Biography writing dos and don'ts

There are really no dos or don'ts when it comes to writing. In the final chapter of the novel Ulysses, for instance, James Joyce only included two punctuation marks. No commas, question marks or semicolons appear in the text to clarify the meaning.

I would not recommend leaving out punctuation when you are writing your memoir or autobiography. You want people to read it after all! But I would suggest that you try to find a style and stick to it. The style could be in the form of short, punchy chapters. You may wish to group your reminiscences by subject or follow the traditional chronological route. You could write in the present tense for emotional impact, or you could use the more traditional past tense, or why not try using a mixture of both?

Be as experimental as you like with your writing and have fun with it. But if you are looking for some tips that might help you get to the end of your biography or memoir with the minimum of pain, the following dos and don'ts may serve as a good guide:

• Do have a plan before you put pen to paper. Some writers never plan what they are going to say, preferring to let the words flow out of them as the muse takes them. Sadly we are not all so gifted, and this way of working can result in an overlong mishmash that requires many rewrites. This is why many writers prefer to work from a detailed plan. If I make a list of what I want to say and the order in which I want to say it before I start to write, I know I am much more likely to finish a book without too much difficulty.

• Do try to get your facts right. Your memory may not be crystal clear, and it probably won't matter if all your stories or anecdotes are not 100 per cent accurate, but try to check spellings and dates as much as possible. This is particularly important with the names of friends and family in your life-story book, but it is also good practice to clarify the spelling of objects or place names as you progress. The Internet is a good place to start (although be wary—not all websites are equally accurate).

• Do get your biography or memoir independently proofread before it is printed. It is always a good idea to get a professional pair of eyes to scan your written work before it is distributed. You will be amazed at how many mistakes you will have missed.

• Do include plenty of detail. Descriptions of how things looked, smelt or sounded can really bring your story to life. You may think that little things like the way your home was decorated when you were a child will not interest anybody, but you would be surprised. The reader will probably be far more engaged by detail like this than stories about famous people you have met or lists of your business achievements. These can also be included in your biography but again try to add the detail that will bring them to life.

• Do remember to talk about how you felt in certain situations. This is your life story and the reader wants to get to know you. That means showing your emotions. What was it really like to be in those situations? Were you frightened, sad or ecstatic? What have you learned from the experiences you have been through?

Now for the don'ts…

• Don't be tempted to use your biography or memoir to dish the dirt on friends, family members or colleagues. Be careful about using your life-story book as a place to get all the things that have irked you over the years off your chest. If you do decide to include potentially controversial or damaging things in your book, it is most important that you get your facts straight and that you can prove that you are telling the truth. If not, you run the risk of being sued for libel and losing.

• Don't linger too long on the mundane when writing your memoir. While details are important, nobody wants to know how many cups of tea or coffee you drink in a day or what type of mouthwash you use. Imagine that you are the reader. What would you want to know?

• Don't try to write other people's stories within your own book. If, for instance, you are writing the book for your children, there is no need to give a lot of detail about events in their lives such as marriages and the births of their children. They may, after all, write their own life stories one day.

• Don't edit your autobiography or memoir yourself. It is difficult to be objective about your own writing. You may wish to consider employing the services of a professional editor who will tidy up your prose for you.

• Don't assume that the reader knows everything that you know. Whoever reads your biography will soon get fed up if they have to look up every other word in the dictionary or each new topic on the Internet. Keep things clear and simple. If you think your average intended reader will not understand something, explain what you mean in a way that will be obvious to everyone.

Good luck and happy writing! Remember that if you feel that you need more help with your biography or memoir, you can always contact me. I will be happy to consider any biography project—large or small.