What is a biography?
An account of someone's life written by another person.
The story of someone's life: Understanding biography in a creative sense
Biography is a literary genre that focuses on the story of someone's life, written by another person. This type of writing often involves research, interviews, and a deep understanding of the subject's personality, experiences, and motivations.
In a creative writing context, biography can be a powerful tool for developing characters and understanding the arc of a story. By exploring the lives of others, we gain insight into the human experience and can use this knowledge to enrich our own work.
Furthermore, biography can be an excellent way to improve our grammar and language skills. As we research and write about historical figures, we are exposed to a rich vocabulary and must hone our ability to describe complex events and emotions. In this sense, biography can be both a literary and a linguistic exercise.
Biography is a genre that has been used widely throughout literary history, both in non-fiction and fictional works. Here are two examples of how biography is used in literature to add depth and nuance to the storytelling.
In her autobiography Becoming, Michelle Obama reflects on her life journey and how she came to be the woman that the world knows today. Through candid and personal anecdotes, she shares her experiences, struggles, and triumphs, providing a valuable insight into her character and the events that have shaped her.
Colm Tóibín's The Master is a fictionalized account of the life of Henry James - a renowned American-British writer. In it, Tóibín explores James's quirky personality, his social anxieties, and his literary ambitions, providing a fascinating glimpse into the mind of this literary giant.