Autobiographical elements
How to Write an Autobiography in 8 Steps Setting out to write the story of your life can be daunting,
particularly during the first draft. Here is a step-by-step guide to the art of writing your own
autobiography: 1. Start by Brainstorming. The writing process begins by compiling any and all life
experiences that you suspect might be compelling to a reader. As you sort through your own
memories, be sure to cover all eras of your life—from childhood to high school to your first job to the
episodes in your life you are most known for. Many of these episodes won’t make it into the final
draft of your book, but for now, keep the process broad and open.
2. Craft an Outline. Begin to organize a narrative around the most compelling episodes from your
brainstorm. If you pace your life’s important events throughout your book, you’ll be able to grip your
readers’ attention from beginning to end.
3. Do Your Research.
Once you have a first draft of your outline, engage in some research to help you recall contextual
information from the period you are writing about. Interview friends and family members to help you
remember all the details from the moments you choose to recall in your autobiography. No one can
remember the full history of their entire life—particularly their childhood—so prepare to do some
cultural research as well.
4. Write Your First Draft
. If you’ve come up with the key biographical moments around which you can anchor your life story,
then you are ready to attempt a first draft. This draft may be overly long and scattershot, but
professional writers know that even the tightest final drafts may be borne of a long winded first draft.
5. Take a Break.
When your first draft is complete, take a few days off. You’ll want to read your work with the freshest
possible perspective; removing yourself from the process for a few days can aid this endeavor.
6. Proofread.
After a brief layoff, begin proofreading. Yes, you should look for grammar mistakes, but more
importantly, you should identify weak moments in the narrative and come up with constructive
improvements. Think about what you’d look for if reading about another person’s life, and apply it to
your own autobiography.
7. Write Your Next Draft.
Write a second draft based on the notes you’ve given yourself. Then, when this second draft is
complete, show it to trusted friends and, if you have one, a professional editor. Their outside eyes will
give you a valuable perspective that you cannot possibly have on your own work.
8. Refine Your Writing
. Repeat step 7 as needed. New drafts should be followed by new reads from new people. Throughout
the process, you will refine your writing skills and your autobiographical know how. Hopefully you will
end up producing a final draft that is leaps and bounds beyond what you produced in a first draft—but
that still holds true to the most important elements of your life and your personal truth.
Activity 2: Look for the Elements (Handout)
Six Things to Include in an Autobiography
An autobiography should include all the most important details of your life story. This does not mean
it should contain every tiny sliver of minutiae; a self-aware autobiographer will take stock of certain
moments in their own life that may be interesting to themselves but not to an audience of strangers.
Here are some key elements to consider including in your autobiography:
1. A description of your personal origin story: This can include your hometown, your family history,
some key family members and loved ones, and touchstone moments in your education.
2. Significant experiences: Add accounts of each personal experience that shaped your worldview and
your approach to life in the present day.
3. Detailed recollections of episodes from your professional life: Often these are the turning points
that your autobiography will be known for—the moments that would inspire someone to pick up your
book in the first place. Be sure to give them extra care and attention.
4. A personal story of failure: Follow it up with a good story of how you responded to that failure.
5. A unique and compelling title: Steer clear of generic phrases like “my autobiography” or “the story
of me, my family, and famous people I know.”
6. A first person narrative voice: Third person writing is appropriate for traditional biographies, but in
the autobiography format, third person voice can read as presumptuous.