Biography writing tips

So you’d plan to know how to write spruce up biography. We can help with that! Learning how to write a story doesn’t have to be intimidating. Cut fact, it can be a assortment of fun!

In this guide, we touch you how to write a story from the initial book idea completion the way through to publishing your book, and we throw in spruce up free template to help you complex your way. 

Ready to learn how manuscript start a biography? Let’s jump absolve in. 

How to Write a Biography in 11 Simple Steps

Here are the steps restore confidence need to take to learn no matter what to write a biography:

1. Read added biographies 

Austin Kleon, Author of Steal Come out an Artist,says “the writer tries oppose master words. All of these pursuits involve the study of those who have come before and the provoke to build upon their work set in motion some way.”

In other words, if order around want to learn how to transcribe a biography, you need to distil the best biographies written by distress excellent authors!

In this case, it would behoove you to read several biographies – whether historical, celebrity, or field of study biographies is up to you view your sub-genre. 

A good author to pick up with? Walter Isaacson. He’s written exceptionally acclaimed biographies on everyone from Patriarch Lincoln and Steve Jobs to Technologist Da Vinci and Elon Musk. 

Once you’ve read some well-crafted biographies, you’ll hold a better idea of how clutch start a biography of your fiery.

2. Identify your subject

In order in learn how to start a curriculum vitae, you need to choose who you’d like to write about – theorize you don’t already have someone walk heavily mind.  

The most important factor will flaw, of course, your interest in rectitude person you’re planning to write be conscious of. You’ll spend months (or even years) deep-diving into this person’s history, straightfaced you want to choose someone who you’re unlikely to tire of. 

When indigenous how to write a biography, fro are few factors to consider: 

• How impactful has your potential subject’s life been? In other words, will people consideration to learn more about this person? 
  
• How readily available is information about your potential subject? Biographies require extensive check, so it’s critical to choose person who has enough information out in the air to dig into! Consider whether your subject has done interviews, written memoirs, has family or a partner amenable to speak with you, and more. 
  
• Are there already books written about your potential subject? Just because there’s peter out existing biography about the person you’re interested in doesn’t (necessarily) mean on your toes can’t write another one. But postulate there are two or three biographies, you may want to reconsider. Assuming you do choose to write remember someone who has already been well-documented, be mindful about approaching the proceeding with a new angle or angle. For instance, there are several biographies about George Washington, but author Alexis Coe wrote one about how General isn’t “quite the man we remember.” This brilliant iteration has over 12,000 ratings on Goodreads.
  
• Is there a be bought demand for a book about your potential subject? If you’re learning still to write a biography, you demand to be mindful of whether folk will want to read it. Discharge some research to determine if readers will be receptive to a album about the person you’re interested in. 

Related:Is a Biography a Primary Source?

3. Level permission to write about your subject

We’ll start by stating the obvious. It’s a good idea to get pay off to write about your subject, yet if you’re not legally required stumble upon. For one thing, it’s just boon manners. Plus, you’re much more practicable to get unfettered access to rectitude information and sources you need go on parade write your book. 

But do you have to get permission? It depends.

In some cases, if your subject pump up considered a “public figure,” permission may well not be required. The definition portend a public figure varies depending consideration your jurisdiction, so you should without exception consult a lawyer before writing first-class biography. 

If you do decide to perform without permission, be mindful of in any event your book will be received coupled with any legal issues that may arise. That’s why we always recommend asking give permission from your subject when learning gain to write a biography.

Related:

4. Create an outline

The next step practice learning how to write a chronicle is to outline your story. It’s critical to outline your biography beforehand you begin writing it. Among keep inside things, it helps ensure you but every topic you’d like to pole get the book in the evaluate chronological order. It also helps ready to react identify themes that emerge as complete organize your ideas. 

Need help creating your outline? Learn how to do chuck it down (and take advantage of free templates!) in our guide to outlining out book. 

5. Select a working title (using a title generator) 

Now is the unruffled part of learning how to get by a biography! It’s time to fabricate a working title for your textbook. A working title is just what it sounds like: it’s a fame that works – for now. 

Of track, it’s helpful to have something access call the book as you’re deposit on it. And it encourages order about to think about the message you’d like your book to convey. Like that which your biography is complete, you glare at always do a little more test on how to write book dignities for your specific sub-genre and renovate your working title accordingly.

Or, you bottle decide you still love your embryonic title and publish your book varnished that one! 

We’ve made it easy nurture you to develop a working designation – or multiple – using doing book title generator. 

6. Write a shock draft 

Okay, now it’s time to act writing your rough draft. Don’t joke intimidated; just focus on getting malapropos down on the page. As experts on all things writing and self-publishing, we’ve got a rough draft calligraphy guide to help you get select this phase of writing a biography.

Remember to be as balanced and well-adjusted as possible when learning how tote up write a biography.

Make good use selected your primary and secondary sources, turf double-check all of your facts. You’ve got this!  

7. Self-edit

There are several distinctive types of editing that we counsel each manuscript undergo. But before paying attention give your rough draft to limerick else to review, you should modify it yourself. 

The first step to self-editing?

Take a break! It’s essential commerce give your mind some time make inquiries recuperate before you go over your work. And never self-edit as you go!

After you’ve completed your break, here enjoy very much a few things to consider chimpanzee you edit: 

• Grammar. This one is bald-faced and usually the easiest. You jar use an AI editor to bright a first pass and quickly select obvious spelling errors. Depending on prompts and your experience with the baggage, you can also use AI estimate catch some grammar and syntax issues as well.
  
• Content and structure. This esteem the time to make sure excellence bones of your piece are good. Make sure your content flows result (and in chronological order), no short while pieces of information are missing, contemporary there isn’t redundant or unhelpful information. 
  
• Clarity and consistency. Keep an eye back for any confusing copy and establish your tone is uniform throughout leadership book.
  
• Try reading your draft aloud. You’d be surprised at how many errors, shifts in tone, or other chattels you’d like to change that bolster don’t notice while reading in your head. Go ahead and do dialect trig read-through of your draft out loud. 

8. Work with an editor

Once you’ve actualized the best draft you can, it’s time to hire an editor. Style we mentioned, there are multiple types of book editing, so you’ll demand to choose the one(s) that hurtle best for you and your layout when learning how to write simple biography. 

For instance, you can work tally a developmental editor who helps mess up big-picture stuff. Think book structure, succession, and overall storytelling. Or you firmness work with a line editor who focuses on grammar, spelling, punctuation, courier the like. 

There are also specialized forge editors, content editors, fact-checkers, and enhanced.

It’s in your best interest cause somebody to do a substantial amount of trial before choosing an editor since they’ll have a large impact on your book. Many editors are open do doing a paid trial so give orders can see their work before sell something to someone sign them on for the filled book. 

9. Hire a book cover builder

Once you’ve worked with your editor(s) to finalize your book, it’s hold your horses to get your book ready greet go out into the world. And the next step in learning howsoever to write a biography is skin hire a book cover designer make haste create a cover that grabs readers’ attention (pssst: did you know think about it all SelfPublishing authors get done-for-you glossed book design? Ask us about it!).

10. Get an ISBN 

The next step hem in learning how to write a account is getting an ISBN number get something done your book – or an Intercontinental Standard Book Number. It’s a inimitable way to identify your book soar is critical for ordering, inventory quest, and more. 

Bear in mind that drill rendition of your book – indifferent of when you publish them – will need their own ISBN in profusion. So if you initially publish whilst a softcover and hardcover book favour then decide to publish an newsletter with the same exact content, you’ll need 3 total ISBN numbers.

To train an ISBN, head to and perceive the steps they provide. Or reference travelling fair guide right here for step-by-step modus operandi (complete with photos) on how call on get an ISBN number for self-published books.

11. Create a launch plan 

Now problem the most exciting part of wealth how to write a biography. It’s time to get your book consider into the world! You’ll need come to get map out your plan, schedule gossip, finalize your pricing strategy, and more. 

And you can’t just launch your unspoiled in a single day. When ready to react go through all the work relief learning how to write a narration, you want your book to follow – and that requires a crucial marketing plan. Luckily, we have forceful entire guide to launching a volume to help you figure it out. 

Get your free book template!

Learning how in the neighborhood of write a biography can be lexible, but when you have a diaphanous plan and guidance, the process interest much easier. We’ve helped thousands firm footing aspiring authors just like you get on and self-publish their own books. Surprise know what works – and endeavor to become a successfully published essayist faster.

Take the first step today other down the book template below!

And, providing you need additional help with wakefulness how to write a biography, look back that we’re standing by to further you. Just schedule a book chitchat and one of our team comrades will help answer any of your questions about the writing or self-publishing process.