Writing a Biography

Course CodeBWR205
Fee CodeS2
Duration (approx)100 hours
QualificationTo obtain formal documentation the optional exam(s) must be completed which will incur an additional fee of $36. Alternatively, a letter of completion may be requested.

Learn to Write Biographies

This course is relevant to biographical writing for:

  • Books and Screenplays
  • Profiles (e.g. in a conference program, a government submission, or a business report),
  • Resumes,
  • Obituaries,
  • Newspaper articles, Magazines, Web Sites, Social Media listing, or anywhere else

Biographies are hugely popular, whether you are a film star, have been resident in the White House, or are a war veteran, biographies provide a rich source of reading for many. They can provide information about eras, experiences, and about the world.

Lesson Structure

There are 8 lessons in this course:

  1. Scope and Nature of Biographical Writing
    • The difference between a biography and autobiography
    • Unauthorised biographies
    • Using ghost writers in biographies
    • Choosing your subject
    • What do biographies cover?
    • Timelines
    • Fiction versus Non fiction
    • Uses for biographies
    • Biography vs. Memoir
    • Sequels
  2. Researching a Biography
    • Types of Evidence - primary, secondary
    • Using Evidence
    • Fair Use
    • Where to find evidence - newspapers, diaries, research, interviews
    • Conducting an Interview
    • Secondary sources - reference books, biographies, online sources, libraries, archives
    • How to deal with conflicting sources and information
    • Citations and Referencing
    • Ways to reference
    • The law - slander and libel
    • Information in the public domain
  3. Developing Context
    • Using themes
    • Determining Your Theme
    • Mapping links
    • Defining purpose
    • Developing the theme
    • Themes and Structure
    • Using Context
    • General planning
    • Unauthorised versus authorised biographies
    • Considering rights
    • Protecting copyright
  4. Short Biographies
    • Principles of the Short Biography
    • How to start
    • Distilling Information
    • Obituaries
    • Social media bios
    • Blog bio
    • Author bio
    • Magazine profiles
    • Professional bio
    • Preparing to write from life experience
    • Approach
  5. Comprehensive Biographies
    • What makes a comprehensive biography comprehensive?
    • Writing about living versus deceased
    • Writing a Great Biography
    • Voice in Writing
    • Some essential writing skills
  6. Planning a Biography
    • The Short Outline
    • The Detail-Heavy Outline
    • Outlining the biography
    • Defining a theme, writing to a central theme
    • Word Budget
    • Organising Chapter Content
  7. Editing and Marketing a Biography
    • Editing
    • Writing a Sales Package
    • The Publishing Process
    • Publishing Processes for Ebooks
    • Self-Publishing Your Work
    • Distributing and Selling your Work
    • Grants for Writing
  8. Project – Writing a Biographical Story
    • In this final lesson, you will bring together everything that you have been learning to undertake research and construct a first draft of a biographical piece of between 2,000 and 4,000 words.

TAKE THE NEXT STEP AND ENROL NOW!

  • Do you have an interest in people and in their experiences?

  • Would you like to write about events and experiences that are an inspiration to others?

  • Study Biographical Writing with ACS and learn about the processes of writing - from determining the initial concepts, through planning, and obtaining evidence, through to editing, publishing, and marketing a work.

You can enrol on the course now, but if you have any questions about the content of the course or studying with ACS, then please get in touch with us today - use our FREE COURSE COUNSELLING SERVICE to get in touch with our expert tutors. They will be pleased to help you!

 



Meet some Of our academics

John Mason

John Mason is one of Australia's most prolific writers. He saw his first work published when at secondary school, where he worked on the school magazine. In 1973 he was writing a weekly column for his local newspaper and by 1975 he was a regular contributor to Australia's national magazine "Your Garden". John was engaged by Victoria's Dept of Youth, Sport and Recreation to write a book on Fun and Fitness Trails in 1978. In 1981 he saw two more books published (one in America, another in Australia), and commenced writing regularly for the Self Sufficiency Magazine, Grass Roots. John is a long term member of the Australian Society of Authors, the Garden Media Guild (UK) and the Horticultural Media Association (Australia). He has written or contributed to over 100 books, many published by international publishers and published more than 2,000 articles across a range of genres (Gardening, Education, Business, Farming, Fitness). In addition, John has contributed to and overseen the development of more than 600 distance education courses which encompass around 20 million words. He has been an avid photographer for 40 years, building a collection of over 100,000 images, which are used to illustrate his work. His marine animal photos are even used by Legoland in England, on their Atlantis ride! Writer, Manager, Teacher and Businessman with over 40 years interenational experience covering Education, Publishing, Leisure Management, Education, and Horticulture. He has extensive experience both as a public servant, and as a small business owner. John is a well respected member of many professional associations, and author of over seventy books and of over two thousand magazine articles.

Rachel Syers

Rachel has worked as a newspaper journalist for the past 15 years in a range of roles from sub-editor and social columnist to news reporter, covering rounds such as education, health, council, music, television, court, police, Aboriginal and Islander affairs, and agriculture. Her current role is Fashion Editor, features writer and features sub-editor with The Gold Coast Bulletin. She has co-authored a successful biography "Roma: From Prison to Paradise" about former prisoner-of-war turned yoga guru, Roma Blair, as well as freelanced as a writer, reviewer and researcher for Australian music and celebrity magazines such as WHO Weekly, Rave, Australasian Post and New Idea. Rachel has a B.Journalism.

Peta Jinnath Abdul

B.Sc., Grad.Dip.Ed., M.Creative Writing

Tracey Jones

Widely published author, Psychologist, Manager and Lecturer. Over 10 years working with ACS and 25 years of industry experience. Qualifications include: B.Sc. (Hons) (Psychology), M.Soc.Sc (social work), Dip. SW (social work), PGCE (Education), PGD (Learning Disability Studies).


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