Tips on writing a biographyHere is a process for deciding on a subject and giving your manuscript interest and shape
Published:
October 10, 2011 Is there someone you’re interested in, someone who’s been on your mind
awhile, for whom there’s no biography, either for yourself or for a
younger reader?
Why not write one yourself? Biography
offers much more scope than many writers realize. But how do you do it?
And where do you start?
1. Evaluate your potential subject, her appeal, and what types of readers might be interested. Before you embark on a biography, consider these questions:
• Is enough information available to write this biography? You may need to do some preliminary research to answer this question.
• Are there other biographies of this person on the market? If so, how would yours be different?
•
If you’re writing for a middle reader or young adult, is your subject
appropriate for that age group? A biography of an infamous courtesan
obviously would not be age-appropriate for a YA title. There may be
other considerations that are less obvious.
• Does this life merit a full book?
The
potential market is an essential component of your decision to write
the biography or not. Although working out a preliminary marketing plan
may seem premature, it will help not only with your decision about
writing the biography, but with how you shape the book.
Start with the question: What interests you about this person? |
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