autobiography novel definition

Autobiography

Definition of autobiography, difference between autobiography and memoir, six types of autobiography, importance of autobiography, examples of autobiography in literature, example #1:  the box: tales from the darkroom by gunter grass, example #2:  the story of my life by helen keller, example #3:  self portraits: fictions by frederic tuten, example #4:  my prizes by thomas bernhard, example #5:  the autobiography of benjamin franklin by benjamin franklin, synonyms of autobiography, related posts:, post navigation.

What is Autobiographical Fiction? An Introduction to the Genre

Sean Glatch  |  July 29, 2021  |  10 Comments

At some point along your fiction journey, you may have considered writing autobiographical fiction—perhaps writing an autobiographical novel, or a shorter work based on your life experience. Many famous authors have turned their life stories into compelling works of prose, from Charles Dickens’ David Copperfield to Sherman Alexie’s The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian .

Most writers have life stories that can be turned into fiction, but what is the purpose of autobiographical fiction? Even more, what is autobiographical fiction?

Creative writers love to break conventions and bend genres, and autobiographical fiction (ABF) is a great hybrid of creative nonfiction and fiction. Still, ABF has certain conventions you need to know about if you want to conquer the genre. ABF stories are most often written as novel-length projects, so let’s explore how to write an autobiographical novel and grab hold of this slippery genre.

What is Autobiographical Fiction?

To offer a simple definition, autobiographical fiction is any work of fiction that is based on the real life events of the author. Autobiographical fiction is based on fact—but, importantly, not bound by fact.

Autobiographical fiction is based on fact—but, importantly, not bound by fact.

However, it’s hard to define ABF precisely, because ABF describes more of a spectrum than a genre. An ABF writer may choose to write about their life and simply change some names, embellish some descriptions, and alter the location. Or, writers of autobiographical fiction novels might loosely base their story on real life events, but they will change the plot, add additional characters, and explore “what if?” questions.

It’s better to define this tricky genre on a spectrum—including some autobiographical fiction examples. From most to least fictional, consider ABF on the following continuum. And no matter where your interests lie on this continuum, if you want more information on writing autobiographical short stories, novels, or anything in between, check out our course on writing autobiographical fiction with Jack Smith!

https://writers.com/classes/autobiographical-fiction

The Autobiographical Fiction Continuum

Below are some possibilities within autobiographical fiction, arranged from most fictional to most accurate to real events.

1. The Author Surrogate

Some writers choose to insert self-inspired characters into a mostly-fictional story. An author surrogate is when an author writes a character into their story for the sole purpose of having that character espouse the author’s beliefs. This character does not have to be major to the story, but they do play an important role in advancing the story’s themes and arguments.

A great example of the author surrogate is Nick Carroway, the first person narrator of The Great Gatsby. F. Scott Fitzgerald uses Carroway to comment on the story’s themes of greed and relationships. Though Carroway is distinct from Fitzgerald, the writer is certainly present in the story’s events and interpretations.

Of course, you can also have fun with it. Stan Lee has a cameo in most of the Marvel movies, and why shouldn’t he?

2. The Self-Insert

The self-insert is often confused with the author surrogate, since both literary techniques rely on the author embodying themselves as a character in the book. However, the self-insert is a bit more obvious than the author surrogate.

A famous example of this is Stephen King’s The Dark Tower series. At several points in King’s heptalogy, a character named “King” talks about himself in relation to the greater narrative and is imbued with many of the author’s own traits, from his physical descriptions to the way he talks. In a story as genre-bent and metaphysical as The Dark Tower, it makes perfect sense for the author to write himself in the story.

3. Semi-Autobiographical Fiction

Semi-Autobiographical Fiction (SAF), also known as roman à clef , is any work of fiction wherein the central elements of both the narrator and the plot are based on the author themselves. The “semi” exists in the definition because the author may explore fictional hypotheticals, introduce fictional characters, or else digress from what happened in real life.

Many literary experts consider Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar to be an example of a semi-autobiographical novel. Much of the plot, as well as many of the characters, resemble Plath’s own life and struggle with mental illness. Plath may have chosen to write this story as SAF because, sometimes, it is easier to tell one’s own story when it has the façade of fiction.

4. Fully Autobiographical Fiction

At the far end of the spectrum is completely autobiographical fiction. In this form of fiction, the author pulls directly from their life experiences and makes only aesthetic changes. Names, dates, and locations will be muddled, but the plot fully mirrors that of the author’s own life.

It’s hard to draw a line between SAF and ABF. Since readers don’t know the precise details of the author’s life, one can never be quite sure whether certain events of the story are fictional. For example, Simone de Beauvoir’s The Mandarins accurately examines the dissolution of the French Communist Party, but does she ever embellish her relationship to Jean-Paul Sartre? And Elif Batuman’s The Idiot is about the author’s experiences at Harvard, but how much of the novel is fact, and how much is distorted by memory?

When the past feels like fiction, why not write it as such?

When the past feels like fiction, why not write it as such? What’s important is that the genre is flexible and allows for a conversation between fictional and nonfictional elements. Some literary theorists abide by “Death of the Author,” in which the author’s opinions are unimportant to the work’s interpretation. If any genre directly challenges this assertion, it’s autobiographical fiction.

Why Write Autobiographical Fiction?

Alongside this discussion of the ABF spectrum, you might be wondering what the purpose of autobiographical fiction is. Why not just write a memoir or personal essay?

Every writer’s intentions for writing autobiographical fiction are different. We can’t say for certain why anyone chooses to write in ABF, but there are a few major reasons why authors generally write autobiographical fiction novels.

To Tell Better Stories

For many novelists, the purpose of autobiographical fiction is to create a more satisfying story that is based in the strangeness of truth. The form allows us to consider what an autobiographical piece needs to feel more “complete,” or to bring across its core truths, and then write accordingly.

Autobiographical fiction can create a more satisfying story that is based in the strangeness of truth.

ABF also allows you to explore using your life as a starting point: write alternate endings, explore “what if?” questions, and pursue a different ending. You already know how your story is told, but will you tell it differently after changing X, Y, and Z?

To Create a Bit of Distance

ABF may also allow us to explore difficult moments in our lives through a protective lens, such as Sylvia Plath and The Bell Jar. When nonfiction is too bright, autobiographical fiction can help shade us from our own harsh realities by creating a degree of separation between ourselves and our personal histories. Ironically enough, fiction gives us opportunities to be more objective about our lives.

Autobiographical fiction can also be useful for some writers who want to write with a sense of anonymity. They may be protecting certain names and identities in their stories, and the ABF form allows them to mask otherwise personal details

Finally, you might write ABF simply to have fun with it. Writing isn’t always a serious business, so why not insert your life story into the plot of Macbeth ? What’s stopping you from injecting yourself into your own fictional world? The ABF genre is just as much of a literary technique as it is an opportunity to enjoy the fiction writing process, your way.

Autobiographical fiction is an opportunity to enjoy the fiction writing process, your way.

How to Write an Autobiographical Novel: Some Starting Places

Whether you’re writing an author surrogate or pulling stories directly from your own life, writing autobiographical fiction requires some innovation. Creative genres require creative thinking, so while the following four methods are tried-and-true ways to write autobiographical fiction novels, they aren’t the only ones.

ABF commonly presents itself in the novel form. If you’re interested in writing an autobiographical novel, below are a few possible jumping-off points.

1. Begin with a Noun

If you are an ABF writer who wants their novel only loosely based in truth, start with a noun. Specifically, start with a person, place, thing, or idea that is true, but leave the rest of the story up to fiction.

For example, let’s say there was a time in your life where you were a chocolate taster, like Roald Dahl. You might decide to start your story with a chocolate factory, but then form characters and events around the themes of inequality.

Of course, Willy Wonka is purely fiction, and probably not a self-insert for Roald Dahl. You will still need to base some aspect of the story off of your own life to make it ABF, but starting with a noun can help base a fictional story on an inkling of truth.

2. Edit a Nonfiction Piece

You might decide that real-life events provide enough content for your story. If that’s the case, start by writing a memoir or autobiography, then edit after the first couple of drafts.

You have several options for editing your memoir into ABF, though you may already have a sense of direction after writing the first draft. To make it a true-to-life account, you can simply edit the nouns—change names, locations, dates, and objects so that the story remains anonymous.

Or, if “what if?” questions arise that you don’t want to leave open ended, you can write fictional scenes and change the ending.

3. Start with What You Don’t Know

The autobiographical novel helps us explore the incompleteness of our own memories. To remember is to distort, and many of us have personal histories that are hard to disentangle, dissect, and distinguish.

ABF allows us to explore what we don’t understand from our memories and create a story that makes sense. Many memoirists find that the act of writing nonfiction is cathartic, but when real life feels strange, writers can find catharsis in autobiographical fiction instead.

Write a novel that explores what you don’t know. Keep writing autobiographical fiction until you’re satisfied with the answer, or comfortable with the ambiguity.

4. Start with Two Disconnected Ideas

Sometimes, the fun of writing fiction comes when the author is able to connect two seemingly unconnected ideas. A great example of this is the story “ Especially Heinous ” by Carmen Maria Machado, which connects ghosts and magical realism to a New York murder mystery.

Why not connect random events from your own life? Psychologists call this “apophenia,” a state of mind in which we connect two things which actually have no relationship to each other. Taking an “apophenic” approach will help base your novel in truth but create a wholly different narrative, resulting in a novel that’s fun, engaging, and exploratory.

For example, you might try to connect an event that happened at your sixth birthday party to an event that happened on your lunch break last week. Or, you might try to construct a narrative based on a christmas present you received every year. Apophenia allows us to find magic and mystery in the details of our lives, and who’s to say the connections you develop aren’t true?

How to Write Autobiographical Fiction: Write with Friends!

Autobiographical fiction is a challenging form to master, since your story is attempting a relationship between fiction and nonfiction. If you’re stuck on a draft or need an extra set of eyes, joining a writing community will help you conquer the genre.

The instructors at Writers.com can get you there! Learn more about our courses and our community , and let’s work on writing your autobiographical novel together.

Sean Glatch

10 comments.

Re: ‘Shot into the darkness.’©SM

Thanks for your tips about writing biographical fiction or ABF. That is always a great “exciter’. That gave me ana idea, that is not really new, but if it worked could be interesting. Of course, it depends on who is in it.

I would invite someone (who could write) to write a Semi-Biographical-Fiction book. I could write the synopsis as an azimuth, and I would start it, then together, we would finish it. No time no pressure. Know somebody? Yes, I ‘know’ how to write. So I would like to pair with someone also who would have some training. I don’t even need ideas, I lived it.

Hi Sydney, what an interesting idea! I don’t know anybody off the top of my head, however, you are welcome to join our community group on Facebook to discuss your writing ideas! https://www.facebook.com/groups/146546396684638/

Warmest, Sean

Great article!

My dilemna is how to deal with incovenient truths. Talking about them can expose loved ones and cause strained relationships or even legal action. But leaving out such material will significantly water down the emotional truth you want to convey.

This is the Problem I am having also I am having trouble remembering some of the details of certain stories in my life but it is based upon my trials and tribulations and big mistakes and choices that I made throughout my life I am not sure if I’m going to let anyone in my family read this before I have names changed and tell them that it is partially fictional

Thank you for clarifying the concept of the fictional autobiography/memoir.

I have been assisting my husband who has written a series of books that I have described as an impressionistic account of the people and events of his life as recorded by him in his journals but altered somewhat for the sake of privacy and the exercise of artistic license. As such, I feel they cannot be classified as nonfiction/memoir and are better represented as fictional autobiography/memoir. A major difficulty arises when submitting the books to self-publishing platforms such as Kindle Direct and Ingram Spark. These platforms do not offer ABF in their listings of categories, nor is there a comparable BISAC subject code. The closest match there is for Biographical Fiction—close, but still not accurate. Do you have any suggestions for dealing with this?

This is a great question! And unfortunately I don’t have a great response–self-publishing platforms have a lot of control over how you can market your work.

Part of the reason there isn’t an “autobiographical fiction” category is because it’s not a unique enough genre. At the end of the day, genre categories are marketing tools, and if there isn’t a large enough difference between biographical and auto biographical fiction (other than who’s writing it), self-publishing services won’t bother with the distinction. You might be able to petition one of those services to create the category, but unless a lot of people are asking for that, you probably won’t have much success.

My best advice is to clarify the book’s genre and intent in the actual book description. Search engine optimization is a major component of online retail sites like Amazon and Barnes & Noble; if you hone in on the book’s description and pitch it towards the right audiences, you will be able to make up for the lack of a specific category.

I’m not an expert in KDP or Ingram Spark, so if other authors have more experience working with these platforms, your insight is greatly appreciated.

Best of luck to you and your husband!

Quite educative on ABF.It appeals to me.20 years ago a friend urged me to be a writer but i dismissed the idea ! Today i feel inclined to the idea.

You should definitely do it, Peter!

My name is Bill, I am 73 years of age, ad currently living a retiring life with my wife in Adelaide. Without going into details, I have lived a complex, varied and sometimes difficult life, ending with my current situation here now. Some people I’ve known have suggested that I should write a book of my life, and I have considered doing so. In fact I have attempted on several occasions without success, due to memory loss (amongst other things). My daughter suggested I get someone to help me through the process, eg get a student writer/journelist/etc to help . That sounded like a good idea at the time, but now at home by myself., I’m not so sure. Am I knocking on the best option doorway?, or, can you suggest where else to seek assistance.

Thanks for much for the autofiction article. I am unable to find an example of a query letter for the genre, Any ideas on where I could find?

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• Literary Terms
• Autobiography
• Definition & Examples
• When & How to Write Autobiography

I. What is Autobiography?

An autobiography is a self-written life story.

It is different from a  biography , which is the life story of a person written by someone else. Some people may have their life story written by another person because they don’t believe they can write well, but they are still considered an author because they are providing the information. Reading autobiographies may be more interesting than biographies because you are reading the thoughts of the person instead of someone else’s interpretation.

II. Examples of Autobiography

One of the United States’ forefathers wrote prolifically (that means a lot!) about news, life, and common sense. His readings, quotes, and advice are still used today, and his face is on the $100 bill. Benjamin Franklin’s good advice is still used through his sayings, such as “We are all born ignorant, but one must work hard to remain stupid.” He’s also the one who penned the saying that’s seen all over many schools: “Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” His autobiography is full of his adventures , philosophy about life, and his wisdom. His autobiography shows us how much he valued education through his anecdotes (stories) of his constant attempts to learn and improve himself. He also covers his many ideas on his inventions and his thoughts as he worked with others in helping the United States become free from England.

III. Types of Autobiography

There are many types of autobiographies. Authors must decide what purpose they have for writing about their lives, and then they can choose the format that would best tell their story. Most of these types all share common goals: helping themselves face an issue by writing it down, helping others overcome similar events, or simply telling their story.

a. Full autobiography (traditional):

This would be the complete life story, starting from birth through childhood, young adulthood, and up to the present time at which the book is being written. Authors might choose this if their whole lives were very different from others and could be considered interesting.

There are many types of memoirs – place, time, philosophic (their theory on life), occupational, etc. A memoir is a snapshot of a person’s life. It focuses on one specific part that stands out as a learning experience or worth sharing.

c. Psychological illness

People who have suffered mental illness of any kind find it therapeutic to write down their thoughts. Therapists are specialists who listen to people’s problems and help them feel better, but many people find writing down their story is also helpful.

d. Confession

Just as people share a psychological illness, people who have done something very wrong may find it helps to write down and share their story. Sharing the story may make one feel he or she is making amends (making things right), or perhaps hopes that others will learn and avoid the same mistake.

e. Spiritual

Spiritual and religious experiences are very personal . However, many people feel that it’s their duty and honor to share these stories. They may hope to pull others into their beliefs or simply improve others’ lives.

f. Overcoming adversity

Unfortunately, many people do not have happy, shining lives. Terrible events such as robberies, assaults, kidnappings, murders, horrific accidents, and life-threatening illnesses are common in some lives. Sharing the story can inspire others while also helping the person express deep emotions to heal.

IV. The Importance of Autobiography

Autobiographies are an important part of history. Being able to read the person’s own ideas and life stories is getting the first-person story versus the third-person (he-said/she-said) version. In journalism, reporters go to the source to get an accurate account of an event. The same is true when it comes to life stories. Reading the story from a second or third source will not be as reliable. The writer may be incorrectly explaining and describing the person’s life events.

Autobiographies are also important because they allow other people in similar circumstances realize that they are not alone. They can be inspiring for those who are facing problems in their lives. For the author, writing the autobiography allows them to heal as they express their feelings and opinions. Autobiographies are also an important part of history.

V. Examples of Autobiography in Literature

A popular autobiography that has lasted almost 100 years is that of Helen Keller. Her life story has been made into numerous movies and plays. Her teacher, Anne Sullivan, has also had her life story written and televised multiple times. Students today still read and learn about this young girl who went blind and deaf at 19 months of age, causing her to also lose her ability to learn to speak. Sullivan’s entrance into Helen’s life when the girl was seven was the turning point. She learned braille and soon became an activist for helping blind and deaf people across the nation. She died in 1968, but her autobiography is still helping others.

Even in the days before my teacher came, I used to feel along the square stiff boxwood hedges, and, guided by the sense of smell, would find the first violets and lilies. There, too, after a fit of temper, I went to find comfort and to hide my hot face in the cool leaves and grass. What joy it was to lose myself in that garden of flowers, to wander happily from spot to spot, until, coming suddenly upon a beautiful vine, I recognized it by its leaves and blossoms, and knew it was the vine which covered the tumble-down summer-house at the farther end of the garden! (Keller).

An autobiography that many middle and high school students read every year is “Night” by Elie Wiesel. His story is also a memoir, covering his teen years as he and his family went from the comfort of their own home to being forced into a Jewish ghetto with other families, before ending up in a Nazi prison camp. His book is not that long, but the details and description he uses brings to life the horrors of Hitler’s reign of terror in Germany during World War II. Students also read “The Diary of Anne Frank,” another type of autobiography that shows a young Jewish girl’s daily life while hiding from the Nazis to her eventual capture and death in a German camp. Both books are meant to remind us to not be indifferent to the world’s suffering and to not allow hate to take over.

“The people were saying, “The Red Army is advancing with giant strides…Hitler will not be able to harm us, even if he wants to…” Yes, we even doubted his resolve to exterminate us. Annihilate an entire people? Wipe out a population dispersed throughout so many nations? So many millions of people! By what means? In the middle of the twentieth century! And thus my elders concerned themselves with all manner of things—strategy, diplomacy, politics, and Zionism—but not with their own fate. Even Moishe the Beadle had fallen silent. He was weary of talking. He would drift through synagogue or through the streets, hunched over, eyes cast down, avoiding people’s gaze. In those days it was still possible to buy emigration certificates to Palestine. I had asked my father to sell everything, to liquidate everything, and to leave” (Wiesel 8).  

VI. Examples of Autobiography in Pop Culture

One example of an autobiography that was a hit in the movie theaters is “American Sniper,” the story of Navy SEAL Chris Kyle. According to an article in the Dallas, Texas, magazine D, Kyle donated all the proceeds from the film to veterans and their families. He had a story to tell, and he used it to help others. His story is a memoir, focusing on a specific time period of his life when he was overseas in the military.

An autobiography by a young Olympian is “Grace, Gold and Glory: My Leap of Faith” by Gabrielle (Gabby) Douglas. She had a writer, Michelle Burford, help her in writing her autobiography. This is common for those who have a story to tell but may not have the words to express it well. Gabby was the darling of the 2012 Olympics, winning gold medals for the U.S. in gymnastics along with being the All-Around Gold Medal winner, the first African-American to do so. Many young athletes see her as an inspiration. Her story also became a television movie, “The Gabby Douglas Story.”

VII. Related Terms

The life story of one person written by another. The purpose may to be highlight an event or person in a way to help the public learn a lesson, feel inspired, or to realize that they are not alone in their circumstance. Biographies are also a way to share history. Historic and famous people may have their biographies written by many authors who research their lives years after they have died.

VIII. Conclusion

Autobiographies are a way for people to share stories that may educate, inform, persuade, or inspire others. Many people find writing their stories to be therapeutic, healing them beyond what any counseling might do or as a part of the counseling. Autobiographies are also a way to keep history alive by allowing people in the present learn about those who lived in the past. In the future, people can learn a lot about our present culture by reading autobiographies by people of today.

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How to Define Autobiography

Glossary of Grammatical and Rhetorical Terms

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• B.A., English, State University of New York

An autobiography is an account of a person's life written or otherwise recorded by that person. Adjective: autobiographical .

Many scholars regard the Confessions (c. 398) by Augustine of Hippo (354–430) as the first autobiography.

The term fictional autobiography (or pseudoautobiography ) refers to novels that employ first-person narrators who recount the events of their lives as if they actually happened. Well-known examples include David Copperfield (1850) by Charles Dickens and Salinger's  The Catcher in the Rye (1951).

Some critics believe that all autobiographies are in some ways fictional. Patricia Meyer Spacks has observed that "people do make themselves up. . . . To read an autobiography is to encounter a self as an imaginative being" ( The Female Imagination , 1975).

For the distinction between a memoir and an autobiographical composition, see memoir  as well as the examples and observations below. 

From the Greek, "self" + "life" + "write"

Examples of Autobiographical Prose

• Imitating the Style of the Spectator , by Benjamin Franklin
• Langston Hughes on Harlem
• On the Street, by Emma Goldman
• Ritual in Maya Angelou's Caged Bird
• The Turbid Ebb and Flow of Misery, by Margaret Sanger
• Two Ways of Seeing a River, by Mark Twain

Examples and Observations of Autobiographical Compositions

• "An autobiography is an obituary in serial form with the last installment missing." (Quentin Crisp, The Naked Civil Servant , 1968)
• "Putting a life into words rescues it from confusion even when the words declare the omnipresence of confusion, since the art of declaring implies dominance." (Patricia Meyer Spacks, Imagining a Self: Autobiography and Novel in Eighteenth-Century England . Harvard University Press, 1976)
• The Opening Lines of Zora Neale Hurston's Autobiography - "Like the dead-seeming, cold rocks, I have memories within that came out of the material that went to make me. Time and place have had their say. "So you will have to know something about the time and place where I came from, in order that you may interpret the incidents and directions of my life. "I was born in a Negro town. I do not mean by that the black back-side of an average town. Eatonville, Florida, is, and was at the time of my birth, a pure Negro town--charter, mayor, council, town marshal and all. It was not the first Negro community in America, but it was the first to be incorporated, the first attempt at organized self-government on the part of Negroes in America. "Eatonville is what you might call hitting a straight lick with a crooked stick. The town was not in the original plan. It is a by-product of something else. . . ." (Zora Neale Hurston, Dust Tracks on a Road . J.B. Lippincott, 1942) - "There is a saying in the Black community that advises: 'If a person asks you where you're going, you tell him where you've been. That way you neither lie nor reveal your secrets.' Hurston had called herself the 'Queen of the Niggerati.' She also said, 'I like myself when I'm laughing.' Dust Tracks on a Road is written with royal humor and an imperious creativity. But then all creativity is imperious, and Zora Neale Hurston was certainly creative." (Maya Angelou, Foreword to Dust Tracks on a Road , rpt. HarperCollins, 1996)
• Autobiography and Truth "All autobiographies are lies. I do not mean unconscious, unintentional lies; I mean deliberate lies. No man is bad enough to tell the truth about himself during his lifetime, involving, as it must, the truth about his family and friends and colleagues. And no man is good enough to tell the truth in a document which he suppresses until there is nobody left alive to contradict him." (George Bernard Shaw, Sixteen Self Sketches , 1898)" " Autobiography is an unrivaled vehicle for telling the truth about other people." (attributed to Thomas Carlyle, Philip Guedalla, and others)
• Autobiography and Memoir - "An autobiography is the story of a life : the name implies that the writer will somehow attempt to capture all the essential elements of that life. A writer's autobiography, for example, is not expected to deal merely with the author's growth and career as a writer but also with the facts and emotions connected to family life, education, relationships, sexuality, travels, and inner struggles of all kinds. An autobiography is sometimes limited by dates (as in Under My Skin: Volume One of My Autobiography to 1949 by Doris Lessing), but not obviously by theme. "Memoir, on the other hand, is a story from a life . It makes no pretense of replicating a whole life." (Judith Barrington, Writing the Memoir: From Truth to Art . Eighth Mountain Press, 2002) - "Unlike autobiography , which moves in a dutiful line from birth to fame, memoir narrows the lens, focusing on a time in the writer's life that was unusually vivid, such as childhood or adolescence, or that was framed by war or travel or public service or some other special circumstance." (William Zinsser, "Introduction," Inventing the Truth: The Art and Craft of Memoir . Mariner Books, 1998)
• An "Epidemical Rage for Auto-Biography" "[I]f the populace of writers become thus querulous after fame (to which they have no pretensions) we shall expect to see an epidemical rage for auto-biography break out, more wide in its influence and more pernicious in its tendency than the strange madness of the Abderites, so accurately described by Lucian. London, like Abdera, will be peopled solely by 'men of genius'; and as the frosty season, the grand specific for such evils, is over, we tremble for the consequences. Symptoms of this dreadful malady (though somewhat less violent) have appeared amongst us before . . .." (Isaac D'Israeli, "Review of "The Memoirs of Percival Stockdale," 1809)|
• The Lighter Side of Autobiography - "The Confessions of St. Augustine are the first autobiography , and they have this to distinguish them from all other autobiographies, that they are addressed directly to God." (Arthur Symons, Figures of Several Centuries , 1916) - "I write fiction and I'm told it's autobiography , I write autobiography and I'm told it's fiction, so since I'm so dim and they're so smart, let them decide what it is or isn't." (Philip Roth, Deception , 1990) - "I'm writing an unauthorized autobiography ." (Steven Wright)

Pronunciation: o-toe-bi-OG-ra-fee

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autobiography summary

Know about the emergence of autobiography with some notable examples.

autobiography , Biography of oneself narrated by oneself. Little autobiographical literature exists from antiquity and the Middle Ages; with a handful of exceptions, the form begins to appear only in the 15th century. Autobiographical works take many forms, from intimate writings made during life that are not necessarily intended for publication (including letters, diaries, journals, memoirs, and reminiscences) to the formal autobiography. Outstanding examples of the genre extend from St. Augustine ’s Confessions ( c. ad 400) to Vladimir Nabokov ’s Speak, Memory (1951).

Autobiography Meaning and Example: A Comprehensive Guide

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Writing An Autobiography Worksheet (PDF)

Is Autobiography Fiction Or Nonfiction? (Detailed Comparison)

Last Updated on July 20, 2022 by Dr Sharon Baisil MD

Publishers often consider novels when contemplating the publishing of a book. Yet, nonfiction books account for a significant portion of bestselling novels, such as mystery, romance, fantasy, historical, or science fiction.

Nonfiction, like fiction, includes a wide range of books and genres. True stories are what connect all nonfiction works. Fiction is entire of an author’s imagination (with some input from reality). As a result, nonfiction cannot be fabricated.

In this blog, we’ll look at if autobiography is fiction or nonfiction. Is there anything called fictional autobiography? So, let’s clear all your doubts ahead without any further delay!

Fiction vs. Nonfiction: Defining the Differences in Detail

“Fiction” is a term that refers to works written from the imagination. Fiction genres include mysteries, science fiction, romance, fantasy, chick-lit, and crime thrillers. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens, 1984 by George Orwell, and Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen are all examples of classic literature.

“Literature-based in fact” is referred to as “nonfiction.” It encompasses most types of literature. For example, biography, business, cooking, health and fitness, pets, crafts, home décorating, languages, travel, home improvement, religion, and art are a few categories covered in the Nonfiction Department.

Different Types of Non-Fiction Books

Everyone is drawn to nonfiction books. There is a topic that suits your interests, regardless of what it is. Nonfiction, like fiction, has a wide range of genres to pick from.

Examples of popular nonfiction genres:

Autobiography

• Cultural Criticism/Responses
• History/Law/Political
• True Crime/Investigative
• Self-help/Motivational
• Coloring Books

What is Creative Nonfiction?

It cannot be easy to write a nonfiction tale of any kind. You are in charge of telling an accurate tale and presenting the facts as accurately as possible while also making the reading experience enjoyable for the reader.

The genres of memoir , autobiography, and biography are the three primary styles for conveying a creative nonfiction narrative. Knowing the distinctions between them is vital to ensure you’re writing within the proper scope. Each has its unique traits.

A memoir is a compilation of individual recollections about specific periods or occurrences in the author’s life. Memoirs are written in the first-person point of view , and they’re told from the author’s perspective.

The scope of a memoir distinguishes it from autobiographies and biographies . Memoirs are structured around one aspect of a person’s life, such as addiction, parenting, adolescence, disease, or religion. The other genres focus on the whole lifespan of that person.

An autobiography is a story told in the first-person point of view, with the author serving as the main character. It is similar to a memoir in that it is a retelling of one’s life.

Autobiographies are usually written in the first-person point of view like: “I was a Southern California high school student when I decided to run for Student Body President. My life changed forever.”

The autobiography is about own life and is made by own soul, so it has little interest compared with other genres, but that is not always true because some are very interesting than others. Many autobiographies have been sold well and become best-sellers, such as JK Rowling’s Harry Potter series.

Autobiographies, unlike memoirs, are more concerned with facts than feelings. As a result, a collaborator frequently joins the project to assist the author in creating the most realistic, unbiased tale possible. The short stories in autobiography fiction mix real life with fantasy and fiction.

A biography is written by another individual other than the person about the events and conditions of that person’s life. People often write biographies of historical or public figures, and with or without the subject’s permission, they may be written.

Unlike both memoirs and autobiographies, biographies are usually written in the third person point of view and have a more professional and objective tone than both.

What is called a fictional autobiography?

The term “fictional autobiography” has a variety of connotations that overlap with “autobiographical novel” or “autofiction,” which are used interchangeably. A fictional autobiography is a story that portrays an autobiographical discourse without any suggestion of identity between the protagonist/narrator and the author of the work in a restricted sense.

Autofiction approaches, or the merging of autobiographical and fictitious aspects, are used in an autobiographical book. However, the stipulation of being fiction distinguishes a literary technique from an autobiography or memoir.

Whereas, in the fictional autobiography, the autobiographical character of the text refers to its representational frame of it.

Final Words

In this blog, we discussed the difference between autobiography fiction and nonfiction and the various types of creative fiction. We also looked at some FAQs that can help better understand the difference between these two genres. Do you have any questions that you would like to ask about this topic? Please feel free to leave a comment below, and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

What are the benefits of writing an autobiography, fiction, or nonfiction?

Answer: Writing an autobiography, fiction or nonfiction, may be the perfect career if you have a story to tell. Both genres offer a unique opportunity to share your story with the world, and both can be extremely rewarding. As a memoirist, you will have the chance to explore your past and share your experiences with the reader. This can be a cathartic experience, and it can inspire others who may be struggling in their own lives. As a fiction writer, you will be able to create a story based on your own life experiences. This can be a thrilling experience, and it can be enriching to see your story come to life on the page. Both genres offer opportunities for book signings, media appearances, and more. However, autobiography fiction or nonfiction is particularly rich in opportunities for advertising and marketing.

How do you choose a good topic for your autobiography, fiction, or nonfiction book?

Answer: When writing a book, it is essential to choose a topic you are passionate about. This will give your book a personal touch to make it more exciting and engaging for your readers. Once you have identified a topic, the next step is to develop a compelling and interesting story that will capture your readers’ attention. This story should be based on your chosen topic, and it should be easy to follow. Once you have your story lined up, it is important to research to ensure that your book’s information is accurate.

Is it okay to use copyrighted material in your autobiography fiction or nonfiction book, such as quotes from people who have written books on similar topics as yours, new articles that relate to topics, etc.?

Answer: You can use copyrighted material in your autobiography, fiction, or nonfiction book, as long as you do not use the entire quote or article. Instead, you are permitted to use a small excerpt, and you must attribute the quote or article to the source. You can also include a link to the webpage or article if you would like the reader to be able to find the source material.

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Hi, I am a doctor by profession, but I love writing and publishing ebooks. I have self-published 3 ebooks which have sold over 100,000 copies. I am featured in Healthline, Entrepreneur, and in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology blog.

Whether you’re a busy professional or an aspiring author with a day job, there’s no time like now to start publishing your ebook! If you are new to this world or if you are seeking help because your book isn’t selling as well as it should be – don’t worry! You can find here resources, tips, and tricks on what works best and what doesn’t work at all.

In this blog, I will help you to pick up the right tools and resources to make your ebook a best seller.

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10 Simple Plot Exercises You Need to Do BEFORE You Write Your Novel!

Writing a Novel Inspired by Your Life? The Do’s and Don’ts of Writing Autobiographical Fiction

in Writing on 12/09/17

Are you writing autobiographical fiction?

Recently I heard back from a literary agent who had requested my full manuscript: an upper middle grade contemporary that I wrote after reading some of my adolescent diaries.  Here’s part of what the agent said:  

I was seriously getting flashbacks to my first relationships–dating in eighth/ninth grade was SO AWKWARD! You absolutely nail that in this story. I like the set-up a lot in terms of the characters, dynamics, and the unfolding dilemma. However, I’m afraid it began to feel a little too mired in the reality of eighth grade (the back-and-forth wondering, highs and lows of the day) and thus a little slow pacing-wise.  

When I read the email to my husband, he said, “so she didn’t like it because it was too realistic ?” 

Yes, this is one of the problems with writing autobiographical fiction.   Sometimes it’s hard to decide what “real stuff” you should leave out.  

My manuscript isn’t exactly autobiographical, but it was certainly influenced by my actual adolescent thoughts, feelings, and experiences.  There’s even one line in the novel that I lifted verbatim from my ninth grade diary because it was too perfect not to use (or so I thought).  

What’s the difference between writing autobiographical fiction and writing a novel “inspired by” your life?

So how would I classify my manuscript?  Probably on the end of “inspired by.”  The main character is an eighth grade girl who loves math and writes poetry… pretty similar to myself as a teenager.  The relationship she has with one of the boy characters was also heavily inspired by one of my first dating experiences.  But the actual events of the novel are made-up.  

Still, it’s been scary to send this manuscript into the world. When an agent rejects the book it’s hard not to feel like it’s  my experiences and feelings that are being rejected.  

Writing autobiographical fiction:  Do’s and Don’ts

When I first started writing the novel that was loosely based on my own diaries, I was embarrassed to tell people where the idea had come from.  I was afraid they’d think I was vain or not being creative.  But the truth is, you can write about anything — your life or otherwise — as long as you do it well.  

Using our own experiences can be a great jumping-off point for a novel… as long as we concentrate on telling a great story instead of sticking too closely to what actually happened.

So if you’re writing autobiographical fiction, or a novel inspired by your life, how do you do it well?  Here are a few suggestions…

DO consider whether the story you want to write is going to be interesting to people other than you , your friends, and your immediate family.  If the answer is no, you could still write the book (maybe you just need to get it out of your system!), but you may not want to query agents with it.  Give it to your family and friends instead.    

DON’T   worry about sticking to what actually happened.  If you’re choosing to write fiction , you can (and should!) make changes to real characters and events.  Take the real life event as a starting point then run with it into the fictional realm.  Brainstorm how you can add, embellish, and change to make a truly compelling novel.  Your life should be the inspiration, not the blueprint.  You can decide later whether what you’ve written is autobiographical fiction, semi-autobiographical, or simply “inspired by” real events.      

DO consider writing in third person. That can help give you enough distance to fictionalize real events. 

DON’T write your novel as a series of diary entries unless you really, really, REALLY think it works best that way. Often we come across old journals and think, “this would make a great story!” But that doesn’t mean we need to stick to the diary entry format. In fact, I’ve written another post called 5 Challenges to Writing a Diary Novel that explains why the diary entry format is extremely difficult to do well. 

DO consider if you’d rather write a memoir.  If you find yourself not wanting to fictionalize your story, maybe you should be writing nonfiction instead.  

DO write what you feel compelled to write.  For a long time I resisted writing fiction inspired by my own experiences (even though I wanted to) because I thought that wouldn’t be “creative” enough.  On the other hand, some people take too much to heart the “write what you know” adage and think they can only write about their own experiences.  In the end, you should write what you want to write.  Because writing what you’re passionate about is going to make the best story.  

DO watch your word count.  When we’re writing autobiographical fiction, it’s easy to include things that seem important to you but are not actually important to the story.  An autobiographical novel with an excessive word count is a major red flag to agents and editors — makes it seem like you don’t know how to edit yourself.  Check out Writer’s Digest’s guide to word count here .    

DON’T get defensive and DO   be open to constructive criticism.  It can be hard to hear criticism about your writing no matter what, but it’s even harder when the story is inspired by your life and the main character bears a strong resemblance to you.  When someone says, “this part didn’t seem realistic” or “I didn’t understand the character’s motivation” it can be hard not to get defensive.  Keep in mind that “but it really did happen” isn’t enough justification for including something in your novel when it isn’t working in the context of the story.  Try to hear the criticism as a way to improve your story and not as a judgement on your actual experiences.  

DO consider how people will react to your story.  Libel in fiction is very rare.  Writers don’t often get sued, and when they do, they usually win.  (First Amendment rights!)  So I wouldn’t worry so much about the legal issues (although you can read here about libel in fiction and defamation and invasion of privacy ).  Even though you’re probably not going to get sued, the things you write could still upset people and damage important relationships.  If you’re writing a story with characters that are loosely based on people you know, it may be worth thinking about how they will feel about what you’re writing, and if you’re okay with their reaction.  You may want to fictionalize their characters more, or talk to them about what you’ve written before it’s published.  

As for my own manuscript, I’m going to really think hard about what’s necessary to the story and what’s not, in order to speed up the pacing and heighten the drama.  In doing this, I’m going to get further from my own experiences and deeper into the realm of fiction, which is where this story belongs.  

Are you writing autobiographical fiction or a novel inspired by your life?  How’s it going?  What challenges are you facing?  

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May 31, 2018 at 7:47 pm

Hello. I have written an autobiographical novel and wonder if there are agents who specifically represent that genre?

May 31, 2018 at 9:02 pm

That is a great question, but I don’t have the answer. If you look into it and find out any information, please share!

April 20, 2020 at 6:52 am

I’m a doctor aged 60 years. I often relive my medical college days. Good and bad memories kept haunting. I had eloped with my classmate of the college and got married. I’m sure I can write well about our love story in the same book. Since long time, I daydreamed to write my real experiences if those six long years. Of late the desire is burning and getting ready to start! First obstacle I thought that I’m not good at my writing skills, but, I’m improving on it. Second worry is to use the actual names of my classmates and professors or not. I can’t take permission if each one of them. Third thing is my laziness to start though the desire of publishing my book is sure to happen! Kindly give your advice and suggestions to realise my dream one day. Expecting your reply….

April 20, 2020 at 1:54 pm

Thanks for the comment! It sounds like you’ve got a story in you that’s begging to be written. As for your second worry, are you planning to write a memoir, or fictionalize your story? In general you don’t need people’s permission to write about them, but I understand not wanting to upset friends and family if you write about them in a way they might not like. My advice is to write your story and use the real names if that’s what makes sense to you. If and when you get an agent, your agent (who will know all about the legal aspects of publishing) can help you decide whether or not to change names, get permission, etc. But for now, don’t let that worry stop you. Just write! It may help to take a class or join a writing group to motivate you to push through the laziness! 🙂 Good luck!

June 1, 2020 at 9:33 pm

To write a powerful motivational fiction story, you need to have the heart, experience, and generosity to share the things that you think can motivate other people. Read my blog: Tips on Writing a Powerful Motivational Fiction Story Hope this will help, Thank you!

August 23, 2020 at 2:37 pm

Thanks for your article. I have had an interesting life, unique experiences, and others agree with this assessment. I am writing an autobiography, in a novel form (third person), and am tempted to fictionalize it somewhat to make it even more interesting and powerful, to have a good place to end. Thoughts?

August 24, 2020 at 8:33 pm

Hard to say without knowing the details! But unless you’re famous it may be hard to sell your autobiography. A page-turning novel about a character with a fascinating life, on the other hand…

September 8, 2020 at 7:22 pm

This is exactly what I needed today and is quite helpful. I am nearing completion of the first draft of just such a story, dealing with my emotional problems as a nine-year-old boy. It has been the most intense writing project I have ever worked on, and I didn’t even know how to classify it. There is a considerable amount of sometimes painful truth involed, but within the framework of fiction, it is ambiguous. The fictional narrator freely admits in the telling the tale, that having suffered from delusional schizophrenia, in fact, the bulk of it might be all in his mind. It concludes with a psychotic break, but redemptive healing on the other side. My biggest concern is that where a tale of a nine-year-old child in 1966 would fit in as a readership level. It’s too intense for actual children, but will adults want to read that? I’m not sure it is publishable no matter how well written I can make it.

September 9, 2020 at 1:56 pm

I’m so glad you found it helpful! Is the narrator a child, or is the narrator an adult telling the story of when he was a child? If it’s the latter, there are MANY adult novels and memoirs that do this. (For example, Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt, Education by Tara Westover, or The Goldfinch by Donna Tart). If it’s the former, it’s a little harder to do, but still totally possible to be an adult novel with a child narrator. (For example Room by Emma Donoghue, Closed Doors by Lisa McDonnell, The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd).

Since it sounds like your book deals with mental illness, I recommend reading The Dark Side of Innocence: Growing Up Bipolar by Terri Cheney. It’s very much an adult book but it’s about her childhood struggles with bipolar disorder.

Good luck with your writing!

September 10, 2020 at 12:20 am

I just ordered the book. Thank you for the recommendation. It is told first person past tense from my adult perspective, and as magical realism. In a nutshell, two best friends with spiraling emotional problems that live two blocks and 53 years away from each other and the parallels between their childhoods during the summers of 1914 and 1966. Everything in both timelines is based on real places, events, people, and memories. It was inspired by my propensity for inventing playmates as I had problems dealing with real ones. Interestingly, in researching a 1914 paper from the day of a major story event, there was a column called ‘Observations,’ which was a weird amalgamation of single paragraph news stories with clever quips next to ‘Body Found by Rail Station.” The one that caught my eye was “The older a man gets, the better he can remember things that never happened.” Pretty much where I am now. This gives me much more hope of finding a publisher. Thanks again.

September 10, 2020 at 1:31 pm

“The older a man gets, the better he can remember things that never happened.” Ha! I love it!

January 20, 2021 at 11:15 pm

Just a follow-up, I decided to self-publish (The Childgrove, on Amazon,) and it’s doing very well. I’m editing the one and only sequel, which involved taking a hard and realistic look at childhood trauma taken from many interviews with former and current foster and adopted children. I have learned so much from them and am humbled by their incredible spirits. I’m starting training soon to adopt one of them. This has been the deepest and most personal thing I have ever done, and I hope it opens some eyes. Thanks again for the help.

January 21, 2021 at 1:06 pm

Congratulations! I will have to look into this as the subject of adoption and foster care is of interest to me. One of my best friends is a foster parent, and I’ve thought about it as something I might want to do some day as well (though I know it’s not an easy thing to undertake!) And what an incredible person you are to open up your home to a child who needs one! Best wishes!

October 20, 2020 at 9:04 pm

Was looking for some takes regarding this topic and I found your article quite informative. It has given me a fresh perspective on the topic tackled. Thanks!

Telling stories and sharing your knowledge with the world is one of the most amazing feelings there is.

I hope you can take the time to read my post as well Effective Steps on Writing Your First Novel .

November 30, 2020 at 8:28 am

Hi Eva, Thank you for sharing your knowledge. I started writing one non-fictional book, that is motivational and describing the steps I took to change my life. I wonder if it is wrong to cite the other motivational authors whose formulas I used to improve my life. I mean, I want to express my gratitude through the book to these people, and to direct my readers to study their books in depth, where everything is explained in details, but would it be weird? How would readers react, in your opinion. Secondly, I want to write fictional book about my future self and where I see myself in life (which would be actually published as a first one, and at the end of it the reader would be redirected to the “book, I am already writing – non-fictional one), kind of motivational and inspirational. What kind of genre would this book belong to? Semi-autobiography or..? Thank you in advance for you advice. Have a wonderful day.

November 30, 2020 at 1:32 pm

I think it’s totally fine to reference other authors/books in your motivational, non-fiction book. You could even provide a list in the appendix of all the books that you think your readers might want to read. As for your fiction book about your future self — interesting idea! I’m not sure what the genre would be, but I say don’t worry so much about the genre right now. Just write it and decide the genre later. Happy writing!

November 30, 2020 at 2:02 pm

Thank you for your advice regarding non-fiction book, it’s such a great idea! I am glad you liked the idea for my fiction book! 🙂 Lots of success, and thank you a lot for your response!

January 13, 2021 at 9:48 am

To compose a ground-breaking persuasive fiction story, you need to have the heart, experience, and liberality to share the things that you think can inspire others.

Killing at Red Horse, This book is also amazing story to read available on amazon: https://amzn.to/2KVJ7HW

January 26, 2021 at 7:04 pm

Thank you for sharing your experience/wisdom. Let me explain the issue that I’m facing. I initially started writing a memoir (which I had wanted to for many years) but soon realized the complexities of writing a fact-based script. So, I ended up injecting fiction for multiple reasons, but also to bring closure to certain items that I don’t know how they will end. I had an editor review the manuscript, and he believes that a novel would require a totally different framework – currently, it is written as a memoir (first person POV, etc.). I’ve gone thru it a million times and I just cannot seem to figure out how to apply a “narrative arc, a clash, a climax…” which I am told are essential for any fiction writing.

Based on the above, I’m sure you’ve guessed that I am not a writer (but the passion is there :)) and hence struggling with the basics. My question is… can I call it a “Fiction written as a memoir?” Any implications I should think about? I’m now convinced that there’s no way to rewrite it as a novel (at least not by me).

Thanks again for your help. Ps… the following is from my blurb which may help to understand the background (from my website)…

Based on some real events, REGRETS is fiction disguised as a memoir that examines the stresses that family, religious, and cultural expectations put on our relationships and ourselves and how the key to happiness is often a matter of LETTING GO.

January 27, 2021 at 12:57 pm

A couple of thoughts.. What do you want to do with this manuscript? If your plan is to self-publish (and you don’t care about making much money), you can do whatever you want and call it whatever you want! If you’re hoping to go a more traditional publishing route, however, I would recommend trying for a narrative arc. After all, many memoirs have a story arc even though they’re not fiction.

I know it can be really hard to fictionalize a real-life story, especially when it’s something that happened to you. Maybe try imagining the story as a movie. What would the climax of the movie be? What are the most important scenes, and what could be cut? Maybe look at all your story scenes then pick and choose the ones that can be used to build tension and lead to some sort of climax. And, since it’s fiction, add in new scenes to flesh out the story arc. Maybe read some memoirs that have strong narrative arcs (Educated, Wild, The Glass Castle, etc.) and see if you can get any inspiration. Also google “story arc in memoir” and read the articles that seem helpful.

Good luck!!

January 27, 2021 at 6:27 pm

Thank you for your guidance. I’ll do some Google searching and also soul-searching 🙂 Thanks for the suggested reads.

September 9, 2021 at 9:24 pm

Memoir for children is just the same as most children’s storybooks, except that the story is based on real people and events. Check this blog Essential Things to Consider in Writing Memoirs for Children for the list of the important things to remember when writing memoirs for kids.

September 26, 2021 at 12:24 am

I’m halfway through a novel that I’m now calling a semi auto fiction. I’m writing as the author telling about a fictional romance. So I use my, me, I, etc. I’m now stuck though because in real life I was involved in something that made international/national news, tv shows like Dateline, People magazine, a crime novel was written (not by me), and multiple court trials of professionals. I want to incorporate that story as maybe the highlight but change it up somewhat, configuring it into the fiction of the book’s beginning. Any advice?

September 26, 2021 at 8:39 pm

Wow, this is a very intriguing question. What is your main concern? Is it that the story is already out there in various forms? I wouldn’t be worried about that at all — it’s obviously a good story, and the way you’ve described how you want to write the novel is very interesting. My advice is to write it however you want — however will make the most compelling story. If you already have an agent, discuss this with your agent. If you don’t already have agent, when it comes time to query, I would mention the novel is based on personal experience (as long as you’re comfortable doing that). Good luck!

September 29, 2021 at 3:27 am

i really want to write a book loosely based on something i went through but i don’t know how to start

September 29, 2021 at 9:28 am

Oh my goodness, isn’t that the big question! I’d recommend brainstorming a list of scenes, conversations, events, characters, etc. that you definitely think should go into your book. You can also brainstorm how you want the story to differ from the actual events: will you maybe combine several people into one character? Will you condense the timeline? Will you increase the tension and stakes to make a more dramatic story? Will you shape the real-life events into more of a traditional 3-Act plot structure?

When you’re bored with brainstorming, start writing, whether you start at the beginning of the story or jump around. Know that the first draft will be messy and need lots of revising. Good luck!!

October 4, 2021 at 4:31 am

I’m doing an autobiographical fiction for two reasons. 1: I don’t want to hurt my loved ones, or get sued by not-so-loved ones. In order to give my story a “soul”, I’m going to have to share a lot of personal experiences, and details. I’m gonna need this loophole. 2: A creative outlet.

But, I have a question! If I use a Pseudonym, will it make it harder for people to try to sue me?

October 4, 2021 at 10:40 am

Hi Sherry! Because of the first amendment, writers rarely get sued, and when they do, they usually win. After all, a defamation lawsuit can only be brought against something that is being stated as fact. If you’re writing fiction, you are not claiming that anything in your book is fact. Also, if you use a pseudonym, there’s a good chance the not-so-loved-ones may never read your book at all. Anyway, I wouldn’t worry about it at this stage. It’s something you can discuss with your literary agent and editor later down the road. I’d say, just write your book how you want to write it! Give it a soul! Good luck!

October 28, 2021 at 1:21 pm

I just found this article. Thank you for posting it. I’m struggling with identifying what goes in and what doesn’t, and I realize I’m trying to cover too many themes in one novel: it’s a failed romance story; it’s a coming of age story; it’s a struggle to fit in; it’s a character arc from compliant to defiant. Oh boy. What are some of the good ideas for identifying what my novel should truly be about when I have these many themes and plot lines in one novel?

October 28, 2021 at 9:03 pm

Hmm, that’s a good question. Have you written a complete draft yet? If not, maybe just keep writing and worry about what needs to be cut later. Always easier to cut than add, in my opinion. Are there any parts of the story that you might be including simply because they actually happened and feel important you, but they aren’t truly serving the story? I would try writing a one-page, single-spaced synopsis of your entire book. Hard, I know, but it will force you to decide what are the most important aspects of your story and what could potentially be cut or condensed. Good luck!

January 9, 2022 at 7:53 pm

I am 29 and have been itching to write a boom at least closely based upon my childhood and life through my 20s. It would have to be a lengthy book or trilogy at the most. I’m not willing to blast my family with accurate names, but the general geographic area is necessary for the background of my entire life.

I have a lot of sensitive topics that would be brought up (mental illness, sexual assault, suicidal ideations) that definitely stay more older YA to adult ages. I’m not afraid of telling these stories, but the mental state behind the main character (me) could be very disconcerting to folks who don’t grasp mental illness may want to light a fire under me for bringing up so many sensitive topics.

Would it even be logical to bother writing and publishing a work that would nearly be as dark and depressing as A Child Called “It”?

January 10, 2022 at 7:56 pm

Thanks for your questions! Are you thinking this would be a memoir or fiction inspired by your life? That’s one of the first things to decide.

Based on what you’ve described it might make sense for your book to be an adult novel (or memoir) with a young protagonist. Especially if it is told by an adult narrator who is “looking back.” On the other hand, there are a lot of darker YA books out there these days. Off the top of my head, I recently read Girl in Pieces by Kathleen Glasgow, about a teenage girl who self-harms, and it was quite dark and graphic in places. Anyway, you can always write first and decide what genre it is later. But I wouldn’t shy away from going to dark places if that’s what you feel compelled to write.

I’m also reminded of two memoirs by Terri Cheney: one is called The Dark Side of Innocence: Growing Up Bipolar, and the other, called Manic, is about her adulthood struggling with bipolar. So it can definitely be done: writing multiple books about your own experiences with mental illness. Also, people write about mental illness, sexual assault, and suicide all the time. For those who don’t want to read about such topics, they can choose not to read your book!

Good luck! I hope the writing process is healing. My advice? Write your book, and once it’s finished you can start thinking about how to get it published, if that’s your goal. Take care!

June 22, 2022 at 2:17 am

I don’t feel like I’ve lived a very interesting life (then again I’m just barely entering adulthood, I have time), I’ve always felt very mundane and yet the things that I’ve gone through emotionally throughout my childhood to now I’ve always felt like turning into a novel. But I’m worried it’ll seem childish, like I haven’t had enough distance from these events, I’ve only gotten a little older, and that I won’t have the perspective needed to tell it from afar, that the events are too random to formulate an actual story? If that makes sense? Lots of questions. But I’d like to write a story very loosely inspired by events that happened to me concerning family and personal mental health issues, the problem is how to let myself fictionalize these events and make them happen to a fictional character, and not me. And how can I write with enough distance from these events? I really appreciate this article, it was very helpful and I’d appreciate any feedback or advice!

June 24, 2022 at 9:22 am

These are all really good questions! At the end of the day, you should write what you want to write, and if you’re feeling called to write a story loosely inspired by events from your childhood, you absolutely should.

A lot of people find writing therapeutic, so it’s possible that in the writing of this story you might work through some things and start to gain perspective.

You say that the real events are too random to formulate a story, so I think it’s great that you plan to fictionalize. I’d suggest using the things that actually happened as inspiration, but don’t feel you need to stick too closely to them. Change them, add more plot points, add more drama and tension — create a story with rising action and a climax and a satisfying resolution (even if not all the ends are neatly tied). Since you’re fictionalizing, you don’t have to write what actually happened; just use the real events as a jumping-off point. Does that make sense?

As far as whether or not you have enough distance… who knows? Maybe not. But it certainly doesn’t hurt to write what you feel compelled to write; even if you never end up showing it to anyone else, it will help you learn something about yourself and help you grow as a writer. Hope this helps!

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Columns > Published on February 29th, 2012

Autobiographical Fiction: Using Your Real Life To Craft Great Fiction

There is a fine line between a fictionalized autobiography or memoir and autobiographical fiction. In both cases, the author includes tidbits about his or her life. The difference is to what extent. Fictionalized autobiographies are mostly a truthful telling of the author’s experience with sections fictionalized to “protect the innocent”, filling gaps where memory fails, and occasionally rearranging events for maximum narrative effect. Generally speaking, the reader is to believe the author’s account and take it for truth.

On the other hand, autobiographical fiction is primarily comprised of made up events and characters that may be based on the author’s own experience and self. The protagonist might be modeled after the author and do at least some of the things the author has actually done in his or her life. However, the ratio of truth to fiction will be somewhat small.

Of course, there are a plethora of variations—writers (as you know) don’t like to be held to a genre. And some of the best books out there are nearly impossible to categorize as being either memoir or fiction. Unless the writer is like Dave Eggers, who obsessively detailed all the possible fictionalizations that appear in his memoir A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius , we as readers are not likely to know what percentage of a memoir has been fictionalized nor how much of a writer’s own life appears in a book labeled as fiction.

In this article, though, I will focus on autobiographical fiction, or works that are primarily made up and billed to the reader as such, but which contain characters and events from the author’s real life. Keeping in mind that the goal is to write fiction, I have a few ideas on how to make it work.

Don’t focus on the facts

It can easily be argued that all fiction is autobiographical in some way because it undoubtedly contains elements of the author’s actual experience. A writer who pens a story about a school can be assumed to have either attended school or know people that have. The school does not need to be the writer’s school nor resemble it in any real way; the concept of “school” exists in the writer’s memory and is therefore based on some type of real experience. Place often appears in autobiographical stories. It’s well known that Stephen King based The Shining on a real hotel in Colorado, and that most of his stories take place in Maine because, well, he’s from there. The stories he writes are not about him. He is not a possessed father stalking his family in a remote mountain resort, but his experience of having actually stayed in the Stanley Hotel informed his fiction. Mr. King is actually a pretty nice guy with a vivid imagination, a writer who can transform a real memory into an entirely new world inside the pages of his novels.

Let’s use King’s book Under the Dome as an example. In the book, King creates a detailed and credible environment—a small town in Maine—that is inexplicably covered by an impenetrable dome one day. While the situation of being stuck under a dome is outrageous, and certainly not autobiographical, the world of the small town and its citizens is entirely realistic, a genuine portrait of a typical small Northeastern village. King is able to write authentically about such a town because of his own experience as a Maine resident. Without a doubt, his real experiences informed his fictional town.

In this way, King used the best of his personal experience combined with real fictional prowess. If people or places in the book were based on actual people and places, their similarity would be effectively obscured by the overall plot.

Cut the crap

When converting truth to fiction, it's best to cull only the essential and leave all the rest. Fiction writers have complete license to keep only the best tidbits of the story. Even memoirs can benefit from a little cutting. Keeping only the juiciest bits and tossing the less-than-interesting parts into the compost is a smart way to use a piece of truth to its full fictional advantage.

Let’s use a real story from my own life as an example to work from:

The summer after I graduated high school, my best friend and I decided to spend our day off down at the river that ran through our small Colorado town. A few hours into our excursion, us happily wading in the cool water and sunning ourselves, a man appeared on the opposite side of the river, roughly 150 feet away from us. I watched as he descended the bank. I looked away, undisturbed as it’s a popular spot. When I looked back up, he was ankle deep in the water, and totally naked. He waved to us. Sensing it was time to go, my friend and I quickly packed our stuff and all but ran back to her car along the tiny path that went from the sandy area of riverbank where we had been hanging out to the road. The path, narrow and steep in places, was up the bank from the river, and a layer of trees obscured the river’s edge.  About halfway back to the car, we heard a voice address us from the trees. “You don’t have to leave on my account.” We both looked down in horror to see the naked man had somehow crossed the river and was now standing within feet of us. How he’d arrived there so quickly, we’ll never know. The river was wide at that section and, in order to have appeared ahead of us in the trees as we tried to escape, the naked man would have had to wade upstream across the rushing, 2-3 foot deep water, walking on slippery rocks the entire way as the river was not deep enough to swim in. Surprised, we mumbled something about having to go and bolted down the path toward her car. When we got there, we checked under the car, in the backseat and then locked ourselves in. When I looked back at the river as we peeled out, he was nowhere to be seen.

Now there are many elements to this story, and most of them aren’t interesting in the bigger picture. For one, who cares who it was, where or when it was. The juiciest morsel of this story, and the only thing I would preserve should I someday work it into a piece of fiction, is the fact of the naked man miraculously fording a white-water river to freak-out a couple of girls. I might keep his quote for the sheer absurdity of it, but not necessarily. The rest of the details I’d leave out or change completely to fit better in the fictionalized world that I am creating.

Change the ending

Unlike memoir, which can be forgiven for presenting events in a less-than narratively perfect way, any real life details in autobiographical fiction must neatly line up with other plot elements in the story. Say, for instance, you are the real life Hamlet, and not only did you live, but a few other people in your story did also. Some of those flesh wounds from the final scene turned out to be not-so-bad, and a few people went on to lead relatively normal lives when it was all said and done. Well that’s great for you, but it doesn’t make for such good storytelling. The only ending that makes sense in Hamlet, the one that will leave the most impact is for the hero and the villains to die in order for the final resolution to be possible.

Same is true for any fictional adaptation of an autobiographical story. David Copperfield is a not-so-thinly veiled autobiography of Charles Dickens’ life, with whole sections, such as David/Charles’ work in a blacking factory as a young boy, pulled directly from Dickens' life. But, entire chapters are pure fiction, as it should be. For one, Charles was not an orphan, though he spent some time almost on his own while his father served time in debtor’s prison. Like David, Charles married a woman he turned out to be not-so-fond of after all, but she didn’t die childless as David's Dora did. Rather, she bore him many children before their marriage fizzled and he ran off with an actress (long after David Copperfield was published.) Ultimately, David Copperfield can only be considered a versioning of Dickens’ real, self adjusted enough to create good, rich fiction. Of course, Dickens’ wrote the end of David’s story long before his own story ended, so he could not end David's life as his eventually ended. Instead, he gave David the ending that best fit the life Dickens wrote for him on the page. While there may have been similarities, ultimately Dickens knew it was the story that must prevail and so wrote accordingly. He's known as a master of fiction, and David Copperfield is one of those fictional masterpieces in which he used the best from his real life and made up the rest.

Now You Try

As I did in article above, select a story from your own life. It can be a silly story like mine, something laughed at over at parties, or it can be more serious or life-altering. Distil it down to the most essential element. What exactly makes the story compelling. Then try to write a new story that uses that little tidbit of truth, but is otherwise fictional.  Please share in the comments below or email me directly: [email protected] .

About the author

Taylor Houston is a genuine Word Nerd living in Portland, OR where she works as a technical writer for an engineering firm and volunteers on the planning committee for Wordstock, a local organization dedicated to writing education.

She holds a degree in Creative Writing and Spanish from Hamilton College in Clinton, NY. In the English graduate program at Penn State , she taught college composition courses and hosted a poetry club for a group of high school writers.

While living in Seattle, Taylor started and taught a free writing class called Writer’s Cramp (see the website). She has also taught middle school Language Arts & Spanish, tutored college students, and mentored at several Seattle writing establishments such as Richard Hugo House. She’s presented on panels at Associated Writing Programs Conference and the Pennsylvania College English Conference and led writing groups in New York, Pennsylvania, and Colorado for writers of all ages & abilities. She loves to read, write, teach & debate the Oxford Comma with anyone who will stand still long enough.

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How To Write An Autobiographical Fiction Novel

Learning how to write an autobiographical fiction novel may be one of the most creative tasks you take on this year. This genre stands out among both autobiographies as well as fiction due to combining elements of both. 

If you want to:

• Share your story
• Delve into creative writing at a fiction level
• Communicate your message to two audiences 

…I encourage you to familiarize yourself with autobiographical fiction. This genre targets readers who love autobiographies and biographies , as well as committed fiction readers. In this article, I answer several key questions so you can start your novel with confidence. 

What is autobiographical fiction? 

Autobiographical fiction is a type of writing based on factual events and real people, but also allows authors to take creative liberties. 

Writing this type of fiction allows authors to not only share their lived experiences but thread creative twists throughout the pages. If you ever wonder if autobiographical writing could be your next writing endeavor, you’re on an exciting journey.

Autobiographical fiction, also called autofiction, frees its writers from the responsibility of getting every detail right. Instead, authors can craft their stories exactly as they desire, mixing fictional elements into the facts. 

How is autofiction different from fiction? 

Autobiographical fiction is different from fiction because fiction draws ideas from reality. However, in this type of fiction, authors do not base their stories on reality. For example, Kristin Hannah’s, The Nightingale , places fictional characters into a fictional story world. 

While her novel hints that she spent quite a bit of time researching the time period her characters lived in, she dreamed up these characters, crafted their arcs, and creatively built the plot. 

Autobiographical fiction focuses on the lived experience of the author. The fictional aspect comes from changing the name of the protagonist and adding fictional details to a nonfiction story. The created protagonist simply acts as a stand-in or loose representation of the author. 

Through this made-up character, the author can weave fact and fiction together to create a compelling story. 

How is it different from a nonfiction autobiography? 

Autobiographical fiction differs from nonfiction autobiographies in regard to how the author uses fact and which creative liberties they take. 

When you choose to write fiction that is autobiographical, your creative liberties can include changes in fact from relationship tropes to your family history! 

Remember that just as there is no autobiography vs memoir competition, as each fulfills different needs, the same is true for autobiographical nonfiction and autobiographical fiction. 

While autobiographies that are nonfiction strictly adhere to fact, even keeping dialogue as close to accurate as possible, autobiographies that are fiction prioritize creativity over fact. 

What are some examples of autobiographical fiction books?

The Bell Jar , by Sylvia Plath, stands as a prime example of autobiographical fiction. She portrays Esther Greenwood’s insanity so genuinely that readers can empathize enough to rationalize it. Described as a haunting American classic, this novel invites readers into a dark yet rich story. 

At just 23, F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote his first novel, titled This Side of Paradise . Fitzgerald casts a Princeton student, Amory Blaine, as the protagonist, who he based on himself. 

His novel pushed him into the spotlight at its release in 1920. Today’s readers can study the authorized version of his famous work. 

Both of these works are great examples of writing goals to pursue. Rather than stick to either writing your autobiography or writing a novel , why not set yourself the goal of combining both and write an autobiographical fiction book?  

Can I write a fiction book based on my life? 

Yes, you can most definitely write a novel that you base on your own life experiences . This type of writing is a fantastic way to cover topics you may find difficult to write about. Depending on your background, you may relate to one of the following. 

First, if you overcame a specific struggle but don’t want to draw attention to yourself, you may wonder how to write about perseverance without making yourself the hero. Some writers prefer to stay behind the computer screen rather than launch a speaking career alongside their author career. Sharing your story through fiction may be a good choice for you.

Second, knowing how to write a book about war or another serious topic can feel overwhelming, particularly if you have first-hand experience. Sharing several aspects of your journey, but cushioning the stories with fictional spin-offs, can help you feel more comfortable doing so. 

Plus, autobiographical fiction is by nature, fiction. This allows the author to stay behind the scenes and promote their characters rather than themselves. 

What are the 8 steps in writing autobiographical fiction?

Equip yourself with these eight steps to write your first autobiographical fiction novel: 

• Determine your idea
• Define your key plot points
• Conduct necessary research
• Commit to completing your draft
• Ask for another set of eyes to look at your draft 
• Self-edit your work 
• Read your manuscript as if you are a reader
• Request beta readers and note their feedback 

Read the brief summation below to equip yourself to write your novel. 

1. Determine your idea

Pinpoint exactly what idea or theme you want to communicate, and don’t worry if this takes some time. You may want to read the above examples of autobiographical fiction for inspiration. 

2. Define your key plot points

Even if you prefer to write the story as it comes to you, for this type of fiction, you may want to consider determining your beginning, middle, and end. 

3. Conduct necessary research

Historical fiction relies heavily on research. For autobiographies that are fiction, simply do the research that will most add to your story. 

4. Commit to completing your draft

Like any genre, it takes commitment to see your project through. It’s helpful to choose to finish before you choose to start. To streamline the process and craft a compelling narrative, consider utilizing a free autobiography template .

5. Ask for another set of eyes to look at your draft 

You may want to invest in a manuscript critique or simply ask a writing friend for feedback before you dive into edits. 

6. Self-edit your work 

Learning how to edit your work will save you time and financial investment once you reach the professional editing stage. Don’t miss this step. 

7. Read your manuscript as if you are a reader

It’s easy to mentally fill in gaps in your writing because you know your story frontward and backward. Do your best to read your novel or manuscript as if you are a reader opening to page one for the first time. This helps you spot areas you can improve on. 

8. Request beta readers and note their feedback 

Beta readers are a big help in catching errors, typos, and even plot inconsistencies. They add tremendous value and are important to your author career. 

• 50 Eye-Catching Autobiography Titles
• 15 Autobiography Examples to Inspire Your Own

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