How to Write Your Autobiography

Have you ever wondered how to tell the story of you? Here are 5 steps for writing the biography of you from a personal point of view.

1) Choose your Utensils

The first step is picking the right utensils for you. Note that I said right utensils, not perfect utensils. For me, the right utensils include a charged laptop, a good playlist, a jug of cold water, and good lighting. For you, the right utensils might include an ink pen, papyrus stationery, song birds in the vicinity, a jug of wine, and a dark alleyway. You do you.

2) Pick your Prompt

If you are reading this article and considering writing an autobiography, you are probably at least 16 years old, most likely much older. That means you have at least a decade’s worth of stories you could tell. To narrow that for your first draft, pick a prompt. Example prompt format:

• The first time I ___.

• The last time I ___.

• The best ___ I ever had.

3) Turn on your Timer

Writing your first draft can take you 2 hours or 2 years. You and your future readers will be better off if you set a timer for 20 minutes with a goal of writing between 10 - 20 sentences. Those sentences maybe incongruous, misspelled, and downright silly, but you will walk away with a well-outlined idea that can be expounded upon. Repeat six times total. Now, 120 minutes have passed and you ought to have approximately 1,200 words as a foundation of the first story in your life story. Good job!

4) Learn from the Greats

Now that you have a full story developed, it’s time to for a bit of light comparison. As you are learning the new skill of autobiographical writing, it can be helpful to review the work of people who have successfully written, published, and profited from their life story and see what lessons you can take from their style to adapt to your goals. Here are 4 examples of witty and wise autobiographies.

• The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl by Issa Rae

  • “Issa Rae's book proves awkward girls have superpowers, too.” - HuffPost

• She Memes Well by Quinta Brunson

  • “The comedian’s first book, “She Memes Well,” balances jokes, autobiography and serious thoughts about the state of the country.” - The New York Times

• A Very Punchable Face by Colin Jost

  • He’s lived a colorful life, he’s a dutiful student of comedy, and his book is so well-written one realizes that his voice has immensely shaped the tone of SNL for many years.”—Vulture

• Dear Girls by Ali Wong

  • “Fierce, feminist, and packed with funny anecdotes.”—Entertainment Weekly

5) Land and Expand

You have a draft story saved, you have lessons locked in, now it’s time for the real fun to begin. DO NOT DELETE YOUR FIRST STORY. As you continue to write, there will be times when you wonder if you have made any progress. Your first story will be your benchmark for how you have improved your grammar, syntax, narrative arc, and pacing over time. From here, it is up to you to take your foundational story, choose a new writing prompt, then tell a new tale using the ideas spurred from the prompt and the lessons from your research. I believe in you Wonder Star!