STEP 1: Prewriting—Thinking about the Subject
Jot down a dozen questions about yourself. The questions may refer to your reac-
tions, emotions, and behavior. Use questions that ask about particular situations that
your reader may find telling.
Why am I driven to compete with others?
Why did I pass the test I thought I’d failed?
Why do I hate snow?
Why am I always afraid I’ll be late for class, work, or appointments?If your autobiography is for a specific audience, gear your questions accordingly. For
instance, if you are writing for a group of fellow youth-group members, you may list
such questions as these:
Why do I need the support of my peers when I make a decision?
Why am I usually sitting on the fringes of the group, participating mentally but
not physically?STEP 2: Prewriting—Narrowing the Subject
Once you have listed possible questions, narrow your specific focus following these
steps:
- From your list, choose one question that seems the most interesting. Do not
worry about whether or not the question is important to the world, only
whether or not it is interesting enough that you want to explore the possible
answers and that your audience will find it appropriate.
144 / Types of Writing
The inexperienced writer almost invariably attempts to cover too
much material in one simple autobiographical sketch. To avoid that possi-
ble pitfall, make sure that you select only one of the questions about which to develop
your autobiography. If, during the course of developing the sketch, you feel your ques-
tion is too narrow, you may choose to broaden it. Before you do so, however, you
should consider first whether or not you have included sufficient details in responding
to the chosen question.
In any case, do not expand the concept by adding another question. That will merely
confuse both the issue and the readers and ultimately destroy the organization of your
autobiography.