autobiography writing prompts high school

63 Best Memoir Writing Prompts To Stoke Your Ideas

You’re writing a memoir. But you’re not sure what questions or life lessons you want to focus on.

Even if only family members and friends will read the finished book, you want to make it worth their time. 

This isn’t just a whimsical collection of anecdotes from your life.

You want to convey something to your readers that will stay with them. 

And maybe you want your memoir’s impact to serve as your legacy — a testament to how you made a small (or large) difference. 

The collection of memoir questions in this post can help you create a legacy worth sharing.

So, if you don’t already have enough ideas for a memoir, read on. 

A Strong Theme

Overcoming obstacles, emotional storytelling, satisfying ending, examples of good starting sentences for a memoir , 63 memoir writing prompts , what are the primary parts of a memoir.

Though similar to autobiographies, memoirs are less chronological and more impressionable – less historical and more relatable.

Resultantly, they’re structured differently. 

With that in mind, let’s look at five elements that tie a memoir together, rendering it more enjoyable.

Biographies are histories that may not hew to a cohesive theme. But memoirs focus on inspiring and enlightening experiences and events.

As such, books in the genre promote a theme or idea that binds the highlighted happenings to an overarching reflection point or lesson.

Many people are super at sniffing out insincerity, and most folks prefer candidness.

So while exact dates and logistical facts may be off in a memoir, being raw and real with emotions, revelations, and relational impacts is vital. To put it colloquially: The best personal accounts let it all hang out. 

People prefer inspiring stories. They want to read about people overcoming obstacles, standing as testaments to the tenacious nature of the human spirit. Why?

Because it engenders hope. If this person was able to achieve “x,” there’s a possibility I could, too. Furthermore, people find it comforting that they’re not the only ones who’ve faced seemingly insurmountable impediments.

Readers crave emotion. And for many of the stoic masses, books, plays, television shows, and films are their primary sources of sentimentality.

Historically, the best-performing memoirs are built on emotional frameworks that resonate with readers. The goal is to touch hearts, not just heads.

In a not-so-small way, memoirs are like romance books: Readers want a “happy” ending. So close strongly. Ensure the finale touches on the book’s central themes and emotional highlights.

End it with a smile and note of encouragement, leaving the audience satisfied and optimistic.

Use the following questions as memoir writing exercises . Choose those that immediately evoke memories that have stayed with you over the years.

Group them by theme — family, career, beliefs, etc. — and address at least one question a day. 

For each question, write freely for around 300 to 400 words. You can always edit it later to tighten it up or add more content. 

1. What is your earliest memory?

2. What have your parents told you about your birth that was unusual?

3. How well did you get along with your siblings, if you have any?

4. Which parent were you closest to growing up and why?

5. What parent or parental figure had the biggest influence on you growing up?

6. What is your happiest childhood memory?

7. What is your saddest or most painful childhood memory?

8. Did you have good parents? How did they show their love for you?

9. What words of theirs from your childhood do you remember most, and why?

10. What do you remember most about your parents’ relationship? 

11. Were your parents together, or did they live apart? Did they get along? 

12. How has your relationship with your parents affected your own love relationships?

13. Who or what did you want to be when you grew up? 

14. What shows or movies influenced you most during your childhood?

15. What were your favorite books to read, and how did they influence you?

16. If you grew up in a religious household, how did you see “God”? 

17. How did you think “God” saw you? Who influenced those beliefs?

18. Describe your spiritual journey from adolescence to the present?

19. Who was your first best friend? How did you become friends? 

20. Who was your favorite teacher in elementary school, and why?

21. Did you fit in with any social group or clique in school? Describe your social life?

22. What were your biggest learning challenges in school (academic or social)? 

23. Who was your first crush, and what drew you to them? How long did it last?

24. What was your favorite subject in school, and what did you love about it?

25. What do you wish you would have learned more about growing up?

26. What did you learn about yourself in high school? What was your biggest mistake?

27. What seemed normal to you growing up that now strikes you as messed up?

28. How old were you when you first moved away from home?

29. Who gave you your first kiss? And what do you remember most about it?

30. Who was your first love ? What do you remember most about them?

31. Was there ever a time in your life when you realized you weren’t straight? 

32. Describe a memorable argument you had with one of your parents? How did it end?

33. Have you lost a parent? How did it happen, and how did their death affect you?

34. What was your first real job? What do you remember most about it?

35. How did you spend the money you earned with that job? 

36. At what moment in your life did you feel most loved? 

37. At what moment in your life did you feel most alone?

38. What do you remember most about your high school graduation? Did it matter?

39. What’s something you’ve done that you never thought you would do?

40. What has been the greatest challenge of your life up to this point?

41. What did you learn in college that has had a powerful influence on you?

42. How has your family’s financial situation growing up influenced you?

43. How has someone’s harsh criticism of you led you to an important realization? 

44. Do you consider yourself a “good person”? Why or why not?

45. Who was the first person who considered you worth standing up for?

46. If you have children, whom did you trust with them when they were babies?

47. Did you have pets growing up? Did you feel close or attached to any of them?

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48. Describe someone from your past whom you’d love to see again. 

49. Do you have a lost love? If yes, describe them, how you met, and how you lost them. 

50. Describe a moment when you made a fool of yourself and what it cost you. 

51. What is something you learned later in life that you wish you’d learned as a child?

52. How do you want others to see you? What words come to mind? 

53. What do you still believe now that you believed even as a child or as a teenager?

54. What do you no longer believe that you did believe as a child or teenager?

55. When have you alienated people by being vocal about your beliefs? 

56. Are you as vocal about your beliefs as you were when you were a young adult ?

57. Are you haunted by the consequences of beliefs you’ve since abandoned? 

58. How have your political beliefs changed since you were a teenager? 

59. Have you ever joined a protest for a cause you believe in? Would you still? 

60. How has technology shaped your life for the past 10 years? 

61.Has your chosen career made you happy — or cost you and your family too much?

62. What comes to mind if someone asks you what you’re good at? Why does it matter?

63. How is your family unique? What makes you proudest when you think about them?

We’ve looked at the elements that make memoirs shine. Now, let’s turn our attention to one of the most important parts of a personal account: the opening sentence.

We’ve scoured some of the most successful, moving memoirs of all time to curate a list of memorable starting sentences. Notice how all of them hint at the theme of the book.

Let’s jump in.

1. “They called him Moishe the Beadle, as if his entire life he had never had a surname.” From Night, a first-hand account of the WWII Holocaust by Elie Wiesel

2. “My mother is scraping a piece of burned toast out of the kitchen window, a crease of annoyance across her forehead.” From Toast: The Story of a Boy’s Hunger, foodie Nigel Slater’s account of culinary events that shaped his life.

3. “Then there was the bad weather.” From A Moveable Feast , Ernest Hemingway’s telling of his years as an young expat in Paris

4. “You know those plants always trying to find the light?” From Over the Top: A Raw Journey of Self-Love by Queer Eye for the Straight Guy’s beloved star, Jonathan Van Ness

5. “What are you looking at me for? I didn’t come to stay.” From Maya Angelou’s masterpiece, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings , the story of persevering in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles

6. “I’m on Kauai, in Hawaii, today, August 5, 2005. It’s unbelievably clear and sunny, not a cloud in the sky.” From What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami, a memoir about the fluidity of running and writing

7. “The soil in Leitrim is poor, in places no more than an inch deep. ” From All Will be Well , Irish writer John McGahern’s recounting of his troubled childhood 

8. “The past is beautiful because one never realizes an emotion at the time.” From Educated , Tara Westover’s engrossing account of her path from growing up in an uneducated survivalist family to earning a doctorate in intellectual history from Cambridge University 

9. “I flipped through the CT scan images, the diagnosis obvious.” From When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi, the now-deceased doctor’s journey toward mortality after discovering he had terminal cancer

10. “Romantic love is the most important and exciting thing in the entire world.” From Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton, a funny, light-hearted memoir about one woman’s amorous journey from teenager to twentysomething

Final Thoughts

These memoir topics should get ideas flooding into your mind. All you have to do, then, is let them out onto the page. The more you write, the easier it will be to choose the primary focus for your memoir. And the more fun you’ll have writing it. 

That’s not to say it’ll be easy to create a powerful memoir. It won’t be. But the more clarity you have about its overall mission, the more easily the words will flow. 

Enjoy these memoir writing exercises. And apply the same clarity of focus during the editing process. Your readers will thank you. 

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The New York Times

The learning network | 500 prompts for narrative and personal writing.

500 Prompts for Narrative and Personal Writing

Updated, March 2, 2017 | We published an updated version of this list, “650 Prompts for Narrative and Personal Writing,” as well as a companion piece, “401 Prompts for Argumentative Writing.”

Every school day since 2009 we’ve asked students a question based on an article in The New York Times. Now, five years later, we’ve collected 500 of them that invite narrative and personal writing and pulled them all together in one place (available here as a PDF ).

The categorized list below touches on everything from sports to travel, education, gender roles, video games, fashion, family, pop culture, social media and more, and, like all our Student Opinion questions , each links to a related Times article and includes a series of follow-up questions. What’s more, all these questions are still open for comment by any student 13 or older.

So dive into this admittedly overwhelming list and pick the questions that most inspire you to tell an interesting story, describe a memorable event, observe the details in your world, imagine a possibility, or reflect on who you are and what you believe.

Childhood Memories

• What Was Your Most Precious Childhood Possession?
• What Were Your Favorite Childhood Shows and Characters?
• What Were Your Favorite Picture Books When You Were Little?
• What Things Did You Create When You Were a Child?
• What Places Do You Remember Fondly From Childhood?
• Have You Ever Felt Embarrassed by Things You Used to Like?
• Do You Wish You Could Return to Moments From Your Past?
• Was There a Toy You Wanted as a Child but Never Got?
• What Objects Tell the Story of Your Life?
• What Are Your Best Sleepover Memories?
• What’s the Best Gift You’ve Ever Given or Received?
• What’s the Most Memorable Thing You Ever Got in the Mail?
• What Nicknames Have You Ever Gotten or Given?

Coming of Age

• What Have You Learned in Your Teens?
• What Personal Achievements Make You Proud?
• What Are Some Recent Moments of Happiness in Your Life?
• What Are You Grateful For?
• What Rites of Passage Have You Participated In?
• What Advice Would You Give Younger Kids About Middle or High School?
• What Can Older People Learn From Your Generation?
• What Do Older Generations Misunderstand About Yours?

• Who Is Your Family?
• What Have You and Your Family Accomplished Together?
• What Events Have Brought You Closer to Your Family?
• What’s Your Role in Your Family?
• Have You Ever Changed a Family Member’s Mind?
• How Do You Define ‘Family’?
• What Are Your Family Stories of Sacrifice?
• What Possessions Does Your Family Treasure?
• What Hobbies Have Been Passed Down in Your Family?
• How Much Do You Know About Your Family’s History?
• Did Your Parents Have a Life Before They Had Kids?
• How Close Are You to Your Parents?
• How Are You and Your Parents Alike and Different?
• Do Your Parents Support Your Learning?
• What Have Your Parents Taught You About Money?
• Do You Expect Your Parents to Give You Money?
• How Permissive Are Your Parents?
• Do You Have Helicopter Parents?
• How Do Your Parents Teach You to Behave?
• How Do You Make Parenting Difficult for Your Parents?
• If You Drink or Use Drugs, Do Your Parents Know?
• Do You Talk About Report Cards With Your Parents?
• Would You Mind if Your Parents Blogged About You?
• How Well Do You Get Along With Your Siblings?
• How Well Do You Know Your Pet?
• What Role Do Pets Play in Your Family?
• What Is Your Racial and Ethnic Identity?
• Have You Ever Tried to Hide Your Racial or Ethnic Identity?
• How Do You Feel About Your Last Name?
• What’s the Story Behind Your Name?
• What Are Your Favorite Names?
• How Have You Paid Tribute to Loved Ones?

Community and Home

• Would You Most Want to Live in a City, a Suburb or the Country?
• How Much Does Your Neighborhood Define Who You Are?
• What’s Special About Your Hometown?
• What Would You Name Your Neighborhood?
• Who Is the ‘Mayor’ of Your School or Neighborhood?
• Who Are the ‘Characters’ That Make Your Town Interesting?
• What Would a TV Show About Your Town Spoof?
• What ‘Urban Legends’ Are There About Places in Your Area?
• What Local Problems Do You Think Your Mayor Should Try to Solve?
• Do You Know Your Way Around Your City or Town?
• Have You Ever Interacted With the Police?
• How Often Do You Interact With People of Another Race or Ethnicity?
• Who Would Be the Ideal Celebrity Neighbor?
• What Is Your Favorite Place?
• How Much Time Do You Spend in Nature?
• What Small Things Have You Seen and Taken Note Of Today?
• What Would Your Dream Home Be Like?
• What is Your Favorite Place in Your House?
• How Important Is Keeping a Clean House?
• Is Your Bedroom a Nightmare?
• Do You Plan on Saving Any of Your Belongings for the Future?
• With Your Home in Danger, What Would You Try to Save?
• What Would You Put in Your Emergency ‘Go-Bag’?
• Have You Ever Lost (or Found) Something Valuable?

Personality

• What Is Your Personal Credo?
• What Motivates You?
• What Makes You Happy?
• What Are You Good At?
• How Much Self-Control Do You Have?
• How Good Are You at Waiting for What You Really Want?
• What Role Does Procrastination Play in Your Life?
• When in Your Life Have You Been a Leader?
• How Well Do You Perform Under Pressure?
• How Well Do You Take Criticism?
• Are You Hard or Easy on Yourself?
• How Full Is Your Glass?
• Do You Have a Hard Time Making Decisions?
• How Good Are You at Time Management?
• How Productive and Organized Are You?
• How Would Your Life Be Different if You Had Better Listening Skills?
• How Competitive Are You?
• Do You Perform Better When You’re Competing or When You’re Collaborating?
• Do You Take More Risks When You Are Around Your Friends?
• Do You Unknowingly Submit to Peer Pressure?
• How Much of a Daredevil Are You?
• What Pranks, Jokes, Hoaxes or Tricks Have You Ever Fallen For or Perpetrated?
• How Do You React When Provoked?
• How Often Do You Cry?
• Do You Think You’re Brave?
• What Are You Afraid Of?
• What Are Your Fears and Phobias?
• What Are Your Personal Superstitions?
• Do You Like Being Alone?
• How Impulsive Are You?
• Are You a Novelty-Seeker?
• What Annoys You?
• Do You Apologize Too Much?
• Do You Have Good Manners?
• Are You a Saver or a Tosser?
• Are You More Introvert or Extrovert?
• Are You Popular, Quirky or Conformist?
• Are You a Nerd or a Geek?
• What Would Your Personal Mascot Be?
• What Assumptions Do People Make About You?

Overcoming Adversity

• What Challenges Have You Overcome?
• What Do You Do When You Encounter Obstacles to Success?
• What Are Your Secret Survival Strategies?
• How Do You Find Peace in Your Life?
• How Have You Handled Being the ‘New Kid’?
• Do You Ever Feel Overlooked and Underappreciated?
• How Stressed Are You?
• How Do You Relieve Stress?
• Does Stress Affect Your Ability to Make Good Decisions?
• What Challenges Have You Set for Yourself?
• How Often Do You Leave Your ‘Comfort Zone’?
• What Did You Once Hate but Now Like?
• Does Your Life Leave You Enough Time to Relax?
• Do You Set Rules for Yourself About How You Use Your Time?
• Is ‘Doing Nothing’ a Good Use of Your Time?
• What’s Cluttering Up Your Life?
• What Work Went Into Reaching Your Most Difficult Goals?
• When Have You Ever Failed at Something? What Happened as a Result?
• When Have You Ever Succeeded When You Thought You Might Fail?
• What Life Lessons Has Adversity Taught You?
• What’s the Most Challenging Assignment You’ve Ever Had?
• What Kind of Feedback Helps You Improve?
• Is Trying Too Hard to Be Happy Making You Sad?
• Do Adults Who Are ‘Only Trying to Help’ Sometimes Make Things Worse?
• What Are Five Everyday Problems That Bother You, and What Can You Do About Them?

Gender and Sexuality

• How Do Male and Female Roles Differ in Your Family?
• Do Parents Have Different Hopes and Standards for Their Sons Than for Their Daughters?
• Is There Too Much Pressure on Girls to Have ‘Perfect’ Bodies?
• How Much Pressure Do Boys Face to Have the Perfect Body?
• How Did You Learn About Sex?
• How Should Parents Address Internet Pornography?
• What Experiences Have You Had With Gender Bias in School?
• What Have Been Your Experiences With Catcalling or Other Kinds of Street Harassment?
• Do You Know Boys Who Regard Girls as ‘Prey’?
• Do You Consider Yourself a Feminist?

Morality and Religion

• How Do You Help?
• What Ethical Dilemmas Have You Faced?
• Would You Help an Injured Stranger?
• When Is the Last Time You Did Something Nice for a Stranger?
• Have You Ever ‘Paid It Forward’?
• How Much Do You Gossip?
• How Comfortable Are You With Lying?
• Have You Ever Taken Something You Weren’t Supposed To?
• What Could You Live Without?
• Do You Ever Feel Guilty About What, or How Much, You Throw Away?
• Do You Ever Eavesdrop?
• How Important Is Your Spiritual Life?
• Do You Believe That Everything Happens for a Reason?
• Can You Be Good Without God?
• Are You Less Religious Than Your Parents?
• Can You Pass a Basic Religion Test?
• What Can You Learn From Other Religions?

Role Models

• Who Is Your Role Model?
• Who Are Your Heroes?
• Who Inspires You?
• What’s the Best Advice You’ve Gotten?
• Who Outside Your Family Has Made a Difference in Your Life?
• If You Had Your Own Talk Show, Whom Would You Want to Interview?
• To Whom, or What, Would You Like to Write a Thank-You Note?
• What Leader Would You Invite to Speak at Your School?
• What Six People, Living or Dead, Would You Invite to Dinner?

Technology and Video Games

• Are You Distracted by Technology?
• Do You Always Have Your Phone or Tablet at Your Side?
• What Tech Tools Play the Biggest Role in Your Life?
• What New Technologies or Tech Toys Are You Most Excited About?
• To What Piece of Technology Would You Write a ‘Love Letter’?
• Does Your Digital Life Have Side Effects?
• Do Apps Help You or Just Waste Your Time?
• Do You Spend Too Much Time on Smart Phones Playing ‘Stupid Games’?
• When Do You Choose Making a Phone Call Over Sending a Text?
• Do You Know How to Code? Would You Like to Learn?
• Whom Would You Share Your Passwords With?
• What Are Your Favorite Video Games?
• What Have You Learned Playing Video Games?
• Do You Play Violent Video Games?
• When Should You Feel Guilty for Killing Zombies?
• Who Are Your Opponents in Online Gaming?
• Do You Like Watching Other People Play Video Games?

The Internet

• How Careful Are You Online?
• Do You Ever Seek Advice on the Internet?
• How Do You Know if What You Read Online Is True?
• How Much Do You Trust Online Reviews?
• How Do You Use Wikipedia?
• What Are Your Favorite Internet Spoofs?
• What Are Your Favorite Viral Videos?
• What Would You Teach the World in an Online Video?
• What Are Your Experiences With Internet-Based Urban Legends?
• What Story Does Your Personal Data Tell?
• Do You Worry About the Lack of Anonymity in the Digital Age?
• Do You Wish You Had More Privacy Online?
• California Notice
• Have You Ever Been Scammed?

Social Media

• How Do You Use Facebook?
• What Is Your Facebook Persona?
• What Memorable Experiences Have You Had on Facebook?
• Does Facebook Ever Make You Feel Bad?
• Would You Consider Deleting Your Facebook Account?
• Do You Have ‘Instagram Envy’?
• Do You Use Twitter?
• Why Do You Share Photos?
• How Do You Archive Your Life?
• Have You Ever Posted, Emailed or Texted Something You Wish You Could Take Back?
• Have You Ever Sent an Odd Message Because of Auto-Correct?
• Would You Want Your Photo or Video to Go Viral?
• Do You Worry Colleges or Employers Might Read Your Social Media Posts Someday?

• What Are You Listening To?
• Who in Your Life Introduces You to New Music?
• How Much Is Your Taste in Music Based on What Your Friends Like?
• What Music Inspires You?
• How Closely Do You Listen to Lyrics?
• Which Pop Music Stars Fascinate You?
• Who Is Your Favorite Pop Diva?
• What’s Your Karaoke Song?
• What Song/Artist Pairings Would You Like to Hear?

Movies, Theater and Television

• What Were the Best Movies You Saw in the Past Year?
• What Movies Do You Watch, or Reference, Over and Over?
• What Movies, Shows or Books Do You Wish Had Sequels, Spinoffs or New Episodes?
• Do You Like Horror Movies?
• Who Are Your Favorite Movie Stars?
• Would You Pay Extra for a 3-D Movie?
• What Is Your Favorite Comedy?
• What Are the Best Live Theatrical Performances You’ve Ever Seen?
• Have You Ever Stumbled Upon a Cool Public Performance?
• What Role Does Television Play in Your Life and the Life of Your Family?
• What Television Shows Have Mattered to You?
• Do Your Television Viewing Habits Include ‘Binge-Watching’?
• How Often Do You Watch a Television Show When It Originally Airs?
• What Old Television Shows Would You Bring Back?
• Why Do We Like Reality Shows So Much?
• What Ideas Do You Have for a Reality Show?
• What Are Your Favorite Commercials?
• How Much Are You Influenced by Advertising?

Reading, Writing and Fine Arts

• Read Any Good Books Lately?
• Do You Read for Pleasure?
• What Are Your Favorite Books and Authors?
• What Are the Best Things You’ve Read, Watched, Heard or Played This Year?
• What Are Your Favorite Young Adult Novels?
• What’s on Your Summer Reading List?
• What Memorable Poetry Have You Ever Read or Heard?
• What Are Your Favorite Cartoons?
• What Magazines Do You Read, and How Do You Read Them?
• Do You Enjoy Reading Tabloid Gossip?
• When Have You Seen Yourself and Your Life Reflected in a Book or Other Media?
• Do You Prefer Your Children’s Book Characters Obedient or Contrary?
• Do You Read E-Books?
• Would You Trade Your Paper Books for Digital Versions?
• To What Writer Would You Award a Prize?
• Why Do You Write?
• Do You Keep a Diary or Journal?
• Do You Have a Blog?
• Do You Want to Write a Book?
• When Do You Write by Hand?
• Do You Write in Cursive?
• Do You Write in Your Books?
• What ‘Mundane Moments’ From Your Life Might Make Great Essay Material?
• What’s the Coolest Thing You’ve Ever Seen in a Museum?
• What Are the Most Memorable Works of Visual Art You Have Seen?
• What Are Your Favorite Works of Art?

Language and Speech

• What Are Your Favorite and Least Favorite Words?
• What Words or Phrases Do You Think Are Overused?
• How Much Slang Do You Use? What Are Your Favorite (Printable) Words?
• How Much Do You Curse? Why?
• Why Do So Many People Say ‘Like’ and ‘Totally’ All the Time?
• Do You Sometimes ‘Hide’ Behind Irony?
• How Good Is Your Grammar?
• What New Emoticons Does the World Need?
• Are You Fluent in Vocal Fry, Creaky Voice or Uptalk?
• How Much Information Is ‘Too Much Information’?
• When Did You Last Have a Great Conversation?
• Do You Speak a Second, or Third, Language?
• When Do You Remember Learning a New Word?

School and Teachers

• Do You Like School?
• What Are You Really Learning at School?
• What Are You Looking Forward To, or Dreading, This School Year?
• Would You Want to Be Home-Schooled?
• Would You Like to Take a Class Online?
• Would You Rather Attend a Public or a Private High School?
• How Would You Grade Your School?
• What Can Other Schools Learn — and Copy — From Your School?
• Is Your School Day Too Short?
• What Do You Hope to Get Out of High School?
• Do You Have Too Much Homework?
• Does Your Homework Help You Learn?
• What Is Your Best Subject?
• What Memorable Experiences Have You Had in Learning Science or Math?
• Are You Afraid of Math?
• Do We Need a New Way to Teach Math?
• What Are the Best Ways to Learn About History?
• How Would You Do on a Civics Test?
• How Important Is Arts Education?
• What Is Your Most Memorable Writing Assignment?
• What Would You Like to Have Memorized?
• Does Your School Value Students’ Digital Skills?
• What Was Your Favorite Field Trip?
• Do You Participate in Class?
• What Are Your Best Tips for Studying?
• Do You Use Study Guides?
• Is Everything You’ve Been Taught About Study Habits Wrong?
• How Well Do You Think Standardized Tests Measure Your Abilities?
• Do You Have a Tutor?
• Are Your Grades Inflated?
• When Has a Teacher Inspired You?
• What Teacher Do You Appreciate?
• What Teacher Would You Like to Thank?
• What Do You Wish Your Teachers Knew About You?
• Do Your Test Scores Reflect How Good Your Teachers Are?
• Do Your Teachers Use Technology Well?

School Social Environment

• What Role Do School Clubs and Teams Play in Your Life?
• Who Has the Power in School Social Life?
• How Big a Problem Is Bullying or Cyberbullying in Your School or Community?
• Does Your School Seem Integrated?
• What’s the Racial Makeup of Your School?
• Do You Ever ‘Mix It Up’ and Socialize With Different People at School?
• Can Students at Your School Talk Openly About Their Mental Health Issues?
• Is Your School a ‘Party School’?
• How Common Is Drug Use in Your School?
• Do You Know People Who Cheat on High-Stakes Tests?
• How Does Your School Deal With Students Who Misbehave?
• How Much Does Your Life in School Intersect With Your Life Outside School?
• Would You Ever Go Through Hazing to Be Part of a Group?

Senior Year, College and Applications

• Where Do You Want to Go to College?
• What Are Your Sources for Information About Colleges and Universities?
• Is College Overrated?
• How Much Does the SAT or ACT Matter in Your Life?
• What Personal Essay Topic Would You Assign to College Applicants?
• What Qualities Would You Look For in a College Roommate?
• What Would You Do With a Gap Year?
• What Makes a Graduation Ceremony Memorable?
• How Do You Feel About Proms?

Work and Careers

• What Are Your Longtime Interests or Passions?
• Do You Have a Life Calling?
• What Do You Want to Do With Your Life?
• Do You Think You Will Have a Career That You Love?
• What Investment Are You Willing to Make to Get Your Dream Job?
• Would You Consider a Nontraditional Occupation?
• Would You Want to Be a Teacher?
• What Hidden Talents Might You Have?
• What Do You Hope to Be Doing the Year After You Graduate From College?
• Would You Rather Work From Home or in an Office?
• What Career or Technical Classes Do You Wish Your School Offered?
• What ‘Back-to-the-Land’ Skills Do You Have, or Wish You Had?
• What Have You Made Yourself?
• What Would You Create if You Had Funding?
• How Did You Start Doing Something You Love?
• Did You Ever Take a Break From Doing Something You Love?
• What Have You Done to Earn Money?
• Do You Have a Job?
• Would You Quit if Your Values Did Not Match Your Employer’s?
• What Are Your Attitudes Toward Money?
• Can Money Buy You Happiness?
• Where Do You See Yourself in 10 Years?
• What Do You Want to Be Doing When You’re 80?
• Do You Want to Live to 100?
• What Do You Want Your Obituary to Say?

Dating and Friendship

• Have You Ever Been in Love?
• What Are the Most Meaningful Relationships in Your Life?
• What Advice Would You Give to Somebody Who Just Started Dating?
• What Are the Basic ‘Rules’ for Handling Breakups?
• What Are Your Beliefs About Marriage?
• Are You Allowed to Date?
• Is Dating a Thing of the Past?
• Do You Have a Best Friend?
• How Do You Feel About Introducing Friends from Different Parts of Your Life?
• How Should You Handle the End of a Friendship?
• How Often Do You Have ‘Deep Discussions’?

Sports, Exercise and Games

• Do You Like to Exercise?
• How Has Exercise Changed Your Health, Your Body or Your Life?
• Why Do You Play Sports?
• What Is the Most Memorable Sporting Event You’ve Ever Watched or Played In?
• What’s the Most Impressive Sports Moment You’ve Seen?
• When Has a Sports Team Most Disappointed You?
• What Sports Teams Do You Root For?
• Does Being a Fan Help Define Who You Are?
• How Far Would You Go to Express Loyalty to Your Favorite Teams?
• What Fan Memorabilia Would You Pay Big Bucks For?
• What Rules Would You Like to See Changed in Your Favorite Sports?
• What Game Would You Like to Redesign?
• What Are Your Favorite Games?

• Where in the World Would You Travel if You Could?
• What Is Your Fantasy Vacation?
• What Would Your Fantasy Road Trip Be Like?
• What Crazy Adventure Would You Want to Take?
• How Has Travel Affected You?
• What Famous Landmarks Have You Visited?
• What’s the Coolest Thing You’ve Ever Seen in Nature?
• What Are the Best Souvenirs You’ve Ever Collected While Traveling?
• Would You Like to Live in Another Country?
• Would You Want to Be a Space Tourist?

Looks, Fashion and Health

• What Does Your Hairstyle Say About You?
• How Far Would You Go for Fashion?
• What Are the Hot Fashion Trends at Your School Right Now?
• Do You Have a Signature Clothing Item?
• Has Anyone Ever Said That You Look Like Someone Famous?
• Would You Ever Consider Getting a Tattoo?
• What Are Your Opinions on Cosmetic Surgery?
• Do Photoshopped Images Make You Feel Bad About Your Own Looks?
• What Are Your Sleep Habits?
• How Much of a Priority Do You Make Sleep?
• Do You Get Enough Sleep?
• What Health Tips Have Worked for You?

Shopping and Driving

• What’s Your Favorite Store? Why?
• To What Company Would You Write a Letter of Complaint or Admiration?
• To What Business Would You Like to Give Advice?
• How Would You Make Over Your Mall?
• Do You Shop at Locally Owned Businesses?
• What Are the Best Things You’ve Acquired Secondhand?
• How Important Is It to Have a Driver’s License?
• Are You a Good Driver?

Food and Eating

• What Are the Most Memorable Meals You’ve Ever Had?
• What’s Your Favorite Holiday Food Memory?
• What’s Your Comfort Food?
• What Are Your Favorite Junk Foods?
• What Food Would You Like to Judge in a Taste-Off?
• Do You Prefer Your Tacos ‘Authentic’ or ‘Appropriated’?
• Do You Pay Attention to Nutrition Labels on Food?
• How Concerned Are You About Where Your Food Comes From?
• Are Your Eating Habits Healthy?
• What Are Your ‘Food Rules’?
• Do You Eat Too Quickly?
• What Do You Eat During the School Day?
• Do You Eat Cafeteria Food?
• How Much Food Does Your Family Waste?
• What Messages About Food and Eating Have You Learned From Your Family?
• What’s Your Favorite Restaurant?
• What Restaurant Would You Most Like to Review?
• Do You Cook?
• What Would You Most Like to Learn to Cook or Bake?

Holidays, Seasons, Weather and Weekends

• How Can People Make the Most of Long Holiday Weekends?
• What’s Your Sunday Routine?
• What’s on Your Fall Fashion Shopping List?
• Will You Be Wearing a Halloween Costume This Year?
• Do You Like Scary Movies and Books?
• Do You Believe in Ghosts?
• What Are Your Thanksgiving Traditions?
• What Are Your Tips for Enjoying the Holiday Season?
• How Will You Spend the Holiday Break?
• Do You Make New Year’s Resolutions?
• How Do You Fight the Winter Blues?
• What Are Your Experiences With Severe Weather?
• How Do You Feel About Valentine’s Day?
• How Do You Celebrate Spring?
• What Would Your Fantasy Spring Break Be Like?
• How Careful Are You in the Sun?
• What Are You Looking Forward to This Summer?
• What Would Your Ideal Summer Camp Be Like?
• What Are Your Favorite Summer Hangouts?
• What’s Your Favorite Summer Food?
• What Is Your Favorite Summer Movie?
• Do You Have a Summer Job?
• Do You Choose Summer Activities to Look Good on Applications?
• What Are the Best Things You Did This Summer?
• How Do You Prepare to Go Back to School?

Beliefs, Politics and Current Events

• How Would You Like to Help Our World?
• What Cause Would Get You Into the Streets?
• What Would You Risk Your Life For?
• When Have You Spoken Out About Something You Felt Had to Change?
• What Would You Invent to Make the World a Better Place?
• How Do You Feel About Zoos?
• What Is Your Relationship With Guns?
• Do You Trust Your Government?
• Do You Know Your First Amendment Rights?
• Do You Worry About Terrorism?
• Do You Believe in Intelligent Alien Life?
• Given Unlimited Resources, What Scientific or Medical Problem Would You Investigate?
• What Would You Do if You Were President?
• Would You Vote This Year if You Could?
• Do You Consider Yourself a Republican, Democrat or Independent?
• What Event in the Past Do You Wish You Could Have Witnessed?
• What Are the Most Important Changes, in Your Life and in the World, in the Last Decade?
• What Do You Remember About Sept. 11, 2001?
• What News Stories Are You Following?
• How Do You Get Your News?
• Why Should We Care About Events in Other Parts of the World?
• What Questions Do You Have About How the World Works?
• What Big Questions Do You Have?

If Only…

• What Would You Do if You Won the Lottery?
• What Superpower Do You Wish You Had?
• What Era Do You Wish You Had Lived In?
• Would You Want to Be a Tween or Teen Star?
• Would You Want to Grow Up in the Public Eye?
• What Kind of Robot Would You Want?
• What Would You Outsource if You Could?
• What Would You Like to Learn on Your Own?
• What Would You Wait in Line For?

This resource may be used to address the academic standards listed below.

Common Core E.L.A. Anchor Standards

3   Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details and well-structured event sequences.

Comments are no longer being accepted.

This is such a fabulous resource for inspiration! Thank you so much for putting this list together. I’ll refer to it often and share it with my readers on my poetry and writing blog.

These are great writing prompts. These remind me of the questions on StoryShelter.com. It’s nice to write there and have all your personal stories in one place where you can share them with friends or post anonymously. Anyone who does narrative or personal writing will find it really useful.

For example, this is how a bunch of people answered the question: “What would you do if you won the lottery?” https://www.storyshelter.com/question/what-if-i-won-the-lottery

Cool, right?

Wonderful list! The topics are thought-provoking and exciting to write. I can go writing on and on, on these topics.

How much do you know about your family history?

I know a little bit about my family history. My grandma talks about our religion sometimes, not every day. So I get to hear some facts about my religion. For example what we do on New Year’s or what happened when I wasn’t born yet. My family history is very interesting.

My mom she is Cambodian and my dad is Thai so I’m mixed Asian. Everybody say that I mostly look like my dad than my mom, and that’s interesting to me.

My dad side of the family, my great great grandma, grandpa and aunts and uncles. They are living in Thailand. I want to go to Thailand really bad. My mom side of the family, my great great grandpa, grandma and my grandma siblings. They are living in Cambodia. My grandma took some pictures in Asia. It looks so different than the United States of America.

So first off, my dad he was born in Thailand and my mom I think she was born in Cambodia. She said that she didn’t went to Cambodia so I really don’t know. So my family (parents, grandparents, aunts and uncle immigrated to the United States of America and became citizens. That time they lived in Stockton, California. I could of live there still. But my dad he went to school in New Hampshire and got a job here and the job over here paid a lot more money than California. So Then my mom side of the family came with my parents, and my dad side of the family stayed in California that was in the 1990s when they moved to New Hampshire. Then they separated, so now we don’t live together anymore.

Now my aunt lives in Massachusetts and my other aunt lives in Rhode Island. So when my parents lived in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, I wasn’t born yet. But I wish that we still lived in California. So we

My life is interesting to me. I have families in Cambodia and Thailand, and I haven’t met them yet. Also the things we do on New Year’s and other occasions. So that’s what I know about my family history.

Very interesting

OMG!! Where have you been all my life I am very excited about this!!

I wish I was more of a journaler. These are some fantastic prompts for writing personal stories. With 500 listed here, there’s no way you wouldn’t find an inspiring prompt.

I’m more of a fiction writer, and I’ve chosen to write prompts that help fiction writers expand their imagination.

What's Next

Autobiography Questions & Prompts for Students

Writing about one’s own life can be inspiring and terrifying at the same time. No matter why you must prepare an autobiography, it allows you to get to know yourself better and become more open.

A student autobiography is one of the most commonly met types of autobiographical writing. You might need to write one when applying to a college or university. In an essay about yourself, you must catch your readers’ attention, leaving an impression of an outstanding learner and person. You’re in the right place if you are stuck preparing a student autobiography. This article will guide you through the writing process, offering autobiography questions for students together with valuable prompts.

• 70 Autobiography Questions
• 5 Exciting Prompts

70 Autobiography Questions for Students

The first thing you should remember when writing an autobiography is that all types of clichés can kill your paper. The standard scheme “was born – went to school – went to college” won’t impress anyone. However, the following autobiography quiz, which contains the most common questions, can be an effective start for brainstorming the subject.

• When and where were you born?
• Who are your family members?
• What are the most impressive of your childhood memories?
• Were there any family traditions that influenced you?
• Who were your best childhood friends?
• What was the most exciting experience of your early childhood?
• Were there any challenging experiences?
• How did your first day of school go?
• What school subject did you like most, and why?
• Can you recall a memorable teacher who influenced you?
• What was your favorite book as a child?
• Did you have a hobby as a child?
• Are there any childhood interests or hobbies that still excite you?
• Did art or music play a role in your life?
• What were your dearest childhood dreams?
• How did your dreams change when you’ve grown older?
• Do you remember a moment in your childhood when you were very proud of yourself?
• What were your most memorable trips?
• What was your most adventurous experience?
• What’s the most exotic dish you’ve tried?
• How has travel shaped your personality?
• Were there any difficult moments in life you had to overcome?
• How did you find the strength and courage to overcome them?
• What was the most spectacular failure in your life?
• What valuable lessons did you learn from your failures?
• How did your values change over the years?
• Which of your experiences influenced your personal growth most?
• Do you have any famous people you admire?
• Is there anyone among your loved ones who is a role model for you?
• Do you remember falling in love for the first time?
• Have you experienced any heartbreaks?
• How do you define love?
• Are love and relationships important in your life?
• Have you faced any relationship challenges?
• What have you learned from the relationship hardships you had?
• Have you already chosen a career path?
• Would you like to develop in one career direction all your life or change professions?
• What are your professional aspirations and goals?
• Do you have any work experience and achievements?
• How would you describe yourself?
• Do you feel that your identity has changed throughout your life?
• Is your cultural identity important to you?
• What does it mean to be true to yourself?
• Are there any milestones in your life, like awards or personal achievements?
• How did you celebrate these achievements?
• Are there any achievements that changed your aspirations and perspective?
• Do you have any experience of volunteering?
• Has your experience of giving back to your community changed your life?
• How do you imagine your life in 10, 20, 30 years?
• Is there any contribution you would like to make?
• How would you like your loved ones to remember you?
• Do you have a life motto?
• Do you have a favorite movie character?
• Who is your least favorite movie character, and why?
• How do you define success?
• What is happiness for you?
• Do you have any healthy habits or practices?
• Have you ever faced any health challenges?
• Have these challenges influenced your personality?
• Is the environment important to you?
• How do you address environmental issues that bother you?
• Do you have any experiences related to environmental activism?
• What makes you happy?
• What was the happiest moment of your life?
• Is there something you regret about?
• What did you learn from the moments you regret about?
• Were there any turning points that led your life in a new direction?
• How did you feel during these moments?
• Is it essential for you to live a meaningful life?
• How would you define the meaning of life?

5 Exciting Student Autobiography Prompts

The questions discussed above focus on the most common ingredients, which can become good building blocks for your autobiography. However, you should add some spice to your life story to prevent your readers from falling asleep.

To do this, here are 5 exclusive prompts to find topics for an autobiography that will breathe life into your memoir, making it uniquely interesting. If you’re still in a lack of ideas after reading them, check the collection of free essays on any topic imaginable.

Here are the prompts:

• Has the world changed during your life, and how do you feel about these changes? Reflect on the transformations you’ve witnessed, such as the technological advancements , the emergence of the Internet, and social networking platforms. How have these changes impacted your life, your habits, and your worldview? Share your thoughts on the topic.
• What is your contribution to the future of this planet, and how did you choose it? Consider the various ways to make a positive impact on the environment. You can focus on simple actions that everyone can perform, like reducing the use of plastic bags. Explain what motivated you to make these decisions.
• What would you tell your dear ones if you knew that you had only one day more to live on earth? What heartfelt messages would you share with your family, friends, neighbors, and all the people in the world? Use this scenario to dig deep into your values and beliefs.
• What occupation would you choose if you did not have to earn your living? Explore your passions, interests, and dreams. Imagine the ideal career path or artistic pursuit that truly resonates with your inner self.
• If you could exclaim, “ Stay moment, you are so fair! ”, would you do it? Did this special moment pass away, or do you believe it is yet to come in your future? Explain what makes these moments special and how they have shaped your life or continue to influence your journey.

Thank you for reading this article! If you wish to polish separate sections of your assignment, you are welcome to use the writing tools we’ve developed:

• Thesis statement maker
• Summary tool
• Paragraph & word changer
• Autobiography Definition, Examples, and Writing Guide
• 5 Ways to Write an Autobiography
• How to Write a Memoir
• The naked truth: how to write a memoir | Books

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student opinion

550 Prompts for Narrative and Personal Writing

Questions that invite students to tell stories, describe memories, make observations, imagine possibilities, and reflect on who they are and what they believe.

By The Learning Network

Update, Sept. 9, 2022: We published a new collection of 445 narrative and personal writing prompts.

We’ve been posting fresh writing prompts every school day for over a decade now, and every so often we create a themed collection like this one to help you find what you need all in one place.

This fall, in honor of our new narrative-writing unit and our first-ever Personal Narrative Essay Contest for teenagers, we’ve rounded up 550 evergreen questions on everything from family, friendships and growing up to gender, spirituality, money, school, sports, social media, travel, dating, food, health and more. (They’re also all available here as a PDF .)

We hope they’ll inspire you, whether you’re entering our related contest or just want to improve your writing skills. Like all our Student Opinion questions , each links to a related Times article, which is free to read if you access it from our site.

So dive in and pick the questions that most inspire you to tell an interesting story, describe a memorable event, observe the details in your world, imagine a possibility, or reflect on who you are and what you believe.

Overcoming Adversity

1. How Resilient Are You? 2. What Do You Do When You Encounter Obstacles to Success? 3. When Have You Failed? What Did You Learn From It? 4. Have You Ever Felt Like an Outsider? 5. What Are Your Secret Survival Strategies? 6. When Have You Reinvented Yourself? 7. How Often Do You Leave Your ‘Comfort Zone’? 8. When Was the Last Time You Did Something That Scared or Challenged You? 9. How Do You Handle Fear? 10. What Do You Gain From Pursuing Something You Do Really, Really Badly? 11. Do You Give Yourself Enough Credit for Your Own Successes? 12. How Often Do You Cry? 13. How Do You Cope With Grief? 14. How Have You Handled Being the ‘New Kid’? 15. How Do You Deal With Haters? 16. How Do You React When Provoked? 17. Does Stress Affect Your Ability to Make Good Decisions? 18. Are You Too Hard on Yourself? 19. How Do You Find Peace in Your Life? 20. Does Your Life Leave You Enough Time to Relax? 21. What Did You Once Hate but Now Like? 22. Do Adults Who Are ‘Only Trying to Help’ Sometimes Make Things Worse? 23. How Well Do You Take Criticism?

Your Personality

24. What Motivates You? 25. What Makes You Happy? 26. What Are You Good At? 27. How Do You Deal With Boredom? 28. Do You Like Being Alone? 29. How Full Is Your Glass? 30. Do You Have a Hard Time Making Decisions? 31. How Much Self-Control Do You Have? 32. Are You a Patient Person? 33. How Well Do Rewards and Incentives Work to Motivate You? 34. How Productive and Organized Are You? 35. Under What Conditions Do You Do Your Best Work? 36. How Do You Express Yourself Creatively? 37. Do You Hold Grudges? 38. How Good Are You at Judging Your Own Talents? 39. How Emotionally Intelligent Are You? 40. Do You Take More Risks When You Are Around Your Friends? 41. Are You a Procrastinator? 42. What Role Does Envy Play in Your Life? 43. How Much of a Daredevil Are You? 44. Are You a Perfectionist? 45. How Impulsive Are You? 46. Are You a Novelty-Seeker? 47. What Annoys You? 48. Do You Apologize Too Much? 49. What Animal Are You Most Like? 50. How Materialistic Are You? 51. How Easy — or Hard — Is It for You to Say No When You Want To? 52. Are You a Hoarder or a Minimalist? 53. Are You an Introvert or an Extrovert? 54. Are You Popular, Quirky or Conformist? 55. How Good Is Your Sense of Direction? 56. How Competitive Are You? 57. What Assumptions Do People Make About You? 58. Are You More of a Leader or a Follower?

59. What Are Your Hobbies? 60. What Are Your Passions? 61. What Would You Choose to Do If You Had Unlimited Free Time and No Restrictions? 62. Are There Activities You Used to Love That Are Now So Competitive They’re Not Fun Anymore? 63. What Activities Make You Feel Most Alive? 64. What Do You Collect? 65. What Work, Sport or Pastime Do You Like to Do at Night?

66. Do You Wish You Had a Different Morning Routine? 67. What Ordinary Moments Would You Include in a Video About Your Life? 68. What Are Your Best ‘Life Hacks’? 69. Do You Spend Enough Time With Other People? 70. How Do You Greet Your Friends and Family? 71. How Do You Remember What You Need to Remember? 72. What’s Your Sunday Routine? 73. How Often Do You Talk to Yourself? 74. When and For What Reasons Do You Seek Silence? 75. What Habits Do You Have, and Have You Ever Tried to Change Them? 76. What Small Things Have You Seen and Taken Note Of Today? 77. What Are the Sounds That Make Up the Background Noise in Your Life? 78. What Sounds Annoy You? 79. What Public Behavior Annoys You Most? 80. What Are Some Recent Moments of Happiness in Your Life? 81. What Are You Grateful For?

Role Models

82. What Heroic Acts Have You Performed or Witnessed? 83. What Are Some ‘Words of Wisdom’ That Guide Your Life? 84. Who Outside Your Family Has Made a Difference in Your Life? 85. What Does the World Need to Know About an Important Person in Your Life? 86. To Whom, or What, Would You Like to Write a Thank-You Note? 87. What Does Dr. King’s Legacy Mean to You? 88. What Six People, Living or Dead, Would You Invite to Dinner? 89. Who’s Your ‘Outsider Role Model’?

90. How Do You Define ‘Family’? 91. What Events Have Brought You Closer to Your Family? 92. What Have You and Your Family Accomplished Together? 93. What Is Your Relationship With Your Siblings Like? 94. Have You Ever Felt Pressured by Family or Others in Making an Important Decision About Your Future? 95. What Possessions Does Your Family Treasure? 96. What Hobbies Have Been Passed Down in Your Family? 97. What’s the Story Behind Your Name? 98. How Have You Paid Tribute to Loved Ones? 99. What Family Traditions Do You Want to Carry On When You Get Older? 100. Did Your Parents Have a Life Before They Had Kids? 101. How Much Do You Know About Your Family’s History? 102. Where Would You Visit To Find Out More About Your Family’s Past?

Parents & Parenting

103. How Close Are You to Your Parents? 104. How Are You and Your Parents Alike and Different? 105. How Much Freedom Have Your Parents Given You? 106. Do You Push Your Parents’ Buttons? 107. How Often Do You Fight With Your Parents? 108. Are Your Parents Addicted to Their Phones? 109. Is Your Family Stressed, Tired and Rushed? 110. How Do You Get What You Want From Your Parents? 111. Do You Ever Feel Embarrassed by Your Parents? 112. Do Your Parents Try Too Hard to Be Cool? 113. Do Your Parents Support Your Learning? 114. Do Your Parents Yell at You? 115. Do You Want Your Parents to Stop Asking You ‘How Was School?’ 116. How Much Do Your Parents Help With Your Homework? 117. How Has Your Family Helped or Hindered Your Transition to a New School? 118. Have Your Parents and Teachers Given You Room to Create? 119. Are You Conforming to or Rebelling Against Your Parents’ Wishes for You? 120. What Advice Do You Have for Teenagers and Their Parents? 121. Do Your Parents Spy on You?

Your Neighborhood

122. What’s Special About Your Hometown? 123. Who Are the ‘Characters’ That Make Your Town Interesting? 124. What Marketing Slogan Would You Use for Your Town or City? 125. After Home and School, Where Do You Find the Strongest Feeling of Community? 126. What Do the Types of Dogs in Your Neighborhood Say About Where You Live? 127. Who Is the ‘Mayor’ of Your School or Neighborhood? 128. How Much Does Your Neighborhood Define Who You Are? 129. What ‘Urban Legends’ Are There About Places in Your Area? 130. Do You Know Your Way Around Your City or Town? 131. How Well Do You Know Your Neighbors? 132. What Is Your Favorite Place? 133. What’s Your Favorite Neighborhood Joint? 134. What Is Your Favorite Street? 135. Do You Hang Out in the Park? 136. What Buildings Do You Love? What Buildings Do You Hate? 137. Have You Ever Interacted With the Police? 138. What Ideas Do You Have for Enhancing Your Community? 139. Where Do You Think You Will Live When You Are an Adult? 140. Would You Most Want to Live in a City, a Suburb or the Country?

141. What is Your Favorite Place in Your House? 142. Do You Wish You Had the Go-to House? 143. Do You Need to De-Clutter Your Life? 144. Do You Plan on Saving Any of Your Belongings for the Future? 145. Is Your Bedroom a Nightmare? 146. What Would You Grab in a Fire? 147. Do You Think You Might Like Communal Living When You’re an Adult? 148. Who Lived Long Ago Where You Live Now? 149. What Would Your Dream Home Be Like? 150. What City or Town Most Captures Your Imagination?

Childhood Memories

151. What Was Your Most Precious Childhood Possession? 152. What Objects Tell the Story of Your Life? 153. Have You Ever Given, or Received, a Perfect Gift? 154. What Were Your Favorite Picture Books When You Were Little? 155. What’s the Best Party You’ve Ever Been To? 156. What Places Do You Remember Fondly From Childhood? 157. What Food or Flavor Do You Remember Tasting for the First Time? 158. What Do You Wish You Could See, Hear, Read or Experience for the First Time All Over Again? 159. Have You Ever Felt Embarrassed by Things You Used to Like? 160. Do You Wish You Could Return to Moments From Your Past? 161. Was There a Toy You Wanted as a Child but Never Got? 162. What Childhood Rules Did You Break? 163. What Is the Most Memorable Thing You Have Ever Lost or Found? 164. What Is Your Earliest Memory? 165. What Nicknames Have You Ever Gotten or Given? 166. What Are Your Best Sleepover Memories? 167. What Old, Worn Out Thing Can You Just Not Part With? 168. What Is Your Most Prized Possession?

169. What Have You Learned in Your Teens? 170. What Rites of Passage Mark the Transition to Adulthood in Your Community? 171. What Letter of Inspiration Would You Write to Your Younger Self? 172. Do You Hate When Adults Ask You What You Want to Be When You Grow Up? 173. Do You Look Forward to Old Age? 174. What Can Older People Learn From Your Generation? 175. What Have You Learned From Older People? 176. What Advice Do You Have for Younger Students? 177. Do You Recognize Yourself in Descriptions of ‘Generation Z’? 178. Do Other People Care Too Much About Your Post-High School Plans? 179. Do You Have ‘Emerging Adult’ Skills? 180. What Do Older Generations Misunderstand About Teenagers Today? 181. What Have You Learned From a Younger Person — and What Have You Taught An Older Person? 182. What Legacy Do You Want to Leave Behind?

Morality & Ethics

183. What Ethical Dilemmas Have You Faced? 184. Have You Ever Taken a Stand That Isolated You From Your Peers? 185. Have You Ever Donated Your Time, Talents, Possessions or Money to Support Anyone in Need? 186. What Acts of Kindness Have You Witnessed or Participated In? 187. Have You Ever ‘Paid It Forward’? 188. How Would You Like to Help Our World? 189. What Would You Invent to Make the World a Better Place? 190. What Would You Risk Your Life For? 191. How Trustworthy Are You? 192. How Comfortable Are You With Lying? 193. When Do You Lie? 194. Have You Ever Lied to Your Parents or Done Something Behind Their Backs? 195. If You Drink or Use Drugs, Do Your Parents Know? 196. Have You Ever Taken Something You Weren’t Supposed To? 197. Do You Ever Eavesdrop? 198. Do You Know How to Say ‘I’m Sorry?’

Religion, Spirituality & Beliefs

199. What Is the Role of Religion or Spirituality in Your Life? 200. How Often Do You Start Conversations about Faith or Spirituality? 201. Do You Believe That Everything Happens for a Reason? 202. How Much Control Do You Think You Have Over Your Fate? 203. Can You Be Good Without God? 204. Can You Pass a Basic Religion Test? 205. What Can You Learn From Other Religions? 206. What Legends and Myths Do You Believe In? 207. Do You Believe in Astrology? 208. Do You Believe in Ghosts?

Gender, Race & Sexuality

209. Do You Feel Constricted by Gender Norms? 210. Do Parents Have Different Hopes and Standards for Their Sons Than for Their Daughters? 211. Have You Ever Been Told You Couldn’t Do Something Because of Your Gender? 212. Is There Too Much Pressure on Girls to Have ‘Perfect’ Bodies? 213. How Much Pressure Do Boys Face to Have the Perfect Body? 214. What Experiences Have You Had With Gender Bias in School? 215. What Does it Mean to Be ‘a Real Man’? 216. What Have You Learned From the Women in Your Life? 217. What Messages About Gender Have You Gotten From Music? 218. How Do You Feel About Being Told to Smile? 219. Have You Ever Tried to Hide Your Racial or Ethnic Identity? 220. Do You Ever Talk About Issues of Race and Class With Your Friends? 221. Have You Experienced Racism or Other Kinds of Discrimination in School? 222. What Has Your Sex Education Been Like?

Money & Social Class

223. What Are Your Attitudes Toward Money? 224. Are You a Saver or a Spender? 225. What Have Your Parents Taught You About Money? 226. Do You Expect Your Parents to Give You Money? 227. How Important a Role Has Money, Work or Social Class Played in Your Life? 228. Do You See Great Disparities of Wealth in Your Community? 229. Can Money Buy You Happiness? 230. What Are the Best Things in Life and Are They Free? 231. What Are Your Expectations About Earning, Saving and Spending Money? 232. How Much Financial Help Do You Expect From Your Parents in the Future? 233. What Choices Do You Make About Money Every Day?

234. Are You Distracted by Technology? 235. Are You Distracted by Your Phone? 236. Are You ‘Addicted’ to Texting? 237. Do Screens Get in the Way of the Rest of Your Life? 238. Do You Experience FOMO When You Unplug? 239. Could You Go a Year Without a Smartphone? 240. Is Your Phone Love Hurting Your Relationships? 241. How Much of Your Day is Voluntarily Spent Screen-Free? 242. To What Piece of Technology Would You Write a ‘Love Letter’?

The Internet

243. How Do You Know if What You Read Online Is True? 244. How Much Do You Trust Online Reviews? 245. What Has YouTube Taught You? 246. What Would You Teach the World in an Online Video? 247. Do You Worry About Your Digital Privacy? 248. Do You Listen to Podcasts? 249. Would You Share an Embarrassing Story Online? 250. Do You Leave Funny Comments Online? 251. What Are Your Experiences With Internet-Based Urban Legends? 252. How Do You Use Wikipedia? 253. Have You Ever Been Scammed? 254. Whom Would You Share Your Passwords With? 255. Do You Ever Seek Advice on the Internet? 256. What Are Your Favorite Viral Videos?

Social Media

257. What Role Does Instagram Play in Your Life? 258. Do You Have ‘Instagram Envy’? 259. Do the Adults in Your Life Follow You on Social Media? 260. Have You Ever Gone to a Place for the Primary Purpose of Taking Selfies? 261. Who Is Your Favorite Social Media Star? 262. How Much Do You Trust the Celebrities and Social Media Stars You Follow? 263. Are You the Same Person on Social Media as You Are in Real Life? 264. What Memorable Experiences Have You Had on Facebook? 265. Why Do You Share Photos? 266. How Do You Archive Your Life? 267. Have You Ever Posted, Emailed or Texted Something You Wish You Could Take Back? 268. Have You Ever Sent an Odd Message Because of Auto-Correct? 269. Would You Want Your Photo or Video to Go Viral? 270. Do You Worry Colleges or Employers Might Read Your Social Media Posts Someday? 271. What Advice Do You Have for Younger Kids About Navigating Social Media?

272. What Are Your Earliest Memories of Music? 273. Who in Your Life Introduces You to New Music? 274. How Much Is Your Taste in Music Based on What Your Friends Like? 275. What Role Does Hip-Hop Play in Your Life? 276. What’s Your Karaoke Song? 277. How Closely Do You Listen to Lyrics? 278. What Is Your Favorite Musical Instrument? 279. What Would You Name Your Band?

Movies, Television & Video Games

280. What Have You Learned About Life From Watching Movies? 281. What Is Your Favorite Sports Movie? 282. Do You Like Horror Movies? 283. What Are Your Favorite TV Shows? 284. What Role Does Television Play in Your Life and the Life of Your Family? 285. What Stereotypical Characters Make You Cringe? 286. Have You Fallen Into ‘Friends’ or Any Other Older Television Shows? 287. How Much Are You Influenced by Advertising? 288. Do You Play Violent Video Games? 289. Who Are Your Opponents in Online Gaming? 290. What Classic Video Games Do You Still Enjoy Playing? 291. Are You a Fortnite Addict? 292. Do You Gamify Your Life?

Books & Reading

293. Read Any Good Books Lately? 294. What Books Do You Think Every Teenager Should Read? 295. What Role Have Books Played in Your Life? 296. Has a Novel Ever Helped You Understand Yourself or Your World Better? 297. Has a Book, Movie, Television Show, Song or Video Game Ever Inspired You to Do Something New? 298. What Book Would You Add to the High School Curriculum? 299. What Have You Learned from Comics? 300. Do You Read or Write Poetry? 301. What Is the Scariest Story You Have Ever Heard?

302. What Purpose Does Writing Serve in Your Life? 303. Do You Keep a Diary or Journal? 304. Do You Want to Write a Book? 305. When Do You Write by Hand? 306. Do You Write in Cursive? 307. Do You Write in Your Books? 308. What ‘Mundane Moments’ From Your Life Might Make Great Essay Material? 309. What Is Your Most Memorable Writing Assignment? 310. Do You Ever Write About Challenges You Face in Life? 311. What’s Your Favorite Joke? 312. If You Had a Column in The New York Times, What Would You Write About? 313. What Would You Write in a Letter to the Editor?

314. What Has Arts Education Done For You? 315. What Work of Art Has Changed Your Life? 316. What Are the Most Memorable Works of Visual Art You Have Seen? 317. Who Is Your Favorite Visual Artist? What Is Your Favorite Work of Art? 318. Which Photograph Stays In Your Memory? 319. What Would You Like to Learn to Make by Hand? 320. Are You Intimidated by Classical Music and Art? 321. Do You Love to Dance? 322. Have You Ever Performed for an Audience or Shared Creative Work With Others? 323. Have You Ever Stumbled Upon a Cool Public Performance? 324. What Show Do You Wish Your School Would Stage?

Language & Speech

325. What’s Your Favorite Word? 326. What Words Do You Hate? 327. Do You Say ‘Kind of, Sort of’ More Than You Realize? 328. What Makes a Great Conversation? 329. How Often Do You Have ‘Deep Discussions’? 330. Do You Wish Your Conversations Were Less Small Talk and More ‘Big Talk’? 331. How Much Information Is ‘Too Much Information’? 332. How Good Are You at Coming Up With Witty Comebacks? 333. Do You Sometimes ‘Hide’ Behind Irony? 334. How Good Is Your Grammar? 335. Do You Speak a Second, or Third, Language? 336. What Does Your Body Language Communicate?

337. Do You Like School? 338. Are You Stressed About School? 339. Are High School Students Being Worked Too Hard? 340. Would You Want to Go to a School Like This One? 341. How Much Do You Speak Up in School? 342. What ‘Pop-Up’ Classes Do You Wish Your School Offered? 343. Is Your School a Safe Learning Space? 344. Would You Want to Be Home-Schooled? 345. What Can Other Schools Learn — and Copy — From Your School? 346. What Do You Hope to Get Out of High School? 347. What Are Your Thoughts on Riding the School Bus? 348. Do You Feel Your School and Teachers Welcome Both Conservative and Liberal Points of View? 349. Do You Want to Be ‘Promposed’ To? 350. How Big a Problem Is Bullying or Cyberbullying in Your School or Community? 351. Can Students at Your School Talk Openly About Their Mental Health Issues? 352. What Career or Technical Classes Do You Wish Your School Offered?

Learning & Studying

353. Do You Have Too Much Homework? 354. Do You Need a Homework Therapist? 355. What’s the Most Challenging Assignment You’ve Ever Had? 356. Are You Afraid of Math? 357. How Would You Do on a Civics Test? 358. What Was Your Favorite Field Trip? 359. What Are Your Best Tips for Studying? 360. What Kind of Time Management Skills Are You Learning from the Adults in Your Life? 361. What Would You Like to Have Memorized?

362. What Do You Wish Your Teachers Knew About You? 363. When Has a Teacher Inspired You? 364. What Teacher Would You Like to Thank? 365. Have You Ever Been Humiliated by a Teacher? How Did it Affect You? 366. Have Your Teachers or Textbooks Ever Gotten It Wrong? 367. Does Your Teacher’s Identity Affect Your Learning? 368. Has a Teacher Ever Changed Your Mind-Set? 369. Do You Have a Tutor?

370. What Personal Essay Topic Would You Assign to College Applicants? 371. How Prepared Are You For College? How Well Do You Think You’ll Do? 372. What Worries You Most About the College Admissions Process? 373. What Worries Do You Have About College? 374. What Role Has Community College Played in Your Life or the Life of Someone You Know? 375. What Qualities Would You Look For in a College Roommate? 376. Would You Want to Take a Gap Year After High School? 377. Do You Intend to Study Abroad While You Are in College? 378. Are You Worried About the Rising Cost of Attending College? 379. Do You Want Your Parents to Live Nearby When You Go to College? 380. What Specialty College Would You Create?

Work & Careers

381. What Do You Want to Be When You Grow Up? 382. Do You Have a Life Calling? 383. What’s Your Dream Job? 384. Would You Pursue a Career If You Knew You Likely Would Not Make Much Money? 385. What Jobs Are You Most Curious About? 386. Will You Follow in Your Parents’ Footsteps? 387. Would You Consider Moving Overseas for a Job? 388. Would You Want to Be a Teacher? 389. Would You Rather Work From Home or in an Office? 390. What ‘Back-to-the-Land’ Skills Do You Have, or Wish You Had? 391. What Skill Could You Teach in Two Minutes? 392. What Have You Made Yourself? 393. Do You Have an Idea for a Business or App? 394. How Did You Start Doing Something You Love? 395. Did You Ever Take a Break From Doing Something You Love? 396. Would You Quit if Your Values Did Not Match Your Employer’s? 397. Do Your Summer Plans Include Employment?

398. Do You Have Satisfying Friendships? 399. How Alike Are You and Your Friends? 400. Do You Have Any Unlikely Friendships? 401. Do You Like Your Friends? 402. Do You Have a Best Friend? 403. Have You Ever Been Left Out? 404. Do You Ever Feel Lonely? 405. How Often Do You Spend One-on-One Time With Your Closest Friends? 406. How Do You Feel About Introducing Friends from Different Parts of Your Life? 407. Do You Find It Easier to Make New Friends Online or In Person? 408. How Good a Friend Are You? 409. How Have You Helped a Friend in a Time of Need? 410. Is Competitiveness an Obstacle to Making or Keeping Friendships? 411. How Should You Handle the End of a Friendship?

412. Are You Allowed to Date? 413. Is Dating a Thing of the Past? 414. What Advice Would You Give to Somebody Who Just Started Dating? 415. How Do You Think Technology Affects Dating? 416. Have You Ever Been in Love? 417. How Much of a Romantic Are You? 418. Have You Ever Been Ghosted? 419. What’s the Best Way to Get Over a Breakup? 420. Would You Want to Be Proposed to on a Jumbotron? 421. If You Get Married Someday, Do You Think You Will Change Your Last Name?

Sports & Games

422. Why Do You Play Sports? 423. Have You Ever Learned Something From a Professional Athlete? 424. How Would You Change Your Favorite Sport? 425. Does Being a Fan Help Define Who You Are? 426. What Kinds of Games and Puzzles Do You Like? 427. What Are Your Favorite Board Games? 428. Are You a Good Driver?

429. Where Do You Want to Travel? 430. What Is Your Most Memorable Family Vacation? 431. How Would You Spend Your Ideal Family Vacation? 432. What Do You Think You Would Learn From Traveling to All 50 States? 433. What Would Your Fantasy Road Trip Be Like? 434. What Crazy Adventure Would You Want to Take? 435. What Local ‘Microadventures’ Would You Like to Go On? 436. How Has Travel Affected You? 437. What Kind of Tourist Are You? 438. What Are the Best Souvenirs You’ve Ever Collected While Traveling? 439. What Famous Landmarks Have You Visited? 440. What’s the Coolest Thing You’ve Ever Seen in Nature? 441. Would You Like to Live in Another Country? 442. If You Could Time-Travel, Where Would You Go?

Shopping, Looks & Fashion

443. What’s Your Favorite Store? 444. Could You Stop Shopping for an Entire Year? 445. Are You an Ethical Consumer? 446. Do Politics Ever Influence How or Where You Shop? 447. What Is Your All-Time Favorite Piece of Clothing? 448. Are You a Sneaker Head? 449. Do You Wear Clothes for the Logo? 450. Would You Like to Be a Fashion Model? 451. What’s Your Favorite T-Shirt? 452. What Does Your Hairstyle Say About You? 453. How Do You Feel About Your Body? 454. Have You Inherited Your Parents’ Attitudes Toward Their Looks? 455. What’s Your Favorite Room?

Exercise, Health & Sleep

456. What Rules Do You Have for Staying Healthy? 457. Do You Like to Exercise? 458. Do You Get Enough Exercise? 459. How Has Exercise Changed Your Health, Your Body or Your Life? 460. Do You Vape? 461. How Do You Get Your Nature Fix? 462. How Strong Is Your Sense of Smell? 463. What’s Your Favorite Mood Booster? 464. Do You Have Any Bad Health Habits? 465. Do You Learn Better After Moving Around? 466. How Often Do You Engage in ‘Fat Talk’? 467. Do You Pay Attention to Nutrition Labels on Food? 468. What Are Your ‘Food Rules’? 469. What Are Your Healthy Habits? 470. What Health Tips Have Worked for You? 471. What Are Your Sleep Habits? 472. Do You Get Enough Sleep?

Meals & Food

473. What Foods Bring Up Special Memories for You? 474. What Are the Most Memorable Meals You’ve Ever Had? 475. Are You Now, or Have You Ever Been, a Picky Eater? 476. What Foods Best Represent Your Hometown? 477. Have You Ever Experienced Food Insecurity? 478. What’s Your Favorite Holiday Food Memory? 479. What Convenience Foods Make You Happy? 480. How Do You Like Your Pizza? 481. What Are Your Favorite Junk Foods? 482. What’s Your Favorite Candy? 483. What’s Your Favorite Sandwich? 484. What Food Would You Like to Judge in a Taste-Off? 485. Do You Cook? 486. What Would You Most Like to Learn to Cook or Bake? 487. What Messages About Food and Eating Have You Learned From Your Family? 488. How Often Does Your Family Eat Together? 489. What Are Your Favorite Restaurants? 490. What Restaurant Would You Most Like to Review? 491. What Do You Eat During the School Day?

Holidays & Seasons

492. How Do You Celebrate Your Birthday? 493. How Much Scare Can You Handle in Your Halloween Entertainment? 494. Did You Take Part in Any Thanksgiving or Post-Holiday Traditions? 495. What Will You Talk About on Thanksgiving? 496. What Has Been Your Most Memorable Thanksgiving? 497. What Do You Look Forward to Most — and Least — During the Holiday Season? 498. What Are Your Tips for Enjoying the Holiday Season? 499. What Does Santa Claus Mean to You? 500. How Do You Fight the Winter Blues? 501. How Do You Feel About Valentine’s Day? 502. What Would Your Ideal Summer Camp Be Like? 503. What’s Your Favorite Summer Food? 504. Do You Choose Summer Activities to Look Good on Applications? 505. What’s the Most Memorable Thing That Happened to You This Summer?

Animals & Pets

506. What Are the Animals in Your Life? 507. What Have You Learned From Animals? 508. What’s Your Relationship Like With Your Pet? 509. What Are Your Thoughts on Cats? 510. Would You Want to Hang Out at a Cat Cafe? 511. How Do You Feel About the Spiders, Insects and Other Tiny Creatures in Your Home?

Environment

512. How Concerned Are You About Climate Change? 513. How Do You Try to Reduce Your Impact on the Environment? 514. Do You Ever Feel Guilty About What, or How Much, You Throw Away? 515. How Much Food Does Your Family Waste? 516. What Could You Live Without? 517. Would You Change Your Eating Habits to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint? 518. Could You Live ‘Plastic Free’?

History, Politics & Current Events

519. What Event in the Past Do You Wish You Could Have Witnessed? 520. What National or International Events That You Lived Through Do You Remember Best? 521. Is Your Online World Just a ‘Filter Bubble’ of People With the Same Opinions? 522. Do You Ever Get the ‘Bad News Blues’? 523. Have You Ever Changed Your Mind About a Hot-Button Issue? 524. What Do American Values Mean to You? 525. How Much Do You Know About the Rest of the World?

526. Would You Want to Live Forever? 527. Would You Want to Live a Life Without Ever Feeling Pain? 528. If You Had an Extra Billion Dollars, What Cause Would You Support With Your Philanthropy? 529. Are You Hopeful About the Future? 530. If the World Was Ending, What Would You Want to Say? 531. Would You Like to Be Famous? 532. Would You Like to Be Cryogenically Preserved (Frozen!) Upon Your Death? 533. Would You Like to Be a Farmer? 534. What Items Would You Place in a Time Capsule for Future Generations? 535. What Fantasy Invention Would You Want to Exist in Reality? 536. What Do You Want to Be Known for After Your Death? 537. Do You Like Your First Name? Would You Change It if You Could? 538. What Would You Do if You Won the Lottery? 539. What Era Do You Wish You Had Lived In? 540. Would You Want to Be a Child Prodigy? 541. What Kind of Robot Would You Want? 542. What Would You Outsource if You Could? 543. What Would You Like to Learn on Your Own? 544. What Would You Be Willing to Wait in a Really Long Line For? 545. Do You Want to Live to 100? 546. Given Unlimited Resources, What Scientific or Medical Problem Would You Investigate? 547. What Scientific Mysteries Do You Want Solved? 548. What Idea Do You Have That Is Ahead of Its Time? 549. How Would Your Life Be Different if You Had Better Listening Skills? 550. What Do You Want Your Obituary to Say?

It's My Life: Multimodal Autobiography Project

• Resources & Preparation
• Instructional Plan
• Related Resources

In this unit, students write autobiographies, illustrate them, and set them to music. Music is a powerful tool to evoke emotion, and students will carefully select songs to accompany the stories from their lives. Students brainstorm lists of important events in their lives, along with images and music that represent those events. They then create storyboards in preparation for the final PowerPoint project. After making revisions, they present their final projects to their peers in class. If PowerPoint is unavailable, students might create posters and play soundtracks using cassette or CD players.

Featured Resources

Stapleless Book : Students use this online tool to plan each slide of an autobiographical PowerPoint presentation.

From Theory to Practice

According to William Kist, "students should be able to both read critically and write functionally, no matter what the medium." We have "broadened the concept of literacy" (cf. Kist) to include multimodal projects so that no student will feel isolated, and every student will gain knowledge and understanding from the sharing of ideas. As the NCTE Statement on Multimodal Literacies states, "The use of different modes of expression in student work should be integrated into the overall literacy goals of the curriculum and appropriate for time and resources invested." This lesson plan encourages such integration by asking students to create multimodal presentations. Further Reading

Common Core Standards

This resource has been aligned to the Common Core State Standards for states in which they have been adopted. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, CCSS alignments are forthcoming.

State Standards

This lesson has been aligned to standards in the following states. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, standard alignments are not currently available for that state.

NCTE/IRA National Standards for the English Language Arts

• 4. Students adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual language (e.g., conventions, style, vocabulary) to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences and for different purposes.
• 5. Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes.
• 6. Students apply knowledge of language structure, language conventions (e.g., spelling and punctuation), media techniques, figurative language, and genre to create, critique, and discuss print and nonprint texts.
• 8. Students use a variety of technological and information resources (e.g., libraries, databases, computer networks, video) to gather and synthesize information and to create and communicate knowledge.
• 12. Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information).
• It’s My Life Assignment
• Presentation Music and Image Planner
• It’s My Life Project Rubric
• Sample Multimodal Autobiography
• It’s My Life Self-Assessment

Preparation

• Arrange for the use of a computer lab, projector, and CD player.
• Familiarize yourself with PowerPoint. Visit the PowerPoint in the Classroom Website and the PowerPoint tutorials on adding sound and adding music for helpful information and guides. You may also choose to share these Web resources with your students.
• Create a model autobiography presentation for students to view (optional).
• Review fair use and copyright guidelines before having students use copyrighted music and images in their projects.
• Make copies of the Copyright and Fair Use Guidelines for School Projects , It’s My Life Assignment , Presentation Music and Image Planner , Sample Multimodal Autobiography , It’s My Life Self-Assessment , and It’s My Life Project Rubric sheets for your students.
• Test the Stapleless Book on your computers to familiarize yourself with the tool and ensure that you have the Flash plug-in installed. You can download the plug-in from the technical support page .

Student Objectives

Students will

• examine the lyrics to songs and describe how the music and words relate to their life stories.
• organize their thoughts and express their stories by using PowerPoint presentations.
• improve technical skills by familiarizing themselves with PowerPoint.
• evaluate their own work.

Session One

• Present the PowerPoint autobiography assignment to students and explain the required elements. If you have created a model presentation, you can use it to present the concept to students.
• Students will select five important events in their lives. Using written summaries of these events, they will create PowerPoint multimodal autobiographies.
• Students may use recordings from the radio or their personal music collections.
• Students will follow guidelines for fair use of copyrighted images and music. (Explain that this topic will be discussed in detail in the next session.)
• Student will present their slideshows in class. Slideshows are limited to 5–10 minutes in length.
• Students will respond to their peers’ presentations in writing.
• First day of school (e.g., preschool, kindergarten, first grade, middle school, high school)
• A special family trip or vacation
• A family event or milestone
• A personal achievement (e.g., first place in a competition)
• A personal loss
• Explain that in this stage of the writing process, students should write down all of their ideas. If they are working in groups or with the whole class, lay ground rules that encourage all students to share their ideas with the group and that discourage students from critiquing their peers’ responses during this brainstorming stage. Explain that students will have the opportunity to evaluate their lists and select the events that they want to include in their autobiographies in later sessions.
• Have students view the PowerPoint presentation Finding Your Focus: The Writing Process . Discuss the stages of the writing process—including drafting, revising, and editing—and explain that students will go through each of these stages as they work on their autobiographies. The final stage will be the actual publishing of their autobiographies in the form of PowerPoint presentations.
• Ask students to select 8–10 events from their lists and write a brief paragraph summary for each one. Students may also include events that were not included on the lists they created during their brainstorming sessions.
• Have students set aside these summaries to use in a later session. If necessary, have students complete this activity for homework.

Session Two

• Initiate a class discussion by describing a significant event from your own life (i.e., birth of a sibling, parents’ divorce, first car). You can refer to the Sample Multimodal Autobiography for an example.
• Ask a few students to share an event from their own lists, and record each event on the board.
• Have students think about the events described and to connect songs to these events. For example, a student might associate a love song with a family member’s wedding ceremony.
• How does the song make you feel?
• What images come to mind when you think of this event?
• What images come to mind when you think of this song?
• Next play a song or two that you associate with the event from your own life that you’ve described. It doesn’t matter if the songs are not “current” hits; students will understand the feelings behind the music.
• Ask students to discuss how the song fits the event and to suggest other songs they might associate with the same event.
• Have students review the summaries they wrote in Session One.
• From the list of events they described, ask students to select five to include in their autobiographical presentations.
• Pass out the Presentation Music and Image Planner and have students list each of the five events they’ll include.
• Have students use the Presentation Music and Image Planner to write the title of a song and describe an image for each event they will include in their presentations. Students can work with a classmate or in small groups if they are having trouble generating ideas. You may wish to have students begin this activity in class and then complete their planners for homework.
• Be sure to discuss lyrics with students to assure that song selections are classroom-appropriate as determined by teacher and school policy.
• Emphasize that students should avoid using music that involves profanity or derogatory remarks towards any race, gender, and/or religious affiliation. Encourage students to discuss any questionable lyrics with you in advance. Point out you will either approve students’ choice of songs and images or provide suggestions for revision on their planning sheets.
• Have you ever downloaded music or other content from the Internet? What other Internet resources have you used?
• You will need to use music for your presentations. What are some ways you can get the songs you’ll need? From what sources can you download music? Are all of these ways legal?
• Is it OK to use other people’s music in something you are creating?
• Students can use 1–5 images from the same photographer or illustrator without permission.
• Up to 10% of a song can be used in a presentation. That translates to about 30 seconds from one song.
• Students must include a bibliography of any work used in their presentations.
• Before beginning Session Three, review students’ planners to ensure that they understand the assignment and have selected appropriate images and songs. Approve each plan, providing feedback, or make suggestions for revision.
• Meet with students individually to discuss any necessary changes.

Session Three

• Tape sheets of plain paper together along the short edges.
• Divide a large piece of blank paper into equal rectangles.
• Use a blank index card for each PowerPoint slide.
• Use the ReadWriteThink Stapleless Book interactive to plan each slide of their presentation. This tool provides space for students to write the text that will appear on the slide and information about the song they will include, along with space for a simple illustration.
• Before beginning their PowerPoint presentations, students should use the storyboards to lay out their text and images, and to write the titles of the songs and specific lyrics they will use for each slide.
• Have students add the text of the paragraphs they wrote in Session One to their storyboards in this drafting session.
• Remind students of the writing process and explain that they will have the opportunity to revise their text and other elements when they reach the revising stage.
• Allow more than one session of class time to complete this work if required. You can choose to extend this activity to the next class period or have students complete their drafts for homework. Students should also have any CDs or music they want to use available for the next session.
• Provide access to a scanner for students who wish to scan photographs or other images for use in their projects.
• Before moving to the next session, review students’ drafts and provide feedback.

Sessions Four through Six

• PowerPoint in the Classroom
• PowerPoint Tutorial—Adding sound
• Demo: Add music to a presentation
• Once students are comfortable with PowerPoint and have practiced with the software, have them begin creating slides using their drafts/storyboards.
• Remind students of the guidelines for using copyrighted music in their projects.
• Share this adding sounds page from PowerPoint in the Classroom with students, which details how to add portions of a song from a CD to a PowerPoint slide.
• Review students’ progress as they work and provide assistance to students who are having difficulty using PowerPoint.
• Allow additional time as needed for students to work on their projects in or out of class.

Session Seven

• Are slides arranged in an effective way? How are the events in my autobiography arranged? Sequentially? Thematically?
• Can I do a better job of describing each event? Will the reader/viewer understand what I’m trying to communicate?
• Do the images I’ve selected adequately represent the events?
• Does the song reflect my feelings about each event?
• Guide students in working through this stage of the writing process and encourage them to make revisions that will help them more effectively communicate the information included in their autobiographies.

Sessions Eight and Nine

• When students have finished making revisions, have them take turns presenting their PowerPoint autobiographies to the class. Use a projector if you have access to one.
• After all students have completed their presentations, have them respond in writing by completing the It’s My Life Self-Assessment .
• Teach the ReadWriteThink lesson Copyright Infringement or Not? The Debate over Downloading Music to reinforce the concepts of fair use and copyright infringement explored in this lesson.
• Teach the ReadWriteThink lesson The Year I Was Born: An Autobiographical Research Project to have students further explore the autobiography writing genre.
• In place of or in addition to PowerPoint presentations, have students write a typed autobiography, a narrated audio autobiography (set to music) on CD, cassette, or MP3, or a videotaped biography. Students can use the CD/DVD Cover Creator to design and print their covers for their finished presentations.
• Have students use the Profile Publisher to enhance their autobiographies by creating one or more profiles to represent themselves at different times in their lives, with a special focus on the connection between experiences and music.

Student Assessment / Reflections

• Have students reflect on their projects by completing the It’s My Life Self-Assessment .
• Assess students’ PowerPoint projects using the It’s My Life Project Rubric .
• Professional Library
• Strategy Guides
• Student Interactives
• Lesson Plans

The Stapleless Book can be used for taking notes while reading, making picture books, collecting facts, or creating vocabulary booklets . . . the possibilities are endless!

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How to write an Autobiography

A Complete Guide to Writing an Autobiography

A quick scan of the bestseller lists will quickly reveal that we are obsessed with the lives of other people.

Books by and about actors, politicians, and sports stars regularly top the charts as we seek to catch a glimpse into the lives of remarkable people.

While many of these books are written by professional writers after meticulous research ( biographies ), just as many are written by the person themselves (autobiographies) – albeit often with a ghostwriter’s help.

Today we are going to show you how to write an autobiography that tells a great life story.

WHAT IS AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY?

Autobiography is a subcategory of the biography genre and, strictly speaking, it’s a life story written by the subject themselves.

Autobiographies are sometimes confused with memoirs and it’s no surprise as the two share many features in common. For example, both are written in the first person and contain details of the subject’s life.

However, some clear distinctions can be made between the two.

For example, a memoir usually explores a specific period of a person’s life, whereas an autobiography tends to make an account of the person’s life from their earliest years right up to the time of writing.

Autobiographies aren’t just the preserve of the celebrities among us though, each of our lives is a story in and of itself. Whether or not it’s a good story will depend largely on the telling, which is what this article is all about.

A COMPLETE UNIT ON TEACHING BIOGRAPHIES

Teach your students to write AMAZING BIOGRAPHIES & AUTOBIOGRAPHIES using proven RESEARCH SKILLS and WRITING STRATEGIES .

• Understand the purpose of both forms of biography.
• Explore the language and perspective of both.
• Prompts and Challenges to engage students in writing a biography.
• Dedicated lessons for both forms of biography.
• Biographical Projects can expand students’ understanding of reading and writing a biography.
• A COMPLETE 82-PAGE UNIT – NO PREPARATION REQUIRED.

  WHAT ARE THE MAIN FEATURES OF AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY?

Once students have a good grasp of what an autobiography is, we need to ensure they are familiar with the main features of the genre before they begin writing.

Let’s take a look at some of the main technical elements of an autobiography:

Purpose of an Autobiography:

To give an account of the person’s life so far

Tense: Mostly written in the past tense, but usually ends in the present tense and sometimes shifts into the future tense at the very end.

Structure of an Autobiography:

●     Usually written in chronological order

●     Uses time connectives such as before, then, after that, finally, etc

●     Uses the names of real people and events

●     Is specific about times, dates, places, etc

●     Includes personal memories and specific details and descriptions

●     Reflects on how positive and negative experiences shaped the author

●     Gives an insight into the thoughts, feelings, and hopes of the author

●     May include some relevant photographs

●     Usually ends with a commentary on life, reflections on significant large events, and hopes and plans for the future.

When teaching these specific features, you may wish to compile a checklist with the students that they can subsequently use to assist them when writing their autobiography.

PRACTICAL ACTIVITY:

One great way to help your students to internalize the main features of the genre is to encourage them to read lots of autobiographies. Instruct the students to be conscious of the different features discussed above and to identify them in the autobiography as they read.

If you have compiled a checklist together, students can check off the features they come across as they read.

When they have finished reading, students should consider which features were well done in the book and which were missing or had room for improvement.

TIPS FOR WRITING A GREAT AUTOBIOGRAPHY

As we know, there is more to a genre of writing than just ticking off the main features from a checklist.

To write well takes time and practice, as well as familiarity with the features of the genre. Each genre of writing makes different demands on our skills as a writer and autobiography are no different.

Below, we will look at a step-by-step process for how students can best approach the task of writing their autobiography, along with some helpful hints and tips to polish things up.

Let’s get started!

 HOW TO START AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY WRITING TIPS:

Tip #1: brainstorm your autobiography.

The structure of an autobiography is somewhat obvious; it starts at the beginning of the subject’s life, works its way through the middle, and ends in the present day.

However, there’s a lot in a life. Some of it will be fascinating from a reader’s point of view and some of it not so much. Students will need to select which events, anecdotes, and incidents to include and which to leave out.

Before they begin this selection process in earnest, they need to dump out the possibilities onto the page through the process of brainstorming. Students should write down any ideas and sketches of memories that might be suitable onto the page.

While they needn’t write trivial memories that they know definitely won’t make the cut, they should not set the bar so high that they induce writer’s block.

They can remove the least interesting episodes when making the final selection later in the writing process. The main thing at this stage is the generation and accumulation of ideas.

TIP #2: CREATE AN OUTLINE OF YOUR AUTOBIOGRAPHY

After students have selected the most compelling episodes from their brainstorming session, they’ll need to organize them into the form of an outline.

One good way to do this is to lay them out chronologically on a simple timeline. Looking at the episodes in such a visual way can help the students to construct a narrative that leads from the student’s earliest childhood right through to the present day.

Students need to note that an autobiography isn’t just the relating of a series of life events in chronological order. They’ll need to identify themes that link the events in their autobiography together.

Themes are the threads that we weave between the cause and effect of events to bring shape and meaning to a life. They touch on the motivation behind the actions the author takes and fuel the development growth of the person.

Some themes that might be identified in an outline for an autobiography might include:

●     Overcoming adversity

●     Adjusting to a new life

●     Dealing with loss

●     The importance of friendship

●     The futility of revenge

●     The redemptive power of forgiveness.

These themes are the big ideas of a person’s life story. They represent how the events shape the person who is now sitting writing their story. For students to gain these insights will require the necessary time and space for some reflection.

For this reason, autobiography writing works well as a project undertaken over a longer period such as several weeks.

TIP #3: DO THE BACKGROUND RESEARCH ON YOUR AUTOBIOGRAPHY

Even though no one knows more about the topic of an autobiography than the author, research is still a necessary part of the writing process for autobiographies.

Using the outline they have created, students will need to flesh out some of the details of key events by speaking to others, especially when writing about their earliest experiences.

The most obvious resources will be parents and other family members who were privy to the joys of babyhood and their earliest childhood.

However, friends and ex-teachers make excellent sources of information too. They will enable the student to get a different perspective on something they remember, helping to create a more rounded view of past events.

For older and more advanced students, they may even wish to do some research regarding historical and cultural happenings in the wider society during the period they’re writing about. This will help to give depth and poignancy to their writing as they move up and down the ladder of abstraction from the personal to the universal and back again.

When students make the effort to draw parallels between their personal experiences and the world around them, they help to bridge the gap between author and reader creating a more intimate connection that enhances the experience for the reader.

TIP #4: FIND YOUR VOICE

Students need to be clear that autobiography is not mere personal history written dispassionately and subjectively.

For their autobiography to work, they’ll need to inject something of themselves into their writing. Readers of autobiography especially are interested in getting to know the inner workings of the writer.

There is a danger, however. Given that autobiographers are so close to their material, they must be careful not to allow their writing to denigrate into a sentimental vomit. To counter this danger, the student author needs to find a little perspective on their experiences, and following the previous tip regarding research will help greatly here.

A more daunting obstacle for the student can lie in the difficulties they face when trying to find their voice in their writing. This isn’t easy. It takes time and it takes lots of writing practice.

However, there are some simple, helpful strategies students can use to help them discover their authentic voice in their writing quickly.

1. Write to a close friend or family member

All writing is written to be read – with the possible exception of journals and diaries. The problem is that if the student is too conscious of the reader, they can find themselves playing to the audience and getting away from what it is they’re trying to express. Showboating can replace the honesty that is such a necessary part of good writing.

A useful trick to help students overcome this hurdle is to tell them to imagine they are writing their autobiography to an intimate friend or family member. Someone who makes them feel comfortable in their skin when they are around. Students should write like they’re writing to that person to who they can confide their deepest secrets. This will give their writing an honest and intimate tone that is very engaging for the reader.

2. Read the writing out loud

It’s no accident that we talk about the writer’s ‘voice’. We recognize the actual voice of people we know from its many qualities, from its timbre, tone, pacing, accent, word choice, etc. Writing is much the same in this regard.

One great way to help students detect whether their writing captures their authentic voice is to have them read it out loud, or listen to a recording of their work read out loud.

While we don’t necessarily write exactly as we speak – we have more time to craft what we say – we will still be able to recognize whether or not the writing sounds like us, or whether it’s filled with affectation.

As the student listens to their own words, encourage them to ask the following questions:

●     Does this sound like me?

●     Do the words sound natural in my voice?

●     Do I believe in the events related and how they were related?

Finding their real voice in their writing will help students imbue their writing with honesty and personality that readers love.

TIP #5: DRAFT, REDRAFT AND REFINE YOUR AUTOBIOGRAPHY

In the first draft, the brushstrokes will be large and broad, sweeping through the key events. The main notes of the tune will be there but with sometimes too much ornamentation and, at other times, not enough. This is why redrafting is an essential part of the writing process.

Students should understand that every piece of writing needs redrafting, editing , and proofreading to be at its best. There are no masterpieces full-borne into the world in a single draft.

For many, the tightening-up of a piece will involve the merciless cutting out of dead words. But, for some, the redrafting and refining process will demand the adding of more description and detail.

For most, however, it’ll be a little from column A and a little from column B.

Often, it’s difficult for students to get the necessary perspective on their work to be able to spot structural, grammar , punctuation, and spelling errors. In these instances, it can be best to enrol the eyes of a friend or family member in the role of editor or critic.

One effective way of doing this in class is to organize the students into pairs of editing buddies who edit each other’s work in a reciprocal arrangement.

These ‘edit swaps’ can be continued through to the proofreading stage and the final, polished piece.

A COMPLETE UNIT ON TEACHING FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE

❤️The use of  FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE  is like  “SPECIAL EFFECTS FOR AUTHORS.”  It is a powerful tool to create  VIVID IMAGERY  through words. This  HUGE 110 PAGE UNIT  guides you through a complete understanding of  FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE  as both a  READER  and  WRITER covering.

A Final Thought

Employing the 5 tips above will go a long way to ensuring a well-written and engaging autobiography.

While autobiography is a nonfiction genre, it is clear that with its emphasis on narrative, it has much in common with other fictional genres. So, it’s important when teaching autobiography that students learn to recognize the important role of storytelling in this genre too.

As with all good story-telling, there are some necessary elements to include, including a plot of sorts, a cast of characters, and an exploration of some central themes. For this reason, teaching autobiography often works well after the students have completed a unit on fictional story writing.

When all is said and done, the best way a student can ensure their autobiography is worth a read is to ensure they find the story within their own life.

After all, we’re obsessed with the lives of other people.

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Autobiography Writing Prompts To Tell Your Story

Necmettin Karakaya

Co-Founder of AI Life Story

Writing an autobiography is an incredible way to share your life story, connect with family, and preserve your experiences for future generations. However, it can be challenging to know where to start and how to structure your narrative. In this article, we'll provide you with a list of engaging writing prompts to help you begin your autobiography journey. We'll also include a FAQ section to address common questions about autobiography writing.

Autobiography Writing Prompts

Childhood memories.

• Describe your favorite childhood toy and why it was special to you.
• Share a story about your best friend growing up.
• Write about your favorite childhood vacation or family trip.
• Recall a time when you got into trouble as a child.
• Describe the neighborhood where you grew up.
• Share your favorite childhood game or activity.
• Write about a childhood hero or role model.
• Recall your favorite childhood book or movie and its impact on you.
• Describe your first day of school.
• Share a memorable childhood birthday celebration.

Family Life

• Describe a family member who has influenced your life and why.
• Share a cherished family tradition or custom.
• Write about a memorable family gathering or reunion.
• Share a story about your family's cultural background or heritage.
• Describe your relationship with your siblings.
• Write about a family member you wish you could have known better.
• Share a story about your family's history or ancestry.
• Describe your family's favorite shared activity or hobby.
• Share a time when your family supported you through a difficult period.
• Write about a lesson you learned from a family member.

Personal Challenges and Growth

• Describe a significant obstacle you've overcome in your life.
• Write about a time when you had to make a difficult decision.
• Share a moment when you faced a fear or phobia.
• Describe a time when you had to step outside of your comfort zone.
• Write about a challenging relationship or friendship in your life.
• Share a moment when you had to stand up for yourself or someone else.
• Describe a personal setback and how you recovered from it.
• Write about a time when you had to adapt to a major life change.
• Share a moment when you learned the importance of forgiveness.
• Describe a situation where you had to let go of something or someone important to you.

Achievements and Milestones

• Write about your proudest personal or professional accomplishment.
• Describe a significant award or recognition you've received.
• Share a story about achieving a long-held goal or dream.
• Write about a time when you surprised yourself with your abilities.
• Describe a moment when you inspired or motivated someone else.
• Write about a milestone birthday or anniversary.
• Share a story about an accomplishment that took significant effort to achieve.
• Describe your journey toward mastering a skill or hobby.
• Write about a time when you received unexpected praise or appreciation.
• Share a moment when you realized you had made a positive impact on someone's life.

Hobbies and Passions

• Describe your favorite hobby or pastime and how you discovered it.
• Share a story about a memorable experience related to your hobby or passion.
• Write about the role your hobby or passion plays in your life.
• Describe a person who shares your hobby or passion and how you met them.
• Write about a time when your hobby or passion helped you through a difficult time.
• Share a story about teaching or introducing someone else to your hobby or passion.
• Describe a memorable achievement related to your hobby or passion.
• Write about the challenges or obstacles you've faced in pursuing your hobby or passion.
• Share a story about a place or event related to your hobby or passion.
• Describe your future goals or aspirations related to your hobby or passion.

Unleash Your Storytelling Potential with Us.

As you explore these autobiography writing prompts, you may find that you need a little extra support to bring your life story to life. AILifeStory.com is here to help you every step of the way with our innovative AI-powered platform designed specifically for crafting autobiographies.

Our user-friendly tools and resources will assist you in:

• Organizing and structuring your story with personalized guidance
• Streamlining the writing process with AI-guided interviews and prompts
• Collaborating with family members by sharing drafts and receiving feedback
• Creating a visually appealing and engaging autobiography that captures your unique journey

Don't let your life story remain untold. Preserve your legacy and share your experiences with future generations by starting your autobiography today.

Discover AILifeStory.com and begin your journey now!

The Final Word: Bringing It All Together

Using these autobiography writing prompts can help you unlock your memories and experiences, making it easier to write a compelling and engaging life story. Remember that your autobiography is an opportunity to share your unique journey, so be honest, reflective, and open about your experiences. With dedication and creativity, you can craft a meaningful narrative that will resonate with readers and preserve your legacy for future generations.

Frequently asked questions

How can i make my autobiography more engaging, what if i can't remember specific details or events, how can i ensure my autobiography is well-structured, what if i struggle with writer's block, want to learn more.

Daria Smyrnova

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Home » Blog » How to Write an Autobiography in 31 Steps

How to Write an Autobiography in 31 Steps

TABLE OF CONTENTS

If you’re thinking about writing an autobiography, then you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we will be telling you all about how to write an autobiography – breaking it down and helping you along with the process.

1. What is an Autobiography?

So you want to know how to write an autobiography? First off, let’s start with what an autobiography is. Put simply, a biography is a book written about someone’s life. It includes all elements of their life, particularly featuring any significant events that took place.

The word ‘autobiography’ is made up of the two Greek words ‘autos’ and ‘bios’, meaning self and life. Put them together and you get a book that is a mix of who you are, and the life you have lived.

2. Memoir vs. Autobiography

Before you start any kind of writing process, it is important to know what kind of a book it is you are wanting to write. There is no way to know how to write an autobiography if you can’t distinguish the two. Memoir and autobiography are often plumped into the same genre, because they are both about someone’s life.

But they are two genres of their own. So here’s the difference:

It’s pretty simple – if the book is about the person’s entire life – it’s an autobiography; if it’s about one or two events, themes or memories within their life, it’s a memoir .

Knowing the difference will save you time and energy. It will also help you to shape and plan your book (if that’s your style).

You can always change your mind and switch genres, but at least you will know what you are doing and how both of them work. Whichever you choose will change a lot about your book – particularly the content you choose to include and the structure of the entire piece.

Memoir is the perfect platform to share your personal life experience, and you don’t have to share every other significant moment of your life. (A wise decision if only one really interesting thing has happened to you during your lifetime.)

Writing an autobiography is much different. While they are both to do with the author’s life, biography is more to do with what happened throughout your life.

That means all significant events from birth ’till now.

If you set out to write a biography and it turns into a memoir, this is not a problem. The problem is when you don’t know what you’re doing at all. This leads to confusion in the writing process. And a lack of professionalism outside of it.

A great way to learn how to write an autobiography is to read. A lot. Reading other autobiographies will give you an idea of which direction to go in and how this genre is structured. It can also help you to develop your style and tone of voice, and to pinpoint which writing techniques you find most effective. All good tools to have in your writing toolbox.

Here are a few examples of autobiographies you might want to read:

• My Autobiography, Charlie Chaplin (1964)
• The autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, Benjamin Franklin
• Long walk to freedom, Nelson Mandela
• The story of my experiments with truth, Mahatma Gandhi
• The story of my life, Helen Keller
• The autobiography of Malcolm X, Alex Haley, Malcolm X
• An Autobiography, Agatha Christie (1965))
• The confessions of St. Augustine, Augustine of Hippo
• Scar tissue, Anthony Kiedis, Larry Sloman
• Open: An Autobiography, Andre Agassi
• Persepolis, Marjane Satrapi
• Autobiography of a yogi, Paramahansa Yogananda

4. When to Write an Autobiography

Cellini (1500-1571) wrote one of the finest autobiographies of the renaissance. He stated:

“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.” Cellini

Knowing how to write an autobiography can have a lot to do with your life experiences. This fact brings into question the age of the reader.

Many biographies are written later on in life, when experience has been gathered and there are many exciting moments to draw from. But this isn’t always the case.

If you are a younger writer and feel that your life has been sufficiently fantastic, or you feel a growing desire to get down all of the details of your childhood days, there is no rule that says you can’t. So don’t let others’ perceptions stop you.

Twenty-one-year-old Edouard Louis, for example, published a hugely successful fictional autobiography (aka an autofiction), The end of Eddy about his childhood and adolescence. So it is possible. Sorry Cellini.

That said, an older, more experienced writer may have an easier time writing an autobiography, simply because they have more material to draw from.

Like memoir, autobiographies tend to center around a theme, even though you are including many life events. That is because people tend to also be themed, in a way. Want to know how to start an autobiography? Thinking about theme can be a useful way in.

If you are a professional dancer, and that is the passion of your life, it makes sense that your book would also center around the theme of dancing and how you reached that success.

If you are ghostwriting for a celebrity, naturally they will be famous for something in particular.

The main theme, of course, is the person’s life. But that is not enough to sustain interest across time. So bear in mind a secondary theme that ties it all together.

If your theme or themes are relatable, then that will stand you in good stead. If you are not writing a glitzy celeb autobiography, then having a very relatable and original theme is more likely to find a readership than any other. Be careful not to choose and manufacture your theme, however. If you are meant to write an autobiography, you will likely already feel compelled to write about your life. So try not to put too much thought into it. Just keep it in mind, as it will keep you on track.

6. How to Pick a Theme

How to start an autobiography? One way is to pick a theme. And stick to it.

One way of picking a theme is to choose an aspect of your personality that you feel is awesome and make that your sole focus. Maybe you’re great at maths, for example. Perhaps you made it to the world championships on mathematics or something. That would be a story worth telling.

Another is to look at your philosophy in life and make that the focal point of your book. Showing your values throughout the book can inspire and uplift the reader as it can show a good example of a life well-lived. It also reveals quite clearly who you are as a person, without you having to explicitly spell it out.

A third would be to consider the things that are most important to you in your life and to make a reference to these as you work your way through each significant event mentioned in your book. (This works especially well if you are writing an autobiography for those who know you.)

7. Exceptions

You might also be wanting to know how to write an autobiography, because you want to share your story with your family. This is an admirable reason to write a story. It means that your family will always have a special connection to you through story, no matter what. It also means that generations to come will have that link to their own past and history.

From that sense, everybody should write one!

This kind of story can even be compiled as an oral history of your families’ history and lives, which makes for an extremely personal keepsake.

Autobiographies are sometimes written in short form, as essays for college assignments. This is a similar exercise to writing a full book , but in a condensed format.

Another form of autobiography is as an autofiction. This book is based mostly upon autobiographical content, but is also a work of fiction. This is an easy way of avoiding any concerns you might have about privacy. If you are wanting to distance yourself a little and take more control over the content, then this may be the way to go.

You can also consider other formats, such as writing an autobiographical graphic novel, which has the essence of cool written all over it. If you are an artist or have a passion for strong visuals, this is something to consider.

8. How to Plan

“Look for the times when your life changed the most, and when you changed the most, those are the times of peak drama in your life.” Janice Erlbaum, The Autobiographer’s Handbook

An excellent practice when learning how to start an autobiography, is to begin by writing out all of the significant events in your life. These could be anything; from graduating college, to losing your virginity, to being born. Whatever you think is most important and noteworthy, write it down.

You can later play with the order of events if you like, to shake things up a little bit,  but for now, just get anything and everything you can think of written down.

When considering how to write an autobiography, it seems to be the most natural of all genres to plan. This is because within it’s very construction there is a presumption of what it will be about: events in your life. From this sense, it is already set up for you. In some ways, this makes writing a lot easier. On the other hand, the risk that easy planning poses, is boredom. For the reader or yourself. The challenge then becomes, how to make these life events interesting and stand out. But we’ll get to that a bit later on…

Nb If you are a pantser (someone who likes to write by the seat of your pants) then you might want to skip this step. In all likelihood you have something in mind to write about, so just start there.

9. Writing Schedule

A schedule helps you to get things done. You will know what works best for you after trying a few things out. You could try planning out how much you are going to write by the hour (i.e. I will write for an hour a day, every weekday) or by word count (I will write 500 words a day). Be realistic and don’t overwhelm yourself. If you are too overambitious, you may find you end up not writing at all.

Otherwise, you could aim to write a certain section of the book per week or month if that works better for you. Because autobiography is so clearly and easily arranged into story beats (was born, had first pimple, dyed hair red etc.) organizing your writing by these events works for almost all writers, even if you are not a fan of planning.

Ask yourself the question, what’s the minimum I could manage on a regular basis? And be honest.

Everyone has their own writing style, including the way they schedule (or don’t schedule) their writing habits. So don’t ever let anyone tell you how you should be writing. It’s up to you.

10. How to Start an Autobiography

Well, now you have a list of important events in your life, starting to write should be pretty straight forward. If you don’t like planning, it’s even simpler, just pinpoint a significant moment in time and get to work! If you have a plan, all you need to do is start writing out a first draft of each event.

Next up we have a few tips and tricks to get you started.

11. Go Digging

While figuring out how to write an autobiography, you will want to have everything you are writing as fresh and vivid in your mind as possible. This clarity will translate onto the page and give your readers a strong impression of each moment.

To do this, you will be wanting to dig out any old photos of you and whomever you might be writing about, and begin filing things away for each chapter or section of the book.

You also might find it beneficial to interview anyone who remembers what happened. This can bring a new light on old events. Try using a recorder or dictaphone and typing up the best bits once you’re done.

12. Fill Up Your Senses

A good way to get into the moment before a writing session is to surround yourself with the materials relating to that particular event. Look at photos or listen to recordings from around that time, and jot down any thoughts you might have about them.

You may also want to listen to some music from the time. If you have any old clothes or keepsakes from the person, you will also want them to be around or near as you write. Listen to any interviews about the time or the characters before writing.

13. Write a letter

If you’re struggling to start writing, you can try writing a letter to yourself or to other members of the family from the time. This is a very personal way of connecting with the past. Remembering your connection to your characters will help your writing to flow more easily and mean you have material to draw from before you even start writing.

14. Emotions

Writing about certain life events is likely to be emotional. Say you had a car crash when you were younger, or had to deal with some maltreatment of some kind, this will impact your writing, and how you feel about it.

It can be a difficult balance. You need to care enough about your subject matter to write it. But you don’t want your emotions to take over to the point where style and the content of your book suffers.

While feeling impassioned by your writing, it is also important to be able to step back and take a second look at your viewpoint. This may take several rewrites to get right.

If you are finding it difficult, then consider writing out as many different viewpoints of the event as you possibly can. This will open up how you see it and may even lead to an inspiring revelation for both you and your book.

15. New Insights

One of the benefits of learning how to write an autobiography, is that, as you develop as a writer, new insights will likely occur.

So while emotions can run high, it is good to know that writing about anything difficult that has happened in your life can help you psychologically.

Dr. James Pennebaker, a professor at Austin Texas university discovered that students who wrote for just fifteen minutes a day over three days about difficult or emotional experiences had a better level of wellbeing. He found that going through the process was upsetting for them, but it was the new insights the students discovered through the process of writing, that led to their improved levels of psychological health.

16. Take Care

As with memoir, if you feel that it is too much to write any subject matter, always take a break and come back to it (or not). Your mental health and general wellbeing are always more important than a book.

17. Know Your Why

Make sure that you don’t add in topics or incidents simply to vent about them. Instead, get all your feelings out about it during your first draft, and then start with a fresh perspective. If your writing is only about venting, it will not interest the reader. You may come across as petty or whiny.

Instead, you will want to make sure you can see the benefit of sharing your experiences with people. When you truly know how to write an autobiography, it should empower and enlighten people and help them connect to your story, rather than reading like an unfinished diary entry. It is perfectly acceptable for it to start out that way. But by the end of your writing process, you should be confident in the purpose of why you are writing your book, and what kind of impact it will have on its readers.

Knowing why you are writing will keep you on the right track, and help you like a compass in the storm, when you are lost.

18. Tone of Voice

An important aspect of telling your story will be your narrative style and tone of voice. This completely depends upon who you are writing for and the purpose of your book.

If you are writing for your grandchildren, for example, you may use more simplistic language. If you are writing for a broader audience, then you may use a more neutral tone. Writing for friends? You might want to use more familial or colloquial terms.

This also depends a lot on what kind of person you are, and you will want your attitude and personality to be reflected in your writing. This should happen naturally, but don’t be afraid to write as if you are talking or to use a recording device and write up your account of each chapter afterwards.

Pro tip: Relax. You won’t find your tone of voice by constantly thinking about how you might come across. Just write as you think and your natural expression will do the rest.

19. First or Third Person?

You can experiment with viewpoint as you go along, but once you have chosen, you will be wanting to stick with it. Third person gives us the feeling it has been written by someone else. So, if you are employing a ghostwriter or are working on a fictional work, then this is a good way to go.

First person is the generally accepted viewpoint for most autobiographies, because it is your story, and you are the one writing it.

20. Conflict

As you recall the people in your life, adding in any conflicts, even if they are comical, will add to the richness of the book. Conflict drives drama, intrigue and interest. And that’s what you want, if you want your book read, that is.

21. Story Arc

One of the most critical components of how to write an autobiography is story arc. Like most genres of story, autobiography is no exception and will need some sort of an all-encompassing story arc. This is one of the main challenges you may face while writing this kind of book.

It simply can’t be a long list of events and then an ending. They have to all meld together cohesively in order to have some sort of an impact on your reader.

A story arc gives writers a structure, in which our main character aims to do something, and then either manages (or doesn’t) to achieve it. There are normally many obstacles in the protagonist’s way, and they must overcome them. Simply put, our main character must get from A to B. And you will need to decide at some point, what your start and end points in the story will be.

This ties into your overall message in the book. The great thing about autobiography is that it basically tells your reader who you are as a person.

You can start by making a note of your core beliefs and who you feel you are as a person before you begin. But don’t be surprised if, as you write, you reveal a value you hold that you had never especially acknowledged. This is a true gift to the reader, to leave them with your wisdom or knowledge.

Your philosophy can play a big role in the book, as it has likely led you to make certain decisions and can be featured and interlaced with certain events when your process of decision making was integral to the direction of your life.

22. Comedy and Funny Anecdotes

While you don’t want to overdo it on the comedy (unless it is a comedic autobiography, in which case, carry on!) a little comic relief can work wonders in this genre. It can lighten the mood and even make sad moments even more poignant. Funny stories specific to your family can add to the color of your characters, so they don’t fall flat .

23. Where to Begin ?

Think about when you might want to start your story. The logical point to start is from birth, but as your writing evolves over time, you may change your mind. You may want to add some perspective about your life from before you were even born. Your heritage may also be a large influence on who you are as a person today.

Once you have written a full first draft, you can consider changing around the order. Editing in this way can make for a more dynamic and varied read. If placed in the right way, you can even add in a plot twist or add to the suspense of your book.

24. Consider Your Reader

Don’t rest on your laurels. This can especially be a risk if you are writing only for friends or family. Just because someone knows you, it doesn’t mean your story will automatically become interesting to them. It will likely make it more interesting than if you were a random passerby, true. But this is not something to take for granted.

This point can be ignored during the first draft, but as you begin to develop your story, it becomes an implicit part of the process.

If you are wanting your book to sell, this becomes even more important as the reader’s interest and word of mouth can mean the difference between a book being put down or another sale.

25. How to Make Events More Colorful

Once you have written the thing, you will want to make sure that it is an interesting read. Even if you are writing just for friends and family, they will want to be excited by your life. And surely, that is why you are writing this in the first place?!

So a few tips to make sure that each story beat pops with color is to:

• 1. Keep a notebook with you at all times for when you remember particular details about a person or place. Details will always give your story more originality and color.
• 2. Show don’t tell – this is always relevant to any kind of writing and autobiography is no exception. Try adding in things you saw, smelt, tasted or touched within the scene. Avoid making a statement and describe what happened in the moment, instead.
• 3. Add metaphor or simile- when describing a character or a vivid memory, don’t just describe how it looked on the surface. Unless this is not at all your writing style, you can enjoy emphasizing how something made you feel through descriptions that include metaphor. (use ext link for how to use metaphor) For example, ‘she was as fit as a fiddle’.
• 4. Avoid common descriptive words – words such as ‘nice’ and ‘good’ should be considered with great caution once you have reached the third draft of your book.

26. Consider Your Reader

An important part of knowing how to write an autobiography, is having an awareness of the reader throughout the entire manuscript. This is not only a book for you. So don’t rest on your laurels.

This can especially be a risk if you are writing only for friends or family. Just because someone knows you, it doesn’t mean your story will automatically become interesting to them. It will likely make it more interesting than if you were a random passerby, true. But this is not something to take for granted.

Many new writers are tempted to leave in every detail of their life. But longer doesn’t always equal better – often it means that you simply haven’t cut out the parts that aren’t needed. So make sure you have your ego in check – don’t make your book too long just for the sake of it. Just because it’s interesting to you, does not mean every reader will want to know about it – family and friends included.

The average autobiography is around 75,000 words long. Much shorter than 60,000 and you might want to find other sources to write about, and any longer than 100,000, you might want to cut it down a bit.

28. Consider Privacy/Confidentiality

Much like memoir, autobiography includes characters who are real people. This means that some might be negatively affected by your work. So make sure to talk to those involved and to have an attorney at hand, just in case.

If you are unsure about leaving in their real name, it is best to give their character a pseudonym.

29. Editing

Both editing your book and getting it proofread will make or break it.

That means that you will want to find a professional editor to work with, who knows what she or he is doing. Ideally, you will want to find someone who is experienced in editing autobiography or memoir. Check that you have similar values and that you are both clear on what you are going to be working on, before you start.

30. Proofreading

Make sure that all your hard work shows. You can have a strong storyline and everything else in place, but if there’s a typo on the front cover, there is no way you will be taken seriously.

So, ask friends to check over your manuscript, or better yet, employ a few proofreaders to check it over for you. Don’t use the same editor to proofread, as they will find it more challenging to spot minute mistakes by the time they have reread the story more than once. A fresh pair of eyes will likely do a better job.

31. Autobiographies on the Shelf

The autobiographies in our bookshops today, you will notice, are mostly written by celebrities. This is because they often have interesting lives that we want to read about. They include incidents that we could never have access to otherwise, in our day to day lives.

And that’s what makes them so appealing.

Most people are not so interested in other’s lives, unless they have done something extraordinary. So if you’re thinking of writing something purely to try and get it sold, then you might want to rethink the genre you are writing in. We’re not saying it doesn’t happen that unknown authors sell a lot of autobiographies. It does. It’s just a lot less likely.

But don’t dismay, this is only a problem if that is the only reason you are writing your book. If it is because you feel impassioned to do so, then that is all the reason you need.

If it is for your friends and family to read, then you need not worry about big sales or landing a large publisher. It is so easy to self-publish these days on a relatively small budget, that you are pretty much guaranteed to achieve your aim.

If you are looking for a book deal, then you might be hard pushed, if you can’t say your life has an original element to it at all. If this is the case, consider writing a memoir , instead. There are many more memoirs written by ordinary people with extraordinary stories, than autobiographies. Because people love to hear about how ordinary people overcame the odds.

No matter what your reason, if you believe in your book enough to start writing the first page, then don’t let anyone stop you from writing the book inside of you.

So there you have it. Hopefully you will now feel confident about how to write an autobiography and ready to start. All it takes, is putting pen to paper.

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50 Exclusive Writing Prompts For High School Students

• February 23, 2024

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What is a writing prompt, types of writing prompts for high school students, 1. combating writer’s block, 2. skill development, 3. self-discovery and expression, frequently asked questions, we also recommend.

Writing is an essential skill for high school students, whether they are working on essays, creative writing pieces, or research papers. However, sometimes it can be difficult to come up with new and interesting topics to write about. This is where writing prompts come in handy. They can help you explore different themes, genres, and styles of writing, pushing you to think outside the box and expand your writing abilities.

In this article, we have compiled a list of 50 exclusive writing prompts specifically tailored for high school students. These prompts cover a wide range of subjects and genres, from personal narratives to persuasive essays to fictional stories.

Whether you’re looking to challenge yourself with a new writing style or simply want to explore different themes, these prompts are sure to inspire you and help you improve your writing skills.

A writing prompt serves as a cue to guide individuals toward a particular topic, task, or objective. It can take the form of text, a single word, or an image, prompting individuals to engage in writing about a specified topic in a specific manner. These prompts are often utilized in assessments or activities to encourage critical thinking and expression, providing students with a starting point for their writing endeavors.

There are various types of writing prompts suitable for high school students. Here are a few examples:

1. Narrative Prompts: This prompt encourages students to develop characters, setting, plot, and conflict within a story

• Example : You discover a mysterious note tucked inside an old book. What does it say and where does it lead you?

2. Descriptive Prompts: This prompt focuses on using sensory details to create a vivid image

• Example : Describe the feeling of sand slipping through your fingers as you watch the sunset on a beach.

SEE ALSO: 50 Creative Narrative Writing Prompts to Ignite Your Imagination

3. Expository Prompts:

• Example: Explain the process of photosynthesis to a young child. (This prompt requires students to break down complex information into clear and understandable language)

4. Persuasive or Argumentative Prompts: This prompt encourages students to research, develop a stance, and provide evidence to support their argument

• Example: Should social media platforms be held responsible for the spread of misinformation?

5. Reflective Prompts: This prompt encourages students to look inward, reflect on personal experiences, and articulate their growth

• Example: Describe a time you faced a difficult decision and how you overcame it.

6. Creative Prompts: This prompt allows for imaginative expression and experimentation with different forms of writing

• Example: Write a poem from the perspective of a tree witnessing the changing seasons.

7. Analytical Prompts: This prompt requires critical thinking and interpretation of literary elements

• Example: Analyze the symbolism used in Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” and its significance to the play’s themes.

What Are The Benefits of Writing Prompts?

Writing prompts offer a lot of benefits for high school students, from conquering writer’s block to honing their storytelling skills . Here are some key advantages:

Stuck staring at a blank page? Prompts act like magic sparks, igniting your imagination and providing a launchpad for creative ideas.

With diverse prompts covering different genres, themes, and styles, you’re bound to find something that piques your interest and unlocks your storytelling potential.

You can practice specific skills like descriptive writing, dialogue, or world-building through targeted exercises woven into prompts. To make the best of it, use prompts as springboards to explore emotions, values, and perspectives, weaving them into captivating narratives that reflect your unique voice.

READ ALSO: 10 Effective Writing Strategies to Enhance Your Writing Skills

You can use prompts for introspection and reflection, writing about experiences, feelings, and lessons learned, fostering personal growth. It also helps in unleashing your personal voice and perspective through your writing, showcasing your creativity and individuality.

Descriptive :

• Capture the chaotic energy of a school lunchroom at peak hour, using all five senses to immerse the reader in the experience.
• Describe a character’s most prized possession, revealing their personality and aspirations through its details and history.
• Paint a picture with words of a breathtaking natural landscape you’ve witnessed, conveying its raw beauty and emotional impact.
• Transport the reader to a bustling marketplace in a foreign country, highlighting the sights, sounds, and smells that paint a vivid cultural portrait.
• Imagine a world where emotions have colors and auras. Describe how a specific emotional state manifests visually and how it affects the surroundings.
• You wake up in a completely white room with no furniture or windows. Describe the disorienting atmosphere and how your senses adapt to the sensory deprivation.
• Detail the transformation of a familiar object as it ages, focusing on the subtle changes in its appearance and the emotions it evokes.
• Capture the quiet intimacy of a rainy evening spent indoors, emphasizing the comforting sights, sounds, and smells that create a peaceful atmosphere.
• Describe a character’s most treasured memory, using sensory details and evocative language to transport the reader back in time and experience it alongside them.
• Imagine you can taste memories. Describe the flavor and texture of a particularly significant memory, explaining what it reveals about your past and yourself.

Related Post: 50 Exclusive 2nd Grade Writing Prompts That are Printable for Free

Expository/Informative:

• Explain the history and cultural significance of a traditional dish from your family heritage, detailing its ingredients, preparation process, and meaning within your community.
• Create a step-by-step guide for a unique skill or hobby you possess, making it clear and accessible even for beginners.
• Research and explain the science behind a natural phenomenon that fascinates you, using clear language and engaging examples to captivate your reader.
• Write a detailed profile of a historical figure who inspires you, highlighting their achievements, struggles, and impact on the world.
• Compare and contrast two opposing ideologies or social movements, clearly explaining their core principles, similarities, and key differences.
• Explore the ethical implications of a recent technological advancement, presenting a balanced perspective on its potential benefits and drawbacks.
• Research and explain the cultural traditions and customs of a specific community, emphasizing their unique practices and their significance to its members.
• Create an informative guide to navigating a challenging experience, such as starting a new school, overcoming a fear, or making a major life decision.
• Research and explain the different learning styles and how they can be applied to improve academic performance.
• Investigate and describe the unique ecosystem of a local park or nature reserve, highlighting its biodiversity and the importance of conservation efforts.

Narrative :

• You discover a dusty journal in your attic filled with cryptic entries. As you decipher them, they lead you on a thrilling adventure to uncover a family secret.
• Imagine you can communicate with animals. Write a story about a unique friendship you develop with a local creature and the challenges and joys it brings.
• You wake up on a deserted island with no memory of how you got there. Craft a story about your struggle for survival and the mysteries you unravel along the way.
• Write a coming-of-age story about a character facing a pivotal decision that will shape their future. Explore their internal conflict, external pressures, and the ultimate choice they make.
• Imagine a world where dreams become reality. Write a story about the exciting possibilities and unexpected dangers that arise in this unique setting.
• You receive a mysterious letter inviting you to join a secret society. Describe your decision-making process and the thrilling adventures that await you if you accept.
• Rewrite a classic fairytale from the perspective of the villain, revealing their motivations and shedding light on their side of the story.
• Write a story about a time you faced a difficult situation and the unexpected heroes who emerged to help you overcome it.
• Craft a narrative set in a dystopian future where a specific aspect of life is drastically different from our world. Explore the challenges and consequences faced by its inhabitants.
• You find a magic lamp containing a mischievous genie who only grants ironic wishes. Write a humorous story about how you outsmart them and achieve your desired outcome.

READ ALSO: 50 Exclusive First Grade Writing Prompts that are Printable for Free

• Should social media platforms be held responsible for the spread of misinformation? Present your stance with supporting arguments and evidence.
• Is artificial intelligence a threat to humanity or a tool for progress? Analyze both sides of the debate and express your informed opinion.
• Are standardized tests an effective measure of student learning? Explain your view and suggest alternative methods for assessing academic achievement.
• Should school uniforms be mandatory in all public schools? Explore the potential benefits and drawbacks and justify your opinion.
• Should schools prioritize mental health education and resources for students? Offer your opinion and suggest specific recommendations.
• Is it ethical to use genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in agriculture? Analyze the arguments for and against and state your position.
• Should space exploration be a priority when there are so many problems on Earth? Defend your stance with well-reasoned arguments.
• Are video games a positive or negative influence on young people? Explain your viewpoint based on research and personal experience.
• Is social media more harmful than helpful for society? Explore both sides of the debate and express your informed opinion.

Persuasive :

• Write a persuasive essay convincing your school board to implement a new program or initiative you believe would benefit students.
• Craft a letter to the editor urging your community to take action on an important environmental issue.
• Develop a social media campaign aimed at raising awareness about a social injustice you care about.
• Write a speech persuading your classmates to participate in a specific school event or fundraiser.
• Create a blog post advocating for a cause you believe in, using compelling arguments and emotional appeals.
• Research and write a report on the history and future of a specific technology that interests you.
• Investigate and analyze the impact of a particular historical event on society and its lasting effects.
• Explore the scientific evidence behind a controversial topic and present your findings in an objective and balanced manner.
• Research and explain the cultural diversity of a specific region or country, highlighting its unique traditions and customs.
• Investigate the different career paths available in a field you’re interested in and present your findings to help others explore their options.
• Choose an ancient proverb or famous saying from another language and research its original meaning, historical context, and how it’s interpreted in today’s world.

These 50 writing prompts for high school students offer a diverse landscape of possibilities, inviting you to traverse genres, explore emotions, and delve into self-discovery. Remember, the journey is just as important as the destination. So, grab your pen, embrace the adventure, and see where your words take you. You might surprise yourself with the stories you tell and the worlds you create.

While answers can provide inspiration and ideas, it’s crucial to develop your own voice and perspective. Use them as starting points, not complete scripts.

You can find more writing prompts through online resources, books, writing workshops, teacher recommendations, and even everyday observations.

It depends! Some prompts might lead to short stories, while others inspire poems or journal entries. There’s no specific length requirement.

Absolutely! Prompts are meant to be springboards, not limitations. Adapt them to fit your style, interests, and desired outcome.

Share your work with trusted friends, teachers, or writing communities for feedback. Focus on improving your skills and expressing yourself authentically.

• storywritingacademy.com –  60 Creative Journal Prompts for Teenagers
• creativewritingedu.org –  What is a Prompt in Writing?
• 50 Exclusive 3rd Grade Writing Prompts that are Printable for Free
• 50 Exclusive 6th Grade Writing Prompts that are Printable for Free
• What is a Prompt in Writing? Choosing the Right Writing Prompt for Your Genre and Style
• 50 Exclusive 4th Grade Writing Prompts That Are Printable For Free

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Essays About Autobiography: Top 4 Examples and 8 Prompts 

Essays about autobiography help readers understand an individual’s life through that very person’s eyes. Learn to write these in this article.

Many people write autobiographies to describe or depict an important challenge or event in their lives. For some, their autobiography stands as proof of their victory over a challenge or event. Other people want to share their life lessons or truths through their autobiographies. Many authors wish to inspire and entertain readers by sharing their life stories.

Autobiographies provide a way for readers to learn things vicariously. Readers don’t need to endure or experience the lives of others to pick up life lessons from them. They can also easily grasp specific techniques, outlooks, or motivations from great individuals to withstand challenges in their own lives.

If you want to read essays on autobiographies, continue below for some examples. You can also use them as models when it’s time to write your autobiography. 

See these 7 best essay writing apps to help you with your essay.

Essays About Autobiography

1. my autobiography example by gene geralde gonzales, 2. my autobiography essay by janie thompson, 3. example of autobiography of a student by elizabeth austen, 4. i wrote an autobiography in 1988 at age 14; here it is by ryan rumsey, 1. why i eat rice with every meal: an autobiography, 2. my philosophy in life, 3. the things that made me what i am today, 4. how people in my life have turned me into a writer, 5. random musings, 6. your favorite things, people, events, and others, 7. a set of experiences, 8. life or career goals.

“I had a hard time [in] adjusting to a new environment, with different culture and dialect, as well. After six months, I was able to communicate with the family members of my employer in Mandarin, their native language, and also do well with my daily activities, especially cooking their Chinese dishes.”

In her essay, Gonzales details her life, starting from her basic details, family, and where she came from. Next, she describes how her family spends time, hobbies, and her career as a domestic helper. Finally, she includes what she did with the money she collected from working abroad and her next plans.

You might enjoy our round-up of the best autobiographies and the best memoir writers .

“In the attempt to continue our family tradition, I wanted to get a degree in the field of costume design. This issue caused my great interest since the set of particular skills needed for this profession would give [me] the opportunity to develop myself, as well as my career, in different business areas.”

Thompson’s essay begins with her name, birth date, and family. Then, after describing some more basic information about herself, she described her career and why she chose this path. She also describes the skills she needed to learn and develop to make it far in the fashion industry. Finally, she ends her essay with a short story about her own family and her new business on children’s clothing.

“My main belief in life is that everything should be in harmony. People have to keep balance in all spheres of life: society, family, work, friendship, and others. Studying art is my personal way to keep balance.”

Austen’s short essay shows her focus on art. It had a similar beginning to our other two examples: a brief depiction of her background. She later describes how her passion for art grew and developed.

“The qualities of adults I respect and admire the most are being enjoyable and having fun because with all the worries of adults, it’s remarkable to see them have fun and let go of all worries. The quality I least respect is when adults misunderstand you and yell at you.”

Rumsey’s autobiographical essay describes almost every aspect of his life at age 14, including his hobbies, family, and best friend. In addition, he notes down his favorite television shows, sports, and why friendship is important to him. He says that he had loved every year of his fourteen-year-old life and that he hopes the reader enjoyed reading it just as much. For more, check out these articles about autobiography .

8 Prompts and Ideas for Writing Essays About Autobiography

You’ve read various autobiographical essays, and it’s now your turn to write yours. Do you want to avoid the typical essay about autobiography and do something different? Use the ideas and topics listed below as a starting point or focus. 

If you need help, check out this guide to the best story writing apps .

Autobiographies provide a way for you to describe the environment in which you grew up or developed. This essay idea is an excellent option or starting point for people with a heritage or culture that involves rice in almost every meal, like an Asian heritage. You can also change the topic to suit something else that is unique or stereotypical to your heritage.

Autobiographical essays often start with the basic details of the writer’s life. However, you can go deeper by describing your philosophy in life. You can focus on your philosophy and describe how it has changed your way of living. For example, you became a vegetarian or vegan after adopting the philosophies of Buddhism or Hinduism.

In this essay, you describe how you found success in life by first describing what made you successful. These things can range from a tough early life or a supportive family. It can also include specific events that changed how you approach life, like the sudden death of a dear friend.

Your autobiography essay can also describe how people in your life have pushed you to take a particular path. The essay idea isn’t limited to writers only. You can also change the keyword to what you are now. It can go beyond your career or job and cover religion, political belief, or general outlook. Examples include an optimist, Christian, or teacher.

You can also write an essay on an autobiography that doesn’t focus on anything specific. It only needs to make sense and cohesiveness to be a good essay. The random musings you can describe in your essay may include regrets, daydreams, phobias, anxieties, and spiritual beliefs. You can even describe your many habits, why you like or dislike them, and how they developed.

Young writers may find it easier to write their essays about autobiographies when they describe their favorite things and why young writers like them. These favorite things could be as simple as their favorite color. They can also detail their favorite bands, sports, hobbies, books, music, friends, etc.

You can write your essay about autobiography by focusing on a particular experience or set of experiences. For example, you are an athlete who has tried different combat sports and martial arts. You can start by discussing your first combat sport and why you enrolled in it. You can also include your tournament experiences, the preparation that led up to it, and how you felt after the competition. It can also apply to work, being a dancer, academic life, and others.

Your autobiographic essays don’t always need to be about what has already happened to you. Sometimes, they can also discuss the future. You’d still need to describe your past or current life. The fun part is that you can add your expectations in the next five or ten years. Discuss your next steps forward and how they may play into achieving your goals.

Are you stuck picking your next essay topic? Read about how to write an essay about diversity .

Maria Caballero is a freelance writer who has been writing since high school. She believes that to be a writer doesn't only refer to excellent syntax and semantics but also knowing how to weave words together to communicate to any reader effectively.

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The best writing prompts for high school

Ah, high school. The birthplace of future geniuses, the setting of a million Young Adult books — and the cutting ground of many a brilliant young author. Writing in the classroom is often the best outlet of creativity for kids, and what better way to get your students excited about it than through creative writing prompts for high school students?

Whether you use journal prompts or story ideas to kickstart your high school student’s imagination, writing prompts are sure to help broaden their thinking, sharpen their writing skills, record their thoughts, and get them to engage with the world around them.

If you're looking to cut to the chase, here's a top ten list of writing prompts for high school students:

• In the form of diary/ journal entries, write about someone who's just experienced a big "first."
• Just then, your phone rings. It's your friend and they have some interesting news...
• Write a short story where the protagonist has a doppelgänger.
• Write a story about a misunderstanding.
• Write a story about a strange family tradition, with at least two characters from the family narrating in the course of the story.
• Write a story about someone who would be described, above all else, as: kind.
• Write a story that centers on an Instagram post.
• Write a story that spans a month during which everything changes.
• Write about a group of people determined to win an award for making the biggest cookie ever.
• Write about someone going to extreme lengths to return an overdue library book.

If you have a high school student who’s interested in becoming an author, check out our free resources on the topic:

Develop a Writing Routine (free course) — Any high schooler who’s serious about becoming a published author should know that writing a book doesn’t just take talent. 90% of the process is sitting in front of a blank piece of paper, and having the drive and commitment to put words to paper. That’s why we created this free course, which shows people of any age how to develop a writing routine that works for you. It’s never too early to start the process today!

Want to encourage your high school students to start writing? Check out Reedsy’s weekly short story contest , for the chance of winning $250! You can also check out our list of writing contests or our directory of literary magazines for more opportunities to submit your story.

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Elementary Assessments

61 Great High School Writing Prompts

Encourage high school students to stretch their writing skills using this collection of engaging high school writing prompts.

Whether you want students to express their beliefs or share what they know, these writing prompts for high school will help to serve the purpose.

That’s why these prompts make a great addition to your writing activities collection.

What’s more, these high school writing prompts activate critical thinking, boost confidence in expressing one’s thoughts, and sharpen writing skills.

So schedule into your weekly lesson plans a handful of these high-interest high school writing prompts.

Related: best bell ringers for high school

High School Writing Prompts

1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of being in high school?

2. Explain step-by-step how to build a campfire.

3. Write a short autobiography about your life.

4. Tell about your favorite music and why you like it.

5. What would you like to express to adults about what it’s like to be a high school student in this time period?

6. Why do you think some people are bullies?

7. Write a letter to your future self 20 years from now.

8. What qualities make a house a home? Explain your thinking.

9. Explain step-by-step how to care for a pet.

10. What learning experiences have you had in high school that will be useful to you after high school?

11. Why do you think it’s helpful to respond to high school writing prompts?

12. Which do you think is best: online learning or in-person learning? Explain.

13. Compare and contrast your current grade level with your previous one.

14. Write about what you think the world will be like in 100 years.

15. If you were to start your own YouTube channel, what would your channel be about and why?

16. Describe a gift that can’t be wrapped.

17. If you could start a business, what kind would you start and why?

18. Write a story that takes place on Friday, the 13th.

19. Pretend you founded a new city. Describe this new place.

20. Draft a recipe for something that is not food.

21. Create a story about you as an emoji. What is a typical day like for you?

22. In the morning, once everyone leaves for the day, items in your closet start talking. Create a story about what’s going on.

23, Describe a usual day in the life of a water bottle.

24. Invent a new online game, and describe how to play it.

25. Write a story about what life would be like if your pet ran your household.

26. Imagine that your house has a mysterious history. Write a story about what happened before you lived there.

27. Write a story about trading places with your favorite celebrity for a day.

28. Draft a story about a character who has two big problems.

29. Write about a character who has the superpower of changing colors like a chameleon.

30. For a day, you are a chair. Tell about a typical day in your life.

31. Write about a character who pretends to be illiterate but is actually a well-respected author.

32. Rewrite the ending to your favorite movie fairy tale.

33. Write a story that includes these three elements: sand, mermaid, swim

34. I unwrapped the gift, and what was inside shocked the room…

35. If you could change one thing about the world, what would it be and why?

36. Imagine that you are a social media superstar. Describe a typical day in your life.

37. Should community service be a requirement in order to graduate? Explain.

38. Persuade your teacher to change one classroom rule that you feel is too strict or unfair.

39. Write a letter convincing the principal to extend art, music, p.e, and drama classes during the school day.

40. Explain to a younger student the importance of keeping his/her desk organized.

41. Persuade your foreign language teacher to start a language Club.

42. Make an argument for or against the use of standardized tests to judge students’ learning performances.

43. Write a letter persuading the cafeteria staff to make changes to the lunch menu.

44. What does your dream job look like?

45. Convince your parents to allow you to apply for an after-school job.

46. Write a speech convincing your classmates to vote for you as class president.

47. Among an adult, child, or teenager, which is the best age period and why?

48. Explain the power of music in helping one to relax.

49. Describe the funniest teacher you’ve ever had.

50. Write about a time that you laughed uncontrollably.

51. Share a story about something that happened at school that you will remember forever.

52. Rewrite a childhood classic story with a humorous twist.

53. Retell the funniest joke you’ve ever heard.

54. Write about a time that you embarrassed yourself in front of classmates.

55. Tell a story about a day when everything went wrong.

56. Describe the best April Fool’s Day joke you’ve ever experienced.

57. Write a story about an entire day where everyone at school walks backwards.

58. Explain the story behind your name.

59. Write about a time you became very angry.

60. Summarize a good book you read recently.

61. If you could teach any school subject, what would it be and why?

Final Thoughts

Now you have a varied collection of high school writing prompts that even motivate reluctant writers.

If you found these high school writing prompts helpful, you may be interested in … high school writing project ideas .