A Complete Guide to Biography Book Writing

A biography book is a detailed book about a person’s life story. It covers every piece of information on the human subject. Family background, early life, education, failures, and success, a biography book contains all such details. The purpose of a biography book is to share a person’s life with the public

A writer can choose a human subject for biography because of its fascinating life story. Such stories can be exemplary for the readers. Similarly, some authors write a biography book to update the audience with specific facts about a person. Usually, professional book-writing services write biographic stories to highlight the achievements of famous personalities. These stories can be very inspirational. Here are examples of some bestselling biographic books.

Some famous biography books are:

• Churchill: A life by Martin Gilbert
• Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson
• Frida: A Biography of Frida Kahlo by Hayden Herrera
• Napoleon: A Life by Andrew Roberts
• Einstein: His Life and Universe by Walter Isaacson

Tips to Write the Best-Selling Biography Book

Biographies are good at grabbing attention. Audiences like to know about famous personalities. Biographical novels never stop to fascinate readers. They are fictional accounts of real people’s lives, often highly researched but still fictional. Here are the tips to help you write an exceptional biography book.

• Choose Your Human Subject Carefully

The first step of writing a biography is to select a human subject. As a writer, you should know whose life story you will cover. Usually, biographies are about famous personalities. You can write about a present-time public figure. Also, you can choose a human subject from the past era. There are thousands of human subject options. However, the figure you select should be famous among the audience. Similarly, the human subject life should have some inspiring aspects. Therefore, do thorough research to pick your biography human subject. 

• Get Permission From Your Human Subject

The second step in biography writing is to seek the human subject’s permission. You cannot write someone’s personal story without permission. Authors can face legal charges if they write biographies without consent. The human subject’s consent is essential in biography writing. 

For instance, an author needs Elon Musk’s permission for his biography book. Otherwise, that author can face legal charges. Hence, seeking the human subject’s consent is mandatory. However, it is not essential in all cases. You do not need permission to write about a public figure from the past.

• Conduct Your Research

The third tip is to do your search on your human subject. You cannot write a good biography book without thorough research. So, before you start writing, research that public figure extensively. Start from the internet if the human subject is from the present era. Read about that public figure as much as possible. You can find a lot of stuff on the internet. 

You can also read previous books about the same human subject if available. The most reliable source of information can be that person. You can interview your human subject for first-hand knowledge. Also, you can take interviews with the human subject’s close people. However, you will need other sources for a public figure from the past. The most reliable sources can be previous authentic books. So, research your human subject before you start writing a biography book.

• Make a Timeline of the Human Subject’s Life

The research will help you with a timeline of the human subject’s life. The timeline enables you to write a person’s life events in order. Similarly, the timeline will help you outline the biography. As a result, it will be much easier for you to write your biography book. 

• Capture The Voice Of Your Subject

If there are any letters or diaries, read them. Look for YouTube videos; you might be able to hear your subject’s voice. Conversation and internal dialogue must feel genuine in order for your book to stand out.

• Create Your Thesis

The next tip is to write a thesis for your biography. A thesis is a paragraph in a book that highlights the main idea. So, use your theme to organize the rest of your book. Also, make sure you write the book according to your theme. 

• Use Flashbacks

Another helpful tip is to use flashbacks in your biography book. Flashback is a writing technique used in storybooks. Flashbacks are when an author moves from present to past in a story writing. This technique enables a writer to include past information without providing unnecessary detail. You can initiate with a present scene in the first chapter. And then, you can move to a past event in the next chapter. Hence, use flashbacks in your biography. It makes a reader interested in the book. 

• More Focus on Major Events

A biography book is all about a human subject’s life events. So, it should focus more on significant events in a person’s life. Those events could include childhood life, marriage, or any accomplishment of a person. Focus on the events that may be interesting for your readers. 

• Mention Your Sources

Another essential step in biography writing is to mention the source of information. It is a necessary element in biography, especially in historical biographies. Also, it leaves a good impression on the authenticity of the book. So, make sure to add your sources to your book. Usually, authors include all the sources at the end of the biography. 

• Proofread Your Biography

Proofread your biographic book after you have finished writing it. Make sure you have not missed any significant events. Similarly, look for grammatical and spelling mistakes. Before moving your book for editing, read it by yourself multiple times. It will help you fix some basic errors. 

• Ask the Human Subject for Reviews

You can also ask your human subject to review your book. The human subject review can help you fix any possible errors in your book. So, before publishing your book, ask the human subject to review its biographical book. However, it is only for a present-time biography. It is not possible for a historical biographic book.

• Be Cautious 

It’s so much fun combing through clippings, tracking down out-of-print books, and watching vintage movies in preparation for writing a historical novel that discipline is essential. Otherwise, you risk falling down rabbit holes that cause you to procrastinate or become so obsessed with a historical footnote that you digress in your writing. People, stay on topic.

Conclusion

A biography is a book that contains detailed events of a person’s life. Biographies are good at grabbing attention and making a profit. That is why hundreds of authors aim to write a biographic book. The purpose of a biography is to share first-hand knowledge about a person. So, writing a biography can be a challenging task. However, you can write a biography with the right approach. 

Start with choosing a suitable human subject. And then research that human subject for authentic information. The research will help you with a timeline that makes your writing much easier. Similarly, use flashbacks to keep the audience’s interest in the biography. And finally, proofread your book and mention the source of information. If you still need help with your biography book writing, hire any ghostwriting service to help you with it.

Also read: https://blogsunit.com/what-education-is-necessary-for-a-career-in-hospitality-management/