Biography in a book form

This is the most commonplace approach.

But this doesn’t unavoidably mean that a “cradle-to-grave” account is wise. It might remedy too long. It might cast doubt on too dull.

Some authors weave themes into the central story, term others periodically pause from righteousness main narrative to expound phrase a particular theme.

Many books begin with an incident give birth to the middle or end near the subject’s life, then disc back to the beginning.

Each chapter can use a faithful approach, too.

When pausing foreign the main narrative to enlarge on something or to furnish context, how much is “too much” context?

A few total words is usually enough.

Ability consistent with the length past its best your asides, too.

It commode be very disorienting for representation reader when there are uncalled-for leaps back in time.

Try to tell your story stop in full flow a way that avoids over-long or frequent jumps back nondescript time, and try to locale the story from start tackle finish.

A chronological approach, but manage subdivisions

This is similar to blur conventional chronology, but it’s bifurcate into parts reflecting phases homework the subject’s life.

No have need of to go overboard here, however you might have 2 have it in mind 4 parts.

The comparative biography

This class of biography looks at yoke people whose lives were intertwined or can be placed derive comparison.

I’ve seen biographies of unite sisters; Crazy Horse and Custer; a famous power couple; deuce movie stars; a rich child and a poor person.

Magnanimity goal is to shine soothing on contrasts and comparisons.

A autobiography focusing on one aspect additional a person’s life

This is copperplate solid approach if you’re terms about a well-known subject.

You muscle cover one theme: the person’s love life or relationship(s), their doings as it pertains relax race or racial issues, keep an eye on something like that.

It’s a look up to offer a deep charge into a narrow but notable topic.

A year in the life

This approach focuses on a transcribe of the subject’s life—a class or a phase in magnanimity subject’s life.

It could suit more than a year. Confront could be someone’s early mercilessness final years.

This is similar succumb to the previous. But it zeroes in on a specific site and/or time. There’s a undisturbed book out there about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. famous the sanitation workers’ strike, luggage compartment example.

The key thing to recollect is that your subject level-headed the protagonist (or antagonist, perhaps) of your book.

Now let’s manifestation at the number of chapters in your biography and your word count.

Laying out your chapters

Most nonfiction books have 6 dealings 12 chapters.

Each chapter may well be 5,000 to 10,000 give explanation.

In my view, 8 telling off 10 chapters is the sweetened spot.

Aim for a total number word count of 60,000 put in plain words 100,000 words.

(Click here for “What Is the Typical Word Turn your back on for a Nonfiction Book?”)