How to Write a Two-Page Autobiography

By Erica Sweeney

 A short, two-page autobiography can be an essential resource in the corporate world, academic arena or other areas. It can introduce guest speakers, be part of a company's press release or outline individual accomplishments for an employer. Writing a short autobiography can also be therapeutic because it will be a chance to examine your life and accomplishments

Brainstorm

·         Consider the purpose of the autobiography. For example, the autobiography might be written for work-related purposes or as an introductory piece for a creative writing class.

·         Gather ideas and focus on a theme. Let the purpose guide your decision about the theme. For example, a work-related autobiography might focus on education and career-related aspects, while one for a creative writing class might describe your adventures and hobbies.

·         List your life's accomplishments and highlights. Stay focused on the purpose and theme as you make this list.

·         Compile another list of other aspects of your life that you would like to include, such as family, awards, recognitions, affiliations and other areas of interest.

·         Think about your audience. Try not to include information that you do not want others to know or that might be considered offensive. For example, it is not a good idea to include information that is too personal for a work-related autobiography.

Start Writing

·         Write an introduction that states your full name and provides an overview of the purpose of the autobiography.

·         Continue writing about your accomplishments. Stay focused and let your lists, purpose and theme guide you.

·         Structure the autobiography in a logical way. The purpose and the information included should help you to decide whether to write chronologically or spatially and where information is grouped according to other criteria. For example: listing items from most to least important or all educational items together, for example.

·         Write three to five body paragraphs to fulfill the two-page length requirement. Keep in mind that a paragraph should be no more than about seven sentences and relatively stick to one main point.

·         End the autobiography logically. One way is stop at the present time. Other ways include expressing hopes or predictions for the future or discussing what you have learned from your experiences.

Jennifer's suggestions are really, really good.  I would add to her first paragraphs and say that this assignment is asking you to have a conversation with the reader.  You might use your resume as a scaffold.  If you have a good resume, it has everything you will want to touch on.  If you need help writing one, check out www.publicsafetyprep.com.