Biography vs autobiography definition

What is a biography?

Typically written in the third person, a biography is a detailed story about a living or deceased person’s life.

A third party writes this non-fiction account of someone’s life. Let’s say Person A is a famous singer who recently passed away. Person B researches and writes a fact-based story on the famous singer’s life from start to finish.

Biography vs autobiography definition for kids

Person B’s factual story of Person A’s life is a biography.

Types of biographies

Biographies don’t always take the same approach or follow the same structure. Some are more official, while others get more creative.

Writers can choose from a few common biography types, including:

• Authorized biographies, which received the subject’s input and/or permission.
• Unauthorized biographies, which were written without the subject’s approval or input.
• Biographical novels, which were inspired by a real person’s life, but feature embellishments that may make the s