Creative Nonfiction: The Autobiography
The form that is creative nonfiction can be confusing. It’s easy to differentiate by length – we know an essay is much shorter than a book. But what is the difference between an autobiography and a memoir? Or what’s the difference between an autobiography and biography?
What, exactly, is an autobiography?
The Autobiography
The terms for autobiography and memoir are often used interchangeably and with good reason. They are similar in concept. However, an autobiography is generally an account of the writer’s life whereas a memoir has a narrower focus. Memoirs often cover a specific time period or experience, and often emphasize the writer’s inner life (thoughts, ideas, and emotions) whereas an autobiography emphasizes the exterior (experiences).
What’s a Biography?
It’s worthwhile to note that biography (as opposed to an autobiography) is written by someone other than the subject of the book. In short, if you write the story of your own life, it’s an autobiography. If you write the story of someone else’s life, it’s a biography.
How to remember this? Have you seen the Biography Channel? They do biographies – not on themselves, but on others (on famous people, actually).
History of Autobiographies
According to Wikipedia, “The word autobiography was first used by the poet Robert Southey in 1809 in the English periodical Quarterly Review.”
It would take several volumes to cover the entire history of autobiographies, but there are some that stand out as worth noting.
During the Renaissance, a sculptor and goldsmith named Benvenuty Cellini (1500-1571) wrote one of the earliest known autobiographies. It was called Vita (Life).
Vita is particularly notable because it set forth a standard for autobiographies with its opening lines: “No matter what sort he is, everyone who has to his credit what are or really seem great achievements, if he cares for truth and goodness, ought to write the story of his own life in his own hand; but no one should venture on such a splendid undertaking before he is over forty.”
In recent times, that standard has changed drastically. Today, we often see autobiographies that are written by people under forty. We also often see autobiographies the are written by ghostwriters.
The Book of Margery Kempe is the oldest known autobiography written in the English language. It covers Margery’s pilgrimage to the Holy Land and her trip to Rome. Though written in the 15th century, it was not published until 1936.
Creative Nonfiction Becomes a Claim to Fame
As printing became cheaper, autobiographies became more accessible. The cultural phenomenon of fame and celebrity evolved, and eventually it became expected of celebrities to produce autobiographies. This was the rule for all who were in the public eye – writers, performers, politicians.
Eventually, everyone who was anyone was busily pattering away at a typewriter, deeply immersed in the creative nonfiction of self. It was a good way to cash in on one’s fame (an autobiography might render a fortune) and set in motion the vehicle to grow one’s celebrity by bringing it to a wider audience.
Today, autobiographies serve much the same purpose (as do memoirs). They are often used to help build celebrity branding, to generate income, and even to win elections (an autobiography or memoir is almost essential in many political arenas). While some are truly authored by the celebrity in question, many (if not most) are actually written by ghostwriters, who are hired to craft the manuscript.
Versions and Sub-classes
Autobiographies, like many forms, can be further divided into a number of sub-classes. These include the following:
- Diaries (personal, chronological accounts)
- Political Critiques (especially in totalitarian societies)
- Sensationalist (often scandalous, for public consumption) [Note: These are usually written by ghostwriters.]
- Fictional (this is basically a novel written in first person)
- Memoirs may be considered by some to be a sub-class of autobiographies. Though they are both creative nonfiction and have many similarities, they are actually different forms.
Have you read any interesting autobiographies? Do you dabble in creative nonfiction? Share your thoughts by leaving a comment.
Your breakdown of the various kinds of autobiography is very helpful, as I know people get confused by this. I just read Katrina Kenison’s memoir, “The Gift of an Ordinary Day” and I’m finishing up “Traveling with Pomegranates” by Sue Monk Kidd and her daughter, Ann Kidd Taylor. Even though I’m a fiction writer, I find myself drawn more and more to memoir.
Charlotte Rains Dixon´s last blog ..On Not Having Time to Paint
I get confused by this too! That’s why I was happy to do the research and brush up on the differences between different types of biographical works. I’m more drawn to fiction, but I won’t turn down a good memoir either!
I wonder. Maybe you can toss this around. Maybe this is worth a blog post (by you).
Um, just how much fiction is completely void of the writer? How much fiction does not contain a memoir disguised as a portion of the novel? I wonder.
Much like the movies where the author has a cameo appearance, how many novels are void of them? Really? I wonder.
Evelyn´s last blog ..Preservation and Lots of Aloha Create an Interesting Carnival
Evelyn, I don’t think there’s a way to determine how much of any author’s fictional work is autobiographical. We all put a little (or a lot) of ourselves into our fiction. There are no rules for fiction and nothing can stop you from writing a memoir and saying it’s a work of fiction. However, writers who fictionalize their nonfiction work tend to get heavily criticized (and not in a good way). I truly doubt there is a way to accurately answer your question, but it’s interesting to think about. Actually, it would make a great survey or interview question for individual authors: how much of yourself is in this work of fiction? My guess is that many authors would say “I put ALL of myself into my art!” And I’ve noticed that most authors shy away from questions about which specific aspects of their fiction are taken from real life.
And I don’t blame them for shying away. Too much info!
You’re right, it would make for an interesting survey. I think I’m going to ask it of every author — just because I want to know and non-answers will mean just as much to me I think. That alone says a lot!
No, I’m not Dr. Phil. Just Dear Abbey!
I recently heard on a radio show (NPR’s Talk of the Nation) about a new book of memoirs coming out. The book is called “Not Quite What I Was Planning”, and is inspired by the legend that says Hemingway once wrote a story with six words: “For Sale: baby shoes, never worn.” So this website started collection submissions of six-word memoirs. I thought the concept was interesting. Here’s a few examples they have:
She said she was negative. Damn.
Extremely responsible, secretly longed for spontaneity.
Joined Army. Came out. Got booted.
Painful nerd kid, happy nerd adult.
After Harvard, had baby with crackhead.
Not that detailed, and leave a lot to imagination, but certainly gives you a glimpse into their lives.
Kelvin Kao´s last blog ..Pili Prestige: The Dragon Warrior
Hiya Kelvin. I’ve heard of this project too. There is definitely some buzz about the six-word memoir. I love the idea and I enjoy reading these. They’re great for prompting ideas! Maybe we’ll do a set of prompts here at Writing Forward based on six words. Hmm…
Oops, the one that’s coming out is “It All Changed in an Instant”, which is a sequel of the said book. Same concept, of course.
Kelvin Kao´s last blog ..Pili Prestige: The Dragon Warrior
Gotcha
Hi Melissa, thanks for enlightening us to the history of autobiographies. I have always wonder what the difference was between them and a memoir. Maybe one day I will be important enough to write my own too, until then I will just keep living.
Great post!
Steven | The Emotion Machine´s last blog ..The Uses And Abuses Of Setting Deadlines
I think the difference is pretty subtle, and I bet there’s a big gray area too, books that you could call either memoirs or autobiographies. Yes, definitely keep living it up and then later you can write it all down