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Academic writing is one of the most complicated and demanding assignments students can get. Apart from impeccable writing skills, a deep understanding of the topic, and profound knowledge, it is indispensable to know the specifications of the paper type. In the overwhelming majority of instances, when it comes to autobiography and biography writing, the terms get confused, as they are both aimed at telling the story of somebody's life.
Nonetheless, irrespective of all the similarities they have, there two types of academic projects are different. Therefore, before you dive into the writing process, you should learn the key characteristics of each written paper and single out the factors that make each of them unique and extraordinary.
What is the difference between biography and autobiography? Why is it important to take these aspects into account? How can they influence the structure and the content of the text? Keep reading an article to get more information about the two types of essays, their peculiarities, and specifications.
What Is a Biography?
The first type of writing I want to deal with is a biography. It is classified as a non-fiction piece of writing that emphasizes the most fundamental events of somebody's life. It is more common than autobiography, as the writer is not the subject of the story. Besides, there are lots of instances when biographies are aimed at highlighting certain events in history.
What are the most important characteristics of biography? It should include lots of details about the person's life, such as events that influenced life, background, birthplace, work, relationships, education, and others. Working on biographies, students will have to spend quite a lot of time researching relevant data sources, reading interviews, letters, and reference books, and taking into consideration other items that can expand the vision and get more information about the subject. There are instances when the target person is not alive anymore so that the storytelling will become the basis of the essay writing process. At the same time, it may take more time to collect relevant data from credible sources.
When it comes to the biography vs autobiography comparison, it is inevitable to emphasize the purpose of both projects. The goal of biography writing is to introduce the life story of a person to the audience. Various periods of time can be included, starting from early childhood and up to the adult years. It is a great way to give important life lessons to people and emphasize the type of personality the subject is.
An interesting fact about biographies is that they can be of different types, sharing information about one person or a group of people. For instance, it can tell about a historical event that happened to certain people hundreds of years ago. There should definitely be a person that unites them, but the story will be focused on the whole group, their common interests, activities, and traits.
What is an Autobiography?
Once you have certain thoughts about biographies, it will be much simpler for you to analyze autobiographies. While the overwhelming majority of people know that it is a non-fiction literary text about somebody’s life, they forget about the most important part of the definition.
So, what is an autobiography? The first part of the word gives a hint that the essay will be focused on the writer, who will be the subject. A lot of famous people and prominent figures choose to write an autobiography so that subsequent generations can follow their example, achieve their goals, stay inspired and motivated. The autobiography story is not just about sharing ideas, it is about sharing the experience, which is valuable for others. It is a chance for a person to help others get more confident, persistent, and hard-working.
What is autobiography in terms of academic writing requirements? It is an essay that may have a flexible structure but should still comply with certain requirements. As the main character of the story is the writer, the autobiography should be written in first-person narration. As for the theme of the writing, it can vary a lot, depending on the preferences of the writer. While some people prefer to focus on religion, others choose to talk about families, friends, financial situations, or social issues. Anyway, the main characteristics of autobiography include relevance, authentic story, and useful appeal that keep it reasonable.
Taking into account the specifications of the essay type, it is possible to make a conclusion that the autobiography is a more subjective writing that reveals the details of the events that have taken place in the writer’s life. Besides, the story covers only the personal experience, thoughts, and ideas of the subject. In rare cases, autobiographies can be written by people who are not the subject of the discussion. However, they are still done in the first personal narration, as the story should be based on the memoir, diary, or other notes made by the person.
Biography vs. Autobiography: Basic Similarities to Mind
Comparing autobiography vs biography, I came to the conclusion that these types of writing have much in common. Therefore, if you have always been convinced that biographies, autobiographies, and memoirs are completely different papers, check out some of the elements they have in common.
- Purpose. Even though biographies and autobiographies have different writers, the goal of the writing remains the same. Both paper types are aimed at informing the audience about certain facts, thoughts, or ideas that can be useful or helpful for someone.
- Type. Both types of writing are classified as non-fiction, so they present relevant information taken from credible data sources. Presented in the form of narration, they specify the personal experience, unusual events, and other activities that happened in real life.
- Focus. While the writers can vary, both papers are concentrated on the notable person. Even if the author's name is not always mentioned, the content will remind readers of a well-known actor, politician, historical figure, scientist, or celebrity.
- Time. In most instances, these papers are created in chronological order so that it is easy to track the sequence of events. Some writers choose to highlight a specific period of a person's life, but in the vast majority of cases, it is the full story from birth to the present day or death.
Biography vs. Autobiography: Aspects That Make Them Different
Once you are aware of the aspects that these two types of writing have in common, you should be excited to find out the key discrepancies that keep them different. Are you aware of the difference between autobiography and memoir? It is time to single out the aspects that make biographies and autobiographies different.
- Author. This is probably one of the most critical points that should be taken into account. While a biography can be written by any person analyzing the life events of other people, autobiographies are created by the person who is the subject in the text.
- Permission. Working on the autobiography, you can include any type of information about your life, but when it comes to biography writing, permissions are needed. At some point, they can restrict the among of information presented in the text, hiding certain facts and avoiding specific details.
- Perspective. While autobiographies are written in the first-person narration, the writers working on biographies should use the third-person narration, which makes the content less personal.
- Objectivity. As for the data presentation, it is fundamental to mention that biographies are usually much more objective. The writers make maximum effort to analyze the collected information and provide readers only with relevant and authentic facts. At the same time, the autobiography writers introduce the data based on their personal experience only.
What is the difference between autobiography and biography? They are different types of academic writing that have multiple similarities but also a lot of discrepancies that should never be ignored.
A Few Steps to Writing a Flawless Autobiography
The awareness of fundamental differences between these types of writing can help people create the most impressive and influential papers. At this point, I want to specify that irrespective of the essay type you use to present the person’s story, you should stick to basic writing rules and guidelines.
- Start with the enticing hook.
- Keep the introductory part concise but informative.
- Do not include too many details in the first passage, but rather make the readers anticipate the rest of the story.
- Stay consistent while presenting information.
- Divide the essay into paragraphs.
- Proofread and edit the text.
FAQ
What Is the Key Discrepancy between Biography and Autobiography?
The subject of the essay is the most critical difference. While the writer is the subject in the autobiography, biography describes the story of a third party.
Are There Any Similarities between Biography and Autobiography?
The structure, formatting, content, and a range of other features remain identical in biography and autobiography.
How to Create an Influential Autobiography?
Focus on the pre-writing stage, detecting relevant information, creating an impeccable outline, and following the guidelines. It will simplify your task and will give you a chance to thrive with the project.
