Many times in my life I have wished that I knew how to write an autobiography.  Not that my autobiography would be deserving of a headline in history, but given the few times I thought I had a reason to write about myself and my life, I never made it very far.  ”It was the best of times; it was the best of times,” had already been used, so getting past the first sentence proved to be a challenge.  Once again, the vast resources of the internet gave me direction.  I simply searched the phrase “how to write an autobiography,” and the videos below that I found provided structure.

First, this video by John Graden offers his thoughts about writing an autobiography.

I think Mr. Graden has a great idea about writing an autobiography for business purposes! How much credibility will it give you in business to have a promotional blurb about your autobiography on your brochure, business card or resume? Now that would provide a lot of credibility!  Besides that, it could turn out to be a best seller!

Next, Laura, from Young Writers Workshop shares her insights into the structure of an autobiography.  Click here to see other YouTube videos that she has made on the subject of writing.

In the video below the presenter shows us that the insight you gain along the way toward writing your autobiography may be the greatest benefit of undertaking the project. By jotting down memories, regardless of how insignificant they may seem, you may discover things that you hadn’t thought of in years. If the memories have lasted this long, for whatever reason, they may mean something worth pursuing.

Make notes as you recall things, and later review your notes to see if there is a theme to your memories. If there is a theme then you may have discovered the basic pattern for your writing. And given the theme, how then will you organize your story? As you build your story it will be beneficial to have conversations with loved ones and friends as it will help fill in memory gaps and get different perspectives on your experiences. Once you start writing, write descriptively to create interest and captivate your readers. Describe to events and places to meet the reader’s five senses through your writing. Remember to be honest. If you’re not honest the writings will not ring true and be percieved as genuine by those that know you.

Notice that all three instructors said to ask friends and family what they consider characteristic about your life. That was interesting to me because I would have thought that writing an autobiography would simply be telling about my life from my perspective.

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