Becoming a biographer requires strong writing and research skills, choosing a subject, and finding a way to get published. A degree in history, literature, communications, or journalism can be helpful. Getting published can be challenging, but having an agent or publishing online can be options.
To become a biographer, a person needs strong writing and research skills, and will need, if writing biographies as a career, to find methods to get published. There can be different ways of acquiring research and writing knowledge, and many different methods of publishing material, which are not always successful. One step in becoming a biographer is understanding that people are going to write about others, not their own lives (autobiography). Still, writers must be interested in their topics and able to write about them in new and fresh ways.
Many of those who would become biographers acquired significant skills in research and writing. Some do this without formal education, but many people have, at the very least, a bachelor’s degree. Choosing a college major may reflect topics of interest. If people plan on writing about historical figures, a history major might be appropriate. Biographers who wish to work in the more general subjects of biography may be better served by obtaining degrees in literature, communications or journalism. When people want to write biographies on modern affairs, mastering the art of the interview can be as important as learning to research, so a degree in journalism or communications may be desirable.
When people feel they are educated enough to become biographers, they can get to work choosing a person to research and write about. Before making a final choice, it’s a good idea to get a sense of what’s already been written about the person and decide whether the material can be approached from a fresh angle that piques interest. Once a subject is chosen, people start researching, interviewing if necessary, and writing.
It can take several years to put together a publishable biography, and most people have to work at the same time. Having a writing job is a good idea, or sometimes people can find government grants if creative work is considered important, although this is rare. When people can’t get a grant, trying to work in the writing world as a journalist can be helpful because it establishes credibility and can make valuable contacts.
Once a book is completed, a person has become a biographer, but publication is an important goal. Getting published isn’t easy, but it’s usually easier with agent representation. Agents can submit books for consideration by publishers, which may result in publication. Some agents and publishers require books to be professionally edited first, and this can cost money.
A less formal approach, which may not make a lot of money, is to publish a biography in ebook format or online. There are also vain publishers, but they demand money up front, and then an author must try to sell the books he publishes. While this is a more competitive route, a person is generally better off trying to become a biographer by getting books published by a legitimate source.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
