In English 1, you are going to read autobiographies. These autobiographies will be your training ground for writing your own autobiography. I am going to show you how to write one. I am not sure when you should write it, but I am going to prepare you to write it.
I want you to learn how to write well. The best way to write well is through lots of writing. The Ron Paul Curriculum provides many opportunities to write.
To write something really excellent, you need motivation. Most people are interested in their own experiences. Second, it is a good idea to write about something you know a lot about. People know about themselves.
By reading some of the best autobiographies ever written, you are going to learn what makes a good autobiography. You are also going to find out what detracts from an autobiography. You are going to read them, and I am going to show you how to mimic them. Class by class, I am going to take you through these autobiographies, page by page. I am going to show you why some things worked and some things did not.
These autobiographies will help you learn more about history. More important, they will help you organize your own thoughts. They will help you avoid errors that you otherwise would make.
One of the secrets of writing is to read good writers. If you get the right instruction, another secret of writing is to read not-so-good writers. As long as somebody teaches you why a particular writer was not such a good writer, and how he could have been a much better writer, you can learn how to become a good writer from not-so-good writers. This is exactly what I am going to do for you.
I recommend using the computer program Scrivener to begin assembling notes. Or use Evernote (www.evernote.com). It’s free.
Reading good autobiographies will give you a sense of what is possible. It will give you a target.
Lesson 1: Introduction to Autobiography
Your reading assignment is here. http://www.wikihow.com/Write-an-Autobiography
Here is a brief video on how to get started. After you watch this, watch my lecture.