Write a College Autobiography
For a college autobiography, it is important to accurately chronicle the lessons learned, challenges faced and goals achieved you earned your degree. To do this, validate facts and dates mentioned. Compose an intriguing story by highlighting key events and experiences, particularly ones that may still be impacting you today. Keep in mind that the more you use your own voice and style throughout the book, the easier it will be for readers to connect to your story and feel that they are getting to know the real you.
Instructions
1. Create book chapters so events are revealed in chronological order. For example, in order for readers to understand how you became the person you are during college, begin the autobiography with a brief chapter on your parents, siblings and childhood. Include key accomplishments, challenges and transitions you experienced while at college. Make sure the events flow smoothly from one to another. Start and end every chapter with a "hook," or an experience that piques readers' curiosity and makes them want to know what happened next to you.
2. Research material. Search your college's alumni database for students who went to school with you. Contact the school's chancellor or academic affairs office if your college does not have an online alumni database. Register with online networking websites such as Linkedin, Facebook and MySpace to search for and locate classmates, professors and administrators you had contact with while at school. Interview and include contacts that significantly influenced your life in your book.
Verify event dates, times and locations through school records. Copy and include official collegiate documents to help validate your activities. Provide photographs of buildings, people and events that pertain to experiences mentioned in your text.
3. Gain necessary permissions. Create a permissions letter template to use copyrighted material (see Resources). Create a separate permissions letter template to mention other people in your autobiography. Include items on the persons permission template, such as your name and contact information, what you will write about the person, if you will include photographs of the person in your story, the title of the book and when you expect the book to be published. While you are not required to have people's permission to include them in your autobiography, you could save yourself a lot of legal headache by doing so. File copies of all copyright and persons permission template letters sent, denied and approved.
4. Create voice and style. Sit down and freestyle to find your own voice and style. Pen poems, short stories and journal entries to keep your freestyle exercises going until you find a comfortable voice and style. Avoid writing in an academic tone. Write as though you are telling your story to a friend you haven't seen in a long time. Let your personality come across on each page. Tape record your story first if you find it hard to put the experiences on paper. Then go back and transcribe the tape.
5. Hire an editor to review the manuscript. Visit directories such as Editors Association of Canada, Writer's Market, Poets & Writers and Literary Market Place to locate editors. You may be required to create a login and password to search the directories. Compare editorial fees. Provide the editor with manuscript length and expected print date.
Tags: voice style, your story, alumni database, letter template, permission template, permissions letter