famous, historical, or note-worthy people your young readers can explore for their biography research project.

Parents can task a specific genre study of biographies or specific categories for students to research, or students can choose their own. Here are some interesting biography research topics students will enjoy learning about:

Interesting Biography Figures

• Sports figure
• Someone from American history
• Someone from a specific historical period like ancient civilizations/ ancient times
• Black History Month figure
• Native American figure
• Presidents of the United States (biographies of presidents)
• World War I or World War II figures
• American Revolution figure
• Renaissance figure
• Middle Ages figure
• 20th-century heroes

Historical Figures and Public Figures

• Amelia Earhart
• Elizabeth Carter
• Frida Kahlo
• Harriet Tubman
• Ruby Bridge
• Misty Copeland
• Ellen Ochoa
• Martin Luther King Jr.
• William Shakespeare
• Life Of George Washington
• Frederick Douglass
• Julius Caesar
• Jackie Robinson
• James Boswell
• Wright Brothers

Step Two: Do Your Research

Gathering information for research through primary and secondary sources is crucial. Compiling good research data is important and valuable for building knowledge and clear a path for learning.

Gathering reliable research helps students understand topics, understand issues, increase awareness, and exercise the mind.

Using Primary Sources

When students use primary resources, they gather reliable knowledge that answers research questions, enables critical thinking, and develop well, thought out interpretations from facts.

Primary resources are images, artifacts, and documents that are firsthand testimony and proven evidence on a topic.

Some more examples of primary sources:

• Manuscripts
• Video recordings

Using Secondary Sources

Secondary sources, on the other hand, describe, comment on, evaluate, discuss, or process what would be in a primary source.

Some examples of secondary sources are:

• Biographical texts
• Literature reviews
• Commentaries
• History books
• Bibliographies
• Dictionaries/encyclopedias

Step Three: Create an Outline

The next step in writing a research-rich biography is creating an outline to organize the information and content gathered.

Outlines, although many students might not think they are useful, aid in their writing process. They provide the writers with a structure to follow, making sure no important information is missed.

You can use the Biography Notebooking Journal to make this an easy process! The templates can be used to do a thorough biographical research project .

Biography Research Outline

A research paper is enhanced with an outline by organizing thoughts, understanding a clear flow is needed for information, and then again, ensuring nothing is forgotten.

Here is a very basic research outline:

INTRODUCTION

• Develop an engaging introduction sentence that captures the reader’s attention.
• Site a quote or anecdote from the person’s life.
• Describe the basic identity of the person with the very basic key elements mentioned above (i.e. name, date of birth/death, location).
• Include a unique observation that you have gathered from the person or why you chose to write about him/her.
• Stick to the theme of your research paper and provide the content you have gathered in your research.
• Describe the information you have gathered in sections or chronologically.
• Discuss your person’s accomplishments and their impact on society or those around them. Maybe also mention, if applicable, how a major event changed their life or the life of others.
• Ensure the pieces of information gathered are connected or interlinked or flow well together.
• Mention the person’s legacy or why they will remain important to remember or acknowledge.
• Add a lesser-known fact about the person, something you found interesting or noteworthy.
• Conclude with a comment or your input of the impact the person will make or will leave on the world or society.

Write a First Draft

Making an outline is crucial for getting an overview of what a research biography paper will be. Look like. If done correctly, it will easily flow into a first draft.

The outline develops what you need as a first draft, and transition words will help the writer make the paragraphs and sections flow into each other smoothly. The below resources will help with both.

How to Write a Paragraph for Kids – Teach your children how to write well, thought-out paragraphs as a foundational writing skill in your homeschool. This post explores ten different steps for writing a paragraph and listing the essential parts of a good paragraph.

Transition Words – Your children will find these writing tools helpful for words and phrases they can use to show smooth storytelling transitions.

Edit and Revise

In the editing and revision page of a research biography unit paper, the writer can enhance effective headings and subheadings for their paragraphs. This is the time to:

• Information aligns with your main point or purpose of the research paper.
• Eliminate parts of the paper that do not add value.
• Tighten up the wording (i.e. if your sentences are understandable or make sense)
• Check for spelling and grammatical errors.
• Get someone to read your paper or write it, then do another read-over the next day – for a fresh perspective.

Write Your Final Paper

It is time. Type or write out the final paper. Make a cover page if needed, evaluate if your sources are cited correctly, and develop your bibliography page, if required.

Citing Your Sources

It is important to cite sources for research biographies and any other assignments students have in school. Determine what citation style is needed and teach children how to cite correctly. This resource will benefit students straight through high school, college, and any written work they may create.

Research and Citation Resources by Owl Purdue – This tool is a perfect resource for conducting research, using the research, determining citation style, and citing written works correctly.

Biographical Websites

To jump-start the minds of young girls and boys when they begin researching biographies, the websites below will assist set the stage for their journey into learning about biographies of people, their hard work, and more.

 Biographies of People in History

Biography – This is one of the most popular internet sites capturing the most interesting stories about massive amounts of people in our world. You will find compelling points of view and true stories about people from our world.

Info Please – This site is a search engine for biographies by category. There are all types of categories to choose from like Arts and Entertainment, Politics and Government, Famous Americans by Race and Ethnicity, and so much more.

Time 100 Most Influential People – Time magazine has brought their Time Most Influential People online. Check out Time’s 100 Most Influential People for 2020 to help students search for biographical information, including pioneers, artists, leaders, titans, icons, and more.

Scientists Biographies

Famous Scientists – Check out this alphabetical list of hundreds of famous scientists who have impacted our world’s history. Even search scientists by categories like Astronomers, Chemists, Biologists, and more.

World of Scientific Biography – Science World presents a whole section on biographies for scientists in various branches of the science field. The biographical data is separated by gender, minority status, historical periods, nationality, and prize winners.

People and Discoveries by PBS – Learn all about people and their discoveries in this databank which includes about 120 entries about 20th century scientists and their life stories.

Artists Biographies

Van Gogh’s Gallery of Artist Biographies – Although this site is about Vincent Van Gogh, it also offers biographical information on other artists like Michelangelo, Gauguin, Caravaggio, and Claude Monet.

Biographies of Poets

All About Poets – You don’t have to be an expert on poetry to help students learn about poets and their artwork. Check out Poets.org to search more than 3,000 biographies on poets of both contemporary and classical styles.

Athlete Biographies

ESPN’s Top Athletes of the Century – Use your child’s love of sports to enhance their learning experience in their English classes. Students will enjoy the biographies of great athletes of the 20th century.

Biographies of Presidents

POTUS History and Data – It is important for students to learn about the Presidents of the United States (POTUS). This site has loads of information to help with a biography research assignment. The POTUS site includes presidential facts, quizzes, and even Presidential firsts.

Biographies of Nobel Prize Recipients

Nobel Prize Awards – The Nobel Prize is an international award by the Nobel Foundation in Stockholm, Sweden. This site is a great way of learning about all the Nobel prize winners and what they were nominated for.

Biographies of Famous People

Who2 Biographies – This biographical resource holds 4,775 biographies of famous people, characters, and even creatures. Search these by categories that include born today, by occupation, cause of death, and more.

Smithsonian’s Spotlight Biography – Searching Smithsonian Education is a fun way to learn about famous and notable American artists, athletes, soldiers, scientists, inventors, social reformers, and others.

To Summarize, a Biography Should Include:

Biographies can be very interesting topics and a fun way to marry various subjects in your homeschool like history, writing, reading, English, research, and more.

Biographical research for kids includes:

• Narrowing down a person to research.
• Putting research skills into practice to gather all the information needed.
• Writing a detailed outline.
• Writing an introduction, body, and conclusion.
• Selecting a good image for the person chosen.

Every person is created for a purpose. Focusing on biography research for kids allows students to take interest in the lives of others. Begin encouraging your student to take an interest and learn about others this school year.

Jeannette Tuionetoa

Jeannette is a wife, mother and homeschooling mom. She has been mightily, saved by grace and is grateful for God’s sovereignty throughout her life’s journey. She has a Bachelor in English Education and her MBA. Jeannette is bi-lingual and currently lives in the Tongan Islands of the South Pacific. She posts daily freebies for homeschoolers!

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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!

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Learning with Bambinos

How to Write a Biography - Quick Tips and Bio Examples

Want your child to explore creative writing through writing a captivating biography? Here are some useful tips to let them start on this imaginative journey. From research to narrative style, unveil everything your child needs to know about writing a biography that mesmerizes readers. Explore our blog to let your child master the art of writing an effective biography.

Creative writing not only enhances the creative thinking in your child and contributes to their overall development. It is not restricted to any one form of writing. One such innovative way to think critically is writing a biography. This form of writing will encourage your kids to have an outlook. It also helps in developing self-motivation in kids when they discover about the lives of their favorite personalities and what aspects of their lives have made them great.

Firstly, they need to gather information about the person about whom they have to write. They need to search in detail all the relevant points that helped them stand out from others. This can also create a positive influence on children, as at this point, they will compare themselves with their role models. They will understand what things they need to focus on in their lives.

Writing a biography can be worthwhile for children, as it will offer visions into the lives of outstanding individuals and their contributions to history, culture, or society. But it is far as simple as you think. Writing a biography requires patience, dedication, and thorough attention to detail. But, first, let your child understand what a biography is and what tips they need to follow to become good biography writers.

What is a Biography?

Biography is the story of one's life written by someone else. Usually, a biography is written for a famous personality. A biography reveals a clear picture of a person's life. Kids should write the biography in a story format. Right from the beginning to the very end, maintaining a storyline will allow everyone to read it. While writing a biography your child needs various details about a person. These include:

• What was their childhood like? 
• What did they do in their life?
• What are their achievements?
• Why are they famous? and so much more. 

Biographies cover individuals having different backgrounds, including artists, historical figures, scientists, celebrities, political leaders, etc. They provide your kids with visions of a person's character, challenges, inspirations, and contributions to society.

One has to be extremely creative when writing a biography, but it doesn’t mean only adults can write them. Children, nowadays, have become very creative and look for more avenues in writing. Writing biographies provides them with one such outstanding opportunity to pay attention to the life of someone they want. All they need is to find someone who can guide them in writing an outstanding biography. 

Tips to Write a Biography

Every biography is different, so kids need to be very vigilant while writing them. For example, it can be a funny or a serious one. Though, at Bambinos Creative Writing Classes , we encourage children to write from basics, here are some tips that will surely help them in writing a captivating biography:

Choose the Subject

We teach children how to choose someone who interests or fascinates them. The person who they are going to write about should be their inspiration. It will make them more motivated to know about their lives and hence can gather useful information. Their subject can be a famous personality or someone they know personally. The main part of choosing the subject is that they should have fun while writing. 

To be good biography writers, kids should be well-versed in how to conduct thorough research on their subject. So, once they make up their minds about whom they want to write the biography on, we guide them with how to conduct research. They must learn to gather all relevant information about their subject from reliable sources like websites books, articles, and interviews.

Organize the Information

After collecting all the information, we assist kids how to organize it carefully. They should be aware of the biography structure which comprises- an introduction, details of the subject's life, personal opinions, contributions to society, and a bibliography. We make them understand the importance of arranging the information chronologically in writing a biography. This will help them focus and maintain a clear narrative flow.

Decide on a Narration Style

The kids should know how to decide on the narrative voice and outlook of their biography. To become good biography writers, they should know the vitality of a unique narration style. We help them get answers to questions like - Are they going to write in the first person, as in an autobiography, or third person? Will they keep its tone formal, informal, or a mix of both? We teach them to include interesting facts about their subject’s life and also include descriptions, quotes, and even examples. 

Add Personal Opinions and Insights

Kids should know to outline all the quotes that they may want to highlight, before start writing. So, it is best to start with one of the quotes or advice by the subject. We teach them to add some insights about the subject's life too as pointers. It is the key to highlighting the legacy of these people. 

Use of Descriptive Writing Style

We encourage children to use descriptive writing style to bring their subject to life on the paper. Using descriptive writing style, they can present their ideas without being miser with words. This will further enhance their writing skills. By helping them brainstorm adjectives and sensory details, their biographies can become more engaging.

Start with an Engaging Introduction

This is where all the fun begins. Children often need guidance at this step while writing a biography. Always teach them to provide a captivating introduction about the subject, so that their readers must remain glued to their biography till the end. In the introduction, they can also mention why they chose this subject. The introduction should have details about their subject’s childhood, what they did, and what are their achievements. It is in the later parts that you will expand this information. Being educators, we also help kids with their storytelling abilities, so that they can maintain the flow from start to end.

Include Bibliography

The kids must know that adding a bibliography is very important in the biography. So, they must not miss it. We, at Bambinos Learning Solutions , guide them in including all the sources from where they gathered the information. It is advisable to mention all interviews, books, articles, and websites. Including all the sources adds an extra level of depth and creativity. Including sources of information saves their work from being plagiarized. It also inculcates honesty in kids if they learn to give credit to resources from where they got the information.

Edit and Proofread the Biography

For kids, it is very crucial to know the significance of proofreading and editing. We guide them with how editing their biography helps to remove spelling errors. Moreover, at this stage, they must know that they have to fact-check the information they've given. While editing we also assist them to proofread their biography to ensure an error-free biography. This plays an important role in ensuring that the biography is perfect.

Refer to Professional Bio Examples

Before initiating writing, we make kids go through different professional bio examples to know how it works. This will offer them hands-on knowledge on how to start biography writing. Some of the popular biographies are as follows:

Steve Job- by Walter Isaacson

Alexander Hamilton- by Ron Chernow

Gandhi Before- by Ramchandra Guha

The Autobiography of Malcolm X- by Alex Haley

Autobiography of a Yogi- by Paramhansa Yogananda

By following these tips and pervading your narrative with authenticity, empathy, and vision, kids can generate a captivating picture of their subject's life for readers to learn from and enjoy.

Writing a biography can be fun for the kids. Teachers and parents should encourage the kids to come forward and include elements in the biography. Helping kids with research can be one of the key ways to stay ahead. It plays an important role in highlighting the uniqueness of storytelling. A biography can be a great way to help improve their writing skills. Apart from that, it can also be used in different areas. So, if you too want to make your kids efficient in creative writing and want them to become good biography writers, enroll them at Bambinos Creative Writing Classes to let the best educators guide them through the process. With this, we can together give them creative wings to fly high in the sky of imagination.

Q1. What is a biography example?

Ans:. Biography stands for the account of a person's life when someone else writes it. A story about Gandhi ji’s life written online can be one of the professional bio examples. 

Q2. Is it easy to write a biography?

Ans:. Yes, writing a biography is easy. Teachers and parents must help the students initially to help them get a clear idea about biography. Once they learn, students can eventually become good biography writers. 

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Article Author

Anchal Sinha

Anchal Sinha is a highly motivated lady with an MBA in Finance and Marketing and has worked for three years in this field. After becoming a mother and carrying out the responsibilities of motherhood, she left her career. Thereafter, she planned to be a gratified writer and acquired three years of content writing experience till now. She also worked as a teacher in a school and a retail trainer at ICA Edu Skills Pvt Ltd. Taking forward this experience, she started working as a phonics educator at Bambinos Live. She put in all the efforts to engage kids in her classes. Seeing kids enjoying her class and participating in activities motivates her to work with full vigour. This made her competent to work in altering environments. She puts her 100% into whatever she makes up her mind to pursue. With these potentials, she desires to flourish in anything and everything.

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6 Steps to Teach Students How to Write a Biography

February 8, 2024 by Evan-Moor | 0 comments

Biographies are a key genre in storytelling. We wouldn’t know as much about Albert Einstein, Maya Angelou, Abraham Lincoln, or Mother Teresa if it weren’t for biographies! Even in our day-to-day lives, we share biographies when talking about other people, famous or not. A biography gives important information about a person’s life and describes major events in the order in which they happened.

Informational Writing and Biographies

Reading biographies is a critical part of learning in all school subjects; however, learning how to write biographies is just as imperative. Biographies are a type of informational writing or writing that aims to explain a topic to a reader. An informational text is not always about a person like a biography; an informational text might be about animals, science experiments, or historical events. Learning how to do informational writing is special, as kids can then effectively communicate what they learn to others. When studying informational writing, children learn skills such as research, note-taking, and organizing facts. More specifically, writing biographies teaches children how to recount history, think chronologically, identify major events, synthesize information, and retell stories creatively.

Steps to Teaching Biographies

Introduce a biography and read it together..

The first step in teaching how to write a biography is explaining what a biography is by providing an example of one.

This free Evan-Moor “Writing A Biography” lesson from Nonfiction Writing grade two includes guided instruction and practice activities to help students understand the important elements in a biography.

Download this “Writing a Biography” unit here .

While reading the biography that you selected to share with the children, ask questions such as:

• What is the purpose of the biography?
• Why is this a good biography?
• Does the first sentence say who it is about and why they are important?
• Does the biography provide interesting facts about the person’s life?
• Are the events told in the order in which they occurred?

Integrate biographies into students reading and have them read biographies to classmates to get familiar with the genre.

Find important information.

Remind your students that a biography gives important information about someone. To practice identifying important information, read a biography and ask the questions:

• Who is the biography about?
• When and where was this person born?
• What is this person known for?

This nonfiction reading unit from Reading Comprehension: Nonfiction tells the story of Benjamin Banneker and how his scientific accomplishments helped to change attitudes about African Americans. It includes close reading activities to guide students in identifying important information. 

Download these free printables here . 

Choose good details.

Not all information about a person is needed in a biography. Some facts are more important than others, which is why children should learn to choose only the necessary details. One way to teach children how to choose good details is to check in with them when reading a biography and ask:

• Are these details important?
• Which details are not important?

Write a good beginning.

A good beginning of a biography includes who the biography is about and why the person is important. This should appear in the very first sentence of the biography. Have students practice writing first sentences of biographies with two pieces of information: a name and why the person is important.

Organize a biography.

Biographies are organized chronologically. For the children to practice identifying events in the order in which they happened, have the kids numerically order a list of events and then turn the events into full sentences. You can even encourage the children to draw out a timeline.

Review and edit a biography.

The final step in teaching children to write a biography is to have them review a biography, pinpointing what was done well or what could be improved. After reading a biography together, review it by asking the questions:

• Why is the person important?
• Does the very first sentence tell us who the person is and why they are important?
• Are the details in chronological order?
• What details are not important in the biography and can be excluded?

Introduce young minds to a wide range of remarkable people who have shaped our world. This close reading and research process not only helps young learners discover the lives of historical figures but also nurtures their reading, research, and critical thinking skills.

Want to receive our alerts on our latest posts? Don’t forget to  subscribe!

Natalie Robinson  is a recent Communication Studies graduate from LMU. She has a strong passion for writing and loves children. Having grown up in a Montessori school and later transitioning to public school, Natalie values early childhood education and believes that social and emotional learning should be a core tenet within all homes and classrooms. In writing for Evan-Moor, Natalie hopes to build a career in copywriting and copyediting.

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Mpox cases are soaring in Africa – what must be done to prevent a global pandemic

Senior Lecturer in Biomedical Science, University of Hull

Disclosure statement

Cheryl Walter does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

University of Hull provides funding as a member of The Conversation UK.

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Alarmed by the surge in mpox cases, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has taken the unprecedented step of declaring the outbreak sweeping through African countries a continental public health emergency. A day later, the World Health Organization declared that the outbreak constitutes a global health emergency.

These moves come after a virulent strain of the disease spread rapidly to 16 countries and six new countries were affected in 10 days.

There have been 15,132 mpox confirmed cases in Africa since the beginning of 2024. Some of the countries affected are Burundi, Cameroon, Congo, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Africa, Uganda and Kenya.

Virologist Cheryl Walter sets out some of the reasons the mpox outbreaks are so worrying.

How many strains of mpox are there and which ones should we be worried about?

Mpox is one species of pox virus, such as smallpox and cowpox, characterised by a rash followed by bumps that appear on the skin. With mpox the bumps then fill with liquid and eventually scab over.

As we’ve come to know through diseases such as COVID-19, viruses change genetically and mutate quite quickly.

Mpox is no different, although pox viruses typically mutate much more slowly compared to other viruses, such as HIV. HIV changes approximately every three times a single virus replicates.

There are two strains of mpox – clade I and clade II. Think of them as two big branches on a tree.

Until about five or six years ago these clades weren’t that diverse.

Something has changed. These branches are growing and the leaves on the branches are becoming more numerous. In fact, we have new subclades for both I and II, so two new offshoot branches have appeared.

Clade II is far less dangerous with a case fatality rate of about 0.1% . In other words, roughly one person in a thousand dies.

Now scientists are seeing thousands of cases of clade I being reported in 16 countries in Africa and a case fatality rate of anything from 3% to 4%. That means three or four people in a hundred die. Many cases are children.

Let’s use COVID-19 again as a comparison. It was declared an international public emergency from 30 January 2020 to 31 December 2021, with an estimated case fatality rate of 1.2% .

Mpox is a relatively understudied virus. Until recently there were a handful of confirmed cases every year. It occurred primarily in tropical rainforest areas of central and west Africa. There was very little opportunity for the virus to adapt to a human host.

We don’t understand if genetic changes are making these viruses spread more easily and if the variants in circulation are more dangerous.

We do know the virus is changing and moving through lots of people. Viruses can only mutate when they’re passing through a host such as a human.

The more people it passes through, the more opportunity it has to change and potentially become more virulent or more transmissible.

Now this virus is moving through lots of people, there are lots of these opportunities.

Read more: Mpox: what to watch out for, treatment and what to worry about

How does the disease spread to new areas?

The virus spreads through contact such as sharing utensils, plates, towels and bedding.

Women and children are disproportionately affected through skin-to-skin contact because they are close to each other every day. Children play games in schools and creches and touch objects and each other all the time.

Viruses also spread easily when people live in densely populated, low income areas and can’t isolate themselves because they have to bring in an income.

Two of the other other reasons mpox spreads quickly is the longer incubation period and vague symptoms.

The incubation period ranges quite widely from five to up to 21 days. A person can become infected with mpox during this period and travel to another country and transmit the disease to others.

The initial symptoms are vague and include swollen glands, fever and feeling a bit run down. It is estimated 10% of people infected with mpox are asymptomatic.

It’s only when the rash appears that it might become apparent that it’s not a cold or flu or COVID-19.

To add to that challenge, when children get those rashes they could be mistaken for chickenpox or one of the other childhood infectious diseases.

What emergency measures need to be put in place to ensure the outbreak doesn’t explode into a pandemic?

There are a couple of things stacked against African health agencies trying to contain the virus.

There are few resources to fight this disease and the shortage of vaccines is a major problem. The Africa Centres for Disease Control estimates there are only 200,000 doses available to African countries compared with a demand of at least 10 million.

However, there’s still a lot that can be done.

Testing: This is the number one tool in this fight. We need to know where these cases are and who in the community mpox is passing through. We also need to use this data to trace contacts. We can do this with simple lateral flow tests – using a swab of the nose and/or throat that can be done in the community and give results within 30 minutes.

Messaging: In the previous outbreak across the world, a lot of communications that were going out were aimed at sex workers and men who have sex with men. As a result, people may have thought that this is only a sexually transmitted disease. It’s not.

Now women and children are getting the virus, so communities need to be told what symptoms to look for and what action to take.

Vaccinating: Because mpox is so similar to smallpox, we can use that vaccine. However there are limited stockpiles and we can’t manufacture smallpox vaccines quickly enough. The WHO has called for vaccine candidates for fast approval and distribution.

These measures and others need to be taken urgently to contain and to repress this epidemic before it potentially becomes a global pandemic.

Read more: At what point is a disease deemed to be a global threat? Here's the answer

• World Health Organization (WHO)
• Global health emergency

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