Autobiography Sample

Writing an autobiography could be an interesting journey into our past life and also an opportunity to relive the best moments. An autobiography can be simply defined as a book about a person's life which is written by the person himself. The poet Robert Southey first used the word autobiography in 'Quarterly Review', an English periodical, in the year 1809. Let us understand how to write an autobiography through this article.

Autobiography Sample

An autobiography is generally written in a narrative format. Process of writing the autobiography though is challenging (squeezing in all the details concisely), it can prove to be a rewarding experience in the end. Having a good memory is a pre-requisite in writing a detailed and nice autobiography. One has to have the patience of writing down details as he remembers them; it is therefore recommended to have quick access to pen and paper so as to put down the facts without losing time. An autobiography is, however, not just a collection of facts about a person's life. An introspective approach should be taken in order to relive and experience once again the feelings and emotions experienced during certain striking incidents.

Basic Autobiography Format

The structure or format of an autobiography sample should contain some basic following points. These points are elaborated on, in the paragraphs below.

Basic Information
The basic information includes details about the person in question and his/her family. Name of the person, parents & siblings' names, and other such details form a part of the basic information. The birthplace, birth date, and birth order in case the person has siblings is included in these details.

Timeline
Once the basic information is listed, details about a person's life are presented in chronological order. Childhood years are generally given more importance, since it is the most important phase in the process of a person's development. Achievements in academics and professional life are provided in the subsequent sections. Many people like to share experiences of the first salary/earning. The first job experience could be a turning point in a person's life. The autobiography is made interesting by mentioning such experiences. Tragic events (if any) that have influenced a person's life can also be mentioned.

First or Early Experiences
A separate section can be allotted to various first-time or early experiences of life. The examples of such experiences could be as follows.

• First Bike
• First Day of School
• First day of College
• First Motorcycle
• First Job
• First Salary

Many such experiences can be included in this category.

Striking Memories
Special or striking memories should be included in this section. There many events in our life that are not forgotten easily. The impact they have on our lives is the reason behind them staying in our memory for a long time.

Autobiography Example

An autobiography example presented in a simple format is given below. The format provided below is more like an essay. However, one should present a detailed picture of one's life through the autobiography.

I was born and brought up in Houston, Texas. Ours is a family of four with my parents, me and my younger brother. The schooling years of my life were toughest. I struggled a lot in my studies. The standardized procedure of education never interested me.

I was an average student throughout my academic life. Extra-curricular activities like sports, drawing, crafts, etc. were my favorite things. I just remember that it was the second semester of 8th grade when I stood first in class. However, it didn't serve any purpose in motivating me to take up studies seriously. I enjoyed understanding the concepts more than just memorizing ready-made notes. After completion of my schooling and college in the science stream, I chose to become a painter. It was a weird decision taken by me at that time. Today, however, I don't regret it at all.

My career in painting began a smoothly and I was more than happy to grab the right opportunity for which I was waiting so long. Today, I am happy with my life and enjoy it to the fullest. The positive attitude to face hardships brought out the best in me. Today I am looking forward to face the challenges of life in a positive manner.

The content presented in the example above gives only a rough idea of how an autobiography should start; one can use a similar write up as an example of autobiography for college projects. Writing an autobiography is a huge effort and requires patience to put the facts and experiences in a proper manner. Autobiographies are detailed accounts of a person's life and should be written with care and responsibility.

The autobiography sample provided in the article above provides an idea about how to write about yourself in an interesting manner. Autobiographies are detailed accounts of our lives which help in remembering the happy and sad moments as well. One can draw inspiration from the tough times of the past and move on in life with a positive attitude.