Writing A Biography

As information on the world and its people has become more easily available – with the help of television and the internet, there has been a matching growth in the publication of biographies.

In previous generations, we were limited to what was happening, and who was living in our own town, or country.  Nowadays, because we are exposed to the events of the world and the major players in those events, its only natural that we want to know more about what makes them ‘tick’.

Celebrity biographies abound, stories of people overcoming hardship are popular, and a lot of us want to read about our sporting heros. Just about every top politician and movie star has a biography written about them, whether it is authorized or not is another matter!

From a writer’s standpoint, there are some key steps to take in order to make the writing of a biography interesting and successful.

How big will it be?

You need to decide, at the outset if possible, how long you intend the biography to become, and this may change with the amount and quality of information you manage to compile. The very brief biography presents top-line life facts and this type of biography usually appears in reference publications, or as human-interest pieces (and dare I say, eulogies) for the media.

Longer biographies are published as books, require a lot of research and interviews, and include a lot of detail. A good biography should be regarded as “a good read”, and sometimes this will involve omitting a lot of boring detail.

Get to know your subject

It is really necessary to try to get to know your subject, and to analyze and understand the events within their life – and their impact. Notable accomplishments, intrigue, conflict, and romance will attract readers. While most biographies are on well known personalities, any ordinary character who can reveal something special about their place in the world, or an interpretation of a well-known event, can be the subject of a biography.

Your researched information on your subject, will reveal a clearer picture of how your writing will be structured. Most biographies are written in chronological order, but some gifted writers are able to easily move between the past and present – often showing how the past has influenced decisions of the present.

If you can interview the subject – do it!

The opportunity to speak with or interview your subject is one that should be seized, even if it is just over the phone. This is a great opportunity clarify facts, and get opinions on pertinent historical events.  If your subject is willing to share diaries, letters, press clippings, photographs – they will all add substance and originality to your work.

Interview others as well

As a biographer, you should also draw upon secondary sources of information including interviews with other people who knew your subject in a personal or professional capacity, and also reference publications.

Basic Elements of a Biography

The biography basic are fairly obvious, but as will all facts they should be checked and rechecked for accuracy. These include:

• Date of Birth
• Place of Birth
• Family details
• Achievements
• Educational institutions
• Hobbies and interests
• Major events that occurred during the subjects life (whether or not they actually impacted on the subject – they set the ‘scene’)
• Obstacles overcome
• Challenges
• Successes
• Legacy

Tips for Writing A Biography

Successful biographies always have interesting and thought-provoking beginnings. I recommend you visit a bookstore or library and research the way the top selling biographies begin and the methods the author uses to make you want to read on.
This may not be anything about the subject, but rather about an event that was happening in the world during that period, or something about the way the subject’s parents were living at the time of his or her birth.

Always keep top of mind exactly why this subject is interesting – what makes them different, and why will people want to read about them?  If overcoming adversity is the key feature of the book, then you need to paint the scene as to how the person was before the adversity, what precipitated it, and, in minute detail, tell what resources the subject needed to achieve a positive outcome.

You will probably need to go into detail about the other players in the events, explain their roles and detail their characters.

Being able to quote the players in the story makes it more ‘real’ – a credible piece of work. If you are unable to interview anyone, try to obtain as many quotes as possible from other sources.

And finally, always reference your work.  List the resources you have used, and the interviews you made.

Once completed, you will begin to look for a publisher – and that can be the most difficult stage of all.  This is when having your own website can help, as you are able to put a ‘teaser’ on it – just a paragraph or two – to show potential publishers your style and subject matter.

Whenever you communicate with a publishing house, always, always include your website address, and point to this in your message.  It is so easy for a publisher to click on a website to learn a little more about you, your work and your background.