Writing a Biography: 6 Tips for Writers
A biographical sketch is an account of a person’s life and contains core information. If you are writing a biography but are daunted by the research involved or the burden of verifying facts, here are a few tips.
Tip #1: Write about a Person Who Intrigues You
Whenever you are writing something, before thinking about your reader, think about yourself and your interests. Write a biography of a person you find fascinating or intriguing enough so that you can spend time reading up on them or digging up obscure facts for the book. If you are passionate about your project, you won’t lose steam mid-way.
Tip #2 Know What Kind of Biography You Would Want to Write
When it comes to recounting the story of another person, there are many angles to take. Writing a biography is a specialised form of history. There is an Academic biography, Historical fiction biography, Fictionalised academic biography or Prophetic biography. Know what are the differences before developing the structure of the book.
Tip #3 Don’t Just Rattle Off Accomplishments
Yes, you want the biography to be inspirational but focussing only on the high points or the accomplishments of the person in question may get boring. When you talk about failures and struggles, these incidents provide a contrast and an inspiring account of overcoming the odds.
Tip #4 Explore the Socio-political Themes
A person is a sum total of his experiences and these experiences are shaped by their environment and the social and political events of their times and geographical location. Tracing the events that surround their life and their implications can make for a many-layered narrative that will be a richer read.
Tip #5 Explore Non-Linear Narrative
You want to start the story at the beginning but a linear retelling of a life may get boring. You can explore flashbacks or put important events first and go back to trace how the person reached that point. Make sure to keep the timeline very accurate so that there is no confusion while telling the story.
Tip #6 Brace for Unexpected Facts
Writing a biography may be a long haul especially when there is a lot of reasearch that needs to be done. Remember to talk to other people who have written something about your subject or can shed new light on some life events. Know that you might uncover unexpected events that require careful and sensitive retelling.
If you want to learn about writing a biography from veteran authors, watch Chidanand Rajghatta talking about the craft and listen to Amit Ranjan discussing the process.
If you want to contribute to BeStorified, read the guidelines before submission.
