Biographies tell the stories of individuals or groups of individuals and chronicle their experiences, successes, failures and contributions to society.
Biography has its roots in various cultures and histories, developing into several literary styles throughout its development. Wilfrid Strachey revolutionized biography by using psychoanalytic methods to interpret character motivation.
Definition
Biographies provide written accounts of an individual’s life and experiences. Biographies may focus on famous or lesser-known figures who lived centuries ago, providing readers with a window into history or helping people better comprehend and appreciate their own lives.
Biographies are nonfiction works that often use primary sources and interviews as their research base, though there may also be biographical fiction works which combine fact with fictional accounts. When writing biographies, authors typically conduct extensive research using primary and secondary sources as well as personal interviews; since biographers cannot rely on witnesses directly for testimony when filling gaps in records.
Biographies aim to give readers an in-depth knowledge of a subject’s life and its influence in society. Modern biographies typically concentrate on historical context, while delving deeper into psychological or sociological themes not apparent during their life.
Purpose
Biographies provide readers with valuable insight into notable individuals, their historical context, and any long-term impacts they’ve had – not only are biographies informative about someone, but they can also shed light on motivations and psychological underpinnings that inform a subject’s life story.
Biographies should both inform and entertain their readers, so writers often employ traditional plot elements like an introduction, conflict, rising tension, climax and resolution, as well as conclusion to give their life stories shape and narrative flow. Authors may also choose to focus their biography around a pivotal event from the subject’s life or organize events of a period to emphasize key themes.
As students start the writing process, it’s essential that they take an objective approach. This will allow them to gain a better technical understanding of what constitutes an engaging biography. Once ready, however, students should add personal commentary and opinions in order to transform an objective account into an engaging narrative.
Format
Biographies can be considered hybrid genres. While technically nonfiction, biography often uses narrative elements (character, plot structure) to entertain as well as inform readers. Furthermore, biography often explores universal themes (such as family or perseverance) to tie its personal stories with universal truths.
Students writing professional biographies must identify their target audience, select an interesting subject matter and organize all the gathered data in an organized fashion. Furthermore, their writing style must take into account what type of product will ultimately result from this project.
An online professional bio may employ more of an authoritative tone while video biographies often incorporate humor to engage viewers. No matter which biography format is selected, however, it is crucial that it starts off by including your first and last names so readers can quickly recognize you; then describe your current job role; finally add any pertinent details outside of work that show off your individual personality and tattoophreaks.
Examples
Professional biographies should reflect the industry a person works in, reflecting this in terms of tone and language used. A professional bio can still be written either first person or third person voice – for those opting to write using third person, imagine writing your bio as though someone were sending it directly from you e.g. an email sent from one of your mentors or trusted colleagues. Click here to know Kristy Greenberg husband name.
To keep the reader’s interest, it is wise to start your biography off with the most pertinent details – this may include your name, current job title or role and a brief overview of your work history. Also helpful is organizing your timeline chronologically so readers can follow your narrative more easily and avoid confusion over key events such as Saint Augustine’s Confessions or Maya Angelou’s I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings which utilize this format effectively and allow for quick determination by readers as to whether or not they wish to continue reading further or continue learning more.
