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.

An artist's life

Most of the books that I have written are about people who are living. When you are writing a biography, it is obviously a great advantage to be able to quiz the subject on the details of his or her life.

When I was approached by Derrick Rowe to write the story of his late grandfather's life, I knew that this would require different skills. Writing about somebody who died many years ago would require a lot of research and interpretation of the material. I would not be able to phone up the subject and ask, "What do you mean by that?"

I was also concerned that there may not be enough information to base a full-length biography on. When we met, Derrick put my mind at rest explaining that he had a wealth of information on his grandfather's life. He had discovered a great deal about Ernest Arthur Rowe from government records, personal letters and other documents. Ernest, Derrick explained, was a renowned English watercolour artist in the Victorian period who specialised in painting the grand gardens of the gentry.

Derrick's research proved to be truly spectacular: he and his wife Pat had read and catalogued hundreds of the artist's personal letters and artefacts. They had government documents galore and photographs of the artist, his family and associates, not to mention dozens of Ernest's original artworks. These sun-filled scenes adorn the walls of Derrick and Pat's house, a proud reminder of the talent in the family.

The only thing that Derrick did not have was the knowledge of how to put his findings together into a book, and he was looking for somebody to take on this task. I was delighted to agree to write the story for him and transform the raw material into a full-length book. After we discussed in detail what shape Derrick wanted the book to take, he passed on the information that he had gathered. I was then able to begin to convert this into a comprehensive biography of the artist. Once Derrick was happy with the text, I arranged for the book to be beautifully laid out, printed and bound.

The result is an attractive glossy book, which tells the story of Ernest's life, from his days as a penniless student to his successful career as an artist whose work was coveted by royalty. The book also includes a selection of reproductions of Rowe's sumptuous paintings. You can read a chapter from this book and others that I have written on my website. If you would like to know more about Ernest Arthur Rowe, Derrick has also set up a website dedicated to his grandfather, and you can also purchase the book from there.

Derrick wrote to tell me that he was delighted with the finished biography. "My family are thrilled," he penned, "I am sure it will become a family heirloom!"

If you have researched your family's history why not get in touch with The Book of My Life like Derrick did? Instead of a jumble of files and papers you too could have a beautiful family heirloom—your own family history in a book.

Five reasons why you should write your life story

There are many reasons why you might wish to write an autobiography or memoir. Here are my top five:

1. To show your children and grandchildren who you really are. Remember, they have only known you since you were an adult, in the role of parent or grandparent. Write the story of your life as you remember it and give them a glimpse of the real you.
2. To record a unique piece of social history. Biographies and memoirs of people from all ages are viewed as valuable documents by historians. Write yours and you will be doing your bit to illuminate the decades that you have lived through for the benefit of future generations.
3. To pass on the wisdom you've learned. Life teaches us many lessons. Some may be worth passing on in the hope that others don't make the mistakes that you have made.
4. To reflect on your career. Whether you are a teacher, a company director or a High Court judge, you are bound to have plenty to say about your subject. Capturing the funny, happy and sad memories of your working life can give you tremendous satisfaction and is sure to make you see that all that hard graft was worth it.
5. For fun. These days we're all so busy with our lives that we often forget to enjoy the present let alone remember the past. Sitting down to write your autobiography can be a great way to wallow in a bit of good old nostalgia.

If you want to write your life story but need a little help to get you started, why not get in touch? I can help with the writing and editing of your book and even organise for a few copies to be professionally printed and bound. Check out the website for more details.