How to write an autobiography
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Asena Kocakusak
- January 30, 2023
Essay guidelines
- How to write an essay
- Common essay types
- Argumentative essay
- Autobiography essay
- Biography essay
- Cause and effect essay
- Critical analysis essay
- Compare and contrast essay
- College application essay
- Definition essay
- Descriptive essay
- Evaluation essay
- Explanatory essay
- Expository essay
- First person essay
- Informal essay
- Literary analysis essay
- Narrative essay
- Opinion essay
- Personal statement essay
- Persuasive essay
- Profile essay
- Reflective essay
- Rhetorical analysis essay
- Scholarship essay
- Statement of purpose essay
- Length of an essay
- Outlining an essay
- Essay structures
- Essay topic ideas
- Introduction
- Body paragraphs
- Conclusion
- Citing sources in APA
- Citing sources in MLA
- Avoiding plagiarism
- Essay checklist
Home » Essay guidelines » How to write an autobiography
An autobiography essay is simply writing about your personal experiences or a specific event, but not a story of your whole life. Although the writing process may take a lot of time, it’s easy to overcome with a good preparation and planning.
Let’s first look at how to structure an autobiography essay.
Autobiography introduction
When starting an autobiography essay, follow the usual essay format; introduction, body, and conclusion. The introduction is one of the most important parts as you need to engage the reader and keep them reading more at this part.
Follow these steps to write a good introduction.
- Inform the reader about the topic of the autobiography essay
- Present your thesis statement
- Grab the readers attention with a hook sentence
Autobiography introduction example
Introduction
My name is Jennifer Brown and I was born on the 13th of July, 1974 in Florida, United States. Hook sentence I grew up with my two brothers. My father died before I was born. My mother was a housewife and loved to try different recipes at home. My favorite activity with my mother was cooking with her. Unfortunately, we lost my mother in a car accident when I was 15, so I had to take care of my siblings. Background on your life I didn't have a normal childhood because it was difficult to be a mother figure at home and at the same time try to maintain my own life. Thesis statement: The core message of your autobiography
Remember
Introduction must be concise and one to three sentences long.Body paragraphs
- Mention a different specific event in each paragraph.
- Use simple and understandable language.
- Make sure that your essay is in a logical structure by writing down all your memories and details chronologically.
Autobiography body paragraph example
During my high school period, I tried to make a living by working in different jobs. Topic sentence Before, I was sewing in the shop of a close friend of my mother. Then I started working as a waitress in a cafe while also selling cookies using one of the recipes my mom taught me. I started to realize that I enjoyed cooking because it reminded me of the good times I had with my mom. Personal information This is how I decided to study gastronomy at university. Closing sentence
Autobiography conclusion
This part is just as important as the introduction as you summarize your story and discuss the conclusions from your experiences. You can also leave a meaningful impression on the reader by sharing what your experiences have taught you so far.
Look at the conclusion example below:
Autobiography conclusion example
After I graduated from university, I started working as a chef and consultant in various restaurants. Summarize and connect your stories In the meantime, I met the love of my life in one of the places where I worked. With his help, I realized one of my biggest dreams and finally started my own business Keep connecting the events in your autobiography Now I can offer people the dishes that my mother loved and taught me. Closing sentence
Steps to writing an autobiography
Step 1: Brainstorm and choose a main idea
Start writing by brainstorming your memories and experiences.
Pro tip
List your memories that may interest the reader, covering all periods of your life from childhood to the present.You may write about an important event that has made an impact in your life, an achievement or your life philosophy. But don’t forget to focus on only a single event, person, memory, and place..
Step 2: Research and create an outline
Research to recall the memories you have chosen. You can get help from family members and friends to remember details, as well as, if possible, look at old photos, archives, or letters.
If you create an outline before writing, you’ll make the writing process easier. By following your outline, you won’t forget the main ideas that you’ll cover.
Here is a sample outline template you can follow:
Autobiography outline example
- Introduction
- Brief overview of the author's life
- Thesis statement (Main idea)
- Early Life
- Childhood
- Family background and upbringing
- Early education and formative experiences
- Adolescence and Young Adulthood
- Coming of age experiences
- Education and career choices
- Relationships and personal development
- Adult Life and Accomplishments
- Career and professional achievements
- Family and personal relationships
- Significance and impact of the author's work or life
- Conclusion
- Summary of main points
- Reflection on the author's life and legacy
- Final thoughts and takeaways for the reader
Step 3: Write your first draft
After you have all your plans organized, you can now start trying out your first draft.
Pro tip
If you take a break for a few days after you finish your first draft, you can get a better perspective when you come back.Step 4: Proofread and refine
Once you’ve completed your autobiography essay, start editing. Check carefully to correct grammar, spelling, punctuation, etc. errors and make improvements.
Key takeaways
- Use first-person narrative voice
- Make your language simple and sincere
- Choose an important experience that has shaped your life
- Detail your background information
- Share a failure that you overcame
- Find a creative title for your essay
Contents
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