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Posted on Jun 05, 2024

How to Write an Autobiography: The Story of Your Life

About the author.

Reedsy's editorial team is a diverse group of industry experts devoted to helping authors write and publish beautiful books.

About Savannah Cordova

Savannah is a senior editor with Reedsy and a published writer whose work has appeared on Slate, Kirkus, and BookTrib. Her short fiction has appeared in the Owl Canyon Press anthology, "No Bars and a Dead Battery". 

Anyone who’s lived a long, interesting life (as many of us have in one way or another!) may dream of someday turning their life into a book. However, the practicalities of how to write an autobiography can be daunting — especially to those who don’t have much writing experience.

If you feel ready to write your autobiography but aren’t sure where to start, this guide will take you from opening lines to (hopefully) publishing your autobiography for all the world to read.

1. Understand what an autobiography entails

When asked to picture an autobiography, you might think of a celebrity tell-all or political memoir. This isn’t inaccurate ; a memoir would definitely fall under the autobiography umbrella. But to be really precise, there are a few key differences between memoirs and autobiographies:

• Memoirs tend to be more thematic and focus on a  central narrative (similar to a novel), whereas an autobiography is highly factual and reads more like “classic” nonfiction.
• Memoirs focus on a specific period or theme in a person’s life, while autobiographies aim to give a complete, chronological picture.
• Lastly, many memoirs are written while the writer is still young. An autobiography, though, should be written later in one’s life — at a point where one’s life story can be told comprehensively.

An autobiography is also different from a biography in that it is always narrated by the subject. Note that we’ve said “narrated” instead of “written” because, indeed, many autobiographies are created with the help of ghostwriters!

Ghostwritten autobiographies aren’t just for celebrities, either. People from all walks of life work with ghostwriters to record their stories or simply guide them through the process.

If that sounds like you, have a look through  our vetted ghostwriters on the Reedsy marketplace . You might just find your dream collaborator!

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Should you write a memoir or an autobiography?

In other words, if you’re still young (be honest here!), and/or if the book you want to write is more a series of vignettes revolving around a central theme, you may have a memoir on your hands. If that’s the case, check out our guide to how to write a memoir for more tailored advice.

But if you’ve already lived a long, interesting life — one that you feel prepared to share chronologically and completely — then an autobiography is the medium for you.

2. Outline your life's main “beats”

You might think you don’t need to be too picky about what to include in your autobiography since it’s supposed to be a “complete” account — and you’d be mostly right! That said, even in a fairly exhaustive autobiography, it’s still useful to identify the key “beats” before you begin.

What should you include in an autobiography?

While each person’s autobiography will be unique to them, readers expect certain “beats” to be covered. To get the ball rolling, here’s a list of classic autobiographical beats to hit:

• 🐣 Your birth and family background – possibly including how your parents met, where they were living at the time of your birth, whether you have any siblings, etc.
• 📚  Your early days at school – including the friends you made (whether long-lasting or not), your academic achievements (and failures), and any critical moments related to your future goals/actions.
• 🧑🏽‍💻  Your first job – this is often enlightening for readers, particularly if it had some bearing on your later career; whether because you realized that you loved the work or, more likely, that you didn’t want to work your first job forever.
• 👩‍❤️‍💋‍👩  Your first relationship – similar to your first job, this is often a major stepping stone into adulthood and understanding your priorities.
• Moving house;
• Having children;
• Getting promoted;
• Receiving an award;
• Traveling somewhere new;
• Or discovering anything significant about yourself.
• 💼  Your retirement – if applicable, this will likely be one of the last beats you cover; it might include why you decided to retire, how you are spending your time nowadays, and any plans for the future.

Remember that each beat you include should contribute to a holistic portrait of your life — whether it’s something that shaped your character or lends context to another parallel moment later on.

But not everything will be relevant. There’s no need to include random things that have no bearing on any other event or important element of your life; that said, the lucky thing about memory is that you likely won’t recall most of those things anyway!

Need some help outlining your autobiography? Check out our Biography Outline Template below — while not entirely chronological, it’s a great starting point for any aspiring autobiographical author.

FREE RESOURCE

Biography Outline Template

Craft a satisfying story arc for your biography with our free template.

3. Try to write in chronological order

Having come up with a solid outline, you should now feel (somewhat) prepared to start writing your autobiography… and, ideally, to start writing it in chronological order.

While many books can be drafted non-chronologically, an autobiography is not one of them. This is because each new chapter quite literally builds on the last; this is different even from a memoir, which often skips around in time and leaves out details. The best way to ensure you’re not missing anything is to write your autobiography as chronologically as possible!

How to start an autobiography

On the note of starting your autobiography, it’s pretty straightforward: begin either with your birth or slightly before, e.g., with your parents. Unlike a memoir, which can start in medias res ( in the middle of the action ), an autobiography should start ab ovo , or “from the egg.”

This is one of the biggest benefits of writing chronologically: you always know where to start, and indeed, what should come next. Here are two strong autobiography openings to give a sense of how yours might sound:

I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai and Christina Lamb

When I was born, people in our village commiserated with my mother and nobody congratulated my father. I arrived at dawn as the last star blinked out… I was a girl in a land where rifles are fired in celebration of a son, while daughters are hidden away behind a curtain, their role in life simply to prepare food and give birth to children.

Iacocca: An Autobiography by Lee Iacocca and William Novak:

Nicola Iacocca, my father, arrived in this country in 1902 at the age of twelve — poor, alone, and scared. He used to say the only thing he was sure of when he got here was that the world was round. And that was only because another Italian boy named Christopher Columbus had preceded him by 410 years, almost to the day.

Though each opening takes a different tack — Yousafzai’s autobiography begins with her actual birth, while Iacocca’s begins even earlier, with his father’s arrival in America — both serve as effective starts to their respective books and set the tone for what’s to come.

4. Include plenty of detail

In case we haven’t drilled down on this enough, let’s reiterate once more: an autobiography should be a complete overview of your life from beginning to end. That means that as you get into properly writing it, you should include as much detail as you can remember.

Taking one of our previous suggested beats — “your first job” — as an example, here are a few questions you might ask yourself to recount your memories in more detail:

• How did you get your first job?
• What made you want to work there?
• What was the environment/atmosphere like — physically and emotionally?
• What was your greatest accomplishment at this job? Your greatest failure?
• What did you learn from working there? How did it affect your later career?

As you can probably tell from these questions, the natural corollary to the advice of “be detailed!” is to also be honest . Don’t shy away from your failures or regrets — an autobiography without mistakes is not an autobiography, but rather a puff piece.

Examples of strong biographical detail

For those wondering how to inject detail into their writing, here are two examples from great autobiographies that do exactly that. Each takes a different approach to engage readers — perhaps you can pick up some descriptive techniques to suit your own life story.

Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela

There was no natural light in my cell; a single bulb burned overhead twenty-four hours a day. I did not have a wristwatch and I often thought it was the middle of the night when it was only late afternoon. I had nothing to read, nothing to write on or with, no one to talk to [...] After a time in solitary, I relished the company even of the insects in my cell, and found myself on the verge of initiating conversations with a cockroach.

This passage’s evocative details — the single lightbulb, Mandela’s loss of his internal clock — convey the crushing loneliness of solitary confinement, yet also add levity with the bit about cockroaches.

This give-and-take style may be useful if you, too, are writing an autobiography which includes difficult or traumatic elements. Don’t shy away from the hard parts, but don’t let solemnity overpower your personality and voice!

Becoming by Michelle Obama

When you’re little, a piano can look like it has a thousand keys. You’re staring at an expanse of black and white that stretches farther than two small arms can reach. [...] The keys on Robbie’s piano had a subtle unevenness of color and shape, places where bits of ivory had broken off over time, leaving them looking like a set of bad teeth.

This passage uses sensory details and an intimate tone to draw readers in, describing not just how the piano looks, but how it feels to play. All this makes for a very compelling narrative style — almost like that of a novel. If you want your autobiography to flow this way, try reading more nonfiction in this style (indeed, many memoirs read quite similarly).

📚 Looking for more examples of brilliant biographical writing? Check out this list of The 30 Best Biographies of All Time to inspire you.

5. Do research to fill in the gaps

No matter how carefully you rack your brains, you won’t be able to recall every detail of your life. That’s where research comes in! Here are a couple of things you can do to learn more about yourself and your past.

Interview friends and family

While you’ve likely retained the core of each important life memory, some details will still elude you. For these, you might call on friends, family members, and anyone else who was in your life at the time — interviewing them should help flesh things out in your autobiography.

You might try a few different interview strategies, depending on what you’re hoping to achieve:

• Ask specific questions based on what you can’t remember/don’t know (e.g. “Whose wedding was that again?” or “Why did Dad quit that job in Pasadena?”);
• Ask your subject to recount everything they can about an event (e.g. “Tell me how you remember our high school graduation”); or
• Ask them if they have any key memories of you which they would like to talk about.

The first interview style will be the quickest, but the latter two might yield more interesting results. If you’re prioritizing thoroughness, we’d highly recommend calling up a few old friends or close family members, sitting down, and recording your interview for a few hours.

Do “traditional" research if needed

Having written as much as you can, and interviewed other people to add their stories, you might still find yourself missing information. If applicable, this is where you could turn to “traditional” research — that is, looking up relevant records and documentation, or even taking a field trip or two to previous neighborhoods.

It’s up to you how far to go with this; just don’t go mad, and try to avoid any rabbit holes that tempt you to write an entirely new book. (Then again, that could always be your next project! Check out our post on how to write a nonfiction book to learn more.)

6. Give your draft a discerning edit

You’ve finally finished a detailed draft — congratulations! Even if you don’t do anything else with your autobiography, your friends and family will be wildly impressed, and your descendants will have a fascinatingly thorough record of your life.

But if you want to publish your autobiography — or even if you suspect it hasn’t turned out quite as expected — you’ll now need to enter the editing stage. There are a few different types of editing to consider for your autobiography, including:

• Structural editing to heighten the impact of your key beats;
• Line editing to improve the syntax, flow, and clarity of your sentences; and
• Fact-checking and proofreading to ensure your book doesn’t contain any errors.

Again, it’s up to you how extensively you want to edit your autobiography. If you’re doing it yourself, we’d suggest going top-to-bottom — first structural editing, then line editing, then proofreading — to avoid unnecessary work. ( Check out this post on how to self-edit your book for key tips!)

And if this all feels overwhelming, you can always work with a professional editor to get your autobiography in tip-top shape . Autobiography and memoir specialists can help turn your work into an Iacocca-worthy masterpiece.

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7. Format and publish your autobiography

Now comes the really fun part, if you so choose it — formatting and publishing your autobiography for everyone to read!

Biography fans out there will know that auto/biographies often contain a selection of personal photos within the text. If you’re envisioning this, it will require specialty formatting; you’ll either need to intersperse photos throughout the text or format your book with a “photo section” in the middle (the more common option).

You can do this with free book formatting tools like Reedsy Studio . Or if you’re not confident in your formatting abilities, consider hiring a professional typesetter to help !

As for publishing, many autobiographers choose to self-publish their books to get them out as quickly as possible, and to have more control over the process. However, if you’re interested in selling your autobiography to a publisher — a reasonable option if you are a businessperson, and especially if you already have a decent following — we’d suggest this post on how to write a non-fiction query letter to get you started.

Whatever path you take, whether you decide to publish it or not, writing the story of your life is an incredibly enlightening endeavor. If you're interested in novels instead, check out this advice from NYT bestselling author Caroline Leavitt ! We hope this guide has helped you on your journey; indeed, as autobiographical writing teaches us, the journey really is the greatest reward.

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15 Autobiography Examples to Inspire Your Own

So you’re ready to write an autobiography ! Congratulations; this can be a gratifying personal project. And just like any creative endeavor, it’s a great idea to start by getting inspired. 

In this article, we’re sharing 15 stellar autobiography examples to get your wheels turning. We’ll also share some need-to-know info on the different types of autobiographies and autobiography layouts, and we’ll leave you with a list of catchy ways to start your book. Let’s get going!

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In this article, we’ll explore:

What are the different types of autobiographies .

As it turns out, there are many different ways to write a book about yourself. You can go the traditional autobiography route, which is a chronological account of your entire life. Or you can write a memoir , which zeroes in on specific themes or time periods in your life. 

If you’d like, your autobiography can be composed of individual personal essays, or you can blend your autobiography with literary techniques to create a piece of creative nonfiction . 

There are graphic autobiographies that use comics or other combinations of images and text to illustrate your life story, or you can simply publish an edited version of your journal or diary . 

You can write a travelog that documents your life through your adventures or blend elements of your life with made-up stories to create autobiographical fiction . 

When it comes to sharing your life story, there are few rules!

How can I lay out my autobiography? 

Did you know there are multiple ways you can structure your autobiography? The most common is to put it in chronological order . But you can also lay out your book in reverse chronological order or even jump around in time .

Here are a few other layouts to consider: 

• Thematic or topical . As you outline your autobiography, pay attention to themes that emerge. You can lay out your autobiography by central ideas rather than by time. 
• Flashback and flash-forward. This nonlinear approach can be a great way to create some excitement and intrigue in your life story.
• Cyclical structure. Is there one event that you feel defined your life story? Why not try circling back to it throughout your book? This can be an interesting way to demonstrate how your perspective changed with time. 

If you need a little more help laying out your autobiography, we have free autobiography templates and free book templates to help you. 

Related: 50 Eye-Catching Autobiography Titles

15 Autobiographies to inspire your own 

Ready to get your creative juices flowing? Here are some examples of autobiography to add to your reading list. 

1. The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank

One of the best-known autobiographies, The Diary of a Young Girl, is an excellent example of a journal-style layout. Featuring the story of a young girl who is hiding during the Holocaust, aspiring writers will find inspiration in Frank’s raw emotions and candor. 

2. Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda 

A favorite of Steve Jobs, this autobiography details the author’s spiritual journey through yoga and meditation. It’s a wonderful example of how to blend the recounting of events with spiritual insights and philosophical teachings. 

3. Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela 

The former South African president wrote this stunning autobiography about his struggle against apartheid, his imprisonment, and his presidency. Aspiring autobiography writers who want to write a book about social change should read this one. 

4. The Story of My Experiments with Truth by Mahatma Gandhi

In his autobiography, Gandhi explores his philosophy of nonviolent resistance through his political and spiritual journey. Writers will appreciate this book for the way it weaves stories of personal growth into a larger narrative of social change. 

5. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou

One of several autobiographical works by Angelou, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings explores her coming-of-age experience amidst racism and a traumatic childhood. Writers should read this to hear Angelou’s powerful story and be inspired by her vivid language. 

6. The Story of My Life by Hellen Keller

Keller details her remarkable life as a deaf and blind person, sharing intimate details about her education and advocacy work. Aspiring writers will benefit from reading Keller’s sensory-rich language since she has the unique experience of navigating the world through touch.

7. The Autobiography of Malcolm X by Malcolm X

This autobiography, written in collaboration with journalist Alex Haley, tracks Malcolm X from his youth through his adulthood as a prominent activist in the civil rights movement. Read this one to learn tips and tricks for writing about your personal evolution. 

8. The Story of My Life by Clarence Darrow 

Darrow shares his experiences as a civil libertarian and prominent American Lawyer in this enlightening autobiography. Writers should read this one to learn how to build a persuasive argument in their book. 

9. Born a Crime by Trevor Noah 

South African comedian, television host, and political commentator Trevor Noah wrote this autobiography detailing his upbringing during apartheid in South Africa. This is a must-read for writers who are looking to infuse humor into their autobiographies—even when writing about heavy subjects . 

10. I am Malala by Malala Yousafzai

In her autobiography, Yousafzia recounts her tumultuous and sometimes terrifying journey advocating for equal education for girls. If you want to write your own autobiography, read this one first to learn how to bring an authentic voice to your narrative. 

11. The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom

Boom’s autobiography shares the harrowing story of her family’s efforts to hide Jews from the Nazis during World War II. Writers should read this to witness how Boom weaves a historical narrative into her life story. 

12. Agatha Christie: An Autobiography by Agatha Christie 

Renowned mystery writer Agatha Christie took time away from her suspenseful novels to write a book about herself. If you plan to write an autobiography, read Christie’s first to learn how to build a sense of intrigue. 

13. Chronicles: Volume 1 by Bob Dylan 

If you’re an artist writing your autobiography, you’ll be inspired by Dylan’s. It shares his unique perspective on the creative process in music and literature and delves into what it means to maintain your artistic vision. 

14. When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi 

This well-known autobiography may make you cry, but it’s well worth the read. Written by a surgeon as he faces a terminal illness, it’s a must-read for any author exploring themes of mortality in their writing. 

15. Dreams From My Father by Barack Obama 

This autobiography by the former U.S. president is a great read for anyone aspiring to write an autobiography that intertwines their personal story with a larger societal and political narrative. 

• 31 Best Autobiographies
• 30 Celebrity Autobiographies

What is a catchy autobiography introduction? 

Sometimes the hardest part of a new project is getting started. If you’re ready to begin writing your autobiography and need a good opener, here are some angles to consider: 

• Start by describing a childhood dream and how it influenced your journey. 
• Open with a letter to your younger self.
• Share a formative childhood memory. 
• Start with a thought-provoking question you’ll answer as your book progresses.
• Talk about an object that’s meaningful to you and tie it to a larger story about your life.

With so much inspiration and so many wonderful resources, there’s never been a better time to write your autobiography. If, after reading a few books on this list, you’re not sure where to start with yours—let us help! Just sign up for a book consultation to get started.

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How to Write an Autobiography and Tell Your Life Story

Last Updated: June 6, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Gerald Posner . Gerald Posner is an Author & Journalist based in Miami, Florida. With over 35 years of experience, he specializes in investigative journalism, nonfiction books, and editorials. He holds a law degree from UC College of the Law, San Francisco, and a BA in Political Science from the University of California-Berkeley. He’s the author of thirteen books, including several New York Times bestsellers, the winner of the Florida Book Award for General Nonfiction, and has been a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in History. He was also shortlisted for the Best Business Book of 2020 by the Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing. There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 2,297,852 times.

What's your story? Anyone who has lived a full life has something fascinating to share with the world. The trick to writing an autobiography is to treat it like any good story: it should have a protagonist (you), a central conflict, and a cast of fascinating characters to keep people engaged. You may want to think about a certain theme or idea that has been present in your daily life to revolve your story around. Read on to learn how to craft the story of your life and polish your writing to make it sing.

Writing Your Own Autobiography

Begin by contemplating and writing down some important moments in your life, and think about how they're connected to create a cohesive narrative. Start your autobiography with an engaging scene or idea that introduces readers to yourself.

Mapping Out Your Life

• Your autobiography doesn't have to begin with your birth. You may want to include some family history as well. Write down information about your ancestry, your grandparents' lives, your parents' lives, and so on. Having information about your family history will help readers get a sense of how you became the person you are.
• What happened when you were a teenager? What led you to make the decisions you made?
• Did you go to college? Write about those transitory years, too.
• Write about your career, your relationships, your children, and any big life-altering events that occurred.

• Teachers, coaches, mentors, and bosses are extremely influential in people's lives. Decide whether someone who has been a role model (or the opposite) for you will figure into your story.
• Ex-boyfriends and girlfriends might co-star in some interesting stories.
• What enemies have you had in life? Your story will be boring if you don't include some conflicts.
• Offbeat characters such as animals, celebrities you've never met, and even cities are often points of interest in an autobiography.

• The childhood story. Whether your childhood was happy or traumatic, you should include a few anecdotes that give a picture of who you were and what you experienced at the time. You can tell the story of your childhood by breaking it down into smaller anecdotes that illustrate your personality - your parents' reaction when you brought home a stray dog, the time you climbed out of the window at school and ran away for 3 days, your friendly relationship with a homeless person living in the woods… get creative.
• The coming of age story. This heady and often sensual period in a human's life is always of interest to readers. Remember that it's not about writing something unique; everyone comes of age. It's about writing something that resonates with readers.
• The falling in love story. You could also write the opposite of this, the never-finding-love story.
• The identity crisis story. This usually occurs in the 30s or 40s and is sometimes referred to as a mid-life crisis.
• The story of facing down some force of evil. Whether it's your battle with addiction, a controlling lover, or a madman who tried to kill your family, you've got to write about conflict you've experienced.

• Write as though you're opening your heart to a trusted friend, in prose that's clear, strong and not too cluttered with vocabulary words you rarely use.
• Write so that your personality is revealed. Are you funny? Intense? Spiritual? Dramatic? Don't hold back; your personality should come through in the way you tell your story.

• Don't always cast yourself in a positive light. You can have foibles and still be the protagonist. Reveal mistakes you've made and times when you've failed yourself and other people.
• Reveal your inner thoughts. Share your opinions and ideas, including those that may spark controversy. Be true to yourself through your autobiography.

Crafting a Narrative

• What's your central conflict? What's the biggest obstacle life presented that took years to overcome or come to terms with? Maybe it's an illness you were diagnosed with at an early age, a relationship wrought with turmoil, a series of career setbacks, a goal you worked for decades to achieve, or any other number of things. Look to your favorite books and movies for more examples of conflicts.
• Build tension and suspense. Structure the narrative so that you have a series of stories leading up to the climax of the conflict. If your central conflict is trying to reach the goal of competing in the Olympics for skiing, lead up to it with stories of small successes and plenty of failures. You want your readers to ask, will she make it? Can he do it? What's going to happen next?
• Have a climax. You'll get to the point in your story when it's time for the conflict to come to a head. The day of the big competition has arrived, a showdown happens with your worst enemy, your gambling habit gets the better of you and you lose all your money - you get the picture.
• End with a resolution. Most autobiographies have happy endings because the person writing the story lived to tell the tale - and hopefully get it published. Even if your ending isn't cheerful, it should be deeply satisfying. You somehow accomplished your goal or won the day. Even if you lost, you came to terms with it and gained wisdom.

• You could frame the entire autobiography with reflections from the present, telling your story through a series of flashbacks.
• You could begin the story with a poignant moment from your childhood, go backward to tell the story of your heritage, move forward to your college years, and launch into the story of your career, with anecdotes from your childhood sprinkled in for comic relief.

• Consider ending chapters on a poignant or suspenseful note, so people can't wait to start the next one.
• The beginnings of chapters are a good place to take a bird's eye view of your past, describe the setting of a place, and set the tone for what's to come.

Editing the Book

• You can stretch the truth about your own goals and intentions, but don't include fabricated conversations with real people, or altered versions of events that really happened. Of course, you won't remember everything perfectly, but you should reflect reality as best you can.
• Get permission to use people's names or quote them if you're including content on what other people said or did. Some people don't appreciate appearing as a character in someone else's autobiography, and you should respect that by altering the way you describe them or changing their names if necessary. [6] X Research source

• If several people recommend cutting a certain section, strongly consider making the cut.
• Try to get opinions from people outside your circle of family and friends. People who know you might try to spare your feelings, or they might be biased - especially if they appear in the story.

• Bossy Pants , by Tina Fey.
• My Confession , by Leo Tolstoy.
• A Long Walk to Freedom , by Nelson Mandela.
• The Sound of Laughter , by Peter Kay. [7] X Research source

Publishing Your Story

• If you don't want to pay for a publishing service, you can still create a nice copy of your book by taking it to a copy store and having it printed and bound.

• Start the query letter with an airtight blurb succinctly describing the highlights of the book. Situate your book in the correct genre, and describe what will make it stand out from the rest. Tell the agent why you think he or she is the right person to shop your book around to publishers.
• Send sample chapters to agents who show interest.
• Sign a contract with an agent you trust. Make sure to read the contract carefully and check into the agent's history before signing anything.

Agents open doors and help propel your work forward. "I'll admit that it's not easy to get an agent, but becoming successful in anything requires perseverance."

• Many publishers don't accept unsolicited manuscripts or queries. Make sure you only send letters to publishers that accept them.
• If a publisher decides to move forward with a book deal with you, you'll need to sign a contract and set up a schedule for editing, designing, proofreading, and finally publishing the book.

Writing Help

Expert Q&A

• Your biography can also include a dedication, foreword, vital statistics, chronology sheets, family tree, and epilogue. Thanks Helpful 7 Not Helpful 0
• If the purpose of your autobiography is to pass on your story to your heirs, consider including memorabilia (e.g. pictures, heirlooms, medals, mementos, letters, etc.) and putting your story in a scrapbook format. Of course, you may not be able to copy the memorabilia that accompanies your autobiography, so you still have to think about what you intend to do with your original work and other items, such as medals or bulky heirlooms. Thanks Helpful 7 Not Helpful 0
• Make your story vivid but don't get bogged down in unimportant details. While you want your autobiography to be memorable, you don't want it to be boring. Too many details—listing everyone that was at a party or trying to include all the events of each day—will bog the story down. Thanks Helpful 6 Not Helpful 1

• Be aware of what constitutes libel. If you write something defamatory or maliciously untrue about another person in an autobiography that you intend to publish, consider changing his or her name (if still living). Otherwise, you might find yourself facing a lawsuit. If you're unsure about what to change, consult a lawyer who specializes in libel. Thanks Helpful 5 Not Helpful 0

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Expert Interview

Thanks for reading our article! If you'd like to learn more about writing as a career, check out our in-depth interview with Gerald Posner .

• ↑ https://theamericanscholar.org/how-to-write-a-memoir
• ↑ https://self-publishingschool.com/how-to-write-an-autobiography/
• ↑ https://blog.reedsy.com/narrative-arc/
• ↑ https://cdn5-ss8.sharpschool.com/UserFiles/Servers/Server_222705/File/Parents%20and%20Students/Star%20Works/How%20to%20write%20an%20Autobiography.pdf
• ↑ https://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/jun/04/how-to-write-a-memoir-jeanette-winterson-and-helen-macdonald
• ↑ https://www.writersdigest.com/online-editor/defamation-and-invasion
• ↑ https://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2013/feb/07/biographies-autobiography-nielsen-2001
• ↑ https://www.pw.org/literary_agents

About This Article

To write an autobiography, start by making a timeline of your most important life events that you feel you could write about. Then, identify the main characters in your life story, including family members, ex-boyfriends or girlfriends, friends, and enemies. Once you have your cast of characters, pull life events from your timeline, such as a story from your childhood, a coming of age story, a love story, or a triumphant story. Write about these events and then connect them with a cohesive plot by writing in your own voice and being honest with the reader. To learn more about how to edit and publish your autobiography once it's finished, keep reading! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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How to Write an Autobiography: 11 Simple Steps

• February 18, 2024

Table of Contents:

What is an autobiography, how to write an autobiography.

• 1- Outline Your Life's Timeline

2- Identify the Theme

3- gather memories, 4- be honest and reflective, 5- include influential people, 6- describe settings vividly, 7- express emotions, 8- edit and revise, 9- seek feedback, 10- incorporate visuals, 11- finalize your manuscript, 6 essential elements of autobiography, 4 examples of autobiography.

• Example 1: "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
• Example 2: "The Diary of a Young Girl" by Anne Frank
• Example 3: "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou
• Example 4: "Dreams from My Father" by Barack Obama

Conclusion:

Autobiography.

Autobiography writing is when someone pens down their life story. It’s like creating a personal diary, but for everyone to read. In autobiography writing, the autobiography writers share their unique experiences and intimate memories. This type of writing allows the reader to see the author’s life and mind directly. It’s different from a biography, where another person tells your story. In an autobiography, it’s the person sharing their journey. It offers a special chance to step into their shoes and see the world from their eyes.

Find Your Focus: Beginning to write an autobiography starts with finding what to focus on. Reflect on the parts of your life that mean the most to you. Maybe it’s about your childhood days, the peaks of your career, or how you’ve grown personally. This focus acts like a compass for your writing. It makes sure your autobiography centers on the stories you find most vital. Think of it as choosing the key chapters of your life’s book you want everyone to read.

1- Outline Your Life’s Timeline

Creating a timeline is essential in writing an autobiography, akin to mapping your life’s journey. Begin from the outset, noting significant events in sequence, from birth to school days, influential people, career milestones, and more. This structured timeline serves as a guide, streamlining your narrative for clarity and coherence. It facilitates readers’ understanding, allowing them to accompany you through your life’s story. Whether documenting personal memories or delving into presidential biographies , a well-crafted timeline illuminates the path from your past to present.

Figuring out the theme is a crucial part of writing an autobiography. It’s like finding the heart of your story. What’s the big message or the most important lesson from your life? Maybe it’s about how you overcame tough times, the value of your family, or chasing your dreams. This theme adds more depth to your autobiography. It ties your various experiences together into a story that makes sense. A well-chosen theme can transform a simple list of life events into a powerful narrative that truly speaks to others.

As you embark on the journey of writing your autobiography, gathering memories is crucial. Start by collecting old photos, letters, and keepsakes reminiscent of different times. These items, akin to keys, unlock memories, aiding in recalling forgotten details and emotions. They weave together to narrate your life’s story, infusing authenticity and depth into your writing. Incorporating such pieces from your past can serve as a profound source of inspiration, alongside exploring memorable memoir examples .

Being honest and reflective is crucial when you write an autobiography. It’s not just about listing what happened in your life. You also need to think deeply about what these experiences mean to you. Being honest makes your story believable and trustworthy. At the same time, looking back thoughtfully lets you share the important lessons and understanding you’ve gained. This mix of honesty and reflection turns your autobiography into more than just a timeline of events. It becomes a deep dive into the essence of your life’s journey.

In every life story, including when you write an autobiography, key figures leave a lasting impact. It’s important to acknowledge these individuals in your writing. They could be family members, friends, mentors, or even challengers who have shaped who you are. Discuss how these people have influenced your choices, beliefs, and personal growth. Including them in your autobiography adds depth, showing how our lives are often interwoven with others, shaping us thoughtfully.

Bringing the places of your life to life is a crucial aspect when you write an autobiography. Vividly describe the settings where significant events of your life unfolded. It could be the house where you grew up, a school that was a big part of your life, or a city that left an indelible impression on you. Use your words to paint these places so that readers can see them in their minds. This level of detail makes your story more engaging and helps readers feel more connected to your journey.

As you get on the journey to write an autobiography, being open about your emotions is key. Share your feelings during the big moments of your life, whether they were filled with joyous challenges or were transformational in some way. Your emotional honesty brings another dimension to your story, making it more gripping and easier for readers to relate to. Let your readers experience your happiness, struggles, excitement, or fears. Emotions are a universal language, and sharing yours adds richness and depth to your story.

Once you’ve written your story, the next vital step in your journey to write an autobiography is editing and revising. Take a critical look at your work, focusing on clarity and impact. Simplify complex sentences, making your language easy to grasp. Ensure your storytelling is consistent and flows smoothly. Editing isn’t just about fixing grammar; it’s about fine-tuning your narrative and capturing the essence of your experiences in the most compelling way possible.

As you walk the path of writing an autobiography, seeking feedback is incredibly beneficial. Share your drafts with people you trust, those who grasp the essence of your story. This could be family members, close friends, or a writing group. Pay attention to their constructive criticism. Their insights may provide fresh perspectives or reveal areas needing improvement. Remember that feedback is invaluable for refining your story, making it more engaging and authentic.

An excellent way to enrich your autobiography is by adding visuals. Include photographs, documents, or any relevant imagery that can add a personal touch to your narrative. These visuals serve as tangible evidence of your experiences, helping to illustrate your story. They allow readers to visually connect with the people and places you describe, making your account more relatable and vivid. When you write an autobiography, remember that pictures can convey volumes.

The final step in your journey to write an autobiography is to finalize your manuscript. Review your entire story, ensuring it flows well from start to finish. Pay special attention to your conclusion – it should be strong and reflective, leaving a lasting impression on your readers. It’s your chance to summarize your life’s lessons and experiences, offering wisdom or insights from your journey. A well-crafted conclusion ties your story together beautifully.

By following these steps, one can effectively make an autobiography that is both engaging and meaningful. Along with these tips, you can also look towards biography writing services if you need help throughout your writing journey.

Honesty: When you set out to write an autobiography, being honest is key. Share your true story, the good and the bad. This honesty helps readers believe and connect with your journey, making it more real and relatable.

Detail is vital when you write an autobiography. Describe your experiences and events vividly. This brings your story to life, making it colorful and engaging for those who read it.

A clear order of events is important when you write an autobiography. It helps readers follow your story easily, understanding how your past shaped who you are today. A logical flow makes your story clearer and easy to follow.

Your autobiography should have a central theme. This is the main message or lesson from your life. A strong theme ties your experiences together, making your story more meaningful and impactful for your readers.

Sharing your feelings is essential when you write an autobiography. It lets readers connect with you on a deeper level. Your emotions make your story more powerful and touching, drawing readers into your world.

Reflecting on your experiences is a key part of an autobiography. It shows how you’ve grown and what you’ve learned. This reflection adds depth to your story, offering valuable insights and lessons to your readers.

“The Story of My Experiments with Truth” by Mahatma Gandhi: Gandhi’s autobiography isn’t just a history. It’s a journey into his beliefs and actions. Gandhi shares insights into his life’s pivotal moments, starting with his childhood. He talks about his philosophy of nonviolence and truth. This book gives us a unique look into how Gandhi thought and lived.

Example 1: “Long Walk to Freedom” by Nelson Mandela

This is the story of Nelson Mandela, a man who changed the world. Mandela grew up in a small village. He later became a symbol of peace, spending 27 years in prison. His fight against apartheid in South Africa shows us the power of resilience and hope.

Example 2: “The Diary of a Young Girl” by Anne Frank

Anne Frank’s diary is a heart-rending account of World War II. She wrote it while hiding from the Nazis. Her words bring to life her fears and dreams. This diary is more than history. It’s a powerful reminder of courage in the face of danger.

Example 3: “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” by Maya Angelou

Maya Angelou’s story is about overcoming. She faced racism and personal hardships in her early years. Her book tells how she found her voice against all odds. Angelou’s rich and expressive writing makes her experiences come alive. It’s an inspiring tale of empowerment.

Example 4: “Dreams from My Father” by Barack Obama

Before becoming president, Barack Obama wrote about his life. He talks about his diverse background and finding his identity. The book covers his early work and initial steps into politics. It offers a glimpse into the experiences that shaped his leadership. Obama’s story is about growth and understanding.

The journey to write an autobiography is not just about recording events; it’s about sharing the essence of your life story with the world. It’s a process of self-examination, discovery, and creation. Remember, your story is unique; only you can tell it with the depth and authenticity it deserves. Whether you write a biography or an autobiography, the key is to stay true to your experiences and the lessons they have taught you.

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How To Write Autobiography: A Step-by-Step Guide to Crafting Your Life Story

Charlotte Fiehn

Hey there, future memoirists and storytellers! Have you ever thought about penning down your life journey and sharing it with the world? Well, you’re in for an exciting ride! In this article, we’ll embark on a thrilling quest together, and discover how to write an autobiography that truly intrigues readers.

Why bother writing an autobiography, you might ask? Trust me; it’s more than just a collection of memories. Your life story is a treasure trove of experiences, lessons, and wisdom that can inspire and resonate with others.

By capturing and sharing your unique narrative, you have the power to touch hearts and leave a lasting impact on readers.

So, let’s dive in and unravel the key steps to craft an engaging autobiography. We’ll unearth the secrets of reflecting on personal experiences, planning and organizing your tale, crafting a compelling narrative, and so much more. Are you excited? I know I am!

Reflecting on Personal Experiences

Now that we’ve set the stage, it’s time to delve into the heart of your autobiography — your personal experiences.

To paint a vivid picture of your life, we’ll start with some self-reflection. Take a moment to sit back, close your eyes, and let the memories wash over you like gentle waves on the shore.

Identifying those key moments and experiences that have shaped you is crucial. It’s like choosing the brightest stars in the night sky — the ones that guide your readers through the tapestry of your life.

Think about the milestones, challenges, triumphs, and turning points that have defined who you are today.

But don’t worry if you find yourself overwhelmed by the vast sea of memories. We have a lifeboat for you!

By selecting the most significant events, you’ll ensure that your autobiography remains focused and engaging, avoiding the risk of drowning readers in a deluge of details.

To help you navigate these waters, here are some prompts and exercises to stir the waters of memory.

- Recall your earliest childhood memory — the one that sparks joy or a sense of wonder. - Ponder on the obstacles you’ve overcome — the mountains you’ve climbed. - Consider the people who’ve had a profound impact on your life — the mentors, friends, or even chance encounters that changed your course.

Take your time with this process; it’s a voyage of self-discovery. And remember, there are no wrong answers here, only the tapestry of your unique experiences waiting to be woven into words.

Read Also: Clarity of Writing — Techniques to Master the Art

Planning and Organizing

Ahoy, fellow writers! Now that we’ve gathered the treasures of your life experiences, it’s time to chart our course for organizing them into a captivating autobiography. Just like a skilled cartographer, you have multiple options to map out your narrative.

One approach is the tried-and-true chronological arrangement. It’s like following a well-marked trail from your earliest memories to the present day, allowing readers to witness your growth and transformation along the way. This method provides a natural flow, making it easy for readers to immerse themselves in your life’s journey.

However, if you’re feeling adventurous, you might opt for a thematic arrangement. Think of it as creating islands of memories, grouped by themes like love, loss, resilience, or adventures.

This way, you can explore your experiences more deeply, weaving a tapestry of emotions and insights that transcend time.

Now, let’s talk about our trusty compass — a well-crafted outline or storyboard. This invaluable tool will guide you through uncharted waters, ensuring your autobiography stays on course and avoids wandering into the abyss of writer’s block. With a clear plan in hand, you’ll know where each event fits, creating a seamless and captivating narrative flow.

Don’t underestimate the power of this navigational aid. Your outline will be the lighthouse that keeps your writing on track, helping you avoid getting lost in the vast ocean of memories. It gives you the flexibility to adjust your course as you go, making sure each chapter aligns with your overarching vision.

Crafting the Narrative

As we sail further into the seas of autobiography writing, we encounter a powerful beacon — the art of storytelling. Your autobiography isn’t just a collection of events; it’s a narrative that draws readers into your world.

Imagine you’re the captain of a ship, and your readers are the crew. You must keep them enthralled and invested in your tale from the very first sentence. How? By weaving your life’s moments into a rich tapestry of emotions, dialogue, and sensory details that transport them to the heart of your experiences.

Vivid descriptions are like a treasure map, guiding your readers through the landscapes of your memories. Paint pictures with words, so they can see, hear, taste, and feel everything you felt. Engage all their senses, and they’ll be right there beside you, experiencing the highs and lows of your journey.

But what’s a good story without compelling storytelling? Enchant your readers with your narrative voice, making them feel like they’re sitting by a crackling fire, listening to your life’s saga. Show, don’t just tell, and let your words breathe life into each moment, making them dance and leap off the page.

And here’s the secret ingredient: emotions. Embrace them and let them flow freely through your writing. Whether it’s joy, sorrow, fear, or triumph, your emotions add depth and resonance to your autobiography. Open your heart and let your readers feel the full spectrum of human experience.

Don’t forget the power of dialogue, either! Conversations bring your characters to life, adding authenticity and dimension to your narrative. They allow readers to eavesdrop on your journey, forging a deeper connection with you and the people who’ve shared your life.

Portraying Characters and Relationships

When it comes to portraying yourself, be bold and honest. Don’t shy away from your flaws, for they add depth and relatability to your character.

Share your vulnerabilities and triumphs, painting a complete and authentic picture of who you are. Embrace your growth and transformations, as they showcase the journey of a real and dynamic individual.

Now, let’s hoist the flag of authenticity high, for the characters in your autobiography must leap off the pages with life. Bring them to life through rich characterization — paint their personalities with vivid strokes. Show their quirks, dreams, and motivations, making them breathe like living souls within your story.

Dialogue is a powerful tool for character development. Let your characters speak for themselves, for their words reveal their essence. Create conversations that are natural and true to their personalities, adding depth and dimension to each interaction.

Yet, as we traverse these character-filled waters, let’s not forget the importance of sensitivity. Many of these characters are real people, individuals who’ve shared their lives with you.

Be respectful and considerate when depicting them. Seek permission where needed and handle their stories with care. Remember, their experiences are intertwined with yours, and their portrayal impacts their lives too.

Respect the privacy of those who may not wish to be featured prominently in your tale. While sharing your journey, be mindful of others’ emotions and perspectives.

Authenticity doesn’t mean revealing everything; it means revealing truthfully and with empathy.

Read Also: Mindfulness Writing Prompts

Themes, Lessons, and Reflections

Incorporating themes and lessons throughout your autobiography adds a powerful layer of meaning to your narrative. Themes act as guiding stars, providing cohesion and purpose to your story. They give readers a glimpse into the core values that have shaped your choices and actions, revealing the moral compass that guided you through life’s trials and triumphs.

Reflection is the key to unlock these gems. Take a moment to pause and ponder your personal growth and insights gained from life experiences. What lessons have you learned along the way? What wisdom do you wish to pass on to others? Reflecting on these questions allows you to distill the essence of your journey, offering profound insights to your readers.

As you weave these reflections into your narrative, let your emotions flow freely. Share your joys and sorrows, your victories and defeats. Vulnerability fosters connection, and your honesty will resonate with readers, reminding them of their own shared experiences.

Now, let’s unfurl the sails of universality. The most compelling autobiographies are not just about one person’s life; they transcend the individual and touch the hearts of readers from all walks of life. How? By connecting with universal themes and relatable lessons that resonate across cultures, generations, and backgrounds.

These themes act as bridges, linking your experiences to those of your readers. They create empathy and understanding, allowing others to see themselves in your journey. Whether it’s love, resilience, loss, or hope, tapping into universal themes strengthens the bond between you and your audience.

Editing and Revising

As we set anchor in the harbor of editing and revising — a crucial stage in the journey of crafting your autobiography! Now that you’ve penned down your tale, it’s time to hoist the flag of perfection and fine-tune your narrative to ensure clarity and coherence.

Editing and revising are like polishing the treasure you’ve discovered. It’s the process of refining your raw gem into a sparkling jewel.

This stage allows you to step back and view your work with a discerning eye, ensuring that every word, sentence, and paragraph serves a purpose in telling your story.

Refining language is the compass that guides readers through your autobiography. Eliminate any redundancies or unnecessary clutter that might distract from your narrative.

Choose precise and powerful words to evoke emotions and create vivid images in the minds of your readers.

Smooth sailing requires a flowing narrative, and that’s where improving the flow comes in. Ensure that your story progresses seamlessly like a calm river gently carrying readers from one chapter to the next transitioning between events and ideas gracefully, maintaining a harmonious rhythm throughout.

But remember, no captain sails alone! Seek the counsel of trusted readers — friends, family, or fellow writers — who can offer valuable feedback.

They can provide a fresh perspective, catching inconsistencies or areas that may need further development. Embrace their insights and constructive criticism with an open heart; it’s all part of perfecting your work.

If you’re ready to hoist your sails even higher, consider hiring a professional editor. A skilled editor is like a seasoned navigator who can spot the hidden reefs and steer you clear of potential hazards. They’ll ensure that your autobiography is shipshape, ready to embark on its grand voyage.

Editing and revising are the anchors that stabilize your autobiography, giving it the finesse and polish it deserves. Embrace this stage with enthusiasm and dedication, and you’ll watch your work transform into a literary treasure.

Overcoming Challenges and Celebrating Achievements

One common challenge you will face when writing your autobiography is the treacherous sea of self-doubt. The doubt that whispers in your ear, questioning if your story is worth telling.

But remember, every life is a treasure trove of experiences, and your unique journey holds the power to inspire and resonate with others. Embrace your voice, for it is as unique as a seashell on a distant shore.

Another challenge is the relentless waves of writer’s block. At times, inspiration may seem elusive, but fear not, for it shall return.

When the winds of creativity seem calm, take a break and recharge your sails. Seek inspiration in nature, art, or the stories of others.

And when the tides of creativity rise again, ride them with enthusiasm, and let the words flow.

Perseverance is the anchor that keeps you steadfast in turbulent waters. The writing process can be long and challenging, but remember why you set sail on this journey in the first place.

Stay focused on the destination — the completion of your autobiography. Take it one page at a time, and you’ll steadily advance toward your goal.

To stay motivated, celebrate each milestone as a treasure found. Completing a chapter, reaching a word count target, or receiving positive feedback from readers are all reasons to rejoice.

Reward yourself with a moment of respite, a treat, or a simple pat on the back. Celebrate your achievements, no matter how small, for they propel you forward on this grand adventure.

And when the final page is written, and your autobiography is complete, take a moment to bask in the glow of accomplishment.

You’ve embarked on a brave journey, facing challenges head-on, and crafting a masterpiece of your life’s tale.

Celebrate your courage, dedication, and perseverance, for you are now a captain of words and memories.

Read Also: The Power of Writing: Unleash Your Creative Potential

In conclusion, writing an autobiography is a rewarding journey filled with self-discovery and meaningful storytelling.

By reflecting on our experiences, planning diligently, and embracing the art of storytelling, we can create captivating narratives that connect with readers on a profound level.

So, let us all embark on this autobiographical adventure, sharing our unique stories with the world and celebrating the power of the written word. Happy writing and bon voyage!

Written by Charlotte Fiehn

Student, freelance writer and busy mom of two

Text to speech

How to write an Autobiography

A Complete Guide to Writing an Autobiography

A quick scan of the bestseller lists will quickly reveal that we are obsessed with the lives of other people.

Books by and about actors, politicians, and sports stars regularly top the charts as we seek to catch a glimpse into the lives of remarkable people.

While many of these books are written by professional writers after meticulous research ( biographies ), just as many are written by the person themselves (autobiographies) – albeit often with a ghostwriter’s help.

Today we are going to show you how to write an autobiography that tells a great life story.

WHAT IS AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY?

Autobiography is a subcategory of the biography genre and, strictly speaking, it’s a life story written by the subject themselves.

Autobiographies are sometimes confused with memoirs and it’s no surprise as the two share many features in common. For example, both are written in the first person and contain details of the subject’s life.

However, some clear distinctions can be made between the two.

For example, a memoir usually explores a specific period of a person’s life, whereas an autobiography tends to make an account of the person’s life from their earliest years right up to the time of writing.

Autobiographies aren’t just the preserve of the celebrities among us though, each of our lives is a story in and of itself. Whether or not it’s a good story will depend largely on the telling, which is what this article is all about.

A COMPLETE UNIT ON TEACHING BIOGRAPHIES

Teach your students to write AMAZING BIOGRAPHIES & AUTOBIOGRAPHIES using proven RESEARCH SKILLS and WRITING STRATEGIES .

• Understand the purpose of both forms of biography.
• Explore the language and perspective of both.
• Prompts and Challenges to engage students in writing a biography.
• Dedicated lessons for both forms of biography.
• Biographical Projects can expand students’ understanding of reading and writing a biography.
• A COMPLETE 82-PAGE UNIT – NO PREPARATION REQUIRED.

  WHAT ARE THE MAIN FEATURES OF AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY?

Once students have a good grasp of what an autobiography is, we need to ensure they are familiar with the main features of the genre before they begin writing.

Let’s take a look at some of the main technical elements of an autobiography:

Purpose of an Autobiography:

To give an account of the person’s life so far

Tense: Mostly written in the past tense, but usually ends in the present tense and sometimes shifts into the future tense at the very end.

Structure of an Autobiography:

●     Usually written in chronological order

●     Uses time connectives such as before, then, after that, finally, etc

●     Uses the names of real people and events

●     Is specific about times, dates, places, etc

●     Includes personal memories and specific details and descriptions

●     Reflects on how positive and negative experiences shaped the author

●     Gives an insight into the thoughts, feelings, and hopes of the author

●     May include some relevant photographs

●     Usually ends with a commentary on life, reflections on significant large events, and hopes and plans for the future.

When teaching these specific features, you may wish to compile a checklist with the students that they can subsequently use to assist them when writing their autobiography.

PRACTICAL ACTIVITY:

One great way to help your students to internalize the main features of the genre is to encourage them to read lots of autobiographies. Instruct the students to be conscious of the different features discussed above and to identify them in the autobiography as they read.

If you have compiled a checklist together, students can check off the features they come across as they read.

When they have finished reading, students should consider which features were well done in the book and which were missing or had room for improvement.

TIPS FOR WRITING A GREAT AUTOBIOGRAPHY

As we know, there is more to a genre of writing than just ticking off the main features from a checklist.

To write well takes time and practice, as well as familiarity with the features of the genre. Each genre of writing makes different demands on our skills as a writer and autobiography are no different.

Below, we will look at a step-by-step process for how students can best approach the task of writing their autobiography, along with some helpful hints and tips to polish things up.

Let’s get started!

 HOW TO START AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY WRITING TIPS:

Tip #1: brainstorm your autobiography.

The structure of an autobiography is somewhat obvious; it starts at the beginning of the subject’s life, works its way through the middle, and ends in the present day.

However, there’s a lot in a life. Some of it will be fascinating from a reader’s point of view and some of it not so much. Students will need to select which events, anecdotes, and incidents to include and which to leave out.

Before they begin this selection process in earnest, they need to dump out the possibilities onto the page through the process of brainstorming. Students should write down any ideas and sketches of memories that might be suitable onto the page.

While they needn’t write trivial memories that they know definitely won’t make the cut, they should not set the bar so high that they induce writer’s block.

They can remove the least interesting episodes when making the final selection later in the writing process. The main thing at this stage is the generation and accumulation of ideas.

TIP #2: CREATE AN OUTLINE OF YOUR AUTOBIOGRAPHY

After students have selected the most compelling episodes from their brainstorming session, they’ll need to organize them into the form of an outline.

One good way to do this is to lay them out chronologically on a simple timeline. Looking at the episodes in such a visual way can help the students to construct a narrative that leads from the student’s earliest childhood right through to the present day.

Students need to note that an autobiography isn’t just the relating of a series of life events in chronological order. They’ll need to identify themes that link the events in their autobiography together.

Themes are the threads that we weave between the cause and effect of events to bring shape and meaning to a life. They touch on the motivation behind the actions the author takes and fuel the development growth of the person.

Some themes that might be identified in an outline for an autobiography might include:

●     Overcoming adversity

●     Adjusting to a new life

●     Dealing with loss

●     The importance of friendship

●     The futility of revenge

●     The redemptive power of forgiveness.

These themes are the big ideas of a person’s life story. They represent how the events shape the person who is now sitting writing their story. For students to gain these insights will require the necessary time and space for some reflection.

For this reason, autobiography writing works well as a project undertaken over a longer period such as several weeks.

TIP #3: DO THE BACKGROUND RESEARCH ON YOUR AUTOBIOGRAPHY

Even though no one knows more about the topic of an autobiography than the author, research is still a necessary part of the writing process for autobiographies.

Using the outline they have created, students will need to flesh out some of the details of key events by speaking to others, especially when writing about their earliest experiences.

The most obvious resources will be parents and other family members who were privy to the joys of babyhood and their earliest childhood.

However, friends and ex-teachers make excellent sources of information too. They will enable the student to get a different perspective on something they remember, helping to create a more rounded view of past events.

For older and more advanced students, they may even wish to do some research regarding historical and cultural happenings in the wider society during the period they’re writing about. This will help to give depth and poignancy to their writing as they move up and down the ladder of abstraction from the personal to the universal and back again.

When students make the effort to draw parallels between their personal experiences and the world around them, they help to bridge the gap between author and reader creating a more intimate connection that enhances the experience for the reader.

TIP #4: FIND YOUR VOICE

Students need to be clear that autobiography is not mere personal history written dispassionately and subjectively.

For their autobiography to work, they’ll need to inject something of themselves into their writing. Readers of autobiography especially are interested in getting to know the inner workings of the writer.

There is a danger, however. Given that autobiographers are so close to their material, they must be careful not to allow their writing to denigrate into a sentimental vomit. To counter this danger, the student author needs to find a little perspective on their experiences, and following the previous tip regarding research will help greatly here.

A more daunting obstacle for the student can lie in the difficulties they face when trying to find their voice in their writing. This isn’t easy. It takes time and it takes lots of writing practice.

However, there are some simple, helpful strategies students can use to help them discover their authentic voice in their writing quickly.

1. Write to a close friend or family member

All writing is written to be read – with the possible exception of journals and diaries. The problem is that if the student is too conscious of the reader, they can find themselves playing to the audience and getting away from what it is they’re trying to express. Showboating can replace the honesty that is such a necessary part of good writing.

A useful trick to help students overcome this hurdle is to tell them to imagine they are writing their autobiography to an intimate friend or family member. Someone who makes them feel comfortable in their skin when they are around. Students should write like they’re writing to that person to who they can confide their deepest secrets. This will give their writing an honest and intimate tone that is very engaging for the reader.

2. Read the writing out loud

It’s no accident that we talk about the writer’s ‘voice’. We recognize the actual voice of people we know from its many qualities, from its timbre, tone, pacing, accent, word choice, etc. Writing is much the same in this regard.

One great way to help students detect whether their writing captures their authentic voice is to have them read it out loud, or listen to a recording of their work read out loud.

While we don’t necessarily write exactly as we speak – we have more time to craft what we say – we will still be able to recognize whether or not the writing sounds like us, or whether it’s filled with affectation.

As the student listens to their own words, encourage them to ask the following questions:

●     Does this sound like me?

●     Do the words sound natural in my voice?

●     Do I believe in the events related and how they were related?

Finding their real voice in their writing will help students imbue their writing with honesty and personality that readers love.

TIP #5: DRAFT, REDRAFT AND REFINE YOUR AUTOBIOGRAPHY

In the first draft, the brushstrokes will be large and broad, sweeping through the key events. The main notes of the tune will be there but with sometimes too much ornamentation and, at other times, not enough. This is why redrafting is an essential part of the writing process.

Students should understand that every piece of writing needs redrafting, editing , and proofreading to be at its best. There are no masterpieces full-borne into the world in a single draft.

For many, the tightening-up of a piece will involve the merciless cutting out of dead words. But, for some, the redrafting and refining process will demand the adding of more description and detail.

For most, however, it’ll be a little from column A and a little from column B.

Often, it’s difficult for students to get the necessary perspective on their work to be able to spot structural, grammar , punctuation, and spelling errors. In these instances, it can be best to enrol the eyes of a friend or family member in the role of editor or critic.

One effective way of doing this in class is to organize the students into pairs of editing buddies who edit each other’s work in a reciprocal arrangement.

These ‘edit swaps’ can be continued through to the proofreading stage and the final, polished piece.

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A Final Thought

Employing the 5 tips above will go a long way to ensuring a well-written and engaging autobiography.

While autobiography is a nonfiction genre, it is clear that with its emphasis on narrative, it has much in common with other fictional genres. So, it’s important when teaching autobiography that students learn to recognize the important role of storytelling in this genre too.

As with all good story-telling, there are some necessary elements to include, including a plot of sorts, a cast of characters, and an exploration of some central themes. For this reason, teaching autobiography often works well after the students have completed a unit on fictional story writing.

When all is said and done, the best way a student can ensure their autobiography is worth a read is to ensure they find the story within their own life.

After all, we’re obsessed with the lives of other people.

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How to Write a Memoir: Everything You Need to Know

Have you ever thought about telling your life story? 

An autobiography is like a special book about you – your experiences, ups, downs, and everything in between. 

But when it comes to autobiography writing , putting it all into words, it can feel a bit tricky, especially for students like you.

In this blog, we're here to help you understand what an autobiography is all about and make it easier for you to write one with the help of examples. 

We'll dive into practical examples and autobiography templates to help you see how it's done. 

So, let's dive in!

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• 1. Memoir Vs Autobiography Example 
• 2. Autobiography Outline Examples
• 3. How to Write an Autobiography - Examples
• 4. Autobiography Examples for Students
• 5. Personal Autobiography Examples
• 6. Famous Autobiography Examples

Memoir Vs Autobiography Example 

Memoirs and autobiographies both delve into personal experiences, but they have their own styles and purposes. 

Let’s jump into example to see what is the actual difference between memoir and autobiography:

Memoir Vs Autobiography Example PDf

Autobiography Outline Examples

Any academic or professional writing needs to follow a proper format to organize the information. And an outline is the best way to follow the proper format. It helps you organize your information and structure your data into a proper format.

Here are some autobiography outline examples to help you learn the basics of the autobiography format .

Autobiography Outline for College - Example

Autobiography Sample Outline

How to Write an Autobiography - Examples

As we have mentioned earlier, there are as many stories as there are people on earth. Each of the stories is different from the others; no two of them could be the same. 

How you present your ideas really matters. That's why using the right strategies and the correct format is essential to make your writing creative.

It is important to know the difference between autobiography and biography . These examples will help you learn how to start an autobiography that leaves a good impression on the reader’s mind.

Autobiography Sample PDF

Writing an Autobiography - Example

Autobiography Examples for Students

An autobiography is your life story. If your teacher tells you to write one, they just want to hear about your life. Even if you think your story isn't super exciting, following the structure can make it work better.

These autobiography examples for students will help you understand how you can properly format the autobiography.

Autobiography Examples for Kids 

School is a time of discovery, and what better way to explore your own journey than through the lens of an autobiography? Here are some great autobiography examples crafted specifically for kids.

Autobiography Examples Ks2

Autobiography Examples For Grade 7

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Short Autobiography Example for Students

Here is a sample of a short autobiography for you. Give it a good read and learn how to write an excellent short autobiography.

Short Autobiography for Students - Example

High School Autobiography Example

Check out this sample and learn to write an incredible  autobiography for  high school students.

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Spiritual Autobiography Example for College Students

Spiritual autobiographies give a glimpse into the spiritual person's life. Have a look at the following sample spiritual autobiography and give it a good read to learn more.

Spiritual Autobiography for College Students - Example

Cultural Autobiography Examples 

Here is a sample of a cultural autobiography that contains detailed information on culture. Have a look at the sample to know more about it.

Cultural Autobiography Examples

Funny Autobiography Examples 

Autobiographies are thought to be boring and mundane, but that is not the case. You can make an interesting story, as well as funny. Learn to write a funny autobiography by this example.

Funny Autobiography Examples

Educational Autobiography Example

Here is a sample educational autobiography that will help you formulate an effective and inspiring autobiography.

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Social Class Autobiography Example

Writing a social class or sociology assignment could be a bit difficult. This sample will help you work on yours easily.

Rambling Autobiography Examples

Rambling autobiographies are like a casual conversation with a friend, where stories unfold in their own unique way. 

Let’s jump into some fascinating examples about this type of autobiography:

Personal Autobiography Examples

Personal autobiography or personal narrative essay provides a complete picture of the author’s life story. The following personal autobiography demonstrates how to write a personal narrative autobiography.

Personal Narrative Autobiography - Example

Autobiography Examples for Students About Yourself

Famous Autobiography Examples

Autobiographical essays are usually about famous people or historical figures. Just as a renowned autobiography of Benjamin Franklin tells us about his life, his unfinished records, his accomplishments, etc.

Below are some examples of famous autobiographies for your better understanding:

Famous Literacy Autobiography Example

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All in all, we have explored different examples, like understanding what makes memoirs different from autobiographies and exploring rambling ones. These examples are like guides to help you tell your own story and maybe inspire others on your writing journey. 

So, go ahead, give it a try, and have fun telling your unique tale.

And if you need assistance you can always reach out to us!

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How to Write an Autobiography – Tips and Examples

Writing an autobiography can both be fun and a headache for students. Fun for those who know how to go about this art and a headache for those who are working on it for the first time. Plus, writing a great biography is a whole different thing!

This expert guide is for both of these types of students to learn writing a great biography. It means that we will be looking into things from the very basics. Slowly we’ll move into the examples to ensure you bag all the goodies of this academic activity.

Pretty sure this blog post will serve as a stepping stone for you to write an autobiography like an expert working with a  professional paper writing service  online. So, without further ado, let’s learn how to write an autobiography.

Table of Contents

What Challenges a Student Faces While Writing an Autobiography?

The only time students will love the word autobiography is when it’s the occasion of the autobiography of students. Students often face these obstacles while writing an autobiography:

Selecting relevant events

Figuring out what to include and what to leave out of your life story can be tough because there’s a wide array of experiences.

Maintaining objectivity

Staying neutral and accurately reporting on events, especially when the subject matter is intense or delicate.One of the common challenges a student face when asked how to write an autobiography. 

Structuring the narrative

Deciding to arrange a life story can be difficult, like deciding what would be the most interesting way to keep readers engaged. The best you could do is to go through a comprehensive math autobiography example or some teacher biography examples.

Balancing depth and brevity

Make sure the story is interesting enough to keep the reader’s attention without making it too long.

Reflecting on personal growth

It can be hard for some students to figure out how to recognize their own growth and understand how certain experiences have shaped who they are.

Tips and Tricks on How to Write an Autobiography

Writing an autobiography is a deeply personal and rewarding endeavor that allows you to recount your life’s journey. Here are some tips for writing an autobiography from  professional research paper writers  to help you get started with this academic activity.

Reflect and Plan

Reflect:  Take some time to think about your life and all the important moments that have happened. Think about any big changes, difficult times, accomplishments, the people you have relationships with, and any moments that have had a big impact.

Reflecting on your life involves introspection and contemplation of various aspects that have shaped your experiences and identity. Here’s a breakdown of what each element might entail:

• Significant Events
• Turning Points
• Relationships

Themes:  Think about what big takeaways have come out of your life so far. What has been the defining moments that have formed who you are? What values, beliefs, and characteristics have been the most impactful?

Outline Your Story (Autobiography Format)

Chronological or Thematic: Think about whether you want to tell your story in chronological order or if you’d rather group it by topics (like family, work, or hobbies).

Deciding between a chronological narrative and organizing by themes involves choosing the structure that best suits the story you want to tell in your autobiography. Here’s an elaboration on both approaches:

Chronological Narrative

Sequential Storytelling: This structure follows a timeline, starting from your earliest memories and progressing chronologically through your life.

A chronological narrative in an autobiography essentially mirrors the passage of time in your life. For a better understanding, it’s good to go through some educational autobiography examples for understanding, Anyways, here’s a more detailed exploration:

Linear Progression

Starting Point: It begins with your earliest memories or significant starting point, like your birthplace or a crucial childhood event.

Sequential Order: Each chapter or section moves forward in time, capturing the progression of your life events in the order they occurred.

Early Years

Childhood Memories: You might start by narrating your formative years, family dynamics, early interests, and influential experiences.

Educational Journey: Describe schooling, friendships, hobbies, and pivotal moments that shaped your adolescence.

Adolescence to Adulthood

Transition Phases: Highlight transitional phases like moving to a new place, major life decisions, career choices, or relationships.

Career Development: Discuss your career path, internships, jobs, promotions, and how they contributed to your growth.

Milestones and Challenges

Major Events: Include significant life milestones such as marriage, parenthood, significant achievements, or personal triumphs.

Challenges Faced: Address hardships, obstacles, failures, or crises that shaped your resilience and personal development. A very important aspect of autobiography format. 

Reflective Closure

Present-Day Reflection:  Culminate by bringing the narrative to the present, reflecting on how past experiences shaped your present self.

Lessons Learned:  Offer insights, lessons, and takeaways from the chronological journey, emphasizing personal growth.

Logical Flow:  The linear structure creates a cohesive and understandable flow for readers, mapping your life’s journey in a clear sequence.

Developmental Arc:  It showcases your growth, experiences, and evolution over time, providing a comprehensive view of your life.

Detail Management:  Balancing depth without overwhelming readers with too much detail can be challenging.

Transition Management:  Seamlessly transitioning between different life stages might require careful narrative planning.

Clear Progression:  It provides a clear and straightforward account of your life, from childhood to the present.

Natural Flow:  Readers can follow the natural progression of events, which can create a cohesive and easy-to-understand narrative.

Considerations

Detail Overload:  It might lead to including every detail, potentially making the story lengthy or overwhelming.

Skipping Around:  Some events might need flashbacks or explanations, disrupting the linear flow.

Thematic Organization

Focused Themes:  This structure categorizes your life events and stories into specific themes or topics, regardless of their chronological order.

Advantages:

Focused Exploration:  Allows in-depth exploration of specific themes like family, career, passions, or personal growth.

Flexibility:  You can organize chapters around topics that are most meaningful or impactful to your story.

Possible Fragmentation:  It may involve jumping back and forth in time, potentially disrupting the sense of a continuous narrative.

Transition Challenges:  Smooth transitions between themes might require careful planning to maintain coherence.

Key Chapters:  Break your life into chapters or sections. For instance, childhood, education, career, relationships, personal growth, etc.

Start Writing

Engaging Opening:  Grab attention with a compelling introduction. Share a vivid memory or an impactful moment from your life.

Authentic Voice:  Write in your own voice. Be honest, sincere, and authentic. Readers connect with genuine stories.

Dialogue and Detail:  Use dialogue, anecdotes, and sensory details to bring your story to life. Describe scenes, emotions, and thoughts.

Include Important Elements

Family Background:  Discuss your family history, upbringing, and early influences.

Life Events:  Detail significant life events – pivotal moments, achievements, setbacks, and how they shaped you.

Challenges and Growth:  Describe challenges faced and how you overcame them. Reflect on personal growth and lessons learned.

Relationships:  Discuss meaningful relationships and their impact on your life.

Career or Passion:  Share insights into your career, passions, hobbies, and what drives you.

Be Reflective and Honest

Emotions:  Don’t shy away from expressing your emotions. Your vulnerability can resonate deeply with readers.

Honesty:  Be honest, even if it means acknowledging mistakes or regrets. Show your growth and learning from these experiences.

Editing and Refining

First Draft:  Write freely without worrying too much about perfection.

Revise and Edit:  Review your work critically. Edit for clarity, coherence, and flow. Consider seeking feedback from trusted individuals.

Refinement:  Polish your language, structure, and storytelling.

Closing and Reflection

Conclusion:  Wrap up your autobiography with a reflective conclusion. Summarize key points and reflect on your journey.

Impact:  Consider the message or impact you want to leave on readers.

Optional Additions

Photographs or Memorabilia:  Consider including photos, documents, or mementos that complement your story.

Epilogue:  Add an epilogue if you wish to reflect on life after the events covered in your autobiography.

Seeking Help

Professional Assistance:  Consider hiring a professional editor or an  essay writing service  online to help refine your work.

Understanding these Steps with Examples

let’s read examples of how someone might approach writing their autobiography following these steps:

Reflecting and Planning

Reflection: Emily, now in her 60s, reminisces on a life of varied experiences, including growing up in a small town, pursuing a career in education, and her adventures traveling the world.

Themes: She realizes her life has been about embracing change, fostering learning, and exploring diverse cultures.

Outlining Your Story

Chapters: Emily decides to structure her autobiography into sections: Early Years and Family, Academic Pursuits, Teaching Career, Travel Adventures, and Personal Growth.

 Start Writing

Engaging Opening: Emily begins with a poignant memory of her first day at school, capturing the innocence and curiosity that shaped her thirst for knowledge.

Authentic Voice: Writing in a reflective yet conversational style, she shares her anecdotes and life lessons candidly.

 Including Important Elements

Family Background: She delves into her family dynamics, emphasizing the influence of her parents’ encouragement in fostering her love for learning.

Life Events: Emily shares pivotal moments, like her decision to pursue education and her journey as a teacher, narrating both triumphs and challenges.

Challenges and Growth: She reflects on personal struggles, including times of self-doubt and how these instances spurred her to seek personal growth and resilience.

Relationships: She discusses the impact of friendships and mentors on her life’s direction.

Being Reflective and Honest

Emily dives into her emotions, describing the exhilaration of accomplishment and the weight of failure with equal honesty, showcasing her vulnerability.

First Draft: Emily writes freely, allowing memories and experiences to flow onto paper.

Revise and Edit: She revisits her draft, refining the narrative for coherence, adding descriptive details, and polishing language for clarity.

Conclusion: Emily wraps up with reflections on her journey, expressing gratitude for the lessons learned and the richness of experiences.

Impact: She hopes her story will inspire others to embrace change, cherish learning, and explore the world around them.

Photographs or Memorabilia: Emily considers including photos from her travels and teaching career to complement her narrative.

Emily might reach out to a trusted friend or professional editor for feedback and guidance.

Reflection: James, a man in his 40s, looks back on a life filled with entrepreneurial pursuits, global travels, and personal growth stemming from his multicultural upbringing.

Themes: His life has been about innovation, embracing diversity, and the pursuit of self-discovery.

Chapters: James organizes his autobiography into sections: Early Years and Multicultural Roots, Entrepreneurial Ventures, Travel Adventures, Personal Challenges, and Discoveries.

Engaging Opening: James begins with a vivid memory of a childhood trip abroad, highlighting the exposure to diverse cultures that shaped his worldview.

Authentic Voice: Writing in a dynamic and spirited tone, he captures his passion for entrepreneurship and cultural exploration.

Family Background: James delves into his upbringing in a multicultural household, emphasizing how it influenced his perspective and fueled his entrepreneurial spirit.

Life Events: He shares stories of launching his first business, the challenges faced, and the triumphs that followed, shaping his identity as an entrepreneur.

Challenges and Growth: James narrates personal setbacks, like business failures and moments of self-doubt, revealing how these experiences fostered resilience and personal growth.

Relationships: He discusses influential friendships and mentors who played pivotal roles in shaping his career and personal development.

James bares his emotions, describing the exhilaration of success and the humbling experiences of failure with authenticity.

Step 6: 

First Draft: James writes freely, letting memories and experiences flow onto the pages.

Revise and Edit: He revisits his draft, refining the narrative for coherence, adding vivid details, and ensuring his voice shines through.

Step 7: 

Conclusion: James wraps up by reflecting on the lessons learned, expressing gratitude for the journey, and discussing plans for the future.

Impact: He hopes his story will inspire others to pursue their passions, embrace diversity, and persist in the face of challenges.

Photographs or Memorabilia: James considers including images from his business ventures and travels to complement his storytelling.

Step 9: 

James might seek feedback from peers or a professional editor to refine his narrative further.

Step 10: 

He contemplates sharing his autobiography as a motivational tool for aspiring entrepreneurs or leaving it as a legacy for his family.

Reflection: Emma, a woman in her early 50s, looks back on a life filled with corporate success but felt a void in her creative spirit.

Themes: Her journey revolves around rediscovering her passion for art and creativity amid the demands of a corporate career.

Chapters: Emma organizes her autobiography into sections: Early Ambitions, Corporate Career, Creative Spark Ignited, Challenges Faced, and Artistic Renaissance.

Engaging Opening: Emma begins with a poignant memory of her childhood, reminiscing about her love for painting and how it slowly took a backseat in pursuit of a corporate career.

Authentic Voice: Writing with a blend of nostalgia and determination, she expresses her yearning to reconnect with her artistic side.

Family Background: Emma shares how her family supported her creative pursuits early in life and how those experiences shaped her aspirations.

Life Events: She narrates the story of climbing the corporate ladder, the sacrifices made, and the disconnect she felt from her artistic self.

Challenges and Growth: Emma discusses the challenges faced when trying to rekindle her artistic passion amidst a busy career and how these hurdles became stepping stones to personal growth.

Relationships: She reflects on how friends and mentors encouraged her to pursue her passion and offered support during her transition.

Emma candidly expresses her emotions, describing the fulfillment she found in her corporate success but also the emptiness from neglecting her artistic side.

First Draft: Emma pours her emotions onto the pages, capturing her journey from career-driven to creatively inspired.

Revise and Edit: She revisits her draft, refining the narrative to ensure it resonates with readers, capturing the emotional essence of her journey.

Conclusion: Emma concludes by reflecting on the newfound joy in her creative pursuits, expressing gratitude for the journey, and discussing the importance of balancing passion with career.

Impact: She aims to inspire others to seek and nurture their passions, even amidst demanding professional lives.

Step 8: 

Artwork or Creative Works: Emma considers including samples of her artwork or creative projects to supplement her narrative.

Emma seeks feedback from fellow artists or a writing coach to ensure her narrative effectively conveys the emotional and transformative aspects of her journey.

Tips on how to Start an Autobiography

Starting an autobiography is an exciting but crucial step in setting the tone and capturing your readers’ attention. Here’s a detailed guide on starting an autobiography well.

1. Identify Your Focus

Reflection: Think about the most important thing in your life that you want to talk about. It could be a big event that happened, a moment that changed your life, something that made you feel something or a core belief that shapes your story.

Audience Consideration: Think about who you’re talking to and what would really grab their attention.

2. Choose an Engaging Opening

Anecdote: Think of a meaningful experience from your life that has a special connection to the story you’re trying to tell. It could be a funny moment, a heartbreaking event, a moment of triumph, or something else that you feel carries some emotional significance.

Vivid Description: Create an image for the reader that is so detailed that they can almost feel, smell, and taste the scene. Use words to create a vivid visual of the surroundings.

Emotional Connection: Connect with your readers on an emotional level. Share the emotions, ideas, or difficulties you felt in that moment.

Hence an engaging topic is a good answer for how to start an autobiography.

3. Find Your Voice and Tone :

Authenticity: Express yourself in your own unique style. Share your thoughts and feelings honestly. Make sure your story is heard and felt deeply.

Tone: Think about the atmosphere you’re trying to create. Whether it’s contemplative, funny, solemn, or a combination of those things, it all comes down to the vibe you’re aiming for. Still wondering how to write an autobiography? No worries, more information is coming up. 

4. Set the Scene

Time and Place: Provide context by mentioning the time frame and setting. Describe the era, location, and any relevant circumstances that influenced the event or period you’re starting with.

Character Introduction: Introduce yourself or the central characters involved, establishing their role and significance in your story.

5. Capture the Essence

Theme Introduction: Offer a hint or foreshadowing of the overarching themes or lessons your autobiography will explore.

Purpose: Convey the purpose behind your decision to share this particular moment or phase from your life.

6. Draft and Redraft

Initial Draft: Don’t worry too much about perfection initially. Focus on getting your thoughts and feelings down on paper.

Revision: Review and revise your opening multiple times. Polish the language, refine the details, and ensure the emotional impact is conveyed effectively.

7. Seek Feedback

Trusted Input: Share your opening with trusted friends, family, or writing groups. Collect feedback to understand how your opening resonates with others.

8. Align with the Overall Autobiography

Consistency: Ensure that your opening sets the stage for the rest of your autobiography. It should provide a glimpse of what readers can expect in terms of style, themes, and narrative direction.

9. Embrace Experimentation

Variety: Experiment with different approaches if needed. You might start with a powerful quote, a rhetorical question, or even a thought-provoking statement.

10. Be Patient and Persistent

Revision Process: Writing a captivating opening might take several iterations. Be patient and persistent in refining it until it truly reflects the essence of your story.

Still confused?

Now that you know that writing an autobiography takes more than good writing skills. Plus, we have also studied some tips for writing an autobiography and have learned about the autobiography of students. So, it is clear that such writing requires you to put great details of the key events of your life among other things. Hopefully, this blog post was able to help you find an answer to how to write an autobiography. In case, you still have doubts about tackling this task, don’t hesitate to consult our academic writers.

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How To Write An Autobiography

Autobiography Examples

Top Autobiography Examples & Samples For Your Help

Published on: Sep 10, 2021

Last updated on: Jul 23, 2024

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An  autobiography  is a story of a person's life written down or told. They are interesting to read, but they can be even more interesting to write.

An autobiography is different from a biography. A biography is someone else's story about a person's life. But, an autobiography is the person's own story about their life.

This may make autobiographies more interesting to read than biographies. Also, they give the thoughts and feelings of the person rather than someone else's interpretation.

There are many different stories in the world. Uniquely telling your story is not easy. You need to describe what is happening to make the reader feel like they are right there with you.

In this blog, you will learn about some amazing examples of autobiographies. So, start reading now.

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Autobiography Examples For Students

An autobiography is the story of someone's life written by them. They might write about their hardships or success. Here are some examples of autobiographies that might inspire you to write your own.

Short Autobiography Examples

This is a good example of a creative and interesting autobiography to read. It will teach you how to write your own great autobiography.

Autobiography Examples For Class 6

Autobiography essays are not easy to write. They are different from other essays because they tell the story of a person's life experiences. Every person has a lot of interesting experiences, so it can be hard to choose which ones to write about.

For your help, we compiled an example that you can use for your help and make your writing process easy.

Autobiography Examples For Grade 7

Only you know yourself best. Writing an autobiography is a great way to share your life with others. Everyone has a story to tell, and writing an autobiography is one way to leave your mark on history.

Here is an example that gives you a better idea of sharing your life story with others.

Autobiography Examples For College Students

An autobiography is a text that tells your life story. It can be in the form of a  memoir , which is more informal or more formal. Autobiographies can be written for different reasons:

• To introduce yourself to the world.
• To get into a program at school, for a job, volunteering, etc.

You can find more ideas for an autobiography from this example.

Note: As a college student, you might encounter confusion distinguishing between an autobiography and a statement of purpose . While both involve personal narratives, autobiographies provide a comprehensive life story, while statements of purpose focus on specific goals and qualifications for academic or professional opportunities. Understanding their distinct purposes and structures can help streamline your application processes effectively.

Autobiography Examples For High School Students

An autobiography is a self-written biography that someone writes about themselves. They might write about all of their life or just some parts. They do this to share their experiences, put them in a larger cultural or historical context, and entertain the reader.

Take a look at the below example and create a well-written one without any mistakes.

Spiritual Autobiography Examples

A spiritual autobiography is your life story. In it, you write about how God has been present in your life. This includes your journey in and out of organized religion and everything spiritual.

Writing your spiritual autobiography is a chance for you to identify specific experiences with God. You will then reflect on how those experiences have impacted you.

Below is an example for your ease.

Autobiography Examples in Literature

An autobiography is a book written by somebody about their own life. It tells the story of the author’s life, accomplishments, things they have done, etc.

The following is an example that can help you better understand how to write an autobiography.

Cultural Autobiography Examples

A cultural autobiography is more than just telling your life story. Your cultural identity reveals your beliefs and ideas about culture. It also shows how culture affects different cultural groups that make up who you are.

You may want to write a cultural autobiography better to understand yourself and your culture's role in your life. It is important to be aware of your own cultural identity in a multicultural world and be open to other cultures.

An example of a perfect cultural autobiography is below for your help.

Educational Autobiography Examples

The educational autobiography is a way to tell your life story. This type of autobiography includes what you did in school and how it affected other parts of your life.

Take a look at this example to see how to write a good educational autobiography.

Social Class Autobiography Examples

In most sociology classes, students are assigned to write a socio-autobiography. This assignment helps them understand that the subject is relevant to their daily lives. Your interactions with society have a big impact on who you become as a person.

Writing your social class autobiography is a great way to show people how you fit into society. The following example will show what kind of social autobiography looks like.

Autobiography Examples For Kids

Children are often encouraged to write an autobiography, but few people recognize the importance of this task. Everyone has something special from their childhood that they should remember and reflect on. Writing about your life is a good way to do this.

There are many different ways to write an autobiography. If you are writing about yourself, it is best to start by writing about your early life and work experience.

You can also mention your school experiences. After that, you can write about other topics that may be of interest to readers, like your hobbies or interests.

Here is an example that will help in starting an autobiography.

We all have the opportunity to write our own story, but it doesn't always come easy. If writing about yourself seems difficult, then follow the examples mentioned above.

However, if you want a professional writer to write it for you, just say ' write an essay for me ' and consult a professional at CollegeEssay.org .

We have expert writers who will help you write an autobiography, personal narrative, college essay, and any academic assignment.

AI essay writing tools are also readily available to provide you with additional assistance and support.

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As a Digital Content Strategist, Nova Allison has eight years of experience in writing both technical and scientific content. With a focus on developing online content plans that engage audiences, Nova strives to write pieces that are not only informative but captivating as well.

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How To Write An Autobiography: A Detailed & Comprehensive Guide

• March 28, 2022

When contemplating how to write an autobiography, many people are led to assume that it’s simple. It’s just your own life story, put through the writing process. However, when writing your own autobiography, you may find that the writing process is a little more complicated than just starting with your birth and telling the story of your own life up to the present moment.

A person’s life is more than just the big events, and it’s seldom ever a solitary story. There are life lessons that need to be included. Family members and their impact on you are a part of autobiography writing as well. If you want to write an autobiography, you have to be conscious of your life story, as a tale that built the person you are, not just a string of events.

This article will help you figure out how to write an autobiography so that it’s not just the story of your own life but a personal story that others can relate to, find inspiration in, and learn from.

What is an Autobiography?

An autobiography is more than just the life story of someone. The person’s life being described is your own; therefore, it is far more personal than a novel or work of fiction. It is essential to stay truthful when recalling your own memories. The slightest deviation in honesty is a slippery slope and can quickly take you from autobiography writing to fiction writing.

How An Autobiography is Different from a Biography

A biography is the telling of someone else’s life. You choose someone, such as a family member, a friend, or a famous person, and you tell the story of his or her own life while leaving your own story out of it. A biography takes a large amount of research and expertise regarding the subject’s life story and events that they lived through. An autobiography works in the same fashion, but it’s the story of you. You are the ultimate expert in your own life. Therefore, there’s not much research to be done.

Another significant difference between autobiographical writing and biographical writing is the voice that is used. When you write an autobiography, you want to use first-person writing. You are telling the story of you. Therefore you should tell it from your own point of view.

On the other hand, biographies should always be written from a third-person point of view. Third-person is using “he, she, they, them.” You were not there, you did not witness the events you are writing about, and therefore, you should be telling the story from an outsider’s viewpoint.

How an Autobiography is Different from a Memoir

A memoir tells your own story, but not your entire life story. Often written to convey a specific message, a memoir includes snippets and anecdotes that occur throughout your entire life. Still, it’s not the detailed story of a life in its entirety. Both of these types of writing are done in the first-person point of view. First-person uses pronouns such as “I, we, and us.”

For example, if you were to write a memoir about how 9/11 affected you personally, you might write about your life the year that the attack occurred. You may even give some bits of information about your childhood, your career, or your family life from before the event. Then you would provide details and focus on 9/11 itself and what you did and were doing that day. Later, you might skip ahead and give stories from your life about how it changed you, but you wouldn’t tell the story of your entire life.

Future Tense in an Autobiography

The future tense is tricky when it comes to writing. Most autobiographies recall events that have already occurred in a step-by-step process. This process takes the reader from the beginning to another point in the not-so-distant past or right up to the present.

The end is often written in the present tense, but most of the time, the story stops there. Basic principles of tense apply if you decide to speculate or include your hopes, dreams, or fears for the future.

Tips on How to Write an Autobiography

Your own autobiography should include details that encompass your life from birth to the present. When the writing process begins, you should write in the past tense to let the readers know that the events you are writing about have already occurred.

When you get to the present day, remember to switch your tense to the present tense so that the readers understand that you are discussing where you are in your life now. Mistakes in tense usage can be fixed in the first draft revision, but it’s best to try to get yourself in the habit of switching tenses as you go from the past events to the present day when you write an autobiography.

The following are other important tips about what content to include that will help you learn how to write an engaging and well-executed autobiography.

Autobiography Questions

Below are some autobiography questions that can guide you when writing about your life story:

• What has motivated you to write an autobiography?
• Who made a significant impact or influence in your life?
• Who are the people who surround you?
• What are the remarkable memories you have? 
• Did anyone not support you on your journey and you proved them wrong?
• What inspires you?
• What demotivates you?
• What do you consider the best time in your life?
• What quote best depicts and summarizes your life?
• How would you describe yourself?
• What kind of family relationships do you have?
• What moments in life do you feel like you could be truly proud of yourself?
• What do you think are some of your flaws?
• What do you desire to have in the future/where would you like to be?
• What do you do to upskill, and in which field would you like to focus your energy?
• What are your set of principles and personal values?
• How have your values defined who you are today?
• What is your dream career path?
• Have you advocated for something?
• If there was one thing you wanted everyone to know about you, what would it be?

Your Background

It’s essential to start by telling your readers where you’re from, when you were born, and who your family members are when you write an autobiography. 

This does not mean that you need to include how long your mother was in labor (unless the story of your birth is a particularly interesting one), what the hospital room number was, how much you weighed, how long you were, and what you scored on the Apgar test. Those are details that are nice to include in your baby book, but almost no one is interested in those details but you and your mom.

What you should include is where you were born (city, state, country), a story or two about a family member who meant a lot to you when you were a child or teenager, what your educational background was like, what kind of kid you were, and what your family life was like.

Keeping it general and sticking to just a few personal stories and anecdotes is enough. If you want to know how to write an autobiography that doesn’t bore the reader to tears or sleep within the first few pages, keep the details specific to significant events in your childhood, and keep the more drab and general stories to yourself.

Write About Hardship or Failure

While it may not be the most glamorous of life events you have experienced, writing about hard times, failure, and times of struggle help the reader relate to you, feel empathy and care about the story of your life. 

Making your life seem perfect simply because writing about something that didn’t work out, hurt you, or made you unpopular because you see it as embarrassing will only hurt you in the long run because the reader will not be engaged.

When you go back and read your first draft, ask yourself if what you have written will touch anyone who has struggled similarly to you. If not, go back and rewrite it to include at least a few stories of hard times.

Come Up with a Catchy and Compelling Title

Autobiographical writing doesn’t have to be boring, and neither should your title. Steer clear of titles such as; Jane Doe: An Autobiography. Unless you’re famous, you’re not compelling anyone to pick it up and read it. Equally boring is; Jane Doe: The Story of my Life.

Try to come up with something catchy and engaging when you come up with the title. Readers are more likely to read an autobiography written by someone with a witty or smart title than someone who didn’t have the writing skills or creativity to create something more original.

Instead, try for something like; A Beautiful Disaster: The Story of Jane Doe. This title denotes that you don’t take yourself too seriously, but you respect and love yourself while admitting that your life can sometimes be a mess.

You don’t even need to have your name in your title if you have a catchy title. Take this example into consideration; Hot Mess Express: The Story of One Tired Mom. This sort of title is fun, funny, and will catch the attention of mothers, especially those with young children.

Significant Events

When considering how to write an autobiography, keep in mind that significant events in your life should always be included. When you write an autobiography, you are looking for points in your personal story that impacted you and helped to shape you into the person that you are now.

Maybe that was a move across the country, the death of someone close to you, finding love, or your first kiss. Perhaps it was being the first person in your family to go to college, starting your own business, or the birth of your first child.

Be sure to include the less wonderful but still significant events in your life, as well. Things like your first heartbreak, divorce, the loss of a job, poverty you experienced, or trauma that compelled you to rise above your station and seek help to gain self-improvement or lessons learned from these experiences.

Have a Central Idea

What is the most important thing you want to say to the reader with this story? Is it that you started out with nothing and rose up to success? Is it that you had success and lost it all? Maybe it’s that love and dedication to family are more important than success in a career or climbing a social ladder.

Whatever your central idea, identify it and then figure out how you can put it in autobiography format.

The Steps Involved to Write an Autobiography

When thinking of how to write an autobiography, consider that the writing process begins in much the same way that it does with any sort of writing. You should consider following the following steps if you want to learn how to write an autobiography effectively.

Create an Autobiographical Outline

Just like any literary work, you should have an outline. After you have taken some time to reflect on what you want to include, get it written down in autobiography outline form. Include all of the parts of your life that you think you might want to incorporate, and then separate them into categories, focusing on what you think will be of medium to high interest to a reader.

What is meant by “medium to high interest” is that the events are significant enough to garner enough interest for the reader. That they will feel compelled to continue reading to see what happened to you next or how you got through an event or part of your life that you describe.

Do Your Homework

Just because you know what happened to you, and you have the general information and experiences from things like your childhood, it doesn’t mean that you have the knowledge to write it well.

If you don’t know how to describe the setting, society in the era you’re writing about, and the culture, it will seem that you don’t know how to write an autobiography, and readers will start to lose interest.

Look into things like the area you grew up in and what life was like in that area when you were a child. Get a family history from members of your family, such as where your family originated from, what your parents and grandparents did for a living, and any other significant information you may need that you don’t know about the people from whence you came.

Complete the First Draft

Your first draft may not be very clean, and it will most likely have things in it that need to be cut out. You may get too wordy talking about specific periods of your life and may not supply enough story to others. You won’t know until you get that first draft under your belt.

Once you complete this draft, take some time off and let the work sit. Taking a break before revisiting puts distance between yourself and your story, and you’re far more likely to be able to come at the revision process in an open-minded matter once you have that distance.

Revise and Rewrite

As with any writing that you do, whether it’s an autobiography, novel, personal essay, research paper, or news article, you have to revise your work. Proofread, fix simple and obvious mistakes, and add to the things that need more description while cutting out the unnecessary parts.

Once you have fixed grammar mistakes and taken the story from what looks like a personal diary to a narrative account of your life experiences, you can start writing the next draft. Make sure to determine your desired writing style before you rewrite, and make sure that the content matches that style.

How to Properly Structure an Autobiography

Whether you’re writing a full-length book or an autobiographical essay, you still have to have structure to your writing. While an autobiographical essay is shorter, the structure is much the same. The following are some tips that will help you figure out how to write an autobiography format that works well.

Write in Chronological Order

While it’s perfectly fine for a novel to have a timeline that skips and jumps around, the best way to tell a good story of your own experiences and personal memories is to do so in chronological order or the order in which things happened.

The very beginning of your autobiography should cover your birth, then childhood, then education, then young adulthood, on up to the present moment. This creates a timeline of each significant personal experience that is easy to follow and doesn’t confuse the reader.

Don’t Fictionalize Names or Places

Professional writers of fiction often create characters based on people they know or even themselves. They give these characters fake names and personas and rename towns and businesses so as not to make the writing too personal. All the details of the real people may be present, but when you write fiction, you have the freedom to change things.

An autobiography covers actual events, so the writing needs to be honest. If you grew up in Toledo, Ohio, say that. Don’t make up the name of a town. If you grew up with a mother named Tess, say that. Don’t give her a fake name. Being truthful about your family and your life is essential. You’re not the only character in this story, and it’s unfair and not suitable to misrepresent a setting or person in your life.

Add Family Photos or Other Personal Touches

The most compelling television episodes are the ones in which there is a strong story and a strong visual to accompany it. You can create an effect very close to this by including photos, artwork, letters shared by people close to you, and more. Just be sure that you ask for and are granted permission before you do this, especially if the photos are used to identify weak moments in your life for any reason.

Be Thorough in Describing Pivotal Moments

Significant moments in life that occur, such as academic achievements, turning points, and the things that build up to a story arc for you, need to be built up in a way that creates both interest and intrigue for your reader. Include details like how negative experiences shaped your understanding or outlook on things or how you learned to be completely free of stress because of how stressful and frantic your life used to be.

These things make up the critical elements in what amounts to a full life. And being completely transparent and thorough in the telling of it gives the reader the freshest possible perspective, especially if you acknowledge as the writer that you are reflecting upon the story you’re telling, as you tell it.

The Final Draft When Writing an Autobiography

So you’ve completed all of the steps mentioned above, and you’ve worked out your outline, title, and other details that seem small but are incredibly important. Now it’s time to write the final draft so that your favorite story, the story of you, can become someone else’s favorite story.

The Last Revision

Once you have completed that final draft , you still need to go back and ensure that everything you wanted and needed to include is present and accounted for. Clarity is sometimes an issue when a person is trying to figure out how to write an autobiography. Try reading your story aloud, and if it makes sense to someone else or even to you as you read it with your own voice, then it’s probably thorough enough.

Make Sure the Title Agrees with the Content

The last thing you want is a misleading title. Make sure that the title goes along with your autobiography’s overall tone and message.

For example, if you wrote a sad story about heartache and loss of hope, don’t title your story: Little Miss Sunshine: The Story of One Woman from the Midwest. Be sure that the mood, message, and tone align with the title you have decided on. If they don’t fit, it’s much easier to change the title than the mood and tone of the story.

Autobiography Format

Below we have outlined the format that you can utilize when writing an autobiography:

• Title – It should reflect what your life story conveys or what it is like to be you.
• Dedication – This section states whom you would like to dedicate your autobiography.
• Table of Contents – It helps your readers to locate specific parts of your autobiography.
• Acknowledgments – This is where you express your gratitude to the people who have helped you on your journey.
• Foreword – It highlights the purpose of the autobiography.
• Introduction – This provides a glimpse of who you are as the author, and if this is effective, the reader will continue reading your book.
• Body Section – This is where the events in your life are chronologically narrated, along with all the necessary details. It can contain many headings and subheadings.
• Conclusion – This is where you share all your revelations and successes, while also referencing your own personal experiences.
• Memorabilia – You may include significant pictures or any other objects that have impacted your life.
• Index – It helps the reader browse through your autobiography by using main keywords or concept words.

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How to Write an Autobiography in 9 Steps

You might not have figured it out yet, but people love to know about the “behind the scenes” of other people’s lives, especially of the rich and famous.

Generally, people want to know everything there’s to know about everyone.

So it comes as no surprise to me that many autobiographies (by famous actors, musicians, politicians, and sports stars) have made it on the bestsellers list.

And for the writer, an autobiography offers a chance to share the happenings in their life with the world.

Do you want to pen your own biography and don’t know how to go about it? You don’t know how to start telling your life story? Don’t know what should be part of that story and what shouldn’t?

If you’re worried about these things, then this article has been made for you!

I’ll cover everything you need to know about writing an autobiography—the differences between an autobiography and other biographies, the main elements of an autobiography, how to go about writing an autobiography, and other things.

What is an Autobiography?

It is a non-fiction story of a person’s life, written by the person whose life is told in that biography.

So, an autobiography is a biography written by the subject himself, which is not the case with other subgenres of the broader genre of biographies.

Standard biographies are written by someone other than the subject, making autobiographies more appealing because the story is being told firsthand.

Since the subject is telling his own life story in an autobiography, the story usually covers the most meaningful moments, people, and events in the subject’s life from birth up until the time of writing or publishing.

Biography vs. Autobiography vs. Memoir

Well, let’s get the broader biography out of the way first. Since an autobiography is a subgenre of biographies, they are one and the same. The only difference—as I have already briefly explained— is that other biographies are written about the subject but by someone other than the subject, while autobiographies are a person’s life history written by that person.

Biographers are good at learning and researching their subject; on the other hand, an autobiographer already knows the subject.

Now, you ought to know that an Autobiography and a Memoir are a bit identical, but a Memoir is different from an Autobiography in this way:

A memoir is used to elaborate a larger theme or idea and—instead of telling the writer’s life story in a chronological narrative—a focus on personal experience and emotional truth to tell a good story with a theme behind it.

The Main Elements of an Autobiography

Now that you have a good idea of what an autobiography is, let me introduce you to its main features.

As a genre, an autobiography has some technical elements. Let’s take a look at some of them:

Every author has a purpose for writing a book. You don’t just wake up one day and say, “I’m going to write a book for the sake of writing, with no purpose or message.”

Obviously, the purpose of an autobiography is to give an account of the writer’s life up to that point.

Well, it is nonfiction and the events have already happened, so—usually—it’s written in the past tense.

However, most biographies end in the present tense, and—in certain cases—the tense changes into the future tense toward the end of the book.

This feature of an autobiography isn’t always the same with every book, but most of the books in this genre have a similar structure.

One of the features under “structure” is chronology order. Since the book chronicles major events in the writer’s life, it’s usually written in chronological order. And, to show this chronology, the author uses time connectives like “after that,” “before,” “then,” “finally,” and among others.

An autobiography—just like all biographies—tells a true story, so the author usually uses the names of real people, places, and events. In addition to that, the book is—more often than not—specific about times, dates, places, and other similar details.

Includes personal memories and specific details and descriptions.

A well-written autobiography doesn’t just unload stories on the reader, the author also offers some observations and analytical reflections on how the events mentioned in the book shaped them. The author also uses the autobiography to share his feelings, thoughts, and plans for the future.

Some autobiographies include important photographs that give the readers a visual representation of the story.

Writing an Autobiography isn’t that complicated, but you need to know how to go about it, so this is the most important section of this article, especially if you’re clueless about the autobiography writing process.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to writing an autobiography:

1. Brainstorm

This is the stage where you sit down and try to pick the most relevant events in your life—you compile all life experiences that you think might be worth a read. First, you list all the exciting or life-changing experiences from childhood up to that very moment (from playing in your background as a little child, to high school memories, up to your first day at your first workplace), then select the cream out of that list.

Although most of the initial events won’t make the final list, write them down anyway—it’s better to have too many to choose from than to have less.

These are some of the things you can include in your initial list are:

• The most substantial events and experiences in your life.
• Significant individuals or entities that have made an important impact in your life.
• Things you have achieved, the challenges you have overcome to achieve the listed achievements, and the most significant failures.
• The lessons all your life experiences have taught you (life-changing or not).

2. Organize Your Lists

You have written down all those important events, places, and people, what do you do next?

Put your lists in order.

The things in your lists have to be organized into subsets of the biography and items in the same subset have to be similar or in the same category—create subsets for significant events, significant people, life lessons, challenges, successes, et cetera.

This order helps you with the next chapter: creating the outline.

3. Conduct Some Research

The thing about brainstorming on your own is that you only write down the things you can remember.

But… Some forgotten memories could make your autobiography a lot more exciting or engrossing.

That calls for research! You need third parties to help you recall some useful information (whether completely new or additional information).

It’s your life story, so you don’t really have to go any farther than your friends and family. Ask the people close to you about all the details from the moments you’ve listed and others that you might’ve forgotten.

Just like you, the people you ask won’t have all the details or your full life story, but if you piece together the bits from their narratives, you’ll have a better story.

4. Decide on Themes, Message, the Questions your Autobiography Will Answer

After getting all the bits and pieces in one place, comes the unenviable task of laying down the purpose of your autobiography and the content that is going to help you achieve that.

Decisions, Decisions!

An autobiography is not mere personal history written reeking of subjectivity and with no substance, so you have to choose and write down the questions your autobiography is going to answer.

Autobiography readers are interested in getting to know the person behind the curtains and for an autobiography to be good, you need to fuse the raw stories with a little bit of mature perspective on your experiences (with an edifying touch if you think your life story can have that much of an impact on a reader’s life).

Use the dominant themes of your life to unify the stories together, connecting different stages of your life. Past and present always have some thematic consistencies, so try to analyze themes that have been consistent throughout your life. It might be a place that you traveled to over and over, your childhood sweetheart who eventually became the love of your life, an ever-present crush, your spiritual journey life, etc.

Whatever theme connects different stories or stages in your life is useful as long as you are creative with your storytelling, they’ll work.

5. Create an Outline

The next step involves organizing the pieces from your brainstorming stage. You’re telling your life story, and it still is just that: a story.

Therefore, crafting an outline has to consider things like logical flow and pace—a good pace through your life’s most interesting or significant events using logical flow is likely going to keep your readers interested from beginning to end.

You might want to tell the story in chronological order, but you can also spice it up by going back and forth or interrupting the chronological narrative with some important/interesting events that may or may not relate to the part of that chronological narrative.

6. Telling the Story

You have sorted everything out, you have your autobiography outlined, and it’s time to tell the story.

Underline story, because after all, it’s just a story.

The story needs to have some sort of structure, your autobiography needs a great plot. It has to have all the points that make a great story, things like conflict, goals, tension, a climax, and ultimately a resolution or—at least—a hint of a resolution.

I’ve already talked about the need for the story to flow logically, this is not something you brush aside—it’s a must.

While sorting out such important elements of the autobiography, you also have to remember that you’ll have to use your voice in writing the book—readers are interested in your life story, told by you!

If you’ve never written anything as large as a book, you can hire a ghostwriter to work with; otherwise, it takes time and lots of writing practice to discover an authentic writing voice.

7. Write Your First Draft

Now you are ready for the most important part of the autobiography crafting process: writing it!

Anybody who’s ever written a book will tell you that it’s almost impossible to write a perfect finished book on your first go.

Remember you’re just trying to attempt a first draft.

You don’t have to be perfect, but make sure you write a good one—it doesn’t really matter if your first draft looks like a chicken footprint in the mud, as long as it has content, you are going in the right direction.

8. Take a Break, Then Proofread

You have finished your first draft, your mind is exhausted (your body too, probably), you need to take a few days off.

Or you might not be tired at all, you might even be full of energy, you still need a break.

Apart from reenergizing your mind and body, a break gives you a fresh perspective, and you can easily spot some imperceptible mistakes from your first draft.

After the respite, begin proofreading. You can hire a professional proofreader or do it yourself. A professional proofreader is likely going to look for grammar mistakes , typos, etc.

They are also going to look at mistakes in the narrative and offer constructive tips.

If you decide to go it alone (which, I think, is the right way to go about proofreading your first draft), you might want to use tools like Grammarly or ProwritingAid to help you with grammar and other errors in your draft.

9. Write the Second Draft, and then Another

When proofreading the first draft, take some notes. Those notes will prove useful and particularly directional when you start writing the second draft.

I’m sorry to break your heart, but your second draft won’t be perfect either.

What I’m saying is: you’ll have to repeat steps 7 and 8, in most cases the cycle you’ll have to be repeated more than once.

When you feel like the drafts are becoming riper, you can show your writing to others and request feedback.

This feedback will help you perfect the autobiography and your writing skills in general. Just remember that in all these rewrites, the most important thing is giving the reader bits of your life and revealing your truth.

Things you can’t leave Out of your Autobiography

Well, you could leave out some of these things, it’s your story after all, but what’s an autobiography without the most important details of your life?

I’m not saying that it should contain every significant detail in your life; certain moments in your life pick themselves and others are what your readers are looking for.

• Significant experiences : Not all of them, just the experiences that shaped your worldview and changed your life in some way.
• Your background story : Sort of describe your personal history, which has things like your family history, hometown, siblings, parents, other key family members and friends, and moments in your career and education.
• Conflict and Drama : Your readers are looking for honesty and a bit of fun, and who’s ever lived a life without conflict and drama? No one? They want your life story told as it happened and if there were some conflicts and dramatic events along the way, they’re hungry for that too!
• Failure and Success in your professional life : You have to give recollections of your professional life, and it has to have some richness in detail. If you’ve achieved something in your professional life, there will be one or two people looking for inspiring moments in your story. When you serve them these moments, it will be good for both you and them.

Three Best Autobiographies of all Time

1. long walk to freedom by nelson mandela.

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By telling the full life story of this legend, Nelson Mandela’s autobiography tells the world how great a man and a leader he was. The book narrates his story from his childhood , young adult, dealing with apartheid and becoming a freedom fighter, his 27-year incarceration, and the pivotal role he played in building a new and democratic South Africa.

This is the book you read if you think you have some purpose to fulfill in life.

2. The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank

After reading this autobiography, you realize that this is the greatest teenager that ever lived.

Anne Frank, a young Jewish girl, who, along with millions of other Jewish people, died at the hands of a moronic Nazi regime, gave us this beautiful piece.

In 1942, a thirteen-year-old Anne and her family fled their home in Amsterdam and went into hiding during the Nazi occupation of Holland.

She narrated her experiences during this period in a thoughtful, moving, and humorous manner. The book gave the world her views on human courage, frailty, friendships, and loneliness.

The Nazis might have taken such a beautiful soul sooner than every good person would have wished, but her legacy lives on through this autobiography.

3. Agatha Christie: An Autobiography by Agatha Christie

Who wouldn’t want to demystify the story behind the Queen of mystery?

Different from Mandela and Anne Frank, Christie is actually one of the world’s most influential and fascinating novelists and you already know that the story is going to be ingeniously told.

In this book, readers get to know Agatha Christie’s life story, told in her own words—from her childhood, her relationship with her mother and her mother’s death, the tragic events that had an impact on her, her two marriages, her first husband’s adultery, and most especially, about her writing.

You can write an autobiography whichever way you like, but you have to remember that an autobiography is a story.

A lot of focus has to be on the narrative. The book will be as good as the writer’s storytelling skills.

Your autobiography has to have all the necessary elements of a story, i.e., a plot (which is easier to come up with since you already know the whole story), a cast of characters, conflict, resolution, et cetera.

With all these things involved, the secret ingredient is still honesty. After all, people want to read a real-life story.

Recommended Reading...

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What Is an Autobiography?

What to Consider Before You Start to Write

• Writing Research Papers
• Writing Essays
• English Grammar
• M.Ed., Education Administration, University of Georgia
• B.A., History, Armstrong State University

Your life story, or autobiography , should contain the basic framework that any essay should have, with four basic elements. Begin with an introduction that includes a thesis statement , followed by a body containing at least several paragraphs , if not several chapters. To complete the autobiography, you'll need a strong conclusion , all the while crafting an interesting narrative with a theme.

Did You Know?

The word autobiography  literally means SELF (auto), LIFE (bio), WRITING (graph). Or, in other words, an autobiography is the story of someone's life written or otherwise told by that person.

When writing your autobiography, find out what makes your family or your experience unique and build a narrative around that. Doing some research and taking detailed notes can help you discover the essence of what your narrative should be and craft a story that others will want to read.

Research Your Background

Just like the biography of a famous person, your autobiography should include things like the time and place of your birth, an overview of your personality, your likes and dislikes, and the special events that shaped your life. Your first step is to gather background detail. Some things to consider:

• What is interesting about the region where you were born?
• How does your family history relate to the history of that region?
• Did your family come to that region for a reason?

It might be tempting to start your story with "I was born in Dayton, Ohio...," but that is not really where your story begins. It's better to start with an experience. You may wish to start with something like why you were born where you were and how your family's experience led to your birth. If your narrative centers more around a pivotal moment in your life, give the reader a glimpse into that moment. Think about how your favorite movie or novel begins, and look for inspiration from other stories when thinking about how to start your own.

Think About Your Childhood

You may not have had the most interesting childhood in the world, but everyone has had a few memorable experiences. Highlight the best parts when you can. If you live in a big city, for instance, you should realize that many people who grew up in the country have never ridden a subway, walked to school, ridden in a taxi, or walked to a store a few blocks away.

On the other hand, if you grew up in the country you should consider that many people who grew up in the suburbs or inner city have never eaten food straight from a garden, camped in their backyards, fed chickens on a working farm, watched their parents canning food, or been to a county fair or a small-town festival.

Something about your childhood will always seem unique to others. You just have to step outside your life for a moment and address the readers as if they knew nothing about your region and culture. Pick moments that will best illustrate the goal of your narrative, and symbolism within your life.

Consider Your Culture

Your culture is your overall way of life , including the customs that come from your family's values and beliefs. Culture includes the holidays you observe, the customs you practice, the foods you eat, the clothes you wear, the games you play, the special phrases you use, the language you speak, and the rituals you practice.

As you write your autobiography, think about the ways that your family celebrated or observed certain days, events, and months, and tell your audience about special moments. Consider these questions:

• What was the most special gift you ever received? What was the event or occasion surrounding that gift?
• Is there a certain food that you identify with a certain day of the year?
• Is there an outfit that you wear only during a special event?

Think honestly about your experiences, too. Don't just focus on the best parts of your memories; think about the details within those times. While Christmas morning may be a magical memory, you might also consider the scene around you. Include details like your mother making breakfast, your father spilling his coffee, someone upset over relatives coming into town, and other small details like that. Understanding the full experience of positives and negatives helps you paint a better picture for the reader and lead to a stronger and more interesting narrative. Learn to tie together all the interesting elements of your life story and craft them into an engaging essay.

Establish the Theme

Once you have taken a look at your own life from an outsider’s point of view, you will be able to select the most interesting elements from your notes to establish a theme. What was the most interesting thing you came up with in your research? Was it the history of your family and your region? Here is an example of how you can turn that into a theme:

"Today, the plains and low hills of southeastern Ohio make the perfect setting for large cracker box-shaped farmhouses surrounded by miles of corn rows. Many of the farming families in this region descended from the Irish settlers who came rolling in on covered wagons in the 1830s to find work building canals and railways. My ancestors were among those settlers."

A little bit of research can make your own personal story come to life as a part of history, and historical details can help a reader better understand your unique situation. In the body of your narrative, you can explain how your family’s favorite meals, holiday celebrations, and work habits relate to Ohio history.

One Day as a Theme

You also can take an ordinary day in your life and turn it into a theme. Think about the routines you followed as a child and as an adult. Even a mundane activity like household chores can be a source of inspiration.

For example, if you grew up on a farm, you know the difference between the smell of hay and wheat, and certainly that of pig manure and cow manure—because you had to shovel one or all of these at some point. City people probably don’t even know there is a difference. Describing the subtle differences of each and comparing the scents to other scents can help the reader imagine the situation more clearly.

If you grew up in the city, you how the personality of the city changes from day to night because you probably had to walk to most places. You know the electricity-charged atmosphere of the daylight hours when the streets bustle with people and the mystery of the night when the shops are closed and the streets are quiet.

Think about the smells and sounds you experienced as you went through an ordinary day and explain how that day relates to your life experience in your county or your city:

"Most people don’t think of spiders when they bite into a tomato, but I do. Growing up in southern Ohio, I spent many summer afternoons picking baskets of tomatoes that would be canned or frozen and preserved for cold winter’s dinners. I loved the results of my labors, but I’ll never forget the sight of the enormous, black and white, scary-looking spiders that lived in the plants and created zigzag designs on their webs. In fact, those spiders, with their artistic web creations, inspired my interest in bugs and shaped my career in science."

One Event as a Theme

Perhaps one event or one day of your life made such a big impact that it could be used as a theme. The end or beginning of the life of another can affect our thoughts and actions for a long time:

"I was 12 years old when my mother passed away. By the time I was 15, I had become an expert in dodging bill collectors, recycling hand-me-down jeans, and stretching a single meal’s worth of ground beef into two family dinners. Although I was a child when I lost my mother, I was never able to mourn or to let myself become too absorbed in thoughts of personal loss. The fortitude I developed at a young age was the driving force that would see me through many other challenges."

Writing the Essay

Whether you determine that your life story is best summed up by a single event, a single characteristic, or a single day, you can use that one element as a theme . You will define this theme in your  introductory paragraph .

Create an outline with several events or activities that relate back to your central theme and turn those into subtopics (body paragraphs) of your story. Finally, tie up all your experiences in a summary that restates and explains the overriding theme of your life. 

• Revising a Paper
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• How to Write a Solid Thesis Statement
• Et Al. Meaning and How to Use It
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• The Introductory Paragraph: Start Your Paper Off Right
• How to Find Trustworthy Sources
• Research Paper Writing Checklist
• How Long Should My Paper Be?
• How Can You Stretch a Paper to Make it Longer?
• How to Write a News Article That's Effective
• Writing an Annotated Bibliography for a Paper
• When to Cite a Source in a Paper
• Convince Me: A Persuasive Writing Activity
• Finding Trustworthy Sources

Unit 5: Education: A Story of My Childhood | Exercise & Grammar | Language Development Class 12 | Neb English Support

Unit 5: Education:  A Story of My Childhood | Exercise & Grammar |  Language Development Class 12 |  NEB English Guide

BEFORE YOU READ  

Unit 5: Class 12 English

a. “Childhood is a chance for kids to discover who they are before the world tells them who they should be.” Do you agree or not?

Yes, I agree with what the statement states. Childhood is the stage where children get the chance to discover various new things regarding their understanding. This stage provides them with various concepts that allow them to identify who they are in a real sense.

b. Share one of your interesting childhood memories.

Answer:  

When I was about six years old, I got top marks in my first grade. Most of my teachers congratulated me on that particular day. When I got home after school, I was shocked to find fine decorations in my room. My family members applauded a lot. My father provided me with a fine gift, surprisingly. That day, I got my favourite Honda bicycle as a gift. I will never forget that interesting childhood memory in my life.

WORKING WITH WORDS

A. Match the words in column ‘A’ with their meanings in column ‘B’.

Column 'A'                            Column 'B'

a. expectantly 》 vi. in a way that shows you are hoping for something, especially something good or exciting 

b. beckon 》 viii. to give signal to somebody to move nearer or to follow you

c. grapple 》 v. to try hard to find a solution to a problem

d. texture 》 ii. the way food or drink tastes or feels in your mouth

e. cobbled 》 vii. having a surface that is made of small round stones

f. flimsy 》 iv. thin and easily torn

g. attire 》 i. clothes, especially fine or formal ones

h. marvelous 》 ix. extremely good; wonderful

i. dynamics 》 iii. the science of the forces involved in movement

B. An autobiography is a story of a person’s life, written by himself/herself. 

Use a dictionary and find the meanings of the following words related to people’s life stories.

hagiography

Meaning:   A biography which expresses reverence and respect for its subject.

psychobiography

Meaning:     a biography that emphasises the psychological aspects of its subject.

pathography  

Meaning:   a biography that highlights the negative aspects of its subject's life.

Meaning:   a  written account of events and when they happened, ordered by time.

Meaning:   a  brief notice of a person’s death, as published in a newspaper.

character sketch

Meaning:   a written summary of a person's traits, characteristics, and so on.

Meaning:   a  summary or collection of information, especially about a person.

memoir  

Meaning:   a n autobiography; a book describing the personal experiences of an author.

COMPREHENSION

A. Put the following events in the life of Abdul Kalam in a chronological order. 

a. They celebrated happiness with poli. 

b. Abdul Kalam was determined that he would make a future study about flight and flight systems. 

c. Abdul Kalam attended an elementary school at Rameswaram. 

d. He then took the students to the seashore for a practical class. 

e. Many students did not understand well of Sivasubramania Iyer’s lecture. 

f. One day Abdul Kalam’s teacher visited them to share his pride and pleasure about his performance. 

g. A new teacher in the school forbade Abdul Kalam to sit together with his Bramhin friend.  

a. Abdul Kalam attended an elementary school at Rameswaram. 

b. One day Abdul Kalam’s teacher visited them to share his pride and pleasure about his performance. 

c. They celebrated happiness with poli. 

d. A new teacher in the school forbade Abdul Kalam to sit together with his Bramhin friend. 

f. He then took the students to the seashore for a practical class. 

g. Abdul Kalam was determined that he would make a future study about flight and flight systems. 

B. Answer the following questions.  

a. What were the causes of Abdul Kalam’s happiness? 

The causes of Abdul Kalam's happiness were as follows:

▪︎  His mathematics teacher's arrival at his home.

▪︎  His results came from his teacher.

▪︎  His teachers' pride in his achievements.

b. Which two places did Abdul Kalam visit before going to school? 

Before going to school, Abdul Kalam visited his Arabic tuition class and his mathematics teacher's house.

c. What did he like about mathematics? 

About mathematics, he liked numbers and their rules and patterns.

d. Why was the new teacher unhappy? 

The new teacher was unhappy because he saw a Hindu student and a Muslim student sitting together.

e. Why did Abdul Kalam have to split with his intimate friend? 

Abdul Kalam had to split with his intimate friend because the school where he studied only provided classes until the secondary level. For further study, he had to go to bigger towns nearby.

f. What was the topic of Sivasubramania Iyer’s class? 

The topic of Sivasubramania Iyer’s class was "How birds fly." That topic in Sivasubramania Iyer’s class was quite interesting.

g. How was the teacher’s reaction when the students told him that they did not understand his lecture?

The teacher didn't feel upset  when the students told him that they did not understand his lecture.

h. Why did Sivasubramania Iyer take his students to the seashore? 

Sivasubramania Iyer took his students to the seashore because he wanted to demonstrate to all his students the mechanisms of birds' flights.

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ONE-ACT PLAY: FACING DEATH CLASS 12: SUMMARY & EXERCISE | AUGUST STRINDBERG

CRITICAL THINKING

a. APJ Abdul Kalam became a renowned aerospace scientist in his later life. Do you find any association of his childhood days in shaping his career? Explain with specific instances from the text. 

As we know, children are the future of any nation. Today's children are the future's manpower in different sectors of any nation.

In this story, we have learned about the famous aerospace scientist, APJ Abdul Kalam. Yes, I find a direct association between his childhood days and shaping his career.

Here in his lifetime story, we get the idea that he was interested in math and science subjects from a young age, which made him a great and successful scientist in the future. He was quite fascinated by those subjects because he preferred them a lot. Besides these, Abdul Kalam was even more talented at an early age. He was good at math, science, English, and Tamil subjects. He scored quite good marks in those subjects at his school. Although he was born into a middle-class family, his ability and hard work always supported him. He never failed in his school days. He only achieved success at every level.

Due to his dedication as well as his liking for his studies, he became the brightest student whom everyone liked. He was appreciated most of the time by his teachers.

In this way, Abdul Kalam became a renowned aerospace scientist in his later life. He was quite serious about his studies.

He got the concept of being an astronaut from his teacher in school. The main source of his inspiration was his teacher. He was quite fascinated to see the flight of birds in the sky. His teacher took all the students near the beach for their practical class. His teacher taught him the wonder behind the fly of a bird. That particular lesson made him so curious and fascinated about flying.

b. Kalam mentions an instance of discrimination against him in his school life. What picture of society does he want to depict by mentioning the incident? Discuss. 

In Indian history, caste and religion have always played a very vital role among the Indians. In the history of India, the dispute over caste and religion has always remained at a high peak. Among Hindus and Muslims, the issue of caste and religion still has a deep shadow. In India, people are still seen fighting for their castes and religions. People are still discriminated against in the name of castes and religions.

Here in this story, Kalam mentions an instance of discrimination against him in his school life. During his school time, he was discriminated against by his teacher in the classroom. His new teacher didn't like him sitting with a Hindu boy named Ramanadhan. He felt heartbroken when his new teacher made him get up from the seat and sit elsewhere.

By mentioning the incident, Kalam wants to depict the religious issue that was prevalent among Indians during that time. This shows the picture of hatred among Indians in society in the matter of their religions.

The new teacher himself was seen as against humanity. Although the teacher represents an educated and intellectual human race, he was even guided by deeply rooted religious doctrines.

He had experienced bad treatment by his school teacher just for being a Muslim boy. This shows the hardships of the people in society in the name of religions. People had to face religious hatred during that time. Due to the concept of religion, people suffered a lot in societies.

Write a short autobiography featuring your childhood life using the following guidelines. Date and place of birth

Family background

Daily life 

School life

Special event of childhood days, etc.

My name is Suraj Bhatt. I belong to a middle-class family. My hometown is Mahendranagar, Kanchanpur, which is in the far-western region of Nepal. We are actually from Baitadi. My father migrated from Baitadi to Mahendranagar sixty years ago.

I belonged to a middle-class family with seven family members. My father is a businessman. Our family's economic background wasn't good. My father was a single-bread earner then. He struggled a lot to bring it all up. Today, only because of him, we are all well established with decent jobs and salaries. My father is still doing hard work at this old age. He is earning far better than us.

I'm quite far away from my hometown right now. I'm here in the Sindhupalchok district. I'm an English teacher at Shree Kalika Secondary School in Tekanpur. I have been teaching here at this school for more than twelve years. Every day, I teach seven periods at different levels.

My school life was so interesting. I started my schooling at Saraswori Boarding School in Mahendranagar. I studied there up to plus-two level. I used to enjoy myself a lot in my boarding school along with my classmates. I always remember my past golden school days.

The most special event of my childhood was the day when I got my first bicycle as a gift from my father. The day was quite special for me because that day I had passed my fourth grade. It was quite a happy occasion for me. That day, I got good news about my upgrade as well as a precious gift from my father.

Connectives

B. Join the following pairs of sentences twice, using although/though/even though and despite/in spite of as in the example.

Nepali people have limited income. They are very happy.  

i. Although Nepali people have limited income, they are happy. 

ii. Nepali people are happy in spite of their limited income. 

a. He is a millionaire. He lives in a simple house.

1. Although he is a millionaire, he lives in a simple house.

2. In spite of his richness, he lives in a simple house.

b. The weather was extremely bad. The pilot landed the plane safely. 

1. Though the weather was extremely bad, the pilot landed the plane safely.

2. In spite of extremely bad weather, the pilot landed the plane safely.

c. We study in the same college. We hardly see each other.

1. We study in the same college though we hardly see each other.

2. Although we study in the same college, we hardly see each other.

d. It rained heavily. We enjoyed our holiday. 

1. Although it rained heavily, we enjoyed our holiday.

2. Despite the heavy rain, we enjoyed our holiday.

e. I had an umbrella. I got wet in the rain. 

1. I had an umbrella although I got wet in rain. 

2. Despite having an umbrella, I got wet in rain. 

f. I was really tired. I could not sleep a moment. 

1. In spite of my tiredness, I could not sleep a moment. 

2. I was really tired, even though I could not sleep a moment. 

g. She has very good accent in English. She failed the interview of a newsreader. 

1. Though she has very good accent in English, she failed the interview of a newsreader. 

2. Despite having very good accent in English, she failed the interview of a newsreader.  

h. Lhasa has extremely cold weather in winter. Millions of tourists go there in January.  

1. Lhasa has extremely cold weather in winter although millions of tourists go there in January. 

2. Despite extremely cold weather in winter in Lhasa, millions of tourists go there in January. 

i. He was badly injured in the first round of the boxing match. He was victorious in the third round. 

1. Although he was badly injured in the first round of the boxing match, he was victorious in the third round. 

2. In spite of his bad injuries in the first round of the boxing match, he was victorious in the third round. 

A. Study the following sentences and underline the connectives. 

a. Although she spoke very fast, I understood what she meant to say. 

b. In spite of her hard labout, she failed her exam.

c. Though he had all the required qualifications, he did not get the job. 

d. Despite having all the qualifications, he did not get the job. 

C. Complete each sentence in an appropriate way. 

a. He passed the exam although …………………

He passed the exam although he didn't prepared well.

b. She climbed the mountain in spite of her …………….

She climbed the mountain in spite of her clumsy walk.

c. He did not give any alms to the beggars even though ……......

He did not give any alms to the beggars even though he was quite rich.

d. In spite of his poor eyesight, ……………..

In spite of his poor eyesight, he aimed perfectly with his gun.

e. ……………………………….. though she is very sociable. 

She becomes quite impolite   though she is very sociable.  

f. ………………………. in spite of his ten attempts.

He failed to win arm wrestling   in spite of his ten attempts.

g. He refused to eat anything despite ………………

He refused to eat anything despite his extreme hunger.

h. He could not score goods grades in the SEE exams in spite of ………………

He could not score goods grades in the SEE exams in spite of his well preparations.

i. She accepted the job although ………………….

She accepted the job although the salary was quite less.

j. Even though we had planned everything carefully ………………….

Even though we had planned everything carefully, we failed to reach our goal.

Expressing degrees of certainty

A. Act out the following pieces of conversation in pairs.  

a. A: We’ve meeting tomorrow at 9:00 am. Did you receive an SMS?

B : Yes, I got. I’ll definitely be at the meeting, don’t worry.

b. A: My book was on the table a few minutes ago. It’s not here now. 

B: Somebody might have taken it to read.  

c. A: Mr. Shrestha’s office is locked from outside. 

B: I’m sure. He has gone to the field. 

B. Work in pairs. Have conversions in the following situations. Use sure,  probably, definitely, likely, certainly, undoubtedly, may/might, must or can’t. 

a. My father had gone to the station but he has not returned home yet. 

A:  My father had gone to the station but he has not returned home yet. 

B: I'm sure. He has gone to meet Mr. Gupta.

b. It’s a holiday and their car is at home. 

A:   It’s a holiday and their car is at home.  

B: I'm sure they are inside.

c. He speaks with a German accent. 

A:  He speaks with a German accent. 

B: He must be a German.

d. You do not find the phone in your pocket.

A: I  do not find the phone in my pocket.

B: You probably have dropped it in the library. 

e. You are sure that Dolma is not in her school. 

A: I'm  sure that Dolma is not in her school.

B: She can't be at her school. 

f. You are expecting Suman to visit you. Then the doorbell rings. 

A: The doorbell rings.

B: Suman might have arrived.

g. The sky is overcast. 

A:  The sky is overcast. 

B: It is likely to rain.

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How to Write a Short Autobiography

If you write anything, then the skill of knowing how to write a short autobiography is something that you’ll need. Just because we shorten this need to a “bio” doesn’t mean there is less importance to it. Blogs, books, and even company websites all include bios of the people who are behind the work that is produced. Get this short bit of information correct and you’ll be able to prove that you have some level of expertise that readers or visitors need.

Here are the steps you’ll want to take in constructing your short autobiography. Although these steps are intended to be taken in sequential order, there are no set rules for the structure of a bio. Write what comes naturally to you and conveys the key points you need to make.

#1. Start with a simple introduction for your short autobiography.

You’ll want to speak about yourself in the third person, but it doesn’t have to be lengthy. Just a sentence or two is enough. “Joe Smith is a freelance graphic artist who started creating professional designs in 1997. He counts several Fortune 500 companies as his clients.” If you have any specific areas of expertise, this is where you’d want to put them.

Not every bio is for a publication that is based in the business world, however, so the introduction may be more personal. You might talk about your family: “Joe is a husband, father of 4, and loves playing rugby on the weekends with his local pub team.” It’s just important to keep personal bios on personal sites or publications and separate from business publications in most instances.

#2. Now add in your education and whatever credentials you have.

If you have any college/university degrees, then list these and the institution where you earned them. Certifications and other relevant experience, such as being a member of a specific professional organization, would also be included in this step. Listing a high school diploma or GED is usually not included here – you’re looking to add something to the bio that sets you apart.

That’s right – a high school diploma or GED doesn’t set you apart these days. Not everyone finishes school, this is true. Yet graduation or passing the GED is common enough that there is an expectation of it happening.

If you don’t have a diploma or GED, then it is suitable to substitute your previous work experiences in this section instead. Just because you learned through real-life practices doesn’t mean you didn’t receive an education in your own way.

#3. Have you had any notable achievements or awards?

Not everyone earns awards in their line of work, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t something notable about what they do. Maybe you’ve been a writer since the age of 13 when a local newspaper asked you to write a column for them. Or maybe you had a children’s book published in high school. Or your graphic designs have been published in notable magazines or publishing houses.

There is one general rule to follow, however, on these achievements and awards: they must be relevant to the subject matter at hand. If you’re writing about quantum mechanics, listing in your bio that you were nominated for the Best Newspaper Carrier Award for your state won’t add value to the expertise you’re trying to convey.

#4. Include a closing statement in your short autobiography.

A good rule of thumb for a closing statement is to include a brief look at what you’re current projects happen to be. If you were an author, you might talk about a book that is being published later in the year. You might conclude with a brief note about where you currently live and why you like living there. If you have a personal blog, you might talk about the things your family likes to do in your community. “Joe and his family love Tampa Bay and the multiple opportunities that exist to play miniature golf.”

The goal of structuring a short autobiography like this is to make it as easy to update as possible. If you earn a master’s degree after your bachelor’s degree, for example, you could easily add the graduate degree to your bio in the education section. If you change careers, you can add in the new experience while touting your previous expertise: “Joe had 20 years of graphic design experience before deciding to become a freelance artist in 2015.”

Good bios can be just a paragraph long. Others might need a page or two. Whatever the case may be for you, focus on these key points and put in the relevant information needed so you can give people a glimpse of who you really are.

If you’ve found these tips on picking an autobiography title useful, check out these further resources:

How to come up with autobiography titles what is the best autobiography layout memoir vs autobiography 9 great autobiography writing tips how to publish an autobiography.

About the Author

Melissa G. Wilson is a seasoned author and publisher with over 20 years of experience, guiding over 174 thought leaders to success in the literary and business arenas. As the founder of Networlding Publishing and a former “Networking Coach,” Melissa has authored five best-sellers, including “Networlding” which held a top spot on Amazon for a year. Based in Chicago’s West Loop, she combines her passion for networking and publishing to help authors from diverse fields achieve their goals. Melissa is committed to fostering community and professional growth, offering free consultations for aspiring non-fiction business authors .

This 47-page mini-ebook gives you everything you need to start writing your own autobiography, including:

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–Best autobiography layouts

–Autobiography marketing strategy and more!

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Education | A Story of my childhood | Class 12 English Notes

NEB Grade XII Compulsory English Note | Language Development | Unit- 5 A Story of My Childhood | A.P.J. Abdul Kalam

• Before you read

a.”Childhood is a chance for kids to discover who they are before the world tells them who they should be.” Do you agree or not?

Ans. Yes, certainly. Our childhood behaviour leads us to future life. Even simple achievement makes us exciting and we feel we did great deed. Our teacher parents shape our character. They are our backbone. We have dream of what we would be in our future life. And many mischievous things too we have done in our childhood .

b. Share one of your interesting childhood memories.

Ans. I didn’t know how to swim in a stream but all of my friends died from the big stone into the pooled water. I also dived but drowned. One of my friends push me up and drew me to the bank. From next day I began to swim in the sallow water, slowly I came to learn how to swim.

• Working with words

Match the words in column A with meaning in column B

(a) expectant:- in a way that shows you are hoping for something, especially something good or exciting

(b) beckon:- to give signal to somebody to move nearer or to follow you

(c) grapple:- to try hard to find a solution to a problem

(d) texture:- the way food or drink tastes or feels in your mouth

(e) cobbled:- having a surface that is made of small round stones

(f) flimsy:- thin and easily torn

(g) attire:-clothes, especially fine or formal ones

(h) marvellous:- extremely good; wonderful

(i) dynamics:- the science of the forces involved in movement

  B. An autobiography is a story of a person’s life, written by himself/herself. Use a dictionary and find the meanings of the following words related to people’s life stories.

hagiography obituary   chronicle memoir psychobiography pathography character sketch profile

a.hagiography:-a biography that treats its subject with undue reverence, Biography of saints or venerated person. idolising biography.

b.psychobiography:-a biography written from a psycho dynamic or psychoanalytic point of view. It designates any approach to biography that emphasises inner life and psychological development.

c.pathography:-the study of the life an individual or the history of a country with regard to the influence of a particular disease or psychological disorder.

Pathography is psycho analytic approach to the realm of art that depends on detailed knowledge of an artists personal life history.

d.Chronicle:-A factual written account of important or historical events inorder to their occurrence. Record a series of events in a factual and detailed.

e.obituary:-Notice of death, specially in newspaper, typically including a brief biography of deceased person.

f.character sketch:-a brief description of a person’s qualities.

g.profile:-a side view outline. A view or representation of an object, esp of a human, a building in contour or outline.

h.memoir:-a historical account or biography written from personal knowledge.

C. An intonation refers to the way the voice rises and falls when speaking. They can be rising, falling, rising-falling or falling-rising. Listen to your teacher reading the following sentences and find out their intonation patterns .

a. I have some good news for you! –  Rising  

b I was so pleased to hear this result. –  Rising + falling

c.My mother would have a hot meal ready. –  Falling

d.The whole class went to the seashore of Rameswaram. –  Falling

e.Who knew that a Muslim and a Hindu boy could not sit together? –  Falling +

 Rising

f.He also explained to us how they change direction while flying. –  Falling + rising

g . He asked the other students whether they had understood or not. –  Falling + 

h.Where is the engine in this bird? –  Falling

i.How can I progress further in learning all about flight? –  Falling

j. Should I go to engineering college where I would be able to learn about flight. –

  Rising + Falling

• Comprehension

A.Put the following events in the life of Abdul kalam in a chronological order.

(a) Abdul Kalam attended an elementary school at Rameswaram.

(b) One day Abdul Kalam’s teacher visited them to share his pride and pleasure about his performance.

(c) They celebrated happiness with poli.

(d) A new teacher in the school forbade Abdul Kalam to sit together with his Bramhin friend.

(e). Many students did not understand well of Sivasubramania Iyer’s lecture.

(f) He then took the students to the seashore for a practical class.

(g) Abdul Kalam was determined that he would make a future study about flight and flight systems.

B. Answer the following questions.

a.What were the causes of Abdul Kalam’s happiness?

Ans. Scoring full marks in mathematics and science, outstanding result in English and Tamil, teachers trouble to come his house to tell the result, sweet polis his best friend Ramanadhan Sastry, leaf boats sailing on a poodle, unexpected joy ride of ants on a leaf boat and clinging them on a flimsy leaf were the causes ofAbdul Kalam’s happiness.

b.Which two places did Abdul Kalam visit before going to school?

Ans. Before going to school he had to go to Arbic tuition class where he learnt to read Koran. After it was over he had to go to his mathematics teacher’s house to take special class.

c.What did he like about mathematics?

Ans. He liked to gripping with number problems. He was always loved about learning numbers, and their rules and patterns.

e. Why did Abdul Kalam have to split with his intimate friend?

Ans. Abdul kalam had to split with his intimate friend because of religion use discrimination prevailing in the society. Muslim and Hindu boy could not sit together Abdul Kalam was a Muslim and his intimate friend Ramanadhan was a Hindu. But the teacher was convinced and the two sat together later.

f.What was the topic of Sivasubramania Iyer’s class?

Ans. Shivasubarmania lyer’s class topic was ‘How birds fly’. He taught science. That day he was going to teach features of birds. It was about animal kingdom or classification of animals.

g.How was the teacher’s reaction when the students told him that they did not understand his lecture?

Ans. Teacher was not upset with the students because they had not understood about bird’s flight. Next day, He scheduled for practical teaching in the nature.

Practical teaching was real teaching instead of giving lecture in the class.

h.Why did Sivasubramania Iyer take his students to the seashore?

Ans. Shivasubramania Iyer took his students to the seashore to teach practically about birds’ fly and to have real teaching in the nature. 

• Critical thinking

a.APJ Abdul Kalam became a renowned aerospace scientist in his later life. Do you find any association of his childhood days in shaping his career? Explain with specific instances from the text.

Ans. Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam (1931-2015 AD) was one of the greatest scientists of 20 th century. He had , dedication and perseverance in his spirit. These qualities of Kalam made him a renowned scientist of the world. I absolutely, find that the childhood days of Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, has a great effect in shaping his career.

A. P. J. Abdul Kalam called his childhood a secure one because he had loving and caring parents. He had all necessary things which included food, clothes, medicine etc.

Kalam is school was small but had got many teachers who had taught him with bol love and care. Moreover, the incident of division between Hindu and Muslim made o boaby his former teacher made him concious about discriminative society too. While illuc he was ten, his teacher taught how the birds fly he didn’t understand it. After he had soflor seen it practically then only he came to know how do birds fly. This made his concept clear and excited to know more about flight. hence, he passed his 8mn, high carlier school and went to engineering collge at Madras Institute of Technology and become successful aerospace engineer.

Hence, there is plenty of association of Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam’s childhood days in shaping his career.

b.Kalam mentions an instance of discrimination against him in his school life. What picture of society does he want to depict by mentioning the incident? Discuss.

Ans. During childhood Kalam used to wear a cap and Ramanandhan Satyr wore a sacred thread which marked him to be a Brahmin. When the new teacher came he could not tolerate a Hindu priest’s son sitting with a Muslim boy. He ordered Kalam to go. and sit on the back bench. This made Ramanandhan sad. Abdul started to sit in the last row but it left a bad impression on Abdul. Both the kids narrated the incident to their parents. As a result, the teacher rebuked and reprimanded the spreading communalism and hatred among children. 

This incident depicts the discriminative society in India. Where Hindus are considered superior to Muslim. The mindset of teachers in that period was so narrow. People used to discriminate on the basis of caste, economic status and so on. This shows a dark trace of the society where it used to create conflicts and disputes among one other. 

Write a Short Autobiography featuring your childhood life using the following guidelines . 

Ans. My Childhood life

I remember, at an early age I wanted to be a teacher. As a child, other with friend and cousins I played at school and of course I had to be a teacher.

I was born in 2070 B.S. in Parbat district. I am from a simple family. My parents are farmers. They simply earn by working in a farm and grew crops to sustain for the family. I had 3 brothers and 4 sisters. I grew in a big family. We had no electricity. We had to walk for 3 days to buy kerosene and salt from the nearest market. My father used to carry 15 litres of kerosene and 50 kg salt once a year. He used to go Batauli twice a year to bring salt, kerosene, stationery and clothes. We used to sit around the oil lamp and do our homework. Sister and me used to share one set of old books. We had to go to graze cattle and cut grass before and after school.

`We had to pay fee in government school too. At that time, I had to pay Rs 14 for grade 7, upto fifth grade, it was five. To get scholarship, I changed school after 7th

grade. I was always the first in the class. If I didn’t stand first, I had to pay the fees. At that time all teachers were in favour of democratic movement. Police used to enter the school and asked various questions about Panchayat system and multiparty democracy. We didn’t have classes at day time, all scared of army and police troops. But our science teacher called us at his home and he taught everything. We didn’t know how to write correct English. So, we gave priority to English rather than other subjects.

I had been inspired by our English & science teachers. So I wanted to be a teacher in my future life. We had to face more difficulties in study. We had only a set of books, not any dictionary, guide or reference book. We only depended on S.L.C. or I.A. passed teachers. They had been valued in the society. Teacher had to read and write letters to the army families. Some people had been to India. They sent letters and families used to call a teacher to read and write reply to them. So, I set my mind to be a teacher. Nowadays, we can get each and every note in google and make mockery character to the teacher in the classroom and present us as learned persons in this modern world. Reality is towards romance, dancer bar and ultra-modern culture.

•  Grammar

Connectives

A.Study the following sentences and underline the connectives. 

a.Although she spoke very fast, I understood what she meant to say.

b.In spite of her hard labour, she failed her exam.

c.Though he had all the required qualifications, he did not get the job.

d.Despite having all the qualifications, he did not get the job.

B.Join the following pairs of sentences twice, using although/though/even though and despite/in spite of as in the example.

Example: Nepali people have limited income. They are very happy.

i.Although Nepali people have limited income, they are happy. 

ii. Nepali people are happy in spite of their limited income.

a.He is a millionaire. He lives in a simple house.

Ans. Although he is a millionaire, he lives in a simple house.

• In spite of his higher income, he lives in a simple house.

b.The weather was extremely bad. The pilot landed the plane safely.

Ans. The pilot landed the plane safely in spite of the weather extremely bad. 

c.We study in the same college. We hardly see each other.

Ans. We hardly see each other even though we study in the same college. 

• Though we study in the same college, we hardly see each other.

d.It rained heavily. We enjoyed our holiday.

Ans. In spite of the heavy rain, we enjoyed our holiday.

• Although there was heavy rain, we enjoyed our holiday.

e.I had an umbrella. I got wet in the rain.

Ans. I got wet in the rain although I had an umbrella.

• Despite having an umbrella, I got wet in the rain. 

f. I was really tired. I could not sleep a moment. 

Ans. Because of my tiredness, I couldn’t sleep a moment.

• I could not sleep a moment as I was really tired.
• As I was really tired, I couldn’t sleep a moment ..

g.She has very good accent in English. She failed the interview of a newsreader.

Ans. Even Though she has very good accent in English, she failed the interview of a newsreader.

• In spite of her very good accent in English, she failed the interview of a news reader. 

h.Lhasa has extremely cold weather in winter. Millions of tourists go there in January. 

Ans. Although Lhasa has extremely cold weather in winter, millions of tourists go there in January.

• Millions of tourists go to Lhasa in winter inspite of its extremely cold weather.

i.He was badly injured in the first round of the boxing match. He was victorious in the third round.

Ans. Although he was badly injured in the first round of the boxing match, hewas victorious in the third round.

• He was victorious in the third round despite his bad injury in the first round of the boxing match.

C. Complete each sentence in an appropriate way.

a.He passed the exam although I didn’t attend the class regularly.

b.She climbed the mountain in spite of her weakness.

c.He did not give any alms to the beggars even though he earned a lot.

d.In spite of his poor eyesight, he climbed the mountain.

e.Nobody respect her though she is very sociable.

f.He couldn’t join the army, in spite of his ten attempts. 

g.He refused to eat anything despite having hunger.

h.He could not score good grades in the SEE exams in spite of his hard labour.

i.She accepted the job although she didn’t like it.

j. Even Though we had planned everything carefully, we couldn’t manage the company properly.

• Project work

Conduct an oratory contest on “Education is the Foundation of Development”.Invite your English teacher as a judge.

Ans. ‘Education is the foundation of Development’

Mr. Chairperson, respected teachers and my dear friends ! Today I am here to deliver a short speech on the topic ‘Education is the foundation of development’.

Education means a form of learning in which knowledge skills and habits are transfered from. One generation to the next generation. The education of a person starts when s/he is born. At the early age the most important teachers of a child are his parents and specialy his mother because a mother can teach her child the best.

One should consider deeply that the foundation of development is education. The country will be developed only after educated and skillful human resource is available within the country. The nations are built multifariously by education. The economic growth can be increased, if the people of a country are educated. They can easily grow up the national economy. Then they can better know the economic principles and rules and can think about them easily if they are better educated. Education provides people the skills they need to help themselves to get out of poverty and gain prosperity. If one gets education, she is able to decide what is right and what not. Moreover education plays a great role in the field of agriculture which helps in producing food and crops in the country. In addition, the medical workers, civil servants, and other important human resources necessary for the country are also developed through education.

Hence, by saying that education is the foundation of development, I would like to thank you all for your valuable time and attention.

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In This Article Expand or collapse the "in this article" section Autobiography and Childhood

Introduction, general overviews and critical studies.

• Biographies for Children: Twenty-First-Century Examples
• Biographies for Children: Criticism
• Life Writing by Children

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Autobiography and Childhood by Kate Douglas LAST REVIEWED: 26 July 2022 LAST MODIFIED: 26 July 2022 DOI: 10.1093/obo/9780199791231-0263

“Autobiography” derives from the Greek terms autos (self), bios (life), and graphein (writing), and is most commonly understood as a cultural text in which a person represents their own life. The practice has long been associated with the written word: well-known, published books in which significant people record their remarkable lives. Traditionally, autobiography has been characterized by so-called “great men,” usually white and European, recounting their lives as they approach their later years. However, cultural change in the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries—particularly second-wave feminism, decolonization, globalization, the rise of technology, and mass and digital media—have changed “self-life-writing” radically. The development of alternative types of first-person and life storying, including memoir, documentary, reality television, blogs, vlogs, and diverse and ever-emerging forms of social media (e.g., YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok), has consistently brought new voices and subjects into the public sphere. Life narration, in its various forms, has become a diverse, global genre. It is now steeped in the various written and oral traditions in which people have told stories about their lives for thousands of years and across myriad locations. The terms “autobiography,” “life writing,” and “life narrative” have become umbrella descriptors for the plethora of ways in which people of all ages, cultures, and locations represent themselves, their lives, or the lives of others on a daily basis. Childhood is, unsurprisingly, a common theme within autobiography. Childhood is where life begins, and autobiographies of childhood have brought a greater understanding of the diverse ways in which people experience childhood.

Children have been telling their life stories, and adults recounting their childhoods across cultures, for as long as people have lived, including examples such as African folktales and Indigenous Australian oral histories, as Coe 1984 and Douglas 2010 contend. Yet most of what we know about autobiography and childhood as a form comes from European contexts, where writing about childhood inevitably aligns with shifts in the cultural position of children. Augustine’s Confessions (397–400 CE ) is one early and notable example of autobiographical writing about childhood. However, childhood was of little interest in European life writing until the eighteenth century. Prior to the eighteenth century, though childhood was not afforded the same interest as it is today, there was a growing curiosity about children’s lives. Childhood was becoming understood as a separate developmental stage to adulthood that was worthy of consideration, and this was reflected within writing and art. As Douglas 2010 notes, by the nineteenth century, childhood was a cultural preoccupation, but most commonly framed within the stereotypical binary of innocence (childhood) to experience (adulthood). Children and childhood were most commonly seen as a window into the adult the child would become. Prominent authors here included the Romantic poets (e.g., William Wordsworth) and those novelists engaged in the Bildungsroman mode such as Charles Dickens, Charlotte Brontë, and Thomas Hardy, who used autobiographical fictions to explore the challenging emotional, physical, psychological, and spiritual growth of the protagonist from childhood to adulthood. Such novels also introduced themes related to the rights of the child, such as childhood mortality, class, and gender inequality. As McCooey 1995 argues, in the twentieth century, representations of childhood featured commonly across autobiographical writings. Childhood was still often represented as foundational to the adult the protagonist became, but was increasingly of interest in itself as a means of understanding more about children’s histories. Notable texts include the memoirs of Virginia Woolf, the diary of Anne Frank, and the academic and activist writings of Christa Wolf, Annette Kuhn, and Richard Rodriguez—all of whom were preoccupied with the relationship between the child and the social world. As Douglas and Poletti 2016 argue, 20th-century autobiographers sought to understand childhood developmentally and socially—to understand their experiences of the world—but also to explore how experiences of childhood impact upon adult life. The autobiography of childhood mode experienced a significant boom in the 1990s with the rise of so-called “misery memoirs” recounting difficult or traumatic childhoods. Notable in this trend were Frank McCourt’s Angela’s Ashes (1996) Mary Karr’s The Liars’ Club (1995), and James McBride’s The Color of Water (1995). These autobiographies of childhood most commonly took the form of a middle-aged adult writing about their childhood long before. As Cardell and Douglas 2014 and Douglas 2010 argue, the circulation of these memoirs opened up larger conversations about diverse experiences of childhood in history. They offered counter-histories to idealized versions of mid-19th-century childhoods—for example, through their representations of childhood poverty, neglect, and abuse. This trend has continued well into the 2000s and shows no sign of waning. The 2000s have seen notable trends in autobiographical writings about childhood and youth, including the representation of drug and alcohol abuse (see, for example, Smashed: Story of a Drunken Girlhood [2005] by Koren Zailckas), of eating disorders ( Empty [2020] by Susan Burton), of mental health struggles ( Maybe I Don’t Belong Here [2021] by David Harewood), of family separation and trauma ( Somebody’s Daughter [2021] by Ashley. C. Ford), and of sex and sexuality ( Caught in the Act [2021] by Courtney Act). Such texts, through the stories they enable and what they overtly or covertly limit, reveal the cultural preoccupations and investments that surround and affect childhood and youth in the twenty-first century. Much autobiography scholarship engages in discussions of childhood simply because most autobiographies and biographies offer representations of the subject’s childhood. As previously mentioned, childhood is traditionally thought to be significant in signaling the adult the child will become. But childhood and children have become of increasing interest beyond this. This is due to the shifting social position of children and wider recognition of children as social actors whose lives and contributions to the world are as valuable as those of adults. Scholars who have researched autobiographical representations of childhood are interested in children’s lives as they are represented retrospectively by adults (whether the self, or by another) and contemporaneously by children themselves ( Lynch 2013 , Douglas and Poletti 2016 , Douglas 2017 , Douglas 2019 ). These scholars consider the diverse styles for representing childhood, from autobiography to biography, memoir, the graphic memoir, the archive, independent media, and digital media. As Douglas 2017 discusses, research on auto/biographies of childhood evaluate the myriad themes that emerge from these texts, including children’s rights and activism, child abuse and neglect, childhood memory, coming-of-age, education, and children’s creativity. Some significant critical issues to emerge from this scholarship include the significant contribution that children and youth have made and continue to make to auto/biographical genres, the importance of children’s participation in life narration in terms of their cultural agency, the prevalence of trauma narratives in children’s autobiography, and the ethics of reception and methods for reading children’s narratives.

Cardell, Kylie, and Kate Douglas, eds. Telling Tales: Autobiographies of Childhood and Youth . London: Routledge, 2014.

This edited collection acknowledges the many texts and forms in which people tell stories about their childhood and youth. It offers a series of case studies from leading scholars in the field, including Leena Kurvet-Käosaar, Claire Lynch, and Anna Poletti. Some of the key themes explored include sexuality, coming-of-age, trauma, prejudice, and conflict. The chapters also consider the diverse forms in which childhood is represented via autobiography, including graphic memoir, archives, anthologies, and digital modes.

Coe, Richard N. When the Grass Was Taller: Autobiography and the Experience of Childhood . New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1984.

This is the pioneering text in this subject area. Coe surveys over six hundred autobiographies of childhood to map the form. In considering literary autobiographies from Europe and Asia, Coe posits that certain themes recur, such as coming-of-age through reading, fear, and boredom. He also finds a (perhaps unsurprising) focus on parents, teachers, and other influential figures. Coe’s study prompts reflection on the representation of childhood in nonfiction and a mandate for thinking more broadly about literary childhoods.

Douglas, Kate. Contesting Childhood: Autobiography, Trauma and Memory . New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers, 2010.

Contesting Childhood considers the wave of popular autobiographies to emerge in the memoir boom of the 1990s and early 2000s. The author reviews primarily texts from Australia, Britain, and the United States to point to the prevalence of autobiographies recalling traumatic childhoods during this period. Contesting Childhood also considers autobiographies in the nostalgic mode as another dominant trend in the 1990s and 2000s, but does not set up trauma and nostalgia as binaries.

Douglas, Kate. “Malala Yousafzai, Life Narrative and the Collaborative Archive.” Life Writing 14.3 (2017): 297–311.

DOI: 10.1080/14484528.2017.1328299

Once a single autobiography was the expected practice of those telling a life story. Now it is not uncommon for notable people to tell their live stories across multiple nonfictional texts and practices. This is particularly true when the author is a younger person such as Malala Yousafzai. Malala’s life narrative “archive” includes a blog, a film, a documentary, a memoir, a memoir for young adult readers, and a children’s picture book.

Douglas, Kate. “Autobiographical Writing for Children.” In New and Experimental Ways of Writing Lives . Edited by Jo Parnell, 22–31. Basingstoke, UK: Palgrave, 2019.

This chapter explores the autobiographical writings of Australian author, comedian, and artist Anh Do, and of activist and author Malala Yousafzai. Both have written memoirs of their childhoods intended for adult readers. Both then wrote versions for child readers, following a significant recent trend toward auto/biographical writings for children. This chapter asks, what happens when trauma stories are adapted for child readers, and it considers the literary and visual strategies employed to build an age-appropriate version.

Douglas, Kate, and Anna Poletti. Life Narratives and Youth Culture: Representation, Agency and Participation . London: Palgrave, 2016.

DOI: 10.1057/978-1-137-55117-7

Children and youth have been telling stories about their lives forever, though their creations have not always been recognized. This book examines the contributions that children and youth have made to auto/biographical forms including memoir, letter writing, diaries, and in social media.

Lynch, Claire. “The Ante-Autobiography and the Archive of Childhood.” Prose Studies 35.1 (2013): 97–112.

DOI: 10.1080/01440357.2013.781414

This essay outlines a notable means by which children tell stories about their own lives in everyday modes: drawings and writings completed during childhood. Lynch uses the term “ante-autobiography” to explain the ways in which children commonly produce autobiographical texts. They are not intended to be autobiography but can be retrospectively read as such. Lynch explores the implications of this through a reading of her own childhood texts. These texts provide knowledge of how children practice autobiography.

McCooey, David. “Australian Autobiographies of Childhood: Beginning and Myth.” Southerly: A Review of Australian Literature 55.1 (1995): 132–155.

For McCooey and other literary scholars, autobiographies of childhood appeal because they draw on literary techniques to represent remembered experience. These texts reveal a protagonist looking inward to reveal truths about their life.

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Education (A Story of My Childhood)

Working with words

Match the words in column ‘A’ with their meanings in column ‘B’.

Use a dictionary and find the meanings of the following words related to people’s life stories.

• Hagiography: a biography of a saint or other religious figure, often including legend and miracle stories.
• Psychobiography: a type of biography that focuses on the psychological aspects of the subject's life.
• Pathography: a biography that focuses on the negative aspects of a person's life and character, often highlighting their flaws and failures.
• Chronicle: a historical account of events arranged in chronological order.
• Obituary: a notice, often in a newspaper, that gives information about a person who has died, including their name, age, and details of their life and death. Character sketch: a brief description or analysis of a person's character, often focusing on their personality, behavior, and motivations.
• Profile: a detailed description or analysis of a person, organization, or event, often including information about their background, achievements, and characteristics.
• Memoir: an autobiographical account of a person's life, often focusing on specific events or experiences.

Comprehension

Put the following events in the life of Abdul Kalam in a chronological order.

c. Abdul Kalam attended an elementary school at Rameswaram. f. One day Abdul Kalam’s teacher visited them to share his pride and pleasure about his performance. a. They celebrated happiness with poli. g. A new teacher in the school forbade Abdul Kalam to sit together with his Bramhin friend. e. Many students did not understand well of Sivasubramania Iyer’s lecture. d. He then took the students to the seashore for a practical class. b. Abdul Kalam was determined that he would make a future study about flight and flight systems.

Answer the following questions.

a. What were the causes of Abdul Kalam’s happiness?

The causes of Abdul Kalam's happiness were that he scored full marks in mathematics and science in an exam, and he did well in English and Tamil too. His teacher also visited his house to share his pride and happiness with his family.

b. Which two places did Abdul Kalam visit before going to school?

Before going to school, Abdul Kalam visited an Arabic tuition class where he learnt to read the Koran and his Mathematics teacher's house where he took a special class for students who showed promise in the subject.

c. What did he like about mathematics?

Abdul Kalam liked learning about numbers and their rules and patterns. He had learnt addition, subtraction, multiplication and other basic functions very quickly and was eager to know more about complex problems.

d. Why was the new teacher unhappy?

The new teacher was unhappy because he forbid Abdul Kalam to sit together with his Bramhin friend, as he believed Muslim and Hindu boys should not sit together.

e. Why did Abdul Kalam have to split with his intimate friend?

Abdul Kalam had to split with his intimate friend because the new teacher forbid Muslim and Hindu boys to sit together.

f. What was the topic of Sivasubramania Iyer’s class?

The topic of Sivasubramania Iyer’s class was how the birds could fly in the sky.

g. How was the teacher’s reaction when the students told him that they did not understand his lecture?

Teacher didn’t become upset when the students told him that they didn’t understand his lecture.

h. Why did Sivasubramania Iyer take his students to the seashore?

Sivasubramania Iyer took his students to the seashore because he wanted to demonstrate the mechanism of bird flight to the students.

Critical thinking

APJ Abdul Kalam became a renowned aerospace scientist in his later life. Do you find any association of his childhood days in shaping his career? Explain with specific instances from the text.

Yes, there are several instances in the text that suggest that Abdul Kalam's childhood experiences played a role in shaping his career as an aerospace scientist.

Firstly, it is mentioned that he had a keen interest in mathematics from a young age and enjoyed learning about numbers and their rules and patterns. This interest in mathematics may have laid the foundation for his later studies in aerospace science, which heavily relies on mathematical calculations and principles.

Secondly, it is mentioned that he attended a special class for students who showed promise in mathematics. This opportunity to learn advanced mathematical concepts at a young age may have helped to further fuel his interest in the subject and set him on a path towards a career in science.

Thirdly, it is also mentioned that Sivasubramania Iyer, his teacher, took the students to the seashore for a practical class, which may have inspired Abdul Kalam's interest in flight and aeronautics.

Lastly, it is also mentioned that Abdul Kalam had a strong bond with his friend Ramanadha Sastry and they used to chat and play games together. This friendship may have helped him to develop his social and emotional skills that would be important in his future career as a scientist.

All of these instances from the text suggest that Abdul Kalam's childhood experiences played a significant role in shaping his career as an aerospace scientist.

Kalam mentions an instance of discrimination against him in his school life. What picture of society does he want to depict by mentioning the incident? Discuss.

In the passage, Kalam mentions an instance of discrimination against him in his school life, where a new teacher forbade him to sit together with his Brahmin friend Ramanadha Sastry because he believed Muslim and Hindu boys should not sit together. By mentioning this incident, Kalam wants to depict the picture of a society that is plagued by religious discrimination.

The incident highlights the fact that even at a young age, Kalam was subjected to discrimination based on his religion. This can be seen as a reflection of the larger societal issue of religious discrimination and prejudice that existed in India at the time. He wants to depict the negative impact of discrimination on the individuals and their relationships. He wants to show how it can hurt people emotionally and can cause a rift in the society.

Furthermore, the incident also shows that discrimination can be present even in educational institutions, which are supposed to be places of learning and growth. This can have a detrimental effect on the development of young people, and can prevent them from reaching their full potential.

In mentioning this incident, Kalam is drawing attention to the negative effects of discrimination and prejudice, and the importance of creating a society where everyone is treated with respect and equality, regardless of their religion.

Write a short autobiography featuring your childhood life using the following guidelines.

• Date and place of birth
• Family background
• School life
• Special event of childhood days, etc.

My name is Bimala and I was born on January 1st, 2006 in Kathmandu, Nepal. I come from a large family, with two older siblings and two younger ones. My parents are farmers and we lived in a small village outside of Kathmandu.

Growing up, my daily life revolved around helping my parents with farm work and going to school. We would wake up early in the morning to tend to the crops and animals before heading off to school. After school, we would come home and continue working on the farm until dinner.

My school life was an important part of my childhood. I was always eager to learn new things and had a great relationship with my teachers. I was particularly interested in math and science and would often stay after school to get extra help from my teachers.

One special event of my childhood days that I will always remember was when my family took a trip to the Chitwan National Park. It was the first time I had ever seen a wild elephant up close and it was an experience I will never forget. The whole trip was amazing, we saw many different animals and we went on a jungle safari. It was a truly unforgettable experience.

Overall, my childhood was filled with hard work and lots of learning, but it was also filled with love and support from my family. I am grateful for the experiences and lessons I gained during those years and they have shaped me into the person I am today.

Connectives

Connectives are words or phrases that are used to connect ideas, sentences, or paragraphs in a piece of writing. They can indicate a variety of relationships between the ideas, including cause and effect, contrast, and similarity. Some examples of connectives include "and," "but," "because," "so," "although," "however," "in addition," "furthermore," etc.

Connectives are used to help the flow and coherence of a piece of writing. They can be used to connect ideas within a sentence or between sentences. For example, in the sentence "I went to the store, and I bought some groceries," the connective "and" is used to connect the two ideas. Similarly, in the sentence "I was tired, but I decided to go for a walk," the connective "but" is used to show contrast between the two ideas.

Connectives can also be used to show a cause and effect relationship. For example, "The alarm clock didn't go off, so I was late for work." The connective "so" is used to show that the first idea (the alarm clock not going off) caused the second idea (being late for work).

Using connectives effectively in writing can make the writing more organized, clear and easy to follow. It helps in making the relationship between ideas clear and logical. It is always good to use a variety of connectives in writing to show different types of relationships between ideas and make the writing more interesting.

Join the following pairs of sentences twice, using although/though/even though and despite/in spite.

a. He is a millionaire. He lives in a simple house. i. Although he is a millionaire, he lives in a simple house. ii. He lives in a simple house despite being a millionaire.

b. The weather was extremely bad. The pilot landed the plane safely. i. Despite the weather being extremely bad, the pilot landed the plane safely. ii. Even though the weather was extremely bad, the pilot landed the plane safely.

c. We study in the same college. We hardly see each other. i. Although we study in the same college, we hardly see each other. ii. We hardly see each other in spite of studying in the same college.

d. It rained heavily. We enjoyed our holiday. i. Despite it raining heavily, we enjoyed our holiday. ii. We enjoyed our holiday even though it rained heavily.

e. I had an umbrella. I got wet in the rain. i. Although I had an umbrella, I got wet in the rain. ii. I got wet in the rain in spite of having an umbrella.

f. I was really tired. I could not sleep a moment. i. Despite being really tired, I could not sleep a moment. ii. I could not sleep a moment even though I was really tired.

g. She has very good accent in English. She failed the interview of a newsreader. i. Although she has very good accent in English, she failed the interview of a newsreader. ii. She failed the interview of a newsreader in spite of having very good

h. Lhasa has extremely cold weather in winter. Millions of tourists go there in January. i. Despite Lhasa having extremely cold weather in winter, millions of tourists go there in January. ii. Millions of tourists go to Lhasa in January even though it has extremely cold weather in winter.

i. He was badly injured in the first round of the boxing match. He was victorious in the third round. i. Despite being badly injured in the first round of the boxing match, he was victorious in the third round. ii. He was victorious in the third round even though he was badly injured in the first round of the boxing match.

Complete each sentence in an appropriate way.

a. He passed the exam although he hadn't studied much . b. She climbed the mountain in spite of her fear . c. He did not give any alms to the beggars even though he had a lot of money . d. In spite of his poor eyesight, he became a successful doctor e. She is very shy though she is very sociable . f. He failed to pass the driving test in spite of his ten attempts . g. He refused to eat anything despite being hungry . h. He could not score goods grades in the SEE exams in spite of being a brilliant student . i. She accepted the job although the salary was low . j. Even though we had planned everything carefully, the party was a failure .

Education Exercise : Question Answers and Grammar

Share this article, working with words, a. match the words in column ‘a’ with their meanings in column ‘b’., a. expectantly, h. marvelous, i. dynamics, b. an autobiography is a story of a person’s life, written by himself/herself. use a dictionary and find the meanings of the following words related to people’s life stories., hagiography, psychobiography, pathography, character sketch.

You can download our android app using below button to get offline access to the notes directly from your phone.

Comprehension

A. put the following events in the life of abdul kalam in a chronological order., b. answer the following questions., a. what were the causes of abdul kalam’s happiness, b. which two places did abdul kalam visit before going to school, c. what did he like about mathematics, d. why was the new teacher unhappy, e. why did abdul kalam have to split with his intimate friend, f. what was the topic of sivasubramania iyer’s class, g. how was the teacher’s reaction when the students told him that they did not understand his lecture, h. why did sivasubramania iyer take his students to the seashore, critical thinking, a. apj abdul kalam became a renowned aerospace scientist in his later life. do you find any association of his childhood days in shaping his career explain with specific instances from the text., b. kalam mentions an instance of discrimination against him in his school life. what picture of society does he want to depict by mentioning the incident discuss., write a short autobiography featuring your childhood life using the following guidelines., a. study the following sentences and underline the connectives., b. join the following pairs of sentences twice, using although/though/even though and despite/in spite of as in the example., a. he is a millionaire. he lives in a simple house., b. the weather was extremely bad. the pilot landed the plane safely., c. we study in the same college. we hardly see each other., d. it rained heavily. we enjoyed our holiday., e. i had an umbrella. i got wet in the rain., f. i was really tired. i could not sleep for a moment., g. she has a very good accent in english. she failed the interview of a newsreader., h. lhasa has extremely cold weather in winter. millions of tourists go there in january., i. he was badly injured in the first round of the boxing match. he was victorious in the third round., c. complete each sentence in an appropriate way., don't miss our nepali guide.

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6 English -- Education

Write a short autobiography featuring your childhood life using the following guidelines .date and place of birth, family background, daily life , school life , special event of childhood days , etc .

Write a short autobiography featuring your childhood life using the following guidelines .

Date and place of birth, Family Background, Daily Life , School Life , Special event of childhood days , etc 

Title: My Journey Through Childhood: A Story of Curiosity and Wonder

Date and Place of Birth:

I was born on a sunny day, the 15th of June in the year 2005, in a quaint little town called Meadowbrook. Nestled amidst rolling hills and surrounded by lush greenery, it was the perfect backdrop for a childhood filled with adventure and exploration.

Family Background:

I was born into a loving and close-knit family. My parents, Sarah and Michael, were both educators, passionate about imparting knowledge and fostering a love for learning. I was the eldest of three children, with a younger brother named Ethan and a little sister named Olivia. Our home was always filled with laughter, support, and endless possibilities.

Daily Life:

Growing up, each day held the promise of new discoveries. I vividly remember waking up to the sweet aroma of pancakes wafting through the house, a breakfast ritual my mother cherished. Our mornings were spent discussing dreams, sharing stories, and indulging in the simple joys of being a family.

School Life:

Education played a central role in my upbringing. As a child, I eagerly walked through the doors of Meadowbrook Elementary School, my second home. The hallways echoed with laughter and the sound of curiosity, as teachers ignited our young minds with knowledge. I was fortunate to have nurturing mentors who recognized and nurtured my love for learning.

Special Event of Childhood Days:

One particular event stands out in my childhood memory as a pivotal moment. It was the annual science fair at school, where students showcased their innovative projects. Inspired by the wonders of the natural world, I decided to create a miniature ecosystem, complete with plants, insects, and even a small pond. The project consumed my every waking moment, and I poured my heart and soul into it.

The day of the fair arrived, and I nervously presented my creation to judges and peers alike. To my surprise and delight, my project won first place! The feeling of accomplishment and the encouragement I received from my teachers and classmates fueled my passion for science and ignited a lifelong curiosity about the world around me.

Looking back, I realize that this special event was more than just a science fair victory. It marked a turning point in my life, where I began to understand the power of perseverance and the joy that comes from pursuing one's passions.

Conclusion :  My childhood was a tapestry of love, exploration, and growth. It laid the foundation for the person I am today, instilling in me a thirst for knowledge and a deep appreciation for the wonders of life. As I journeyed through those formative years, I discovered that the world is an extraordinary place, waiting to be explored and understood. And I embarked on that adventure with open arms, eager to uncover the endless possibilities that lay ahead.

More questions on Education

APJ Abdul Kalam became a renowned aerospace scientist in his later life. Do you find any association of his childhood days in shaping his career? Explain with specific instances from the text.

APJ Abdul Kalam is now a renowned aerospace scientist. There is a proverb in Nepali, "plants that prosper have smooth leaves ". This proverb is applicable in Kalam's life as well.

His professional life has undoubtedly been shaped by memories and experiences from his upbringing. He was particularly impressed by his instructor Sivasubramania lyer's practical lesson. Sivasubramania Iyer was a teacher who used to teach them how birds fly. He brought them to the beach to demonstrate how birds fly in...

Kalam mentions an instance of discrimination against him in his school life. What picture of society does he want to depict by mentioning the incident? Discuss.

Kalam is a renowned aerospace scientist. He was born into a middle class family. He had three brother and a sister. As, Kalam mentions an instance of discrimination against him in his school life. In the past days, there used to be lots of disputes of caste and religions in India. There is still a deep shadow among Hindus and Muslims in India. Here in this story, Kalam mentions that during his school time, He was discriminated against by the teacher in the classroom in the name of religion....

Join the following pairs of sentences using although/though/even though and despite/in spite of as in the example:a. He is a millionaire. He lives in a simple house.b. The weather was extremely bad...

a. Although he is a millionaire, he lives in a simple house.

In spite of his richness, he lives in a simple house.

b. Even though the weather was extremely bad, the pilot landed the plane safely.

Despite the bad weather, the pilot landed safely.

c. Although we study in the same college, we hardly see each other.

Despite studying in the same college, we hardly see each other.

d. Although it rained heavily, we enjoyed our holiday.

In spite of heavy rain, we enjoyed our holiday.

e. Although I...

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Saturday, September 25, 2021

NEB Grade XII Compulsory English Note | Language Development | Unit- 5 A Story of My Childhood | A.P.J. Abdul Kalam

A Story of My Childhood

Working with words.

A. Match the words in column with their meanings in column.

a. expectantly - vi. in a way that shows you are hoping for something, especially something good or exciting

b. beckon – viii. to give signal to somebody to move nearer or to follow you

c. grapple - v. to try hard to find a solution to a problem

d. texture – ii. the way food or drink tastes or feels in your mouth

e. cobbled- vii. having a surface that is made of small round stones

f. flimsy - iv. thin and easily torn

g. attire - i. clothes, especially fine or formal ones

h. marvelous - ix. extremely good; wonderful

i. dynamics - iii. the science of the forces involved in movement

B. Use a dictionary and find the meanings of the following words related to people’s life stories.

hagiography – a book about the life of a person that praises them much

psychobiography- the intensive life span study of an individual of historic significance in socio-

cultural context using psychological and historiographic research methods

pathography – a biography focusing on a person’s negative aspects like failure, unhappiness, illness, etc.

chronicle – a written record of events in the order in which they happened

obituary – an article about somebody’s life and achievement, that is printed in a newspaper soon after they have died

character sketch – a short written description of a person’s characters, qualities, etc.

profile- a description of somebody / something that gives useful information

memoir- a written account of somebody’s life, a place or an event

Comprehension

A. Put the following events in the life of Abdul Kalam in a chronological order.

a. Abdul Kalam attended an elementary school at Rameswaram.

b. One day Abdul Kalam’s teacher visited them to share his pride and pleasure about his performance.

c. They celebrated happiness with poli.

d. A new teacher in the school forbade Abdul Kalam to sit together with his Bramhin friend.

e. Many students did not understand well of Sivasubramania Iyer’s lecture.

f. He then took the students to the seashore for a practical class.

g. Abdul Kalam was determined that he would make a future study about flight and flight systems.

B. Answer the following questions.

Critical thinking

a. APJ Abdul Kalam became a renowned aerospace scientist in his later life. Do you find any association of his childhood days in shaping his career? Explain with specific instances from the text.

APJ Abdul Kalam was a renowned aerospace scientist who played a leading role in the development of India’s missile and nuclear weapons programs. He was president from 2002 to 2007.

There is an association of Kalam’s childhood days in shaping his career. Once his mathematics teacher visited the family to share Kalam’s result. He was very happy to hear the result. But he was even more happy because his teacher had taken the trouble to come all the way to his house to tell his family about the result.

Another teacher named Sivasubramania Iyer taught him when I was ten years old and in the fifth standard. He was a great teacher and all of them loved to attend his class and listen to him. One day, he was teaching how birds fly. Kalam as well as other students told him that they had not understood what he taught. He took them to the seashore to explain the flight of birds practically.

b. Kalam mentions an instance of discrimination against him in his school life. What picture of society does he want to depict by mentioning the incident? Discuss.

In India, history has cast its deep shadow on Hindu-Muslim relations. The extremists believe that their religious belief should be adopted as the national identity, and other groups should adjust their practices accordingly. It plays upon the pride of the majority group and attempts to demonize threatening minorities.

The incident reveals the religious issue existing in the Indian society of that time. Though the teacher represents the educated and intellectual mankind, he was guided with the deep-rooted religious dogma. As he was a member of the society, he was required to follow the social rules. However, there must have been a thin layer of hope of religious tolerance as Kalam’s father and the head priest of the temple told the teacher that he should not have brought the divisions of religion into the classroom.

Write a short autobiography featuring your childhood life using the following guidelines.

I was born on August 8, 1994 in Pokhara. I belonged to a middle-class family. My parents had a grocery. It was the only source of our income. My parents used to manage everything with earnings from our grocery.

My daily life was very simple. It began with my mother gently shaking me awake very early in the morning, before sunrise. I had to prepare myself for my morning class. I was thought to have been poor in mathematics so I used to go to my mathematics teacher’s house for the class. He helped me learn numbers and their rules and patterns very easily.

I would run back home when my tuition was over. My mother would have a hot meal ready. I would eat our fill and be ready for my school. My school days were so wonderful. Except books and pencils, we used to spend our time playing with friends, sharing snacks, and poking at each other. I was fond of my English class as I could listen to my teacher teaching stories and poems. She was very loving and helpful.

One day, my father came home with a renowned political leader and his friends. When he talked to us, I didn’t comprehend his utterance. However, his fluency and body language were amazing. Before leaving, he handed some books to me. They were about the leaders from the different parts of the world. Those books are still in my library. He visited our house 3-4 times. My father told me several inspiring stories about him.

Connectives

B. Join the following pairs of sentences twice, using although/though/even though and despite/in spite of as in the example.

a. He is a millionaire. He lives in a simple house.

Although he is a millionaire, he lives in a simple house.

Despite being a millionaire, he lives in a simple house.

b. The weather was extremely bad. The pilot landed the plane safely.

Though the weather was extremely bad, the pilot landed the plane safely.

Despite the fact that the weather was extremely bad weather, the pilot landed the plane safely.

c. We study in the same college. We hardly see each other.

Though we study in the same college, we hardly see each other.

Despite studying in the same college, we hardly see each other.

d. It rained heavily. We enjoyed our holiday.

Even though it rained heavily, we enjoyed our holiday.

In spite of heavy rain, we enjoyed our holiday.

e. I had an umbrella. I got wet in the rain.

Although I had an umbrella, I got wet in the rain.

In spite of having an umbrella, I go wet in the rain.

f. I was really tired. I could not sleep a moment.

Although I was really tired, I could not sleep a moment.

Despite the fact that I was really tired, I could not sleep a moment.

g. She has very good accent in English. She failed the interview of a newsreader.

Although she has very good accent in English, she failed the interview of a newsreader.

Despite the fact that she has very good accent in English, she failed the interview of a newsreader.

h. Lhasa has extremely cold weather in winter. Millions of tourists go there in January.

Although Lhasa has extremely cold weather in winter, millions of tourists go there in January.

Despite the fact that Lhasa has cold weather in winter in Lhasa, millions of tourists go there in January.

i. He was badly injured in the first round of the boxing match. He was victorious in the third round.

Though he was badly injured in the first round of boxing match, he was victorious in the third round.

Despite the fact that he was badly injured in the first round of the boxing match, he was victorious in the third round.

C. Complete each sentence in an appropriate way.

a. He passed the exam although…………………

He passed the exam although he didn’t study well.

b. She climbed the mountain in spite of her…………….

She climbed the mountain in spite of her bad health.

c. He did not give any alms to the beggars even though……..

He did not give any alms to the beggars even though he was rich.

d. In spite of his poor eyesight,……………..

In spite of his poor eyesight, he was able to read the newspaper.

e. ………………………………..though she is very sociable.

Some of my neighbors don’t like her though she is very sociable.

f. ……………………….in spite of his ten attempts.

g. He refused to eat anything despite………………

He refused to eat anything despite his hunger.

h. He could not score goods grades in the SEE exams in spite of ………………

He could not score good grades in the SEE exams in spite of studying hard.

i. She accepted the job although………………….

She accepted the job although the salary was rather low.

j. Even though we had planned everything carefully………………….

Even though we had planned everything carefully, a lot of things went wrong.

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Education: Summary & Exercise [A Story of My Childhood] Class -12

Exercise of  education (a story of my childhood).

Working with words

Match the words in column ‘A’ with their meanings in column ‘B’.

Use a dictionary and find the meanings of the following words related to people’s life stories.

Hagiography: a biography of a saint or other religious figure, often including legend and miracle stories.

Psychobiography: a type of biography that focuses on the psychological aspects of the subject's life.

Pathography: a biography that focuses on the negative aspects of a person's life and character, often highlighting their flaws and failures.

Chronicle: a historical account of events arranged in chronological order.

Obituary: a notice, often in a newspaper, that gives information about a person who has died, including their name, age, and details of their life and death. Character sketch: a brief description or analysis of a person's character, often focusing on their personality, behavior, and motivations.

Profile: a detailed description or analysis of a person, organization, or event, often including information about their background, achievements, and characteristics.

Memoir: an autobiographical account of a person's life, often focusing on specific events or experiences.

Comprehension

Put the following events in the life of Abdul Kalam in a chronological order.

c. Abdul Kalam attended an elementary school at Rameswaram.

f. One day Abdul Kalam’s teacher visited them to share his pride and pleasure about his performance.

a. They celebrated happiness with poli.

g. A new teacher in the school forbade Abdul Kalam to sit together with his Bramhin friend.

e. Many students did not understand well of Sivasubramania Iyer’s lecture.

d. He then took the students to the seashore for a practical class.

b. Abdul Kalam was determined that he would make a future study about flight and flight systems.

Answer the following questions.

a. What were the causes of Abdul Kalam’s happiness?

The causes of Abdul Kalam's happiness were that he scored full marks in mathematics and science in an exam, and he did well in English and Tamil too. His teacher also visited his house to share his pride and happiness with his family.

b. Which two places did Abdul Kalam visit before going to school?

Before going to school, Abdul Kalam visited an Arabic tuition class where he learnt to read the Koran and his Mathematics teacher's house where he took a special class for students who showed promise in the subject.

c. What did he like about mathematics?

Abdul Kalam liked learning about numbers and their rules and patterns. He had learnt addition, subtraction, multiplication and other basic functions very quickly and was eager to know more about complex problems.

d. Why was the new teacher unhappy?

The new teacher was unhappy because he forbid Abdul Kalam to sit together with his Bramhin friend, as he believed Muslim and Hindu boys should not sit together.

e. Why did Abdul Kalam have to split with his intimate friend?

Abdul Kalam had to split with his intimate friend because the new teacher forbid Muslim and Hindu boys to sit together.

f. What was the topic of Sivasubramania Iyer’s class?

The topic of Sivasubramania Iyer’s class was how the birds could fly in the sky.

g. How was the teacher’s reaction when the students told him that they did not understand his lecture?

Teacher didn’t become upset when the students told him that they didn’t understand his lecture.

h. Why did Sivasubramania Iyer take his students to the seashore?

Sivasubramania Iyer took his students to the seashore because he wanted to demonstrate the mechanism of bird flight to the students.

Critical thinking

APJ Abdul Kalam became a renowned aerospace scientist in his later life. Do you find any association of his childhood days in shaping his career? Explain with specific instances from the text.

Yes, there are several instances in the text that suggest that Abdul Kalam's childhood experiences played a role in shaping his career as an aerospace scientist.

Firstly, it is mentioned that he had a keen interest in mathematics from a young age and enjoyed learning about numbers and their rules and patterns. This interest in mathematics may have laid the foundation for his later studies in aerospace science, which heavily relies on mathematical calculations and principles.

Secondly, it is mentioned that he attended a special class for students who showed promise in mathematics. This opportunity to learn advanced mathematical concepts at a young age may have helped to further fuel his interest in the subject and set him on a path towards a career in science.

Thirdly, it is also mentioned that Sivasubramania Iyer, his teacher, took the students to the seashore for a practical class, which may have inspired Abdul Kalam's interest in flight and aeronautics.

Lastly, it is also mentioned that Abdul Kalam had a strong bond with his friend Ramanadha Sastry and they used to chat and play games together. This friendship may have helped him to develop his social and emotional skills that would be important in his future career as a scientist.

All of these instances from the text suggest that Abdul Kalam's childhood experiences played a significant role in shaping his career as an aerospace scientist.

Kalam mentions an instance of discrimination against him in his school life. What picture of society does he want to depict by mentioning the incident? Discuss.

In the passage, Kalam mentions an instance of discrimination against him in his school life, where a new teacher forbade him to sit together with his Brahmin friend Ramanadha Sastry because he believed Muslim and Hindu boys should not sit together. By mentioning this incident, Kalam wants to depict the picture of a society that is plagued by religious discrimination.

The incident highlights the fact that even at a young age, Kalam was subjected to discrimination based on his religion. This can be seen as a reflection of the larger societal issue of religious discrimination and prejudice that existed in India at the time. He wants to depict the negative impact of discrimination on the individuals and their relationships. He wants to show how it can hurt people emotionally and can cause a rift in the society.

Furthermore, the incident also shows that discrimination can be present even in educational institutions, which are supposed to be places of learning and growth. This can have a detrimental effect on the development of young people, and can prevent them from reaching their full potential.

In mentioning this incident, Kalam is drawing attention to the negative effects of discrimination and prejudice, and the importance of creating a society where everyone is treated with respect and equality, regardless of their religion.

Write a short autobiography featuring your childhood life using the following guidelines.

Date and place of birth

Family background

School life

Special event of childhood days, etc.

My name is Bimala and I was born on January 1st, 2006 in Kathmandu, Nepal. I come from a large family, with two older siblings and two younger ones. My parents are farmers and we lived in a small village outside of Kathmandu.

Growing up, my daily life revolved around helping my parents with farm work and going to school. We would wake up early in the morning to tend to the crops and animals before heading off to school. After school, we would come home and continue working on the farm until dinner.

My school life was an important part of my childhood. I was always eager to learn new things and had a great relationship with my teachers. I was particularly interested in math and science and would often stay after school to get extra help from my teachers.

One special event of my childhood days that I will always remember was when my family took a trip to the Chitwan National Park. It was the first time I had ever seen a wild elephant up close and it was an experience I will never forget. The whole trip was amazing, we saw many different animals and we went on a jungle safari. It was a truly unforgettable experience.

Overall, my childhood was filled with hard work and lots of learning, but it was also filled with love and support from my family. I am grateful for the experiences and lessons I gained during those years and they have shaped me into the person I am today.

Connectives

Connectives are words or phrases that are used to connect ideas, sentences, or paragraphs in a piece of writing. They can indicate a variety of relationships between the ideas, including cause and effect, contrast, and similarity. Some examples of connectives include "and," "but," "because," "so," "although," "however," "in addition," "furthermore," etc.

Connectives are used to help the flow and coherence of a piece of writing. They can be used to connect ideas within a sentence or between sentences. For example, in the sentence "I went to the store, and I bought some groceries," the connective "and" is used to connect the two ideas. Similarly, in the sentence "I was tired, but I decided to go for a walk," the connective "but" is used to show contrast between the two ideas.

Connectives can also be used to show a cause and effect relationship. For example, "The alarm clock didn't go off, so I was late for work." The connective "so" is used to show that the first idea (the alarm clock not going off) caused the second idea (being late for work).

Using connectives effectively in writing can make the writing more organized, clear and easy to follow. It helps in making the relationship between ideas clear and logical. It is always good to use a variety of connectives in writing to show different types of relationships between ideas and make the writing more interesting.

Join the following pairs of sentences twice, using although/though/even though and despite/in spite.

a. He is a millionaire. He lives in a simple house.

i. Although he is a millionaire, he lives in a simple house. ii. He lives in a simple house despite being a millionaire.

b. The weather was extremely bad. The pilot landed the plane safely.

i. Despite the weather being extremely bad, the pilot landed the plane safely.

ii. Even though the weather was extremely bad, the pilot landed the plane safely.

c. We study in the same college. We hardly see each other.

i. Although we study in the same college, we hardly see each other.

ii. We hardly see each other in spite of studying in the same college.

d. It rained heavily. We enjoyed our holiday.

i. Despite it raining heavily, we enjoyed our holiday.

ii. We enjoyed our holiday even though it rained heavily.

e. I had an umbrella. I got wet in the rain.

i. Although I had an umbrella, I got wet in the rain.

ii. I got wet in the rain in spite of having an umbrella.

f. I was really tired. I could not sleep a moment.

i. Despite being really tired, I could not sleep a moment.

ii. I could not sleep a moment even though I was really tired.

g. She has very good accent in English. She failed the interview of a newsreader.

i. Although she has very good accent in English, she failed the interview of a newsreader.

ii. She failed the interview of a newsreader in spite of having very good

h. Lhasa has extremely cold weather in winter. Millions of tourists go there in January.

i. Despite Lhasa having extremely cold weather in winter, millions of tourists go there in January.

ii. Millions of tourists go to Lhasa in January even though it has extremely cold weather in winter.

i. He was badly injured in the first round of the boxing match. He was victorious in the third round.

i. Despite being badly injured in the first round of the boxing match, he was victorious in the third round.

ii. He was victorious in the third round even though he was badly injured in the first round of the boxing match.

Complete each sentence in an appropriate way.

a. He passed the exam although he hadn't studied much.

b. She climbed the mountain in spite of her fear.

c. He did not give any alms to the beggars even though he had a lot of money.

d. In spite of his poor eyesight, he became a successful doctor e. She is very shy though she is very sociable.

f. He failed to pass the driving test in spite of his ten attempts.

g. He refused to eat anything despite being hungry.

h. He could not score goods grades in the SEE exams in spite of being a brilliant student.

i. She accepted the job although the salary was low.

j. Even though we had planned everything carefully, the party was a failure.

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