how to write my mother's biography

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Writing My Mother’s Memoir: So Who Is She Really?

Denis’ mom is the one standing in center back.

If you are like me, you know many details of your mother’s—or father’s—life. But there may be many vague relationships between this event and that event, between causes and effects. In other words, your parent’s life may end up seeming a mishmash of dates and facts and impressions and none of them blending very well together.

Being a person who has always been interested in family history, I considered myself aware of my mother’s and my father’s lives. Having worked with people to write memoirs, I wanted to be sure that I was not caught, as so many people have been, with not getting my parents’ story while the story was still available—which it wasn’t in my father’s case as he was deceased.

I begin to write

In 2009, I began to focus on interviewing my mother. Every few weeks (she lived in a different city), I would visit with her and get in a half hour interview. Since my mother was not primarily interested in preserving her life story (it was my interest), she was not committed to a beginning-to-end interview process. What I ended up doing was simply asking her questions—often in a conversation. Once back home, I would write down her answers to my questions.

My mother did not always sense that I was interviewing her for her memoir. Every once in a while however, I specifically had to inquire, “When was the date that you did this or you did that?” or “Which came first: this event or that?” In those moments, she became aware that I was continuing to write her memoir.

Tweet: My mom asked, “Why are you writing my memoir? Who will want to read it?”http://bit.ly/1dyT1Ju

She also might say, “How in the world are you going to find enough information to fill the pages of a book, even a small book?”

Since I was also working full-time at my company  Memoir Network, writing my mother’s book fit in around the edges of books that I was editing, coaching, ghostwriting. and teaching. In short, it fit around my income production. This process is not unlike how most people will write either their own memoir or the memoir of a loved one.

The memoir continues to grow

Over the next four years, I interviewed my mother and wrote text. When my mother gave up her apartment and moved into an assisted-living facility, I knew the leisurely pace at which I had been writing had to change. I applied myself to completing the memoir and set a time for finishing. I had wanted to get to a later point in her life as the ending.

However my mother’s ability to contribute to the story was diminishing. She had less of a grasp on specific details, on dates, on who was there and who did what when. I opted for a different end point than I had anticipated, one that was closer to the time of the text that I had already written. This proved to be a good closing point even if it was disappointing to three of my siblings whose birth did not make it into the memoir. (I mentioned them in an afterword.)

What did I get from writing my mother’s story?

I got acceptance of her life, a sense of who she was, and that who she was was just fine.

Tweet: Writing my mother’s memoir gave me the opportunity to get to know her in an intimate way. http://bit.ly/1dyT1Ju

Writing my mother’s memoir gave me the opportunity to get to know her in an intimate way that I had not had the opportunity to before. Her past had been vague; the setting of her life not at all clear; the sequencing of events haphazard at best.

There were a few occasions in my mother’s life when her response was a hero’s response, when she rose to the needs of an occasion that was difficult to live. She conducted herself well in those circumstances. That is a hero’s response. But the bulk of my mother’s life was yoeman’s work, pick and shovel work. It consisted of making a home, going to work, raising children and so forth. It was day-after-day work. Now this may be hero’s work of a certain kind but it turned out that it was a rather humdrum and ordinary sort of work. In a way, my mother’s life helped me to understand and to accept my own yeoman’s work.

Finally, the hard copy was finished and I showed it to my mother.

Tweet: When she saw the memoir, she said “How in the world did you ever find enough to say about me to fill so many pages?” http://bit.ly/1dyT1Ju

As I wrote her life, one task that was important to me was to fit her life into a cultural, social, and historical context.

Large parts of the 208-page book have to do with her time, with cultural or historical events. For instance, there was a flood in her city in 1936. Briefly I wrote about that flood. There were developments in the political life of her city that affected her. I also dealt with these on occasion. There were historical contexts that made for why she lived where she lived.

Many details having to do with our ethnicity, details that distinguished her adaptation to American life from that of members of other groups, found their way into the book. My mother’s bigger picture was one that was familiar to me and it was not difficult to place her life in that larger context.

Tweet: Whether you are writing your own memoir or somebody else’s I urge you not to put the task off. http://bit.ly/1dyT1Ju

Go ahead and commit to writing. The benefits are well worth the effort that you will have to expend.

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I believe in some ways all of our mothers were heroes. My mother passed many years ago and her story will go untold. There is a part of me that grieves that and wishes I had the opportunity to learn and understand her more. Our mothers will always be our mothers and I am sure yours was very special. Thank you for sharing your process with us. I have a friend in hospice who is not visited by her daughter (and consequently her grandchildren). When she was losing her ability to speak I was shocked that no one wanted to hear what she had to say. She is a wise and wonderful spirit. From what I see in the facility she lives at, there are many, many mothers whose families don’t realize the value of their words. Hopefully, you will inspire someone (or several someones) to go and listen to their wisdom and stories.

You reminded me of my feelings when my mom was intubated and couldn’t speak anymore. I thought about the times in the past I wished she would stop fussing, and now her fussing would have been music to my ears.

Dear Linda,

In the time between when I sent Flora my guest post about writing my mother’s memoir and now, my dear mother has passed away at 93, almost 94. Her end was rather quick and for that we need to be grateful, but it did catch us unaware even if we knew that the end, given that she was 93 and in assisted living, could not be distant.

The staff shared with my family how my mother was the most visited person on the floor. They remarked how she had a flow of guest, how there were always flowers in bloom in her room, how we were always checking in with the staff about her care. For us, all of this was what we expected of ourselves—I supposed what our mother raised us to be.

One staffer told my brother, “Your family does so much for your mother.” He replied, “Well, I think we’re still thousands of soggy diapers and hundreds of sick crying nights in arrears. It’s not something we’ll ever catch up on.”

Your story of elders being abandoned is all too frequent.

I am so pleased to have written my mother’s story. It is very comforting to me

You have honored your mother in many ways. She was truly blessed to have you complete her memoir, and be surrounded by loved ones as she made her transition.

I’m happy that writing her story brings you comfort. It also encourages the rest of us who are considering writing our own memoirs.

Thank you again for sharing it with us.

Thanks for sharing the process of writing your mother’s memoir. I hope it will encourage those who still can hear their mother’s voice to ask questions and listen more.

Dear Gladys,

I second your encouragement.

While I wrote my mother’s memoir in the first person because she spoke it to me and I read every word to her for her approval, it is possible to write the story in the third person if a parent is not present to participate.

Have you written the memoir of one of your parents?

I’m hoping that this Denis’ message is heeded by others who have considered writing memoirs. I’m happy you chimed in to underscore this important task.

Denis: I am sorry for your loss and am sending prayers for you, your mother, and everyone involved. I am also so pleased to hear how your family came together for her. She was clearly a remarkable and well-loved woman.

When I finished clearing out my mother’s house after her death, I *had* to write her story. I discovered too many objects that held funny memories for me to keep them secret. I thought others whose parents encountered obstacles would be inspired by a strong woman who faced the tough times and partied on.

Thanks to sharing your experience with what moved you to write your mom’s story. I discovered we uncover many memories when go through a loved ones belongings after they passed. I had this experience when my son died this year. Your mom’s life was amazing.

Greetings, I am writing the story of my mother’s life. She was a tap dancer in New York in the 1930’s. She worked with Ed Wynn, Al Jolson and many others. I believe it will be self published and/or Kindle published. I wonder if I should write it in third person. What do you think?

Hi Patricia, there is no one right answer. If your book is based on interviewing your mother, like Denis Ledoux did, then writing is first person in appropriate. If, however, you’re writing it based on your memories and research, third person seems to be the preferred approach. If you belong to writers groups online and off, you can ask this question to see what they recommend. Best wishes for your book’s success. The topic certainly has widespread interest.

Dear Ms. Flora,

Thank you so much for your prompt answer. I had started in the second person tense, a familiar tone, but then realized that third person was probably the best one to narrate a story. Mother was somewhat well known in the 1930’s and I have found MANY newspaper clippings from that era as well as some beautiful photographs. I think this will make a good book as soon as I am able to gather all the research materials. Thank you again for the advice.

Sincerely, Patricia

Patricia, How wonderful that you have access to first-hand information on your mother. I urge you to be steadfast in writing your book. Many people have great stories to share but never get them done. Remember that writing your first draft is critical. Get your thoughts down without editing as you go. Once you’ve finished the rough draft you can begin the editing and then bring in a professional editor to polish it. Have you decided to seek an agent or do you plan to publish it yourself. Keep up the good work.

Flora, yes I am finding so much on mother. The newspapers.com website has given me so much in the way of pictures and articles. I am searching for her dance teacher and her connections with theater. I am following Mother’s life through about 1942 when she joined the Army, and after that her life with me. As for publishing, I was thinking maybe self- or on Kindle. Not sure. I have heard that most publishers will not take new authors.

Patricia, many people choose self-publishing because it’s the fastest way to get published. While it’s true that major publishers take very few new authors, it doesn’t mean it’s impossible. I recommend that you subscribe to a few other newsletters/blogs to learn what your options are in the industry. Google these folks==>Amy Collins, Judith Briles, Jane Friedman, Hugh Howey, Joel Friedlander and join groups like IndiesUnlimited.com, https://www.allianceindependentauthors.org/ , http://thecreativepenn.com , http://creativindie.com These will help you get up to speed on the industry as you continue to gather research. Learning about the publishing industry is part of your research too.

Thank you so much for sharing your experience. My mother, a great woman recently died at 64. I wish i started her Memoir when she was alive, but i didn’t know she was going to die. i want to write her memoir now, before the memories fade from people’s mind. The experience you shared will be so helpful.

Hi Chioma, I’m delighted that the post is helpful. Best wishes in getting your memoir written.

Is there some way I can find some information on how to fill out chapters, and how much research on related areas I should do. For instance, if I am writing about my mother’s tap dancing career, shall I write an entire chapter on tap, which is related to her indirectly?

There is no place to turn to for the information you seek. Usually this discernment is work done with an editor or coach. I would say that a chapter deals with one action, one event or one grouping of energy. Your mother’s tap dancing career may have enough drama in it to warrant a chapter and then it might really be part of a series of quests she undertook. I would write it out and only then ask about whether it is sufficient for a chapter. This is the part of writing that is the art part. Good luck.

Thank you-some very good points. I am going to need a mentor. Does anyone here know where I can find one, and what they would charge?

I’d be happy to help point you in the right direction. Contact me and tell me if you’re interested in publishing your book or you just want to leave your story behind for your family. In either case, prices vary. Visit my site, florabrown.com, to see the courses I offer.

Dear Denis I want to embark on writing about my mother’s extraordinary life but also to include myself in the latter years. Do I write in the first or third person? Is a memoir a story? is it like a biography? sorry to bother you but I would be grateful for an answer ..thank you

Contact Denis on his website at https://thememoirnetwork.com/

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Writing women's history... one mother at a time... since 2004.

Write Her Story

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How to Write your Mothers' Story

You do not have to submit a story to our Archive in order to write about your mother. But we would love it if you did.

You do not need to tell anyone you are writing about your mother. But later on you may wish to share.

Why Write Your Mother’s Story?

• to engage your creativity
• to honour your mother
• to lay her memory to rest
• to chronicle her life into stories you can share
• to remind yourself/your mother how feisty/loving/fearless/gracious/funny she is/was
• to separate her experiences and perspectives from your own
• to bring to light the truth of what happened
• to document the times she lived in and the choices she made
• to acknowledge the legacy she gave you through her thoughts, words and deeds

Why Share her Story?

• it initiates and enriches family discussions
• it’s a great team building exercise
• if you don’t share your mother’s story we won’t have any stories about women and we will have to watch car chases in movies forever and ever

The Mother Taboo is strong. Many people hold an unconscious but powerful fear that if they say anything about their mothers, she and everyone in their family will suffer great shame. The result of this has been that throughout history women have led secret lives: undocumented, unrecognized, undervalued.

It has also resulted in many people realizing they never knew their mothers, never bothered to ask, or remember the details of her life. Without examination these women remain shadow figures whose only value is determined by how good they were at mothering.

We will never know the history of women until we start talking about our mothers. Some women were bad mothers, but lovely people. Some women got lost in their own lives. Some women were heroic without validation. All of these lives deserve to be acknowledged and remembered. Unlike in our mothers’ time, we no longer have an oral tradition: today, if stories do not get written down, they will be lost.

All stories contained in our Archive follow a single recipe – the facts of one woman’s life from beginning to end (or the present) where the writer is just a footnote. As narrow as you might find this recipe, there are many ways a story can be told within it (browse the Archive to see) and we have found the benefits outweigh any feeling of restriction.

• Write your mother’s story – where she was born, to whom, and what happened next – in less than 2000 words. The facts, ma’am, just the facts.
• Put in all the names and dates you can remember.
• Try to follow the sequence of events that happened in her life, the milestones, what she thought of them, and the choices she made.
• Remember: keep the spotlight on mom. This is not a story about you, or dad, or the town, or the times. If you describe an event, what did mom think about it? What was she doing there?
• We found it best to go fast, just splat everything you remember on the page, and then hone it to under 2000 words (that’s about 4 pages).
• Remember: this is not the definitive statement on your mother. It does not need to be perfect, well rounded or objective. This is your story of her.
• After you’ve finished your first draft, if you discover there are things you don’t know, ask someone. This assignment is a great excuse to ask questions you never knew needed to be answered. Or you can write your questions into your story. However be respectful of your voice, your perspective.
• Respect the word count: it forces you to consider what’s most important. (If you submit your story to the Archive and it’s more than 2000 words we will send it back).

Once you’ve finished your story to the best of your ability, read it to someone – a friend, your family, your group.

If you need to write your story again, go ahead.

If you like your story and want to submit it to our Archive, go to Submissions .

If this feels too daunting or you need more encouragement, check out the questions and writing prompts in Writing Women’s History or one of our workshops.

All you need to write your mother’s story is the assignment and a deadline. You have 2 weeks to write.  Go.

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How to Write a Biography: A Step-by-Step Guide

By Hannah Yang

Table of Contents

What is a biography, a step-by-step guide to writing a biography, tips for how to write a great biography, conclusion on how to write a biography.

Writing a biography can be a rewarding endeavor, but it can also feel a bit daunting if you’ve never written one before.

Whether you’re capturing the life story of a famous person, a family member, or even yourself, creating a compelling biography involves a mix of thorough research, narrative skill, and a personal touch.

So, how exactly do you write a successful biography? 

In this guide, we’ll break down the essentials to help you craft a biography that’s both informative and engaging, as well as our top tips for how to make it truly shine.

A biography is a detailed account of someone’s life.

A well-written biography needs to be objective and accurate. At the same time, it needs to depict more than just the basic facts like birth, education, work, relationships, and death—it should also portray the subject’s personal experience of those events.

So, in addition to being a good researcher, a good biographer also needs to be a good storyteller. You should provide insights into the subject’s personality, motivations, and impact on the world around them.

What’s the Difference Between a Biography, a Memoir, and an Autobiography?

Understanding the distinctions between different genres of life writing is crucial for both writers and readers. Here’s a quick breakdown of the key differences between a biography and other related genres.

Biography: a detailed account of a person’s life, usually written in the third-person POV and supported by extensive research 

Autobiography: a self-written account of the author’s own life, usually written in the first person POV and following a chronological order 

Memoir: a collection of memories that an individual writes about moments or events that took place in their life, usually in the first person POV and in an introspective and personal way

Narrative nonfiction: a book that tells true stories using the techniques of fiction writing, such as character development, narrative arc, and detailed settings

Best Biography Examples to Study

The best way to learn how to write well is to read other successful books within the genre you’re writing. 

Here are five great biographies to add to your reading list. For a longer list, check out our article on the 20 best biographies to read . 

Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand: the incredible true story of Louis Zamperini, an Olympian and World War II hero.

Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson: a comprehensive and engaging account of the Apple co-founder’s life.

Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow: the biography that inspired the hit musical, providing a deep dive into Hamilton ’ s life and legacy.

Savage Beauty: The Life of Edna St. Vincent Millay by Nancy Milford: a nuanced story that uncovers the family connection between the three Millay sisters and their mother.

Barracoon by Zora Neale Hurston: the story of Cudjo Lewis, one of the last-known survivors of the Atlantic slave trade.

As with writing any book, writing a biography is a marathon, not a sprint. It’s easier to think of it as a series of smaller steps than as one big challenge to tackle. 

Let’s break down the process step by step.

1. Choose Your Subject

Decide who you want to write about. It could be a well-known celebrity, a historical figure, or someone close to you.

In addition to figuring out who you’re writing about, this is also the step where you figure out why you want to write about them. Why is this a story worth telling, and what makes you interested in it? 

Maybe the subject of your biography overcame major hardships in life to achieve success, and that story will inspire others facing similar struggles. Or maybe they made a really unique contribution to the world that not enough people know about, and you want to shine a bigger spotlight on that impact.

Knowing why you’re telling this story will help you make the right decisions about how to research, outline, draft, and edit your biography.

2. Identify Your Target Audience

Understanding your target audience is a crucial step in writing a good biography. You should tailor your biography to the interests and knowledge level of your audience.

A biography for a general audience will differ from one written for experts in a particular field. For example, two biographies about Emily Dickinson would be vastly different if one is written for young children and the other is written for adult poets. 

3. Conduct Research

Dive deep into your research. Use a variety of sources to get a well-rounded view of your subject’s life. Take detailed notes and organize your findings.

Gather as much information as you can about your subject. This includes primary sources like interviews, letters, and diaries, as well as secondary sources such as books, articles, and documentaries.

Here are some primary sources to look for: 

Letters and diaries: These provide intimate insights into the subject’s thoughts, feelings, and daily life, and can often be found in family archives, libraries, and historical societies.

Birth, marriage, and death certificates: These documents can provide crucial dates and familial relationships.

Census data: Census records can provide demographic information and track changes over time.

Property records: These can reveal where the subject lived and owned property.

Employment and school records: These records offer formalized insights into the subject’s education and career.

Military records: If applicable, military records can provide information on service, ranks, and honors.

Photos and videos: Look for photographs and videos in public libraries, historical societies, online databases like the Library of Congress, and family photo albums.

Historical newspapers: Access archives of local and national newspapers for articles, interviews, and obituaries related to the subject.

Digital archives: Use online resources like ProQuest, Chronicling America, and newspaper databases available through public libraries.

You can also look for secondary sources, which provide more context and perspective, such as:

Existing biographies: Search for existing biographies and books about the subject or their era. How does your project stand out from the crowd? 

Academic articles and papers: Access journals through university libraries, which often have extensive collections of scholarly articles.

Documentaries and biographical films: You can often find these on streaming services or public television archives.

Websites and blogs: Look for reputable websites and blogs dedicated to the subject or related fields.

Social media platforms: The things people say on social media can offer insights into public perception about your subject.

Finally, you can also conduct your own interviews. Talk to the subject if they’re still alive, as well as their friends, family, and colleagues. You can ask them for personal anecdotes to add more color to your book, or more information to fill in any gaps in your knowledge. 

4. Ask Engaging Questions

Great biographers start from a place of curiosity. Before you start writing, you should know the answers to the following questions: 

What makes your subject’s story worth telling?

What was your subject’s childhood like? 

What were your subject’s early interests and hobbies?

What level of education did your subject achieve and where did they study?

What was your subject’s personality like?

What were their beliefs and values? 

How did your subject’s personality and beliefs change over time?

What were the major turning points in your subject’s life? 

How was your subject affected by the major political, cultural, and societal events that occurred throughout their life?  

What did their career path look like?

What were their major accomplishments? 

What were their major failures? 

How did they contribute to their field, their country, or their community?

Were they involved in any major controversies or scandals?

Who were the most important people in the subject’s life, such as friends, partners, or mentors?

If the subject is no longer living, how did they pass away?

What lasting impact did the subject leave behind? 

5. Create an Outline

An outline helps you structure your biography. You can write an extensive outline that includes every scene you need to write, or you can keep it simple and just make a list of high-level bullet points—whatever works best for your writing process. 

The best structure to use will depend on the shape of the story you’re trying to tell. Think about what your subject’s life looked like and what core messages you’re trying to leave the reader with.

If you want to keep things simple, you can simply go in chronological order. Tell the story from the birth of your subject to the death of your subject, or to the present day if this person is still living. 

You can also use a more thematically organized structure, similar to what you would find on a Wikipedia page. You could break your book down into sections such as major life events, personal relationships, core accomplishments, challenges, and legacy.

Or, if you want to be more creative, you can use a nonlinear story structure, jumping between recent events and older flashbacks based on which events feel thematically tied together. 

6. Write Your First Draft 

Now that you have an outline, it’s time to sit down and write your first draft.

Your opening chapters should hook the reader and give a preview of what’s to come. Highlight a compelling aspect of the subject’s life to draw readers in.

In your middle chapters, cover all the key events you need to include about your subject’s life and weave in themes and anecdotes that reveal their personality and impact.

In your final chapters, wrap up your biography by summarizing the subject’s legacy and reflecting on their overall significance. This provides closure and leaves the reader with a lasting impression.

Remember that it’s okay if your first draft isn’t perfect. Your goal is simply to get words down on the page so you have something to edit. 

7. Make Developmental Revisions

Now that you’re done with your first draft, it’s time to make big-picture revisions.

Review your biography for coherence and organization. Does the overall structure make sense? Are there any arcs or themes that aren’t given enough attention? Are there scenes or chapters that don’t need to be included? 

8. Make Line Edits

Once you’ve completed your developmental edits, it’s time to make smaller line edits. This is your time to edit for grammar, punctuation, and style.

Make sure you keep a consistent voice throughout the book. Some biographies feel more conversational and humorous, while others are serious and sophisticated. 

To get through your editing faster, you can run your manuscript through ProWritingAid , which will automatically catch errors, point out stylistic inconsistencies, and help you rephrase confusing sentences. 

Don’t be afraid to ask others for feedback. No good book is written in a vacuum, and you can ask critique partners and beta readers to help you improve your work.

What makes a great biography stand out from the rest? Here are our best tips for how to take your manuscript to the next level.

Tip 1: Focus on Key Themes

Identify the central themes or patterns in the subject’s life—the ones that will really make readers keep thinking about your book. These could be related to the subject’s struggles, achievements, relationships, or values.

Tip 2: Balance Facts and Narrative

A good biography should read like a story, not a list of facts.

Use narrative techniques like imagery, character development, and dialogue to create a compelling and coherent story.

Tip 3: Add Your Own Perspective

Biographies need to be objective, but that doesn’t mean the author has to be entirely invisible. Including your own perspective can make the biography relatable and engaging. 

Letting your voice shine can help illustrate the subject ’ s character and bring their story to life. It will also help make your biography stand out from the crowd. 

Tip 4: Create a Timeline

Organize the key events of the subject’s life in chronological order. This will help you see the bigger picture and ensure you cover all important aspects.

Tip 5: Be Considerate

Because biographies are about real people, you should be mindful of who will be impacted by the story you’re telling, especially if your subject is still alive or still has living family members.

If the subject is still alive, ask them for permission to tell their story before you start writing. This also helps ensure that you don’t get sued. 

Writing a biography is a journey of discovery, not just about the subject, but also about the craft of storytelling.

By combining thorough research, a clear structure, and engaging narrative techniques, you can create a biography that not only informs but also inspires and captivates your readers. 

Don’t forget to run your manuscript through ProWritingAid so you can make sure your prose is as polished as possible. 

Now, pick your subject, gather your resources, and start writing—there’s a fascinating story waiting to be told.

Good luck, and happy writing!

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Hannah Yang is a speculative fiction writer who writes about all things strange and surreal. Her work has appeared in Analog Science Fiction, Apex Magazine, The Dark, and elsewhere, and two of her stories have been finalists for the Locus Award. Her favorite hobbies include watercolor painting, playing guitar, and rock climbing. You can follow her work on hannahyang.com, or subscribe to her newsletter for publication updates.

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How to Write Your Parents’ Life Story in 3 Steps

Have you ever wondered what your parents dreamed about as kids?  

Imagine you grab a book that describes the story of your life long before you were born. The words introduce you to a decade in which you didn’t yet exist, and the paragraphs move you to places where you’ve probably never been.

And you can’t put it down, because the principal characters of that breathtaking story are your parents.

As you read, you discover who they were before they met, how they grew up, and how their lives had the fortunate twist of crossing their paths. In a nonfiction book that describes your parents’ life, you can preserve those invaluable memories and connect, over and over, with your loved ones.

Writing your story and preserving your heritage not only offers benefits for your mental health , but it's also an excellent way to strengthen your relationship with your family and an admirable gesture to honor your parents.

But how do you get started?  Writing your parents’ life story from scratch is a big task, but you can make it manageable by following three simple steps.

Photo credit: Pixabay

1. Start a Five-Sense Conversation

The first step is to gather all the interesting stories of your parents’ lives. The research phase can be easy for you, but it might overwhelm your parents. Sit with them and listen carefully to their story. Enjoy that pleasant conversation — it’s not an interrogation! As they talk, hand them photo albums, old letters, or objects with sentimental value to prompt their memories.  

As you talk, focus on having a  five-sense conversation .  Your goal isn’t just to know the facts about dates and places. You also want to awaken emotions that were asleep in a hidden memory. To do that, the storytellers must work with their senses to access the best of their memories and speak from their hearts. In that way, you capture their authentic voices when it’s time to type those words on the computer.

To touch on the five senses, ask for details about what things looked like — colors, textures, shape and size. If there’s a song they love, play it, and maybe even dance or sing together. If there’s a meal your parents enjoyed as kids, try to cook that meal with them. Spend time with them and enjoy the process together, doing all you can to gather rich details about sight, sound, taste, touch and smell. 

Photo credit: Burst

Don’t be afraid to ask about everything that intrigues you. Invite your parents to talk about their dreams and downfalls, their struggles and efforts, their progress and their mistakes. Ask them which crisis made them grow, the happiest moments of their life together, and what advice they would offer to the future generations of your family — or the world.

If there are gaps in their stories, you can call on other relatives or family friends for additional information. Those supporting characters in the story can offer another perspective or a more detailed description of an anecdote.

To get more detailed information on how to prepare to interview your loved ones, check out this guideline published by the library of UCLA. 

2. Record the Interviews

It’s important to keep proof of those stories, so don’t forget to record your interviews. This will allow you to check back as you write to make sure your details are accurate. Recording will also free you from the burden of note taking so you can concentrate while they speak and enjoy a more natural conversation. In addition to preserving facts for your book, you’ll also have a treasured keepsake that captures the tone and timbre of their voice for posterity — an incredible gift for future generations.

During the interview, there are three things you should keep in mind:

• Make sure your electronic device is completely charged and has enough storage space before the conversation starts. Once the interview begins, activate the voice recorder and place it near the storytellers. It’s a good idea to do a test first, to make sure their voices are clear.
• Listen and observe your parents as they speak. Let them talk as long as they want, and try not to interrupt them — sometimes tangents turn out to be the best anecdotes! Pay attention to how their emotions bloom as they tell about a specific moment of their past.  
• Have a pad and a pen handy, but be careful not to overuse it or let it become a distraction. Write all the questions you have, and take notes of decisive citations and revealing thoughts. 

Your smartphone provides the easiest way to record your interviews.   Voice Memos  is the best recording app for iOS users — just touch the bright red button and let it record. If you have an Android device, download Easy Voice Recorder .

If you can’t meet in person, you can record your interview on your favorite video calling app. Zoom, Skype and Google Meet all offer ways to record your call. 

3. Digitize Photos and Documents

To help bring your parents’ stories to life, you’ll want to include photos in your book. Seeing your parents in their youth will complete the portrait you paint of them as full, interesting people. 

Photo credit: Getty Images

To round out the book, collect photographs, letters and documents such as birth certificates or diplomas. There are several free, downloadable apps that make scanning and editing these images easy: 

• PhotoScan  is one of the best ways to digitize old photographs for both iOS and Android users. It also allows you to back up scans with Google Photos for sharing.
• Photomyne is also free, and you can upgrade to premium features that let you scan multiple images in just one snapshot. It's free to download for both iOS and Android.
• Genius Scan and CamScanner are useful for scanning text documents. The apps automatically crop images and allow you to share them as PDF or JPG files.

Digitizing photos and documents is a great way to preserve them for posterity, and it makes it possible to insert images into your story as you write.

StoryTerrace Can Help 

Crafting a book from scratch is a thrilling project, but it can be overwhelming. If you've thought about creating that book but are having trouble getting started, StoryTerrace can help you transform that idea into a hardcover non-fiction book  with our experienced team of editors, writers and designers. 

StoryTerrace  takes on the hard work of book production so you can relax. One of our 600 writers and journalists  will interview your loved ones and turn their words into clear, compelling prose. With our specialized Bookmaker platform, you can easily add photos to the book. When all is ready to print, you’ll receive a beautiful hardback book worthy of passing down to future generations.

If you’re worried about not having the time or the skill to do your parents’ story justice, we’re here for you! StoryTerrace makes it possible to capture your parents’ stories in a professional book that you’ll be proud to share.

To learn more about our hardback books and writing process, contact StoryTerrace today .  You can also   subscribe to our newsletter so you never miss out on helpful writing advice. 

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11 Do’s & Don’ts of Writing Family Biographies

June 19, 2015 by Elly - Legacy Tree Genealogists Project Manager 11 Comments

 Our team has completed thousands of hours of writing client biographies. Review our tips for writing family biographies that will help make your ancestors come to life!

Recently, we published a post on tips for writing a family biography that others would want to read. Perhaps that article inspired you to begin your own, or to dig up an unfinished manuscript and take a closer look. Maybe you’ve got the organization part figured out, but your writing itself needs some polishing.

At Legacy Tree Genealogists, we have a lot of experience writing – not just on the part of our researchers, but also by our project managers and editors, who look over each report and make sure it is ready for publication. As you can imagine, the daily application of these skills has been very educational. Here, then, are eleven do’s and don’ts of writing family biographies using real examples from real biographies that we’ve really written…or rewritten.

1.  Do Begin with an Interesting Story or Detail to Engage The Reader's Interest

“With no way of knowing that a ceasefire would be signed exactly one month later, James Ralph Wilson registered for the Great War draft on 1 September 1918 in Birmingham, Jefferson, Alabama. He was 33 years old. As a salesman for the Shapleigh Hardware Company of St. Louis, Missouri, James Ralph Wilson had no home of his own and gave an address at the Edwards Hotel in Jackson, Mississippi. His nearest relative was his mother, Mrs. R.O. Wilson, living 250 miles away in Irondale, Alabama.”

2.  Don't  Use Overly Sentimental Verbiage

This is not a romance novel.

“devoted friends” “tears could never compensate for the loss” “mother’s arms and sweet lullabies” “saddened the hearts”

3.  Do  Use Wider Local and National Historical Context to Bring Your Ancestors’ World to Life

“As disastrous as the Civil War was, particularly for the South, Jonathan was one of the fortunate ones who made it back home alive. This was especially amazing in view of the fact that his regiment participated in many of the most gruesome, storied battles of the whole conflict: John’s baptism by fire occurred at Williamsburg as part of the Peninsula Campaign shortly after his enlistment. He would also have been involved at the Battle of Gettysburg in summer 1863, which had the highest death toll of the entire war.”

4.  Don’t  Use Clichéd Idioms (Unless it is a Specific One that Plays an Important Role in Your Family’s Verbal Culture!)

  “pillar of society” “across the pond” “needle in a haystack” “kill two birds with one stone” “barking up the wrong tree” “went over it with a fine tooth comb”

5.  Do  Look Outside Typical Genealogy Sources to Glean Supplementary Details

“This invoice, for the cutting of cloth for a vest and coat, suggests that Washington was embarking on some adventure which required a new suit. Since we know that Washington married his wife, Nancy, in 1843, it is possible that the new vest and coat were for courting purposes.”

6.  Don’t  Paraphrase Existing Biographies or Histories. Beware of Plagiarism!

Either include a direct quote, or rewrite the facts in a completely different order in your own words. Footnotes with citations are always helpful, too!

“‘John P. Osatiuk immigrated to Canada from the village of Waskevche, Bukovina, in Ukraine and came to the Canora district. He spent the winter in Canora, married Katie Boychuk of Buchanan. Her family was also from the village of Waskevche and came to Canada in 1906. They moved to Preeceville area in 1907 and took up a homestead, south of Lady Lake N.E. 10-35-5.’” [1]

  John P. Osatiuk came to Canada from the small town of Waskevche, Bukovina, Ukraine. He wintered in Canora and then married Katie Boychuk of Buchanan. Her family also came from the same village of Waskevche, arriving in 1906. John and Katie took up a homestead in the Preeceville area in 1907.

7.  Do  Use Visuals to Add Interest

If you don’t have photos of your ancestors, consider using screenshots from Google Maps of places they lived, historical maps, images of historically-relevant artifacts, or illustrations of historical events.

8.  Don’t Data-Dump

Hint: If you cross out the names, dates, and places and there are hardly any words left , you need to rewrite.

  “ ⊠ married ⊠ ⊠ in ⊠. The couple had nine children, the first six born in ⊠ : ⊠ was born ⊠ , ⊠ was born ⊠ , ⊠ was born ⊠ , ⊠ was born ⊠ , ⊠ was born ⊠ , and ⊠ was born ⊠ .”

9.  Do Include The Hard Parts

It’s good for us to remember that our ancestors were people, too.

  “In 1850, Alden Harrington was found living among approximately 175 prisoners of the Connecticut State Prison in Wethersfield, Hartford, Connecticut. Interestingly, the census enumerator recorded the prisoner’s crime in the far right column—Alden’s was listed as theft. In addition to this extra information, the enumerator also listed a year next to the prisoner’s name. No notation could be located in the census that explained this year, though it was likely the year in which the prisoner entered the prison. Next to Alden’s name was recorded the year 1850, suggesting that he was imprisoned the year the census was taken. The crimes of his fellow convicts ranged from murder and rape to horse stealing and adultery.”

10.  Don’t Pass Judgment on Your Ancestors

Tell the facts and let the readers draw their own conclusions.

  “If Maude’s birthdate is correct (as several documents will attest), she was only about 13 or 14 years old when she and Howard—who was 18 or 19—married, and she had her first child before the year was out. Although average age at first marriage has fluctuated historically and often been lower than we would consider normal in the 21 st century, even this degree of youth was unusual for the time. It appears likely that Maude had found herself pregnant, and the wedding was hastened in order to legitimize the baby and guarantee support. It seems that something more than young love must have acted as the catalyst to the union.”

“It is possible that Maude became pregnant, and the teenage couple married in order to legitimize the baby and guarantee its support. However, without their marriage record (and its exact date), we can’t know for certain.”

11.  Do Ask For Help!

Instead of procrastinating indefinitely, let us help you share your ancestors’ stories with the world. Contact us to learn more and to speak with a project manager.

[1] Preeceville Historical Society (Saskatchewan), Lines of the Past (Preeceville, Saskatchewan: Preeceville Historical Society, 1982), pages 714-175, Family History Library book 971.242/P4 H2L.

June 19, 2015 at 11:47 pm

I want to let you know that your blog post is listed in today’s Fab Finds post at http://janasgenealogyandfamilyhistory.blogspot.com/2015/06/follow-friday-fab-finds-for-june-19-2015.html

Have a great weekend!

June 23, 2015 at 1:03 am

Thanks Jana!

June 24, 2015 at 4:23 am

I really appreciate all of this information. It is nice to know that Legacy Tree cares about how we write our family legacies so that future families will want to pass it on and not allow it to be discarded in future years. Thank you

June 24, 2015 at 8:02 am

Thank you! We love working with you.

June 24, 2015 at 5:17 am

The “11 Dos and Don’ts” was very good. Perhaps Legacy could do a short “Roots” lecture at the 2016 “RootsTech” Conference in SLC. Also, maybe Legacy could evaluate/comment on someone’s draft family history book (or mini-book) and/or hold a 1 day or 2 day course on “11 Dos and Don’ts” before or after the “RootsTech 2016” in SLC.

June 24, 2015 at 8:01 am

That would be fun Wayne! We’ll keep your thoughts in mind as we plan our participation in RT for 2016.

July 1, 2015 at 1:59 am

Loved these writing tips, especially that you gave the definition and then offered illuminating examples. Especially helpful was the list of overly sentimental verbiage, adding visual interest, and avoiding data dump.

August 11, 2021 at 10:28 am

This post helps me very much. I got the answers for all of my questions. I would like to visit again for more interesting articles. Thanks for for sharing such a greatest prince of content!

August 12, 2021 at 9:07 pm

Sughra, we are glad the post was helpful! Subscribing to our blog is a way to have our posts delivered to your inbox each week!

December 28, 2021 at 5:31 pm

I have spent many years researching family information back to immigration in the 1600s from England to Massachusetts to the west coast of America.

Writing a family biography I can provide to my relatives is my goal for putting my project together in a way that informs the family as well as enjoying a compelling story.

I am trying to decide upon the best Point of View for writing my book. Third person omniscient is a POV style that I am considering. Would you recommend that, or can you give me a better idea for putting my information into a creative biography that of course will be based upon factual data gathered that will also include general history contexts. Will you advise. I would appreciate it very much!

December 29, 2021 at 11:23 am

Hi Laura, thank you for contacting us. It’s so nice that you are writing a family biography to share your research with your relatives. Third-person omniscient is the most common for this type of writing; however, if you would like to make the biography more personal and fun, you might consider writing each section in the first person from a different family member of that era. It could be an interesting way of bringing out specific concerns or facts from that period. Congratulations on researching back to the 1600s!

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• For example, you may write, “RuPaul Andre Charles, born November 17, 1960 in San Diego, California.”

• For example, you may write, “RuPaul's mother, Ernestine Charles, was from Louisiana. RuPaul's father was Irving Charles. They divorced in 1967.”

• For example, you may write, “RuPaul grew up in San Diego, California and moved to Atlanta, Georgia with his sister when he was 15.”

• For example, you may write, “At 15 years old, RuPaul attended a performing arts school in Atlanta. After he graduated, he focused on his budding stage career, opting not to attend college.”

• For example, you may write about the person's experience with abuse at the hands of a parent. Or you may mention that the person struggled with a learning disability in middle school that would go undiagnosed until later in their life.

Outlining Adulthood

• For example, you may write, “Martha Graham went to Brown University from 1967-1981, majoring in dance. She worked under famous dancers and choreographers in the performance industry at Brown. She graduated with honors.”

• For example, you may write, “Martha Graham met choreographer Dash Nam in a dance class at Brown. They became romantic and professional partners, collaborating on a number of early performances. Nam would later play a major role in Graham's performing company in New York City.”

• For example, you may write, “Martha Graham worked as a bartender while at Brown to support herself. She then created performances for a small stipend until she was able to open her own performing company in 1987 with the help of Dash Nam.”

• For example, you may write, “Martha Graham was rejected from several major dance companies and was unemployed for several years. In frustration, Graham decided to open her own dance company and studio, using funds from friends and colleagues. It later became the premier dance company in America.”

Detailing Current Life and Impact

• For example, you may write, “RuPaul currently resides on a ranch in Wyoming with his partner of twenty years, Australian painter George LeBar. He continues to produce several successful television shows and is a continued advocate for the LGBTQ community.”

• For example, you may write, “In her later life, Graham fell into a depression and battled alcohol addiction. She died in 1991 at the age of 96 from pneumonia. She was cremated and her ashes were scattered over the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in Northern New Mexico.”

• You can also include your own opinions about the person's overall life. You may include a short section on the impact the person had, or continues to have, on you.
• For example, you may write about how the person influenced a generation of artists or how the person impacted the way we view technology in the 21st century.

Expert Q&A

You might also like.

• ↑ https://grammar.yourdictionary.com/writing/how-to-write-a-biography.html
• ↑ https://www.apsu.edu/writingcenter/writing-resources/Biography-Outline.pdf
• ↑ https://www.grammarly.com/blog/how-to-write-bio/

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