Tips on How to Start an Autobiography Essay

To meet eligibility criteria and be considered as an applicant for a job or college. You need to put together a package of documents with different forms, transcripts, letters of recommendation, and, of course, an autobiography essay. A mere thought about writing it might be frightening since you need to write a few paragraphs that have the ultimate power to both increase and reduce the chances to be admitted or offered a job. Besides, it is necessary to be completely honest about yourself but avoid disclosing own weaknesses. It is quite complicated to find the balance between the extremes. Nevertheless, everything is possible with our tips on writing an autobiography essay.

Follow Autobiography Essay Format

An autobiographical essay should have introduction, body, and conclusion, but more specific format details depend on a task. Usually, extensive instructions specify how the paper should look like. Therefore, read what is demanded and follow the requirements precisely. Moreover, you should be neither too humble nor too verbose when talking about yourself. Some people think that these pieces of writing should not reveal too much while others question their necessity in case detailed descriptions are not provided. In fact, the content of an autobiography essay should be determined based on its purpose. If it is aimed to be sent to an admission committee, discuss achievements, events that had a significant impact on your life, lessons learned. To see how the harmony between telling too much and not enough can be reached, read autobiography essay examples.

How to Start an Autobiography Essay

A black page might be very intimidating when you have to start writing and come up with an original idea. However, there exist a number of techniques that can be used to simplify the initial steps of the writing process and make sure the decent points cross your mind.

Mind mapping. The technique is very effective. First, you need to find a comfortable place where you will not be distracted and take several pieces of paper. Second, in the middle of a black page, write one word. It should be something that you associate a job or education you aspire to get with, for instance, “experience” or “adventure.” Circle the word and jot down everything that you think about this word. In such a way, you will get a map of concepts concerning a specific topic. Finally, you should connect the words with lines, which will definitely result in a creative idea. You may repeat the process with different words many times.

Free writing. Proceed with this techniques right after you have created the mind maps and before inspiration disappears. Take a pen and start writing down every thought of yours even if you think about having your hair cut but try to shift to the job, college, and reasons why you are the one who should receive the offer. Recall experiences that made you a suitable candidate or events that taught you a valuable lesson. For instance, if you would like to be involved in working with children, tell about the moment when you realized it. In fact, the point of the technique is to gather the relevant material in your past to use it for the sake of future.

Outlining. The method implies creating a plan of your autobiographical essay. You may start with just noting headings that signify certain periods of your life, for example, childhood, high, school, college, etc. Then, in each section, list relevant awards, achievements, people you met, and life-changing events. For instance, if during a summer break, you worked as an intern, write about how it made you a well-rounded person, taught to work in a team, or adjust to the changes quickly. At least one excellent idea for every period id a good start for writing an autobiography essay.

Drafting. Reread all the notes taken and select the worthy ideas. At this point, you should not waste your time on anything that is not relevant to the job or college. Start creating a draft by uniting the best ideas into paragraphs. Write in a concise and specific manner and do not extend sentences with unnecessary fillers and clichés. Provide details so that a reader could clearly imagine the situation you describe. Then, put away the essay for a few days and ask for feedback from your family or friends.

General Guidelines for Writing an Autobiography Essay

Now you know the approaches to starting to compose, which is a half task done. However, as you proceed with refining the draft, a number of question might arise regarding the autobiography essay format, style, tone, word choice, etc. The following pieces of advice will help to handle the second part of the writing process.

• Write from the first person since the essay is about your life and experiences. Thus, your voice should be distinct in the paper.

• Make sure the introduction is directly connected with the subject of discussion, i.e., you. Try to capture attention from the first line without including a famous quote or cliché phrase.

• Avoid wasting a limited word count on inserting meaningless information that does not actually disclose any useful facts about you.

• Create a strong thesis that is capable of intriguing a reader and evoking desire to read the paper until the end. It might be something like, “At some point, I realized that one minute could change everything.”

• Tell a story to make an essay gripping. Remember not to omit details that are crucial to its understanding.

• End the essay excitingly since a conclusion is the last thing to be read. Express your feeling regarding the experiences described.

Having considered these tips and read through some autobiography essay examples, you may begin to write the paper yourself. Do not forget that it should be about the real you, so do not make up the stories. You should simply analyze everything you lives through. In such a way, you will surely understand what events or people shaped your personality.