How to Write Biographies

Biographies are true stories about a person's life--they must be factual and cannot be fictionalized. Biographies are written about famous people, or people who have had crazy or unusual events take place that will shock, awe or inspire others. Biographies are fun to read and even more fun to write as you get to learn about a person and events in the process.

Things You'll Need

• Computer and word processing program
• Notebooks
• Audio recording device

Instructions

1. Research your subject. Research the individual until you think you know everything there is to know about them. If possible find information from several different perspectives and points of view. This will give you a better understanding of the person and the many complexities involved. Remember, there is always more to the picture than presented. As you do your research jot down interesting notes, important facts and questions you have in a notebook.

2. Interview the subject or those who knew the individual. If the person is being written about because they are notable or extraordinary in their profession or for the work they have done, interview experts in the field. Prepare questions for each interview to give you a new point of view and fill in holes from your research. During the interview come up with continuation or follow up questions to get more information from the subject. Set up an audio recording device during this and tape the entire conversation.

3. Go through all your notes, research and interviews. Find a common link to it all, a theme of sorts. Determine what the main message of the book will be. Develop a rough outline of how the book will be written. Review the outline and think about it for several days. Will this be the best presentation to express the core message and show who this person is? Play with the outline's layout until you are sure you have the perfect presentation.

4. Open up your word processing program. Set your page specifications and format. Begin writing. As you write, listen again to your interview tapes so you can pull quotes out and little facts that may have escaped you before. Continue to write until you are done with a full rough draft. Set the book aside for at least one week.

5. Come back to the book and read it. Make notes of things you would like to change. Rewrite as needed. Have someone else read it and ask them what message they walk away with. If it's the same message you set out to express, great. If not re-examine your choices, syntax and more to adjust the book's tone and message.

Tips & Warnings

• Try to capture several different angles and points of view of the individual to create a more accurate overall picture.

• Don't create any false events or statements that may cause controversy.