Writing someone’s biography takes time and patience. There are numerous books, websites and software out there to help you. We have run across a few websites you might want to check out to help you along the way. WikiHow is a good source of educational information and resources with quick and concise lessons on just about anything you might want to know. In their article: “How to Write A Personal Bio” they include samples that you can read through and use as a template for a biography of your loved one, friend or anyone that you think should be remembered. Now this resource is geared more along the lines of an autobiography and not a biography. But you can always practice on your life before you move onto someone else.
There is also a website called: WriteABio.com that specializes in FREE biographical templates but they are mainly geared toward professions such as executives, authors, hair stylists and the like. These may be helpful in getting started writing someone’s biography but if you are doing a loved one you will probably want to focus more on their life history rather than their careers. This may be a great way to practice your writing skills by using these templates on your friends and co-workers. Remember practice, practice, practice your writing skills and that will help you create a fitting memorial for the ones you want to be remembered.
Your biggest source of information about anyone you want to remember is that person, his/her friends and family, old diaries, old pictures, and public records. If you want your grandmother or grandfather or even one or all of your great-grandparents remembered you are going to have to gather as much family information as you can as soon as you can. Of course, it would be much better to interview your subject before they pass away that way you can record interviews, ask them to tell their stories, scan in their pictures, etc. If that is not possible then you will have to rely on their friends, family and your own memories. Scanning in their diaries will be a great resource for you while preserving what they have written.
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