Biography vs Autobiography: Similarities and Differences
Chris Drew (PhD)
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A biography is an account of someone’s life story that is written by an author who is not the subject of the nook. An autobiography, on the other hand, involves an individual narrating their own life experiences.
The differences between biographies and autobiographies relate most prominently to the authorhship:
- Autobiography: When you read an autobiography, you’re getting the author’s own interpretation of their life.
- Biography: When you read a biography, you experience the subject’s life through someone else’s lens (Schiffrin & Brockmeier, 2012).
Biography vs Autobiography
1. biography.
A biography is a detailed account of a person’s life, scripted by an author who is not the person who is featured in the text itself.
This type of life story focuses both on factual events in the person’s life, such as birth, education, work, and death, but often also delves into personal aspects like experiences, relationships, and significant achievements.
It may also weave-in cultural and contextual factors that help illuminate the person’s motivations and core values .
Origins of Biographies
The concept of biography as a literary genre dates back to antiquity. Such works were primarily used to capture the lives of dignified individuals, mainly rulers and war heroes.
Suetonius’s Lives of the Caesars and Plutarch’s Parallel Lives are landmark examples from this ancient period (Sweet, 2010).
The popularity of biographical works only grew in the ensuing centuries, and they became a prominent part of many cultures’ literary traditions.
Into the 18th century and during the Enlightenment, biographies began to present a more balanced portrayal of the subject. They would present both their strengths and flaws, providing a holistic perspective on the subject.
Dr. Samuel Johnson’s compilation of English poets biographies, Lives of the Most Eminent English Poets (1779-1781) ushered in a new era of biography writing by focusing on examining human nature (Ditchfield, 2018).
In the modern era, the genre has evolved and broadened, encompassing a diverse range of figures from all walks of life – there’s a biography in every niche imaginable, with each offering readers an in-depth exploration of their lives, their struggles, and their triumphs.
This demonstrates the enduring appeal of biographies and their value in providing snapshots of history through individual lenses.
Key Characteristics of Biographies
| The author of the biography is not the person who the story is about. The writer is an observer who collects, verifies, and narrates the life story of the person in focus (Smith et al., 2012). | |
| A biography doesn’t have the of an autobiography. So, a biography is often more trustworthy, but we still need to examine the incentives of the actual author (Jones, 2015). | |
| A biography covers all the significant aspects of the person’s life. From birth to death, or their most noteworthy accomplishments, it encompasses a wide array of life events (Johnson & Johnson, 2017). | |
| A biography prioritizes facts and major milestones in an individual’s life, such as , careers, relationships, and more. It does not delve into trivial details unless they are relevant to the person’s life story (Williams, 2019). |
Examples of Biographies
Title: The Lives of the Most Eminent English Poets Author: Dr. Samuel Johnson Description: Dr. Johnson’s work profiles the lives of 52 poets from the 17th and 18th centuries, including John Milton and Alexander Pope. He critiques not just the works, but also explores their personal lives and the sociopolitical contexts of their times (Johnson, 1781). Johnson’s study is invaluable for its integrated historic and biographic approach.
Title: The Life of Samuel Johnson Author: James Boswell Description: This work by Boswell explores, in great depth, the life of his friend and mentor, Dr. Samuel Johnson. The biography offers a compelling portrayal of Dr. Johnson’s life, character, eccentricities, and intellectual prowess (Boswell, 1791). Boswell’s vivid account creates a near-physical presence of Johnson to the readers, making it one of the greatest biographies in English literature.
Title: The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt Author: Edmund Morris Description: In this Pulitzer Prize-winning biography, Morris chronicles the early life of Theodore Roosevelt until his ascension to the U.S presidency. The work brilliantly captures Roosevelt’s extraordinary career and his transformation from a frail asthmatic boy into a robust and vigorous leader (Morris, 1979). Morris accurately represents Roosevelt’s indomitable spirit, making it an engaging and educational read.
Title: Steve Jobs Author: Walter Isaacson Description: This comprehensive biography provides a deep-dive into the life and career of Steve Jobs, the co-founder of Apple. Isaacson had unparalleled access to Jobs and those closest to him, thus presenting an intimate and detailed account. He explores Jobs’ professional endeavors as well as his personal life, revealing his ambition, intensity, and visionary mind that revolutionized several high-tech industries (Isaacson, 2011).
Title: Alexander Hamilton Author: Ron Chernow Description: Ron Chernow provides a sweeping narrative of one of America’s most compelling founding fathers, Alexander Hamilton. Chernow combines extensive research with a flair for storytelling, charting Hamilton’s evolution from an orphan into a political genius. The book sheds light on Hamilton’s crucial role in the formation of the United States’ financial system and his political ideologies (Chernow, 2004).
2. Autobiography
An autobiography is a self-written record of someone’s own life. It is a personal narrative in which the author writes about their life from their own perspective.
Autobiographies are usually centered around the author’s personal experiences, including key milestones, challenges, and achievements (Eakin, 2015).
They’re also often a defense of the person’s perspective (especially in political autobiographies) or insight into their thought processes, which can make them very intimate.
Origins of Autobiographies
The term ‘autobiography’ was first used deprecatingly by William Taylor in 1797 in the English periodical The Monthly Review, when he suggested the word as a hybrid but condemned it as ‘pedantic’.
Pioneering examples of the genre form include Thomas De Quincey’s Confessions of an English Opium-Eater (1821) and the memoirs by veterans of the Napoleonic Wars (Lejeune, 2016).
However, apart from these early instances, autobiographies have been composed by a wide array of individuals from history.
In the early 20th century, the genre witnessed major transformations, and autobiographies started to cover a broader spectrum of experiences, including trauma, struggles, and successes.
‘Black Boy’ by Richard Wright, for instance, shares the author’s experiences with racism and his journey towards developing a literary career (Wright, 1945).
This was followed by a host of autobiographies by public figures sharing their diverse stories, such as Ernest Hemingway’s ‘A Moveable Feast’, depicting his days as a struggling young writer in Paris (Hemingway, 1964).
Autobiography as a genre has continued to evolve over the years, and a variety of forms have emerged to communicate individual experiences globally.
As history has progressed, we see more and more people with diverse perspectives sharing their stories, broadening our understanding of the human experience (Smith & Watson, 2010).
Key Characteristics of Autobiographies
| The author of the autobiography is the person the story is about. They are the principal actor and the of the information (Miller, 2014). As a result, we can get a deeper ‘insider’ insight into their mentality and expereinces. | |
| An autobiography emphasizes the personal viewpoint adopted by the author. The story is told from their own emotions, biases, and interpretations, providing a very personal perspective. However, we also need to be aware that it’s going to only present one self-serving perspective on the matter. | |
| Autobiographies go beyond factual accounts and include the author’s internal thoughts, emotions, and introspections about their experiences (Baker et al., 2013). | |
| Unlike a biography, an autobiography may not cover the entirety of the author’s life. Instead, they’re more likely to concentrate on specific themes (like resilience) or significant periods (like childhood or a specific career phase) (Brown & Brown, 2018). |
Examples of Autobiographies
Title: Long Walk to Freedom Author: Nelson Mandela Description: “Long Walk to Freedom” provides an in-depth exploration of ex-President Nelson Mandela, his political journey, and his stand against apartheid in South Africa. The biography offers a unique perspective into Mandela’s noble character, his indomitable spirit, and his commitment to justice when faced with grave adversities (Mandela, 1995). Mandela serves as one of our times’ great moral and political leaders through this biography.
Title: The Diary of a Young Girl Author: Anne Frank Description: This biography provides a startling firsthand account of a young Jewish girl named Anne Frank, who with her family, hid from the Nazis in Amsterdam during World War II. Her diary entries offer profound insights into the fear, hope, and resilience she demonstrated during her two years in hiding (Frank, 1947). Frank’s posthumous biographical record serves as a reminder of the injustices of the past and as a symbol of endurance in the face of oppression.
Title: I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings Author: Maya Angelou Description: This moving autobiography charts Maya Angelou’s early life, from experiencing racial discrimination in the South to becoming the first black streetcar conductor in San Francisco. Angelou portrays her journey of self-discovery and overcoming traumatic experiences, including racial prejudice and personal trauma, with remarkable strength and grace. Her story is one of resilience, and it speaks powerfully about finding one’s voice (Angelou, 1969).
Title: Night Author: Elie Wiesel Description: “Night” is Wiesel’s personal account of his experiences in Nazi concentration camps during World War II with his father. This heartbreaking narrative describes not only physical hardship and cruel atrocities but also examines the loss of innocence and the struggle to maintain faith in humanity. It stands as a testament to human resilience in the face of unimaginable horror (Wiesel, 1960).
Title: Dreams from My Father Author: Barack Obama Description: In this engaging memoir, the 44th President of the United States narrates the story of his diverse background and early life. The narrative extends from his birth in Hawaii to his first visit to Kenya, from dealing with racial identity to self-discovery. “Dreams from My Father” not only provides personal insights about Obama’s life and values but also discusses issues of race, identity, and purpose (Obama, 1995).
Similarities and Differences Between Biographies and Autobiographies
| 1. Authorship | Written by a third party. The author and subject are different individuals (Smith et al., 2012). | Written by the subject themselves. The author is the person the story is about (Miller, 2014). |
| 2. Perspective | Presents an objective perspective, offering a balanced view of the subject’s life (Jones, 2015). | Emphasizes a subjective perspective, providing a very personal view of the author’s life. |
| 3. Content | Focuses on facts and major life events, offering a comprehensive account of an individual’s life (Johnson & Johnson, 2017). | Often includes personal reflections and feelings, may focus on specific themes or periods in the author’s life (Baker et al., 2013; Brown & Brown, 2018). |
| 4. Personal Reflections | Contains limited personal reflections or emotions of the subject. | Contains an abundance of personal reflections and emotions from the author (Baker et al., 2013). |
| 5. Subjectivity / Objectivity | More objective due to the distance between the author and the subject (Jones, 2015). | More subjective due to the close relationship between the author and the subject – they’re the same person. |
| 6. Strengths | Provides an impartial and factual account of a person’s life, which can be helpful for historical or academic study (Williams, 2019). | Gives a deeper insight into a person’s thoughts and emotions, providing a unique perspective on their life experiences (Baker et al., 2013). |
| 7. Weaknesses | May lack personal insight or emotional depth due to its objective approach (Williams, 2019). | May be biased or overly emotional due to its subjective approach, and may not cover the entirety of the author’s life (Brown & Brown, 2018). |
While both biographies and autobiographies are excellent sources of information and entertainment about significant figures in history (or the present!), they serve different purposes. By knowing the different purposes of each, we can develop stronger media literacy , understanding what the intention of the author is, and how we should approach the text.
Angelou, M. (1969). I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings . Random House.
Baker, J., Davis, E., & Thompson, K. (2013). Reflection and Emotions in Autobiography . Chicago University Press.
Boswell, J. (1791). The Life of Samuel Johnson . J.R. Taylor.
Brown, J., & Brown, S. (2018). Thematic Focus in Autobiography Writing . Princeton University Press.
Chernow, R. (2004). Alexander Hamilton . Penguin Books.
Ditchfield, S. (2018). Extracting the Domestic from the Didactic: Transmission and Translation of the Sacred in The Lives of the Ancient Fathers (1672–1675). Church History and Religious Culture, 98 (1), 28-50.
Eakin, P. J. (2015). How Our Lives Become Stories: Making Selves . Cornell University Press.
Frank, A. (1947). The Diary of a Young Girl . Contact Publishing.
Hemingway, E. (1964). A Moveable Feast . Charles Scribner’s Sons.
Isaacson, W. (2011). Steve Jobs . Simon & Schuster.
Johnson, M., & Johnson, S. (2017). A Comprehensive Guide to Biography Writing . New York: Penguin.
Johnson, S. (1781). The Lives of the Most Eminent English Poets . Printed by C. Bathurst, J. Buckland [and 28 others in London].
Jones, B. (2015). The Art of Writing Biographies: An Objective Approach . Oxford University Press.
Lejeune, P. (2016). On Autobiography . University of Minnesota Press.
Mandela, N. (1995). Long Walk to Freedom: The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela . Macdonald Purnell.
Miller, R. (2014). The Self as the Subject: Autobiography Writing . Stanford University Press.
Morris, E. (1979). The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt . Coward, McCann & Geoghegan.
Obama, B. (1995). Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance . Crown Publishing Group.
Schiffrin D., & Brockmeier J. (2012). Narrative Identity and Autobiographical Recall. Royal Institute of Philosophy Supplements, 70 , 113-144.
Smith, J., Davis, M., & Thompson, S. (2012). Third Party Narratives: An Exploration of Biography Writing . Cambridge University Press.
Smith, S., & Watson, J. (2010). Reading Autobiography: A Guide for Interpreting Life Narratives . University of Minnesota Press.
Sweet, R. (2010). Biographical Dictionaries and Historiography. Bibliothèque d’Humanisme et Renaissance, 72 (2), 355–368.
Wiesel, E. (1960). Night . Hill & Wang.
Williams, T. (2019). The Importance of Facts in Biographies . HarperCollins.
Wright, R. (1945). Black Boy: A Record of Childhood and Youth . Harper & Brothers.
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- Key Differences
Know the Differences & Comparisons
Difference between Biography and Autobiography
Both of these two presents the view of, what happened in the past where the author lived. These are non-fiction books, written in chronological order, tells a story about the person who made a significant contribution in a specific field. Many think that the two writing forms are one and the same thing, but there are noticeable difference between the two, that are presented in the given article.
Content: Biography Vs Autobiography
Comparison chart.
| Basis for Comparison | Biography | Autobiography |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Biography refers to an account that tells someone else's life story. | Autobiography means an account that tells your life story. |
| Authorization | Can be written, with or without the authorization of the subject. | Not required |
| Written in | Third person | First person |
| Purpose | To inform | To express and inform |
| Outlook | Based on facts collected by the author. | Full of emotions and thoughts. |
Definition of Biography
A biography also referred as ‘bio’ is a detailed account of a person’s life written or produced by another person. It gives an elaborate information regarding the birthplace, educational background, work, relationships and demise of the person concerned. It presents the subject’s intimate details about life, focusing on the highs and lows and analysing their whole personality.
A biography is usually in the written form but can also be made in other forms of a music composition or literature to film interpretation.
It is the recreation of the life of an individual composed of words by another person. The author collects every single detail about the subject and presents those facts in the biography, which are relevant and interesting, to engross the readers in the story.
Definition of Autobiography
An autobiography is the life sketch of a person written by that person himself or herself. The word auto means ‘self.’ Therefore, autobiography contains all the elements of a biography but composed or narrated by the author himself. He/She may write on their own or may hire ghostwriters to write for them.
An autobiography presents the narrator’s character sketch, the place where he is born and brought up, his education, work, life experiences, challenges, and achievements. This may include events and stories of his childhood, teenage, and adulthood.
Key Differences Between Biography and Autobiography
The difference between biography and autobiography are discussed in detail in the following points:
- Biography is a detailed account of a person’s life written by someone else, while an autobiography is written by the subject themselves.
- Biography can be written with (authorised) or without permission (unauthorised) from the person/heir’s concerned. Therefore, there are chances of factual mistakes in the information. On the other hand, autobiographies are self-written and therefore doesn’t require any authorization.
- Biographies contain information that is collected over a period of time from different sources and thus, it projects a different outlook to the readers. On the other hand, autobiographies are written by the subject themselves, therefore, the writer presents the facts and his thinking in his own way, thus providing an overall narrow and biased perspective to the readers.
- In an Autobiography, the author uses the first narrative like I, me, we, he, she, etc. This, in turn, makes an intimate connection between the author and the reader since the reader experience various aspects as if he/she is in that time period. As opposed a biography is from a third person’s view and is much less intimate.
- The purpose of writing a biography is to introduce and inform the readers about the person and his life whereas an autobiography is written in order to express, the life experiences and achievements of the narrator.
Video: Biography Vs Autobiography
There are several autobiographies which are worth mentioning like ‘The Story of My Life’ by Helen Keller, ‘An Autobiography’ by Jawaharlal Nehru, ‘The Diary of a Young Girl’ by Anne Frank, ‘Memoirs of the Second World War’ by Winston Churchill, ‘Wings of Fire’ by A. P. J. Abdul Kalam and much more.
Examples of some famous biographies are- Tolstoy: A Russian Life by Rosamund Bartlett, His Excellency: George Washington by Joseph J. Ellis, Einstein: The Life and Times by Ronald William Clark, Biography of Walt Disney: The Inspirational Life Story of Walt Disney – The Man Behind “Disneyland” by Steve Walters, Princess Diana- A Biography Of The Princess Of Wales by Drew L. Crichton.
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Microsoft 365 Life Hacks > Writing > What’s the difference between a biography and an autobiography?
What’s the difference between a biography and an autobiography?
If you’ve ever set foot in a bookstore, you’ve likely come across both autobiographies and biographies that tell about the lives of notable individuals. Let’s take a look at the most important differences between these non-fiction books.
What is a biography?
Typically written in the third person, a biography is a detailed story about a living or deceased person’s life. A third party writes this non-fiction account of someone’s life. Let’s say Person A is a famous singer who recently passed away. Person B researches and writes a fact-based story on the famous singer’s life from start to finish. Person B’s factual story of Person A’s life is a biography.
Types of biographies
Biographies don’t always take the same approach or follow the same structure. Some are more official, while others get more creative. Writers can choose from a few common biography types, including:
- Authorized biographies, which received the subject’s input and/or permission.
- Unauthorized biographies, which were written without the subject’s approval or input.
- Biographical novels, which were inspired by a real person’s life, but feature embellishments that may make the story more interesting.
- Group biographies, which focus on groups of people rather than a single person.
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Examples of biographies
Each biography is a window into someone’s life, offering unique insights and perspectives. From the struggles of historical figures to the triumphs of artistic icons, biographies are not just informative but can also be deeply inspiring. Here are a few examples:
- The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot is a biography that describes the life of Henrietta Lacks, an African American woman whose cells were extremely important for medical research.
- Catherine the Great: Portrait of a Woman by Robert K. Massie is a biography that describes Catherine the Great’s origins and rise to power as a Russian empress.
- Frida: A Biography of Frida Kahlo by Hayden Herrera details the painter’s life and famous works.
What is an autobiography?
Usually written in the first person, an autobiography is when the author writes about their own life. This subjective account is unique because it allows the author to share details of their life that another writer might not have been able to uncover.
Types of autobiographies
There are two main types of autobiographies: complete autobiographies and memoirs. In a complete autobiography, the author begins their story with their roots or birth and ends the autobiography at their current age. In a memoir, the author writes about a specific period of their life. For example, a famous actor may begin a memoir by sharing their first role in a movie, rather than sharing details about the beginning of their life or their childhood.
Examples of autobiographies
Autobiographies offer a unique lens into the lives of their authors, providing firsthand accounts of their experiences, challenges, and triumphs. Here are a few examples of notable autobiographies:
- In Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda, Yogananda provides a first-hand account of his life and spiritual growth.
- In The Story of My Life by Helen Keller, Keller shares her life from birth until she was 22. She shares how she learned to communicate despite being blind and deaf.
- In The Autobiography of Malcolm X by Malcolm X, he shares his life from childhood through adulthood and how he impacted the civil rights movement.
In summary, a biography is a story of someone’s life, written by a different person, versus an autobiography where an author writes about their own life.
Why should you read biographies (or autobiographies)?
Biographies and autobiographies are a great way to get an in-depth look at the lives of politicians, musicians, historical figures, innovators, and more. If there’s a famous person that you admire, there’s likely a biography written about them or an autobiography that they wrote themselves that can teach you more about their accomplishments.
If you’re interested in writing a biography or autobiography, see how you can write, research, and organize a book using OneNote . Whether you’re just putting together your first draft or you’re still outlining your story , you can elevate your writing in real time with Microsoft Editor .
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Autobiography vs Biography: Differences and Similarities
So you want to learn more about your favorite influential figure. Should you read an autobiography or a biography about them?
It depends on what you’re looking for!
Need A Nonfiction Book Outline?
In this guide, we’ll explain autobiography vs biography and help you choose which one you want to read. We’ll also touch on where memoirs fit in with these genres. Let’s dive in!
This autobiography vs biography comparison includes:
The similarities between biographies and autobiographies.
Both biographies and autobiographies are written accounts of a person’s life. They typically recount the person’s life experiences, challenges, and accomplishments.
Usually, each of these genres is written in a narrative style. In other words, it uses storytelling techniques to convey information about its subject.
Autobiographies and biographies both feature context about the subject’s life by discussing the time in which the subject lived (or is living), the culture and location in which they live(d), and more.
Like any good story, the best biographies and autobiographies often feature narratives about trials that are overcome and lessons that are learned. They may also focus on the influence and impact of the book’s subject.
Difference between biography and autobiography
The biggest difference between an autobiography and a biography is that an autobiography is written by the subject of the book about their own life, while a biography is written by another person.
For example, actress Lucille Ball wrote an autobiography about her life called Love, Lucy . Meanwhile, an author named Kathleen Brady wrote a biography about Lucille Ball called Lucy: The Life of Lucille Ball .
Here are a few other key differences between the two genres:
1. Different perspectives
Naturally, an autobiography is written from the first-person perspective, which means the author is providing a personalized point of view on their own life.
Meanwhile, a biography is written from a third-person perspective, meaning the author is writing from an external point of view, with limited insight into the subject’s personal thoughts or feelings.
2. Control of the narrative
When someone writes their autobiography , they control which parts of their life story they include and which they omit. They can choose which perspective they share and which parts of themselves they want to spotlight.
Meanwhile, a biography relies on research, interviews and sources to construct a complete picture of a subject’s life. A biographer is likely to be more objective in their presentation of a person—perhaps even including unsavory details about their subject that the subject themselves wouldn’t include.
3. Levels of objectivity
Even the best autobiography will be subjective because it’s based on the author’s personal memories and feelings.
On the other hand, many biographers strive to be more objective in their writing. They tend to consult multiple sources, conduct a variety of interviews, and more to make sure they’re writing an accurate portrayal of their subject.
4. Sources used
Because an autobiographer is writing a story about their own life, their sources will primarily be self-generated. Though they may rely on those close to them, like family members, to verify or recount certain memories they hold.
That said, many autobiographers still need to do research to add context and depth to their life stories, whether that’s learning about the town they grew up in, their family history, or something else.
Meanwhile, biographers rely on archival materials, research, interviews, historical documents, and more to help them write the story about their subject.
5. Writing style
Because autobiographies are more personal, they often reflect the author’s unique writing style and personality.
On the other hand, biographies generally strive to be more objective, with a focus on a cohesive, well-researched narrative. (But to be clear: they can still be very engaging!)
Where do memoirs fit in?
We’ve learned about the differences and similarities between autobiographies and biographies, so where do memoirs fit into the puzzle?
Like an autobiography, a memoir is written by the subject of the book. Both genres tend to focus on the author’s personal life, are written in the first person, and can be highly subjective.
However, where autobiography vs memoir differs is partially in the scope of the book. An autobiography often encompasses most of the author’s life, while a memoir is likely to focus on one specific event, theme, or period in the author’s life.
Memoirs also adhere less to chronological storytelling than autobiographies do. They can jump around in time and tend to be centered more on themes, reflection, or specific, impactful moments in the author’s life.
In summary, you can think of memoirs as even more personal than autobiographies, focusing on a selected part of the writer’s life. They’re also more likely than autobiographies to be written by folks who aren’t famous.
Final thoughts
While biographies, autobiographies and memoirs all tell a subject’s life story, they do it in different ways. The type of genre you’d like to read (or write) will be contingent on what you’d like to learn about your chosen subject.
If you’re interested in writing your own memoir, autobiography or memoir, we can help you do it. Simply schedule a book consultation to get started.
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What Is The Difference Between An Autobiography And A Biography?
What are the differences between autobiographies and biographies?
The two words are not interchangeable .
And neither is a subset of the other.
Once you get a handle on what sets them apart, you’ll never get them confused again.
You’ll be able to explain the difference between autobiography and biography as proficiently as any publisher or semantics expert .
And you’ll know just how to market your book to get your ideal reader’s attention .
Let’s get started.
1. Autobiographies are written by (or with) the subject.
2. autobiographies are in the first person; biographies are (typically) in the third person. , 3. biographies don’t require the permission of the subject. , 4. autobiographies can include the subject’s thoughts and feelings. , 5. autobiographies are more subjective; biographies are meant to be more objective. , 6. autobiographies generally cover the entire life from childhood to the present. , 7. autobiographies inform the reader about the subject’s motives. , the difference between autobiography and biography: 7 distinctions you should know .
You’re here for one reason: to finally settle the autobiography vs. biography question. Maybe someone asked you, and you weren’t sure of your answer. Or perhaps you’ve confused autobiography and biography one too many times.
You’re not alone. And you’re about to learn the critical differences and what these two have in common.
If you’re writing a book about your own life, you’re writing either an autobiography or a memoir .
Even if you’re paying a ghostwriter to write most or all of it for you, based on conversations with them, you’re still considered the author, and it’s still an autobiography (or memoir ).
Every autobiography results from the subject’s own writing or a collaboration between the subject and their ghostwriter.
With an autobiography, you address the reader using the first-person point of view . You’re telling them a story about your life.
Since someone other than the subject (or their ghostwriter) writes the biography, it’s written about the subject — not from their point of view. The author of a biography typically refers to the subject using the third person.
Using the third person creates distance between the narrator and the subject.
Before writing the book, the author of a biography may or may not reach out to the (living) subject. They may want the subject’s permission and input.
On the other hand, they may choose to write an “unauthorized biography” with shock value, in which case permission from the subject is more an obstacle than an advantage.
Much depends on whether the biographer has any real interest in understanding the subject and their motives.
Unlike biographies, where the author typically doesn’t have access to the subject’s thoughts and feelings, the author of an autobiography does.
Because the author is the subject, they know and can share their deepest motives behind the actions they’ve taken. They remember thoughts that came right before they did something they regret (or not).
They remember how they felt during the most significant moments of their lives.
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Biographies are supposed to be objective retellings of the subject’s life or the most noteworthy parts of it.
Autobiographies, by contrast, are more subjective since the one writing them is the subject .
When you write your autobiography, you give the world your unique take on your life, what happened to you, and what you did with it.
Your autobiography is not meant to be objective; it’s meant to be personal.
Autobiographies generally cover the entirety of the subject’s (i.e., author’s) life up to that point. Memoirs typically focus on a particular part of the subject’s life.
Biographies, too, focus on certain parts or aspects of the subject’s life, whether it’s a scandal, a collection of little-known fact-based anecdotes, or the secret to the subject’s success (or downfall).
The point of a biography is to satisfy the ideal reader’s curiosity about the subject.
Autobiographies focus less on facts than on the motives behind them — specifically the subject’s motives since those are the only ones the author knows.
The author-subject writing their autobiography is in a unique position to understand the true motives of their book’s main character.
And readers who genuinely care about that are more likely to take the subject-author’s word than that of an unauthorized biographer speculating as to the subject’s motives..
Now that you know the facts behind the biography vs. autobiography question, we hope you find it easier to explain the differences to anyone who asks.
Whatever type of life story you’re writing, may you have all the information, insight, and resources you need to make it unputdownable — and a credit to your name.
Happy writing!
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Biography vs. Autobiography: What's the Difference?
Key Differences
Comparison chart, perspective, research requirement, authorization, biography and autobiography definitions, autobiography, who typically writes a biography, is research needed for writing a biography, what is a biography, is an autobiography always truthful, are memoirs and autobiographies the same, which is more subjective, a biography or an autobiography, can biographies be fictionalized, are autobiographies written posthumously, how does an autobiography differ from a biography, what perspective is an autobiography written from, can a biography be written without the subject's permission, can a person have both a biography and an autobiography, who is the target audience for biographies and autobiographies, are biographies always factual, do autobiographies cover an individual's entire life, how do readers benefit from biographies, what challenges do biographers face, are personal memories the main source for autobiographies, which is more intimate, a biography or an autobiography, why do people write autobiographies.
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Difference Between Biography and Autobiography (With Table)
Biography and autobiography are two literary genres that revolve around the life stories of individuals. Despite sharing a common subject matter, there are distinct differences between these two forms of literature. While both biography and autobiography aim to tell the life story of an individual, they differ in terms of authorship and perspective. In this article, we will discuss the similarities and differences between biography and autobiography with the help of a table and other key differences.
Table of Contents
Biography Vs Autobiography (Chart)
| Biography | Autobiography |
|---|---|
| Biography refers to a written account of someone else’s life, usually written by a third-party author. | An autobiography refers to a written account of one’s own life, written by the person themselves. |
| It is written in the third person point of view | It is written in the first-person point of view |
| For biography, research is required to gather information from primary and secondary sources | In this case, the author writes from their own perspective and relies on their own memory |
| Biography is intended for a general audience interested in learning about the subject’s life. | It is intended for a specific audience interested in learning about the author’s life |
| It can be written anytime. | It is usually written later in life. |
| “Steve Jobs” by Walter Isaacson, and “Becoming” by Michelle Obama. | “The Autobiography of Malcolm X” by Malcolm X and Alex Haley, “The Diary of a Young Girl” by Anne Frank. |
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What is Biography?
A biography is a written account of a person’s life story, written by another person. It is an objective account of the life of an individual, including significant events, accomplishments, and notable contributions. A biographer conducts extensive research to gather information about the individual, including interviews with family members, friends, and colleagues. Biographers often use primary sources such as diaries, letters, and other personal documents to gain a deeper understanding of the subject’s life.
A biography can be written in various formats, including a chronological account of the subject’s life, a thematic approach that focuses on specific aspects of the individual’s life, or a combination of both. Biographies can be written for a wide audience or targeted to a specific demographic. Biographies can also be written in different styles, such as academic or popular, depending on the intended readership.
What is Autobiography?
An autobiography is a written account of a person’s life story, written by the individual themselves. It is a first-person account of one’s life experiences, providing insights into the author’s thoughts, feelings, and personal perspectives. Autobiographies often provide a deeper understanding of the subject’s life, as they offer unique insights into the individual’s thought processes and motivations.
Autobiographies can also be written in various formats, including a chronological account of the author’s life, a thematic approach that focuses on specific events or experiences, or a combination of both. Like biographies, autobiographies can be written for a wide audience or targeted to a specific demographic.
Key Differences Between Biography and Autobiography
While comparing biography and autobiography, here we have included some of the key differences between them. They are as follows.
- Authorship: The most significant difference between biography and autobiography is authorship. A biography is written by another person, while an autobiography is written by the individual themselves. Biographies are therefore objective accounts of the subject’s life, while autobiographies are subjective accounts of the author’s experiences.
- Perspective: Biographies offer an outsider’s perspective on the subject’s life, while autobiographies offer a first-person perspective. Autobiographies provide unique insights into the author’s thoughts, feelings, and personal experiences. On the other hand, biographies rely on interviews and primary sources to gain a deeper understanding of the subject’s life.
- Purpose: Biographies are often written to provide an objective account of an individual’s life. On the other hand, autobiographies are often written to offer a personal perspective on the author’s life experiences. Biographies can also be written to provide insights into historical events or cultural movements. In contrast, autobiographies are often written for therapeutic or personal reasons.
The following comparison table also shows the difference between biography and autobiography in a brief manner.
3 Similarities between Biography and Autobiography
- Both genres aim to tell the life story of an individual. Whether written by an author or the individual themselves, both biographies and autobiographies aim to provide a comprehensive account of the subject’s life experiences.
- Both genres rely on extensive research to gather information about the subject’s life. Biographers conduct interviews and use primary sources to gain a deeper understanding of the individual’s life, while autobiographers draw on their personal experiences and memories to create a first-person account.
- And finally, both genres can be written in various formats, including a chronological account of the subject’s life or a thematic approach that focuses on specific events or experiences.
In conclusion, biography and autobiography are two distinct genres that share a common subject matter. whether you prefer reading about the lives of others or writing about your own experiences, both biography, and autobiography offer rich and engaging narratives that can inspire, educate, and entertain readers for generations to come.
Basir Saboor
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5 Key Differences between Autobiography and Biography [with Examples]
Last Updated on July 20, 2022 by Dr Sharon Baisil MD
Introduction
Many people define autobiography as a story about themselves, written by themselves. But what about biography? Is that a story about someone, written by someone who is not themselves? And if not, how do these two categories differ? This article will unveil the answers to these questions and give you some examples to help you understand the key differences. So scroll on to read more about the different types of biography!
What is an Autobiography?
An autobiography is a book that a person writes about their own life. As a result, an autobiography encompasses all the features of biography but is written or narrated by the author himself. They may compose on their own or outsource the composition to ghostwriters.
The narrator’s character sketch, as well as information about his birthplace and upbringing, education, employment, life difficulties, and accomplishments, are described in the autobiography. Events from his childhood, adolescence, and adulthood may all be included.
What is a Biography?
An in-depth account of a person’s life produced or written by another person is a biography, also known as a “bio.” It provides detailed information about their birthplace, educational history, employment, connections, and death. It looks at the highs and lows of a person’s life, analyzes their entire personality, and reveals the subject’s secrets.
It’s when another person puts words together to replicate a particular person’s life. To captivate the readers in the tale, the author collects all of the information on the topic and presents it in a relevant and fascinating biography.
5 Key Differences Between an Autobiography and Biography
In the following points, I go into detail about the difference between biography and autobiography:
The distinction between an autobiography and a biography is who writes the book. The person the book is about always writes their autobiography. Other than the book’s subject is almost always the author of a biography.
For instance, famous people who have already lived a long life span can write life stories that are sometimes known as biographies, autobiographical novels, and memoirs.
The individual discussed in the story writes their autobiography. On the other hand, biographies may be written by anybody and about anybody, and Biographies may offer less realistic portrayals of a person’s personal experiences, explaining this.
Narrative Voice/Point of View
The narrative voice is another aspect that distinguishes biography from autobiography writing. First-person stories (using I and me) are used in autobiography writings. Third-person narratives are used to write biographies, and this is a much less intimate third-person narrative.
The first person point of view (I, me, my) gives the experience and thoughts of one person or an entity in a certain situation.
In the third-person point of view you have “he” was born on Tuesday 30th September 1948 in Liverpool he has been married three times but divorced twice his first wife died after giving birth to their son by her death Robert suffered a mental breakdown he moved into the house with his father who later committed suicide.
Level of Objectivity
In comparison to an autobiography, a biography is more objective. Biography writers normally investigate data via a journalistic study effort that may include investigating archives of occurrences and speaking with the book’s subject and others.
Rather than including input from other sources, an autobiography writer usually bases the content on their recollections of events. Biographies are written to introduce and educate the reader about the individual, whereas autobiographies are authored to express, through words, the narrator’s life experiences and accomplishments.
Unauthorized vs. Authorized
The book is written with the collaboration and permission of the person it refers to if that person is authorized. If not, it is written without their permission. An autobiography is always authorized, even if it is unauthorized.
There is no rule against self-authored autobiographies. But, when a writer creates a biography about someone else, the situation becomes more complicated. Autobiographies, on the other hand, need no permission to be written!
Timeline: Both forms of writing are most commonly written in chronological order, and this means that they write events from birth to death or the present day.
Purpose: although different people may write memoirs and biographies, both share the same purpose: telling a story about an individual’s life and experiences.
Kind of Information
Biographies give readers a different perspective since they contain information obtained from many sources over a long period. On the other hand, autobiographies are authored by the individual himself, and the author portrays events and his philosophy, giving readers an overall restricted and biased viewpoint.
Some Famous Examples of Autobiographies & Biographies for Better Understanding
Biography and autobiography are the most basic non-fiction genres. A biography is a non-fiction account of the life of an individual or group, while an autobiography is similar but focuses on telling events in a person’s lifetime. Both can write accurate stories about their subjects without bias: biographer David McCullough said he wanted his book “1776” to tell “the story as it happened.”
The book is not precisely the same as an autobiography, even though it is written by the individual. Memoirs, unlike autobiographies, focus on a specific incident or aspect of a person’s life rather than the whole narrative. The tone of a memoir is usually informal and emotional.
Autobiography Examples
Our Anne Frank Reading Comprehension, ideal for students interested in autobiographical writing, will introduce them to this form of writing by focusing on one of the most well-known examples .
I am Malala
Malala Yousafzai tells the narrative of her remarkable life in I Am Malala : The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban. At a very early age, she was an outspoken supporter of education as a youngster in Pakistan. Consequently, she was shot in the head by Taliban members when she was 15 years old. She spoke about her experiences at the UN after recovering from her trauma and returning to school.
Many autobiographies worth mentioning include Helen Keller’s “The Story of My Life,” Jawaharlal Nehru’s “My Autobiography,” Anne Frank’s “Diary of a Young Girl,” and Winston Churchill’s “Memoirs of the Second World War.” P. is an actor born in Australia and moved to England in the early 2000s. J. is the final letter in the alphabet. Abdul Kalam, among others, is mentioned.
Biography Examples
In his biography of Steve Jobs , journalist and author Walter Isaacson tell one of the most important persons in the technology business. Isaacson spent over two years researching Jobs’ life and spoke with more than 100 individuals who knew him to tell this tale. The author has narrated the story of Jobs’ life in biography form by piecing together accounts from those who lived, loved, worked with, competed with, and were influenced by him.
And other famous biographies include Florence Nightingale, Snow White, Mary Mackillop, and more.
Memoir Example
Born a crime.
In Born a Crime , Trevor Noah discusses another aspect of his life as a stand-up comedian and host of The Daily Show. Noah’s early years as a multiracial kid in South Africa during apartheid are the subject of this memoir, which he wrote with his white father and black mother. Noah’s existence was unlawful because interracial relationships were prohibited in his country. This book gives fresh insights into the author’s upbringing in difficult times under extraordinary circumstances and is written in a light storytelling style that is both touching and funny.
Final Words
All autobiographies, biographies, and memoirs accomplish one thing: they tell a person’s non-fictional life story. Each, however, is distinctive in its way, as you can see.
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Home » Writing » Autobiography vs. Biography vs. Memoir
What is a Biography?
A biography, also called a bio, is a non-fiction piece of work giving an objective account of a person’s life. The main difference between a biography vs. an autobiography is that the author of a biography is not the subject. A biography could be someone still living today, or it could be the subject of a person who lived years ago.
Biographies include details of key events that shaped the subject’s life, and information about their birthplace, education, work, and relationships. Biographers use a number of research sources, including interviews, letters, diaries, photographs, essays, reference books, and newspapers. While a biography is usually in the written form, it can be produced in other formats such as music composition or film.
If the target person of the biography is not alive, then the storytelling requires an immense amount of research. Interviews might be required to collect information from historical experts, people who knew the person (e.g., friends and family), or reading other older accounts from other people who wrote about the person in previous years. In biographies where the person is still alive, the writer can conduct several interviews with the target person to gain insight on their life.
The goal of a biography is to take the reader through the life story of the person, including their childhood into adolescence and teenage years, and then their early adult life into the rest of their years. The biography tells a story of how the person learned life’s lessons and the ways the person navigated the world. It should give the reader a clear picture of the person’s personality, traits, and their interaction in the world.
Biographies can also be focused on groups of people and not just one person. For example, a biography can be a historical account of a group of people from hundreds of years ago. This group could have the main person who was a part of the group, and the author writes about the group to tell a story of how they shaped the world.
Fictional biographies mix some true historical accounts with events to help improve the story. Think of fictional biographies as movies that display a warning that the story is made of real characters, but some events are fictional to add to the storyline and entertainment value. A lot of research still goes into a fictional biography, but the author has more room to create a storyline instead of sticking to factual events.
Examples of famous biographies include:
- His Excellency: George Washington by Joseph J. Ellis
- Einstein: The Life and Times by Ronald William Clark
- Princess Diana – A Biography of The Princess of Wales by Drew L. Crichton
What is an Autobiography?
An autobiography is the story of a person’s life written by that person. Because the author is also the main character of the story, autobiographies are written in the first person. Usually, an autobiography is written by the person who is the subject of the book, but sometimes the autobiography is written by another person. Because an autobiography is usually a life story for the author, the theme can be anything from religious to a personal account to pass on to children.
The purpose of an autobiography is to portray the life experiences and achievements of the author. Therefore, most autobiographies are typically written later in the subject’s life. It’s written from the point of view of the author, so it typically uses first person accounts to describe the story.
An autobiography often begins during early childhood and chronologically details key events throughout the author’s life. Autobiographies usually include information about where a person was born and brought up, their education, career, life experiences, the challenges they faced, and their key achievements.
On rare occasions, an autobiography is created from a person’s diary or memoirs. When diaries are used, the author must organize them to create a chronological and cohesive story. The story might have flashbacks or flashforwards to describe a specific event, but the main storyline should follow chronological order from the author’s early life to their current events.
One of the main differences between an autobiography vs. a biography is that autobiographies tend to be more subjective. That’s because they are written by the subject, and present the facts based on their own memories of a specific situation, which can be biased. The story covers the author’s opinions on specific subjects and provides an account of their feelings as they navigate certain situations. These stories are also very personal because it’s a personal account of the author’s life rather than a biography where a third party writes about a specific person.
Examples of famous autobiographies include:
- The Story of My Life by Helen Keller
- The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
- Losing My Virginity by Richard Branson
What is a Memoir?
Memoir comes from the French word mémoire , meaning memory or reminiscence. Similar to an autobiography, a memoir is the story of a person’s life written by that person. These life stories are often from diary entries either from a first-person account or from a close family member or friend with access to personal diaries.
The difference between a memoir vs. an autobiography is that a memoir focuses on reflection and establishing an emotional connection, rather than simply presenting the facts about their life. The author uses their personal knowledge to tell an intimate and emotional story about the private or public happenings in their life. The author could be the person in the story, or it can be written by a close family member or friend who knew the subject person intimately. The topic is intentionally focused and does not include biographical or chronological aspects of the author’s life unless they are meaningful and relevant to the story.
Memoirs come in several types, all of which are written as an emotional account of the target person. They usually tell a story of a person who went through great struggles or faced challenges in a unique way. They can also cover confessionals where the memoir tells the story of the author’s account that contradicts another’s account.
This genre of writing is often stories covering famous people’s lives, such as celebrities. In many memoir projects, the celebrity or person of interest needs help with organization, writing the story, and fleshing out ideas from the person’s diaries. It might take several interviews before the story can be fully outlined and written, so it’s not uncommon for a memoir project to last several months.
Memoirs do not usually require as much research as biographies and autobiographies, because you have the personal accounts in diary entries and documents with the person’s thoughts. It might require several interviews, however, before the diary entries can be organized to give an accurate account on the person’s thoughts and emotions. The story does not necessarily need to be in chronological order compared to an autobiography, but it might be to tell a better story.
Examples of famous memoirs include:
- Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt
- I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
- Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant by Ulysses S. Grant
Autobiography vs. Biography vs. Memoir Comparison Chart
| An account of a person’s life | An account of one’s own life | A personal account of a specific time or experience |
| Written in the third person | Written in the first person | Written in the first person |
| Objective | Subjective | Subjective |
| Presents information collected from the subject, their acquaintances, or from other sources | Presents facts as they were experienced by the person | Presents facts as they were experienced by the person |
| Written to inform and establish a context | Written to inform and explain the motivation and thoughts behind actions and decisions | Written to reflect on and explore the emotion of an experience |
| Has restricted access to the subject’s thoughts and feelings | Offers access to personal thoughts and feelings | Offers access to personal thoughts, feelings, reactions, and reflections |
| Can be written anytime | Usually written later in life | Can be written anytime |
Check out some of our blogs to learn more about memoirs:
- What is a memoir?
- 5 tips for writing a memoir
- Your memoir is your legacy
Ready to get started on your own memoir, autobiography, or biography? Download our free desktop book-making software, BookWright .
Autobiographies , Biographies , memoirs
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Literary English
Difference between Biography and Autobiography
Biography and autobiography and are two ways to explain a person’s life story. These two have some key differences and similarities. This article will discuss biography and autobiography in detail. Moreover, we will find some best autobiographies and biographies as well.
What exactly is a biography?
A biography, often known as a bio, is a detailed description of a person’s life. It shows a person’s experience of life events such as school, jobs, relationships, and death, rather than merely the basic facts. A biography book can represent the whole life events of an individual.
Unlike a resume or profile best biography explains the events in a person’s life in detail. We can write about essential aspects of their life and do a personality analysis in a biography book.
What exactly is an autobiography?
The author writes an autobiography to represent their life experiences and success. That is why writers mostly write autobiographies at the end of their lives. It uses a first-person point of view because the main character writes it.
It is usually written by any famous personality who people want to know more about. It is not a rule that only well-known people can write their autobiographies. Anyone can write the story of their life.
Differences between biography and autobiography
Main differences between biography and autobiography are:
Anyone can write a biography of someone.
A biography book is often considered less accurate because someone else writes about another person.
Permissions are necessary to write a biography about someone. It can cause issues if the person is not comfortable to be written about.
A person who writes a biography book usually collects data through newspapers or journals. They can also interview the main character.
Some biography examples: are Steve Jobs, Leonardo the Vinci, Alexander Hamilton
Autobiography :
Any person can write an autobiography about themselves based on their perspectives.
An autobiography book is more accurate because the narrator has faced the events themselves.
There is no need of taking anyone’s permission to write an autobiography
Some autobiography examples are: The Diary of a Young Girl, Dreams from My Father, and Born a Crime.
Memories and occasions of one’s life are the basis of an autobiography book.
Similarities between biography and autobiography
There are differences as well as some similar things between these two writing styles. These are:
Biographies and autobiographies are both nonfiction texts. They are based on reality.
Both types of writing are typically written in sequence. This indicates that they write events from birth to death, or from the present to the future.
We write biographies and autobiographies for the same objective. These narratives are intended to educate the reader about facts, events, and experiences from someone’s life.
Focus/subject: The subject of both are famous personalities. Many celebrities, scientists, politicians, and historical personalities have biographies and autobiographies.
Types of biographies
Biographies have four categories: historical fiction, academic, fictional academic, and prophetic biography.
Historical Fiction Biography
In this type, the author writes about the persons who are still alive. They can be celebrities, politicians, or any other famous personality. Their true stories inspire people and motivate them. Historical fiction biography book often becomes a movie with additional fiction added. It provides both entertainment and information. Facts related to the person are sometimes not accurate in this kind. Historical fiction does not need to be perfectly precise in information.
Academic Biography
An academic biography is based on documented facts and figures. This type requires accuracy and no fiction at all. A person’s life events and success are described with fact-checked data. Academic biographies are not so simple to read. They provide many references related to the work. It is all history so people do not prefer to read something so dry. These biographies have a small readership and are rarely used outside of the classroom.
“John Wyclif: Myth and reality” is one of the academic biography examples.
Academic Fictional Biography
This type combines history and fiction. The combination is great because people get information in a fun way. The outcome is a balanced portrayal of how someone may have lived. It is done by mixing the author’s unique insights into life with the facts and teachings of the personality.
East to the Dawn: The Life of Amelia Earhart is one of the academic fictional biography examples.
Prophetic Biography
A prophetic biography varies from fictional biography. It tries to inspire the reader through the written personality. This type of biography creates a purpose along with entertainment. The goal is to give life lessons for the betterment of the readers. A fan of a prophetic biography will return to it again and again throughout their life for comfort, meaning, and guidance. “Free Eric. Bonhoeffer” and “Muhammad (PBUH) Islam and The First Arab Empire” are prophetic biography examples.
Types of Autobiography
An autobiography can be classified into four basic categories: thematic, religious, philosophical, and fictionalized.
Thematic Autobiography
Thematic autobiographies are typically more than just life stories. They express an underlying purpose within the narration. In this type, the author write autobiography to convey specific thoughts or ideals. The ideals can be any message that the author believes should be conveyed to the audience through this story.
Religious Autobiography In this type, author write autobiography that covers the journey towards religious enlightenment. People can take guidance from these autobiographies to follow the religious path. Thomas Merton’s “The Seven Storey Mountain” and “My Spiritual Journey” by the Dalai Lama are religious autobiography examples.
Scientific Autobiography
Scientific autobiography is about telling people about your journey. It tells important events that brought you to where you are now. You consider what has shaped your ideas and share it with the reader. Someone who reads this is curious about what has shaped you into who you are.
Fictional autobiography reflects the true experiences of the author. Some parts are dramatized to hide the identity of many people. Fiction is added to increase the artistic quantity of autobiography.
After reading all these types, you must be curious about how to write a biography or an autobiography. In this part we will teach you main points to write them.
How to Write a Biography
Following are the main points to write a Biography
Choose a subject
Take permissions
Research the subject
Form thesis
Outline the story
Include your thoughts
Choose a subject : The first step to write a biography is deciding on a subject. The method will be largely the same either way. You should look at important life events, relationships, and the person’s impact on society. Read more biography examples to get a better idea of writing it.
Take permissions: Once you’ve decided on a biography subject, get permission to write about their lives. If the person accepts, they will be able to provide accurate facts about their life.
Research the subject: To get the facts correct, research is essential. There are two types of research: primary and secondary. Primary sources are initial information about your subject’s life and are generally the most trustworthy sources. You can also use secondary information from magazines or documentaries if they are from valid sources.
Form Thesis : The first paragraph of your biography should tell the reader what they will learn about this individual from it. It should be interesting to grab the reader’s attention.
Outline the Story: Determine the major argument, or thesis, and then outline how each section will tell a different element to support that thesis. Determine whether you want to write about the subject’s entire life or simply a portion of it.
Include your thoughts: The author might add their ideas in the biography. This will assist you in explaining to the audience why a particular personality influences you. will show the purpose of why you wrote about this person. It will keep the audience reading from the first to the last sentence.
How to Write an Autobiography
Writing about your life can be intimidating but it can become easy by following some rules. Here’s a step-by-step tutorial on how to write an autobiography book:
Generate ideas
Create outline
Do research
Begin writing
Generate ideas: Make sure to cover all events of your life as you go through your memories. Begin with your youth, then move on to high school. Make sure to write about the event that made you famous.
Create Outline: Begin organizing a story based on the most interesting moments from your imagination. Then write every point that you will include in your autobiography book.
Research: You can interview your family and friends to remind you of details about different events. Examine your journals or old diaries, if you have any.
Begin writing: For the first time, you will be unable to write well. Write down all of the information you remember. Then, sort them out and write again.
Proofread: You should identify weak points in the story and make positive changes. Consider what you’d seek in a biography of another individual and apply it to your autobiography.
List of some most famous biographies and autobiographies are given below:
Examples of Biography
Churchill: A life by martin gilbert
Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow
A beautiful mind by Sylvia Nasar
Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer
Rosemary: The Hidden Kennedy Daughter by Kate Clifford Larson
Shelley: The Pursuit by Richard Holmes
Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson
Examples of Autobiography
Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
Open by Andre Agassi
On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King
A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway
Autobiography of Mark Twain
Dreams from My Father by Barack Obama
Conclusion :
There are many differences as well as similarities between biography and autobiography. You can write a biography of any famous personality by following the tips given above. The main tip to write a biography or autobiography is to read most of them first. Reading these is best for people who are interested in exploring non-fiction materials and history.
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The emergence of autobiography
Types of autobiography.
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- Literary Devices - Autobiography
- Academia - Autobiography
- The Canadian Encyclopedia - Autobiographical Writing in English
- autobiography - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11)
- autobiography - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)
- Table Of Contents
autobiography , the biography of oneself narrated by oneself. Autobiographical works can take many forms, from the intimate writings made during life that were not necessarily intended for publication (including letters, diaries , journals , memoirs , and reminiscences) to a formal book-length autobiography.
Formal autobiographies offer a special kind of biographical truth: a life, reshaped by recollection, with all of recollection’s conscious and unconscious omissions and distortions. The novelist Graham Greene said that, for this reason, an autobiography is only “a sort of life” and used the phrase as the title for his own autobiography (1971).
There are but few and scattered examples of autobiographical literature in antiquity and the Middle Ages. In the 2nd century bce the Chinese classical historian Sima Qian included a brief account of himself in the Shiji (“Historical Records”). It may be stretching a point to include, from the 1st century bce , the letters of Cicero (or, in the early Christian era, the letters of Saint Paul ), and Julius Caesar ’s Commentaries tell little about Caesar, though they present a masterly picture of the conquest of Gaul and the operations of the Roman military machine at its most efficient. But Saint Augustine ’s Confessions , written about 400 ce , stands out as unique: though Augustine put Christianity at the centre of his narrative and considered his description of his own life to be merely incidental, he produced a powerful personal account, stretching from youth to adulthood, of his religious conversion.
Confessions has much in common with what came to be known as autobiography in its modern, Western sense, which can be considered to have emerged in Europe during the Renaissance , in the 15th century. One of the first examples was produced in England by Margery Kempe , a religious mystic of Norfolk. In her old age Kempe dictated an account of her bustling, far-faring life, which, however concerned with religious experience, reveals her personality. One of the first full-scale formal autobiographies was written a generation later by a celebrated humanist publicist of the age, Enea Silvio Piccolomini, after he was elevated to the papacy, in 1458, as Pius II . In the first book of his autobiography—misleadingly named Commentarii , in evident imitation of Caesar—Pius II traces his career up to becoming pope; the succeeding 11 books (and a fragment of a 12th, which breaks off a few months before his death in 1464) present a panorama of the age.
The autobiography of the Italian physician and astrologer Gironimo Cardano and the adventures of the goldsmith and sculptor Benvenuto Cellini in Italy of the 16th century; the uninhibited autobiography of the English historian and diplomat Lord Herbert of Cherbury, in the early 17th; and Colley Cibber ’s Apology for the Life of Colley Cibber, Comedian in the early 18th—these are representative examples of biographical literature from the Renaissance to the Age of Enlightenment. The latter period itself produced three works that are especially notable for their very different reflections of the spirit of the times as well as of the personalities of their authors: the urbane autobiography of Edward Gibbon , the great historian; the plainspoken, vigorous success story of an American who possessed all talents, Benjamin Franklin ; and the introspection of a revolutionary Swiss-born political and social theorist, the Confessions of Jean-Jacques Rousseau —the latter leading to two autobiographical explorations in poetry during the Romantic period in England, William Wordsworth ’s Prelude and Lord Byron ’s Childe Harold , cantos III and IV.
An autobiography may be placed into one of four very broad types: thematic, religious, intellectual , and fictionalized. The first grouping includes books with such diverse purposes as The Americanization of Edward Bok (1920) and Adolf Hitler ’s Mein Kampf (1925, 1927). Religious autobiography claims a number of great works, ranging from Augustine and Kempe to the autobiographical chapters of Thomas Carlyle ’s Sartor Resartus and John Henry Cardinal Newman ’s Apologia in the 19th century. That century and the early 20th saw the creation of several intellectual autobiographies, including the severely analytical Autobiography of the philosopher John Stuart Mill and The Education of Henry Adams . Finally, somewhat analogous to the novel as biography is the autobiography thinly disguised as, or transformed into, the novel. This group includes such works as Samuel Butler ’s The Way of All Flesh (1903), James Joyce ’s A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man (1916), George Santayana ’s The Last Puritan (1935), and the novels of Thomas Wolfe . Yet in all of these works can be detected elements of all four types; the most outstanding autobiographies often ride roughshod over these distinctions.
Difference between Biography and Autobiography
When you read a biography or an autobiography, you read about a person’s life, right?
Summary Table
| An account of a person’s life | An account of one’s own life |
| Written in third person | Written in first person |
| Is objective | Is subjective |
| Presents information collected from the subject, his/her acquaintances, or from other sources | Presents facts as they were experienced |
| Has the purpose of informing and presents the context | Has the purpose of informing and of explaining the motivation and thoughts behind some actions |
| Has restricted access to the subject’s thoughts and feelings | Offers access to these thoughts and feelings |
Descriptions
A biography is an account of a person’s life. It is non-fictional and an objective rendering of information about everything that has shaped the individual and has made him/her famous.
Biographies are usually written about famous people like writers, artists, movie stars, or people who stood up against an oppressive system. This piece of writing tries to explain the context of their lives and actions – what made them who they are and caused them to write, to act, or to take a stand. This is why the person writing a biography must be very knowledgeable and well-informed. Years of study are required.
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This type of writing is usually more subjective and is filled with emotions and personal accounts, impressions, and resolutions which have led to that person’s great achievements. It must not be fictional, but it still is just one person’s opinion on a series of events which may include other people as well.
Biography vs Autobiography
To write a biography, the writer will have to collect facts, usually from other people or from other written texts. The author of an autobiography, however, will tell things as he/she experienced them. The biography author is compelled to be objective, while the author writing his own account can present personal opinions.
Core Differences
We Provide Comparison for All Terms
6 Crucial Difference between Biography and Autobiography
What is the difference between biography and autobiography?
Biography and autobiography are traditional forms of literature that describe a person’s life journey. The two documents view the events that happen in the past.
The article provides some insights into the difference between biography and autobiography in tabular form for easier understanding.
What Is Biography?
Biography is a detailed account of a person’s life produced by another person. The core parts are the birthplace, education details, work, relationship, and death.
Besides that, it provides information about the pros and cons of analyzing the personality of the person. It is normally in a written form but can be composed in other forms of literature.
Every single information collects tends to be facts about the person and they are put in written words for future references.
What Is Autobiography?
Autobiography is a life journey of a person written by himself or herself. The document contains all the details present in the biography but they are written by the person himself.
The core areas highlighted in the autobiography are the character, place of birth, education, work, life experience, challenges, and achievement.
Besides that, it may contain events or stories during childhood, teenage, and adulthood. Also, the narrator gives the character sketch of a person.
Comparison Chart: Biography Vs Autobiography
| Meaning | It is an account that tells someone else life story | It is an account that provides your life story. |
| Written in | Third-person | First-person |
| Aim | Objective | Subjective |
| Authorization | Can be written with or without authorization | Not required |
| Core Purpose | To inform | To express and inform |
| Outlook | Based on facts collected | Full of emotions and thoughts |
Core Difference between Biography and Autobiography
- The biography provides an account of a person’s life while autobiography provides an account of your life story
- Biography is written in the third person whereas autobiography in the first person
- Biography tend to be objective while autobiography subjective
- The biography presents information based on facts collected while autobiography has a lot of emotions and thoughts.
- The main aim of the biography is to inform whereas an autobiography is to express and inform.
- Biography can be written with or without authorization while autobiography does not need authorization.
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Comparison Video
There is plenty of biography and autobiography in the world today. Some can be in the form of written literature or videos or audios. You can pick the one that suits your needs.
The core difference between biography and autobiography is the author such that biography is written by someone while autobiography by oneself.
More Sources and References
- Autobiography. Wikipedia
- Autobiography and Biography . Britannica
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Biography Autobiography; 1. Authorship: Written by a third party. The author and subject are different individuals (Smith et al., 2012). Written by the subject themselves. The author is the person the story is about (Miller, 2014). 2. Perspective: Presents an objective perspective, offering a balanced view of the subject's life (Jones, 2015).
Biography is the life history of an individual, written by someone else, whereas the autobiography is an expression of a person's life, written by self. Both of these two presents the view of, what happened in the past where the author lived. These are non-fiction books, written in chronological order, tells a story about the person who made ...
Analyze the differences: biography vs autobiography. Includes descriptions & examples of each. We've even highlighted key differences for easy reference. Dictionary ... Authorship: Who writes the book is the primary difference between an autobiography and a biography. An autobiography is always written by the person the book is about.
In The Autobiography of Malcolm X by Malcolm X, he shares his life from childhood through adulthood and how he impacted the civil rights movement. In summary, a biography is a story of someone's life, written by a different person, versus an autobiography where an author writes about their own life.
The biggest difference between an autobiography and a biography is that an autobiography is written by the subject of the book about their own life, while a biography is written by another person. For example, actress Lucille Ball wrote an autobiography about her life called Love, Lucy. Meanwhile, an author named Kathleen Brady wrote a ...
Moreover, the biography is written in the third person point of view like he, she, him, her. The author is the subject of the story. Moreover, the autobiography is written from a first person point of view like I, me, my. Scope. A biography portrays the life of another person. An autobiography focuses on the author's own life.
1. Autobiographies are written by (or with) the subject. 2. Autobiographies are in the first person; biographies are (typically) in the third person. 3. Biographies don't require the permission of the subject. 4. Autobiographies can include the subject's thoughts and feelings. 5.
A biography provides insight into an individual's life, detailing their experiences, achievements, and challenges from the perspective of an external author. An autobiography, on the other hand, is penned by the individual themselves, offering a firsthand account of their life's journey. 12. In a biography, the subject might be anyone, from ...
Authorship: The most significant difference between biography and autobiography is authorship. A biography is written by another person, while an autobiography is written by the individual themselves. Biographies are therefore objective accounts of the subject's life, while autobiographies are subjective accounts of the author's experiences ...
The distinction between an autobiography and a biography is who writes the book. The person the book is about always writes their autobiography. Other than the book's subject is almost always the author of a biography. For instance, famous people who have already lived a long life span can write life stories that are sometimes known as ...
The difference between an autobiography and a biography is who writes the book. The autobiography is always written by that person himself. In the case of a biography, it is NEVER written by the subject or the main character of the book. Point of View of the Work.
A biography, also called a bio, is a non-fiction piece of work giving an objective account of a person's life. The main difference between a biography vs. an autobiography is that the author of a biography is not the subject. A biography could be someone still living today, or it could be the subject of a person who lived years ago.
Difference between Biography and Autobiography. Biography and autobiography and are two ways to explain a person's life story. These two have some key differences and similarities. This article will discuss biography and autobiography in detail. Moreover, we will find some best autobiographies and biographies as well. What exactly is a biography?
autobiography, the biography of oneself narrated by oneself. Autobiographical works can take many forms, from the intimate writings made during life that were not necessarily intended for publication (including letters, diaries, journals, memoirs, and reminiscences) to a formal book-length autobiography. Formal autobiographies offer a special ...
A biography is written by another person, while the autobiography is written by the subject of the book. This results in a series of small differences that can help you decide which type of account to choose. To write a biography, the writer will have to collect facts, usually from other people or from other written texts.
Autobiography Definition. An autobiography (awe-tow-bye-AWE-gruh-fee) is a self-written biography. The author writes about all or a portion of their own life to share their experience, frame it in a larger cultural or historical context, and/or inform and entertain the reader. Autobiographies have been a popular literary genre for centuries.
Biography is written in the third person whereas autobiography in the first person. Biography tend to be objective while autobiography subjective. The biography presents information based on facts collected while autobiography has a lot of emotions and thoughts. The main aim of the biography is to inform whereas an autobiography is to express ...
A biography is an account of a person's life, written by someone else.. An autobiography is an account of a person's life, written by that person.. A memoir is a special type of autobiography in which the person writes about a specific part of their life.. This guide was designed to help you find both biographical and autobiographical information in many different formats through the CCBC ...
A biography is a story of a person's life written by someone other than the story's subject. An autobiography is a story written by the subject of the story. Autobiographies are more authentic ...
What's the difference between biography and autobiography? In this video, we'll explore the key differences between these two genres of writing. We'll look a...
Authors: The most significant difference between biography and autobiography writing is the author. Autobiographies are written by the individual that is featured in the text. On the other hand, biographies can be written about anyone and by anyone. This could suggest that biographies present less accurate representations of a person's personal ...
But there are some key differences. A memoir is a nonfiction narrative in which the author shares their memories from a specific time period or reflects upon a string of themed occurrences throughout their life. An autobiography is a factual and historical account of one's entire life from beginning to end.