how to write an autobiographical essay for college admissions

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How to Write an Autobiographical Essay

Last Updated: March 12, 2023 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Alicia Cook . Alicia Cook is a Professional Writer based in Newark, New Jersey. With over 12 years of experience, Alicia specializes in poetry and uses her platform to advocate for families affected by addiction and to fight for breaking the stigma against addiction and mental illness. She holds a BA in English and Journalism from Georgian Court University and an MBA from Saint Peter’s University. Alicia is a bestselling poet with Andrews McMeel Publishing and her work has been featured in numerous media outlets including the NY Post, CNN, USA Today, the HuffPost, the LA Times, American Songwriter Magazine, and Bustle. She was named by Teen Vogue as one of the 10 social media poets to know and her poetry mixtape, “Stuff I’ve Been Feeling Lately” was a finalist in the 2016 Goodreads Choice Awards. There are 11 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 870,887 times.

An autobiographical essay is just an essay about something you experienced. Even so, writing an autobiographical essay can be challenging. You might write an autobiographical essay for a class, an application, or just for your own personal enjoyment. Whatever your reason, there are some key concepts and strategies that you will want to keep in mind as you write. Keep reading to learn more about how to write an autobiographical essay.

Planning Your Essay

• an accomplishment like winning an award, getting a job, or graduating from high school
• a trial like a difficult class, an injury, or losing a loved one
• a meaningful experience like discovering a hobby, meeting your best friend, going away to camp, or learning something about yourself
• Make sure that you are comfortable sharing your story. Don’t write about anything too hard or heartbreaking if you are not emotionally ready to handle it.

• If you are writing an autobiographical essay for an application, make sure that you read the instructions well. If the application includes a prompt or question that you need to answer, make sure that the story you intend to tell will respond to this prompt or question.
• If you are writing an autobiographical essay for a class, make sure that you read the assignment guidelines well. Make sure that the story you intend to tell will work for this assignment. Ask your instructor if you have any questions about the assignment.

• If you are writing your essay as part of an application, consider what your readers will be most interested in hearing about.
• If you are writing your essay for a class assignment, consider what your instructor will expect you to include in your essay.

• Try listing. List the ideas that you have for your autobiography and then look over the list you have made and group similar ideas together. Expand those lists by adding more ideas or by using another prewriting activity. [5] X Research source
• Try freewriting. Write nonstop for about 10 minutes. Write whatever comes to mind and don’t edit yourself. Review what you have written. Highlight or underline the most useful information for your autobiography. Repeat the freewriting exercise using the passages you underlined as a starting point. You can repeat this exercise many times to continue to refine and develop your ideas. [6] X Research source
• Try clustering. Write a brief explanation of the subject of your autobiography on the center of a piece of paper and circle it. Then draw three or more lines extending from the circle. Write a corresponding idea at the end of each of these lines. Continue developing your cluster until you have explored as many connections as you can. [7] X Research source
• Try questioning. On a piece of paper, write out “Who? What? When? Where? Why? How?” Space the questions about two or three lines apart on the paper so that you can write your answers on these lines. Respond to each question in as much detail as you can. [8] X Research source

• It may be helpful to decide where to start from and where to finish, and then work on filling in the middle.

Drafting Your Essay

• Do not use the second person perspective (“you”) or switch back and forth between “I” and “you.” Use the first person perspective (“I”) throughout your entire essay.

• Jump right in. One way to begin a story is to immediately begin describing something that happened, even if it happened in the middle of your story. You might start with something like, “There I was, standing in front of the entire 10th grade reading a story I had written.” [11] X Research source
• You can start writing your draft in any order that you like, but then remember to organize the completed story in the proper order.

• Say something tantalizing to your reader. For example, you might start with something like, "I never expected to be as happy as I was on that day." Or, "Many things have happened to me in my life, but this was the worst.” Just make sure that the opening fits with your topic.
• Avoid beginnings that are too general or broad. Never open with, “Since the dawn of time…” This type of opening does not help your reader understand what your story is about. "Too general" openings are boring as well. [13] X Research source
• Avoid opening with a quote, unless it is meaningful to you and crucial to your story. If you want to include a meaningful quote in your autobiographical essay, it should have something to do with your story. You should talk about what it means to you when you provide it.

• You might say something like, “Under these circumstances, I began the most challenging year of my life.” Or, “Before this happened, I had no idea that I could do something so huge.” Choose a transition that fits your introduction and that will connect with the ideas in your next paragraph.

• Talk about why this story is significant to you and what you learned from it. [16] X Research source
• Refer to the beginning of your story in the end by mentioning a situation or person that was central to your introduction. [17] X Research source
• Tell your readers about something that came out of this experience that you were not expecting. [18] X Research source

Enhancing Your Essay

• Instead of saying that your teacher wore a blue dress, say that it was aqua blue with white lace trim on the sleeves.
• Instead of saying you felt nervous, describe your trembling hands, the knot in your stomach, and the weak feeling in your knees.
• Instead of saying that you spoke to your teacher about something important, put the conversation that you had with your teacher into dialogue.

• Use chronological organization if you want to start at the beginning and describe your story in the order that it happened.
• Use starting in the middle organization if you want to put your readers into the midst of your story and then go back to the beginning.
• Use starting at the end organization if you want to tell your readers how your story ended up and then explain how you got to that point.

• Don’t be afraid to show your sense of humor, as long as you don’t think it will disrupt the tone of your essay. In other words, if you are telling a sad story, using sarcasm or making a joke about something serious might not be appropriate.

Writing Help

Community Q&A

• Be concise. When writing a story about your life, it’s best to keep it simple and be straightforward. Avoid padding out your autobiographical essay with unnecessary information. Just include the most important details and describe those details well. Thanks Helpful 6 Not Helpful 0
• Share your work with supportive friends and family. Ask for feedback on what they like and how you can improve your story. If you're a student, try asking your English teacher to help you. Thanks Helpful 3 Not Helpful 3

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• ↑ http://study.com/academy/lesson/what-is-an-autobiographical-essay-biography-examples.html
• ↑ http://www.wwnorton.com/college/english/write/fieldguide/writing_guides.asp#BLUE08
• ↑ http://writing.ku.edu/prewriting-strategies
• ↑ https://selfpublishingadvice.org/writing-when-to-use-first-person/
• ↑ https://www.esu.edu/writing-studio/guides/hook.cfm
• ↑ http://www.wwnorton.com/college/english/write/fieldguide/writing_guides.asp
• ↑ https://www.otago.ac.nz/classics/otago055219.pdf
• ↑ http://www.writing.ucsb.edu/faculty/donelan/para.html
• ↑ http://writetodone.com/how-to-use-vivid-description-to-capture-attention/
• ↑ http://www.wwnorton.com/college/english/write/fieldguide/writing_guides.asp#BLUE07
• ↑ http://www.cbsnews.com/news/10-great-opening-lines-from-stanford-admissions-essays/

About This Article

To write an autobiographical essay, choose a story from your own life that you're excited to share. Consider who your audience is when selecting a story and go with something that will appeal to them. Next, create an outline for your essay to help you organize all of your thoughts. When you're ready to get started, kick off your essay with an engaging sentence, then jump right into the action to hook your readers. Remember to write in first person and include vivid details to bring your story to life. Let your unique personality shine through! To learn how to enhance your essay by including dialogue, keep reading the article! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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/ articles / / how to write an autobiographical essay for your university application, / blogs / how to write an autobiographical essay for your university application, how to write an autobiographical essay for your university application.

There are many universities and colleges abroad that ask for an autobiographical essay. It is an essay about something that you have already experienced in your life. Even though you have already experienced those moments, it is still challenging to write an autobiographical essay. Writing an autobiographical essay for your enjoyment is a separate thing, whereas, writing for a university application, is a different thing. You have to map out your essay well, and for that, you need to keep specific strategies and points in mind. Below are some important tips that will help you write a winning autobiographical essay.

1. Planning Your Essay

We are sure there might be many stories that you want to tell the admission committee. You need to choose one story that you really want to tell or just want to get out of your system. Therefore choose a story that you really care about telling. Please note, you will be writing a very specific aspect of your life and not the entire life. In this essay, you will only be talking about just one facet of your life that will tell the admission committee about your strengths and all the hardships you faced while working towards your goal. We bring you some of the examples you might want to consider:

• You can talk about your accomplishments like winning a certain competition, graduating from high school, • An incident that changed your life or your beliefs or your principles, • A meaningful experience like meeting your best friend, who changed your life for better, learning about yourself, your solo trip experience, and so on.

2. Define the purpose of writing an essay

Think about what you want to achieve with your autobiographical essay. Why do you wish to tell this particular story to the admission committee? When writing for the admission committees, make sure your essay highlights all your strengths clearly, and tell the committee clearly that despite all the hardships that came your way. Always consider the needs and expectations of the admission committee before starting your essay. Make sure to jot down some of the important nuances that you want to include in your essay before you start writing.

3. Make an Outline: 

Now that you have got all your ideas on a piece of paper or your laptop, now is the time to make a pretty good outline. It is a very important step; therefore, it is advisable not to miss it. By creating an outline, you will develop more ideas and eventually figure out if you have forgotten anything.

4. Drafting Your Essay: 

After perfectly outlining your essay, now is the time to draft it. Make sure to write the entire essay in the first person. Using the first-person perspective is important because you are talking about your essay.

It is also vital to start your essay with an engaging sentence. Your introductory paragraph should be very engaging so that the admission committee is hooked from the first line. They will probably have 2-5 minutes to review your application; therefore, your application should catch their eye.

You might want to start your essay with something like, “There I was standing in front of the Merlion statue on my solo trip …”

5. Use vivid details: 

Make sure to use vivid details to describe the setting or an incident to the admission committee. Also, provide context and background needed to understand the rest of your essay. Make sure your essay is so well immersed in vivid details that they are forced to imagine the entire scenario while reading it.

6. Conclude your story: 

Keep in mind that concluding your essay is as important as starting one. Your ending has to be memorable and exciting. You should always end your essay in a way that no loose ends are left. Your essay should reflect perfectly on your experience. You can talk about what you learned from the incident or story of yours.

If you also want to study in Canada and the university has asked an autobiographical essay, we are sure that you will be able to formulate a beautiful essay using the above tips and tricks. If you are still facing some issues, then feel free to call our smart advisors, and they will guide you through the entire process.

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How to Write an Autobiography Essay: Guide for College Students

So what is an autobiography essay? It is a paper based on your own personal knowledge that usually dwells upon one episode that had a major influence on one’s personality or worldview. It might be a part of a usual assignment or a necessary part of a college application. In any case, it is something you are sharing to present some personal qualities or make an interesting outcome. It might seem very simple to write about yourself at first glance, however, it takes a lot of skill and planning to select the subject and display it in the best possible way. Some people find writing an autobiography essay even more complicated than any other paper as there is a lot of freedom regarding the subject and there are always worries about not being too self-involved. This article on how to write an autobiography essay will help you complete a flawless and powerful paper.

Autobiography Essay Format

Considering planning a paper, an outline is one of the fundamental parts. You need to have a draft plan for the work’s structure. Not only does it provide a coherent order to your reflections, but it also makes a paper more readable and easy to follow. The first thing to do before starting on your own paper is to find inspiration. You can ask for some illustrations from your professor, or look for them online – there are many good presentations on the internet. An autobiography essay is not a story of one’s life; it usually concerns one event or experience that is worth sharing. An event that had an influence on the person who lived it through, and can provide a meaningful message to the reader.

How Do You Structure an Autobiography?

Generally, an autobiography essay outline follows the common framework of any essay, meaning a five-paragraph paper. It shouldn’t be very long; however, you may change the standard outline according to your needs. It might be closer to a narrative paper, but remember to use the first-person narration, as it is not fiction. It is not a short story, it is a personal essay.

When planning an outline consider the story and how it can be presented, how many paragraphs do you need and what are the demands to an assignment. It might be a good point to include a plot twist. However, you can never go wrong with a well-proven traditional structure.

How to Title an Autobiography Essay?

There is no right or wrong time for choosing the title for life story. Some start with it, others do it in the end, it is totally up to you. A title can be creative if you want but it should be appealing, intriguing and deal with the main point of your paper.

The tips on how to write a title vary, but the main aspects are:

• It shouldn’t be very long;
• Do not try to include all the key points in a title;
• You may use puns for a comedy effect if it is appropriate;
• Make it engaging for a reader.

You can look through creative titles about yourself online and use them as a basis for your thought process. However, do not use someone’s idea as your own as it won’t represent your writing.

Here are some autobiography titles ideas that might inspire you:

• Driving Exam that Almost Drove me Crazy;
• Living Through a Happy Accident;
• What My First Job Taught Me;
• The Day that Changed it All;
• Surviving High-School Graduation.

The choice of a title is completely up to you as long as it is made in accordance with the assignment’s requirements.

How to Start an Autobiography Essay?

Before you start writing, brainstorm and choose an incident you want to depict. It must be relevant and have something to tell the reader. Create an outline and follow a coherent way to describe it. The first sentence of an autobiography paper must be attention-grabbing and interesting. You might as well start right with the story instead of putting a long autobiography introduction. Underline the main idea of your writing and what is going to be disclosed.

There are several good ways to start an autobiography, such as to start in the middle of a setting, “Here I was standing in front of the whole group with my presentation.” Another way is to add a little bit of suspense, like “I never knew that such a simple thing as going to a vet with my dog can change my whole perspective”.

An autobiography essay introduction doesn’t have to be very long. Underline the main point, create a setting or go directly to the events that inspired you. A good idea is to use a non-chronological order in the description of events to make the story more interesting. It is also crucial to have a nice transition to the main part; it can be a sentence like, “I’d never expected that what was coming next would be the most important day of my life.”

How to End an Autobiography Essay?

Autobiography conclusions are as essential as the beginning, as they sum up the story, tie the ends together and make a meaningful impact on the reader. How to end an autobiography in a stylish and exciting way? First of all, conclude what has been stated before and focus on why it is important, what was the influence on your life and what conclusion did you make from this experience. Refer to the significance and make a connection to the beginning. Describe the central person in the story if there had been one. It is also great if you tell what was so unexpected for you and what this event has taught you about yourself or the world around you.

If the story was non-chronological, make sure that by the end of an autobiographical essay it all comes together as one comprehensive piece. Check one more time if it is easy to follow and creates a vivid picture in the reader’s mind.

Extra Tips on How to Write a Good Autobiography Essay

Writing an autobiography essay can be challenging as it deals with the introspective process and makes us learn about ourselves more. It is important not only to follow formatting requirements but also to create a living picture of an event that the reader can re-live. Some students choose to use a fast essay writing service to help them with this assignment and it is only understandable.

Here are some more tips for writing an excellent autobiography narrative essay:

• Select an event you are excited to tell about, it will make it more engaging and easy to write;
• Think about the audience of your paper, who will read it and what they might be interested in;
• Use a first-person narration to underline your perspective;
• Be sincere and be yourself. After all, this is your life you are writing about. Even a negative experience can teach us a lot;
• Understand the purpose of your work – what is the key point you are making? What is the question you are trying to answer?
• When writing an autobiography essay always check the demands of the assignment. An application and a college task have different purposes. Be sure you know all the guidelines;
• Don’t forget to describe the setting and add some vivid details to make the story more interesting and create a picture in the reader’s mind;
• After you are done, take some time to proofread your text. Here are some useful proofreading tips that might help you to check your writing and make sure it is flawless.

Autobiography Essay Example/Autobiography Sample Essay

Here is a short excerpt from an autobiography essay:

“When I was growing up I had never wanted to be a teacher unlike many of my peers. However, one day what promised to be a normal Monday changed my whole perspective. I was in high school at that time, and we went with my mother to visit a college to find out more about the programs I might follow in the future. We were lucky to visit a lecture by a physics professor and I thought it might be boring at first. Little did I know, this lecture was the most important hour in my life.

It was a nice sunny day and the campus looked great, there were lots of students and they all seemed so adult to me. It also was unbelievable that soon I might be one of these intelligent and nice people. We were welcomed and had a great excursion over the campus and the main building and now it was the time to visit a lecture.”

It is an example that shows how to complete an introduction and connect it to the main part. Here are many other autobiography essay examples that you can read and use as an outline for inspiration.

When working on a personal essay it is important to spend a lot of time planning and selecting a subject. Find an event that was significant for you that can present your worldview or unique experience. Create an outline and take enough time to draft ideas and think on how to present a story.

Remember to be frank about what you are writing, do not make fiction as it is inappropriate. Show what you’ve learned and focus on it in the conclusion.

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How to Write an Autobiography Fast

Writing your autobiography is like exploring a treasure trove of memories that make up your life. But starting can feel overwhelming. Where do you begin? How do you turn your experiences into a compelling story? Don't worry – this guide is here to help. Whether you're a seasoned writer or a total beginner, we'll break down the process of how to write your autobiography into easy-to-follow steps. Together, we'll uncover the magic of storytelling and turn your life into a captivating reflective essay that's uniquely yours. Get ready to start this adventure of self-discovery and creativity!

What Is an Autobiography

The autobiography definition explains it is a written account of a person's life penned by the individual who has lived those experiences. It is a personal narrative that chronicles significant events, reflections, and emotions throughout various stages of the author's life. Unlike a biography, which is typically written by someone else, an autobiography provides a firsthand perspective, allowing the author to share their thoughts, memories, and insights. It is a cogent medium for self-expression, enabling students to convey the essence of their unique journey, impart lessons learned, and leave a lasting record of their lives for themselves and others to explore.

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Autobiography vs. Biography: What’s the Difference

The key distinction between an autobiography and a biography lies in the authorship and perspective. An autobiography is a personal account of one's own life written by the subject themselves. It offers an intimate insight into the author's experiences, emotions, and reflections. For instance, in "The Diary of a Young Girl," Anne Frank provides a poignant autobiographical account of her life hiding from the Nazis during World War II. On the other hand, a biography is a narrative of someone's life written by another person. It often involves extensive research and interviews to present a comprehensive and objective view. A notable example is "Steve Jobs" by Walter Isaacson, a biography offering an in-depth portrayal of the Apple co-founder, drawing on interviews with Jobs himself and those who knew him. While both genres illuminate lives, the crucial difference lies in the source of the narrative – whether it emanates directly from the subject or is crafted by an external observer.

A biography vs autobiography offers distinct perspectives on individuals' lives, shaping narratives through either personal reflections or external observations. Maya Angelou's "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" is a powerful autobiography chronicling her tumultuous childhood and journey toward self-discovery. In contrast, a notable biography like "Leonardo da Vinci" by Walter Isaacson delves into the life of the Renaissance polymath, painting a vivid picture through meticulous research and analysis. Autobiographies often provide a deeply personal lens, as seen in "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls, where Walls recounts her unconventional upbringing. In contrast, biographies such as "Unbroken" by Laura Hillenbrand meticulously document the extraordinary life of Louis Zamperini, offering a comprehensive view shaped by the author's investigative work. These examples underscore the unique storytelling approaches each genre employs, either from the firsthand perspective of the subject or the external perspective of an author.

Autobiography Example

Ready to explore autobiography examples? We've got a cool section coming up where we'll check out two awesome examples. Autobiographies are like personal tours into someone's life, and we'll be looking at the stories of Alex Sterling and Trevor Noah. They've poured their experiences onto the pages, and we're going to see what we can learn from their journeys. Get ready to be inspired and maybe even think about telling your own story down the line. Let's dive in!

Example 1: “Wanderer's Odyssey: The Uncharted Life of Alex Sterling”

This autobiography recounts the life of a character born in a bustling city who, driven by a thirst for adventure, leaves behind urban life to explore the open road. The narrative explores the protagonist's experiences of hitchhiking, forming connections, and finding self-discovery in the midst of the unpredictable journey. The story emphasizes the lessons learned from the road, the challenges faced, and the ultimate embrace of authenticity. The epilogue reflects on the character's life as a well-lived odyssey, highlighting themes of resilience, connection, and the pursuit of one's true identity.

Example 2: “Echoes of Eternity: The Memoirs of Amelia Reed”

This autobiography follows a character from a countryside village who harbors expansive dreams of adventure. The narrative unfolds as the protagonist sets out to pursue these dreams, facing trials and triumphs that shape their character and lead to self-discovery. The story emphasizes the transformative power of embracing the unknown, with the epilogue reflecting on a life well-lived, highlighting the legacy of fulfilled dreams and the enduring impact on future generations. In addition to examples, we have samples of narrative essay topics that might be useful for you as well.

Tell your story with EssayPro . Our skilled writers can help you craft an autobiography that truly reflects your journey. Share your unique experiences and life lessons in a way that resonates with readers.

Autobiography Elements Explained

Writing an autobiography provides a personal account of one's experiences, achievements, challenges, and personal growth. While each autobiography is unique, certain common elements are often found in this genre:

Introduction

• Autobiographies typically begin with an introduction where the author sets the stage for their life story.
• It may include background information such as birthplace, family, and early experiences.

Birth and Early Years

• Authors often include details about their birth, childhood, and family background.
• Early influences, relationships, and experiences that shaped the individual may be highlighted.

Significant Life Events

• Autobiographies focus on key events and milestones that have had a significant impact on the author's life.
• This could include achievements, failures, relationships, and other impactful experiences.

Challenges and Obstacles

• Autobiographies explore the challenges and obstacles the author faced throughout their life.
• This can include personal struggles, professional setbacks, or other difficulties.

Personal Growth and Development

• Authors reflect on their personal growth and development over the years.
• This may involve self-discovery, learning from experiences, and evolving perspectives.

Achievements and Milestones

• Autobiographies highlight the author's achievements, whether personal, professional, or both.
• Major milestones and successes are often detailed to showcase the individual's journey.

Influential Relationships

• Autobiographies frequently discuss relationships with family, friends, mentors, and significant others.
• The impact of these relationships on the author's life is explored.

Reflection and Insight

• Authors often reflect on their lives, offering insights into their beliefs, values, and lessons learned.
• This section may also include the author's perspective on the world and society.

Themes and Motifs

• Autobiographies may explore recurring themes or motifs that run throughout the individual's life.
• Common themes include resilience, determination, love, loss, and personal identity.
• Autobiographies typically conclude with a summary or reflection on the author's life.
• The author may share their current perspective and future aspirations.

Writing Style

• The writing style can vary, ranging from a formal tone to a more conversational and reflective approach.
• Authors may use literary devices and storytelling techniques to engage readers.

Remember that autobiographies are highly personal, and the structure and emphasis on different elements can vary widely depending on the author's preferences and purpose for writing.

Autobiographical Essay Structure

Autobiographies typically follow a chronological order, beginning with the author's early life and progressing towards the present or a significant moment. The introduction sets the stage, introducing the author and offering insight into the main themes. As you can see in an autobiography example, the narrative then unfolds, exploring the author's significant life events, challenges faced, and personal growth. Achievements and milestones are highlighted, and the impact of influential relationships is examined. Throughout, recurring themes and motifs add depth to the narrative. In the reflection and insight section, the author shares personal lessons learned and beliefs. The conclusion summarizes the autobiography, reflecting on the author's life and future aspirations.

Learning how to start an autobiography involves captivating the reader's attention while providing context. Authors often employ engaging anecdotes, vivid descriptions, or thought-provoking statements related to the overarching theme of their lives. The goal is to draw readers in from the beginning and establish a connection between the author and the audience. In the introduction, authors can introduce themselves to the reader. This can be done by sharing a captivating snapshot of their life or posing a question that intrigues the audience. The autobiography introduction sets the tone for the entire narrative, providing a glimpse into the themes and events that will be explored in the autobiography.

The autobiography conclusion offers the culmination of the author's life story. Here, authors often summarize the key points and experiences shared throughout the narrative. It is a moment of reflection, where the author can offer insights into the significance of their journey and the lessons learned along the way. The conclusion may also touch on the author's current perspective, providing a sense of closure to the narrative while leaving room for future aspirations and growth.

Literary Forms of Autobiography

Autobiographies, while generally a non-fiction genre, can take on various literary forms and styles. Here are some literary forms commonly found in autobiographical works:

Traditional Autobiography

• The straightforward narrative of an individual's life, which is usually written by the person themselves. It follows a chronological order, covering significant events and experiences.
• Similar to an autobiography but often focusing on specific themes, periods, or aspects of the author's life rather than a comprehensive account. Memoirs often delve into personal reflections and emotions.

Diary or Journal Form

• Some autobiographies adopt the form of a diary or journal, presenting the author's life through dated entries. This format provides a more immediate and personal perspective.

Epistolary Autobiography

• Written in the form of letters, an epistolary autobiography may consist of the author addressing themselves or others. This style adds an intimate and conversational tone to the narrative.

Graphic Novel or Comic Memoir

• Autobiographical stories are presented in a graphic novel or comic format. Visual elements complement the written narrative, providing a unique and engaging way to convey personal experiences.

Experimental or Nonlinear Autobiography

• Some authors choose to play with the chronological order, presenting their life story non-linearly. This experimental approach can create a more artistic and challenging reading experience.

Biographical Fiction

• While not entirely autobiographical, some authors write fictionalized versions of their own lives. It allows for creative exploration and artistic liberties while drawing inspiration from real experiences.

Travelogue Autobiography

• Autobiographies that take on the form of a travelogue often focus on the author's journeys, both physical and metaphorical. The narrative is shaped by the places visited and the impact of these experiences on personal growth.

Essayistic Autobiography

• Autobiographies that incorporate elements of essays, exploring themes, ideas, and reflections on the author's life. This form allows for a more contemplative and philosophical approach.

Collaborative Autobiography

• Co-written autobiographies involve collaboration between the autobiographical subject and a professional writer. It is common when the subject may not be a writer but has a compelling story to share.

These literary forms highlight the versatility of autobiographical writing, showcasing how authors can creatively shape their life stories to engage readers in various ways. Are you working on other academic assignments? Use our term paper writing services to put your finger on any pending task at hand quickly and for a reasonable price.

How to Write an Autobiography in 5 Steps

Writing an autobiography can be a rewarding and reflective process. Here's a simplified guide in 5 steps to help you get started:

Step 1: Reflection and Brainstorming

Begin by reflecting on your life, considering important events, challenges, and moments of growth. Make a mental inventory of key experiences and people who have influenced you.

Step 2: Establish a Focus

Choose a central theme or focus for your autobiography. This could be a specific period of your life, a significant achievement, or a recurring theme that ties your experiences together. Having a clear focus will guide your writing.

Step 3: Create a Chronological Outline

Develop a rough chronological outline of your life story, starting from your early years and progressing through significant events to the present or another crucial point. Identify key moments and experiences to include in each section.

Step 4: Write with Detail and Emotion

An important aspect of how to write an autobiography for college is appealing to emotion. As you delve into each body paragraph, share your story with vivid details. Use descriptive language to bring your experiences to life for the reader. Infuse your writing with emotion, allowing readers to connect with the depth of your personal journey.

Step 5: Conclude Reflectively

In the concluding section, summarize the key aspects of your life story. Reflect on the significance of your journey, the lessons you've learned, and how you've grown. Provide insights into your current perspective and aspirations for the future, bringing your autobiography to a thoughtful conclusion.

Writing Techniques to Use in an Autobiography

When you write an autobiography, the process involves employing various techniques to make the narrative engaging, evocative, and compelling. Here are some tips for writing autobiography commonly used in autobiographies:

Descriptive Language

• Use vivid and descriptive language to paint a detailed picture of events, people, and settings. Engage the reader's senses to create a more immersive experience.
• Incorporate dialogue to bring conversations to life. Direct quotes can provide authenticity and convey the personalities of the people involved.

Show, Don't Tell

• Instead of merely stating facts, show the emotions and experiences through actions, reactions, and sensory details. 

Flashbacks and Foreshadowing

• Employ flashbacks to delve into past events and foreshadowing to create anticipation about future developments. 

Metaphors and Similes

• Use metaphors and similes to enhance descriptions and convey complex emotions. Comparisons can make abstract concepts more relatable.
• Integrate symbols and motifs that hold personal significance. This adds depth to the narrative and can be a thematic thread throughout the autobiography.

Humor and Wit

• Infuse your writing with humor and wit when appropriate. 
• Introduce suspense by strategically withholding information or revealing key details at crucial moments. 

First-Person Perspective

• Utilize the first-person point of view to offer a direct and personal connection between the author and the reader. 

Dramatic Irony

• Introduce dramatic irony by revealing information to the reader that the author may not have known at the time.

Parallelism

• Create parallel structures within the narrative, drawing connections between different periods, events, or themes in your life. 

Experimenting with different styles can make your story more engaging and memorable for readers. If you haven’t used these techniques in your paper, simply say, ‘ edit my essay ,’ and our experts will imbue stylistic and creative devices in your document to increase its scholarly value.

Benefits of Writing an Autobiography

Working on an autobiography can be incredibly beneficial on a personal level. When you take the time to reflect on your life and put it into words, you gain a deeper understanding of yourself. It's like a journey of self-discovery where you uncover patterns, values, and beliefs that have shaped who you are. This process not only promotes self-awareness but can also help you grow and bounce back from tough times. Writing about challenging moments can be a therapeutic release, allowing you to confront and make sense of your experiences, leading to emotional healing.

On a broader scale, sharing your life story through an autobiography has its impact. It becomes a piece of history, offering insights into the times you've lived through, the culture around you, and societal changes. Your personal narrative connects you with others, creating empathy and understanding. Autobiographies often inspire people by showing that it's possible to overcome challenges, find purpose, and navigate the ups and downs of life. By sharing your story, you become a part of the larger human experience, contributing to a rich tapestry of diverse stories that help us better understand the shared journey of being human. Order an essay or any other type of task to streamline your educational progress is only a few clicks.

Best Piece of Advice for Making Your Autobiography Spot-on

The most valuable advice on how to write an autobiography is to infuse authenticity into every word. Be genuine, raw, and honest about your experiences, emotions, and growth. Readers connect deeply with authenticity, and it's what makes your story uniquely yours. Don't shy away from expressing vulnerability, as it adds a human touch and makes your narrative relatable. Share the highs and lows, the triumphs and struggles, with sincerity, and let your true self shine through. This honesty not only enhances the impact of your autobiography but also contributes to a more profound connection between you and your readers, creating an authentic and memorable narrative. Here are additional tips for bringing your autobiography assignment up to par:

• Essential Details. Focus on key moments that significantly contribute to your story, avoiding unnecessary details.
• Thematic Cohesion. Introduce and explore recurring themes to add depth and coherence to your narrative.
• Authentic Expression. Embrace your unique voice, personality, and storytelling style to create an authentic connection with readers.
• Dialogue and Monologue. Use genuine dialogue and inner monologue to provide insights into your thoughts and emotions during pivotal moments.
• Symbolic Elements. Incorporate symbolic imagery or metaphors to convey deeper meanings and emotions.
• Strategic Foreshadowing. Use foreshadowing purposefully, providing subtle hints that contribute meaningfully to the overall narrative.
• Reflective Closure. Conclude your autobiography with a reflective summary that offers insights into the broader significance of your journey.

Our essay writers know many more tips regarding all possible types of academic tasks. If you ever find yourself in writer’s block, not knowing how to tackle any particular assignment, let us know!

Final Words

If you want to understand how to write a good autobiography, think of it as painting a vivid picture of your life for others to see. It's about being real, digging deep into your memories, and choosing the moments that really matter. Let your personality shine through in your writing – be yourself because that's what makes your story unique. Weave in themes that tie everything together, and use storytelling techniques like dialogue and symbolism to make your narrative come alive. And as you reach the end, leave your readers with some food for thought – a reflection on the bigger lessons learned from your journey. If you ever need assistance with this or any other college assignment, use our research paper services without hesitation.

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How to Write an Autobiography?

How to start an autobiography essay, what is the difference between autobiography and biography, related articles.

How to write an Autobiography Essay - The Ultimate Guide

What is an Autobiography?

Types and formats of autobiography.

• Tips to Make Your Autobiography Interesting

How to Write an Autobiography Outline/Structure

Three things to consider when writing an autobiography essay, seven steps on how to write a good autobiography essay, how to start an autobiography essay, how to conclude an autobiography essay, facts to spice up your main body.

Is writing an autobiography essay causing you goosebumps, even the mere mention of it? Well, we all have been there because putting together an autobiography essay is challenging.

You are maybe thinking to yourself that you are not the caliber of Bill Gates, Barack Obama, Nelson Mandela, Vladimir Putin, or Mahatma Gandhi, and writing an autobiography will not count. Your feeling is justified. Every college and university student we have helped write an autobiography essay has confessed that they knew not how to start an autobiography.

As if that is not enough, most students fear the mention of autobiography writing being part of their assignments. Just a by the way, because an autobiography is just like an  essay about yourself , you need not panic. Anybody, famous or not, who feels like writing an autobiography can do so. Therefore, we compiled this comprehensive autobiography essay-writing guide.

Do not panic, and look for the best autobiography example yet. We know how fulfilling writing an autobiography essay feels. With this guide on how to write an autobiography essay, we make you become a hero of your story.

To define it simply, an autobiography is a non-fictional narration written by a writer (subject) about their own life from their perspective. Because everyone has a story- it could be long or short- that is what makes an autobiography.

Autobiographies fall under the genre of biographies and are common among the general readings accessible to the public.

There is always something that fascinates you or that which your friends define you as. And when you share that something with the world, you will be writing an autobiography. Unlike a biography that is an account of someone written by someone else, an autobiography is written by a person : you write your own autobiography but someone writes your biography.

If you are looking to write an outstanding autobiography about yourself, the trick is to treat it as if it is the best story, you ever will read. Like most stories, make it have a hook, a narrator, a central idea, and themes, and bring in special characters.

Unlike the long-held belief, writing an autobiography is not a praise to one's self. Instead, it can be writing to store professional or life memories as one lives and impacts the world.

Autobiography Vs. Biography and Memoir

Although biography and autobiography fall within the same genre: bibliographies, they have glaring differences. While biographies are written about someone by another person, autobiographies are written by an individual about themselves. In this case, the autobiographies are written using the introspective approach.

An autobiography is also a first-person account of the author while a memoir only documents part of the life story of a person. memoirs are also more focused on a given era of someone's life, often linking it to a given lens or perspective. It is also more focused compared to the general autobiography.

10 Authority Autobiography examples to emulate

Our Autobiography example has all these tenets factored in. The greatest way to get inspired on how to begin writing autobiographies is by reading the autobiographies of the most famous people.

Such autobiography examples help in developing the essence, flow, and ideas on how to write your own autobiography.

Some of the most inspirational autobiography examples include:

• Dreams from My Father by Barack Obama
• Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela
• Anne Frank The Diary of a Young Girl
• Open by Andre Agassi
• The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin by Benjamin Franklin
• The Autobiography of Malcolm X by Malcolm X.
• Agatha Christie: An Autobiography by Agatha Christie
• On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King
• A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway
• The Story of My Experiments with Truth (the autobiography of Gandhi)

These are the top ten best autobiographies that everyone has to read before they write their own or before their demise.

Remember, an autobiography is a firsthand experience of the author written by the author. It is intended for the readers to understand the hidden and open side of the author.

There are various types of autobiography formats you can choose to adopt. 

Autobiographies need to flow in a particular format. There are many formats to follow when writing an autobiography. They include:

1. Traditional Autobiography Format

This is a format where the author begins recording events chronologically from birth to their current situation. Some of the notable traditional autobiography examples include: The autobiography by the late Nelson Mandela titles Long Walk to Freedom.

This type of autobiography is the fullest and longest story someone writes about themselves. In most cases, these are written for personal use, which helps store memories. In some circumstances, prominent people write their autobiographies for sale. We've seen autobiographies of prominent people like Obama , Nelson Mandela , Trevor Noah , and Paramahansa Yogananda .

These are autobiographies created for the general public. In essence, an autobiography details the date of birth until the day you are writing. It entails the goals, challenges, encounters, triumphs, failures, and every other tiny detail. If you are busy and would like someone to write your autobiography, there are many services where you can hire an autobiography ghostwriter to write your story.

2. Vignettes

In this autobiography format, the author presents their story in the form of short chapters that describe and focus on particular events in the life of the author. Therefore, to complete a full autobiography, the author combines a collection of Vignettes. A sound autobiography example following the format is the

  A Well-Lighted Cafe section written by Ernest Hemingway' It was very late, and everyone had left the cafe except an old man who sat in the shadow the leaves of the tree made against the electric light. In the daytime, the street was dusty, but at night the dew settled the dust, and the old man liked to sit late because he was deaf and now at night it was quiet, and he felt the difference. The two waiters inside the cafe knew that the old man was a little drunk, and while he was a good client, they knew that if he became too drunk, he would leave without paying, so they kept watching on him.

3. Personal Narrative Autobiographies

Unlike the vignettes which focus on the events, the personal narratives or personal essays focus on a single moment. In this autobiography example, the events are described through dialogue or imagery. Essentially, students are usually assigned autobiography essays where they detail their experiences at one moment. It is also a common feature on the part of personal essays and admission essays. Examples of potential autobiography titles include: How I climbed Mount Everest or How I Narrowly Escaped the 911 Incident.

Memoirs are autobiography examples where there is a razor-sharp focus on the particular aspects of an individual say their political success, their business success, or their public speaking prowess. Notably, some of the common themes include philosophy, politics, religion, or history. To that effect, a good memoir autobiography example is Night by Elie Wiesel.

5. Personal Essay

A personal essay also fits as a form of autobiographical writing. It is an emotional and very intimate form of writing where you share your experience, encounters, beliefs, values, principles, philosophy, and ambitions with the readers (mostly the admissions committee) in an in-depth manner to help them pick you for a spot in college, graduate program, MBA, or a scholarship.

A personal statement should help your readers have a smaller and bigger picture of yourself or events around your life as well as understand your feelings through your words.

A personal essay entails describing how a given encounter, scenario, or situation happened in your life and how it influences your choice or impacted your life and worldview.

To be specific, given that personal statements can be between 500 words and 1000 words essays, they are the shortest form of autobiographical writing just like college essays.

6. Autobiographical college essays

Many students write college entry essays where they give details about themselves. With this type of autobiographical writing, you must convince the admissions committee that you are a worthy candidate for your dream college.

Most of the college essays are short essays but bear the greatest burden of convincing the admissions officers that you should be accepted. For this reason, these essays have a conditional word limit beyond which the officers discard the content. In modern times, there are tabs where students paste college essays. These tabs will only take the defined content length and characters. Therefore, you have to be smart, clear, concise, and convincing.

Let it be known here and now that college essays are not your CV or resume. Instead, they should bring out your personality, values, and everything else that is not professional.

11 Proven Tips to Make Your Autobiography Interesting

When writing your autobiography/memoir, you are writing a story about yourself by yourself. It is entirely different from a biography, where someone else writes a story about you. Now, to craft an award-winning autobiography, there are certain principles that you must observe.

Grab the attention of your audience from the onset

An autobiography needs a good entry point. Like other essays, the readers will judge the entire text based on how exciting and attractive your introduction is. Therefore, strive to convince your audience about the uniqueness of your story and remind them that it is worth their time.

As you fall your harmer on the introduction, ensure that you have a snapshot of your entire autobiography that creates a personal connection to your readers. And because we read, experience, and hear life stories, chances are that your readers will relate if you have a welcoming introduction.

Keep it logical

Ensure that your autobiography has some great flow right off the bat. Have a clear theme, thesis statement, plot, and climax. If there is some chronological aspect in your autobiography, every piece within your story builds on the other brick by brick.

Make it interesting and brief

Always avoid writing superfluous words to fill pages in the name of an autobiography. Instead, when revealing personal details, your selection of words should prove that you are a writing nerd.

To invite, keep, and irrigate your readers, ensure that you engage sensory details. Provide vivid details in your essay and let the audience smell, touch, and feel your world. We liken writing an autobiography to invite someone in a world of your own in writing. Therefore, even if it means using spatial order in your autobiographical essay , ensure that your audience can have the full picture of your world.

Keep it easy

Never use vocabulary. Instead, stick to being simple and have a good flow by introducing relevant transition words. Do not water the weight of the autobiography essay by bogging down your main points with unnecessary details.

Write from the first-person perspective

It is all about you and you have to make frequent references to yourself, so this is even self-explanatory. This is a type of writing where you are allowed to use I when expressing ideas and thoughts.

First-person narration is allowed in an autobiographical essay. Essentially, since it is an essay about yourself, there is not so much limit on using I, me, or we in your essay. Autobiography writing conventions are slightly different from the rules of academic writing where personification is prohibited.

Let the audience hear your personal voice, which is your elemental purpose anyway, through the words you write. Personification also brings to life the connection with the audience at a personal level.

Have a central theme

Your autobiography has a purpose, and that must be very clear. Most of the exceptional autobiographies have central themes that guide the tone of the author.  

Some of the common themes include success, determination, endurance, patience, resilience, and bravery, just to mention a few. Having the central theme can make it easy to keep the readers glued and in suspense after every sentence.

Once your autobiographical essay has a central theme, match your life experience and episodes to it. Let your story have an in-depth meaning that the readers should decode as they chew your narration.

Understand the audience

Since you are writing a personal  profile essay , you should be wary of the audience and what makes them entertained. Essentially, the audience guides the theme, word choice, and length.

Avoid triviality

Avoid things that sound like cliché. Yes, those are common with biographies. Even though autobiographies are formal essays or papers about yourself, put slang and colloquial expressions at bay.

It is not a personal diary or a resume

Even though you are getting candid and revealing to capture the attention of the audience, be mindful of what you share. Do not go to the minute details. Have some set boundaries of what goes in your autobiography.

When writing your autobiographical essay for college, the admissions officer already has your resume. Do not make a mistake of presenting your grades and academic performance.

Instead, dwell on your character, personality, principles, and values outside of school. Assume that you are writing for someone who will only judge and know you through your words. Let them read your unique story and make you part of the college fraternity.

It should never be so long

If it is an autobiography essay, it can be between 500 words and 3000 words, depending on the context and purpose. If it is for admission to college, your autobiography should be around 3000 characters, but they always specify. Like long admission essays, long autobiographies get repetitive and boring.

Mind your tenses and tone

When telling any story, choosing one verb tense matters a lot. Decide the tense that you want to use and maintain it throughout your storytelling. Let there be consistency in the selected tense in your autobiographical essay. Using past or present tense is allowed when writing about the past but you must not change your tenses to an extent of disrupting the flow of your story midway.

An outline for your autobiography helps you understand what falls where and organize its flow. Remember, an autobiography has to have an introduction, body, and conclusion.

The structure depends on the type of autobiographical writing you are doing. However, since this guide depends on the basic autobiography structure, here are the basic autobiographical structuring principles you should adhere to when writing your essay.

The Introduction

The introduction should be clear and concise about who you are. Fundamentally, this means a brief and succinct description of yourself, your early life, challenges, and how you got to where you are. Ultimately, you can also define the theme (s) at this level.

We have written an entire section on how to start an autobiography (in the later sections of this guide). It is no different from an introductory paragraph of an essay. It serves as an entry point that grabs the attention of the readers and presents them with the gist of your writing.

It should not be very long but clear, concise, and coherent. Besides, it has to provide your portrait to the readers so that they understand your story from your perspective.

The Main Body

The body should have segments of your life in paragraphs to give an understanding of every event and occurrence. You should highlight the childhood phase, adolescent phase, early adulthood phase, and more in that order. Vividly, it is also in this segment that you highlight your hobbies, academic achievements, and experiences including jovial and sad moments.

In short college autobiographical essays, the body can be a paragraph or two. However, in longer autobiography writings, the paragraphs can be more, each with its idea.

As a rule of the thumb, the main body forms 80% of the total word count. The remaining 10% goes to the intro and the 10% to the conclusion.

The conclusion

In the closing paragraph of your autobiography ensure that you exercise brevity. You would want to present the theme, and the lesson of your life, your quotes, or your personal philosophy-just make it different and unique. It is also here that you highlight the intention of writing the autobiography.

Make it impressive, strong, and engaging enough to create some link and make your readers yearn to read more. Mention the lessons, changes you've made to life, and the new world views that have emerged. If there are negative encounters, talk about how your values and resilience enabled you to overcome them.

Learn how to start or end your autobiography in the next sections.

To this end, if all you need is someone to write your autobiographical essay, we have the best autobiography essay writers .

Here is a great  sample autobiography in PDF format .

1. Simplicity

Above all, the simpler your autobiography is, the higher the likelihood that it will entertain and stick in the memories of the readers. Ordinarily, a simple language also makes it accessible by a large audience.

2. Rationality

Only write what is humanly possible. Avoid irrational bluff like supernatural powers. In this, you must develop a clear thesis statement that gives an overview of the autobiography and its central theme.

3. Keep it interesting

Nobody wants something boring in the form of an autobiography. All ten autobiography examples are succinct, simple, and have an interesting language and approach. Writing personal details unknown to anyone is also interesting on its own. Therefore, at whatever cost, make your autobiography exciting.

Primarily, there are different autobiography templates online, which can give you a picture of how to approach an autobiography.

However, once you are equipped with the autobiography outline, remember the three factors to consider, and curate the best piece there ever is.

Writing an autobiography is a humbling experience. It gives you the chance to delve into your past and uncover some things about you that might have been washed away down memory lane.

Ordinarily, with these tips, you can become an award-winning autobiography writer sought by great people to ghostwrite their autobiographies. Autobiographies are treasured and the moment your family has one, rest assured they will cherish you vividly.

When asked to write their autobiography essay, most college students get confused. Apart from just giving you an example, we felt it is wise to cover some tested methods to write the best autobiography essay.

If you are wondering how to write an autobiography about yourself or how to write an autobiography for school, we have your back. The good thing, you can scroll through this article as you sip some espresso, cold beverages, or as you chat with friends over dinner. Now, let's get the ball rolling.

Here are some tips for writing a killer autobiography that would leave people yearning for more.

Step 1: Chart your Timeline to Date

The very first step is always to research more about who you are, how you have lived, and what your contributions to life have been. It is important to have a timeline of your life, which entails some important/major milestones. Ensure that you have included all the important dates, events, and occurrences. Here are some questions to help:

• Where were you born?
• Who were your parents?
• What is your family history?
• Can you trace your ancestry?
• Where do your parents live?
• Do you have siblings, and how have they impacted you?
• What college did you attend?
• What was your major?
• What places would you like to visit and why?
• What are your best skills?
• Who has hurt you in life?
• What is your personal philosophy?
• What doctrines do you value in life?
• Who do you look up to?
• How do you handle negative events?
• What is your personality type?
• What was the most important lesson you have ever learned in your life?
• Can you remember your childhood? Can you connect it with your current life?
• What has been your career, relationship, and life journey?
• Have you had bad events?
• What are your goals for the future?
• What famous quote can describe your life?
• Who influenced your personal development?
• Who is your greatest role model?
• What do you want to become in your later life?
• What demoralizes you?
• What is your family's social and ethnic background?

This initial stage is meant to brainstorm many ideas and build facts that you will use to support points in your autobiography. When you eventually have a list of what you are to write, you have achieved writing the autobiography already.  

Step 2: Define the major influencers in your life

We began by stating that well-written autobiographies sound like great stories. When someone is reading your autobiography, they want to understand how it feels like to be you.

Therefore, authenticity and honesty win the hearts of the readers. In this case, your autobiography should not stick to the college essay canonicals. Instead, it should expose your life the way it was and is currently.

The best way is always to write as though you are narrating to a close friend, without holding back. Also, ensure that your intention when writing is to reveal your personality. And when writing it from your perspective, choose those that matter, who have in one way or another impacted your life.

Step 3: Maintain Authenticity All-Across

The way through a great autobiography is to reveal everything about oneself. Sometimes, these autobiographies come out as critical motivations to those facing similar life situations.

So, it would help if you always reflected the truths about yourself and your identity in your autobiography. Never should it be limited to achievements, while masking some negative occurrences.

Instead, it would be best if you offered your story in full-length comprising of both accolades and scorns, mistakes and wins, successes and failure, and everything in white and black.  

Sometimes, try to reveal your philosophies, including how your life has become hard or good based on them. If you have opinions and ideas, do not hold them back.

Step 4: Take Keen Note of Events and Occurrences

Human life is measured in terms of events, both good and bad. Therefore, while looking back into history, acknowledge past events and how they have shaped your future.

For instance, a tough upbringing could have made you escape the teeth of peer pressure or early pregnancies. Look at cultural events, festivals, celebrations, norms, deaths, and any other event and relate it to your current life.

Step 5: Have a Creative Outline

An autobiography begins with an outstanding introduction. The introduction can have a hook to steal the attention of the readers and keep them. Your introduction must not be your date of birth, which has become a cliché.

Sometimes, it is also good to construct the body of the autobiography, based on selected worthwhile themes. The themes and the plot form the body. The plot can consist of obstacles, wins, or achievements and must have a climax and a resolution in the end.

Let your structure remain focused with a plot, characters, event, and encounters well mapped out. An autobiography with a perfect structure will be written flawlessly and within the shortest time.

Ensure that you induce a sense of excitement in your readers off the bat. As you begin your narrative, let them know your worth.

Step 6: Write the Draft

When writing the draft, you can choose to begin your introduction with a chronological narrative of your life. However, to make an autobiography more interesting, weaving chronological data with logic can work the magic. The introduction can be a reflection or reaction from the present related to past events.

Also, you can begin the story by narrating some outstanding moments in your childhood or upbringing and go reverse-forward all through. For instance, if am to write an autobiography on myself, I would begin by noting some touching moment in my life then cover my heritage, flow through to college days, and then bring the climax when am explaining my career life.

When writing the draft, remember to stick to the themes identified in the outline. It does not always have to be a conflict, make it a memorable theme ? spirituality, education, defeat, hardship, hard work, etc.

As you write the draft, try to reflect on some of the important life lessons and doctrines that have seen you through. If you are writing a book, use chapters to divide the important aspects you need to cover. Besides, each chapter should end up in either suspense or greatness that leaves the audience yearning for more. If it is an essay, the paragraphs should be well connected. Use transitions to make it flow and keep readers entertained from beginning to end.

As you craft the narrative, segregate your draft into different sections. How well you end each paragraph or section will draw the attention of your readers and they are yours to keep to the very end.

Step 7: Proofread and Edit the Autobiography

An autobiography will only be a plain story written by an armature/rookie if not well-proofread and edited. When proofreading and editing, focus on spelling, tenses, punctuation, word order, clauses, and abbreviations.

A paper full of grammatical and spelling mistakes always turns off people, even when the content is great. When editing focuses on the dates, descriptions, events, names, and meanings.

You should tweak the paragraphs, replace all the mundane words, insert relevant citations, use the correct spelling and ensure that everything flows.

Therefore, strive to achieve the purpose of your autobiography by being keen. One mistake most autobiography writers do is to edit their autobiography on their own. However, because you have been subjective in your writing, you can never objectively critique any of it. As such, your autobiographical writing will be subject to many errors. 

Editing an autobiography requires a professional touch. Lucky for you, we have editors and proofreaders  for your autobiography ready to help. Copyeditors always help clean your writing. They have the knack for playing around with words and turn dull stories into amazing ones.

When professionals bring their expert touch, trust us, your autobiography will read as though it was written to kill the readers with details.

A good starting statement for your autobiography essay is getting  an essay grabber or hook.  It can be a fact, an anecdote, or a quote, among others. Instead of diving right into the meat of your autobiography, ensure you build a foundation in the introduction.

Remember, an autobiography essay is descriptive. Therefore, describe things, people, places, events, or periods vividly in a manner to create a mental picture. An example is to describe a setting,

As I stood in the podium looking at my fellow students, tears of joy filled my eyes. I could not believe I was the newly elected Student President.

Once you have hooked your reader, present the main idea that you want to depict. The introduction to your essay does not have to be longer, like in other essays.  It should have a hook, some background/setting, and some of the events that inspired you.

Our experts recommend approaching the introduction non-chronologically to make everything exciting and engaging. While you write the words, knit them together using careful transition words.

Example:  I was never planning to have such a change in my life, but its opportune moment came anyway.

First Sentence Ideas for your Autobiography

• My mantra since childhood
• Raised and bred by strict parents
• The tough upbringing and poverty-ridden early life
• My passion for succeeding
• I am a people person
• My dream growing up was
• I wish I knew this before making a decision
• One quote that defines my gusto and gist is
• I love the. movie
• The novel/movie/author best describes my.

These are just but a few examples of autobiography start-words that students have used in writing an A-grade memoir.

We have mentioned that the body will bear the theme of your autobiography essay. Now, the autobiography conclusion is as important as is its beginning.

The conclusion wraps up the story, ties the message up, and makes an impact on the reader. If your autobiography does not have a stylish ending, chances are it will never be read.

You need to consider summarizing the major points, including the mention of the central theme. Consider your challenges and how they influenced who you are today. Also, connect to your beginning and describe the story.

It is also the conclusion that you introduce an unexpected occurrence and its impact on you. A fantastic autobiography essay conclusion wins the reader from the start. Do not focus just on the negatives; you can include the positives as well.

Now that you have the tips at hand, writing an autobiographical essay should not be hard. If you need a professionally written autobiography essay, we have experts.

The body of your essay is an arena where all the presentations happen. In this case, you need to make it well-packed with ideas, points, and great ideas. Here is what to include in an autobiography main body:

Your personal background

Explore such things as your date of birth, name, the meaning of your name, hometown, family composition and history, touchstone moments in your life, grandparents, and other personal factors. You can do a historical autobiographical introduction where you explore your origin from the perspective of your lineage. Give a complete picture of your life.

As yourself:

• Who are your parents?
• What values do your parents embody?
• What type of family do you come from?
• When were you born?
• What is your parent's occupation?
• How many siblings do you have?
• How does your background connect to the central theme in your autobiography?

Childhood memories

Our childhood period shapes our lives indirectly or directly. It is a period that is we reflect deeply we realize shaped who we are today. Therefore, when writing your autobiography, ensure that your piece of writing captures this important phase. Here are some questions:

• How was it growing up in your family?
• Where did you spend most of your childhood?
• How did your family members perceive you then?
• Were you an introvert or extrovert?
• What events shaped your current self-identity?
• Were there challenges you experienced in childhood?
• How does your childhood define your current beliefs?

Explore your culture

Everybody belongs to a culture that shapes their perspectives, reasoning, and personal choices. Your family traditions, principles, and beliefs largely determine the kind of person you are. As yourself:

• What special moments define you?
• What traditions do you uphold to date?
• Are there philosophies that guide your family relations?
• Are there customary events you cannot miss?
• How did events relate to your family traditions?

  Narrative of your challenges

Life is never free from challenges, ensure that you throw in a few challenges or setbacks you faced in life.

The prowess of writing an autobiography comes when you can link these encounters to your selected central theme.

A story of failure can help you shape the perspective of your readers that failure is not a death sentence. If you follow it with how you fought your challenges, you have a story!

Details of your successes

Like failures, have a proper connection between your successes, accomplishments, or achievements and the central theme. Walk your readers through the steps you took to achieve success. Do not limit your focus on the bitter parts of your journey. Every story in your journey counts.

Episodes of your professional life

Every reader of an autobiography always yearns to get to the point where the writer took a turn from their failures and excelled professionally.  Give this section extra attention as it can either make you connect with your reader or mutilate the trust you've already built.

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How to Write an Autobiographical Essay in 7 Easy Steps

POSTED ON Sep 28, 2023

Written by Shannon Clark

Is anyone ever really comfortable writing about themselves? Have you tried to write a simple bio for your website or filled out the About section of your social media profile? It’s not always the most comfortable thing to do. What do you say? It can feel awkward talking about yourself.

Surface-level accomplishments are one thing, but what about the deeper, nitty-gritty details of life that have shaped us into the person we’ve become? Yeah, that stuff. How do you clean it up and make it presentable enough to share with an audience? 

If you’ve ever considered writing a memoir or an autobiography, beginning with an autobiographical essay might be a good place to test the waters. 

This guide about autobiographical essays answers these questions:

What is an autobiographical essay .

Well, you’ve likely guessed that it’s writing about yourself , but what makes it different from any other personal writing like memoirs , autobiographies , and biographies ? An autobiographical essay (also called a narrative essay) is a subcategory of an autobiography. It’s similar in that it’s about your life story but a lot shorter. It is considered a primary source since it is written in the first person and based on facts (not autobiographical fiction ) pulled from personal experiences. A well-written autobiographical essay follows the same structure as a standard five-paragraph essay that’s divided into an introduction, body, and conclusion. They can be any length, but those used for work and school applications are usually no more than 650 words. 

What should I do before writing an autobiographical essay?

Before beginning the writing process, ask yourself the following questions:

Why am I writing this essay? 

Autobiographical essays are often written for college applications, and since they are in first person, they are not the best fit for book bios; however, they can work for an author website bio if you want to give readers a close peek into your backstory. 

Who is my audience? 

Similar to the previous question, knowing who (audience type) will be reading your essay will make it easier for you to create a more engaging piece. Knowing your audience’s expectations can help to guide your writing. A single story can be told in many different ways. You are not trying to build your story into something it is not, but rather, develop it in a way that answers the questions your audience may want to know.

What part or parts of my life do I want to share? 

It’s up to you. Similar to an autobiography, you can share your life story (summarized, of course) or you can select an event or group of events that shaped your life in some way (similar to a memoir). 

Who do I want to include in my story? 

Unlike an autobiography or memoir , an autobiographical essay is short and sweet, so there’s not a lot of room to bring other characters into the story if you’re giving an overview of your life history. An exception is if you choose to focus on a specific incident or event, but only a brief mention of others is recommended since the story is about you.

What should my writing process look like?

It’s up to you. There are different ways to write and it just depends on how you process, develop, and write information. As mentioned in this article on prewriting strategies , planning and researching before you begin writing will save you time and make the process smoother. Some examples of prewriting include:

Mind-mapping – a process that allows you to visually connect ideas to create cohesiveness in writing.

Research/ Notetaking – allows you to gather information and then put it into a form that you can use later, which is critical to a well-written essay. 

Free-writing / Journaling – writing freely without regard to format, punctuation, or order. It allows you to get all of the words out onto the page without rules. 

Storyboarding – the use of sticky notes or other forms of quick notes like index cards to write down story parts and rearrange them until you create the ideal story order. 

What are the steps to writing an autobiographical essay about my life?

There are 7 steps to writing an autobiographical essay. As previously mentioned, a standard essay consists of five paragraphs that make up three parts:

• Introduction (one paragraph) 
• Body (three paragraphs)
• Conclusion (one paragraph) 

Step 1: Create an outline

Whether you’re a plotter (someone who prefers outlines) or a pantser (someone who prefers to “fly by the seat of their pants” when writing), autobiographical essays have a particular structure, so outlining can definitely save you time and frustration. You have a finite amount of space to say what you want, so every sentence has to be placed strategically in order to get the details in the proper order so that it makes sense. 

Start with a basic three-part outline: introduction, body, and conclusion.

Step 2: Expand the outline

What part or parts of your life did you decide to share? Remember that you only have three paragraphs so you want to narrow your story down to the most impactful moments. Expand the body section of your outline to include these parts. 

In the case of autobiographical essays, less is more. Trying to cram too many things into your story can minimize it’s impact. 

Step 3: Start your essay with an engaging introduction

Greet your reader with who you are and what you are about to share. The introduction is your space to hook the reader so that they’ll want to read the rest of your essay. 

Step 4: Fill out the body of your essay. 

Chronological order is best. With autobiographies and memoirs, there’s room for flashbacks and playing around with sequence, but not with essays. The safest route is from point A to point B.

Step 5: Wrap up your story

Your conclusion is the nice pretty bow that you add to the gift of your life story that you’ve just shared. Sharing your story takes a lot of courage, no matter how short it is. It’s inviting someone into the deeper parts of you who are, and that’s a big deal. The conclusion is a great place to remind the reader why you shared your story and what you hope they’ll glean from it. Maybe it’s to get to know you better or perhaps take something from it that can help them in some way. Whatever you choose to say, make it memorable. First impressions are important but last impressions leave a mark.

Step 6: Edit, and then edit again 

Similar to writing a book, editing is everything. Great editing shines a light on what you may have overlooked while also pushing you to write authentically and succinctly. Unlike writing full-length books where hiring a professional editor is essential, autobiographical essays can get by with a good spell-checker, a writing app , and an alpha reader (someone you trust who can give honest feedback.). 

This is not to say that you can’t hire a professional editor. There are very talented editors available who would be more than happy to assist, but if that is not in your budget or just not part of your big-picture plans, make the best of the resources you have at your disposal. 

Some writing assistants you can use include: Hemingway App

Prowriting Aid

Once you’ve finished writing and editing your essay, read it out loud to yourself or use the text-to-speech option available with some writing editors like Google Docs. Do you like the way it sounds? How's the flow? Do your ideas connect seamlessly or are they disjointed? Be honest with yourself, so you can decide the next best steps. 

Step 7: Finalize your essay

If you need to go back and rewrite some things, don’t let that discourage you. The best writers understand that rewrites can help you fine-tune your story and create the best version possible. 

Writing an autobiographical essay is not only a way to share a part of your life story with others. It’s good practice if you've ever considered writing an autobiography. The shorter version might be what's needed to spark your interest. You never know.

No two life experiences are the same. Maybe yours is exactly what someone else is looking for to give them a new perspective on life.

Are you ready to write your life story? 

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How To Write an Autobiography 2024 (Tips, Templates, & Guide)

Your life story has value, merit, and significance. You want to share it with the world, but maybe you don’t know how .

Here’s how to write an autobiography:

Write an autobiography by creating a list of the most important moments, people, and places in your life. Gather photos, videos, letters, and notes about these experiences. Then, use an outline, templates, sentence starters, and questions to help you write your autobiography .

In this article, you are going to learn the fastest method for writing your autobiography.

We are going to cover everything you need to know with examples and a free, downloadable, done-for-you template.

What Is an Autobiography?

Table of Contents

Before you can write an autobiography, you must first know the definition.

An autobiography is the story of your life, written by you. It covers the full span of your life (at least, up until now), hitting on the most significant moments, people and events.

When you write your autobiography, you write an intimate account of your life.

What Should I Include In an Autobiography?

If you are scratching your head, baffled about what to include in your autobiography, you are not alone.

After all, a big part of how to write an autobiography is knowing what to put in and what to leave out of your life story. Do you focus on every detail?

Every person? Won’t your autobiography be too long?

A good way to think about how to write an autobiography is to use the Movie Trailer Method.

What do movie trailers include?

• High emotional moments
• The big events
• The most important characters

When you plan, organize, and write your autobiography, keep the Movie Trailer Method in mind. You can even watch a bunch of free movie trailers on YouTube for examples of how to write an autobiography using the Movie Trailer Method.

When wondering what to include in your autobiography, focus on what would make the cut for a movie trailer of your life:

• Most important people (like family, friends, mentors, coaches, etc.)
• Significant events (like your origin story, vacations, graduations, life turning points, life lessons)
• Emotional moments (When you were homeless, when you battled a life-threatening condition, or when you fell in love)
• Drama or suspense (Did you make it into Harvard? Did your first surgery go well? Did your baby survive?)

Autobiography Structure Secrets

Like any compelling story, a well-structured autobiography often follows a pattern that creates a logical flow and captures readers’ attention.

Traditionally, autobiographies begin with early memories, detailing the writer’s childhood, family background, and the events or people that shaped their formative years.

From here, the narrative typically progresses chronologically, covering major life events like schooling, friendships, challenges, achievements, career milestones, and personal relationships.

It’s essential to weave these events with introspective insights.

This allows readers to understand not just the what, but also the why behind the author’s choices and experiences.

Towards the end, an effective autobiography often includes reflections on lessons learned, changes in perspective over time, and the wisdom acquired along life’s journey.

Example of the Structure:

• Introduction: A gripping event or anecdote that gives readers a hint of what to expect. It could be a pivotal moment or challenge that defines the essence of the story.
• Childhood and Early Memories: Recounting family dynamics, birthplace, cultural background, and memorable incidents from early years.
• Adolescence and Discovering Identity: Experiences during teenage years, challenges faced, friendships formed, and personal evolutions.
• Pursuits and Passions: Describing education, early career choices, or any particular hobby or skill that played a significant role in the author’s life.
• Major Life Events and Challenges: Chronicles of marriage, parenthood, career shifts, or any significant setbacks and how they were overcome.
• Achievements and Milestones: Celebrating major accomplishments and recounting the journey to achieving them.
• Reflections and Wisdom: Sharing life lessons, changes in beliefs or values over time, and offering insights gained from lived experiences.
• Conclusion: Summarizing the journey, contemplating on the present state, and sharing hopes or aspirations for the future.

How To Write an Autobiography Quickly: Strategies & Templates

Want the quickest way to organize and write your autobiography in record time? You can literally write your autobiography in 7 days or less with this method.

The secret is to use done-for-you templates.

I have personally designed and collected a series of templates to take you from a blank page to a fully complete Autobiography. I call this the How to Write an Autobiography Blueprint.

And it’s completely free to download right from this article. 🙂

In the How to Write an Autobiography Blueprint, you get:

• The Autobiography Questions Template
• The Autobiography Brainstorm Templates
• The Autobiography Outline Template

Here is an image of it so that you know exactly what you get when you download it:

How To Write an Autobiography: Step-by-Step

When you sit down to write an autobiography, it’s helpful to have a step-by-step blueprint to follow.

You already have the done-for-you templates that you can use to organize and write an autobiography faster than ever before. Now here’s a complete step-by-step guide on how to maximize your template.

• Brainstorm Ideas
• Order your sections (from medium to high interest)
• Order the ideas in each section (from medium to high interest)
• Write three questions to answer in each section
• Choose a starter sentence
• Complete a title template
• Write each section of your by completing the starter sentence and answering all three questions

Brainstorm Your Autobiography

The first step in writing your autobiography is to brainstorm.

Give yourself time and space to write down the most significant people, events, lessons, and experiences in your life. The templates in the How to Write an Autobiography Blueprint provide sections for you to write down your brainstormed ideas.

This will help you organize your ideas into what will become the major sections of your book.

These will be:

• Y our most significant events and experiences.
• The people who impacted you the most.
• The challenges you have overcome.
• Your achievements and successes.
• The lessons you have learned.

The “other” sections on the second page of the Brainstorm template is for creating your own sections or to give you more space for the sections I provided in case you run out of space.

As I brainstorm, I find asking myself specific questions really activates my imagination.

So I have compiled a list of compelling questions to help you get ideas down on paper or on your screen.

Order Your Sections (From Medium to High Interest)

The next step is to order your main sections.

The main sections are the five (or more) sections from your Brainstorm templates (Significant events, significant people, life lessons, challenges, successes, other, etc). This order will become the outline and chapters for your book.

How do you decide what comes first, second or third?

I recommend placing the sections in order of interest. Ask yourself, “What’s the most fascinating part of my life?”

If it’s a person, then write the name of that section (Significant People) on the last line in the How to Write an Autobiography Outline Template. If it’s an experience, place the name of that section (Significant Events) on the last line.

For example, if you met the Pope, you might want to end with that nugget from your life. If you spent three weeks lost at sea and survived on a desert island by spearfishing, that is your ending point.

Then complete the Outline by placing the remaining sections in order of interest. You can work your way backward from high interest to medium interest.

If you are wondering why I say “medium to high interest” instead of “low to high interest” it is because there should be no “low interest” parts of your autobiography.

But wait, what if you met the Pope AND spent three weeks lost at sea? How do you choose which one comes first or last?

First of all, I want to read this book! Second, when in doubt, default to chronological order. Whatever event happened first, start there.

Here is an example of how it might look:

Order The Ideas in Each Section (From Medium To High Interest)

Now, organize the ideas inside of each section. Again, order the ideas from medium to high interest).

Within your “Significant People” section, decide who you want to talk about first, second, third, etc. You can organize by chronological order (who you met first) but I recommend building to the most interesting or most significant person.

This creates a more compelling read.

Keep in mind that the most significant person might not be the most well-known, most famous, or most popular. The most significant person might be your family member, friend, partner, or child.

It comes down to who shaped your life the most.

So, if your “significant people list” includes your dad, a famous social media influencer, and Mike Tyson, your dad might come last because he had the biggest significance in your life.

Write Three Questions to Answer in Each Section

Ok, you’ve done the heavy lifting already. You have the major sections organized and outlined.

Next on your autobiography to-do list is to choose and write down three questions you are going to answer in each section. You can write your questions down in the provided “boxes” for each section on the template outline (or on another piece of paper.

This is easier than it might seem.

Simply choose one of the sample autobiography questions below or create your own:

• Why did I choose this person/event?
• What does this person/event mean to me?
• How did I meet this person?
• Where did it happen?
• When did it happen?
• Why did it happen?
• How did it happen?
• What is the most interesting part?
• How did I feel about this person or event?
• How do I feel now?
• Why does this person or event matters to me?
• How did this person or event change my life?
• What is the most challenging part?
• How did I fail?
• How did I succeed?
• What did I learn?

Questions are the perfect way to write quickly and clearly. I LOVE writing to questions. It’s how I write these blog posts and articles.

Choose a Starter Sentence

Sometimes the hardest part of any project is knowing how to start.

Even though we know we can always go back and edit our beginnings, so many of us become paralyzed with indecision at the starting gate.

That’s why I provided sample starter sentences in your How to Write an Autobiography Blueprint.

Here are the story starters:

• I began writing this book when…
• Of all the experiences in my life, this one was the most…
• I’ve been a…
• My name is…
• Growing up in…
• It wasn’t even a…
• It all started when…
• I first…
• I was born…

Keep in mind that you do not need to begin your book with one of these story starters. I provide them simply to get you going.

The key is to not get bogged down in this, or any, part of writing your autobiography. Get organized and then get writing.

Complete a Title Template

At the top of the How to Write an Autobiography Outline is a place for you to write your book title.

Some authors struggle forever with a title. And that’s ok. What’s not ok is getting stuck. What’s not ok is if coming up with your title prevents you from finishing your book.

So, I provided a few title templates to help juice your creativity.

Just like the story starters, you do not need to use these title templates, but you certainly can. All you need to do is fill in the title templates below and then write your favorite one (for now) at the top of your outline. Presto! You have your working title.

You can always go back and change it later.

How to Write an Autobiography Title templates:

• [Your Name]: [Phrase or Tag Line]
• The [Your Last Name] Files
• Born [Activity]: A [Career]’s Life
• The Perfect [Noun]: The Remarkable Life of [Your Name]

Examples using the Templates:

• Christopher Kokoski: Blog Until You Drop
• The Kokoski Files
• Born Writing: A Blogger’s Life
• The Perfect Freelancer: The Remarkable Life of Christopher Kokoski

Write Your Autobiography

You have your outline. You have your title, templates, and sentence starters. All that is left to do is write your autobiography.

However, you can use tools like Jasper AI and a few other cool tricks to craft the most riveting book possible.

This is the easy way to remarkable writing.

Check out this short video that goes over the basics of how to write an autobiography:

How To Write an Autobiography (All the Best Tips)

Now that you are poised and ready to dash out your first draft, keep the following pro tips in mind:

• Be vulnerable. The best autobiographies share flaws, faults, foibles, and faux pas. Let readers in on the real you.
• Skip the boring parts. There is no need to detail every meal, car ride, or a gripping trip to the grocery store. Unless you ran into the Russian Mafia near the vegetables or the grocery store is perched on the side of a mountain above the jungles of Brazil.
• Keep your autobiography character-driven . This is the story of YOU!
• Be kind to others (or don’t). When writing about others in your story, keep in mind that there may be fallout or backlash from your book.
• Consider a theme: Many autobiographies are organized by theme. A perfect example is Becoming . Each section of the book includes “becoming” in the title. Themes connect and elevate each part of the autobiography.
• Write your story in vignettes (or scenes). Each vignette is a mini-story with a beginning, middle, and end. Each vignette builds. Each vignette should be described in rich sensory language that shows the reader the experience instead of telling the reader about the experience. Each vignette is immersive, immediate, and intimate.
• Include snippets of dialogue. Use quotation marks just like in fiction. Show the dialogue in brief back-and-forth tennis matches of conversation. Remember to leave the boring parts out!
• Choose a consistent tone. Some autobiographies are funny like Bossy Pants by Tina Fey. Others are serious such as Open by Andre Agassi. Your story (like most stories) will likely include a mix of emotions but choose an overall tone and stick with it.
• Don’t chronicle, captivate . Always think about how to make each section, each chapter, each page, each paragraph, and each sentence more compelling. You want to tell the truth, but HOW you tell the truth is up to you. Create suspense, conflict, and mystery. Let drama linger until it becomes uncomfortable. Don’t solve problems quickly or take away tension right away.

How Do I Format an Autobiography?

Most autobiographies are written in the first person (using the pronouns I, me, we, and us).

Your autobiography is written about you so write as yourself instead of pretending to be writing about someone else.

Most autobiographies are also written in chronological order, from birth right up to your current age, with all the boring parts left out. That doesn’t mean you can’t play around with the timeline.

Sometimes it’s more interesting to start at a high moment, backtrack to the beginning and show how you got to that high moment.

Whatever format you choose, be intentional, and make the choice based on making the most compelling experience possible for your readers.

How Long Should an Autobiography Be?

There are no rules to how long an autobiography should be but a rough guideline is to aim for between 200 and 400 pages.

This will keep your book in line with what most readers expect for books in general, and will help get your book traditionally published or help with marketing your self-published book.

How To Write a Short Autobiography

You write a short autobiography the same way that you write a long autobiography.

You simply leave more out of the story.

You cut everything down to the bones. Or you choose a slice of your life as you do in a memoir. This often means limiting the people in your book, reducing the events and experiences, and shrinking your story to a few pivotal moments in your life.

How To Start an Autobiography

The truth is that you can start your autobiography in any number of ways.

Here are four common ways to begin an autobiography.

• Start at the beginning (of your life, career or relationship, etc.)
• Start at a high moment of drama or interest.
• Start at the end of the story and work backward
• Start with why you wrote the book.

Good Autobiography Titles

If you are still stuck on titling your autobiography, consider going to Amazon to browse published works. You can even just Google “autobiographies.”

When you read the titles of 10, 20, or 50 other autobiographies, you will start to see patterns or get ideas for your own titles. (HINT: the title templates in the Autobiography Blueprint were reverse-engineered from popular published books.

Also, check out the titles of the full autobiography examples below that I have included right here in this article.

Types of Autobiographies

There are several different kinds of autobiographies.

Each one requires a similar but slightly nuanced approach to write effectively. The lessons in this article will serve as a great starting point.

Autobiography Types:

• Autobiography for School
• Autobiography Novel
• Autobiography for a Job
• Short Autobiography
• Autobiography for Kids

Therefore, there is actually not just one way to write an autobiography.

Memoir vs. Autobiography: Are They The Same?

It’s common to feel confused about a memoir and an autobiography. I used to think they were the same thing.

But, nope, they’re not.

They are pretty similar, which is the reason for all the confusion. A memoir is the story of one part of your life. An autobiography is the story of your full life (up until now).

What Is the Difference Between an Autobiography and a Biography?

An autobiography is when you write about your own life. A biography, on the other hand, is when you write the story of someone else’s life.

So, if I write a book about the life of the President, that’s a biography.

If the President writes a story about his or her own life, that’s an autobiography.

What Not To Include In an Autobiography

Autobiographies are meant to be a snapshot of our lives that we can share with others, but there are some things that are best left out.

Here are three things you should avoid including in your autobiography:

1) Anything That Readers Will Skip

Your life may not be filled with non-stop excitement, but that doesn’t mean you need to include every mundane detail in your autobiography.

Stick to the highlights and leave out the low points.

2) Character Attacks on Others

It’s okay to discuss conflicts you’ve had with others, but don’t use your autobiography as a platform to attack someone’s character.

Keep it civil and focus on your own experiences and how they’ve affected you.

3) Skipping Highlights

Just because something embarrassing or painful happened to you doesn’t mean you should gloss over it in your autobiography.

These are the moments that shape us and make us who we are today, so don’t skip past them just because they’re uncomfortable.

By following these simple tips, you can ensure that your autobiography is interesting, honest, and engaging.

How To Write an Autobiography: Autobiography Examples

I have always found examples to be extremely instructive. Especially complete examples of finished products. In this case, books.

Below you will find examples of published autobiographies for adults and for kids. These examples will guide you, motivate you and inspire you to complete your own life story.

They are listed here as examples, not as endorsements, although I think they are all very good.

The point is that you don’t have to agree with anything written in the books to learn from them.

Autobiography Examples for Adults

• A Promised Land (Autobiography of Barack Obama)
• If You Ask Me: (And of Course You Won’t) (Betty White)
• It’s a Long Story: My Life (Willie Nelson)
• Stories I Only Tell My Friends: An Autobiography (Rob Lowe)
• Becoming (Michelle Obama)

Autobiography Examples for Kids

• This Kid Can Fly: It’s About Ability (NOT Disability) (Aaron Philips)
• Bee Fearless: Dream Like a Kid (Mikaila Ulmer)

Final Thoughts: How To Write An Autobiography

Thank you for reading my article on How to Write an Autobiography.

Now that you know all of the secrets to write your book, you may want to get it published, market it, and continue to upskill yourself as an author.

In that case, read these posts next:

• Can Anyone Write A Book And Get It Published?
• The Best Writing Books For Beginners 2022 (My 10 Favorites)
• Why Do Writers Hate Adverbs? (The Final Answer)
• How To Write a Manifesto: 20 Ultimate Game-Changing Tips

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How to Write a College Autobiography

1. focus on a goal.

When you’re writing a regular essay, you know that you have to have a thesis to focus your paper. In the same way, a college autobiography also needs a thesis. In this case, your thesis will be your goals in life and how getting into this college program will help you achieve your goals.

An example would be if you want to become a green energy architect. Your thesis would be that you need a masters degree in architecture to achieve your goal, that this particular college has the perfect masters degree program for you, and that you are a perfect candidate for the college.

2. Give specific examples of experiences

Affirm your goal in the opening of your statement. In follow up paragraphs, document experiences in the field or during school that correlate to your goal, including the value you learned from each example. In your conclusion, summarize your experiences, what led you to the specific graduate school and why the school is the next step toward your goal.

3. Ditch the boring stuff

In a college autobiography, you should show what you believe you are capable of. Unless relevant, don’t mention where you grew up, which school you went to, or how your friends changed your life. Only mention experiences relevant to your cause that directly improve your chances of getting the scholarship or the place in the college of your choice.

4. Develop clear themes

Identify and develop the themes that run through the information you present to the admissions committee. A theme is a general category or “big idea” that applies to the most important memories of your past, such as identity (how you fit into the world around you), passion (as in lifelong interests), challenges, curiosity, learning, failure, personality, or career.

5. Avoid over-used phrases

Avoid over-used phrases such as: “meant a lot to me,” “I can contribute” and “appealing to me.” You also want to avoid statements that are broad and awkward such as: “I like helping people” and passive voice, such as “I will be” or “I am excited by.”

6. Use specific examples

Use specific examples to illustrate your personal attributes and achievements. For example, instead of saying “this was a valuable learning experience,” tell what you learned. Instead of calling yourself “a responsible individual” or a “born leader,” relate life experiences that demonstrate this.

7. Give a sense of you as a person

Along with your life experiences, include your likes/dislikes, hobbies, achievements, fun facts, or anything that helps the college admissions committee understand what makes you who you are.

8. Show you have outside interests

Be sure to include something that you recently became aware of and how you’ve involved yourself with that topic. Admissions boards want to see that you have interests outside of the classroom and will take initiative in discovering new and exciting fields of research while in school.

9. Include research credits

If you’ve already done research and published it, this is of course important information for the admissions committee. If you have unpublished work, submit it with your application, and someone from the field will judge the quality of the work. If you don’t have any prior research, you can still get in because schools are trying to judge potential to do research.

10. Look into your magic ball

Even if you haven’t decided what kind of work you want to do when you graduate, take a guess based on your current interests. Look into the future and imagine what you see yourself doing in terms of function and industry. If location or geography are important to your goal, include them. If you know the type of companies you would like to work for, you can include that information too.

It’s not written in stone: you can change your mind later. But you need to give the admissions committee an idea of your goals in life.

11. Identify both short-term and long-term goals

Your long term goals should flow logically from your short-term goals. They can be fuzzier and both in terms of direction and timing, but you should have them.

12. Have a  Plan B

What’s your Plan B? If you can’t get a job at a leading public relations firm, what do you want to do? If Plan A is investment banking, what’s Plan B? Addressing these questions will show the admissions committee that you are flexible and realistic.

photo credit:   flickr.com/photos/wyoguard

How to Write an Autobiography for a Scholarship

How to Write a Biography to Win a Scholarship

Applying for college scholarships can be an extensive process. You may need to provide very detailed information about your education, work experience, extracurricular activities and volunteer work. All of these provide details about your experience, but they don’t necessarily tell the scholarship committee a lot about you as a person. Some scholarships applications may require you to write an autobiographical essay, also known as a personal essay. Take your time when writing this, as it often is the key determinant of whether you receive the scholarship.

Create an outline for your autobiographical essay. At the very least, include sections that describe your personal characteristics, activities you are involved in, your leadership experience, why you should be awarded the scholarship and what you plan to accomplish through your education.

Include details about your strengths and weaknesses when discussing your personal characteristics. Avoid demographic information and focus on your personality and what has built your character. Include obstacles you have overcome and how those challenges have helped shape you as a person.

Give details about the activities in which you are involved. You’ve probably listed these activities somewhere else in the application, but the essay gives you a chance to discuss the extent of your involvement and why these activities have special meaning to you.

Describe how and where you have demonstrated your leadership ability, such as in the classroom, in clubs, during sporting events or even within your family or circle of friends. Explain why you felt the need to take on a leadership role and what you learned from it.

Focus on your ability to be a positive role model and how you will contribute to society when discussing why you should receive the scholarship. The committee wants to see that the money will be put to good use through your education and ultimately, through your career path. Discuss any activities or volunteer work you’ve done that are related to your future career to demonstrate your passion and drive to succeed. Avoid talking about why you need the scholarship. Instead, focus on how you will use the scholarship funds if they are awarded to you.

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J. Johnson has been completing freelance writing work since September 2009. Her work includes writing website content and small client projects. Johnson holds a degree in English from North Carolina State University.

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How to Write an Amazing Personal Statement (Includes Examples!)

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Zach Skillings is the Scholarships360 Newsletter Editor. He specializes in college admissions and strives to answer important questions about higher education. When he’s not contributing to Scholarships360, Zach writes about travel, music, film, and culture. His work has been published in Our State Magazine, Ladygunn Magazine, The Nocturnal Times, and The Lexington Dispatch. Zach graduated from Elon University with a degree in Cinema and Television Arts.

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The personal statement. It’s one of the most important parts of the entire college application process. This essay is the perfect opportunity to show admissions officers who you are and what makes you stand out from the crowd. But writing a good personal statement isn’t exactly easy. That’s why we’ve put together the ultimate guide on how to nail your personal statement, complete with example essays . Each essay was reviewed and commented upon by admissions expert Bill Jack. Let’s dive in!

Related: How to write an essay about yourself  

What is a personal statement? 

A personal statement is a special type of essay that’s required when you’re applying to colleges and scholarship programs. In this essay, you’re expected to share something about who you are and what you bring to the table. Think of it as a chance to reveal a side of yourself not found in the rest of your application. Personal statements are typically around 400 – 600 words in length. 

What can I write about? 

Pretty much anything, as long as it’s about you . While this is liberating in the sense that your writing options are nearly unlimited, it’s also overwhelming for the same reason. The good news is that you’ll probably be responding to a specific prompt. Chances are you’re applying to a school that uses the Common App , which means you’ll have seven prompts to choose from . Reviewing these prompts can help generate some ideas, but so can asking yourself meaningful questions. 

Below you’ll find a list of questions to ask yourself during the brainstorming process. For each of the following questions, spend a few minutes jotting down whatever comes to mind. 

• What experiences have shaped who you are? 
• What’s special or unique about you or your life story? 
• Who or what has inspired you the most? 
• What accomplishments are you most proud of? 
• What are your goals for the future? How have you arrived at those goals? 
• If your life was a movie, what would be the most interesting scene? 
• What have been some of the biggest challenges in your life? How did you respond and what did you learn? 

The purpose of these questions is to prompt you to think about your life at a deeper level. Hopefully by reflecting on them, you’ll find an essay topic that is impactful and meaningful. In the next section, we’ll offer some advice on actually writing your essay. 

Also see:  How to write a 500 word essay

How do I write my personal statement? 

Once you’ve found a topic, it’s time to start writing! Every personal statement is different, so there’s not really one formula that works for every student. That being said, the following tips should get you started in the right direction:  

1. Freewrite, then rewrite 

The blank page tends to get more intimidating the longer you stare at it, so it’s best to go ahead and jump right in! Don’t worry about making the first draft absolutely perfect. Instead, just get your ideas on the page and don’t spend too much time thinking about the finer details. Think of this initial writing session as a “brain dump”. Take 15-30 minutes to quickly empty all your thoughts onto the page without worrying about things like grammar, spelling, or sentence structure. You can even use bullet points if that helps. Once you have your ideas on the page, then you can go back and shape them exactly how you want. 

2. Establish your theme 

Now that you’ve got some basic ideas down on the page, it’s time to lock in on a theme. Your theme is a specific angle that reflects the central message of your essay. It can be summarized in a sentence or even a word. For example, let’s say you’re writing about how you had to establish a whole new group of friends when you moved to a new city. The theme for this type of essay would probably be something like “adaptation”. Having a theme will help you stay focused throughout your essay. Since you only have a limited number of words, you can’t afford to go off on tangents that don’t relate to your theme. 

3. Tell a story

A lot of great essays rely on a specific scene or story. Find the personal anecdote relevant to your theme and transfer it to the page. The best way to do this is by using descriptive language. Consult the five senses as you’re setting the scene. What did you see, hear, taste, touch, or smell? How were you feeling emotionally? Using descriptive language can really help your essay come to life. According to UPchieve , a nonprofit that supports low income students, focusing on a particular moment as a “ revised version of a memoir ” is one way to keep readers engaged. 

Related: College essay primer: show, don’t tell  

4. Focus on your opening paragraph

Your opening paragraph should grab your reader’s attention and set the tone for the rest of your essay. In most cases, this is the best place to include your anecdote (if you have one). By leading with your personal story, you can hook your audience from the get-go. After telling your story, you can explain why it’s important to who you are. 

Related:  How to start a scholarship essay (with examples)

5. Use an authentic voice 

Your personal statement reflects who you are, so you should use a tone that represents you. That means you shouldn’t try to sound like someone else, and you shouldn’t use fancy words just to show off. This isn’t an academic paper, so you don’t have to adopt a super formal tone. Instead, write in a way that allows room for your personality to breathe. 

6. Edit, edit, edit…

Once you’re done writing, give yourself some time away from the essay. Try to allow a few days to pass before looking at the essay again with fresh eyes. This way, you’re more likely to pick up on spelling and grammatical errors. You may even get some new ideas and rethink the way you wrote some things. Once you’re satisfied, let someone else edit your essay. We recommend asking a teacher, parent, or sibling for their thoughts before submitting. 

Examples of personal statements 

Sometimes viewing someone else’s work is the best way to generate inspiration and get the creative juices flowing. The following essays are written in response to four different Common App prompts: 

Prompt 1: “Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.”

When I was eight years old, I wanted a GameCube very badly. For weeks I hounded my dad to buy me one and finally he agreed. But there was a catch. He’d only get me a GameCube if I promised to start reading. Every day I played video games, I would have to pick up a book and read for at least one hour. At that point in my life, reading was just something I had to suffer through for school assignments. To read for pleasure seemed ludicrous. Needless to say, I wasn’t exactly thrilled about this proposed agreement. But I figured anything was worth it to get my hands on that shiny new video game console, so I bit the bullet and shook my dad’s hand. Little did I know that I had just made a life-changing deal. 

At first, the required hour of reading was a chore — something I had to do so I could play Mario Kart. But it quickly turned into something more than that. To my complete and utter surprise, I discovered that I actually enjoyed reading. One hour turned into two, two turned into three, and after a while I was spending more time reading than I was playing video games. I found myself captivated by the written word, and I read everything I could get my hands on. Lord of the Rings , Percy Jackson , Goosebumps — you name it. I was falling in love with literature, while my GameCube was accumulating dust in the TV stand. 

Soon enough, reading led to writing. I was beginning to come up with my own stories, so I put pen to paper and let my imagination run wild. It started out small. My first effort was a rudimentary picture book about a friendly raccoon who went to the moon. But things progressed. My stories became more intricate, my characters more complex. I wrote a series of science fiction novellas. I tried my hand at poetry. I was amazed at the worlds I could create with the tip of my pen. I had dreams of becoming an author. 

Then somewhere along the way my family got a subscription to Netflix, and that completely changed the way I thought about storytelling. My nose had been buried in books up until then, so I hadn’t really seen a lot of movies. That quickly changed. It seemed like every other day a pair of new DVDs would arrive in the mail (this was the early days of Netflix). Dark Knight, The Truman Show, Inception, Memento — all these great films were coming in and out of the house. And I couldn’t get enough of them. Movies brought stories to life in a way that books could not. I was head over heels for visual storytelling. 

Suddenly I wasn’t writing novels and short stories anymore. I was writing scripts for movies. Now I wanted to transfer my ideas to the big screen, rather than the pages of a book. But I was still doing the same thing I had always done. I was writing, just in a different format. To help with this process, I read the screenplays of my favorite films and paid attention to the way they were crafted. I kept watching more and more movies. And I hadn’t forgotten about my first love, either. I still cherished books and looked to them for inspiration. By the end of my junior year of high school, I had completed two scripts for short films. 

So why am I telling you all this? Because I want to turn my love of storytelling into a career. I’m not totally sure how to do that yet, but I know I have options. Whether it’s film production, creative writing, or even journalism, I want to find a major that suits my ambitions. Writing has taken me a long way, and I know it can take me even further. As I step into this next chapter of my life, I couldn’t be more excited to see how my craft develops. In the meantime, I should probably get rid of that dusty old GameCube. 

Feedback from admissions professional Bill Jack

Essays don’t always have to reveal details about the student’s intended career path, but one thing I like about this essay is that it gives the reader a sense of the why. Why do they want to pursue storytelling. It also shows the reader that they are open to how they pursue their interest. Being open to exploration is such a vital part of college, so it’s also showing the reader that they likely will be open to new things in college. And, it’s always fun to learn a little bit more about the student’s family, especially if the reader can learn about how the students interacts with their family. 

Prompt 2: “The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?”

I remember my first impression of Irvine: weird. It was foggy, stock-full of greenery and eucalyptus trees, and reminded me of my 5th grade trip to a “science camp” which was located in the San Bernardino mountains. Besides Irvine, that was one of the few places in Southern California where you’d find so many non-palm trees. 

Of course, perhaps my initial impression of Irvine was biased, motivated by a desire to stay in my hometown and a fear of the unknown. While that was true to an extent, Irvine was certainly still a little peculiar. The city itself was based on a “master plan” of sorts, with the location of each of its schools, parks, shops, and arguably its trees having been logically “picked” before the foundation was poured. Even the homes all looked roughly the same, with their beige, stucco walls almost serving as a hallmark of the city itself.

Thus, this perfectly structured, perfectly safe city seemed like a paradise of sorts to many outsiders, my parents included. I was a little more hesitant to welcome this. As I saw it, this was a phony city – believing that its uniformity stood for a lack of personality. My hometown, although not as flawlessly safe nor clean as Irvine, was where most of my dearest memories had occurred. From the many sleepovers at Cindie’s house, to trying to avoid my school’s own version of the “infamous” cheese touch, to the many laughs shared with friends and family, I shed a tear at the prospect of leaving my home.

Moving into the foreign city, remnants of the hostility I held towards Irvine remained. Still dwelling in my memories of the past, I was initially unable to see Irvine as a “home.” So, as I walked into my first-ever Irvine class, being greeted by many kind, yet unfamiliar faces around me, I was unable to recognize that some of those new faces would later become some of my dearest friends. Such negative feelings about the city were further reinforced by newer, harder classes, and more complicated homework. Sitting in the discomfort of this unfamiliar environment, it started to seem that “change” was something not only inevitable, but insurmountable.

As the years went on, however, this idea seemed to fade. I got used to my classes and bike racing through Irvine neighborhoods with my friends, watching the trees that once seemed just a “weird” green blob soon transform into one of my favorite parts of the city. While I kept my old, beloved memories stored, I made space for new ones. From carefully making our way over the narrow creek path next to our school, to the laughs we shared during chemistry class, my new memories made with friends seemed to transform a city I once disliked into one I would miss. 

Through this transformation, I have come to recognize that change, although sometimes intimidating at first, can open the door to great times and meaningful connections. Although Irvine may have once seemed like a strange, “phony” place that I couldn’t wait to be rid of, the memories and laughs I had grown to share there were very real. As I move onto this next part of my life, I hope I can use this knowledge that I have gained from my time in Irvine to make the most of what’s to come. Even if the change may be frightening at first, I have learned to embrace what’s on the other side, whether green or not.

One huge plus to writing an essay that focuses on a place is that you might have it read by someone who has been there. Yet, what’s really helpful about this essay is that even if someone hasn’t been there, a picture is painted about what the place is like.  Admission officers have the hard task of really understanding what the student sees, so the use of adjectives and imagery can really help.  It’s also really clever to see that the green that’s mentioned at the beginning is mentioned at the end.  It’s a nice way to bookend the essay and tie it all together.

Prompt 6: “Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?”

I like getting lost. Not literally, of course, but figuratively. Whether it be in the story of a love song by Taylor Swift, or in the memories brought back by listening to my favorite childhood video game’s background music, I’ve always appreciated music’s ability to transport me to another place, another time, another feeling. 

Alas, I cannot sing, nor have I practiced an instrument since my middle school piano class days. So, perhaps Kurt Vonnegut was right. As he puts it, “Virtually every writer I know would rather be a musician.” While I cannot speak for others, I have certainly not debunked his theory. Writing allows many, including myself, to attempt to mimic the transformative power of music – even if our singing voices aren’t exactly “pleasant.” Just as you can get lost in music, you can do so in a story. Whether it is in George Orwell’s totalitarian Oceania, or Little Women’s Orchard House, the stories outlined in novels can provide an amazing look into the lives and worlds of others, and an escape from the worries and problems of those in your own.

While I am certainly not claiming to have the storytelling abilities of the Orwells or Alcotts before me, I’ve had fun trying to recreate such transformative feelings for others. When I was nine, I attempted to write a story about a little girl who had gotten lost in the woods, only managing to get a couple pages through. As I got older, whenever I was assigned a creative writing assignment in school, I wrote about the same pig, Phil. He was always angry: in my 8th grade science class, Phil was mad at some humans who had harbored his friend captive, and in my 9th grade English class, at a couple who robbed him. 

Thus, when I heard about a writing club being opened at my school in 11th grade, I knew I had to join. I wanted to discern whether writing was just a hobby I picked up now and then, or a true passion. If it was a passion, I wanted to learn as much as possible about how I could improve. Although my high school’s writing club certainly wasn’t going to transform me into Shakespeare, I knew I could learn a lot from it – and I did. The club challenged me to do many things, from writing on the spot, to writing poetry, to even writing about myself, something that’s hopefully coming in handy right now. 

From then on, I started to expand into different types of writing, storing short ideas, skits, and more in appropriately-labeled Google Drive folders. At around the same time, I became interested in classic literature, which largely stemmed from a project in English class. We had been required to choose and read a classic on our own, then present it to the class in an interesting way. While my book was certainly interesting and unique in its own right, nearly everyone else’s novels seemed more captivating to me. So, I took it upon myself to read as many classics as I could the following summer.

One of the books I read during the summer, funnily enough, was Animal Farm, which starred angry pigs, reminiscent of Phil. I had also started going over different ideas in my head, thinking about how I could translate them into words using the new skills I learned. While the writing club helped reaffirm my interest in writing and allowed me to develop new skills, my newfound affinity for classics gave me inspiration to write. Now, I am actually considering writing as part of my future. In this endeavor, I hope that Phil, and the music I inevitably listen to as I write, will accompany me every step of the way.

Admission officers might read 70 (or more!) essays in one day. It’s not uncommon for them to start to blend together and sound similar. This essay might not make you laugh out loud. But, it might make the reader chuckle while reading it thanks to the subtle humor and levity. Being able to incorporate a little humor into your essay (if it is natural for you to do… do not force it), can really be a great way to shed additional light into who you are. Remember, the essay isn’t merely about proving that you can write, but it should also reveal a little bit about your personality.

Prompt 5: “Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.”

I learned a lot of things during the summer I worked at Tropical Smoothie. I discovered the value of hard work. I figured out how to save money. I even mastered the art of the Mango Magic smoothie (the secret is lots of sugar). But most importantly, I learned the power of perspective. And I have Deja to thank for that. 

Deja was my shift supervisor, and one of Tropical Smoothie’s best employees. She was punctual, friendly, and always willing to lend a helping hand. She knew the store from top to bottom, and could handle pretty much any situation thrown her way. She made everyone around her better. On top of all that, she was four months pregnant! I was always impressed by Deja’s work ethic, but I gained an entirely new level of respect for her one day.

It was a Friday night, and Deja and I were working the closing shift together. It was very busy, and Deja and I were the only ones on shift. We managed to get by, but we were exhausted by the end of the evening. After wiping down the counters and mopping the floors, we closed up shop and went our separate ways. I was eager to get home. 

I walked a couple blocks to where I had parked my car. Well, it wasn’t my car actually. It was my dad’s ‘98 Chevy pickup truck, and it was in rough shape. It had no heat or A/C, the leather seats were cracked beyond repair, and the driver’s side door was jammed shut. I sighed as I got in through the passenger side and scooted over to the driver’s seat. The whole reason I was working at Tropical Smoothie was to save up enough money to buy my own car. I was hoping to have something more respectable to drive during my senior year of high school. 

I cranked the old thing up and started on my way home. But soon enough, I spotted Deja walking on the side of the road. There was no sidewalk here, the light was low, and she was dangerously close to the passing cars. I pulled over and offered her a ride. She got in and explained that she was on her way home. Apparently she didn’t have a car and had been walking to work every day. I couldn’t believe it. Here I was complaining about my set of wheels, while Deja didn’t have any to begin with.

We got to talking, and she confessed that she had been having a tough time. You would never know from the way she was so cheerful at work, but Deja had a lot on her plate. She was taking care of her mother, her boyfriend had just lost his job, and she was worried about making ends meet. And of course, she was expecting a baby in five months. On top of all that, she had been walking nearly a mile to and from work every day. The whole thing was a real eye opener, and made me reconsider some things in my own life. 

For one, I didn’t mind driving my dad’s truck anymore. It was banged up, sure, but it was a lot better than nothing. My mindset had changed. I appreciated the truck now. I began to think about other things differently, too. I started making mental notes of all the things in my life I was thankful for — my family, my friends, my health. I became grateful for what I had, instead of obsessing over the things I didn’t. 

I also gained more awareness of the world outside my own little bubble. My encounter with Deja had shown me first-hand that everyone is dealing with their own problems, some worse than others. So I started paying more attention to my friends, family members, and coworkers. I started listening more and asking how I could help. I also gave Deja a ride home for the rest of the summer. 

These are all small things, of course, but I think they make a difference. I realized I’m at my best when I’m not fixated on my own life, but when I’m considerate of the lives around me. I want to keep this in mind as I continue to grow and develop as a person. I want to continue to search for ways to support the people around me. And most importantly, I want to keep things in perspective.

Too often we can be focused on our own problems that we fail to realize that everyone has their own things going on in their lives, too.  This essay showcases how it’s important to put things in perspective, a skill that certainly will prove invaluable in college… and not just in the classroom.  Another reason I like this essay is because it provides deeper insight into the student’s life.  Sure, you might have mentioned in your activities list that you have a job.  But as this essay does, you can show why you have the job in the first place, what your responsibilities are, and more.

A few last tips

We hope these essay examples gave you a bit of inspiration of what to include in your own. However, before you go, we’d like to send you off with a few (personal statement) writing tips to help you make your essays as lovely as the memories and anecdotes they’re based off of. Without further ado, here are some of our best tips for writing your personal statements:

1. Open strong

College admissions officers read many, many essays (think 50+) a day, which can sometimes cause them to start blending together and sounding alike. One way to avoid your essay from simply fading into the background is to start strong. This means opening your essay with something memorable, whether an interesting personal anecdote, a descriptive setting, or anything else that you think would catch a reader’s attention (so long as it’s not inappropriate). Not only might this help college admissions officers better remember your essay, but it will also make them curious about what the rest of your essay will entail.

2. Be authentic

Perhaps most important when it comes to writing personal statement essays is to maintain your authenticity. Ultimately, your essays should reflect your unique stories and quirks that make you who you are, and should help college admissions officers determine whether you’d truly be a good fit for their school or not. So, don’t stress trying to figure out what colleges are looking for. Be yourself, and let the colleges come to you!

3. Strong writing

This one may seem a little obvious, but strong writing will certainly appeal to colleges. Not only will it make your essay more compelling, but it may show colleges that you’re ready for college-level essay writing (that you’ll likely have to do a lot of). Just remember that good writing is not limited to grammar. Using captivating detail and descriptions are a huge part of making your essay seem more like a story than a lecture.

4. Proofread

Last but not least, remember to proofread! Make sure your essay contains no errors in grammar, punctuation, and spelling. When you’re done proofreading your essay yourself, we would also recommend that you ask a teacher, parent, or other grammatically savvy person to proofread your essay as well.

Final thoughts 

With those in hand, we hope you now have a better sense of how to write your personal statement. While your grades and test scores are important when it comes to college admissions, it’s really your essays that can “make” or “break” your application. 

Although this may make it seem like a daunting task, writing an amazing personal statement essay is all about effort. Thus, so long as you start early, follow the advice listed above, and dedicate your time and effort to it, it’s entirely possible to write an essay that perfectly encapsulates you. Good luck, and happy writing!

Also see:  Scholarships360’s free scholarships search tool

Key Takeaways

• It may take some people longer than others to know what they want to write about, but remember that everyone, including you, has something unique to write about!
• Personal statements should be personal, which means you should avoid being too general and really strive to show off what makes you “you”
• Time and effort are two of the most important things you can put into your personal statement to ensure that it is the best representation of yourself
• Don’t forget to ask people who know you to read your work before you submit; they should be able to tell you better than anyone if you are truly shining through!

Frequently asked questions about writing personal statements 

How do you write a powerful personal statement, what makes an amazing personal statement, how do you start an amazing personal statement, scholarships360 recommended.

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An Example on How to Write an Autobiography for a Scholarship

What goes into writing an autobiography for a scholarship? How do you make it worth a read? With the help of the example provided below, you can learn how to write one for yourself.

Funding a college education is difficult for most, which is why attaining a scholarship becomes important for students. However, not everyone is eligible for a scholarship, and a lot needs to be done to get that help with funding an education that will simply ease your worries a little. One such thing is proving why only you are eligible for that scholarship by providing an autobiography that explains your abilities and your worth for this funding. Now, what goes into a good autobiographical essay for a scholarship? Here, we provide you with an example that will help you get that scholarship.

How to Write an Autobiography for Scholarship

When writing your autobiography, focus on what your grade sheets, letters of recommendation, and other additional documents you have given for your admission do not focus on. This is your chance to prove your suitability for a scholarship. Your transcripts already reflect your GPA, and your letters of recommendation already show what others believe you are capable of. In an autobiography, you can show what you believe you are capable of. Unless relevant, don’t mention where you grew up, which school you went to, or how your friends changed your life. Only mention experiences as relevant as they can get to your cause and directly improve your chances of getting the scholarship. After taking a look at the example provided below, you should be able to get an idea of how you would like to go about writing your own.

As you can see, the sample focuses on the person’s belief in herself and what she would do with the education that would be funded with the scholarship. Similarly, ideally even you should focus on the same subject and ensure that you definitely are a worthy candidate for the scholarship. As long as you do your best, you can leave the rest to the discretion of the scholarship committee. Good luck!

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How to Write Your College Essay: The Ultimate Step-by-Step Guide

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College Essay Basics

Just getting started on college essays? This section will guide you through how you should think about your college essays before you start.

• Why do essays matter in the college application process?
• What is a college application theme and how do you come up with one?
• How to format and structure your college essay

Before you move to the next section, make sure you understand:

How a college essay fits into your application

What a strong essay does for your chances

How to create an application theme

Learn the Types of College Essays

Next, let’s make sure you understand the different types of college essays. You’ll most likely be writing a Common App or Coalition App essay, and you can also be asked to write supplemental essays for each school. Each essay has a prompt asking a specific question. Each of these prompts falls into one of a few different types. Understanding the types will help you better answer the prompt and structure your essay.

• How to Write a Personal Statement That Wows Colleges
• Personal Statement Essay Examples
• How to Write a Stellar Extracurricular Activity Essay
• Extracurricular Essay Examples
• Tips for Writing a Diversity College Essay
• Diversity Essay Examples
• Tips for Writing a Standout Community Service Essay
• How to Write the “Why This Major” Essay
• How to Write a “Why This Major” Essay if You’re Undecided
• How to write the “Why This College” Essay
• How to Research a College to Write the “Why This College” Essay
• Why This College Essay Examples
• How to Write The Overcoming Challenges Essay
• Overcoming Challenges Essay Examples

Identify how each prompt fits into an essay type

What each type of essay is really asking of you

How to write each essay effectively

The Common App essay

Almost every student will write a Common App essay, which is why it’s important you get this right.

• How to Write the Common App Essay
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• 5 Awesome College Essay Topics + Sample Essays
• 11 Cliché College Essay Topics + How to Fix Them

How to choose which Common App prompts to answer

How to write a successful Common App essay

What to avoid to stand out to admissions officers

Supplemental Essay Guides

Many schools, especially competitive ones, will ask you to write one or more supplemental essays. This allows a school to learn more about you and how you might fit into their culture.

These essays are extremely important in standing out. We’ve written guides for all the top schools. Follow the link below to find your school and read last year’s essay guides to give you a sense of the essay prompts. We’ll update these in August when schools release their prompts.

See last year’s supplemental essay guides to get a sense of the prompts for your schools.

Essay brainstorming and composition

Now that you’re starting to write your essay, let’s dive into the writing process. Below you’ll find our top articles on the craft of writing an amazing college essay.

• Where to Begin? 3 Personal Essay Brainstorming Exercises
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• How to Get the Perfect Hook for Your College Essay
• What If I Don’t Have Anything Interesting To Write About In My College Essay?
• 8 Do’s and Don’t for Crafting Your College Essay
• Stuck on Your College Essay? 8 Tips for Overcoming Writer’s Block

Understand how to write a great hook for your essay

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Editing and polishing your essay

Have a first draft ready? See our top editing tips below. Also, you may want to submit your essay to our free Essay Peer Review to get quick feedback and join a community of other students working on their essays.

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• How Long Should Your College Essay Be?
• Essential Grammar Rules for Your College Apps
• College Essay Checklist: Are You Ready to Submit?

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Had someone else look through your essay — we recommend submitting it for a peer review.

Make sure your essay meets all requirements — consider signing up for a free account to view our per-prompt checklists to help you understand when you’re really ready to submit.

Advanced College Essay Techniques

Let’s take it one step further and see how we can make your college essay really stand out! We recommend reading through these posts when you have a draft to work with.

• 10 Guidelines for Highly Readable College Essays
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• How to Develop a Personalized Metaphor for Your College Applications

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How to Write an Autobiography for a Scholarship

December 28, 2023

The Purpose of an Autobiography for a Scholarship

Understanding the purpose of writing an autobiography for a scholarship is crucial to crafting a compelling narrative. The primary goal of this document is to showcase your unique qualities and experiences that make you a deserving candidate for financial assistance. The scholarship committee uses your autobiography to gain deeper insight into your life, aspirations, and past achievements. It provides an opportunity for you to present a well-rounded picture of who you are and how you have overcome challenges to succeed academically and personally. In addition, your autobiography should align with the values and objectives of the scholarship program. By effectively conveying your story and ambitions, you can impress the committee and increase your chances of securing the scholarship.

Outlining Your Autobiography

Creating a clear and structured outline for your autobiography is essential for organizing your thoughts and ensuring a cohesive narrative. Here are some key steps to help you outline your scholarship autobiography:

• Introduction: Start with an engaging opening paragraph that introduces yourself and grabs the reader’s attention.
• Background and Experiences: Provide a brief overview of your personal background, including family, education, and any significant life events or experiences that have shaped you.
• Achievements and Accomplishments: Highlight your academic achievements, such as GPA, awards, honors, or scholarships received. Include any relevant extracurricular accomplishments, such as leadership roles, sports achievements, or participation in clubs or organizations.
• Challenges and Resilience: Discuss any personal challenges, obstacles, or setbacks you have faced and how you have overcome them to achieve your goals. This demonstrates your resilience, determination, and ability to handle adversity.
• Career Goals and Aspirations: Outline your long-term career goals and aspirations, explaining how the scholarship will help you achieve them. Emphasize the impact you hope to make in your chosen field or community.
• Community Involvement and Volunteering: Highlight your involvement in community service, volunteering, or social initiatives. Illustrate how you have made a positive difference and how this aligns with the values of the scholarship program.

By following a well-structured outline, you can effectively organize your thoughts and create a compelling autobiography that showcases your strengths, experiences, and ambitions to the scholarship committee.

Writing the Opening Paragraph

The opening paragraph of your scholarship autobiography is your chance to captivate the reader and make a strong first impression. Here are some key elements to consider when crafting your opening paragraph:

• Hook: Begin with an attention-grabbing hook that sparks the reader’s interest. This can be a thought-provoking question, a compelling anecdote, or a powerful quote related to your journey or goals.
• Introduction: Introduce yourself by providing your name and a brief overview of your background, such as where you grew up or your current educational institution.
• Purpose: Clearly state the purpose of your autobiography – to apply for a scholarship and explain why you are an ideal candidate for financial assistance.
• Personal Motivation: Share your personal motivation for pursuing higher education and the specific scholarship program. Convey your passion and commitment to your chosen field of study.
• Unique Selling Points: Highlight the qualities, skills, and experiences that set you apart from other applicants. Focus on what makes you a deserving candidate for the scholarship, such as academic achievements, leadership roles, or significant contributions to your community.
• Transition: End the opening paragraph by smoothly transitioning into the main body of your autobiography, creating a seamless flow for the rest of your narrative.

By crafting a strong and compelling opening paragraph, you can immediately engage the scholarship committee and make them eager to learn more about your journey and aspirations.

Presenting Your Background and Experiences

In writing an autobiography for a scholarship, it is crucial to effectively present your background and experiences. Start by outlining the major events and milestones that have shaped your life. Think about your childhood, academic achievements, extracurricular activities, and any challenges you have overcome.

When presenting your background, focus on the qualities and skills you have developed along the way. Highlight any leadership roles, community service, or volunteering experiences that demonstrate your commitment to making a positive impact.

Additionally, share how your background and experiences align with the scholarship’s criteria. Connect your achievements to the scholarship’s goals and emphasize how the funds will help you further your educational and career aspirations.

Remember, be concise and impactful in your writing, and use specific examples to illustrate your points. Craft a compelling narrative that leaves a lasting impression on the scholarship committee.

Highlighting Your Achievements and Accomplishments

In your autobiography for a scholarship, make sure to effectively highlight your achievements and accomplishments. Start by identifying your academic successes, such as high grades, awards, or honors received. Provide specific details about your performance and any challenges you have overcome.

Next, focus on your extracurricular activities and leadership roles. Discuss your involvement in clubs, sports teams, student government, or community organizations. Highlight any notable achievements or positions held and explain how these experiences have helped you develop valuable skills and qualities.

Don’t forget to include any community service or volunteer work you have done. Describe the impact you made and how it has shaped your character and values.

When highlighting your achievements, tie them back to your educational and career goals. Show how your accomplishments demonstrate your dedication, passion, and potential for success in your chosen field.

Remember to present your achievements in a humble and authentic manner. Avoid exaggerating or inflating your accomplishments, but do not undersell yourself either. Let your genuine achievements speak for themselves.

Sharing Personal Challenges and Overcoming Adversity

When writing an autobiography for a scholarship, it is important to share personal challenges and demonstrate how you have overcome adversity. Reflect on the obstacles you have faced, whether they are related to your education, personal life, or significant experiences.

Be open and honest about the difficulties you have encountered, but also focus on how you have grown and learned from those experiences. Discuss the strategies you have employed to overcome challenges, such as resilience, determination, and seeking support.

Highlight any moments of personal growth or significant turning points in your life. Share how these experiences have shaped your character, values, and commitment to achieving your goals.

By sharing your personal challenges and demonstrating your ability to overcome adversity, you can showcase your strength, resilience, and determination to succeed. This will provide the scholarship committee with a deeper understanding of your journey and the obstacles you have overcome to reach where you are today.

Discover our AI-powered essay tool . It seamlessly transforms your ideas into a compelling scholarship paper!

Discussing Career Goals and Aspirations

In your autobiography for a scholarship, it is essential to discuss your career goals and aspirations. Present a clear and realistic vision of your future, outlining the path you plan to take and how the scholarship will help you achieve your objectives.

Start by explaining your passion for your chosen field and why you are driven to pursue a career in it. Highlight any relevant experiences, coursework, or internships that have solidified your interest and provided you with valuable skills and knowledge.

Describe your long-term career goals and how they align with your personal values and the scholarship’s mission. Explain how the scholarship funding will contribute to your educational journey, whether it be supporting tuition expenses, research opportunities, or accessing resources necessary for your field.

Show enthusiasm and determination when discussing your aspirations, emphasizing your commitment to making a positive impact in your chosen profession. Convey a sense of purpose and the value you plan to bring to your future career.

Demonstrate that you have carefully thought out your career goals and have a plan in place to achieve them. This will give the scholarship committee confidence in your ability to succeed and make the most of the opportunities that lie ahead.

Emphasizing Community Involvement and Volunteering

When writing an autobiography for a scholarship, it is important to emphasize your community involvement and volunteering experience. Scholarship committees often look for candidates who are dedicated to making a positive impact on the world around them.

Here are some tips and examples to effectively convey your commitment to community service:

• Share specific experiences of volunteering: Highlight the organizations you have volunteered with and the amount of time you have dedicated to service. Explain the work you have done and why it is important to you.
• Explain how community service has impacted your life: Discuss how volunteering has shaped your values, beliefs, and goals. Share any personal connections you have to specific causes or organizations.
• Highlight leadership roles in community service: If applicable, discuss leadership positions you have held in volunteering or community organizations. This shows initiative and responsibility.
• Connect community service with future goals: Explain how your community service and volunteering experience will help you achieve your educational and career goals. Discuss how you plan to continue serving your community in the future.

Overall, emphasizing your community involvement and volunteering experience helps demonstrate your commitment to making a difference in the world and your potential for future leadership. It also shows the scholarship committee that you are more than just a good student, but also a dedicated and passionate individual.

Writing the Conclusion

The conclusion of your autobiography for a scholarship is your final opportunity to leave a lasting impression on the scholarship committee. It should tie together the key themes and ideas discussed throughout your autobiography and reinforce why you are a deserving candidate.

Here are some tips on how to craft an impactful conclusion:

• Recap your main points: Briefly summarize the key achievements, challenges, goals, and community involvement that you highlighted in your autobiography.
• Reinforce your qualifications: Emphasize why you are the ideal candidate for the scholarship. Connect your experiences, skills, and aspirations to the scholarship’s values and objectives.
• Express gratitude: Show appreciation for the opportunity to apply for the scholarship and the consideration of your application. Thank the committee for their time and attention.
• End with a strong closing statement: Leave the reader with a memorable closing statement that reflects your determination, passion, and commitment. This can be a powerful quote, a personal motto, or a call to action.

Remember, the conclusion should leave a lasting impact and ensure that the scholarship committee recognizes your potential and dedication. Keep it concise, powerful, and focused on reinforcing your suitability for the scholarship.

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Why Top Students Are Getting Rejected From The Ivy League

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Yale University

This year marked the most competitive admissions cycle in Yale’s history. On March 28th, 1,365 Ivy League hopefuls were offered admission to Yale, and the school’s acceptance rate hit a historic low of 3.73% , down from 4.35% last year. As these students received news of their acceptances, parents and students across the country were also shocked to find out that some of the most talented students at their schools did not receive offers of admission to Ivy League institutions. Seeing their peers face the sting of rejection may lead high-achieving sophomores and juniors to feel as though their efforts to chase excellence are all for nothing. However, there are three primary explanations as to why these top students are not getting into top schools—and younger students should take note of them in order to maximize their chances of admission to their dream schools.

1. The Ivy League admissions process is not as merit-based as many believe.

First, it’s important to dispel the myth that elite school admissions are entirely merit-based. It has been long-documented that a significant percentage of students admitted to Ivy League schools were admitted based on factors outside of their academic or extracurricular achievements. Despite mounting pressure to abandon legacy considerations in the admissions process, few elite schools have done so— 11% of Yale’s Class of 2027 have a legacy affiliation, an increase from 8% just three years prior. Meanwhile, roughly one third of Harvard’s Class of 2027 has a legacy connection of some kind. A 2023 study found that legacy students are four times more likely to earn acceptance into Ivy League and other top schools. Some highly qualified students competing against equally qualified legacy students may have received a rejection for reasons other than the contents of their admissions profiles.

2. Top grades won’t make a splash without a compelling, passion-based narrative.

Stellar grades and test scores are the critical foundation for Ivy League admission—but they are hardly the only thing that top colleges look for. Ivy League schools conduct holistic reviews of the thousands of applications they receive each year. Harvard, for instance, promises “a wide-ranging review of every aspect of each applicant’s background and experience.” However, many justifiably question whether a school whose application pool tops 50,000 can conduct such a personalized review of each application.

In order to catch the eye of admissions officers in such a process, it is imperative to tell a cohesive and compelling story about one’s guiding passions. Students should focus not only on maintaining a strong GPA and earning top test scores, but also honing their extracurricular activities and course selection throughout their high school careers to reflect their core interest. When it comes time to compile their applications, students should tell a story through their essays, activities lists, and recommendation letters about the kind of student they will be on college campuses. Students who are academically competitive but cannot demonstrate the unique value they will bring to a campus often falter in the admissions process.

3. Tunnel-vision can hinder students’ success.

Many top students become fixated on their dream of attending an Ivy League institution, investing all of their time and energy into those applications and neglecting to seriously consider other schools on their list. As a result, they often engage in activities they assume will be more impressive to admissions officers in lieu of those they truly enjoy. However, admissions officers at top schools are adept at spotting this type of inauthentic resume-padding. If students are not pursuing their genuine interests, it will be evident in their applications. Instead, students should embrace their specific interests and reflect that which makes them unique through their applicant profiles.

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It is essential to remember that every school is not right for every student—just because a student faces rejection at an Ivy League school does not mean they won’t thrive personally and intellectually at another institution. Striving to honestly and openly consider what they want out of the next four years of their education will help students identify the right college for their needs.

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