REFLECTIVE ESSAY

40 Autobiography Examples (Autobiographical Essay Templates

Writing an autobiography template isn’t an easy undertaking. When written, there will be as many life stories as there
are people. What will make an autobiographical essay stand out are the essential topics.

Those which will make it unique among the rest, sorting out the most significant events in one’s life and writing
about them are difficult. There is an abundance of experiences to choose from.

Formats for autobiography examples

As mentioned earlier, there could be as many life stories out there as there people. Each life story is unique; no two
can be the same. It will be up to the writer to make his autobiography stand out.
The presentation of ideas will be an integral factor. Using the right strategies and format to make the writer more
creative are necessary. As we all know, an autobiography is an account of a person’s life and it’s written by that person.
Find out a suitable autobiography example to take reference from.
The reasons for writing an autobiographical essay differ from person to person. The main point of the writer’s
exercise is to convey his life events using words. Autobiography samples will make it easy for the writer to organize
thoughts.
 40 Autobiography Examples (Autobiographical Essay Templates

To get you started, learn first the following types of written works:

•Dramas or scripts
Usually presented on stage or screen as the venue, this type is in script formats.

•Graphic novels
This new genre of novels is unique in the sense that they use drawn panels to convey a true story. Simply said, it’s a
novel in comic-strip format. They tell stories through pictures and words.

•Memoirs
This type limits the information you will present. It’s an account written from personal knowledge or special
sources. Its main focus is on specific moments in one’s life. Those which could either are historical, religious,
philosophical, adversity, coming-of-age, and more.
 40 Autobiography Examples (Autobiographical Essay Templates

Personal narratives or essays

This type is shorter than a memoir. Its narratives focus on a single event in time. It expands that moment’s experience
through conversations and imagery. These types are usually seen in classrooms, magazines or written by internet bloggers.

Traditional autobiographies
This type usually covers the events of the writer’s life from birth to the present moment.

Vignettes
This type covers just one particular occurrence at a time. It’s a brief evocative description, account or episode. You
can even call it a lone chapter in a compilation of vignettes.
You can have it published as a complete piece of work. Bear in mind, though, that each chapter in the collection is not
directly related to the others.
 40 Autobiography Examples (Autobiographical Essay Templates
How to start an autobiography

Interesting lives make for good autobiographies. When we say interesting, it means the person lived a life full of
fascinating experiences. Those he can and should share with others.
A good trick when writing your autobiography example is to think of it just like any other story, a good one at that.
There’s always the protagonist, a central plot, and a number of compelling characters. All these will keep the reader’s
attention.
Before venturing for an autobiography sample, think of an important event in your life and build your story on that.
There is a writing craft or a technique that can make your story come to life. Read on and make your writing sing!

Map out your whole life

It wouldn’t be so hard to map out your timeline; after all, you have lived it. Before anything else, conduct a study on
your life. Make a timeline to ensure you will include the important details, both events, and dates.
This will provide you a basis to work on. Don’t inhibit yourself from writing down all you can recall. Don’t
underestimate the importance of each event.
 40 Autobiography Examples (Autobiographical Essay Templates

Autobiographies needn’t always start with your birth

Include a brief history of your ancestors if relevant. Introducing your family’s history can make readers relate. They
can understand how you evolved into who you are at this moment.

Identify your main characters

Make them interesting and compelling, either he/she be friend or foe. Be sure they help in moving the story along.
Obviously, an autobiography sample will mention your parents.
Also, include your spouse, friends, and relatives. But think past your family and friends. Search for those characters that
have directly influenced your life. They should play their roles in your life story.

Include the best stories

Your life is a collection of short stories and anecdotes. Each day, each struggle could be in itself a chapter. But there
would be too many of them to contain in a book.
Choose the best stories you can remember that have influenced you. Begin your manuscript with these chosen stories.
Weave them together to create a picture of your life.
 40 Autobiography Examples (Autobiographical Essay Templates
Write using your own voice
Most people like reading autobiographies to experience what it’s like to be the writer. Being yourself when writing
your story is a great way to maintain the reader’s attention.
Remember, you are writing about yourself and your life experiences. Stiff and formal writing is for college essays. It
won’t and can’t totally engage your readers.

Reveal things about your life

You can reveal the truth about yourself without having to be too explicit. Write down the good as well as the bad
experiences. This will make the reader feel the human side of you.
You can write about your accomplishments but you also need to write the flaws that have made you what you are. Readers
should empathize with you and may even cheer for you as the story progresses.

Show your weaknesses too

You may have pitfalls in life but will still remain a protagonist. Write about your mistakes and the times that you
have failed in some struggles. Writing too much about your positive side may even turn off some of your readers.
 40 Autobiography Examples (Autobiographical Essay Templates

Creating your narrative

One, or perhaps the most important element of an autobiographical essay, is the plot. Not just a plot but a great one
that could hold your readers spellbound. When you’ve gathered the material to work with, it’s time to create a fascinating
story that would end with a climax as well as final resolutions.

Craft your story by organizing your memoirs and anecdotes in an autobiography example. Keep in mind that these
are coherent to your plot and should flow logically together. There should be a central conflict in your narrative.

It can involve an eventful experience in your life that took you years to conquer.
 40 Autobiography Examples (Autobiographical Essay Templates

Build the suspense and tension to make it interesting

Organize your plot in such as a way that every story would veer towards the conflict’s climax. Make it your goal to
include anecdotes on your initial successes and failures. Readers love underdogs. Build on that.

Think about your climax

Every story will have to end as the protagonist will deal with the conflict. You have read novels and seen movies. You
should know what a climax is. You should also know that it’s very important.

Also, think about the resolution

Autobiographies usually end with happy endings. If for some reason your story’s ending isn’t happy, just make sure
that it’s profoundly satisfying. You might have lost the race but the wisdom you gain from the experience will be
compensation enough.
 40 Autobiography Examples (Autobiographical Essay Templates
Determine where to start your story
Most autobiographies start with birth and end with the present. But many successful writers have resorted to mixing
up their chronology. This makes the narration more interesting. If you’re bold enough, try doing this.
Weave in your themes
Try to remember major themes in your life. Use them to link stories together by connecting the past with the now.
Apart from a central conflict, there are themes that have followed us all through life.
Use these themes as often as you can to form a consistent depiction of your story.
Reflect on the content of your autobiography template
You surely have learned many lessons during the course of your life. It would be nice to relay your desires,
intentions, feelings of joy and loss, and more you’ve gained in your life.
You can include these lessons intermittently throughout the story. Reflect on these important experiences and what they
have meant to you. This is a great way you can add profundity to your life story.
Add structure to your book by using chapters
The use of chapters will permit you transition from talking about specific times in your life. We’ve all heard the
expressions, “closed a chapter” and “opening a new chapter” in life. These are very applicable to autobiography samples
and autobiography examples.
 40 Autobiography Examples (Autobiographical Essay Templates
Creating and publishing your autobiography

After you’ve written everything, subject your work to several processes. Do this to make sure that its contents are
true and accurate. Be sure to comply with all the rules of writing to avoid any problems that may arise later.

First, does a substance check. Second, do forms check? Here are some tips for you:

Edit your information first

Your facts should be completely accurate

Double check or even triple if you have the time. Check the names, event descriptions, dates, and other things.
Everything in your story should be accurate. Wrong facts will certainly get noticed at one time or another by people
acquainted with you.

Ask permission from those you mention in your book

You may name names or quote quotes from sources. In this case, make certain they’ve granted permission. Many
don’t appreciate the thought of appearing in an autobiography.
Respect that. If the character is central to the plot, describe them differently or change their names.
 40 Autobiography Examples (Autobiographical Essay Templates
Go through your draft and edit if needed
After you’ve finished the initial draft, go through your life story again. Comb through it by double checking your
data. Reorganize the paragraphs, passages, and characters if necessary.
Check your vocabulary and replace tedious words. Make your phrases more clear and compelling. And lastly, check your
grammar and spelling.
Let other people read your work
An outside or second opinion will be necessary to make sure that your work would appeal to all. You may find
passages in your book that are funny or serious but would be mundane or even offensive to others.
Present your work to as many close acquaintances and listen to their feedback. This will make sure that your thoughts will
come across clearly with other people.
Hire a copy editor
The job of a copy editor is to clean up your work and make those boring parts shine. Almost all writers seek the
services of copy editors.
Being a beginner, take a hint by seeking their help as well. Hire a seasoned copy editor to make sure that your book will
have that professional polish.
Think of your title
Think of a title that is intriguing and attention-grabbing. A simple and short title for your autobiography can be “My
Autobiography”. If you find it too direct and common, choose something more unique.
 40 Autobiography Examples (Autobiographical Essay Templates

Publishing your autobiography

Some people try self-publishing their books. That means they will have their finished work printed but only for
themselves. It would also be appropriate to present your work to persons you mentioned in your book.
There are companies that can handle your book design, printing, and even shipping services. But if you want to go
public on publishing your autobiography, the sensible thing to do is hire a literary agent.
He will send a query letter to research agents who work frequently with autobiographies. The query will contain
information about your autobiography. It will also contain information about the author and how you want to market the
book.
You can also send the query letter yourself directly to the publisher and wait. Depending on your query letter, he
might get interested. Don’t send them your manuscript all at once. Send it when you get a request for your manuscript.
You can also try publishing your work online. This new alternative method is increasingly getting popular. It doesn’t
involve expenses for printing and shipping. Search for online publishers and send them a query letter.
 Sample Autobiography Template
Autobiography is a personal story where the writer shares his or her personal experience of life. it is based on facts
and every person has something interesting to share with his or her readers. The writer share his or her childhood,
professional success, relationship ups and downs and finally the life’s experience. You can check out different
Autobiography Template from which you can choose the best one. The template is easily available online and you can
download in pdf and word document form and customize the text and structure as per your choice. A good autobiography
template always attracts the readers.

Why do you need Autobiography Template?

Autobiography Template is used to write autobiographies or documents related to autobiographies. With the help of
readymade templates, it is easy and less time consuming to create a document. The templates are mostly in PDF or Word
format.

When do you need an Autobiography Template?

Autobiography Sample Template is needed for writing different types of autobiographies and autobiography related
documents. A template is used when a document is to be designed in a quick manner. The user can pick the appropriate
template as per need.
 Sample Autobiography Template

Benefits of Autobiography Template

Autobiography Template allows individuals to create autobiographies and autobiography related documents like an
autobiography rubric that helps to rate an autobiography document by written another person. The templates help the users
to fill in the information in an organized manner as autobiographies are very detailed in structure.

It is indeed a nice idea to use specially designed templates for creating autobiographies.  These templates save time
as autobiographies are very detailed and need to be written in an organized manner. The templates also cut costs as the
same template can be used multiple times for similar purpose.
 Sample Autobiography Template
Creating your narrative

One, or perhaps the most important element of an autobiographical essay, is the plot. Not just a plot but a great one
that could hold your readers spellbound. When you’ve gathered the material to work with, it’s time to create a fascinating
story that would end with a climax as well as final resolutions.

Craft your story by organizing your memoirs and anecdotes in an autobiography example. Keep in mind that these
are coherent to your plot and should flow logically together. There should be a central conflict in your narrative.

It can involve an eventful experience in your life that took you years to conquer.
 DIY How to Publish Your Autobiography Book
Writing an autobiography is only half the battle. Finding a company to publish your autobiography is the challenging
part. Getting your autobiography published requires you to have a story that a publishing company feels is marketable, a
publisher willing to market the autobiography, and the means to contact the publisher with your manuscript. If you believe
you have a compelling story, publishing your autobiography can be your introduction to the world of writing.

Ensure your autobiography is a marketable story before you try to have it published. Many people feel they have a
story worth telling, but the hard truth is that many people without marketable stories feel their personal stories will sell.
While deciding what is or is not marketable can be subjective, you can ask yourself several questions to help determine if
you have a personal story that a publisher may be interested in, which can help increase your chance of publishing your
autobiography. A good story needs to be more than the story of someone who has had a hard life. Does your story offer
hope to readers or something else of value? Have you achieved something that will make readers interested in the life of
the person who has made the achievement? Asking these questions can help you determine the marketability of your
manuscript.

The autobiography is a type of writing handled primarily by publishers specializing in those types of books. One of
the best sources for finding these type publishers is the Writer's Market, either on-line or in the print version of the book.
An updated version of this book can help you locate and pitch your manuscript to publishers dealing in the
autobiographical market.
 Sample Autobiography Template
While you can submit your manuscripts without an agent, and may choose to do so for companies that allow you to
submit on your own, many publishing companies won't consider material not represented by an agent. An agent shops
(shows) your work to publishers and works out a deal for you. Using an agent who specializes in autobiographical
material can help increase your chance of selling an autobiography that has potential. You can find a listing of agents to
query on-line at no charge. To query an agent, select one that handles autobiographical material, write a brief introductory
letter, state that you are looking for representation for your autobiography, and include a brief synopsis of your story. The
agent database listings give you contact and submission information for individual literary agencies.

Search the market listings for those publishing companies that will allow you to submit work without an agent.
Follow the guidelines for individual publishers to submit your manuscript. The market listings will tell you what each
publisher accepts, how to submit your work, where to submit, and what you will be paid. Prepare your submission per the
guidelines for your specific market.

Write a brief cover letter to the editor. Introduce yourself, give a brief publishing history (if you have one), write a
synopsis of your autobiography, and send your manuscript to the publisher (so long as the guidelines don't ask you to
submit only selected chapters). Follow the estimated response time in the guidelines before you follow up on the status of
your submission.
 7 Top tips for self publishing your autobiography
People love to read autobiographies: they can be inspiring, uplifting and educational. If you have a remarkable story
to tell, one way you can share it is by self publishing a book about your life. There are lots of different ways to do that
now, and it need not cost too much, either.

Here are some top tips on publishing your autobiography:

Be commercially minded. If you're publishing your book partly to make money, be realistic about its appeal, and
look for ways to broaden it. Everyone lives a unique life, but that doesn't necessarily mean that people want to read about
everyone's life story. Focus on the most interesting aspect of your story, think of who might want to read it, and keep that
reader in mind while you write. Don't spend hugely on publishing your book unless you're happy to write off the expense
or you have confidence you can recoup your investment.

Be professional. It's well worth getting professional editing and proofreading help. It will make sure that your book
is easy to read, so that your readers can focus on your compelling story, rather than being distracted by any mistakes in
writing. All the best authors have editors, so there's no shame in getting an experienced editor to look over your book
before you publish it to everyone. If you want to sell your book, you have to produce a professional product.
 7 Top tips for self publishing your autobiography
Use a distribution intermediary. The tricky thing with publishing is not actually creating the books. It's getting
them into places where people can buy them. There are lots of different approaches you can adopt. Some self publishing
services can get your book into stores like Amazon but might cost upwards of £1000, which can be difficult to recoup.
These services often advertise in the back of writing magazines and newspapers. Lulu.com enables you to self-publish for
free (see my tips here). You pay for any printed books you order, and your readers can buy direct from Lulu.com or from
the Apple iBooks store. If you pay Lulu for a distribution package, you can also get your print book into Amazon.
Smashwords enables you to publish eBooks for free which can be distributed through the Apple iBooks and Amazon
Kindle stores, among others.

Plan publication before you begin writing. Depending on how you intend to publish or distribute your book, you
might need to write it using a different template. It will save a lot of time if you can adopt the final template from the
beginning, otherwise you might have to spend days converting your copy from one template to another and checking the
quality.

Check the layout. The best way to create a layout that works is to copy it from a professionally published book. Pay
attention to spacing, margin and font sizes, particularly. Your default word processor template won't look good on a
printed page. Your book publisher/distributor might be able to provide templates you can adapt for your layout.
 7 Top tips for self publishing your autobiography

Don't confuse distribution with marketing. Having your book available in the shops is only the start of your
journey. You need to persuade readers to go to the shop and buy your book. Find blogs that might review your kind of
book, send a press release to relevant magazines and newspapers, and have a launch party. Spread the word!

Have fun! Writing a book is hard work, but it's a fantastic experience. All you need is a computer with a word
processor, and you probably already have those. So get stuck in!