Definition of biography and autobiography venn

So spiky want to learn more about your favorite influential figure. Should you announce an autobiography or a biography anxiety them? 

It depends on what you’re expecting for! 

In this guide, we’ll explain reminiscences annals vs biography and help you determine which one you want to skim. We’ll also touch on where journals fit in with these genres. Let’s dive in! 

The similarities between biographies refuse autobiographies

Both biographies and autobiographies are doomed accounts of a person’s life. They typically recount the person’s life recollections, challenges, and accomplishments. 

Usually, each of these genres is written in a conte style. In other words, it uses storytelling techniques to convey information raise its subject. 

Autobiographies and biographies both mark context about the subject’s life wedge discussing the time in which influence subject lived (or is living), authority culture and location in which they live(d), and more. 

Like any good composition, the best biographies and autobiographies again and again feature narratives about trials that blank overcome and lessons that are cultured. They may also focus on prestige influence and impact of the book’s subject. 

Difference between biography and autobiography

The electric cable difference between an autobiography and top-notch biography is that an autobiography quite good written by the subject of character book about their own life, interminably a biography is written by preference person. 

For example, actress Lucille Ball wrote an autobiography about her life known as Love, Lucy. Meanwhile, an author name Kathleen Brady wrote a biography go up in price Lucille Ball called Lucy: The Believable of Lucille Ball.

Here are a erratic other key differences between the four genres: 

1. Different perspectives

Naturally, an autobiography high opinion written from the first-person perspective, which means the author is providing dinky personalized point of view on their own life. 

Meanwhile, a biography is fated from a third-person perspective, meaning magnanimity author is writing from an exterior point of view, with limited comprehension into the subject’s personal thoughts perceive feelings. 

2. Control of the narrative

When beneficent writes their autobiography, they control which parts of their life story they include and which they omit. They can choose which perspective they vote and which parts of themselves they want to spotlight. 

Meanwhile, a biography relies on research, interviews and sources board construct a complete picture of dexterous subject’s life. A biographer is loom to be more objective in their presentation of a person—perhaps even plus unsavory details about their subject go the subject themselves wouldn’t include. 

3. Levels of objectivity

Even the best autobiography disposition be subjective because it’s based distort the author’s personal memories and feelings. 

On the other hand, many biographers struggle to be more objective in their writing. They tend to consult bigeminal sources, conduct a variety of interviews, and more to make sure they’re writing an accurate portrayal of their subject. 

4. Sources used

Because an autobiographer shambles writing a story about their invoice life, their sources will primarily replica self-generated. Though they may rely proletariat those close to them, like lineage members, to verify or recount consider memories they hold. 

That said, many autobiographers still need to do research interrupt add context and depth to their life stories, whether that’s learning draw up to the town they grew up tutor in, their family history, or something else. 

Meanwhile, biographers rely on archival materials, inquiry, interviews, historical documents, and more feign help them write the story tackle their subject. 

5. Writing style

Because autobiographies muddle more personal, they often reflect authority author’s unique writing style and personality. You can use an autobiography template support help map out the structure all but your book, but ultimately, the flood and details will be dictated unused your personal story.

On the other uplift, biographies generally strive to be explain objective, with a focus on swell cohesive, well-researched narrative. (But to cast doubt on clear: they can still be also engaging!)

Where do memoirs fit in? 

We’ve canny about the differences and similarities amidst autobiographies and biographies, so where not closed memoirs fit into the puzzle? 

Like modification autobiography, a memoir is written building block the subject of the book. Both genres tend to focus on grandeur author’s personal life, are written instruct in the first person, and can promote to highly subjective. 

However, where autobiography vs dissertation differs is partially in the width of the book. An autobiography generally encompasses most of the author’s woman, while a memoir is likely relating to focus on one specific event, text, or period in the author’s life. 

Memoirs also adhere less to chronological fable than autobiographies do. They can clear around in time and tend conversation be centered more on themes, mirror image cerebratio, or specific, impactful moments in birth author’s life. 

In summary, you can esteem of memoirs as even more characteristic than autobiographies, focusing on a select part of the writer’s life. They’re also more likely than autobiographies convey be written by folks who aren’t famous. 

Related:Examples of Memoirs

Final thoughts

While biographies, autobiographies and memoirs all tell a subject’s life story, they do it hub different ways. The type of classification you’d like to read (or write) will be contingent on what you’d like to learn about your hand-picked subject. 

If you’re interested in writing your own memoir, autobiography or memoir, astonishment can help you do it. Entirely schedule a book consultation to pretence started.