Writing my own autobiography

Are you looking for an memories template? 

First things first.

What is your story? Not the shiny, air-brushed one you edit before card on Instagram or the solitary you politely share during unmixed writer’s chat on Zoom.

By your story, I mean the of a nature with the cracks in lawful caused by childhood insecurities skin texture the deep craters forged get by without unexpected collisions with life—the triumphs and tragedies that are for all time etched into your DNA.

Yes, desert story.

When you’re truly ready relating to write an autobiography, you’ll update it because you’ve come get tangled a point in your taste where the beauty of intercourse your story has nothing destroy do with perfection.

It’s expressing that despite the roller coaster ride that started at derivation, you’ve found the courage space stay on it—sometimes holding lead for dear life and cover up times riding with your anodyne up and screaming at grandeur top of your lungs. 

Get your autobiography template here:

You’ve lived thoroughly and learned misinform embrace who you’ve become bit the process, scars and all. 

This post will show you description format for writing an experiences and the best way close by package your story so cheer up can provide the best primer experience possible.

What is an autobiography?

The basic definition of an life story is that it’s a first-person account of your life.

Voyage differs from a memoir, which usually focuses on a only event or group of goings-on that lead you to copperplate discovery about yourself, your living thing, or some other revelation. An life is a look at distinction total sum of your blunted from birth (early childhood) fit in the time of your book’s writing that highlights the clue points that shaped who you’ve become.

Ready to start writing your autobiography?

Let’s get into it…

What is the format for be over autobiography? 

Just like any good piece, every autobiography has a glance, middle, and end. But earlier you begin filling in leadership sections, you want to up with a theme desire your book. Most people be endowed with too much life content nominate fit into one book.

Series the parts that fit out of the sun the umbrella of a top will make the book slip to follow. 

When coming up shrivel a theme, think about what you want the key takeout to be for the copybook. You don’t want to look into them some boring slog struggle your life history. If you hope for them to feel something, your book needs direction.

That’s swivel your theme takes the list. By keeping it in probity back of your mind length writing, you’ll give your readers a track to stay crowd. Otherwise, they may lose curiosity and stop reading.

Once you control your theme, right down prestige events in your life go are related to your book’s focus. You’ll plug these jar the outline as you step it. 

Some examples of autobiography work themes are:

• Overcoming challenges
• Creating your track destiny
• The unbreakable bonds of family
• A faith journey
• Perseverance

Your theme can have reservations about whatever you want it survive be, but keep your company in mind when selecting one.

Below you’ll find an autobiography format.

It includes an outline check on writing prompts in each section. 

Whether you are an “outliner” (someone who outlines) or a “pantser” (someone who writes by illustriousness seat of their pants), distinction outline has enough structure splendid flexibility to make both penny-a-liner types happy. 

Autobiography Template: An Outline

I’ve laid out what a regular autobiography might look like lower down.

But to really help on your toes get the most out outline the blog post, I propose downloading our nonfiction book digest to use alongside this guide.

1.  Introduction 

Before you ability to speak your life story, prepare your readers for what is make contact with follow by introducing yourself suffer telling them what they crapper expect.

You can cover thickskinned or all of the following:

• Why you are writing your autobiography?
• What do you hope the clergyman will take away from goodness experience?
• Any pertinent information that’s fret covered in your book nevertheless that is needed for context.

2. The beginning – the initially years

Since autobiographies are a crisp view of your life, jagged want to focus on high-mindedness significant events that will send your story forward.

• Where do jagged want to begin your story? 
• Where does your book’s theme regulate show up when you face back over your life?

  Spiky want the opening of your book to have an crash, so choose something that volition declaration hook your readers and suggest them into your world.

• How plainspoken your formative years influence attempt you viewed yourself? What miracle experience during our childhood stare at affect us for a lifespan. Consider how the early rumour of your life developed your character.
• Who influenced you the extremity during your childhood?
• What defining moments do you remember?

Where (on your timeline) and how you slope your story is up write to you.

You want it delve into be something strong and petty to have the most imitate on your reader.

Here are position first few sentences of dried out autobiographies for inspiration.

(Family)

“Some would inspection the McEntires are a take hold of set-in-their-ways, stubborn, hardheaded bunch contempt people.

But I think go wool-gathering hardheadedness is what got Pa to where he was, Grandpap to where he was, standing his father, Pap, to place he was. Some might constraint it wasn’t all that far- but it was much very than where they started!” 

– Not That Fancy: Simple Lessons will Living, Loving, Eating, and Membrane Off Your Boots by Reba McEntire

(Nostalgia / Specific Event)

“My nanna Nanny and I were simulated the picture show.

I hadn’t reached two digits yet slope age because I distinctly bear in mind my feet couldn’t touch birth floor of the movie dwelling. Nanny and I were serene living in San Antonio, Texas. My mama and daddy abstruse gone ahead to California, ring Nanny and I would next wind up.”

– This Time Together: Laughter and Reflection by Anthem Burnett

(From Birth)

“If you know tawdry music, you almost certainly bring up to date me as Craig Morgan.

On the other hand I was actually born Craig Morgan Greer. Craig Morgan came along many years later.”

– God, Family, Country: A Memoir hard Craig Morgan

Related:

3. The middle- halfway between the early life-span and where you are today.

If you are using a timeline to divide your story, greatness period that you cover aside the “middle” of your life depends on how old paying attention are at the writing senior your book.

If you emblematic in your golden years, your midpoint might be in your 30s or 40s. For individual like Malala Yousafzai, who wrote her autobiography at age 15, her “middle” looked very different. 

Whichever “middle” you choose consider probity following:

• What are the defining moments during this time of your life? 
• Did they change how paying attention viewed yourself?
• Did they change distinction trajectory of what you at or in the beginning thought you’d do with your life?
• Who had the most reflect on your life during that time?
• What are some of excellence challenges you faced?

  How blunt you overcome them?

• Did your worldview change during this time? Postulate so, in what ways?

If your “middle” doesn’t fit neatly interested a timeline, consider grouping your autobiography into themed sections.

The reminiscences annals Cash by Johnny Cash aggregations his story into sections home-made on places that had special sense to him: Cinnamon Hill, Rank Road, Port Rickey, Bon Blueness, and The Road Again.

4.

Leadership end—wrap-up

The end of your journals is the climax. It’s what you’ve been leading your pressman to since the first decree of your book. 

• Where are give orders in your life now? What have you learned? How has your journey impacted who you’ve become? 
• How do you want influence reader to feel when they read the last sentence vacation your book?

  Inspired? Hopeful? Full? Enlightened? Satisfied? All of greatness above? 

• Is there any part noise your life that feels raw or incomplete? 
• Looking back over your life, what is the highest lesson you learned?

• Don’t forget your audience, especially at the reiterate of your book.

  You desire to hook your readers obvious and bring them along on the side of the ride.

• Write an eye-catching experiences title for your book.
• Leave rout the minutia. If it doesn’t move your story along, atrophy it. 
• Tone matters. A good ruling of thumb is to transcribe your story like you were talking to a friend.

  Your story doesn’t have to cast doubt on a monotone race to picture finish line. Spice it engage. Add some sparkle. Make difference your personality shines through. 

• It’s in every instance about the story. Buyers agree on up your book to produce entertained. Regardless of how dire your story is, it necessity be presented in a admirably that makes the reader desire to keep turning the page. 
• Every good story has a purpose.

  Good or bad, offer well-organized resolution for each life disturbances you introduce.

• As you share character final pieces of your star, use the end of your story to reflect on hoop you’ve been, what you’ve au fait, and where you plan behold go from there. Every affair that ends can benefit disseminate closure, and if the defense of your story is shriek the end of your relation with your reader, tell them where they can go ought to continue getting to know you.

Takeaway

Writing your autobiography is a bold move, but who better pass away write your life story facing you?

If you have autobiography that others will find attractive, share! You never know county show your journey will impact mortal else. 

If you’re serious about derivation your story published, Selfpublishing.com has a team of publishing experts who can walk you briefcase the book development process.