venn diagram of biography and autobiography

Biography vs Autobiography: Similarities and Differences

biography vs autobiography, explained below

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

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

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

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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Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 5 Top Tips for Succeeding at University
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Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 30 Globalization Pros and Cons

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Autobiography Vs Biography

Last updated on: May 29, 2023

Autobiography vs. Biography - What are the Differences?

By: Cordon J.

13 min read

Reviewed By: Melisa C.

Published on: Mar 22, 2023

Have you ever wondered about the differences between an autobiography and a biography?

You may have heard of these two terms before, but do you know how they are different from each other? Unfortunately, many people think that both could be used interchangeably, and that both are the same.

Well, you're in luck, because in this blog, we'll explore autobiographies and biographies and their unique perspectives on people's lives. This blog will go over the key differences between biographies and autobiographies so you can make a decision easily.

So without further delay let’s get started!

On this Page

What is an Autobiography?

An autobiography is a book written by someone about their life. Autobiographies are written in the first person throughout because the writer is the protagonist and the main character of the story.

The purpose of writing an autobiography is to provide a detailed account of the narrator's accomplishments and life events.

The autobiography style generally begins with early childhood and proceeds chronologically, listing all of a person's experiences throughout their life.

Autobiographies include information about where someone grew up, their career, life choices, accomplishments, and challenges they overcame.

Related Blog: Click here to discover the various types of autobiography .

Elements of an Autobiography

Let's explore these key components of an autobiography:

First-person narrative: An autobiography is written in the first person, which means that the author tells their story using the pronoun "I."
Personal tone: As the author is writing about their own experiences and insights, autobiographies often have a more personal and introspective tone.
Comprehensive coverage: Autobiographies aim to cover the entire life story of the author, from their childhood to the present. This can include pivotal events such as the author's birth, family life, education, relationships, etc.
Life experiences and motivations: Autobiography informs the audience about the author's life experiences, motivations, and perspectives. This can include the author's beliefs, values, and goals.
‘The Story of My Life’ by Helen Keller
‘The Diary of a Young Girl’ by Anne Frank

Here's a short sample autobiography:

Follow the link to uncover the secrets to writing an astonishing autobiography, with this “ how to write an autobiography ” guide.

What is a Biography?

A biography is a history of a person's life written by someone else. Biographies are often written about famous individuals and personalities like sportsmen, motivational speakers, inspirational figures, etc.

Biographies also cover the subject's entire life. Therefore, it is crucial to include important information about the person's place of birth, education, childhood experiences, partnerships, and so on.

Elements of a Biography

Here are some key components of biography:

Third-person perspective: Biographies are written in the third-person perspective. That means that the author tells the subject's story using pronouns such as "he," "she," or "they."
Chronological order: Biographies are typically organized in chronological order. It means that biographies are structured according to the timeline of the subject's life.
Formal and impersonal tone: Biographies are often more formal and impersonal in tone than autobiographies. The author may use a more scholarly writing style and avoid revealing personal thoughts and feelings.
Comprehensive coverage: Biographies are meant to provide a comprehensive account of the subject's life. It covers all of the important events and milestones in their life, from their childhood to their achievements, and legacy.
Accuracy: Biographies are often used as historical or educational resources. Therefore, it is important that the information presented is accurate and well-researched.
‘His Excellency: George Washington’ by Joseph J. Ellis
‘Einstein: The Life and Times’ by Ronald William Clark

Here is a short biography sample:

Looking for an exceptional biography to read? Click on the link to read one for inspiration!

Autobiography vs. Biography - Key Differences

There are a few significant distinctions between biographies and autobiographies, despite the fact that they may appear to be similar.

Let’s take a look at some significant and key differences between the two.

Watch the video below to gain a more profound comprehension of autobiography vs biography.

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Similarities between an Autobiography and a Biography

Although they are distinct genres, biographies and autobiographies do have some things in common.

Primary and Main Goal - The main goal of both types of books is to tell the story and life events of a person's life.
Non-fiction Works - Autobiographies and biographies are nonfiction works that document significant events in a person's life. You can safely say that that is a kind of nonfiction novel that presents the facts.
Prominent Figures as Subjects - Biography or autobiography is typically used to tell the stories of well-known people who have made remarkable achievements. Based on these similarities, many people wrongly think that they are the same.

Based on these similarities, many people wrongly think that they are the same.

Get a closer look at this autobiography vs biography worksheet we've designed for you!

Autobiography vs Biography Worksheet

Are Autobiography and Memoir the Same?

A biography includes the life of an individual, whereas a memoir is not necessarily an autobiography.

An autobiography, as the name implies, is a book that includes details like the person’s life story in chronological order. A formal, non-fiction style is employed.

A memoir focuses on a specific incident or component of someone's life rather than the complete narrative. Writing a memoir is more casual and emotional in nature.

Autobiography vs. Biography vs. Memoir

Here is a complete comparison chart that displays the key differences between all three kinds of works.

Curious to learn the differences between autobiographies and memoirs in detail? If so, click on this link to get your questions answered!

To sum up, in an autobiography, the subject is telling a story about their own life. In a biography, someone else tells the story of someone's life. Both are important and interesting, but they both have different perspectives to offer.

With so many options out there, we hope this blog helps narrow your search for one that best suits your interests!

Still, feeling unsure about how to start your autobiography or biography? MyPerfectPaper.net can help!

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Which is better: biography or autobiography.

Both of these works are different from each other so no one could say for sure which one is better. Both are written for the same purpose and, therefore, besides the usual differences, both of them serve an important purpose.

What are the 4 types of biography?

Here are the 4 types of biography;

Historical fiction
Academic biography
Fictional academic
Prophetic biography

All 4 are different from each other and have different purposes also.

What is the difference between an autobiography and an autobiographical narrative?

An autobiography is a complete account of a person’s life, written and told in the person’s own words. However, when only a few events are narrated, it becomes an autobiographical narrative.

Is autobiography a narrative?

An autobiography is a nonfiction narrative. It means that though the stories and events are true it is told in a storytelling format.

How long is an autobiography?

Usually, an autobiography is between 200 to 400 pages long.

Can a book be both biography and autobiography?

No, a book cannot be both biography and an autobiography at the same time. A biography is a written account of someone's life as written by someone else. In contrast, an autobiography is a written account of someone's life written by the person themselves.

Law, Education

Cordon. is a published author and writing specialist. He has worked in the publishing industry for many years, providing writing services and digital content. His own writing career began with a focus on literature and linguistics, which he continues to pursue. Cordon is an engaging and professional individual, always looking to help others achieve their goals.

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How To Write An Autobiography: Tips, Ideas & Guidelines to Write Your Life Story

Different Types of Autobiography Writing With Examples

How to Write an Autobiography Format Easily?

Autobiography vs. Memoir - How Are They Different?

Autobiography Examples: Inspiration & Guidelines to Get You Started

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

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 .

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Autobiography vs Biography: Differences and Similarities

POSTED ON Oct 7, 2023

Written by Nicole Ahlering

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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Biography, Autobiography, Memoir? What’s the difference?

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July 26, 2022

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Caption: Royd Hatta's grandfather sitting on his new car (1930s Ford Model A?) with his son Shigeru. Royd's grandmother stands with her daughter, May, who passed away a year or so after this picture was taken.

The terms autobiography, biography, and memoir are occasionally used interchangeably by the public, but they are three distinct, if similar, genres of nonfiction.

Though there are nuances to each genre we can begin to understand each with the analogy of distance:

A biography attempts to illustrate a person's life story from an outsider's point of view. Imagine viewing the subject from 1000 feet away.

An autobiography is when the actual person who lived that life tells their own life story with the advantage of providing insights that only she or he can provide. Imagine YOU telling your story as it is, with your own thoughts and commentary.

A memoir , similar to an autobiography, may dive deeper still into our memories by employing literary devices such as a particular theme, symbolism, and lyricism.

The Biography

A biography is a retelling and description of a person’s life, be they a famous actor, a nobel-prize winning scientist, or an obscure writer from the 19th century.

Typically, biographies are written about well-known public figures or historical characters, with or without their consent, and are meant to cover the subject’s history as objectively as possible.

Because of this, biographies tend to be written in the third person and take a more formal stance when describing the subject's life, their trials, and eventual successes.

An excellent example is Walter Isaacson’s Steve Jobs biography. Authorized and hand-picked by Jobs himself, Isaacson tells the story of a man lauded for building a world-class company from the ground up with a die-hard fan base.

Through countless interviews and historical contexts, the book provides an unflinching look at the turmoil Jobs’ self-absorbed ambition created in his personal and professional relationships.

It’s at once the story of a man whose skill was gathering exceptional talent and continually reinventing his company to reach ground-breaking goals–often to a fault.

This led to both his being ousted from his own company, and his eventual return to make Apple an internationally respected brand.

The book is a tell-all and tribute to an iconic figure while showcasing the 80s and 90s Silicon Valley corporate wars. At the time of its release, even many of our 5th graders could not put it down.

Biographies are typically broad in scope, covering the subject from birth all the way up to their death, and everywhere in between. The details required by a biography involves a significant amount of research and fact-checking, but isn’t personal in quality. Biographies cover much more in the way of facts, locales, history, and less exact phrasing of the subject’s inner turmoil.

Think of a biography as looking at someone from a distance, with binoculars. You log their life as they live it. You take in the large steps, but not necessarily the individual meals they have every single day. You might ask their companions about them, perhaps take in some meaning from their story to tell others, but you’ll never be so close to truly probe their inner feelings. Facts are what’s important in a biography.

Here are some biography examples many of our staff or students have enjoyed.

Look for these titles at your local library, bookstore (i.e., Linden Tree Books ), or follow the links in the images below to Bookshop.org . Through these links we receive a tiny payment that helps support our free Meetup story writing workshops. Thank you in advance!

The Autobiography

Autobiographies are biographies written by the subject themself. Typically written in first person, they are not exact counterparts to biographies as they are more personal. After all, the author is writing about themself.

The writer’s biases will show through the writing as they recount their experiences, but like biographies, an autobiography will start at the beginning of the subject’s life and end in the present, covering the events as factually as possible.

Because of this need for factuality, those who wish to write autobiographies will refer to their diaries as source for how they felt at the time of an event, and they may even seek the counsel of those who know them well to provide some perspective and accuracy.

Think of an autobiography as piecing together a scrapbook of your entire life.

Every event is documented: birth, childhood, adolescence, and adulthood, all the way up to the present.

A picture of you is more intimate than looking at someone from a distance, and you can tell a more compelling and thoughtful narrative through these photos.

You might add some of your thoughts on the events, perhaps a few funny little details, and when you show that scrapbook to your loved ones you will certainly comment on the meaning of the events that occurred throughout your life, but of most importance will be the pictures—the facts—themselves.

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind

by William Kamkwamba & Byran Mealer

As all genres it is a matter of degrees, this book is a hybrid of Autobiography as it told through the boy of the title, William Kamkwamba, and assisted by a veteran reporter, Bryan Mealer, the co-author.

Through a first-person point of view, Kamkwamba tells about the struggles of growing up in one of the worst African droughts and resulting famines. Friends and family lost their lives to starvation. William's desire to attend school was thwarted as his father could not work the fields or find work. Without tuition, Kamkwamba picked a book that was lying around—an electronics manual.

From studying the diagrams to painstakingly reading it, he began to understand the basics, and created a makeshift windmill to generate electricity. It powered cellphones for the village, produced light, and had the promise of pumping water from underground. Soon, it became a working model to inspire others.

See his TED Talk for the synopsis, but read the book to experience life in an African village where the doubters became his advocates. Against the odds of hopelessness, poverty, war, and famine, this book is an inspiration.

Boy Who Harnessed the Wind Picture Book SM

Above: The Picture Book

Below: The Young Readers Edition

Boy Who Harnessed the Wind Autobiography

Here some other examples of autobiographies our staff or our students have enjoyed:

Memoirs are the most personal of the three and the most narrow in focus. Similar to autobiographies, they are written in the first person and take a personal look into the writer’s life. They are, in fact, the closest relative to autobiographies. However, there are a few key differences.

While autobiographies, like biographies, focus on the facts of the subject’s life, through a broad perspective, memoirs, as the French word suggests, are centered around memories. Specifically, these memories are culled from a specific set of events or topic.

A memoir might take a look at the writer’s childhood and the effects of their upbringing on their current troubles. It can serve as a deep, emotional reflection on the intense portions of their life.

Memoirs tend to center around themes which the writer uses to tie together the various events they cover. In a sense, memoirs are most similar to narrative fiction, with arcs, flashbacks , and even antagonistic characters the readers root against. There are clear plots and progression within the narrative with the entire work culminating in the same way a fiction novel would possess a climax.

Think of a memoir as your secret diary. You write down your deepest feelings and troubles into your diary, hold it close to you, consult nobody but yourself. The objective facts aren’t the focus; your interpretations and your feelings are.

The difference is, of course, this diary will be going out for the whole world to see, so if you’re thinking of writing a memoir and want to avoid a lawsuit from the “characters” of your life, you probably should keep things as accurate as possible.

Farewell To Manzanar

by Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston and James D. Houston

This classic of California history artfully embeds symbolism to note the struggles loyal Japanese-Americans (J.A.s) endured during their time before, during, and after the Japanese-American Internment of WWII.

It shines through its scenes of how the marginalized J.A.s both harness their culture's wisdom to stay strong and survive, and how it can contribute to bitter separation in navigating the shame within the camps, and the racism outside of it in America. When one has chosen to suppress their heritage to reach the American dream, and it still fails, what else can one choose?

Manzanar the place and the book is both a reminder of the internal incarceration, shame, doubt, and betrayal that we all would like to say farewell to.

Here are a few other ground-breaking memoirs to check out.

What is the difference between all three genres? In short,

A biography is the grand telling of another person's life.

An autobiography is an epic telling of your own life.

A memoir , resembles an autobiography with more attention on a particular theme, symbolism, lyricism, or overriding concept.

In the end, any of these genres may borrow elements of the other so that the author may tell their story in the most compelling way. That's the beauty of writing. It allows us to pull from various facets of a person's world, or our own. From it, we can begin to fathom all those special moments in our lives, and perhaps share the epiphanies and discoveries we've gain with the world.

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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, 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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Biography vs autobiography vs memoir: Which Genre Best Tells Your Story?

As a writer, it’s essential to choose the right genre to tell your story effectively. However, distinguishing between memoir, autobiography, and biography can be confusing. In this article, we’ll clarify the core differences between these genres and provide insights to help you choose the one that best fits your unique story. Whether you’re interested in exploring your own experiences or delving into the lives of others, understanding the difference between a memoir and a biography and autobiography is critical to crafting a compelling narrative. So let’s get started and discover which genre will best tell your story.

The Power of Biographies: Discovering Lives and Learning Lessons

A biography is a personal story narrated from real life. The biographies come in different sub-genres, but what they have in common is the factual loyalty. Biographies provide an in-depth look into the lives of individuals, whether they’re still alive or historical figures. For a collection of famous biographies, you might want to explore Biography.com .

Professional bio writers usually conduct a great deal of research. They can describe the life events of someone still alive or a famous person who lived years ago. The author focuses his attention significantly on childhood, relationships, and ups and downs to create a complete picture of a person’s life.

The distinct feature of the story is the writer’s presence. That’s where you don’t align memoir vs biography: while people write memoirs alone, biographies require professional writers.

The main types of biographies include:

Contemporary biography: a story of a person who’s alive and usually at the peak of their success. It can be about well-known entrepreneurs, musicians, or politicians. It can also include the people who are especially valuable at the moment or have done something great that you have to commemorate.

The examples are: “His Way: The Unauthorized Biography of Frank Sinatra” (written by Kitty Kelley) and “Robin” (Dave Itzkoff’s intimate look at the life and career of Robin Williams).

Historical biography: provides in-depth information on the life of historical figures or people who died without the recognition they deserved.

The examples are: “Alexander Hamilton” (an epic 800+ page biography created by Ron Chernow) and “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” (written by Rebecca Skloot).

Group biography: the authors apply this type of biography quite rarely. One of the first examples is “A General History of the Pirates,” narrated by Captain Charles Johnson in 1724. One of the latest group biographies includes an account of the life stories of famous British royals, “HRH: So Many Thoughts on Royal Style,” written by Elizabeth Holmes.

Autobiographies: Understanding the Genre, Types, and Significance

An autobiography is someone else’s story that doesn’t involve a third party. A memoir writing service puts it differently because autobiography is the first person’s account of events.

Autobiographies have been vital throughout history. They provide invaluable stories and thoughts, giving the audience an accurate impression of historical leaders and the value they represent. Also, they allow individuals to tell their own stories in their own words. For examples of famous autobiographies that have captivated readers, check out this list on Goodreads .

The main difference between autobiography and biography is that the last one provides a person’s story written by someone else. The peculiar advantage that autobiographies provide is decreasing the number of discrepancies or mistakes. Hiring cheap ghostwriters for hire may be incorrect in describing significant events.

The types of autobiography include:

Traditional: a complete story narrated from the first person, discussing all significant events from birth, throughout childhood, and up to the present time. It’s a challenging genre since a life story should be captivating and exciting to engage the reader.
Overcoming adversity: on the contrary, many people don’t have as shiny lives. Some survived a series of challenging circumstances, such as assaults, murders, or other life-threatening situations. Sharing the story of the “survivor” might heal people undergoing a similar journey.
Intellectual: focus on critical events or experiences that have changed someone’s perspective on life. Prominent examples include the “Autobiography” of the philosopher John Stuart Mill and “The Education of Henry Adams.”
Fictionalized is a story that uses made-up characters to represent an author’s experience. This autobiography reflects on actual events vs. serving as an accurate retelling of what happened. Some of the interesting examples are “The Way of All Flesh” (by Samuel Butler) and “A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man” (by James Joice).

Memoir vs autobiography: what’s the catch?

If you’re wondering what does a ghostwriter do when writing a memoir, let’s explore its main features.

Memoir highlights the essential part of someone’s life. It can describe the critical historical period or a breakdown, focusing on the events that led to the collapse. That’s where memoirs vs autobiography differ: the first ones only focus on particular excerpts instead of telling the whole story.

A memoir is a factual story in which the author reflects on a series of related events from their life or recounts memories from a particular period.
An autobiography is a chronological description of a person’s life.

Although the memoir can be subjective, it must lean on facts. The authors choose a pivotal moment they’d like to shed light on and recreate the event using storytelling tools.

There’s not a specific number of memoirs in a professional book writing history. Nevertheless, we will explore the most prominent types of memoirs to let you dive into the industry:

Transformation memoirs: tell about the most significant challenges authors These stories lead with the topic of redemption, whether you achieved it or you’re trying to gain it.

The examples are “Here We Are: American Dreams, American Nightmares” (by Aarti Namdev Shahani), “Educated” (by Tara Westover), and “Finding Freedom” (by Erin French).

Confessional memoirs: reveal the painful or dirty secrets about authors or their families and how the particular series of events has affected them.

The examples are: “Confessions” (by Jean-Jacques Rousseau) and “Running with Scissors” (by Augusten Burroughs).

Professional or celebrity memoirs: describe the road to fame and success. Famous people often think about how to find a ghost writer to talk about their lives and significant events in a more professional tone.

The examples are: “I Am Malala” (by Malala Yousafzai) and “Just Kids” (by Patti Smith).

Travel memoirs: focus on exciting adventures that happen while traveling. These memoirs are often the most pleasant, allowing readers to escape everyday reality.

The examples are “Wild” (by Cheryl Strayed) and “A Year in Provence” (by Peter Mayle).

Autobiography vs biography vs memoir: where’s your match?

You don’t need to be a writing professional to comprehend the difference between memoir and autobiography and biography. Let’s take a look at some of the key points to consider.

The Bottom Line

Writing a book about your life is a challenging process. It requires lots of patience and a great deal of memory to recall the most significant events. Meanwhile, it allows you to look at your life and experiences from a whole new perspective.

If you need any help with writing a biography vs autobiography vs memoir, Penfellow will gladly assist! Our professional writers have years of experience completing similar tasks and will do the job for you. We will ensure the final paper meets your requirements and writing standards. Get in touch with us today to get your biography done in no time!

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Biography vs Autobiography: Differences and Features

When reading about someone’s life, you probably wonder if it is a biography or an autobiography. In this blog, we will compare biography vs autobiography. Also, we will explain the difference between autobiography and biography.

If we tell you in simple words, a biography is the life story of a person written by someone else. On the other hand, an autobiography is the life story of a person written by themselves.

Autobiographies have more personal nature as they are based on the writers’ own thoughts and memories. On the other hand, biographies are more objective, as they are written with the help of others’ opinions and perspectives.

What is a Biography?

A biography, or you can call it a bio, is a written piece of someone’s life. It does not just contain basic info about the subject, but the experiences of them throughout their lives. It sheds light on various aspects of the subject’s life. For example:

Personal details
Family background
Life events
Achievements
Triumphs in their field and their impact on the world

Biography Examples

Let’s have a look at some examples of famous biographies:

1- Steve Jobs

Steve Jobs is an authorized biography. The subject of the book Steve Jobs himself requested the author Walter Isaacson to write the story about him. Walter is also famous for biographical works like Benjamin Franklin and Albert Einstein.

2- Into the Wild

It is a nonfiction book based on the life of a young man who abandoned his life and disappeared into the wild. The author of this biographical story is Jon Krakauer.

What is an Autobiography?

An autobiography, informally called an autobio, is a biography of one’s own written by themselves. It is based on the memory of the writer. It generally enlightens the below aspects of the subject:

Life description
Meaning of life
Significant experiences
Personal failure
Plans for future

Autobiography Examples

Let’s have a look at some of the autobiographical works:

1- I am Malala

The autobiography “I am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education was Shot by the Taliban” is the story of Malala. It was co-written by Christina Lamb.

2- Long Walk to Freedom

It is a biography of Nelson Mandela, ghostwritten by Richard Stengel. The book portrays his story from his early life to his years in prison.

Biography vs Autobiography: The Key Differences

While biographies and autobiographies are somehow similar, there are several contrasts between them. Let’s take a look at how they are different from each other.

You can find the difference between a biography and an autobiography by recognizing who writes it. A biography is always written by someone else other than the subject. Whereas in an autobiography, the subject of the story writes it themselves.

2- Point of View

A biography follows the third-person point of view. It uses “He, Him, His, She, Her, Hers.” In contrast, an autobiography follows the first-person point of view. It utilizes “I, Me, My” as the pronouns.

3- Authorized vs Unauthorized

If a story is written with the permission of the person, it will be an authorized work. Otherwise, it will be unauthorized because it is written without the consent of the person.

4- Authencity

An autobiography will be more authentic than a biography. An autobiography writer usually recalls his events and narrates his own experiences. On the other hand, biography writers gather info through different sources and by talking and interviewing various people. As a result, the input can differentiate from the reality.

5- Neutrality

Autobiographies can be more biased than biographies. The neutrality of the biographies can depend on the intent. Some writers can show themselves as more genuine than they are in reality in their autobiographies. However, when it comes to biographies, they can either go mild or extreme in talking about the subject.

Biography vs Autobiography: Similar Features

Autobiographies are basically a type of biographies. Therefore, they share some common elements. Let’s take a look.

Biographies, whether of someone else or of the writer, have the same purpose of telling people the story of their life.

The genre of biographies is always nonfiction. A biography can not be a piece of fiction. If it is, it will fall under the category of a biographical novel.

The subject of biographies will always be famous people. The people who have achieved something in their life. For example, historical figures, celebs, political leaders, athletes, etc.

How to Write a Biography?

To write a biography , you can follow the below steps:

1- Get Permission

The first step to take in biography writing is to get the permission of the subject. In some conditions, it is not necessary. For example, if the subject is not alive anymore. However, if you have their consent, it will be helpful in your research, and the writing process will be easier. Also, the subject will give you some details by themselves that you may not have acquired without their permission.

2- Do Research

Research is necessary for biography writing. If you don’t have a sufficient amount of info about the subject, you can not compile a book about them. Therefore, you have to collect data and interview people as much as possible.

3- Write the Biography

The next step is to convert your research into words. Suppose you don’t have time or ability to write. In that case, you can acquire ghostwriting services . It can help you create content for your book.

4- Format the Book

When you are done completing your written work, it’s time for book formatting . Most of the time, biographies follow chronological order. However, you can also follow a non-chronological order based on your preference.

5- Promote your Work

Your work will not find the right audience if you don’t advertise it well. Therefore, you should promote your biographical work effectively. For this, you can also benefit from book marketing services .

To learn more about what is a biography ? And how can you write one? You can read our blog.

How to Write an Autobiography?

Let’s have a look at tips on writing an autobiography:

1- Brainstorm Ideas

Begin with revisiting all the memories and events that happened in your life. Look for ideas you can talk about in your book. Also, consider both the positives and negatives so you can create unique content that attracts readers.

2- Create an Outline

Outlining helps you organize your content. Therefore, start your work by creating an outline. It will help the flow of the story; as a result, the reader will quickly understand the story.

3- Write the Autobiography

Autobiography books usually are written in the own voice of the subject. So, use first-person voice as you are speaking directly to the readers. Also, start with a solid intro, use anecdotes, and provide vivid details.

If you are also going for a digital version of your biographical book, you can have ebook writing services at your disposal. They can be handy in writing and also editing, and polishing your work.

4- Publishing the Book

The most challenging task to do after you have your story written is to publish it. High are the chances that you will need help regarding the publishing process, whether you are going for traditional publishing or you want to publish it yourself. It is where you can get in touch with a self-publishing company . The rest of the tasks to complete are on them.

You should also advertise your work so as many people as possible read your story. You can publish and market your work on various platforms. However, the best way to promote your story is through your author’s website. If you don’t have your own website, you can obtain author website design services and have your website showcasing your literary works.

Want to learn more? Read our detailed blog about what is an autobiography . Here you will get to know the “Autobiography Definition, Examples, & Writing Guide for 2024.”

Memoir vs Autobiography

After you know what’s the contrast and similarity between biography vs autobiography. Let’s look at the difference and similarities between a memoir vs an autobiography.

1- Memoir vs Autobiography: The Similarity

If we talk about memoir vs autobiography , they both are accounts of the writer’s life. Also, writers use the first-person point of view in both.

2- Memoir vs Autobiography: The Difference

In an autobiography, the writer talks about his whole life. Whereas, in a memoir, writers cover a small part of their life or tell an interesting or particular memory of their life.

Want to know more? Read our blog on what is a memoir.

What are the Two Types of Biography?

There are three types of biography, not two. They are:

Autobiography

Why are Biographies Better than Autobiography?

Biographies are more neutralistic than autobiographies. Also, they tend to be less biased than autobiographies.

Is Autobiography Written in First?

Yes, autobiographies are written in the first-person point of view since they are written by the subject themselves.

Why is an Autobiography Called an Autobiography?

The words Auto, Bios, and Graphein came from Ancient Greek. Their meaning is “Self,” “Life,” and “To Write,” respectively.

After reading this blog, you will have a grasp of the difference between biography vs autobiography. Also, you will know what they are composed of. Learning this will help you when you write your biographical books. In addition, if you still need assistance in writing, you can ask Authors Breeze for their services.

Caroline Chartrand

As a writing expert, Caroline R Chartrand has written numerous books across various genres, from memoirs to self-help guides. With a passion for history and literature, she has delved into the lives of some of the fascinating figures in history, uncovering hidden stories and surprising facts.

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WRITING A BIOGRAPHY: LESSON AND RESOURCES

Subject: English

Age range: 7-11

Resource type: Lesson (complete)

Last updated

16 August 2021

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A unit lesson plan with 6 sessions on teaching and learning resources of writing a biography based on New Bloom’s Taxonomy.

This download includes: Video: Writing Biographies Scaffolding Notes 1: Vocabulary Overview EXERCISE 1: Compare and contrast a biography and an autobiography. Use the Interactive Venn Diagram to record the difference between autobiography and biography. Scaffolding Notes 2: Biography vs Autobiography Chart EXERCISE 2: Identify the sentences that answer the given questions to show the structure and features of a sample biography. Scaffolding Notes 3: Question Prompts for Biography EXERCISE 3: Determine the author’s use of narrative language and techniques for the given sample biography – Part 1. EXERCISE 4: Determine the author’s use of narrative language and techniques for the given sample biography – Part 2. EXERCISE 5: DIFFERENTIATION - Demonstrate your knowledge of writing a biography by attempting any one of the following tasks. Focus on content, ideas, organization, voice, word choice, vocabulary, sentence structure and conventions as suggested by rubrics. Scaffolding Notes 4: Writing a Biography Rubrics EXERCISE 6: Follow either the graphic organizer or Bio Cube to plan a biography on a chosen person. Scaffolding Notes 5: Biography Graphic Organiser Use Bio Cube from Cube Creator to develop an outline of a person whose biography you want to write. Use specific prompts to describe a person’s significance, background and personality. EXERCISE 7: Follow the biography structure to organise the first draft of a planned biography on the chosen person. Scaffolding Notes 6: Biography Structure EXERCISE 8: Use the checklist to evaluate each other’s work with constructive feedback. Scaffolding Notes 7: Biography Checklist EXERCISE 9: Use the rubrics to evaluate each other’s work with constructive feedback. Scaffolding Notes 8: Biography Rubrics EXERCISE 10: Follow the teacher instructions and student feedback to write the final draft of the drafted biography. Write your own biography and publish it on Writing with Writers. Scaffolding Notes 9: Sample Biography – Helen Keller Scaffolding Notes 10: Transitions – Connective Words Scaffolding Notes 11: Adjective Types and Adverb Types Scaffolding Notes 12: Active Verbs Scaffolding Notes 13: Sentence Types Select Biographies and Memoirs and list them under the headings based on people whose work was in sports, science, engineering, the arts and anything else that may grab a student passing by the table. EXERCISE 11: Read an extract from the biography of Albert Einstein and answer the comprehension questions. EXERCISE 12: Online Exercise: English ESL Biography Worksheets

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READING AND WRITING: BLOOM'S TAXONOMY BASED UNIT LESSON PLANS - BUNDLE

This bundle of 8 products (Unit Lesson Plans) is perfect for teaching Reading and Writing. These no prep activities would be great for ELA lessons or ELA centers. Your students will love these self-grading exercises that are gamified for student engagement. After completing these lessons, the students will be able to: * Identify the components of the structure of the writing. * Identify the language strategies employed in in the writing. * Identify the features of the writing. * Follow the structure and strategies to plan a sample writing. * Follow a checklist to peer-check a structured writing. * Follow the structure and strategies to write a well-structured writing. This bundle includes Google Slides on: * Narration: 24 Pages * Description: 22 Pages * Persuasion: 20 Pages * Argumentation: 32 Pages * Newspaper Report: 23 Pages * Biography: 28 Pages * Information Text: 51 Pages * Diary: 41 Pages Here are some other possible uses for these in your classroom: * To challenge early finishers * For effective tutoring * As ESL stations and sub tubs * As holiday work and homework * For small group collaborations * For an end of unit assessments * For reinforcement and enrichment ◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈ Save 50% on this BUNDLE! Note: These are also sold separately! ◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈

WRITING BUNDLE LESSON AND RESOURCES

A bundle of 20 writing resources for ESL students. This download includes: * Imaginative Writing * Narrative Writing * Biography Writing * Article Writing * Report Writing * Argumentative Writing * Descriptive Writing * Diary Writing * Persuasive Writing * Summary Writing * Review Writing * Paragraph Writing * Dialogue Writing * Creating Writing * Autobiography Writing * Factual Description * Play-Script Writing * Poem Writing * Using Textual Prompts to Write * Non-chronological Report Here are some possible uses for these in your classroom: * To challenge early finishers * For effective tutoring * As ESL stations and sub tubs * As holiday work and homework * For small group collaborations * For an end of unit assessments * For reinforcement and enrichment

WRITING A BIOGRAPHY: BUNDLE

A unit bundle of 4 products with 6 sessions on teaching and learning resources of WRITING A BIOGRAPHY based on New Bloom's Taxonomy. After completing this unit students will be able to: SESSION 1 - REMEMBERING: STRUCTURE & FEATURES - Identify the sentences that show the structure and features of a sample biography. SESSION 2 - UNDERSTANDING: LANGUAGE & TECHNIQUES - Determine the author's use of narrative language and techniques in a sample biography. SESSION 3 - APPLYING: PLAN - Use either the graphic organizer or Bio Cube to plan a biography on a chosen person. SESSION 4 - ANALYSING: DRAFT - Follow the biography structure to organise the first draft of a planned biography on the chosen person. SESSION 5 - EVALUATING: FEEDBACK - Refer to the checklist and the rubric to evaluate each other’s work with constructive feedback. SESSION 6 - CREATING: BIOGRAPHY - Follow the teacher instructions and student feedback to write the final draft of the drafted biography and publish it on Writing for Writers. This download includes: Scaffolding Notes: 13 Handouts Worksheets with Answers: 11 Exercises Unit Lesson Plan with Resources: 6 Sessions PowerPoint Presentation: 6 Sessions Here are some possible uses for these in your classroom: To challenge early finishers For effective tutoring As ESL stations and sub tubs As holiday work and homework For small group collaborations For an end of unit assessments For reinforcement and enrichment

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Diagram It! Identifying, Comparing, and Writing About Nonfiction Texts

Resources & Preparation
Instructional Plan
Related Resources

This lesson introduces second-grade students to different types of nonfiction writing. Students explore a variety of nonfiction books and compare them to fiction. Students also learn about different categories of nonfiction writing and practice identifying books that fall into these categories. Peer interaction, hands-on experiences with nonfiction books, and the use of graphic organizers facilitate student understanding of the texts. Students record their thinking and new learning and discuss them as a class.

Featured Resources

Interactive Venn Diagram : Students can use this interactive to compare and contrast fiction and nonfiction genres.

From Theory to Practice

Too often, young children are exposed only to fiction writing in the primary years.
Nonfiction can play an important role in the primary classroom. The texts should include broad topical coverage to meet individual interests and curriculum needs.
Teachers should encourage independent work with age-appropriate nonfiction texts.

Common Core Standards

This resource has been aligned to the Common Core State Standards for states in which they have been adopted. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, CCSS alignments are forthcoming.

State Standards

This lesson has been aligned to standards in the following states. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, standard alignments are not currently available for that state.

NCTE/IRA National Standards for the English Language Arts

1. Students read a wide range of print and nonprint texts to build an understanding of texts, of themselves, and of the cultures of the United States and the world; to acquire new information; to respond to the needs and demands of society and the workplace; and for personal fulfillment. Among these texts are fiction and nonfiction, classic and contemporary works.
3. Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts. They draw on their prior experience, their interactions with other readers and writers, their knowledge of word meaning and of other texts, their word identification strategies, and their understanding of textual features (e.g., sound-letter correspondence, sentence structure, context, graphics).
11. Students participate as knowledgeable, reflective, creative, and critical members of a variety of literacy communities.
12. Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information).

Materials and Technology

Native Americans by Jay Miller (Children’s Press, 1994)
Native Americans by Judith Simpson, et al. (Time-Life Books, 1995)
The Rough-Face Girl by Rafe Martin (Putnam Publishing Group, 1998)
Sitting Bull: Dakota Boy by Augusta Stevenson (Aladdin, 1996)
Rising Voices: Writings of Young Native Americans by Arlene Hirschfelder and Beverly Singer (Ivy Books, 1993)
Computers with Internet access
Chart paper
Nonfiction Booklist
Venn Diagram

Preparation

Student objectives.

Students will

Practice analysis by comparing fiction and nonfiction texts and classifying the latter into autobiographies, biographies, and informative books
Apply their analysis by creating class charts and Venn diagrams that list the information they have compiled about these different texts
Demonstrate comprehension by discussing their findings in small groups and with the class
Synthesize what they have learned in writing

For this session, you will need to set time aside for students to work at computers. Computer access will determine how much time you need; you may need to allow groups of students to work during different sections of the day to allow for all of them to have 20 minutes of computer time.

Ask students to write a response paragraph that summarizes what they have learned during the lesson. Questions they should answer include:

What are the differences between fiction and nonfiction?
What did they learn about the different types of nonfiction?
What is their favorite type of book and why?

You might also ask them to list one characteristic of each type of writing. For example, fiction writing can talk about monsters and giants, or informative nonfiction tells me how Native Americans live. Encourage them to talk about the different texts they used in the lesson.

Review science and social studies standards to choose nonfiction books that are appropriate for a range of reading levels. Students should be given nonfiction books that are written at their level and that focus on a familiar topic. Choosing books based on standards covered the previous year may be one way to help in your decision-making process.
Encourage students to keep their nonfiction collection in a place where they can share or read them with their classmates.
Set up time for students to work with a librarian to learn how to find the different types of nonfiction in the library.
Have students keep a nonfiction notebook. In this journal, students can collect information they have learned about nonfiction.
Use the companion lesson "Predicting and Gathering Information With Nonfiction Texts" .

Student Assessment / Reflections

Observe students during class discussions and their presentations. Do they understand the distinction between fiction and nonfiction? Are they able to identify the characteristics of different nonfiction texts?
Observe students while they are working in their small groups. Are they able to correctly identify the information for their Venn diagrams? Can they fill them in? Take anecdotal notes about the students' abilities to record relevant information. If there is any confusion, help students make corrections.
Collect and review each group's Venn diagram and the response paragraph each student completed during Session 10.
Calendar Activities
Student Interactives

This interactive tool allows students to create Venn diagrams that contain two or three overlapping circles, enabling them to organize their information logically.

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The Venn Behind the Diagram

Home » Publications » Mathematics Today » The Venn Behind the Diagram

John Venn is mostly remembered as the inventor of the famous diagram that bears his name. It is still widely used today, for instance, to solve problems in set theory and to test the validity of syllogisms in logic.

Like Euler diagrams or truth tables, Venn diagrams summarise and present certain information and, in the best case, they also generate new information. Given their similarities, Euler and Venn diagrams are often mentioned in the same breath or even said to be essentially one and the same. Both are formed by using circles, are intuitively understandable and sometimes look alike. The fact is, however, that they are very different. For one thing, there are many Euler diagrams that cannot be Venn diagrams, and vice versa.

The long-standing confusion of Euler and Venn diagrams points to an interesting paradox – or an irony, perhaps. Venn is best remembered for the Venn diagram, which, at least in its form of three overlapping circles, is of Google Doodle fame. At the same time, its nature is often misunderstood and almost nothing is known about its origin. There is a whole literature on the first point. In this short note, I would like to briefly reflect on the second.

The reason why almost nothing is known about the origin of Venn diagrams is as simple as it is mysterious: there is no mention of them at all in Venn’s own writings or correspondence prior to 1880, and in his autobiography, Venn dryly reports that he ‘first hit upon’ Euler diagrams in 1862 and that his own diagrams ‘did not occur to [him] till much later’ [2, p. 70]. His description of the journey that led him to their invention is brief and hardly insightful [1, p. 4]:

I tried at first, as others have done, to represent the complicated propositions [of Boole] by the old [Eulerian] plan; but the representations failed altogether to answer the desired purpose; and after some consideration I hit upon the plan here described.

This makes clear that Venn diagrams emerged from the attempt to adapt Euler diagrams to Boolean logic. On this basis, much can be learned about how Venn arrived at his diagrams. One can retrace the steps that opened the way to their invention, drawing together post-Eulerian developments in diagrammatic representation and Boolean logicians’ dealings with the so-called problem of elimination [3]. But all this says nothing about when and why Venn invented them.

Some people, including myself, have argued that it is likely that Venn invented his diagrams at some point in the late 1870s [4, pp. 177–208]. The circumstantial evidence is twofold. First, Venn himself wrote that they were suggested to him by his study of George Boole’s algebraic logic. Second, it was around 1878 that he finally managed to come to grips with Boole’s work.

The why question is more tricky. Any answer to it will be contextual at best. It has much to do with the Cambridge tradition of mathematics in which Venn was trained as an undergraduate. Interestingly, one aspect of this same tradition also helps us solve another mystery about Venn diagrams: namely, why he invented them but cared relatively little about bringing them to maturity.

Venn entered Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, in 1853. Around this time, to be a serious ‘reading man’ meant to devote oneself to a three-and-a-half-year preparation for the Mathematical Tripos. While the complete hegemony of mathematics at Cambridge was broken by the establishment of the Natural Sciences Tripos and the Moral Sciences Tripos in 1851, for some time the Mathematical Tripos continued to determine who would compete for a fellowship and hence for an academic career.

During this period, it was profoundly shaped by the efforts of William Whewell (1794–1866), who strongly favoured mixed over pure mathematics.² Over the course of the 1820s to 1840s, the curriculum at Cambridge had been expanded to include more purely analytic subjects, such as elliptical integrals and Laplace coefficients. Whewell took it upon himself to replace these and other more advanced parts by the inclusion of physical subjects, ranging from electricity and magnetism to heat. He did this from the firm belief that a liberal education should be based upon Euclid and Newton and, more specifically, that intuitive geometrical methods provided the most suitable training of the student’s mind.

One outcome of Whewell’s influence was that men like Venn were trained in the Cambridge tradition of preferring visual to symbolic representation [5, 6]. Another was that the Mathematical Tripos proved a physically and mentally exhausting exercise, as students were drilled to perform standardised problems mechanically at a rapid pace [7].

As an undergraduate, Venn did not really fit the mould of the 19th-century Cambridge system of private tuition. All of the three or four private tutors he tried ‘always had the Tripos prominently in view’ [2, p. 38]. This meant that none of them made much room for those, like Venn [2, p. 38]:

Who wished to turn aside to study some detached point which interested them or to speculate about the logical and philosophical problems that arose.

When Venn sat for the Tripos in January 1857, the examination took eight days, a total of 27 hours: the first three days (Part 1) were on elementary mathematics and the next five days (Part 2) covered more advanced subjects. Venn finished Sixth Wrangler, that is, sixth in the list of first-class honours students, which he believed ‘was about [his] right place, as things were’ [2, p. 45].

Venn wrote about the all-importance of the Tripos at Cambridge [2, p. 45]:

The evil side of the system … is displayed in the re-action and disgust which … ensues when that examination is over.

Before coming to Cambridge, and for his first two years as an undergraduate, Venn had enjoyed mathematics. After the Tripos, he disliked it intensely. He even went so far as to sell all his mathematical books, and he would never return to mathematics again. Many years later, he believed his strong reaction had been a mistake. He remarked [2, p. 45]:

What has been painfully gained ought not to be let drop. Even if its study is not carried on to any further point, it should at least be retained, and utilised in other directions.

When in the 1860s and 1870s Venn came to study Boole’s algebraic logic, he indeed had to recover almost the basics of algebra. Not everything was lost, however.

Venn returned to Cambridge in 1862, after several years of working as an Evangelical curate, to transform himself into a moral scientist, educating a new generation of students in political economy, philosophy and, especially, in logic. By the 1880s, Venn actually was the leading logician at Cambridge. This status he owed partly to his intercollegiate teaching (a novelty at the time) but mostly to his influential textbooks: The Logic of Chance (1866), Symbolic Logic (1881), which contained the diagrams, and The Principles of Empirical or Inductive Logic (1889). All of Venn’s textbooks – and, indeed, almost all his academic papers – found their origin in the lecture room. Why is this important?

First of all, because it points to the fact that Venn diagrams were, at least to Venn’s own mind, primarily a pedagogical device and not, or at least much less so, an object of study in their own right. Venn himself viewed his visualisation of Boole’s logic as offering to moral sciences students what the ‘demonstrators’ in the newly founded Cavendish Laboratory were able to provide for students reading mathematics and natural sciences. As Venn wrote [8, p. 343–344]:

If any sluggish [or ‘non-mathematically trained’] imagination did not at once realise that from ‘All is some ’, ‘No is any ’, we could infer that ‘No is any ’, he has only to trace the circles, and he sees it as clearly as anyone sees the results of a physical experiment.

Furthermore, it can be argued that, through his lecture room use of diagrams, Venn was importing the kind of visual reasoning learnt from the Mathematical Tripos into the new, non-mathematical subjects he taught at Cambridge in the 1860s to 1880s.

Let me end by quoting a passage that captures Venn’s almost touchingly limited view on the possibilities for innovation of his diagrams [1, p. 16]:

For myself, if I wanted any help in constructing or employing a diagram, I should just have one of the three-, four-, or five-term figures made into a stamp; this would save a few minutes sometimes in drawing them; and we could then proceed to shade out or otherwise mark the requisite compartments.

Lukas M. Verburgt Netherlands Institute for Advanced Study

The history of the term ‘mixed mathematics’ is complex and interesting. For Whewell, it meant an emphasis on descriptive geometry and (what would today be called) ‘applied’ mathematical subjects such as hydrostatics, optics, mechanics and astronomy. Whewell’s emphasis on mixed instead of pure mathematics was not due to a concern for mathematics’ utility, far from it: it was part of his conservative outlook, focused on the clear and definite rather than the ‘vague’ and ‘speculative’. For context see, for instance, [10], Chapters 2 and 3.
Venn, J. (1880) On the diagrammatic and mechanical representation of propositions and reasonings, Philos. Mag. , vol. 10, no. 5, pp. 1–18.
Venn, J. (2022) Annals: Autobiographical sketch, in John Venn: Unpublished Writings and Selected Correspondence , ed. Verburgt, L.M., Springer, New York.
Moktefi, A. and Lemanski, J. (2022) On the origin of Venn diagrams, Axiomathes , vol. 32, pp. 887–900.
Verburgt, L.M. (2022) John Venn: A Life in Logic , The University of Chicago Press, Chicago, London.
Cook, S. (2005) Minds, machines, and economic agents: Cambridge receptions of Boole and Babbage, Stud. Hist. Philos. Sci. Part A , vol. 36, no. 2, pp. 331–350.
Cook, S. (2005) Late Victorian visual reasoning and Alfred Marshall’s economic science, Br. J. Hist. Sci. , vol. 38, no. 2, pp. 179–195.
Warwick, A. (1998) Exercising the student body: Mathematics and athleticism in Victorian Cambridge, in Science Incarnate: Historical Embodiments of Natural Knowledge , eds Lawrence, C. and Shapin, S., The University of Chicago Press, Chicago, London, pp. 288–326.
Venn, J. (1880) On the forms of logical proposition, Mind , vol. 5, no. 19, pp. 336–349.
Moktefi, A. (2018) Carroll diagrams: Design and manipulation, in Diagrammatic Representation and Inference, 10th International Conference, Diagrams 2018 , Edinburgh, UK, 18–22 June 2018, eds Chapman, P., Stapleton, G., Moktefi, A., Perez-Kriz, S. and Bellucci, F., Springer, pp. 32–35.
Warwick, A. (2003) Masters of Theory: Cambridge and the Rise of Mathematical Physics , University of Chicago Press, Chicago, London.

Reproduced from Mathematics Today, April 2023

Download the article, The Venn Behind the Diagram (pdf)

Image credit: figures 1–3: ron weickart, related posts.

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Biography vs Autobiography: Similarities and Differences
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 ...
Venn Diagram for Biography Vs. Autobiography [classic]
Venn Diagram for Biography Vs. Autobiography [classic] Use Creately's easy online diagram editor to edit this diagram, collaborate with others and export results to multiple image formats. You can easily edit this template using Creately. You can export it in multiple formats like JPEG, PNG and SVG and easily add it to Word documents ...
Autobiography vs. Biography
An autobiography author generally relies on his or her personal recollections of events rather than incorporating input from other sources. A biography is more objective than an autobiography. Biography writers collect information, including reading records of events and interviews with the book's subject and other individuals.
Autobiography vs. Biography vs. Memoir
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.
Autobiography vs Biography: Differences and Similarities
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 ...
Biography, Autobiography, Memoir? What's the difference?
In short, A biography is the grand telling of another person's life. An autobiography is an epic telling of your own life. A memoir, resembles an autobiography with more attention on a particular theme, symbolism, lyricism, or overriding concept. In the end, any of these genres may borrow elements of the other so that the author may tell their ...
Biography vs. Autobiography: Differences and Features
Analyze the differences: biography vs autobiography. Includes descriptions & examples of each. We've even highlighted key differences for easy reference.
Biographies and autobiographies
Biographies and autobiographies are both types of non-fiction stories about someone's life. They are both based in fact but there are some key differences between them. Watch this video in which ...
Difference between Biography and Autobiography
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 ...
Memoir vs. biography vs. autobiography: similarities and ...
The main difference between autobiography and biography is that the last one provides a person's story written by someone else. The peculiar advantage that autobiographies provide is decreasing the number of discrepancies or mistakes. Hiring cheap ghostwriters for hire may be incorrect in describing significant events.
Biography vs Autobiography: Differences and Features
4- Authencity. An autobiography will be more authentic than a biography. An autobiography writer usually recalls his events and narrates his own experiences. On the other hand, biography writers gather info through different sources and by talking and interviewing various people.
What is a Biography vs Autobiography?
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 ...
What Is The Difference Between Biography And Autobiography? Twinkl Wiki
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 ...
Writing a Biography: Lesson and Resources
A unit lesson plan with 6 sessions on teaching and learning resources of writing a biography based on New Bloom's Taxonomy. This download includes: Video: Writing Biographies. Scaffolding Notes 1: Vocabulary Overview. EXERCISE 1: Compare and contrast a biography and an autobiography. Use the Interactive Venn Diagram to record the difference ...
Biography and autobiography venn diagram
Reading: Students learn to identify and describe the characteristics found in biographies and autobiographies. •4 posters for a meaningful display•faux book covers sorting activity•compare and contrast with a Venn diagram •book titles/authors sorting activity•6 leveled reading passages: students determine if a passage is a biography or autobiography and explain their reasoning.
Diagram It! Identifying, Comparing, and Writing About Nonfiction Texts
Review the Venn Diagram that you and the students created in Session 3. Tell students that they will be working in groups of three to create their own Venn diagrams, first on paper and then on the computer. Note: If students have never worked in groups before, you might want to give them guidelines before the activity begins. Some rules about ...
BIOGRAPHY COMPARE & CONTRAST
Biography Notes handout. 16. Allow students time to complete their Biography Venn Diagram handout using information they collected on the Biography Notes handout. Closure 17. Give students time to share their Venn diagrams. 18. Remind students that all people have similarities and differences. Encourage students to recognize
Compare and Contrast/Biography and Autobiography Flashcards
A diagram that is used to show relationships between sets. contrast. Difference between things. biography. A story about a person's life, written by another person. autobiography. A story of a person's life, written by that person. summary. A brief statement that presents the main points in a concise (shortened) form.
The Venn Behind the Diagram
The reason why almost nothing is known about the origin of Venn diagrams is as simple as it is mysterious: there is no mention of them at all in Venn's own writings or correspondence prior to 1880, and in his autobiography, Venn dryly reports that he 'first hit upon' Euler diagrams in 1862 and that his own diagrams 'did not occur to ...
John Venn
John Venn (born August 4, 1834, Kingston upon Hull, England—died April 4, 1923, Cambridge) English logician and philosopher best known as the inventor of diagrams—known as Venn diagrams —for representing categorical propositions and testing the validity of categorical syllogisms. He also made important contributions to symbolic logic ...
Biography vs. Autobiography Venn Diagram by Working With Wilkins
Description. Compare and contrast Biographies and Autobiographies using Venn Diagram. Reported resources will be reviewed by our team. Report this resource to let us know if this resource violates TPT's content guidelines. Compare and contrast Biographies and Autobiographies using Venn Diagram. ...
Autobiography vs. Biography Characteristics Venn Diagram
Autobiography vs. Biography Characteristics Venn Diagram by Elizabeth Adam. This page failed to load. Our development team has been informed of the issue. This venn diagram can help distinguish the differences and similarities between autobiographies and biographies. ...
John Venn: A Life in Logic
Books. John Venn: A Life in Logic. Lukas M. Verburgt. University of Chicago Press, Apr 8, 2022 - Biography & Autobiography - 448 pages. The first comprehensive history of John Venn's life and work. John Venn (1834-1923) is remembered today as the inventor of the famous Venn diagram. The postmortem fame of the diagram has until now eclipsed ...

Biography vs Autobiography: Similarities and Differences

Biography vs Autobiography

Origins of Biographies

Key Characteristics of Biographies

2. Autobiography

Origins of Autobiographies

Key Characteristics of Autobiographies

Similarities and Differences Between Biographies and Autobiographies

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Autobiography vs Biography: Differences and Similarities

This autobiography vs biography comparison includes:

Difference between biography and autobiography

1. Different perspectives

2. Control of the narrative

3. Levels of objectivity

4. Sources used

5. Writing style

Where do memoirs fit in?

Final thoughts

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Key Differences Between Biography and Autobiography

Video: Biography Vs Autobiography

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Biography vs Autobiography: The Key Differences