The DO and Don'ts of an Autobiography

[Kolt Thomas]

I need help... I'm writing an Autobiography and I don't know what I can and can't do. Can someone help me?

[Graeme]

Ultimately, people want to be entertained and/or educated when they read an autobiography. There's no hard-and-fast rules that I know of, but don't make it boring...

 

Seriously, work out what it is you want to say...and say it. Is this story about how you grew up, or is it the story that lead you your recent coming out? If it's the latter, then the story will probably start with when you began to realise you're gay, or maybe just before then (leading up to that realisation). You can do flashbacks to earlier times, if you like, as ancedotes during the story, but try to give the reader some sort of flow. Chronological sequence is obviously the easiest way to have a flow to the story, but it's not the only one (just don't ask me to explain because I tend to prefer chronological sequences to stories, regardless of whether they are biographical or fiction).

 

At your age the only thing I would suggest you be careful of is in naming real people. You can get away with it, but if you say the wrong thing, it might get you sued unless you can prove what you've written is true (the more generous rules for public figures won't apply, so you have to be careful).

[Enoch]

I echo everything Graeme said and add to remember the legal stuff and to be true to yourself.

[Zombie]

Hmm, not many teen autobiographies on library bookshelves - there may be a reason for that.

 

Another tack would be to use key / interesting elements from your life to date in a "fiction" story. That offers greater scope to create a work that people want to read because you can shape the facts, characters events and timeline to suit the story. It's like a landscape painting - the artist doesn't paint exactly what he sees, he uses the scenery to create something new that pleases him and - hopefully - others, even though it is based on the truth as s/he saw it.

[Drak]

Particularly for a young writer, I'd advise against using real names, locations and identifiable details altogether, because they don't add value to the story and can embarrass you later. Search engines only get more intelligent, and databases never forget. You may one day desire a job in the corporate world to pay the bills, and a clean Internet profile is essential.

[JamesSavik]

Outline, outline and outline some more. Nothing will make it work better than a good plan.

 

Change the names to protect the guilty.

 

Change the places to protect the innocent.

 

Be aware of the consequences of the truth. When I did this and admitted I was an addict, some people were real ass hats toward me.

 

Remember- you are young to be doing an autobiography.

 

Don't beat your younger self up for being young and inexperienced. It happens to the best (and worst ) of us.