Autobiography Writing Diploma

Autobiography/Biography Writing Diploma Course

The Autobiography/Biography Writing Diploma has all the information that any aspiring auto/biography writer needs to become successful in this writing genre in the UK. This course contains all the knowledge needed to write a commercially viable biography, and become an authority on your subject. From choosing the right person, to interviewing techniques, to ensuring your writing brings your subject to life, this course covers it all. You will receive a comprehensive introduction to writing gripping biographies and a thorough understanding of how to achieve success in the biography industry.

Introduction to the Autobiography/Biography Writing Diploma

This online course provides students with the opportunity to cover the diploma’s curriculum in their own time and at their own pace. Most students are able to complete the course in a reasonable amount of time while continuing to work full time.

As this course is online, this diploma is accessible from any device with an internet connection, and you will have access to online support during your study. Before completing the course, you must pass a comprehensive test, covering the curriculum in detail, which will lead to the award of your certificate. You can download and print the certificate yourself at home, or we can post it to you for a small additional cost.

What You Will Learn

This Autobiography/Biography Writing Diploma has been designed to give students a comprehensive overview of how to become a biographical writer and will set you on the route to success. This course will cover:

  • What a biography is
  • The practical aspects of becoming a writer
  • The lives and works of famous biographers
  • How to identify your target market
  • Working with your chosen subject and an extensive list of interview questions
  • The ethics of writing a biography, what to include and what to omit
  • How to create a research plan, organise your research, and tell your subject’s story
  • The technical aspects of writing and structure and keeping it interesting and dynamic
  • Developing self-confidence and belief in your abilities
  • Finding your own writing style
  • Writing your autobiography
  • Different publishing options, and how to approach publishers and deal with rejection

Benefits of the Auto/Biographical Writing Diploma

The Auto/Biographical Writing Diploma offers students the following benefits:

  • The ability to study anywhere at times that suit you
  • Study at your own pace, with no deadlines: complete it as quickly or as slowly as you like
  • Use any internet-enabled device to study on, including computers, tablets and mobile phones
  • Follow the course easily thanks to short, informative modules, which make studying fun
  • A convenient online support system, helping you to stay on track throughout the course
  • A comprehensive curriculum, providing you with the knowledge you need to begin writing biographies
  • Improved prospects when contacting publishers
  • Earning a certified, recognised diploma
  • An affordable cost

This course includes

24/7 Student Support

End of course certification

Lifetime access to your course

Compatible with modern devices

PLUS - Access to the exclusive New Skills Academy Study Group!
  • What is biographical writing?
  • Why pursue biographical writing as a career?
  • Why pursue autobiographical writing?
  • The basics of what to include in a biography
  • What tools you'll need to become a biographical writer
  • What personal skills a biographical writer should possess
  • The upsides and downsides of working from home as a writer
  • How to conduct great research and turn it into something interesting to read
  • William Shawcross, journalist and biographer of the Shah of Iran and Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother
  • Norman Mailer, novelist, playwright and Pulitzer Prize winning biographer of Lee Harvey Oswald
  • Robert Lacy, British historian and Royal biographer
  • Andrew Morton, sensational biographical writer of Diana: Her True Story
  • General tips on how to identify your target audience
  • Why readers love big biographies
  • Reasons why people should read more biographies, that may help you consider your target audience
  • Where biographies are in the leading book genres
  • Tips for a meaningful biographical interview
  • Thoughts to keep in mind when conducting a life interview
  • How to bond with your subject through their ancestors
  • Some great biography interview questions - beyond the obvious
  • Different approaches to biographical research
  • What to look for in a good biography - and what your readers will query
  • How to conduct thorough research
  • Getting it right - the importance of truth and accuracy
  • The process of deciding a subject
  • Formulating a research plan
  • The steps to writing a biography - getting everything in order
  • A basic biographical writing frame to elaborate on
  • Easy tips on how to fix a bad biography
  • Why your subject's life story can seem boring, and how to make it better without embellishing the truth
  • How to prevent boring your readers to sleep
  • Considering the factors that could make your writing dull to read
  • The key ingredients to make your writing flow
  • Drafting a fluid outline or biographical sketch
  • Great transition words to ensure your writing isn't choppy
  • Structuring your biographical details for flow and consistency
  • How to build your writing confidence
  • Secrets for writing with confidence
  • How to overcome writer's doubt
  • Tips for writing with a sense of purpose
  • A miniature biography writing outline
  • A quick and easy autobiographical exercise
  • Choosing a brief biography and identifying how you could elaborate on it
  • Simple writing exercises to get you thinking
  • What an autobiography is and what should you include
  • Ideas for getting started with your autobiography
  • Organising your details and what you must consider
  • Tips for making your biography more exciting
  • Publishing methods to consider and accumulating validation
  • Whether you should consider the self-publishing route
  • What to do if you get rejected and common reasons manuscripts are rejected
  • Taking steps towards self-publishing or publishing online, along with several top tips for self-publishing
ID: YDFT67YHJ
certificate

of achievement

This certificate is presented to

Your Name

NSA

For completing the

Autobiography Writing Diploma

on 21st November 2026

Selena Hurford

Selena Hurford

Course Tutor

cpd

Daniel Morgan

Daniel Morgan

Head of Academy

Certificate Example

Anyone who has an interest in learning more about this subject matter is encouraged to take the course. There are no entry requirements to take the course.

The course is broken down into 13 individual modules. Each module takes between 20 and 90 minutes on average to study. Although you are free to spend as much or as little time as you feel necessary on each module, simply log in and out of the course at your convenience.

You can study the course any time you like. Simply log in and out of the web based course as often as you require. The course is compatible with all computers, tablet devices and smart phones so you can even study while on the move!

Once you have completed all 13 modules there is a multiple choice test. The questions will be on a range of topics found within the 13 modules. The test, like the course, is online and can be taken a time and location of your choosing.

The pass mark for the test is 70%.

If you don’t pass the test first time you will get further opportunities to take the test again after extra study. There are no limits to the number of times you can take the test. All test retakes are included within the price of the course.

You can either use your Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Solo cards or PayPal account to pay for the online course. Our site uses the latest SSL encryption to ensure your safety. All payments are handled securely by PayPal.

You can begin the course immediately after your payment has been received. You will create your login details during the checkout process. We will also send you an email confirming your login details.

We estimate that the course will take about 20 hours to complete in total, plus an additional 30 minutes for the end of course test.

Once you have been awarded your certificate it is valid for life. The certificate does not expire or need renewing.

I honestly cannot recommend this course highly enough for anyone thinking of pursuing a career in Wedding Planning. The course was very obviously written by industry professionals. Course content was easy to understand, yet thorough and in depth. I also love that this course covered such a diverse range of topics including weddings from different cultures and religions, not just the standard white-dress chapel wedding. I really feel as though this course has given me a bounding head start in the wedding planning industry and I can't wait to get in there and start my own business. Highly recommend - worth every penny :)

Amy Stonehouse

I have really enjoyed doing the receptionist course online and I recommend anyone that wants to improve in whatever qualifications they wish to progress in to do it on New Skills Academy. It is very helpful and I have learnt a lot - My family members couldn’t believe how much I have progressed and they have actually said that they will probably do the courses online themselves. I will definitely finish the courses that I still have on here, and maybe do more courses in the future as I have learned a lot and I am willing to learn more as the resources you have on here are brilliant.

Kaoutar Benabdejlil

I am so far really enjoying the course. Information is really well presented and tests a great recap to information covered. I also think the Notes tool is a good addition, however, the saving seems a little unstable so I have lost notes on a couple of the modules.

I figured that I needed to save prior to taking the test, but had selected a picture and as there was no close option, I clicked back and lost the notes I had taken. Apart from that, I am really enjoying the format and am finding the information easy to retain.

Amanda Rolfe

I studied this course recently and found it to be very interesting, lots of information all easy to understand and printable. The videos were a great add on, easy to follow and understand, showed ways how to do the different types of massages, how to stand and extra information on how to go about adding this to your own business. Contacting the admin department was easy, answered calls very quickly and dealt with the issues straight away. Also a call back to make sure everything was ok. Received certificate within days and downloaded, very good quality. Would highly recommend learning this way!

Pamela Johnstone

I can honestly say that I have truly enjoyed learning about Microsoft Excel.
The step by step modules (36 of them!), breaking down each part of Excel was easy to understand and absorb. The explanations of each stage was handy for notes as well. The videos were helpful for directions and practise. The worksheets were helpful to put learning into action.
The test at the end was very good in covering many aspects of Excel, however I would have liked to know what I did not get correct. This would have been helpful.
However, I would gladly use a New Skills Academy course again.

Emma Mills

Very excellent learning and very good work. I am really enjoying it and growth in my mind set. If you have a methodical approach to your work, and you’re interested in Law, then becoming a Legal Secretary could be the perfect career move for you.

The main role of a Legal Secretary is to provide administrative support and services for Lawyers, Solicitors and Legal Executives. It is their job to ensure that an office runs smoothly and efficiently, enabling their employers to focus on serving their clients.

It is not a necessary requirement to have a degree to become a Legal Secretary. However, it is recommended to have some qualifications specific to the industry.

Muhammad Irshad

Duration:
20 hours

Access:
Lifetime Access

Approved by:
CPD

Learning Type:


Text based modules  Images 

Cost:
$100.00

Autobiography/Biography Writing Diploma Course

The Autobiography/Biography Writing Diploma has all the information that any aspiring auto/biography writer needs to become successful in this writing genre in the UK. This course contains all the knowledge needed to write a commercially viable biography, and become an authority on your subject. From choosing the right person, to interviewing techniques, to ensuring your writing brings your subject to life, this course covers it all. You will receive a comprehensive introduction to writing gripping biographies and a thorough understanding of how to achieve success in the biography industry.

Introduction to the Autobiography/Biography Writing Diploma

This online course provides students with the opportunity to cover the diploma’s curriculum in their own time and at their own pace. Most students are able to complete the course in a reasonable amount of time while continuing to work full time.

As this course is online, this diploma is accessible from any device with an internet connection, and you will have access to online support during your study. Before completing the course, you must pass a comprehensive test, covering the curriculum in detail, which will lead to the award of your certificate. You can download and print the certificate yourself at home, or we can post it to you for a small additional cost.

What You Will Learn

This Autobiography/Biography Writing Diploma has been designed to give students a comprehensive overview of how to become a biographical writer and will set you on the route to success. This course will cover:

  • What a biography is
  • The practical aspects of becoming a writer
  • The lives and works of famous biographers
  • How to identify your target market
  • Working with your chosen subject and an extensive list of interview questions
  • The ethics of writing a biography, what to include and what to omit
  • How to create a research plan, organise your research, and tell your subject’s story
  • The technical aspects of writing and structure and keeping it interesting and dynamic
  • Developing self-confidence and belief in your abilities
  • Finding your own writing style
  • Writing your autobiography
  • Different publishing options, and how to approach publishers and deal with rejection

Benefits of the Auto/Biographical Writing Diploma

The Auto/Biographical Writing Diploma offers students the following benefits:

  • The ability to study anywhere at times that suit you
  • Study at your own pace, with no deadlines: complete it as quickly or as slowly as you like
  • Use any internet-enabled device to study on, including computers, tablets and mobile phones
  • Follow the course easily thanks to short, informative modules, which make studying fun
  • A convenient online support system, helping you to stay on track throughout the course
  • A comprehensive curriculum, providing you with the knowledge you need to begin writing biographies
  • Improved prospects when contacting publishers
  • Earning a certified, recognised diploma
  • An affordable cost

This course includes

24/7 Student Support

End of course certification

Lifetime access to your course

Compatible with modern devices

PLUS - Access to the exclusive New Skills Academy Study Group!
  • What is biographical writing?
  • Why pursue biographical writing as a career?
  • Why pursue autobiographical writing?
  • The basics of what to include in a biography
  • What tools you'll need to become a biographical writer
  • What personal skills a biographical writer should possess
  • The upsides and downsides of working from home as a writer
  • How to conduct great research and turn it into something interesting to read
  • William Shawcross, journalist and biographer of the Shah of Iran and Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother
  • Norman Mailer, novelist, playwright and Pulitzer Prize winning biographer of Lee Harvey Oswald
  • Robert Lacy, British historian and Royal biographer
  • Andrew Morton, sensational biographical writer of Diana: Her True Story
  • General tips on how to identify your target audience
  • Why readers love big biographies
  • Reasons why people should read more biographies, that may help you consider your target audience
  • Where biographies are in the leading book genres
  • Tips for a meaningful biographical interview
  • Thoughts to keep in mind when conducting a life interview
  • How to bond with your subject through their ancestors
  • Some great biography interview questions - beyond the obvious
  • Different approaches to biographical research
  • What to look for in a good biography - and what your readers will query
  • How to conduct thorough research
  • Getting it right - the importance of truth and accuracy
  • The process of deciding a subject
  • Formulating a research plan
  • The steps to writing a biography - getting everything in order
  • A basic biographical writing frame to elaborate on
  • Easy tips on how to fix a bad biography
  • Why your subject's life story can seem boring, and how to make it better without embellishing the truth
  • How to prevent boring your readers to sleep
  • Considering the factors that could make your writing dull to read
  • The key ingredients to make your writing flow
  • Drafting a fluid outline or biographical sketch
  • Great transition words to ensure your writing isn't choppy
  • Structuring your biographical details for flow and consistency
  • How to build your writing confidence
  • Secrets for writing with confidence
  • How to overcome writer's doubt
  • Tips for writing with a sense of purpose
  • A miniature biography writing outline
  • A quick and easy autobiographical exercise
  • Choosing a brief biography and identifying how you could elaborate on it
  • Simple writing exercises to get you thinking
  • What an autobiography is and what should you include
  • Ideas for getting started with your autobiography
  • Organising your details and what you must consider
  • Tips for making your biography more exciting
  • Publishing methods to consider and accumulating validation
  • Whether you should consider the self-publishing route
  • What to do if you get rejected and common reasons manuscripts are rejected
  • Taking steps towards self-publishing or publishing online, along with several top tips for self-publishing
ID: YDFT67YHJ
certificate

of achievement

This certificate is presented to

Your Name

NSA

For completing the

Autobiography Writing Diploma

on 21st November 2026

Selena Hurford

Selena Hurford

Course Tutor

cpd

Daniel Morgan

Daniel Morgan

Head of Academy

Certificate Example

Anyone who has an interest in learning more about this subject matter is encouraged to take the course. There are no entry requirements to take the course.

The course is broken down into 13 individual modules. Each module takes between 20 and 90 minutes on average to study. Although you are free to spend as much or as little time as you feel necessary on each module, simply log in and out of the course at your convenience.

You can study the course any time you like. Simply log in and out of the web based course as often as you require. The course is compatible with all computers, tablet devices and smart phones so you can even study while on the move!

Once you have completed all 13 modules there is a multiple choice test. The questions will be on a range of topics found within the 13 modules. The test, like the course, is online and can be taken a time and location of your choosing.

The pass mark for the test is 70%.

If you don’t pass the test first time you will get further opportunities to take the test again after extra study. There are no limits to the number of times you can take the test. All test retakes are included within the price of the course.

You can either use your Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Solo cards or PayPal account to pay for the online course. Our site uses the latest SSL encryption to ensure your safety. All payments are handled securely by PayPal.

You can begin the course immediately after your payment has been received. You will create your login details during the checkout process. We will also send you an email confirming your login details.

We estimate that the course will take about 20 hours to complete in total, plus an additional 30 minutes for the end of course test.

Once you have been awarded your certificate it is valid for life. The certificate does not expire or need renewing.

I honestly cannot recommend this course highly enough for anyone thinking of pursuing a career in Wedding Planning. The course was very obviously written by industry professionals. Course content was easy to understand, yet thorough and in depth. I also love that this course covered such a diverse range of topics including weddings from different cultures and religions, not just the standard white-dress chapel wedding. I really feel as though this course has given me a bounding head start in the wedding planning industry and I can't wait to get in there and start my own business. Highly recommend - worth every penny :)

Amy Stonehouse

I have really enjoyed doing the receptionist course online and I recommend anyone that wants to improve in whatever qualifications they wish to progress in to do it on New Skills Academy. It is very helpful and I have learnt a lot - My family members couldn’t believe how much I have progressed and they have actually said that they will probably do the courses online themselves. I will definitely finish the courses that I still have on here, and maybe do more courses in the future as I have learned a lot and I am willing to learn more as the resources you have on here are brilliant.

Kaoutar Benabdejlil

I am so far really enjoying the course. Information is really well presented and tests a great recap to information covered. I also think the Notes tool is a good addition, however, the saving seems a little unstable so I have lost notes on a couple of the modules.

I figured that I needed to save prior to taking the test, but had selected a picture and as there was no close option, I clicked back and lost the notes I had taken. Apart from that, I am really enjoying the format and am finding the information easy to retain.

Amanda Rolfe

I studied this course recently and found it to be very interesting, lots of information all easy to understand and printable. The videos were a great add on, easy to follow and understand, showed ways how to do the different types of massages, how to stand and extra information on how to go about adding this to your own business. Contacting the admin department was easy, answered calls very quickly and dealt with the issues straight away. Also a call back to make sure everything was ok. Received certificate within days and downloaded, very good quality. Would highly recommend learning this way!

Pamela Johnstone

I can honestly say that I have truly enjoyed learning about Microsoft Excel.
The step by step modules (36 of them!), breaking down each part of Excel was easy to understand and absorb. The explanations of each stage was handy for notes as well. The videos were helpful for directions and practise. The worksheets were helpful to put learning into action.
The test at the end was very good in covering many aspects of Excel, however I would have liked to know what I did not get correct. This would have been helpful.
However, I would gladly use a New Skills Academy course again.

Emma Mills

Very excellent learning and very good work. I am really enjoying it and growth in my mind set. If you have a methodical approach to your work, and you’re interested in Law, then becoming a Legal Secretary could be the perfect career move for you.

The main role of a Legal Secretary is to provide administrative support and services for Lawyers, Solicitors and Legal Executives. It is their job to ensure that an office runs smoothly and efficiently, enabling their employers to focus on serving their clients.

It is not a necessary requirement to have a degree to become a Legal Secretary. However, it is recommended to have some qualifications specific to the industry.

Muhammad Irshad

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