How do I write a good biography? Any useful tips?

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This is not my special interest, but I am fascinated with seeing children grow up from tiny babies, and I would like to write a biography on a made-up family who has children and the children grow up throughout. When we first moved to the house I live in now, I was only about 8 months old, and we had the same neighbours next door who have seen me grow up, and when I was 17, they moved right up to somewhere in Scotland. In their place a new family lives there now, and they have a little child (they've been there over 4 years, and the child is 5 now). And I'll probably see him grow up, (or if I move out my parents will still probably see him grow up). And I'd love to write an interesting novel or biography about a child growing up, but I've started a story about it but it's too boring and basic to read. I love writing stories, but I can't seem to write really good stories - even though I've liked writing since I was 5 or 6.

I've tried looking ''how to write a story'' up on google, but the tips aren't helpful enough. Is there any Aspies on here who like writing stories and is good at doing it aswell, who can give me some tips? Or does anyone know of any good websites (other than google) where there's professional tips for writing stories?

Well, first of all, this isn't a biography, this is more of a novel, more like a first person perspective. So if you are going to chronicle the growth of a kid from 2 years old to 20 years old, then you need an idea for the direction of this character. It's impossible to write something like this without drawing from your own experiences. All art is a form of self-expression, so the character has to hit home and resonate with you. If it doesn't, it won't work as well. If you know what your writing style is, do that. Again, self-expression. You have to be enjoying yourself as you are writing it, or it won't sound as good. The point of writing something like this isn't to be accurate, because it takes the fun out of it. If you were an anthropologist, that might be different, but I'm going to assume your reasons for writing this book have nothing to do with science. It would also help to read other biographies and first person type of stories, to get an idea of what it should look like. I used to read books about a dog named Fred. Any childrens book for ages 7-13 or so will be helpful as well.

Hi Joe! That sounds like it will be an amazing story. Really amazing. I am fascinated by how people and things change over time too. I really like writing but I'm not sure I can give you any great tips except that your own particular writing style, whatever it is, is sure to have its own special hue that will make your story unique and interesting.

One thing I can say in general is that whatever way of working you are most excited about will probably be the way of working that produces the most exciting and meaningful story. If you have technical concerns like how to organize the material, you could (since this sounds like it will be a long manuscript) think ahead about how you want to divide the chapters and consider a few possibilities. Sorry, that's pretty vague advice. If you have any specific questions I'll try to give any advice I might be able to offer (again, as just one person who enjoys writing).

I do know of this website: absolutewrite.com (I just looked at it and the forums are kind of hard to find but they're on the right under "AW Pages of Interest".

Both of your advice was more helpful than what I've read on google.

Do you watch the Simpsons? If so, do you know the episode Who Shot Mr Burns? Although this has nothing to do with what I want to write about, but last year I wrote a story following the same storyline as this particular episode (actually they are split in two), but I replaced all the characters with people I know. It took up a lot of thinking, but it was easy to know how to start and finish, since I copied the same storyline but with different characters.
But making up stories with completely made up storylines is more difficult. I don't have enough imagination to be able to build up a unique storyline. But I've had a lot of family situations in the past, which is worth speaking of, so I might try to write about those situations, but with made-up characters.

Thanks for the tips.

Hi Joe! I haven't seen that particular episode but I can see how that was useful to you.

Your idea about using incidents that happened in the lives of family members seems like a good one (as long as they won't be shocked when they read it and find a piece of their life in your book!). Another idea would be to thin kof the neighbors you've noticed and force yourself to think about what they might do, how their lives might go when you do not see them. I know this requires imagination, which you say you lack, but I think anyone can have imagination if they just force themselves to do these thinking exercises.

For instance: you see a little boy with blond hair outside riding on a tricycle.

What questions does this scenario bring up? Maybe...

How old is he? Aren't kids usually 3 or 4 when they're able to ride a trike?
He must have been born around 2007 then (assuming "now" is 2011). What hospital was he born in? Was he even born in a hospital? Were his parents overjoyed to have him or were they not really ready for a kid?
If they weren't ready for a kid, was it because they are overburdened with other older kids they have already?
Does that mean this child gets paid less attention and has to entertain himself and is prone to riding in the middle of the street unattended on his trike?

I don't know if that made sense but just a simple image or memory from your real life can trigger all sorts of questions that you then have to answer with what you think would most logically fit there. And what you end up with is fiction.