What Makes a Good Autobiography?

One of the graduation requirements for my school is writing an autobiography. We need at least seventy-five pages, documenting our high school career and other significant pieces of our life that we deem necessary to tell our story. Of course, since writers write what they know, this should be easy right? After all, I’m literally telling the story of my life so far. As it turns out, going back and remembering what I was like a few years back, and making a string of events all connect to tell one big story is more difficult than it seems.

Since I like taking normal things to another level (often over-complicating my life) I decided to Google what makes a good autobiography. With a mix of WikiHow, eHow, and other sites, here are three keys to writing a good autobiography.

Number one: create a timeline. You have to dive into the depths of your memory, picking out events from your life that shaped your journey. These are events that often surface immediately, and are a good place to start. For example, your first day of primary school or perhaps the death of a loved one. Compile a list of events and memories (ten seems to be a good number) that are particularly important to you; this is your life story. Sometimes looking through old pictures, or talking to friends and family, can jog your memory.

Number two: have a theme. When you think about it, writing out your life story is not too far removed from writing a fictional story. Every person has their own individual experience, and their own personality developed from it. The way you tell your story is just as important as the tale itself. My autobiography focuses on my high school experience, and will probably be comprised of flashbacks to my childhood throughout a chronological series of events from the year 2010 up until the spring of 2014. Basically, to formulate your theme, ask yourself this: what is the story I am trying to tell? Is it how you became a published author? Or about a six month journey at sea? Or becoming a grandmother? There is more to an autobiography than the physical events. The emotions you felt, what drove your decisions, all culminating into why you are the person you are today.

And finally—actually start writing. Sit down for a minimum of fifteen minutes a day, writing out the pieces. Don’t get your panties in a bunch over proper grammar. Let yourself rant. Tell your story. You’ll have time to edit later. Tap into all the sensory details, and allow the reader (or yourself) to live the memories in their mind. A good story captivates the reader in a way that transports them into your past. Bring the reader on a journey that is worthwhile, and in the end, maybe they will learn something. And maybe after all that writing, you will learn a thing or two about yourself as well.