Department of Education

NEW GENERATION INTERNATIONAL, SCHOOL INC.

Topic:CREATIVE NONFICTION: HOW TO WRITE AUTOBIOGRAPHY

Creative Writing Non-Fiction
Guillermo S. Alvarez
Week 3 Lesson 3 (January 18, 2021)
Quote for the day :

“The happiest moments of my life have been the few which I have
passed at home in the bosom of my family.” Thomas Jefferson

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Learning Objectives:

At the end of the lesson, you will be able to:

1. Understand the elements and nature of the creative non-
fiction;
2. Differentiate non-fiction and the literature elements; and
3. Produces written out put of autobiography.

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 How to write autobiography

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Tel. No.: (046) 419-2272 / 419-1982 NGIS
Introduction

Nothing can be more exciting than writing your own autobiography. The
autobiography example available online can show you how much interesting
this piece of writing can be. If you think that nothing is interesting about your
life, then you are wrong. You never know what aspect of your life can inspire
others and can change their lives. This piece of writing is the one, which you
will enjoy the most while composing as it is you who will be the hero of the
story.

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Tel. No.: (046) 419-2272 / 419-1982 NGIS
 3 things to Remember While Writing
your Autobiography
Before starting with the autobiography, you must consider 3 points,
which you must follow in your writing.

 It must be interesting– It is very obvious that you have to make the

autobiography interesting to read. You have to give the readers a reason to read
it. Even if you have many fascinating events in your life, you must present it in
an interesting way that will grab the attention of the readers. You can write
about some personal details that you have never told anyone.
 You have to make it Rational- You can’t write that you have superpowers or you
have once fought with 100 men. You must make the autobiography logical, and
to do that, you can select a central idea and turn it in a thesis statement, which
will tie up all your memories and experiences.
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 Continuation

• Keep it simple- It is a story, so you must make it easily

comprehensible for the readers. Make sure you use very
simple language and words that will convey your message
easily.
A Heart-breaking Story

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Tel. No.: (046) 419-2272 / 419-1982 NGIS
 How to Start with an Autobiography?

 Get some idea- By reading the autobiographies of

famous people as an autobiography sample can help
you to gain some idea about it and you will understand
what to include, how to write, what is the autobiography
format Some examples of famous autobiography are:
 The Story of My Experiments with Truth (the
autobiography of Gandhi)
 Anne Frank ‘The Diary of a Young Girl’

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Tel. No.: (046) 419-2272 / 419-1982 NGIS
 Continuation
 Know which format you will follow- An autobiography can be written following
many formats. You can utilise any of the following formats while writing about the
journey of your life.
 Traditional- In this format, the life of a person from the time of his/her birth to
the present situation is covered. One example can be Long Walk to Freedom,
which is the autobiography of Nelson Mandela.
“It was very late and everyone had left the cafe except an old man who sat in
the shadow the leaves of the tree made against the electric light. In the day
time the street was dusty, but at night the dew settled the dust and the old
man liked to sit late because he was deaf and now at night it was quiet and he
felt the difference. The two waiters inside the cafe knew that the old man was a
little drunk, and while he was a good client they knew that if he became too
drunk he would leave without paying, so they kept watch on him.”
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Tel. No.: (046) 419-2272 / 419-1982 NGIS
  Personal essays or narratives- Here, the focus stays on only a single moment.
The experience is described using imagery and dialogue. This is what usually
given to the students or can be seen in the blogs or articles posted online.
Some ideas for this type can be:
 How my friends affected my life
 How I learned to drive
 My first international trip
 Decide on the central theme- Like many exceptional autobiographies, you too
can come up with central theme or message that is very important to you.
Some common ideas can be: never giving up when faced with difficulties,
achieving success etc.

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  Prepare the autobiography outline- As in any other essay, here also, you will
have to write an autobiography introduction, few body paragraphs, and a
conclusion. You must determine what chief points you want to portray in your
autobiography. The following can help you to create your outline:

 Introduction- Here, you will be writing about who you are. You will give a short
description about yourself. You can also start by mentioning your early life. In
the introduction, you can define your theme, or you can tell of certain events
or occurrences of your life.

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Tel. No.: (046) 419-2272 / 419-1982 NGIS
 For example, Nelson Mandela began his autobiography with the following
lines to given a hint of what lies ahead:

“Apart from life, a strong constitution, and an abiding connection to the

Thembu royal house, the only thing my father bestowed upon me at birth
was a name, Rolihlala. In Xhosa, Rholihlala literally means “pulling the
branch of a tree,” but its colloquial meaning more accurately would be
“trouble maker.” I do not believe that names are destiny or that my father
somehow divined my future, but in later years, friends and relatives would
ascribe to my birth name the many storms I have both caused and
weathered.”

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 Body paragraphs- Here, you can divide your life into segments
and write about them in one or more paragraphs. You can begin
with your childhood where you can talk about your early life,
schooling, family background etc. You should mention the key
highlighting moments of that phase of your life, which is a part of
your thesis or has helped in bringing the final triumph moment
of your life. This will continue beyond school like college and
now where you stand. Describe these stages by the above
mentioned method, but do not only mention your achievement
moments. Analyse your experiences and mention the lows or
down moments of your life as well.
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Tel. No.: (046) 419-2272 / 419-1982 NGIS
 Conclusion- In the closing paragraph, you will present the
main theme or lesson that your life you want the readers to
understand. You can also write what are your opinions on
the autobiography and what are the reasons for you to write
it.

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Tel. No.: (046) 419-2272 / 419-1982 NGIS
 You can see different autography outline template to get a
clear picture of how to create it.

Write it- After the outline is ready, you can go ahead with the
writing following the format you have chosen and the
framework you have created. Remember the three points
mentioned above while composing it. Also, ensure that you
work in an organized manner and you make a proper planning
and set goals for finishing it. While writing, try to be fully
focused on it. This way, you will be able to complete it by the
time you wish to do it.
Email Address: ngisshs@gmail.com EDUCATION WITH THE CULTURE OF HEART
Tel. No.: (046) 419-2272 / 419-1982 NGIS
 Edit and proofread- Your autobiography cannot reach
the highest standard if it is not proofread and edited
accurately. So, you have to check your content thoroughly
to make sure that there is no mistakes or error in it. And
look for scopes where you can better the writing. You can
do it manually, and also, take help from tools that can
effectively do this work.

Email Address: ngisshs@gmail.com EDUCATION WITH THE CULTURE OF HEART

Tel. No.: (046) 419-2272 / 419-1982 NGIS
  Now, these methods can be used for writing both a 600-page
autobiography, and a short one of about 4- 7 pages which your
instructor can give you to write. You can search for short autobiography
examples if you are still confused about writing it.

 By writing your autobiography, you can reflect back on your life by

delving deep into it, and the whole process can turn out to be quite
enjoyable for you. By following few steps and learning the right
method, you can too become able to turn up a winning
autobiography. So, start working on it as it can turn into a treasured
item for your family and the upcoming generation.

Email Address: ngisshs@gmail.com EDUCATION WITH THE CULTURE OF HEART

Tel. No.: (046) 419-2272 / 419-1982 NGIS
 Looking for an Autobiography Example that can help
you to Write your own?

MyAssignmenthelp.com is the Perfect Place to Find It!

Email Address: ngisshs@gmail.com EDUCATION WITH THE CULTURE OF HEART

Tel. No.: (046) 419-2272 / 419-1982 NGIS