How to Write an Autobiography: The Secret Tips to Finally Get Started

I have written a 480 page cronicle of my life and it is now in book form. I now wish to capture photos throughout my life including newspaper clipping of sports, politics, work, and community service which I have put in albums. I also want to photograph pictures of works done by my grandchildren ( school, workshops, drawings, letters etc…). These I would like to put in book format with short comments and notations. Any advice.? All of this would be catoragized by year, occasion, type of event etc….Your interest and cooperation are appreciated

Since fibre has thousands of times the bandwidth of copper wire for Industrial wiring and telecommunication and can carry signals hundreds of times further until requiring a repeater

Thank you for sharing! This is great for starters. Anyway, they give the list of gifts for Moms Day Gift and it’s worth it.

Hi there. This is really great

Thank you for sharing! Anyhow, they give the list of Best Restaurants! Check this lovely restaurants that offers Sushi Bar in Colombo.

Loved the tips and guidelines that you have shared with us. If the book is valid, it will discover a crowd of people that is intended to understand it. An author is somebody for whom composing is more troublesome than it is for others. You can come and visit my blog on Guide to Creating A Great Ending for Your Mystery Novel Series

Interesting post and it works for me. I write to invigorate myself. I write to be the characters that I am definitely not. I write to investigate all the things I’m anxious about. If you have much time you can visit my page on Tips in Writing the Best Romance Book

Cheers
Attilio

Thank you very much.Very inspiring.Just the inspiration I need.

I extremely agree with you on this topic Curtis, Thanks to you, It has given me a fresh perspective on this topic. Memoirs are becoming more and more popular among the reading public nowadays. 

I hope you can take the time to read my post as well which is relevant to yours:<a href=”https://www.byronconnerbooks.com/the-importance-of-writing-a-memoir/”>The Importance of Writing a Memoir</a>

This is such an important subject. What is the point of scanning all the precious photographs of your life if you don’t tell the story that goes with them? Ten years ago I created an online system to make it easy for anyone, no matter how good or bad at writing, to create a beautifully written and lavishly illustrated hardback book of their life story for their family. Most importantly, every image has to have a caption so that future generations know who, or what, they are looking at.

I have recorded a free video of advice on how to write your life story. It’s here. https://www.autodotbiography.com/help-advice/blog/top-tips-video

Great post, thank you. I will be writing a book soon & this structure is a great help. Some of the stories are already published on the blog page of my website, if I am allowed to mention it, which is http://www.whitemountain.ro

Interesting post! Thank you for sharing them! I hope you will continue to have similar posts to share with everyone.<a href=”https://androindradar.com/”>Andriondradar </a>

This article and the following comments have given me some ideas about recording my memories. I lost both of my parents this year and have been thankful for the life stories that each wrote about ten years ago. My mom also wrote daily diary entries which inspired me to keep diaries and journals over the years. Reading here what others have done gives me more ideas how to record and save my memories. I look forward to doing that in a way that is uniquely my own. Thank you!

I agree that like with the scanning project, its just important to get started. I have written a couple of episodes just because they were triggered by looking at photo. What I would really like to do eventually is put a paragraph or two down along with photos as I scan them. That way I would be able to describe the people in the photo and context as well as any associated memories. Has anyone done that? If so I would love to know how it is done!

Do you need to reference when writing an autobiography?

It is quite an informative article about writing an autobiography. I have stated writing a biography of Governor of a state in India. This article has many helpfu tips. Thanks

Another question – do we use the real names of other folks in our autobio?

I have many skills and think that I write fairly well. I have gathered a lot of information I would like to include in my autobiography. However, I really don’t want to organize it all. My question is this…………… what is the approximate cost to pay somebody to do the actual writing?

I have always said to myself as a joke…I could write a book on my life….I’m not joking folks…I probably could…I feel if I were to start writing id probably accept what has happened and be fully committed to writing about it…..

Thanks for an encouraging article! I have often thought about starting to write down my life story but have not yet started. Really, getting where I am now from where I started has been an unlikely and incredible journey. Every time I think about it though I get bogged down in how much there is to write, but if I don’t start I could get hit by a truck and everything I have to say to the few surviving family members I have will die with my brain.
(Sorry to be morbid but that is the fear!)
I will now make a commitment to start somewhere…including the good, the bad, and the truly ugly in hopes my dwindling family will have some history to take forward with them.

thanks

I just finished writing about my life from as early as I can recollect to present, been through quite a bit …also have audio files, the process has been very emotional but well worth it. I now have to type out and put it all together. Still learning how to get it all together

Although I have already published my memoir( Tracing My Footsteps) but I still find this article very helpful. One thing good about it is that it is very easy to understand and follow step-by-step. May be if I decide to come up with my next memoir or bring out a second edition, I will use it as a guide.

I want to write my memorize which is amazing beyond belief. I am just ordinary person with very powerful force within which is to bless individuals who later became very very famous. Not one but very many of them. All of them are alive except for two of them. Freddy Mercury (Queen) and Wangari Mathai (noble peace prize winner). I have met them when they were ordinary persons but with ambitions. My blessing removes all the hurdles and they acheive their desire. If anyone can help me to write my memorize, I will be grateful and share the income. My income will go to saving the enviroment.
The memorize include two individuals becaming head of states of nations and one as first lady of the nation.
The rest are ones who became rich businessmen from poor background.

How to begin has bothered me more than anything.
Like thousands of others who want to do this, getting started has been the hurdle I haven’t overcome.

Who wants to read something that starts “when I was young..”, etc.

A few days ago this came to me one morning.
All original, I’d like opinions as a grabbing opener/intro (younger stuff comes later), that will grab a reader from the start.

Comments please.
Thanks.
Jack

+++++++++++++++++
A stormy, tempestuous sea; waves crashing over the sides; dark foreboding clouds amidst the stinging rain and howling screaming winds.

White aching knuckles gripping into the sides. An iron grip that dare’t let go; eyes fixated on what lay ahead.

It dares me to blink; see if it will disappear.

I realised where I was.
I’d seen it many times on the edge of maps, and wondered what it all meant; that part of the map that says “beyond here lay dragons”.

It’s a scary and exciting one-way ride over the event horizon.
No longer just words on a map, it’s here, and rushing forward, terrifying, exciting.
I’d always wanted to know what lay beyond here.
Now it was coming and I was afraid and didn’t want to be here, but there was no going back, and I had to know what lay ahead, no guide to follow.

Then I turned 21, and the ride of a lifetime, my lifetime, had started.

[end of intro/prologue]

Please respect it as an original

Curtis, as many others have stated, I’ve had many counselors, other people tell me that I should write an autobiography. But, in reading the comments of other readers who also want to write autobiographies, we all have such trials and tribulations to tell. What do I write that will make my book stand out and sell compared to others’ books? I mean, to me, my early life was very dysfunctional and has been ever since, but so have many other women’s lives been the same if not worse. So, how do I make my autobiography worth buying over someone else’s?

I would like to write my autobiography as I’ve survived so much in life: sexual abuse as a child, raped x3 as a young adult, never been able to form relationships. But then I pulled myself together and went to university to become a nurse, which as a single parent of 3 wasn’t easy. I worked for 12 years in th a/e department and was highly respected. As I was just about to finish my masters I made the mistake of complaining about poor care. The hospital turned on me and I became an nhs whistleblower. I got sacked lost my job and career and felt suicidal on a daily basis for nearly 3 years. As a patient I was treated appallingly by the nhs. I eventually went to an employment tribunal where I defended myself and won, unfortunately whistleblowers get treated appallingly by the nhs and its very rare to gain employment after this. I did manage to get a job back in the nhs but I lost my masters degree and I’ve had to accept a lower grade.

My 14yo daughter once suggested I should write my life story, as it’s definitely had its moments: snake bite (I was catching & milking at the time, self-taught, many years of martial arts, arresting ~100 ppl (from easy to defending against knife attack, living & working in 3 countries outside of my own, travels to off-beat places, exploring old gold mines, nearly being killed …. just a few that come to mind.

There are of course incidents of which I am not proud, and some still feel ashamed of.
I feel these should be included too.

I have wondered though, because there have been so many incidents, can these be written as both chronological, and, perhaps at the end, by individual story chapters, detailing specific events for those who don’t want to know about when I was 10yo, and just want to piece it together from specific incidents.

Thanks in advance

I didn’t realize that writing about yourself could be so difficult, but these are some great suggestions. In particular, I love the list of topics that you gave people about what they could write about in each section of their life. After all, it can be pretty hard to dredge up some old memories to the surface of your mind, so having a few ideas to kick-start the project can really help.

I’m a survivor of most things, domestic violence, childhood sexual abuse, addiction. Losing my children, I want help to write and publish my life story.can anyone help with who I contact etc.
Thankyou
Nicola
Age 46

Yes, I have a story to tell. When I was in high school, my family’s pastor’s wife gave me a book to read, entitled,
“Candidate Missionary,” by Elizabeth Archer.[no longer in print]. As I have often reflected back on the story of the betrothed college seniors who in their senior year, were looking forward to their marriage immediately following
their graduation. The lady had a life changing experience that was unexpected and unexplainable, yet she knew that this would alter their plans of marriage, and her life, forever.

it is my affirmation that this story would alter my life in such a way that I would forfeit my desire to become an
Opera Singer. I couldn’t understand why this story so moved me to tears. Yet almost a decade later I was to experience the very same life-altering occasion. Although experienced unexpectedly, and unforgettably, I was
to learn 3 decades later precisely how it would alter my life and career, as it so did this young couple’s.

G’day Curtis,
At a whisker under eighty I decided to write a ‘memoir’ of my rather interesting childhood [at least I think so] … I titled it The Barefoot Larrikin because its just a collection of funny incidents of mine [and of the larger family] from a tacker to finally finding a job in the big smoke … Anyway, I paid to have it professionally edited and the editor reckoned it was as funny as hell and added, “what a life!” … I filled each “chapter” [there are heaps of short chapters of 1 or 2 thousand words] with a photograph and on reflection I reckon its overkill … That’s the background … My query is: Should a memoir have heaps of photos, just a couple, or none at all?
Could you please email me? I find web sites tend to befuddle me. Thanks mate,
Peter.

Hello, i am a 48 year old female who from a young age lived in care & grew up to be the mother of three beautiful children. The things that i have endured during childhood and adulthood are heartbreaking beyond belief, this has had a detrimental impact on me and seeing the hurt my children have gone through on their own lifes journey has been harrowing, but over the last year i have grown stronger & something inside me has changed. I have had numerous professionals i.e Paramedics/Dr’s and of course my children telling me i should write a book. Until now i have never had the nerve or strength. I am ready.
But how? An autobiography? A Blog? A memoir? I dont want to name and shame anyone nor use the names of Authorities that have wronged, so do i make it almost fictional?
I dont want it to be the usual on the shelf book, this is so much different .
Your advice would be very much appreciated.
X

Curtis, this a great article that has simplified the process for me getting me over my biggest obstacle, starting. I created a blog a year ago to provide me an outlet for managing through cancer (talk about cathartic). Through my blog I have been given several public speaking engagements and requests to continue writing even though I recently received the “all clear”. As cancer is just a small piece of my journey I believe I may have some decent content . . . you know everyday life . . . poverty, drug addiction, alcoholism, sexual assault, murder, death, divorce, suicide, infertility and adoption. I am torn between writing an autobiography or a self-help type of book. My life lessons have gotten me to where I am today – happily married business executive with two amazing children. So I feel like I cannot have one without the other. Oh wise one, am I asking for too much or is it possible to combine self-help with an autobiography?

Great review on how to format your story and to note that otherwise ‘un-noteworthy people’ like myself may actually have a worthwhile book waiting to be written and published. Thanks for the info – my autobiographical journey starts here 🙂

That didnt offer much by way of help. Just describing the differences between memoir and autobiography. NOT useful at all…

The list of different headings that is shown are absolutely amazing , just reading them were giving me memories which I had forgotten about.
I am going to use some of the headings relevant to myself, one per page of my rough book, then add each day, if I can something I have remembered about that heading , otherwise I am sure I shall miss out a lot of interesting stuff I should include.
The thing that scares me most, if that is the right thing to say, is how do I write that very first sentence or even that first word, I know that probably sounds daft but there you are that is the difficult bit foe me at the moment.
So following the headings should help with that.
Thanks Sue

I have written my life story from birth up to the year 2008. I put it aside to pursue other interests as well as relationships. Now I’m ready to pick up where I left off and bring it current. But my question is; Do I want to end it at the current time and publish as it as it stands, or set it aside again and update in a few more years?

I have decided to write about my experiences as a young child through adulthood. I will focus on growing up in the ghetto as a black girl and topics will include teenage pregnancy, death of a sibling, a parent’s drug abuse, domestic violence, sexual abuse, neglect, prostitution, homelessness, depression, poverty, prison, single mom. To triumph… married, working, homeowner, role model of the family, mind and spirit intact and how I overcame it all. I have a lot to cover so I’m guessing an autobiography may be the way to go but this article was enlightening in opening up the possibilities I have. Thank you

I am writing an autobiography-a true life story. I would like to know what is the best way to describe clinical narcissism for a character in order to get the point across to the reader without having to clearly state the narcissism? Would you use dialogue and to what extent? I am having a difficult time explaining while writing because for me, I now see the disorder after 5 years of counseling and it is difficult for me to go back in time to the person I was before the counseling–a person who did not recognize the narcissists in my family.
Also, it is my intention to write a book, which can be turned into a movie, as this is definitely movie material! Any tips for what I should definitely include if I want it to be a movie? Thanks for any input!

Hi I am madhav I want to write about my school and college days I started writing but when my friend read it he said that interestin elements are not there and also I dont clearly remember my memories so what I should do in this condition

Thanks for this very thorough and informative article!

Hi, I am currently in the process of writing my own memoirs/autobiography after suffering with mental illness for most of my life. I hope to give inspiration to others and to give them strength to persevere with their fight for help and support. I have written just over 20,000 words at present and have hit a little bit of a wall I have covered all the topics I wanted to but I am unsure what the number of words I should be aiming for is as this is my first attempt at writing. I realise I may have to expand each chapter in order to make the book longer,but would a little bit of advice on the best way to do this.

I’m a transman who has been asked to write my story. It’s a time piece, since I was born in 1943 and there was no knowledge or belief available to me or anyone else about trans issues. I did not even know how to believe myself. I have started this task about five different times. I don’t like who I was after the age of ten until fifteen years ago when I transitioned. All I’ve managed so far, and it’s been a lot of effort, is to integrate all the beginnings into one cohesive (sort of!) 6000 word start. All it would seem I need to do now is expand, right? Incorporating ‘the times’ is everything to my story. I’d rather write more young adult, coming of age, LGBT fiction which I’ve been doing. That’s like giving myself the life I wanted, not having to relive the one I was given.

Emery C. Walters

How do I get started? Having a lot of trouble getting started. Don’t know how to put topics in otder

Great information. I feel like I have lived many lives (chapters) filled with crazyness, trauma, big up and downs and now today I am most at peace. My Q is… Can I write a memoir on one area of time (chapter) vs memories through out life.
Thanks
Jessica

Thank you for this article and comments I have never written a story and have been trying to put together my life in a story for years. I feel I need and would like to learn how to actually write an autobiography without hurting those that will read it but I need to be honest and feel it’s time to let my story out that is not an easy past . Was thinking maybe a ghost writer could help or a very organized app or class to help me write down different events .. then bring together. I know little about my parents but have pictures Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated on maybe a beginners writing class or app.

I been coming up with ideas of what i want to do with my life but how do i put that in a autobiography for my class this semester. I came up with some ideas but i am researching and i can’t come up with any ideas of how to put it together.

Hi. I just want to say how very helpful and encouraging this post has been. I’ve always enjoyed writing since as long as I can remember. I remember writing plays as a kid. Falling in love with poetry and the music in words as a teenager. Embracing my super emotional soul. Knowing I loved music not because of the actual sound of the instruments, (tho I love a banging beat I can pop lock and drop it to???) but because of the meaning in the words. I am in love with words and how people use them. And I decide at a young age that one day I was gonna tell the world who Michlene (yes, like the tire)?) was. The cold hard facts. Now at 33 and having lived such an…for the lack of better words…eventful life…. I know that my story is worth telling. If not to encourage,help,or save the next ugly/beautiful soul, than at least to entertain the hell out of you. Lol and after reading this post, I know believe I can do it. I couldn’t figure out where to start. So thank you so very much for this huge step in the right direction. #finallyreadytotellmystory #mouthsorgonnahitthefloor #toknowmeistoloveme #imnotforeveryone

For years, I’ve wanted to write my life story; however, when I actually began getting down to it this summer, I’ve found the task more daunting that I had expected. Your comments, Curtis, about the differences between an autobiography and a memoir have helped clarify the type of writing this will become. I thought I was writing an autobiography, but according to your differentiation, it appears more like a memoir. The topic is “Full Circle” with many examples of how my life has come full circle. One example is that I was born in CA, moved away to other states, now have returned to CA. I was going to write it entirely in the first person, but tried the opening chapter in third person and found that to be intriguing. My dilemma is how to make this interesting so that someone other than my children and grandchildren will want to read it. In the end, that’s really all that’s important; however, actually selling it to someone who would buy it, wouldn’t be a bad move. Any suggestions you might have, would greatly be appreciated!

Hi Curtis: This column was extremely useful information for me so I thank you for that. I do have a question. I would like to do a memoir of my life story but I would like my target audience to be for adult children of dysfunctional families and finding your way through the darkness. You see I lost my dad and now recently my brother and of course I have been going through many family photos. As you age you begin to see why and how the dynamics of a family are created. I want to share my experiences in hopes that it may bring healing to the next generation that may find themselves in this position one day. Any suggestions on how to target a selective audience? Thanking you in advance for any help

This is a great read! When I was a little girl, I always dreamt of writing a book. I kept a little diary growing up that maybe had anywhere from 1-10 entries a year. I didn’t start being more serious about journaling until these last 3 years.

Here is a question that I struggle with, I am 30, and *hopefully* have many many years ahead of me. As a comment someone mentioned earlier, is to be brutally honest, even if it makes you squirm. My hesitancy is being honest in my thoughts or opinions during some experiences that might cause some of the people closest to me unhappy, cause it would reflect negatively on them (or me). Things that I may have never shared with them before. Maybe as I start writing I would prefer to leave it out, but I also would love it to be brutally honest cause if any of my ancestors had an autobiography or memoir, I would want to juicy details of their real opinions/thoughts etc…

Any advice?

Great post brother. Writing my own as we speak. Very helpful. cheers bro!!

Thanks a lot, thats Great !

For me bouncer over the head.Not for a school project. Otherwise………nice

Curtis and Art thanks for all the ideas and prompting. Motivation has been no problem for me but a Son of mine says I say I way to much when he reads any of my emails etc. He even questions who would want to read my life’s story. Not bothered by that comment as it has been wonderful just recalling all the events of my life. Actually I am putting together two ‘journals” because the hobby I am involved in is one of the greatest on earth Amateur Radio. My call sign is K5YAA so the book title of my life’s work created by involvement in Amateur Radio is to be titled “The Young American Amateur”. A story every youngster needs to read just for the knowledge that peace and friendship the world over is attainable through communications.

Other than writing my auto-biography as a third rather “disinterested ” party I see no way to exclude the simple word I. In fact I have used it five times here already! Since being told I am sort of full of myself I have tried to replace I with me, my or myself as much as possible but it just doesn’t fit at times. Is using that little word acceptable and even as impossible to avoid as it seems to me?

Amazingly the suggestion to just write pieces to be later put together is exactly what I have been doing. Last evening at 3AM I awoke and had vivid memories of my Sister Ellen who had Cerebral Palsy. She never walked and could not move a muscle. We had to help her turn her head so she could “see” who was talking to her. Her blue eyes sparkled and she would coo back trying to say things in response. Ellen lived to the age of twelve and was in a state facility for half of her young life. I wrote ten pages just about my memories of her some fifty-four years ago now.

Thanks again for both of your ideas and suggestions. I shall visit the several sites you have mentioned for additional help.

Jerry Chouinard

I’m struggling to find a topic because I haven’t experienced anything remotely interesting in my life.

Wow! so many people writing about so many things, I’m blown away by it.

I too have been attempting to write about “me,” as I think that my life has been so full of “things” some good and some bad that I received the urge to do so, (after drinking five bottle of Red wine with a friend of mine who suggested I should write ) it’s amazing just what so much Red wine will do,(Dutch courage) and once I started, I couldn’t stop, and now I get pangs of guilt if I dare take time away from my Computer.

I’m in the process of re-editing what I’ve written again (and again) but there are times of despondency creeping in now, for I don’t know what to do with it, as I live alone now, I’m old with no living family or friends, (that should get a few boo- hoo’s) but I’ve had a hell of a lot of great times and an interesting life as a Funeral Director for fourty two years of it, and now my loneliness has enabled me to produce a chronicle of events, some good, some not so good, some clean and some not so clean, but as I don’t have to please anyone, (or hide from them) and I’ve left their identities in the shadows, I’ve been able to write with absolute honesty and that makes me feel good.

I say, that if your’e going to write about anything, especially about yourself, then your writings must be honest writings and not pretend stories as you may like them to have been, whether they make you squirm a little as you write them or not.

Perhaps I’m fortunate that I don’t have to please anyone anymore, or write so there not “uncomfortable,” for my family have all headed off to the happy hunting grounds now, a few up, but most down, where I’m sure they won’t have access to any written manuscripts as those that have gone down will be busy “stoking” and perhaps the one or two who may have ascended, will be singing in the choir of Angles. (Dream on)

Just as a matter of interest, I’ve called my book, or unpublished bundle of writings, ( all eighteen hundred-plus pages of them)
“My House with Fifth Seven Rooms and a Shed,” each room containing a different experience I’ve had, and in the Shed, “memories.”

Sadness creeps in at times, when I think that whoever it is that has to clear out my little pensioners flat, that they’ll find my writings and dump them along with the rest of my “junk,” some of it quite valuable but will I care, that’ll depend if I’m able to look down at them as they do so or look up at them, depending in which direction I’m heading.

So have fun good people and remember, no “Fibs” or little “white lies,” write for yourself so no one can judge you, but should they do so, attach a sprig of “mistletoe” to your shirt tail for them. (I’m sure you’ll work out what that one means.)

Take care,

John MOLLER.

Hi! Thank you so much for sharing this information! I have been toying with the idea of writing about my life since I was in my very early 20’s. It has been a very very gut wrenching and painful life for sure. I want to share my story with others, in hopes of maybe saving someone else or helping someone else overcome whatever it is in their own lives that may be bringing them down. I do not know where to begin and this has been very helpful. Now just to pray and get started!

I have written several guest blogs about experiences I have had that my methods of coping with helped people. I keep being told that I need to write it all out, and I really think that a memoir is a better route. Nobody really wants to read about my ordinary childhood or my big hair phase in high school. So finding this blog post has been very educational. The issue I am having now is I have looked for books written by mothers that the same thing happened to and found but one. The writer was so emotional that it was a really hard read. So, how to write this without it being a complete tearjerker from beginning to end? How does one “lighten” a tale of being married to a pedophile for 10 years without knowing? And there is the issue of becoming the target of severe criticism again. It’s not a topic that is spoken about very often, yet, happens to a lot of partners.

Some advice would be fantastic! thank you

Hello, my name is Jessica and I am 24 years old and have wanted to write an autobiography for a couple years now. I actually started writing life events down in a notebook, I have started writing it in about 3-4 journals but the one I am using currently is the most of it that I have ever written. Reading this really helped me to feel better about writing it because I felt like I am a not famous or rich and who will want to read my stories?? I am so glad I found this site! Now I am torn between writing Memoirs or an autobiography! Either way I shall continue to write my stories and I hope to one day publish a book of my own. I sure do hope I succeed. This was really such a BIG help!!!!

I have always thought I would like to write about my experiences through out my life but would have no idea how to. I think I have some pretty funny stories to tell. Especially about my early years. If someone would like to be my autobiographer I could maybe tell you a couple of stories and we could take it from there.

But wich is the purpose of writing an authobiografy? Just to understand better own life or publish it for a public?

nice tips

Your own faith is the key to your own personal victory.

I’m glad I found your tips! I’ve been wanting to start a memoir for quite sometime. I want my children to know about my life, so that one day they will be able to read my story, and hopefully understand why I’ve had to make some tough decisions. I also want them to know that I always loved and cared about them. My son had a heart transplant when he was a baby and I had to spend lots of time away from another child. He then had cancer 7 years later. I want them to know everything, because this is still a horrible time for us, I need them to know!

My fiance has recently given me the idea to write a autobiography about my life. Where I have and am growing u with Seizures, I just want to help people who are in the same situation as me. I saw a post by Trevor closer to the top of the comment section about using pictures and i think that is such a good idea. Its going to take a while for me to write my book because i want to include marriage and adopting (no able to have kids) and the journey of everything, I don’t know if i can do like a part one two and three type of book kinda like a series. My fiance and i estimated and it would take about 6 years til i can get it published. My question is what

I feel that it would be easier for me to start by dividing into chapters and writing on that topic but at the same time i want it to be in order from adolescence to adulthood and its like the readers growing with me so whats a tip in staying on topic and chronological order but still of setting chapters

Hi Curtis I just wanted to say thank you for the valuable information about writing an autobiography. It time like years to finally start writing my life story, but my recent heartache really did prompt me to like really start writing. I have been encouraged by so many people to really start thinking about writing a book about my life but I was so reluctant and scared and not knowing how to start. but I finally did and I just cant stop writing.

One question how long does it take to finish the autobiography or it depends on how much of a story one has to tell. A year, months any time line??

As for Mansi I can relate to her I have tried that 3 times in my life time, and yes I agree she is very young to even think about doing such a bad thing. Life has so much to offer, Yes being lonely can be very painful, I have gone through that as well as a child, I am 44 now and I am living despite 3 attempts of suicide, So Mansi please please seek help if needs be and yes when you lonely just write thats the best therapy.

Thanks Curtis

For most of my teen years, I did keep a daily diary where I recorded significant activities and/or thoughts from each day. While I did manage to save those diaries for several decades, unfortunately they fell by the wayside in one or more moves from city to city in my adult life so I no longer have access to them. This is a situation I strongly regret but there’s not much I can do now to retrieve those records. If, as Curtis suggests, you do choose to not only write about events you’ve already experienced but also to keep an on-going journal or diary of issues you consider important as you continue to grow and gain experiences, good and not so good, be sure to safe-guard those journal entries as you would any important documents like your birth certificate, passport, etc. so you can incorporate that data into any future writings you may eventually undertake.

Hi, My name is Anna! I want to or more like I would love to write an autobiography; I`m young, only 18 and have plenty of more things to learn and experience in this life, but believe it or not I have experienced some pretty big things at a young age and I want to write about it. I want people to know my story and maybe, just maybe it`ll be helpful for someone and in the long run maybe the only person it’ll be helpful to is myself. Any more tips or advice?

Hello
I have been wowed by this website: from the conversation to each and everyone’s comments. I must agree, I just stumbled here because I was looking for a website that teaches how to write autobiographis. I am but amazed!
The people I have ever met and to whom and explain some episodes of my life always said I should put my life story in a book so that it could serve as incentive to others. I have meant to do so. But I am a person who so lacks self-confidence. Nevertheless, I think it is important I write such a book that recounts the story up to now.
I have a question. Is there any number of pages (limit )that should be considered in an autobiography writing? Can the product be as big as can contain the important parts we want to share? Is there a community or forum I can join to sparkle my motivation?
Cheers to us all and three cheers to the administrator of this website. You are doing a great job. Keep it up!

Solo

There’s a lot of useful advice here for the members of the group I have been asked to ‘lead’ writing autobiographies. I especially like the idea of starting small and just starting. Thank you to everyone.

Thanks for replying, Curtis! I also believe, that I will appreciate having written everything down. If I become a dementic at old age I hope to some day stumble at my blog by accident and wish that I had lived a similar life. 😉

That app you recommended seemed intresting and may be handy in the future. Thank you for sharing that with me. Actually I noticed, that everything from the past 12 years has been recorded by accident. I forgot to turn off the ‘save conversations’ option in Messenger and Facebook saves everything nowadays, so there are plenty of stories recorded, if ever I manage to have the time to read them.

I have some of my closest friends following the blog, so I want to publish at regular intervals. That’s why I sometimes write 20 posts in a week and then spend a month without writing at all if I don’t feel like it. My first three years took 50 posts, and that’s what has been published so far. My first six years have taken 150 posts. Looks like it’s gonna be a loooooooong story 😀

This post of yours was great inspiration for me. As were the comments. They tell me I am not alone in my quest 🙂

I started writing in the spring and started it for two reasons. I want to understand why everything has happened in my life and I never want to forget the things that have happened. I am 25 and have managed to fulfil most of my dreams in life. It has not been a result of careful planning, but rather a series of freak accidents combined with the lifestyle of a rockstar.

To understand, I decided to write down everything I remember as chronologically as I remember. So it’s really not an autobiography, but something between a diary and memoirs. I chose the form of a blog to link things together easier.

The main thing is, that I’m not writing to the readers, but solely for my own pleasure. It is the best form of therapy there ever has been.

Excellent information Curtis. You are spot on with many things, and added several that I didn’t even think of when I built Americas Footprints. Appreciate the information! -Joe

Hi Muhammad,

I can understand your concern about trying to write in English when it`s not your native language. Many of the authors I`ve read suggest that for people like yourself, whose native language is not English, try writing in your native language to capture your memories, emotions, and feelings as well as possible. Once you have the information on paper or computer disk, you can always find somebody to help you translate it into English if you want it translated. Another option is to write as much as you can in English, but revert to your native language for the parts that don`t initially translate easily for you. The important thing is to get your stories recorded in whatever language you are most comfortable with. Not every thought translates successfully to English, regardless of which language it might originally be written in, so, if your primary anticipated readers are more familiar with your native language than with English, you probably don`t need to worry about translating your stories. Write them as well as you can in whatever language you`re most comfortable writing in.

Art

Hi everyone! This is Jawaid Akhter. I had never thought of writing my life-story till I read an autobiography of a street boy from Mumbai whose story had been a super hit . Reading his story has encouraged me to write my own.

Till attaining to this age, I had passed through a life full of peaks and valleys. my loneliness, my childhood bluffs, my education, multiple migration, my profession, active politics, MNC jobs, joblessness etc. It may have shades of multitude interests.

Started penning the events of my life just three weeks before. I wished if I had been through this forum before on capturing the moments of life, it had been the best thing to start the journey. English is not my mother tongue. I am 54 years of age and I have just accumulated some thoughts accounting to more than 9000 words. I did not know if I was moving in the right direction, however, after reading the comments and tips here, I feel now somewhat comfortable that my toiling is positive.

I had chalked out my own list of “things to do” and I am happy that my list equates the list I have seen here. I am also not comfortable if the language I am using in the book will be of interest to the readers as said its not my mother tongue. By virtue of professional growth I acquired a little command on the language. But to translate the emotions and feeling is real uphill task; thinking of getting some help from the gurus once I am able to complete it.

Being born in 1959; I do not have pictures of those early days so I am totally dependent of my fading memories. Now I have just completed my journey through 7 years and a lot to lay down moving forward. Need a little motivation to complete the task.

This is my first venture of engaging myself on such kind of project. Need some valuable comments and suggestion if my work is in the appropriate direction. Please read following paragraphs and let me have your feedback on the opening of my autobiography. Remember please that I am novice on the subject and find difficulty in expressing my thought in a foreign language.

“BIRTH OF AN INEPT
It all started with a great negotiation! My Father gave Jawaid to me and I took Akhter from him – so became Muhammad Jawaid Akhter.”

“At that time it was a tradition for a lady to join back his maternal home while expecting a delivery especially the very first one. Since it was first delivery to my mother, she traveled back to Chittagong, where this inept, the organic survivor, born.”

Best
Jawaid

Wow this site is like a gold find! And so interesting to read comments from others who are gaining from your contribution! My interest is in writing my mums story, she has had an interesting life by today’ standards, having lost her mum at 18 months who died giving birth to a daughter. Mum was fostered out to a neighbour, only to meet up with her last family member, the adopted out sister, at the ripe young age of 65.

But mums story would really revolve around her brief rise to local fame as “The Dancing Nana” in NZ. Well to be honest the story started in Australia, and reached our shores via a viral utube clip “Find the Dancing Nana”. But it didnt take long for it to rapidly spread through local kiwi newspapers and TV, with mum receiving two calls from our two TV news channels (yes we are a small country!) in rapid succession. “Tell Us your story” .

So my current thought was to capture that story, as much for me to learn more about her early days, as to share the true story behind the woman that all who meet love. A little 85yr old pocket rocket lol! Anyways thats what led me here, looking for a “HOW TO” capture information from her. And between you and Art, Im getting some ideas – thanks guys!!!! Ive signed up for more ideas, but any suggestions (the 100 ideas by Art is awesome!) are welcomed! Thanks team!!

I am 15 years old giri fell so lonel and no one undesrtands me so I dnt express my feelng and with my friends or family.So I just want to write an autobiography ,if I ever sucide I just want my diary to e an evidence why I cumitted sucide or may bif some day my life changes at that time I could remind how hard days I have passed through but I am not getting how to write an autobiography.So please suggest me any idea about that

Hi friz i am the student of engg. i want to write an memoir for the one whom i loved and miss so much. pls help me how can i write, i think alot but i am unable to write a single para pls help me out. in my life im never express my self. i think tis will me out.so, pls help me.

Hi Blaine,

Have you tried just writing about the contents of each of your pictures of your time in the tent city? Just try answering the traditional journalist’s questions of Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How for each photo as if you were trying to describe them to somebody during a phone conversation where only you could actually see each image. If you do this for one image, you’ll gain confidence in your writing ability and want to go on to do the same for the next image. Before too long, you’ll have some nice information written about each of your photos and it should be relatively easy to arrange them in some kind of logical order, maybe but not necessarily, chronological order. Then a few more sentences to tie them all together and you’ll have a nice, illustrated story. At that point, or maybe during the process of tying them together, you’ll find appropriate places and ways to include your philosophies. It sure sounds like an interesting project you’re working on.

Art

Quite interesting that writing about myself had been so taxing before reading this!

Hello, my name is Blaine and I have been very slowly working on one small part of my life about my time in a tent city for four months. I plan on tying facts together with my own philosophies

Hi there…first time here for me. I have written a 65,000 word memoir that I have formed into an adventure story because I look and looked at my life as an adventure. The core of my story is a summer in the wilds that tested my thinking and challenged my courage and consequently changed the path of my life. I tried to bring to my story the inspiration and knowledge that dreams can be attained from the virtually impossible and from the most dire of circumstances. I had no money, no special talents, and very little support at the start of that summer. But I had a dream. I believe in being your own lottery ticket, being your own dream catcher. I now have another dream. And that is to get my memoir published. Talk about impossibilities..lol.

Art Taylor, thanks for your endorsements of my books. I’ve put a lot of energy into them and I appreciate knowing they have helped others.

Curtis, thanks for being part of the memoir conversation. Your site is helpful. I’d like to through in a thought about what I consider an essential tool for memoir writing: the Memory List.

A Memory List is a list of everything you remember about a person, place, action or anything. It can be a big or a small memory. Important or less important. The color of the wallpaper when you were a kid or the death of your mother. How do you create a Memory List? Choose parameters for your Memory List (age 9, my college years, my father). Remember: difference between a memoir and an autobiography. Memoirs call for parameters. The parameter of a Memory List as opposed to the memoir itself can be the scope of your memoir or merely a chapter or scene. Write everything you remember about your topic in the time of your parameter. Do not judge significance. When you change memory, change line. Write 3-5 words–enough to fix the memory so you can recall it in a month’s time. Do not worry about time sequence/order. NO EDITING ALLOWED!

A memory list should be long. Keep plugging away until you have at least 100 items, 200 would be even better. My high school list ended up having 800 items. You don’t have to use them all but all of them will stimulate your recall. many little items, by the way, end up in introductory phrases and the like “Looking at the stage coach wallpaper of my boyhood bedroom, I decided…”

I’ve found the Memory List to be indispensable. I hope it helps our readers.

Great post Curtis. I have been brainstorming how to write my life story. My thoughts right now are to do a year by year summary. I would like to include pictures that I am scanning and categorizing.