Important Information On How To Write A Biography?

Even if you know how to write something, writing a biography can still be difficult for most of the writers. One of the reasons is, you need only to state the facts as you’re writing about a specific personality. You don’t only need to state the facts, but you need to keep a biography exciting and engaging at the same time.

While writing a biography, you need to be sure about the personality (you’re going to write about). Do you need to decide what pieces of information can make your biography stand-out? In this article, you’ll be able to understand every detail regarding a biography. You need to follow the following steps to write a staggering biography;

Ask For Permission

This is a point the writer often ignores. You need to take permission from the individual whether he/she is willing to be your subject or not. Getting consent can make the job much more accessible and convenient for you. If the subject is ready, he/she can provide you the genuine and reliable data. There are specific points to be aware of while going for permission;

• If the subject isn’t happy or comfortable to be your subject, make sure to change your subject and select the one who’s willing. If you write a biography without taking someone’s permission, there is a significant chance of legal action against you.
• If the subject is dead, you don’t need to take permission at all.

Choose A Subject

The success rate depends directly on the subject you will select to write your biography. While selecting your subject, keep the following things in mind;

• Whether the person will inspire your audience or not? Did the personality have an impact on society? Is the subject interesting enough to write a biography? You need to look for the answers to these questions to be sure about the selection of your topic.
• Is the subject you are going to select is famous or not? Usually, people like to read about some renowned figures because they are close to their hearts. If you manage to select a figure that is the crowd’s favorite, your biography will be read by many.

It is essential to keep the above-mentioned points in mind, but you can do things out of the box. You can choose a very ordinary person and make sure to present his/her story in a compelling way to attract readers. Never be afraid of doing things unorthodoxly.

Write A Biography Chronologically

There are some rules you need to follow to write an outstanding biography. It is compulsory to write the biography of a person in a chronological way. Make sure to start from birth, then move towards the later periods of time.

• Start with the birth

In a biography, people will expect to have every minor detail on the personality. You don’t have the luxury to miss a single point. Start from birth to make sure the audience gets interested in your subjects.  

• Write about childhood

This is something to get your audience attentive. If you are writing about a well-known figure, this point can make your biography astounding. People always take an interest in the childhood of a prominent personality. In this section, try to let your readers know about the habits of your character. In your biography, write about the likes and dislikes of the personality as far as the childhood period is concerned.

• Write about young adulthood

You need to compare your personality’s every phase of life. At this point, you have talked about childhood and now, tell the readers how the intentions of the person shifted and how he/she made what they are or what they were. Try to present your character in a way, so the audience thinks of him/her as different from others.  

• Write about late adulthood

In this phase of life, the audience will expect something substantial from you. This is a phase where you can present your personality as a hero. Write amazing things he/she has done and how things made a glorious impact on society. Write a bit about devoting nature, passion, and commitment. These sorts of points can inspire readers.

Use flashbacks

Are you aware of the term “flashback”? This term refers to moving or shifting from the present to the past. In flashbacks, create a certain situation, then compare it with the past. This technique is highly recommended in writing a biography. Try to explain a specific chapter of life in the present and the other phase of life in the past.

• It is very critical to present flashbacks as real as possible. To get an eminent flashback, make sure to get an interview of your subject and do deep research.
• For example, if the person whose biography you’re writing is dead, you can jump from death to one of the favorites memories of childhood.

Focus on milestones and life events

The substantial events of life could be the births, marriages, or deaths. Make sure to cover all such events adequately to make sure the readers read your biography thoroughly. In the life of an individual, there are some milestones that need to write in a biography. The milestone could be the successful task the individual has done. Try to cover these sorts of points to add a touch of emotion in your writing.

Make an outline

After gathering all the necessary and crucial information, it is the time to write this information with the help of an outline. An outline can keep a biography on track.  

First of all, make a thesis statement and present all the phases of life according to your thesis statement. Every piece of information must back your thesis statement to make a biography illustrious. While making an outline, it is very fundamental to decide whether you want to focus on the entire life or a single aspect of your subject. As we explained earlier, it is mandatory to write a biography in chronological order.

Conduct dependable research

As far as the research of biography is concerned, the most respectable opinion will be obtained from the subject. If the subject is alive, research your subject to get truthful data. If the subject is dead, ask their families and friends to obtain decisive data.

There are two types of sources available for researching a personality. The source can be primary or secondary. The primary source could be the subject himself/herself or the writing of the subjects. The primary source also includes individuals who know the subject directly. The legal documents, videos, audios, and statistical records can also be used as a primary source of information. 

Secondary sources can be something or someone who isn’t directly related to the subject, but indirectly. The documentaries and reviews can act as secondary sources. Be very careful regarding the secondary sources because these sources can distract you from your subject. Add such information from secondary sources, which is absolutely sure.

To write a sincere and solid biography, you need to take data from both the primary and the secondary sources. While conduction your research, you are supposed to cover all the nitty-gritty regarding your subjects. Never skip significant life events at any cost.

Organize your data

A biography is the non-fictional type of writing in which you are supposed to let the reader about all details of someone’s life. You need to organize your data and present it in a way that must not sound boring to your audience. With the help of the following directions, you can arrange and organize your data;

• Focus on your topic

While organizing your data, pay close attention to your topic or subject. Try to explain every major event of life stepwise. A chronological technique is recommended to do so.  

• Conduct interviews

Organizing your data has a lot to deal with interviews. You need to talk to your subject directly. The ones who are close and directly related to your subjects can be interviewed to arrange your data in chronological order. Always prefer to rely on the first-person account’s information.  

• In media res

Are you familiar with this terminology? This means “In the middle of the things.” The media can’t have relied thoroughly on upon, but it can give you a hint or a clue, and you can take the lead on the story. 

Edit and Proofread

This step can’t be overlooked at all. While writing a biography, there are chances of mistakes like grammatical ones or spelling mistakes. It is the responsibility of the writer to edit the biography to remove all sorts of errors. As far as the editing is concerned, you can look for a mistake in your structure or a piece of false information. Read out the biography loudly to look for any false information.

To proofread your biography, we suggest reading with full commitment. If you find a grammatical mistake, remove that on the spot. It is suggested to make sure another person reads your biography to give his/her opinion. If you know someone who can point out the mistakes, make him/her useful. At the end of your write-up, your biography has to be free of error.

In this blog, we have explained every bit of information you require to write a biography. Writing a biography can be a huge responsibility because you are supposed to write the truth about someone. Remember one thing, hard work always pays-off. If you have worked hard, the audience will admire you for sure. You have all the tools now to write a mesmerizing biography. Enjoy your ride!