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Memoir vs Biography: Spotting the Genre Differences
Identifying the differences in memoir vs biography can feel nuanced. To be clear, it is. Both genres are about an individual’s life, but the focus you take depends on which you choose to write: biography vs memoir.
Neither is better or worse than the other. What matters is determining what you want to accomplish with your manuscript. Memoir focuses on the individual from a specific angle, while biography spends time recounting the individual’s life in a different way.
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Your writing perspective plays a crucial role in:
- The stories you include
- Tone you write in
- Audience you connect with
In this article, I discuss memoir vs biography, the key differences, and how to determine which one you should write. Let’s start with a definition of biography vs memoir.
Memoir vs biography…what's covered:
How is a memoir different from a biography.
A memoir is different from a biography in that memoirs focus on specific life events that teach a specific theme. Writers draft and publish biographies as a way to document an individual’s life, start to finish. For this reason, anyone who experienced specific life events that could be of benefit to others can write their memoir.
Many celebrities and public figures share their memoirs, but everyday people can as well. As long as you have a lesson to teach or a theme that will resonate with a specific audience, you can write your memoir.
Assessing the major difference in memoir vs biography
The key difference between memoir vs biography is that biographies document an individual’s life from start to finish, or start to present day. Memoirs focuses on a specific theme that threads throughout key events in an individual’s life.
Readers are not usually interested in reading the everyday occurrences of the average person. However, most people are curious about how celebrities and influential people live on a day to day basis.
For instance, Caroline Fraser’s, Prairie Fires: The American Dreams of Laura Ingalls Wilder , recounts the life of a little girl growing up on the prairie. Today, Laura Ingalls Wilder is a major name associated with this specific time period. Learning about the daily life of this iconic individual is inspiring.
The same is true for Steve Jobs, Christopher Knight, Louis Zamperini, and Henrietta Lacks. Each of these individuals have helped shape history. Because of this, the details of their lives are of interest.
Consider the key themes of memoir
Memoir, on the other hand, can highlight the themes of unknown individuals’ lives and in turn, bring them into the spotlight. Whether you desire to share you experience as a Mennonite, working with a speech impediment, or dealing with racism, your story matters.
See if you can identify the themes in the following memoirs:
- Mennonite in a Little Black Dress: A Memoir of Going Home , Rhoda Janzen
- Out With It: How Stuttering Helped Me Find My Voice , Katherine Preston
- Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption , Bryan Stevenson
There are various themes in the above: a mennonite, Preston’s struggle with stuttering, Stevenson’s role in bringing justice to people of color in the Deep South.
These differences bring up the valid question: if biographies recount a person’s life and memoir’s share specific parts of their life, is memoir always a biography?
Is a memoir always a biography?
No, memoir is not always a biography but rather pulls key features from your life. The key difference between memoir vs biography is its deep dive into specifics.
The specific focus of a memoir can center around:
- A personal recounting of a thought-process through events
- Events that shaped your life, outlook, and worldview
- A certain season in life and lessons learned
- An inside look at your hobby
- Challenges you faced
When it comes time to learn how to write a memoir outline , think of a memoir as the key ingredients in the recipe: the themes and stories an author includes are necessary to hold the story together.
A biography adds in other seasonings that bring flavor and nuance to an individual’s life: stories and events that do not necessarily add to the theme but provide a more detailed look at their life.
Memoir vs biography: key traits of each
Now that you firmly grasp the differences in memoir vs biography (find more on autobiography vs memoir and biography vs autobiography here), it’s important to discuss the traits that set each apart. Choosing between writing a biography vs memoir can feel difficult. After all, your life matters and the different aspects of your story all feel important.
A vital question to keep top of mind is, “How will each event I share aid my readers?” To help answer this question, below is a list of traits common in both memoir vs biography. You can read through both, then take note of which traits most resonate with you. The genre with the most traits you connect with is likely the one you should choose to write.
Memoir vs biography:
| Memoir: | Biography: |
| Told in first person point of view | Told in third person point of view |
| Focused on specific events | Focused on life as a whole |
| Key life lessons drawn out to help the reader learn | Key moments included because they matter to the individual |
| Personal tone, voice, and information | Objective tone, with information only known from what is discovered by the writer |
| Primarily centered on on person’s life | Primarily centered on one person’s life |
Which column did you most resonate with? Does your life hold important moments that could resonate with a large audience? You may want to write your memoir.
On the other hand, if you are relatively well-known, experience a certain level of influence, and find people regularly interested in the everyday details of your life, you may want to hire someone to help you write your biography.
If you want to write your story yourself, you can write an autobiography. However, even if you chose to share your story via a biography, you can work closely with the writer to ensure the final product is exactly as you want it.
Two key traits of memoirs
First, if you choose memoir as your final choice in your decision in memoir vs biography, rest assured that you do not need to recount your entire life story.
This can feel empowering for some writers who may feel overwhelmed at the prospect of condensing decades of experiences into one manuscript.
Instead, as you draft your memoir (and articulate the memoir sub-genres right for your story), focus on one main theme or story and the life experiences that build on this theme. Memoirs focus on teaching the reader through the experience of the writer, so don’t forget to be vulnerable and establish that connection at an emotional level.
Memoirs allow readers an inside look at defining moments in your life and what you learned in those seasons.
Second, remember to use fiction writing techniques when drafting your memoir. Begin in medias res , or in the middle of the action. While biographies often begin at the start of the subject’s life, with memoir, begin in the middle.
Grab your readers early on. Helpful questions to consider are below:
- At what point did I encounter a profound awareness that this specific situation was teaching me a lesson?
- What part of my experience will be most engaging for readers?
- How can I immerse them in my world as quickly as possible?
But now what? What’s a concrete step you can take now that you understand the key differences between memoir vs biography? Here are some examples of writing goals to inspire you. And don't forget to check out the free resource below!
The Six-Word Memoir: An Exercise on Short, Powerful Stories
How to Start a Memoir: 10 Steps for Sharing Your Story
Memoir, Non-Fiction
What Is a Memoir? Definition & Purpose of This Genre
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Memoir vs. Biography: What's the Difference?
Key Differences
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What’s the Difference Between a Memoir and an Autobiography?
By ellen gutoskey | jan 5, 2022.
On the literary genre spectrum, memoirs and autobiographies are right next to each other. They’re both nonfiction accounts of the author’s personal experience, usually written in first person (i.e. using I , me , and other first-person pronouns). But despite their similarities—and the fact that memoir and autobiography are often used interchangeably—they’re technically separate genres.
Since an autobiography is essentially just a biography written by the person it’s about, it has pretty much all the characteristics of a regular biography. As MasterClass explains , the narrative typically progresses chronologically and covers the subject’s whole life (thus far), with a focus on facts. That’s not to say autobiographies by default have bare-bones prose or a lack of emotion—the story of someone’s life will likely feature some fascinating formative memories and the feelings that came with them.
But those elements are much more integral to a memoir than an autobiography. According to Book Riot , a memoir doesn’t usually cover the author’s entire life, but instead a specific period or themes within it. Joan Didion’s The Year of Magical Thinking , for example, centers on the year after her husband, John Gregory Dunne, died of a heart attack in late 2003. It’s just as much a discourse on grief as it is an account of what happened in Didion’s life that year—and you might pick it up to read about grief rather than to learn about the author herself. Though Didion was, by that point in her career, famous enough that people would be interested to read about her experiences in particular, that’s not always the case with memoirists. Sometimes, it’s the subject matter that attracts readers, not the name of the author.
If you crack open an autobiography, on the other hand, it’s probably because you want to learn about the person who wrote it. Autobiographers are usually celebrities, from activists like Malala Yousafzai and Nelson Mandela to athletes like Andre Agassi —people who’ve achieved such success and/or have lived such high-profile lives that you’d want to read their full stories, starting from the cradle.
All that said, the differences between memoirs and autobiographies are more general trends than definitive guidelines. There’s no rule that says your memoir can’t be chronological, or that your autobiography must include your year and place of birth in order to be considered a true autobiography.
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Home » Writing » Autobiography vs. Biography vs. Memoir
What is a Biography?
A biography, also called a bio, is a non-fiction piece of work giving an objective account of a person’s life. The main difference between a biography vs. an autobiography is that the author of a biography is not the subject. A biography could be someone still living today, or it could be the subject of a person who lived years ago.
Biographies include details of key events that shaped the subject’s life, and information about their birthplace, education, work, and relationships. Biographers use a number of research sources, including interviews, letters, diaries, photographs, essays, reference books, and newspapers. While a biography is usually in the written form, it can be produced in other formats such as music composition or film.
If the target person of the biography is not alive, then the storytelling requires an immense amount of research. Interviews might be required to collect information from historical experts, people who knew the person (e.g., friends and family), or reading other older accounts from other people who wrote about the person in previous years. In biographies where the person is still alive, the writer can conduct several interviews with the target person to gain insight on their life.
The goal of a biography is to take the reader through the life story of the person, including their childhood into adolescence and teenage years, and then their early adult life into the rest of their years. The biography tells a story of how the person learned life’s lessons and the ways the person navigated the world. It should give the reader a clear picture of the person’s personality, traits, and their interaction in the world.
Biographies can also be focused on groups of people and not just one person. For example, a biography can be a historical account of a group of people from hundreds of years ago. This group could have the main person who was a part of the group, and the author writes about the group to tell a story of how they shaped the world.
Fictional biographies mix some true historical accounts with events to help improve the story. Think of fictional biographies as movies that display a warning that the story is made of real characters, but some events are fictional to add to the storyline and entertainment value. A lot of research still goes into a fictional biography, but the author has more room to create a storyline instead of sticking to factual events.
Examples of famous biographies include:
- His Excellency: George Washington by Joseph J. Ellis
- Einstein: The Life and Times by Ronald William Clark
- Princess Diana – A Biography of The Princess of Wales by Drew L. Crichton
What is an Autobiography?
An autobiography is the story of a person’s life written by that person. Because the author is also the main character of the story, autobiographies are written in the first person. Usually, an autobiography is written by the person who is the subject of the book, but sometimes the autobiography is written by another person. Because an autobiography is usually a life story for the author, the theme can be anything from religious to a personal account to pass on to children.
The purpose of an autobiography is to portray the life experiences and achievements of the author. Therefore, most autobiographies are typically written later in the subject’s life. It’s written from the point of view of the author, so it typically uses first person accounts to describe the story.
An autobiography often begins during early childhood and chronologically details key events throughout the author’s life. Autobiographies usually include information about where a person was born and brought up, their education, career, life experiences, the challenges they faced, and their key achievements.
On rare occasions, an autobiography is created from a person’s diary or memoirs. When diaries are used, the author must organize them to create a chronological and cohesive story. The story might have flashbacks or flashforwards to describe a specific event, but the main storyline should follow chronological order from the author’s early life to their current events.
One of the main differences between an autobiography vs. a biography is that autobiographies tend to be more subjective. That’s because they are written by the subject, and present the facts based on their own memories of a specific situation, which can be biased. The story covers the author’s opinions on specific subjects and provides an account of their feelings as they navigate certain situations. These stories are also very personal because it’s a personal account of the author’s life rather than a biography where a third party writes about a specific person.
Examples of famous autobiographies include:
- The Story of My Life by Helen Keller
- The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
- Losing My Virginity by Richard Branson
What is a Memoir?
Memoir comes from the French word mémoire , meaning memory or reminiscence. Similar to an autobiography, a memoir is the story of a person’s life written by that person. These life stories are often from diary entries either from a first-person account or from a close family member or friend with access to personal diaries.
The difference between a memoir vs. an autobiography is that a memoir focuses on reflection and establishing an emotional connection, rather than simply presenting the facts about their life. The author uses their personal knowledge to tell an intimate and emotional story about the private or public happenings in their life. The author could be the person in the story, or it can be written by a close family member or friend who knew the subject person intimately. The topic is intentionally focused and does not include biographical or chronological aspects of the author’s life unless they are meaningful and relevant to the story.
Memoirs come in several types, all of which are written as an emotional account of the target person. They usually tell a story of a person who went through great struggles or faced challenges in a unique way. They can also cover confessionals where the memoir tells the story of the author’s account that contradicts another’s account.
This genre of writing is often stories covering famous people’s lives, such as celebrities. In many memoir projects, the celebrity or person of interest needs help with organization, writing the story, and fleshing out ideas from the person’s diaries. It might take several interviews before the story can be fully outlined and written, so it’s not uncommon for a memoir project to last several months.
Memoirs do not usually require as much research as biographies and autobiographies, because you have the personal accounts in diary entries and documents with the person’s thoughts. It might require several interviews, however, before the diary entries can be organized to give an accurate account on the person’s thoughts and emotions. The story does not necessarily need to be in chronological order compared to an autobiography, but it might be to tell a better story.
Examples of famous memoirs include:
- Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt
- I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
- Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant by Ulysses S. Grant
Autobiography vs. Biography vs. Memoir Comparison Chart
| An account of a person’s life | An account of one’s own life | A personal account of a specific time or experience |
| Written in the third person | Written in the first person | Written in the first person |
| Objective | Subjective | Subjective |
| Presents information collected from the subject, their acquaintances, or from other sources | Presents facts as they were experienced by the person | Presents facts as they were experienced by the person |
| Written to inform and establish a context | Written to inform and explain the motivation and thoughts behind actions and decisions | Written to reflect on and explore the emotion of an experience |
| Has restricted access to the subject’s thoughts and feelings | Offers access to personal thoughts and feelings | Offers access to personal thoughts, feelings, reactions, and reflections |
| Can be written anytime | Usually written later in life | Can be written anytime |
Check out some of our blogs to learn more about memoirs:
- What is a memoir?
- 5 tips for writing a memoir
- Your memoir is your legacy
Ready to get started on your own memoir, autobiography, or biography? Download our free desktop book-making software, BookWright .
Autobiographies , Biographies , memoirs
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The Differences between Memoir, Autobiography, and Biography - article
Creative nonfiction: memoir vs. autobiography vs. biography.
Writing any type of nonfiction story can be a daunting task. As the author, you have the responsibility to tell a true story and share the facts as accurately as you can—while also making the experience enjoyable for the reader.
There are three primary formats to tell a creative nonfiction story: memoir, autobiography, and biography. Each has its own distinct characteristics, so it’s important to understand the differences between them to ensure you’re writing within the correct scope.
A memoir is a collection of personal memories related to specific moments or experiences in the author’s life. Told from the perspective of the author, memoirs are written in first person point of view.
The defining characteristic that sets memoirs apart from autobiographies and biographies is its scope. While the other genres focus on the entire timeline of a person’s life, memoirs structure themselves on one aspect, such as addiction, parenting, adolescence, disease, faith, etc.
They may tell stories from various moments in the author’s life, but they should read like a cohesive story—not just a re-telling of facts.
“You don’t want a voice that simply relates facts to the reader. You want a voice that shows the reader what’s going on and puts him or her in the room with the people you’re writing about.” – Kevan Lyon in Writing a Memoir
Unlike autobiographies and biographies, memoirs focus more on the author’s relationship to and feelings about his or her own memories. Memoirs tend to read more like a fiction novel than a factual account, and should include things like dialogue , setting, character descriptions, and more.
Authors looking to write a memoir can glean insight from both fiction and nonfiction genres. Although memoirs tell a true story, they focus on telling an engaging narrative, just like a novel. This gives memoir authors a little more flexibility to improve upon the story slightly for narrative effect.
However, you should represent dialogue and scenarios as accurately as you can, especially if you’re worried about libel and defamation lawsuits .
Examples of popular memoirs include Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert and The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls.
Key traits of a memoir:
- Written in 1 st person POV from the perspective of the author - Less formal compared to autobiographies and biographies - Narrow in scope or timeline - Focused more on feelings and memories than facts - More flexibility to change the story for effect
Autobiography
Like a memoir, an autobiography is the author’s retelling of his or her life and told in first person point of view, making the author the main character of the story.
Autobiographies are also narrative nonfiction, so the stories are true but also include storytelling elements such as a protagonist (the author), a central conflict, and a cast of intriguing characters.
Unlike memoirs, autobiographies focus more on facts than emotions. Because of this, a collaborator often joins the project to help the author tell the most factual, objective story possible.
While a memoir is limited in scope, an autobiography details the author’s entire life up to the present. An autobiography often begins when the author is young and includes detailed chronology, events, places, reactions, movements and other relevant happenings throughout the author’s life.
“In many people’s memoir, they do start when they’re younger, but it isn’t an, ‘I got a dog, then we got a fish, and then I learned to tie my shoes’…it isn’t that kind of detail.” – Linda Joy Meyers in Memoir vs. Autobiography
The chronology of an autobiography is organized but not necessarily in date order. For instance, the author may start from current time and employ flashbacks or he/she may organize events thematically.
Autobiographers use many sources of information to develop the story such as letters, photographs, and other personal memorabilia. However, like a memoir, the author’s personal memory is the primary resource. Any other sources simply enrich the story and relay accurate and engaging experiences.
A good autobiography includes specific details that only the author knows and provides context by connecting those details to larger issues, themes, or events. This allows the reader to relate more personally to the author’s experience.
Examples of popular autobiographies include The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank and I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou.
Key traits of an autobiography:
- Written in 1 st person POV from the perspective of the author, occasionally with the help of a collaborator - More formal and objective than memoirs, but more subjective than biographies - Broad in scope or timeline, often covering the author’s entire life up to the present - Focused more on facts than emotions - Requires more extensive fact-checking and research than memoirs, but less than biographies
A biography is the story of events and circumstances of a person’s life, written by someone other than that person. Usually, people write biographies about a historical or public figure . They can be written with or without the subject’s authorization.
Since the author is telling the account of someone else, biographies are always in third person point of view and carry a more formal and objective tone than both memoirs and autobiographies.
Like an autobiography, biographies cover the entire scope of the subject’s life, so it should include details about his or her birthplace, educational background, work history, relationships, death and more.
Good biographers will research and study a person’s life to collect facts and present the most historically accurate, multi-faceted picture of an individual’s experiences as possible. A biography should include intricate details—so in-depth research is necessary to ensure accuracy.
“If you’re dealing principally with historical figures who are long dead, there are very few legal problems…if you’re dealing with a more sensitive issue…then the lawyers will be crawling all over the story.” – David Margolick in Legal Issues with Biographies
However, biographies are still considered creative nonfiction, so the author has the ability to analyze and interpret events in the subject’s life, looking for meaning in their actions, uncovering mistakes, solving mysteries, connecting details, and highlighting the significance of the person's accomplishments or life activities.
Authors often organize events in chronological order, but can sometimes organize by themes or specific accomplishments or topics, depending on their book’s key idea.
Examples of popular biographies include Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson and The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot.
Key traits of a biography:
- Written about another person, often a celebrity or public figure, and told in 3 rd person point of view - More formal and objective than both memoirs and autobiographies - Broad in scope or timeline, often covering the subject’s entire life up to the present - Focused solely on facts - Requires meticulous research and fact-checking to ensure accuracy
- Biographies and Memoirs
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Met you this morning briefly and just bought your book on Amazon. Congratulations.
Very helpful. I think I am heading down the path of a memoir.
Thank you explaining the differences between the three writing styles!
Very useful article. Well done. Please can we have more. Doctor's Orders !!!
My first book, "Tales of a Meandering Medic" is definitely a Memoir.
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Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
Memoir, biography, autobiography, oh my! All these book genres have a focus on someone’s life and are written in completely factual ways. The adage that truth is stranger than fiction rings true when we delve into the lives of significant people or people who have endured something significant.
Table of Contents: • What is a biography? • What is an autobiography? • What is a memoir? • Differences between a memoir vs. autobiography vs. biography • Key features of a memoir • Key features of an autobiography • Key features of biography • BookBaby can help you self-publish
It’s easy to confuse the style and tone of these three different nonfiction books. Each has different requirements to qualify as a memoir vs. biography vs. autobiography.
What is a biography?
A biography is a novel written about someone’s entire life, typically in chronological order, written by someone other than the subject.
The topic of a biography will often be someone who is an important historical figure, a celebrity, or a person who has had significant cultural or societal impact.
One excellent example of a biography is The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, by Rebecca Skloot. This biography describes how a black woman’s body was used to advance modern medicine. Henrietta Lacks’ cancer cells were taken — without her knowledge — for medical testing and has served as the blueprint for cancer treatment.
This real-life tale reveals a hidden narrative in modern medicine and points to a history of racism in the field. The story was written and recounted by Rebecca Skloot, an American writer who has contributed to many scientific publications.
What is an autobiography?
While a biography is a written account of someone else’s life, an autobiography is written by the person who is the subject of the book.
The Autobiography of Malcolm X: As Told to Alex Haley details the life of civil rights activist Malcolm X. Written by Malcolm, this autobiography features a collaboration with author and journalist Alex Haley and was released nine months after Malcolm X’s assassination.
Reading an autobiography can be more powerful and intriguing than a biography, partly because the words and perspectives are unique to the subject. There are details and insights that only the person who is the subject can convey — unfiltered by the lens of someone else. As they recount the important events of their lives from start to finish, we get to experience it in their own words.
What is a memoir?
While a biography or autobiography usually focuses on impactful historical figures or someone who had significant cultural impact, it’s not only famous people who can write about their lives. While some lesser-known figures will be the subjects of those books, memoirs allow someone who has led a less “public” life to write about their experiences and the lessons they’ve learned.
A memoir covers a specific period of the subject’s life, often detailing a unique personal experience and how the subject was transformed by it. Unlike autobiographies and biography, a memoir does not present someone’s life from the beginning to the present (or the end). It gives us a unique look into a specific period that was transformational to the person writing it.
More than the other real-life accounts, memoir proves over and over how ordinary people can have great impact and insight writing about the trials they overcome.
Wild, by Cheryl Strayed, is a compelling example of a memoir vs. autobiography. This is a story about a young woman who, after losing her mother to cancer and getting divorced (among other travails), embarks on a 1,100-mile hike on the Pacific Crest trail — alone.
Having no previous professional hiking experience, her expedition mirrors the inner trials and tribulations she overcame before surviving in the wild on this extraordinary hike.
Men We Reaped: A Memoir, by Jesmyn Ward, is another notable memoir. The story focuses on the death of five black men in Ward’s life between the years 2000–2004. Ward details the lives of these young black men who die early in her life and speaks to how young black men’s lives are cut short far too often. She traces the impact of these losses through her own family history and writes of the complexities of love and grief.
Differences between a memoir vs. autobiography vs. biography
Key features of a memoir.
As a rule, a memoir is pulled from the writer’s real-life experience. When a person picks up a memoir, they are expecting a story that truly happened to the author. That said, a memoir isn’t just recalling events and re-told to the reader. A satisfying memoir touches on universal themes about the life story uncovered by the events that happened to the writer.
Of course, memoirs aren’t here to preach a specific message or serve as a “how-to” guide to overcoming a particular experience — in the best memoirs, the author shows their emotional truth as opposed to the truth.
Memoirs do not have to be recounted in chronological order, and there is room for creative freedom. You can’t make up important events, but there is some wiggle room around specific details in dialogue and other specifics.
Notably, a memoir also doesn’t recount the author’s whole life, but details a pivotal part of it that holds significance based on the author’s transformation. It is the author’s recollection of memories and their perspective on it.
Key features of an autobiography
An autobiography is a life account written by the subject themself. An autobiography is a recounting of the writer’s entire life from childhood up until the age they are at the time of the writing, accurately detailing significant accomplishments and telling the story of the making of who the writer is and the events that shaped their life. All of the contents of an autobiography must be 100 percent true.
Key features of biography
A biography is an account of a person’s life story written by someone other than the subject. It is the author’s rendition of what the author knows about the person’s life, sometimes personally and certainly by collecting and researching information about their life. It is typically focused on someone of cultural or historical significance.
BookBaby can help you self-publish
Whether you’re embarking on an autobiography, a biography, or a memoir, drawing universal truths from the lives of real people is a rewarding task. Of course, as a writer, once you have completed the first draft of your manuscript, it’s important to have an editor work on your manuscript to ensure it reads clearly to your reader.
BookBaby offers three types of book editing services that will be good to use at different stages of your editing process.
Line editing is our most popular editing service for first-time authors. Our line editors will review your manuscript and check for style, structure, word choice and syntax. You will also receive feedback regarding pacing, advice for writing flow, and an audit on tone and style.
Copy editing might be the best option for nonfiction authors writing a biography, autobiography, or memoir. Copy editing is a “word-by-word” edit, focusing on spelling and punctuation, along with an intensive grammar audit.
Proofreading is the last and final stage. It includes a basic check for grammar, spelling, and any lingering typos before publishing.
When your manuscript is proofed and ready, BookBaby offers print-on-demand services and distribution of your book, so you can get your work in the hands of readers. Call one of our publishing specialists to get started at 1-877-961-6878 or visit us at www.bookbaby.com .
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The Difference between Memoir and Autobiography
The words 'memoir' and 'autobiography' are both used to describe written accounts of a person's life that are written by the person themselves. Sometimes the words are used interchangeably to mean "a written history of a person's life." Sometimes 'memoir' is used to mean something different.
An autobiography is an account of a person's entire life, but a memoir usually is only about one part of a person's life. A memoir might be about a person's struggles with homelessness or addiction, or about their adventures traveling the world, or about their experience becoming an actor.
A narrative about a person's life from birth or early childhood is usually called an autobiography. A narrative about a specific period of a person's life or a specific experience is usually called a memoir.
I hope this helps.
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Autobiography vs. Biography vs. Memoir: What’s the Difference?
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Autobiographies, biographies, and memoirs. These are the three main formats that tell a real person’s life story.
But unless you’re in the know, it can be a little confusing to tell the difference between each one. While they all serve a similar purpose, they each have distinctions that set them apart from one another.
In this post, I’ll explain the differences between autobiographies, biographies, and memoirs. And to clear up any confusion, I’ll provide some famous examples of each one.
Table of Contents
Autobiography vs. Biography vs. Memoir
Autobiographies.
An autobiography is an account of a person’s life, written by that person. The word originates from the Greek’ auto’, ‘bios’ and ‘graphein’, meaning ‘self,’ ‘life,’ and ‘to write.’
Since the narrator is also the subject of the story, autobiographies tend to be written in the first person.
The majority of autobiographies begin by documenting childhood experiences, working their way chronologically upwards through the decades. The author will include major and minor events that have shaped their lives and stood out to them on their journey.
A detailed autobiography will cover things like a person’s earliest memories, early family life, and upbringing. They might share stories from their education, their careers, and their relationships, as well as triumphs and challenges they’ve faced along the way.
Since an autobiography is a life story, most people wait until their later years before they pen their own, but this isn’t always true. There are plenty of autobiographies written by younger people too. Anyone that has led an interesting life can write an autobiography.
Here’s a few examples of autobiographies written by famous people:
- Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin by Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin wrote his autobiography from 1771 to 1790. It tells the fascinating tale of his rise to power, from a boy born into a lower-middle-class family in Boston, Massachusetts, to becoming one of America’s founding fathers.
- Mein Kampf by Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler’s autobiography Mein Kampf, meaning ‘my struggle,’ gives us a raw and eye-opening look into the unseen life of this mass-murdering dictator. It’s not an easy or lighthearted read by any means. Still, it gives the reader a fascinating insight into his early life, his rise to power, and his own justifications behind his monstrous genocidal policies.
- The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
This is a more unusual example of an autobiography, but it’s an autobiography non the less. Ann Frank’s real-life diary documents her experience as a Jewish teenager who was forced into hiding during World War II.
Biographies
Just like an autobiography, a biography tells a person’s life story. But in this case, it is written by another author, rather than the person themselves.
Biographies are most often written about famous, notable people who have led interesting lives. They usually include factual details, such as their birthplace, their education, their partners and relationships, and facts about their career.
But a good biography will also cover how key events have shaped a person’s life. Biography authors will compile information from a wide range of sources, including interviews with the person in question or their friends, colleagues, and family members. They may also source information from letters, diaries, past interviews, and periodicals.
Here are a few examples of famous biographies:
- Churchill: A Life by Martin Gilbert
Many authors over the year have written biographies about his iconic British prime minister. Still, it’s Martin Gilbert’s work which has been by far the most successful and celebrated.
Through years of in-depth research, Gilbert gives readers a comprehensive and honest insight into the life of the man who led Britain through the Second World War.
- Frida: Biography of Frida Kahlo by Hayden Herrera
Hayden Herrera wrote this eye-opening biography of celebrated painter Frida Kahlo back in 1983, and it has since become the most authoritative account of her life in print.
The book documents Kahlo’s struggles and pain, but it also tells of her artistic prowess and her determination to leave a positive influence on the world.
- Sylvia Plath and Life Before Ted by Andrew Wilson
Rather than focusing on Sylvia Plath’s painful struggles with mental health and her turbulent marriage to English poet Ted Hughs, this biography tells of Plath’s earlier life, before the pair ever met. Taking information directly from her detailed diary entries, Wilson has complied an insightful picture of the American writer’s early experiences before she found fame.
Taken from the French word for ‘memory,’ a memoir is a non-fiction, self-written account of a person’s life. But unlike an autobiography, a memoir focuses much more on the emotional journey rather than chronologically recounting facts and events.
Memoirs are essentially a collection of memories that are important to the author, and they paint an intimate portrait of what it was like to be in their shoes.
Due to the similar nature of memoirs and autobiographies, it’s sometimes hard to denote the difference between the two, especially in the modern era when genres are often blended, and new ways of writing become commonplace.
One key thing to remember is that a memoir is usually less of a timeline of events and more an informal, emotional picture of a person’s life. Memoirs will often focus on things like past regrets and life lessons learned along the way, whereas autobiographies concentrate on facts and things that happened.
Here are a few examples of famous memoirs:
- I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
The American writer and civil rights activist Maya Angelou wrote a total of seven autobiographies and memoirs during her lifetime, but this is the most notable one of them all.
This famous memoir documents the first seventeen years of her life as a young African American woman, and all of the struggles and turmoils she faced and overcame during that time.
- Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
This travel memoir written by the New York Times best-selling author Elizabeth Gilbert was subsequently turned into a blockbuster movie starring Julia Roberts.
It documents Gilbert’s personal journey of rebirth following a painful divorce and invites the reader to share the valuable and life changing lessons she learns along the way.
- Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt
Frank McCourt’s moving memoir takes us on an in-depth journey through his childhood years when he lived a profoundly impoverished life in Ireland during the midst of the Great Depression.
It won a 1997 Pulitzer Prize and has also been adapted to the silver screen.
Autobiographies, biographies, and memoirs all do one job: they tell a person’s non-fictional life story. But as you can see, each one is unique in its own way.
Do you have a favorite autobiography, biography, or memoir?
Let us know in the comments below.
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What Are the Major Differences Between Memoir and Autobiography?
Rebecca Hussey
Rebecca holds a PhD in English and is a professor at Norwalk Community College in Connecticut. She teaches courses in composition, literature, and the arts. When she’s not reading or grading papers, she’s hanging out with her husband and son and/or riding her bike and/or buying books. She can't get enough of reading and writing about books, so she writes the bookish newsletter "Reading Indie," focusing on small press books and translations. Newsletter: Reading Indie Twitter: @ofbooksandbikes
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Feeling confused about the difference between memoir and autobiography? You’re not the only one. The terms are sometimes used interchangeably, and there is a lot of overlap between the two, so confusion is understandable. But there are some basic differences that will help you distinguish between them and make sure you are using the most appropriate word. Knowing the difference will help you choose what to read, as well: you should know what you are getting into when you pick up a book labeled memoir vs. autobiography.
First, let’s discuss similarities between the two. Both autobiography and memoir are first-person accounts of the writer’s life. This means the writer is describing her or his life using “I” and “me” (“I did this, then this happened to me,” etc.) One exception to this is that sometimes autobiographies are written in the third person (where the author refers to him or herself as “he” or “she”), but this is not common and rarely seen in contemporary writing. Mostly, both genres are about writers telling readers about their lives in their own voice.
That’s pretty simple. What’s trickier is figuring out what makes these genres different. So here’s a breakdown of the difference between memoir and autobiography, that I’ll discuss more below.
Memoir vs. Autobiography Basics
1. autobiography usually covers the author’s entire life up to the point of writing, while memoir focuses only on a part of the author’s life..
There are going to be exceptions to every point on this list, but generally speaking, autobiography aims to be comprehensive, while memoir does not. Autobiographers set out to tell the story of their life, and while some parts will get more detail than others, they usually cover most or all of it.
Memoirists will often choose a particularly important or interesting part of their life to write about and ignore or briefly summarize the rest. They will sometimes choose a theme or subject and tell stories from different parts of their life that illustrate its significance to them.
As examples, The Autobiography of Malcolm X covers the major points of Malcolm X’s life, while Abandon Me: A Memoir by Melissa Febos focuses mainly on two significant relationships (with her father and with a lover).
2. In autobiography, authors usually tell their life stories because they are famous and important. A memoirist can be anybody, famous or not.
Long Walk to Freedom, Nelson Mandela’s autobiography, is a good example: he was an important person whose personal account of his life matters because of who he was and everything he accomplished.
For memoir, Mary Karr’s The Liar’s Club is not the story of a famous person; instead, it’s an account of a regular person’s childhood. Her childhood was especially eventful, but it doesn’t stand out because she was famous. Memoirists do sometimes become famous, but usually it’s for writing memoirs.
3. People read autobiographies because they want to know about a particular (probably famous) person. They read memoirs because they are interested in a certain subject or story or they are drawn to the writer’s style or voice.
The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin is a book people might read because they want to learn about an important historical figure. They may also have heard it’s exceptionally interesting and well-written, but the desire to learn about a person who shaped U.S. history is probably the main motivation.
On the other hand, readers may pick up Roxane Gay’s memoir Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body because they want to read about food, weight, and body image. Or they may admire Gay’s essays available online and want to explore more of her work. The motivation here is more about subject and style and less about the writer as a historical or cultural figure.
4. Autobiographies tend to be written in chronological order, while memoirs often move back and forth in time.
When readers pick up an autobiography, they expect it to begin with the author’s childhood (or perhaps even with the author’s parents’ lives), to proceed through young adulthood and middle age, through to the time of the writing. Olaudah Equiano’s The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano does just that, opening with his childhood and proceeding in a straightforward manner through time.
Memoirs, on the other hand, can be much looser in their treatment of time. Heart Berries by Terese Marie Mailhot shifts back and forth in time and has a structure more focused on theme than chronology. We finish the book with a sense of the major events of Mailhot’s life, but not necessarily their order.
5. Autobiography places greater emphasis on facts and how the writer fits into the historical record, while memoir emphasizes personal experience and interiority.
Autobiographies are sometimes thought of as a form of history and they are used as source material for historians. While it’s possible for both autobiographers and memoirists to get their facts wrong, the stakes are higher for the autobiographer who made history or witnessed historically-important events.
Frederick Douglass’s Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass is important in part because of Douglass’s work as an orator, statesman, and abolitionist. His historical stature adds to the significance of his book.
The facts matter in memoir, but it’s understood that memoirists select and shape the facts of their lives to explore their chosen theme. Darin Strauss’s Half a Life: A Memoir is rooted in a real-life event—a car crash in which Strauss accidentally hit and killed a classmate—but it focuses on the emotional aftereffects of this event rather than the historical context of Strauss’s life.
And there you have it! Again, these distinctions are loose ones, but hopefully they have helped you understand the different connotations of the two words.
Want to read more about memoir? Check out this list of 100 must-read memoirs , this discussion of how to define the term “memoir,” and this post on short memoirs .
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Biography vs autobiography vs memoir: Which Genre Best Tells Your Story?
As a writer, it’s essential to choose the right genre to tell your story effectively. However, distinguishing between memoir, autobiography, and biography can be confusing. In this article, we’ll clarify the core differences between these genres and provide insights to help you choose the one that best fits your unique story. Whether you’re interested in exploring your own experiences or delving into the lives of others, understanding the difference between a memoir and a biography and autobiography is critical to crafting a compelling narrative. So let’s get started and discover which genre will best tell your story.
The Power of Biographies: Discovering Lives and Learning Lessons
A biography is a personal story narrated from real life. The biographies come in different sub-genres, but what they have in common is the factual loyalty. Biographies provide an in-depth look into the lives of individuals, whether they’re still alive or historical figures. For a collection of famous biographies, you might want to explore Biography.com .
Professional bio writers usually conduct a great deal of research. They can describe the life events of someone still alive or a famous person who lived years ago. The author focuses his attention significantly on childhood, relationships, and ups and downs to create a complete picture of a person’s life.
The distinct feature of the story is the writer’s presence. That’s where you don’t align memoir vs biography: while people write memoirs alone, biographies require professional writers.
The main types of biographies include:
- Contemporary biography: a story of a person who’s alive and usually at the peak of their success. It can be about well-known entrepreneurs, musicians, or politicians. It can also include the people who are especially valuable at the moment or have done something great that you have to commemorate.
The examples are: “His Way: The Unauthorized Biography of Frank Sinatra” (written by Kitty Kelley) and “Robin” (Dave Itzkoff’s intimate look at the life and career of Robin Williams).
- Historical biography: provides in-depth information on the life of historical figures or people who died without the recognition they deserved.
The examples are: “Alexander Hamilton” (an epic 800+ page biography created by Ron Chernow) and “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” (written by Rebecca Skloot).
- Group biography: the authors apply this type of biography quite rarely. One of the first examples is “A General History of the Pirates,” narrated by Captain Charles Johnson in 1724. One of the latest group biographies includes an account of the life stories of famous British royals, “HRH: So Many Thoughts on Royal Style,” written by Elizabeth Holmes.
Autobiographies: Understanding the Genre, Types, and Significance
An autobiography is someone else’s story that doesn’t involve a third party. A memoir writing service puts it differently because autobiography is the first person’s account of events.
Autobiographies have been vital throughout history. They provide invaluable stories and thoughts, giving the audience an accurate impression of historical leaders and the value they represent. Also, they allow individuals to tell their own stories in their own words. For examples of famous autobiographies that have captivated readers, check out this list on Goodreads .
The main difference between autobiography and biography is that the last one provides a person’s story written by someone else. The peculiar advantage that autobiographies provide is decreasing the number of discrepancies or mistakes. Hiring cheap ghostwriters for hire may be incorrect in describing significant events.
The types of autobiography include:
- Traditional: a complete story narrated from the first person, discussing all significant events from birth, throughout childhood, and up to the present time. It’s a challenging genre since a life story should be captivating and exciting to engage the reader.
- Overcoming adversity: on the contrary, many people don’t have as shiny lives. Some survived a series of challenging circumstances, such as assaults, murders, or other life-threatening situations. Sharing the story of the “survivor” might heal people undergoing a similar journey.
- Intellectual: focus on critical events or experiences that have changed someone’s perspective on life. Prominent examples include the “Autobiography” of the philosopher John Stuart Mill and “The Education of Henry Adams.”
- Fictionalized is a story that uses made-up characters to represent an author’s experience. This autobiography reflects on actual events vs. serving as an accurate retelling of what happened. Some of the interesting examples are “The Way of All Flesh” (by Samuel Butler) and “A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man” (by James Joice).
Memoir vs autobiography: what’s the catch?
If you’re wondering what does a ghostwriter do when writing a memoir, let’s explore its main features.
Memoir highlights the essential part of someone’s life. It can describe the critical historical period or a breakdown, focusing on the events that led to the collapse. That’s where memoirs vs autobiography differ: the first ones only focus on particular excerpts instead of telling the whole story.
- A memoir is a factual story in which the author reflects on a series of related events from their life or recounts memories from a particular period.
- An autobiography is a chronological description of a person’s life.
Although the memoir can be subjective, it must lean on facts. The authors choose a pivotal moment they’d like to shed light on and recreate the event using storytelling tools.
There’s not a specific number of memoirs in a professional book writing history. Nevertheless, we will explore the most prominent types of memoirs to let you dive into the industry:
- Transformation memoirs: tell about the most significant challenges authors These stories lead with the topic of redemption, whether you achieved it or you’re trying to gain it.
The examples are “Here We Are: American Dreams, American Nightmares” (by Aarti Namdev Shahani), “Educated” (by Tara Westover), and “Finding Freedom” (by Erin French).
- Confessional memoirs: reveal the painful or dirty secrets about authors or their families and how the particular series of events has affected them.
The examples are: “Confessions” (by Jean-Jacques Rousseau) and “Running with Scissors” (by Augusten Burroughs).
- Professional or celebrity memoirs: describe the road to fame and success. Famous people often think about how to find a ghost writer to talk about their lives and significant events in a more professional tone.
The examples are: “I Am Malala” (by Malala Yousafzai) and “Just Kids” (by Patti Smith).
- Travel memoirs: focus on exciting adventures that happen while traveling. These memoirs are often the most pleasant, allowing readers to escape everyday reality.
The examples are “Wild” (by Cheryl Strayed) and “A Year in Provence” (by Peter Mayle).
Autobiography vs biography vs memoir: where’s your match?
You don’t need to be a writing professional to comprehend the difference between memoir and autobiography and biography. Let’s take a look at some of the key points to consider.
|
|
|
Subjective | Objective | Subjective |
A story of one’s own life | An account of another person’s life | An account of specific experience or event |
The person presents facts as they were experienced, from one point of view | The author collects information from the subject, their families, friends, and co-workers | Presents facts as the person described them, without third party interfering |
Explains the motivation behind certain decisions | Establishes a context | Reflects the emotional experience |
The person writes it later in life | The author can write it anytime, including after the death of the subject | The author can write it anytime |
Provides access to one’s feelings | Doesn’t have access to personal thoughts and feelings | Provides access to emotional reactions and reflections |
The Bottom Line
Writing a book about your life is a challenging process. It requires lots of patience and a great deal of memory to recall the most significant events. Meanwhile, it allows you to look at your life and experiences from a whole new perspective.
If you need any help with writing a biography vs autobiography vs memoir, Penfellow will gladly assist! Our professional writers have years of experience completing similar tasks and will do the job for you. We will ensure the final paper meets your requirements and writing standards. Get in touch with us today to get your biography done in no time!
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Autobiography vs. Biography vs. Memoir: Understanding the Differences
Autobiography, biography, and memoir are three genres of literature that share similarities but are also distinct from one another. While they tell stories about people’s lives, they differ in scope, perspective, and purpose. Understanding the differences between these genres is vital for readers, writers, and researchers alike.
So, what exactly makes them different from each other?
In this article, we’ll compare autobiography vs. biography vs. memoir, discover the definitions of each, and see the best examples of each genre.
But before we dive deep into the topic and learn about these three book genres, let’s see a quick overview of what an autobiography, a biography, and a memoir are for those in a hurry!
An autobiography is a book written by the person whose life is being described. It is a first-person narrative that covers the author’s entire life, from birth to the present day. On the other hand, a biography is a book written about a person’s life by someone else. It is a third-person narrative that covers the subject’s life in a factual and objective manner.
Meanwhile, a memoir is similar to an autobiography, but instead of describing the person’s entire life, it focuses on a particular event or a specific period and delves deeper into the author’s state of mind at the time.
Now that you have a rough idea of what an autobiography, a biography, and a memoir mean, let’s move ahead and explore all these book genres in much more detail.
What is an Autobiography?
An autobiography is a book written by an individual about their own life. It covers the author’s experiences, thoughts, and feelings throughout their life.
Autobiographies are typically written in the first person and are subjective in nature. They can cover many topics, including personal experiences, family history, career achievements, and more.
An autobiography aims to provide readers with an in-depth look into the author’s life. It can be a way for the author to share their story, inspire others, or leave a legacy. Autobiographies can also be used as a form of therapy, allowing the author to reflect on their life experiences and gain a deeper understanding of themselves.
Autobiographies can be both subjective and objective. While they are written from the author’s point of view, they can still provide an accurate account of events. However, it is essential to note that autobiographies are not always completely accurate, as memories can be flawed and biased.
Autobiographies can cover a wide range of events and information. Some may focus on a specific period or event in the author’s life, while others may cover their entire life from birth to the present day.
Autobiographies are often written by famous people, such as politicians, athletes, and celebrities, who want to tell their life stories in their own words. They can be insightful and revealing, but they can also be self-serving and biased.
Here are a few famous autobiographies:
- “The Diary of a Young Girl” by Anne Frank
- “Born a Crime” by Trevor Noah
- “Becoming” by Michelle Obama
- “An Autobiography” by Agatha Christie
- “The Autobiography of Malcolm X” by Malcolm X
- “Long Walk to Freedom” by Nelson Mandela
What is a Biography?
A biography is a non-fictional account of someone’s life written by another person. It provides an objective understanding of the person’s life, covering various aspects such as their upbringing, education, career, achievements, and personal life.
The author of a biography is not the subject, and their interpretation of the subject’s life is not expected to be included in the text.
Biographies can be written about anyone, from historical figures to ordinary people who have made a significant impact on society. They are often researched and written by scholars, journalists, and other experts who want to provide a comprehensive and accurate account of a person’s life. And so, they are generally considered to be objective, as the author is expected to present a factual account of the subject’s life without any personal bias.
Biographies cover various events and information about the subject’s life. They may include details about the subject’s childhood, education, family life, career, and personal relationships. Biographies may also provide insights into the subject’s personality, beliefs, and values.
Here are some popular biographies and their authors:
- “Steve Jobs” by Walter Isaacson
- “A Beautiful Mind” by Sylvia Nasar
- “Unbroken” by Laura Hillenbrand
- “Mao: The Unknown Story” by Jung Chang
- “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” by Rebecca Skloot
- “Einstein: His Life and Universe” by Walter Isaacson
What is a Memoir?
A memoir is a form of autobiographical writing that focuses on a specific period, theme, or series of events in the author’s life. It is much similar to an autobiography; the only difference is that an autobiography covers the author’s entire life while the memoir is focused on a particular period or event.
Memoirs are personal narratives that typically include the author’s reflections, emotions, and thoughts about their experiences. They are often considered to be subjective, as they are based on the author’s memories and perceptions of events, rather than objective facts.
To be considered a memoir, a book must be a factual account of the author’s life, but it does not have to be a comprehensive chronicle of their entire life. Instead, it should provide insight into a particular aspect of their life, such as their childhood, career, or personal relationships.
Here are some popular memoirs that have resonated with readers:
- “Educated” by Tara Westover
- “The Glass Castle” by Jeannette Walls
- “Heavy: An American Memoir” by Kiese Laymon
- “Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail” by Cheryl Strayed
- “Running with Scissors” by Augusten Burroughs
- “Night” by Elie Wiesel
These memoirs are just a few examples of the wide range of experiences and themes that can be explored through this genre of writing.
Autobiography vs. Biography vs. Memoir – Key Differences:
When it comes to writing about someone’s life, there are three main options: autobiography, biography, and memoir. While they all share similarities, there are some key differences between them.
Autobiography
An autobiography is a factual and historical account of one’s entire life written by the person themselves. It is usually written in the first person and covers the author’s life from beginning to end. Although autobiographies are often written by famous people, they can be written by anyone.
A biography is the story of someone’s life written by someone else. It is usually written in the third person and covers the subject’s life from birth to death.
A memoir is a nonfiction narrative in which the author shares their memories from a specific time period or reflects upon a string of themed occurrences throughout their life. Memoirs tend to focus on a particular aspect of the author’s life rather than their entire life story.
Comparison Chart
Here is a comparison chart highlighting the key differences between autobiography, biography, and memoir:
| Autobiography | Biography | Memoir | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subject | Other | Subject | |
| First Person | Third Person | First Person | |
| Entire Life | Entire Life | Specific Time Period or Theme | |
| Entire Life | Subject’s Life | Specific Aspect of Author’s Life | |
| Tell Life Story | Inform and Entertain | Reflect on Specific Memories or Themes |
After examining the similarities and differences between autobiography, biography, and memoir, it is clear that each genre has its unique characteristics. While all three genres involve storytelling, they differ in their scope, focus, and style.
One notable difference between these genres is the level of objectivity. Biographies are often the most objective, as they are written by a third-party author who is not emotionally invested in the subject. In contrast, memoirs and autobiographies can be highly subjective, as they are written from the author’s perspective and often include their emotions and opinions.
Another difference is the audience. Autobiographies and biographies are usually intended for a broader audience, while memoirs are often more personal and may only appeal to a specific group of readers.
Overall, each genre has its strengths and weaknesses. It is up to the reader to decide which genre best suits their interests and preferences.
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Do you ever get confused when trying to differentiate between an autobiography, biography, and memoir? If so, you’re not alone—these three genres are often used interchangeably, but each one actually requires its own unique approach. In this blog post, we’ll discuss the differences of each type and provide some handy tips on how best to write them all!
Introducing the different genres of writing—autobiography, biography, and memoir
Three genres that often get jumbled together are autobiography, biography, and memoir. While they may seem similar at first glance, each genre has its own unique characteristics. An autobiography, for example, is a first-person account of someone’s life, typically written by the subject themselves. A biography, by contrast, is a third-person account of someone’s life, written by someone else. And a memoir is a focused, often thematic account of a particular period or experience in someone’s life. Knowing the distinctions between these genres can help you decide which approach is best for telling your own story or for crafting a compelling biography or memoir.
Understanding the differences between autobiography, biography and memoir
Autobiography, biography, and memoir are often confused with each other. An autobiography is a book written by the author about their own life experiences. In contrast, a biography is a book written by someone else about another person’s life experiences. Finally, a memoir is a book written about a specific time or event in the author’s life. These three genres require different approaches to writing and reading. Autobiographies are generally more personal, while biographies generally intend to provide a more objective view of a person’s life. Memoirs allow for a deeper exploration of a specific period of time or event.
Exploring the benefits of writing an autobiography
Writing an autobiography can serve as a time capsule for one’s life experiences and also act as a vehicle for personal growth and self-reflection. Through the process of writing, individuals have the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of themselves. Additionally, an autobiography can be an invaluable resource for future generations by providing them with a window into the past and the inner workings of their ancestors. If you’re looking for a way to capture your life story and leave a meaningful legacy, writing an autobiography might be a good idea.
Discovering the advantages of writing a biography
A biography records the life and accomplishments of a person. A biography can provide insight into the individual’s beliefs, accomplishments, and experiences that shaped their life. Writing a biography requires research , attention to detail, and a thorough understanding of the individual’s life. It takes time and effort. By capturing a person’s story in writing, we can learn from their life experiences and be inspired to pursue our own passions and dreams. Writing a biography can be challenging, but the end result is a rewarding tribute to a person.
Examining the unique aspects of writing a memoir
Writing a memoir is an incredible way to tell your story and leave a lasting legacy. What makes a memoir unique is that it is not just about recounting facts or events. It is more so about exploring the deeper meaning and emotions behind those experiences. It requires a delicate balance of vulnerability and objectivity, as you must be willing to share personal details while also maintaining a sense of clarity and purpose. To truly connect with your audience, it is important to infuse your writing with your own voice and personality, making the story feel authentic and relatable.
Making efficient use of resources when writing your story
Making an efficient use of resources will help create a compelling story that resonates with readers. Whether it’s time management, research, or even word choice, every decision plays an integral role in crafting a well-structured narrative. One useful tool for maximizing your efficiency is outlining your story beforehand, allowing you to flesh out characters and plot points in a clear and concise manner. Additionally, don’t be afraid to take advantage of resources such as writing groups, online tutorials, and feedback from industry professionals who can provide valuable perspective and insight into your work.
As you now know, autobiographies, biographies, and memoirs each have their own unique focus, purpose, and advantages. Writing your life story can be rewarding and fulfilling. Having a writing partner experienced with these genres to guide you on your journey can be invaluable in producing the story you want to tell. If it is time to tell your story―whether fact or fiction―contact Elite Authors today! We will help you choose the genre that best fits your project goals while helping you craft a stunning personal account that is sure to capture the imagination of readers everywhere.
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Q. What's the difference between an autobiography, biography or a memoir?
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Answered By: Jeffrey Orrico Last Updated: Jul 18, 2023 Views: 46930
While each of these forms of writing illuminates the life, work, and worldview of an individual, they are differentiated by the degree of objectivity and factual content, as well stylistic approaches and perspectives.
Note: The below definitions are from the Oxford English Dictionary [electronic resource.]
Autobiography, n. –
Typically in book form, an autobiography is an account of a person’s life told by the himself or herself. An autobiography tends to be a more general history, while a memoir focuses on a specific piece of the author's life.
| Title | Autobiography : I wonder as I wander / edited with an introduction by Joseph McLaren. |
| Author | Hughes, Langston, 1902-1967. |
Biography, n. –
A biography is a written account (although it may come in other forms such as recorded or visual media) of events and circumstances of another person’s life. Most commonly written about a historical or public figure, it profiles a person’s life or life’s work.
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The key difference between memoir vs biography is that biographies document an individual's life from start to finish, or start to present day. Memoirs focuses on a specific theme that threads throughout key events in an individual's life. Readers are not usually interested in reading the everyday occurrences of the average person.
A memoir is a personal narrative where the author recounts specific experiences, feelings, and events from their own life. It's subjective and may focus on a particular theme or period. Memoirs are deeply personal, reflecting the author's emotions, perspectives, and interpretations of events. 7. In contrast, a biography is a comprehensive ...
fullscreen. On the literary genre spectrum, memoirs and autobiographies are right next to each other. They're both nonfiction accounts of the author's personal experience, usually written in ...
Learn the key comparison points of a memoir and an autobiography, as well as tips for writing in both formats. In the literary world, first-person accounts are often categorized into two main genres: autobiography and memoir. Learn the key comparison points of a memoir and an autobiography, as well as tips for writing in both formats.
A biography, also called a bio, is a non-fiction piece of work giving an objective account of a person's life. The main difference between a biography vs. an autobiography is that the author of a biography is not the subject. A biography could be someone still living today, or it could be the subject of a person who lived years ago.
Creative Nonfiction: Memoir vs. Autobiography vs. Biography. Writing any type of nonfiction story can be a daunting task. As the author, you have the responsibility to tell a true story and share the facts as accurately as you can—while also making the experience enjoyable for the reader.
A memoir covers a specific period of the subject's life, often detailing a unique personal experience and how the subject was transformed by it. Unlike autobiographies and biography, a memoir does not present someone's life from the beginning to the present (or the end). It gives us a unique look into a specific period that was ...
An autobiography is an account of a person's entire life, but a memoir usually is only about one part of a person's life. A memoir might be about a person's struggles with homelessness or addiction, or about their adventures traveling the world, or about their experience becoming an actor. A narrative about a person's life from birth or early ...
An autobiography is an account of a person's life, written by that person. The word originates from the Greek' auto', 'bios' and 'graphein', meaning 'self,' 'life,' and 'to write.'. Since the narrator is also the subject of the story, autobiographies tend to be written in the first person. The majority of ...
Memoir vs. Autobiography Basics. 1. Autobiography usually covers the author's entire life up to the point of writing, while memoir focuses only on a part of the author's life. There are going to be exceptions to every point on this list, but generally speaking, autobiography aims to be comprehensive, while memoir does not.
A memoir is a factual story in which the author reflects on a series of related events from their life or recounts memories from a particular period. An autobiography is a chronological description of a person's life. Although the memoir can be subjective, it must lean on facts.
It is a first-person narrative that covers the author's entire life, from birth to the present day. On the other hand, a biography is a book written about a person's life by someone else. It is a third-person narrative that covers the subject's life in a factual and objective manner. Meanwhile, a memoir is similar to an autobiography, but ...
An autobiography is a book written by the author about their own life experiences. In contrast, a biography is a book written by someone else about another person's life experiences. Finally, a memoir is a book written about a specific time or event in the author's life. These three genres require different approaches to writing and reading.
Typically in book form, an autobiography is an account of a person's life told by the himself or herself. An autobiography tends to be a more general history, while a memoir focuses on a specific piece of the author's life. Title. Autobiography : I wonder as I wander / edited with an introduction by Joseph McLaren.
Biography Memoir; Definition: A detailed account of a person's life written by someone else. A personal account of a specific period or aspect of a person's life written by the person themselves. Author: Written by someone other than the subject of the biography. Written by the person who experienced the events being described. Perspective
Memoir vs. Autobiography: Examples. Let's compare extracts from a memoir and an autobiography to highlight the differences, as well as the similarities, between the two: Memoir: Eva Hoffman, Lost in Translation: "No, I'm no patriot, nor was I ever allowed to be. And yet, the country of my childhood lives within me with a primacy that is a ...
An autobiography is a book written by the subject him or herself, detailing the important events of their life. Similarly, a memoir is also written by the subject, but focuses more on the emotional aspects of their life story, rather than the events themselves. Lastly, a biography is an account of a person's life written by someone other than ...
A Whole Life vs. Part of a Life. Literature professors will tell you that an autobiography covers the Author's entire life, from birth to publication. Memoirs, on the other hand, only cover part of a life. It might be about a specific event or a set of specific dates from the Author's life. Again, that's ridiculous.
Memoirs and biographies both provide insight into individuals' lives, but they differ in focus and scope. A memoir is a personal account of the author's own experiences, reflecting on specific periods or themes in their life. It emphasizes personal perspective and emotional truth. In contrast, a biography offers a comprehensive account of someone's life, authored by another person ...
How To Choose The Right Genre. A memoir and autobiography are similar genres that detail a life story. In literary circles, the definition between the two is sometimes a little fuzzy. Both record the author's life story and are written in the first-person point of view. That is, I was born, I lived, and I married the man/woman of my dreams.
By Maham Liaqat & Urooj Arif — Updated on March 20, 2024. A memoir is a personal account focusing on specific experiences and moments in an author's life, emphasizing emotional truth, while a biography is a comprehensive account of someone's life, written by another person, focusing on facts and chronology.
Memoirs allow readers to gain deep insights into the author's experiences, perspective, and personal growth. Unlike a biography, a memoir typically covers a specific aspect of the author's life, rather than their entire lifespan. What Is a Biography? A biography, on the other hand, is a detailed account of a person's life written by another person.