Basic outline of a biography for kids

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I’ll spend hours crafting a short conversation between two or three people.

  • How did they contribute to their field, their country, or their community?

  • Were they involved in any major controversies or scandals?

  • Who were the most important people in the subject’s life, such as friends, partners, or mentors?

  • If the subject is no longer living, how did they pass away?

  • What lasting impact did the subject leave behind?

    4.

    basic outline of a biography for kids

    This can involve reading books, watching documentaries, or even conducting interviews if possible. Everything has to be based in truth. Biographies are non-fiction, so it‘s important to be accurate and truthful about the subject‘s life.

  • Engagement: Read through the biography with an eye for engagement.

    Inspire your young readers to think about how they might apply these lessons in their own lives.

    Making It Visual

    Kids respond well to visual stimuli, so consider incorporating images, illustrations, or even interactive elements if the biography is digital. This not only adds depth to the biography but also teaches kids resilience and perseverance.

    5.

    For example, two biographies about Emily Dickinson would be vastly different if one is written for young children and the other is written for adult poets. I have written a half-dozen so-called fictionalized biographies, and in some ways they’re harder to write than the other kind. If so, think about how you can make them more exciting.

    • Consider asking a child to read your biography.

    This can include family background, education, and early influences.

    3. This includes primary sources like interviews, letters, and diaries, as well as secondary sources such as books, articles, and documentaries.

    Here are some primary sources to look for: 

    • Letters and diaries: These provide intimate insights into the subject’s thoughts, feelings, and daily life, and can often be found in family archives, libraries, and historical societies.

    • Birth, marriage, and death certificates: These documents can provide crucial dates and familial relationships.

    • Census data: Census records can provide demographic information and track changes over time.

    • Property records: These can reveal where the subject lived and owned property.

    • Employment and school records: These records offer formalized insights into the subject’s education and career.

    • Military records: If applicable, military records can provide information on service, ranks, and honors.

    • Photos and videos: Look for photographs and videos in public libraries, historical societies, online databases like the Library of Congress, and family photo albums.

    • Historical newspapers: Access archives of local and national newspapers for articles, interviews, and obituaries related to the subject.

    • Digital archives: Use online resources like ProQuest, Chronicling America, and newspaper databases available through public libraries.

    You can also look for secondary sources, which provide more context and perspective, such as:

    • Existing biographies: Search for existing biographies and books about the subject or their era.

      Your goal is simply to get words down on the page so you have something to edit. Here are a few strategies to make sure your biography is a page-turner:

      • Storytelling:Treat the biography like a story. To invent a problem, or to make it more dramatic than it really was, is a form of cheating, and that’s no fun at all.

        A well-placed image can bring a story to life in a way words sometimes can't.

    Keeping It Engaging

    To hold a child‘s interest, a biography should be as engaging as it is informative. I said no, because I’ve never found their humor to be funny. You can ask them for personal anecdotes to add more color to your book, or more information to fill in any gaps in your knowledge.

    As tempting as it may be, you can’t simply make up details in order to suit your story. Tell the story from the birth of your subject to the death of your subject, or to the present day if this person is still living. Readers will know that on some level you’re not engaged and they won’t enjoy reading the book any more than you enjoyed writing it.