How To Write An Autobiography If You Aren't Dead Yet

That is the thing isn’t it? How can you write a thorough, complete autobiography if you are nowhere near shuffling off the mortal coil (well, fingers crossed at any rate!). And does it really matter?

Adele has famously turned down millions of dollars to write her autobiography. She says at 27 she is far too young and no offense to Adele, I hope she carries on for many more years, but James Dean only made it to 24 and there have been a ton of biographies about him.

Wouldn’t it have been nice to have his autobiography available?

Now it seems the problem we have here is that who should write an autobiography and when should they do it? Does it matter if you aren’t famous or if you haven’t led an exciting life? Actually, no, I don’t think it does. Everything about your life will be interesting to somebody.

For example, you may think that because you live in a tiny little village where nothing happens, no-one will be even slightly disturbed about what your day to day life is like. You could not be further from the truth. Someone who was brought up in a sprawling metropolis where all they can see is buildings and car fumes may be fascinated by how you skipped to school each day across the fields and played in the woods at the end of your garden after supper.

If you are writing solely for your children and grandchildren, the chances are they will be interested in whatever you did and whatever you have to say. Finding out about your ancestors has always captured the imagination.

Just think, if you do write an autobiography and your great great great (etc.) grandchildren were to find it; how amazing that they could find out what your life was like tens if not hundreds of years before they were born.

I think if you are interested in writing a story of your life, then you could do worse than writing down notes as you go along. Keep a book to highlight points that you remember of things that happened in the past. Also, if anything huge happens to you, you could also fill in how you were feeling when it happened and what it means to you. That way, when you do get round to writing it down, you will have an invaluable source to take notes from.

I think that has decided me, I’m off to start my autobiography. It may not be a best seller but someone somewhere will be interested.

If you’ve decided to do the same and you need any more hints and tips, take a look at How to write an autobiography. It is full of useful information and on the upside, it doesn’t specify that you should be dead first before you write it!

If you would rather go down the route of writing a memoir or a biography though, this site gives you more information on how to do both: How to write a memoir or a biography.