BOOK:Substance, Style, Strategy by Lee A. Jacobus
Biographical Essay Prompt: (750-1000 Words)
First, brainstorm the following prompt. Develop several ideas for the prompt, as the more options you have the better your ultimate choice will be. Remember that topic selection is imperative in overall writing success.
Writing biography is often the art of taking people who are generally well known and giving specific divulging details about their life. I want you to write a biography of someone who is not well known, i.e. famous, but you consider worth knowing. It can be a relative, friend, acquaintance, etc., but not someone famous. Use the approach of a biographer to analyze this person’s life and search through the success and failure, triumph and tragedy, strength and weakness, etc. to achieve some conclusion about this life.
Note:
Remember to use the tips for writing a biographical essay from pages 99-100 in the text.
Choose a person who you feel is worth knowing.
Remember that the purpose of biography is discovering something about the human condition.
Use crisp details in the text of the essay.
Avoid writing about people in which you share extremely personal relationship matters, as it is difficult to be objective about emotionally charged issues.
Sample Solution
