Writing Non-Fiction

 

Writing non-fiction takes a lot of research and preparation. Two kinds of Non-fiction writing are Biography and Autobiography.

Tips for writing a Biography and Autobiography:

— Biography : Interviews are a great way to start organizing and researching for your biography. Always be prepared when you're going to conduct an interview. Researching your subject will help when you start preparing the questions you want to ask. Being prepared will make you feel more confident about your questions and your writing. You can write your family's story by interviewing parents, grandparents, and siblings. Remember to keep detailed notes as your interviewees answer your thoughtful questions.

— Autobiography : If you want to write your life story, or about an event from your life, jot down your core information, with dates if you know them, in list form. Your birth, first day of school, and all the basic information of your life will help lay the groundwork for building on specific details. Leave room between each of your list entries so you can add more details as you think of them. Continue adding information to your outline as things come to mind, and write, re-write, and revise your autobiography. Before you know it, you'll have written the story of your life!

Here are some helpful tips for starting your biography or autobiography:

— First, make a list of memories—all of your life's important events and relationships. Your list can have as many items as you can think of. When you sit down to write a story, you'll have this list of topics handy to combat “writer's block.” This list will also help you focus on which events and figures deserve the closest attention. Remember, the more you write, the more you will likely remember.

—Resist the urge to write “from the beginning.” Instead, write whatever seems most immediate to you and worry about arrangement and chronology later.

—Locate and use all the props you can: letters, diaries, obituaries, photos, newspaper articles, etc., so you'll have personal affects to reference as you write.

—Always be specific and tell the truth. Life writing should be a celebration and exploration, not an occasion to get even with people or alter things. Researching the locations and key figures of your story before you write will not only help you stay true, but will also reveal many exciting facts that may surprise you.

Write the facts about each character, place, and event one step at a time, then review the information and be more personal and reflective in your writing.

 

ACTIVITY 

WRITE

Interview a classmate about an important event in his or her life, and make a memory list to document the event. Next, write a draft of the event, sticking to the facts at hand.

REVISE

Show your draft to the classmate you interviewed, and ask them more about the event. Now, when you sit down to rewrite, try to capture a mood you feel is consistent with the way your interviewee described the event.

PUBLISH

Allow others to read your biography while you read theirs. Be sure to offer constructive feedback.