Autobiography Writing Diploma
Why you should study with us
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
- 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
of achievement
This certificate is presented to
Your Name
For completing the
Autobiography Writing Diploma
on 21st November 2026
Selena Hurford
Selena Hurford
Course Tutor
Daniel Morgan
Daniel Morgan
Head of Academy
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 am over the moon with my experience in completing my first online course with New Skills Academy. I found the whole process quick and efficient and the site very easy to navigate. I found it helpful to complete short tests at the end of each module as I feel this help to review the information I have read and confirm that I understood it and could retain the information as well. I found the course to be very well written and the information provided to be interesting and relevant to the course and the final test to be efficient in recapping everything I had learnt throughout the course. I completely the course quite quickly as was able to study using my iPhone as the course was iOS compatible which I found to be the best way of accessing the course, information and tests. I'm thrilled that I passed my first course and can't wait to get started on the next one. Thank you for such a positive and rewarding experience.
Lisa Simmons
I’m a property investor and I have an interest in property generally. I wanted to do this course to broaden my knowledge of property but also make sure I understand my rights as a buyer of property. This is a nice introduction to the profession of Estate Agency but also negotiation and building networks. It includes material on both residential and commercial property, and also property maintenance. It touches upon the Estate Agents Act 1979 which is very important. My next step will be to review the act. It is a very broad course and is a good place to start.
Chris Pinnock
This course was a good introduction to payroll and the content was easy to read and well set out. I would recommend this course to anyone that would like to start out in payroll.
Mark McAuliffe
Helpful tips learned during the course and many fun facts. I will be completing 6 more courses after this one. Such a great learning experience. The knowledge in each package is phenomenal!
Each course is broken down into modules to make it easy to break down the course for short breaks and as soon as you sign back in again it remembers where you left off in your course. How clever!
I would highly recommend this course to anyone looking to brush up their knowledge and skills. Best of luck!
100% Recommended. New Skills Academy is the best!
Dora Christou
Great support from tutors and IT staff! Emails are always answered quickly, even on late nights and early mornings. Good clear lay out across the website, very easy to navigate and keep track of modules completed.
Would highly recommend to anyone looking to gain more knowledge in their own time and develop in the area. I completed this course on my commute to and from work. I also received a student card with this course that was great to benefit discounts from.
I am already thinking about what other courses I can start with New Skills Academy as soon as possible!
Sarah Howden
Excellent course, easy to follow, excellent tutorial videos that set examples out very simply and are easy to pause or fast forward meaning you can go through this course at totally your own speed.
The work sheets are very good as the examples from the video are all replicated clearly and you can skip back and forth between the worksheet and the video if you don’t remember something completely the first time. When you are confident with the subject, you move yourself on to the next one
I love that I can do this completely in my own time and am sure that at the end of the course I will be confident in my own ability to use Excel.
Caroline Powell
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
- 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
of achievement
This certificate is presented to
Your Name
For completing the
Autobiography Writing Diploma
on 21st November 2026
Selena Hurford
Selena Hurford
Course Tutor
Daniel Morgan
Daniel Morgan
Head of Academy
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 am over the moon with my experience in completing my first online course with New Skills Academy. I found the whole process quick and efficient and the site very easy to navigate. I found it helpful to complete short tests at the end of each module as I feel this help to review the information I have read and confirm that I understood it and could retain the information as well. I found the course to be very well written and the information provided to be interesting and relevant to the course and the final test to be efficient in recapping everything I had learnt throughout the course. I completely the course quite quickly as was able to study using my iPhone as the course was iOS compatible which I found to be the best way of accessing the course, information and tests. I'm thrilled that I passed my first course and can't wait to get started on the next one. Thank you for such a positive and rewarding experience.
Lisa Simmons
I’m a property investor and I have an interest in property generally. I wanted to do this course to broaden my knowledge of property but also make sure I understand my rights as a buyer of property. This is a nice introduction to the profession of Estate Agency but also negotiation and building networks. It includes material on both residential and commercial property, and also property maintenance. It touches upon the Estate Agents Act 1979 which is very important. My next step will be to review the act. It is a very broad course and is a good place to start.
Chris Pinnock
This course was a good introduction to payroll and the content was easy to read and well set out. I would recommend this course to anyone that would like to start out in payroll.
Mark McAuliffe
Helpful tips learned during the course and many fun facts. I will be completing 6 more courses after this one. Such a great learning experience. The knowledge in each package is phenomenal!
Each course is broken down into modules to make it easy to break down the course for short breaks and as soon as you sign back in again it remembers where you left off in your course. How clever!
I would highly recommend this course to anyone looking to brush up their knowledge and skills. Best of luck!
100% Recommended. New Skills Academy is the best!
Dora Christou
Great support from tutors and IT staff! Emails are always answered quickly, even on late nights and early mornings. Good clear lay out across the website, very easy to navigate and keep track of modules completed.
Would highly recommend to anyone looking to gain more knowledge in their own time and develop in the area. I completed this course on my commute to and from work. I also received a student card with this course that was great to benefit discounts from.
I am already thinking about what other courses I can start with New Skills Academy as soon as possible!
Sarah Howden
Excellent course, easy to follow, excellent tutorial videos that set examples out very simply and are easy to pause or fast forward meaning you can go through this course at totally your own speed.
The work sheets are very good as the examples from the video are all replicated clearly and you can skip back and forth between the worksheet and the video if you don’t remember something completely the first time. When you are confident with the subject, you move yourself on to the next one
I love that I can do this completely in my own time and am sure that at the end of the course I will be confident in my own ability to use Excel.
Caroline Powell
Why you should study with us
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Excellent course, well explained and easy to understand. The course can be done at my own pace and is available on various devices. The layout of the course was excellent and the notes options is very good. The content is perfect and well structured, making it easy to understand and follow. I will definitely be taking more courses in the future.
Luis Costa
This is a great course for any level of knowledge. Very easy to navigate, great practical tasks and explanations are very clear. You can revise any module with no problem. The test wasn’t too hard if you completed every module. It may be handy to make some notes before you start. Overall I'm very happy with my choice. Thank you New skills for my New skills :)
Julia Bobkova
Very interesting and helpful course. I ve learned a lot of interesting things about make up and the tutorials were very helpful and easy to understand. I really reccomend this course for everyone who is passionate about make up and wish to develop their skills and make a career from their hobby.
Nicoleta Lucaci
I found this course incredibly useful, as it provided me with practical knowledge which I can implement in my role as a Support Worker. The videos were clear and concise, and the downloadable worksheets reinforced what I had learned as I was able to put pen to paper. Overall, a fantastic course for a great price! I am looking forward to taking on my next one.
Teleisha Harley
The course was clearly set out with helpful end of week tests which built my knowledge. Being dyslexic I found the course was set out in an easy to understand way. I was able to pass the test on my first attempt. The downloaded pdf are a useful resource that you can keep forever. Looking forward to the next course
Ross Dunsten
Wow what an incredible insight for the start of anyone's journey in property. This course gives you so much information and there are tests and questions on each of the modules. The course is very easy to follow and well laid out. You can actually make notes on the pages of each module using the notes tab! I am very excited to say that I passed and I only spent one week on this course. I will print all the PDF information and keep it in a file with my certificate. I feel very confident for my future plans now I have completed this course.
Nichola Anderson
Lovely course for people who want to know the basics and of sign language. It's has helped me to get more of an understanding and will greatly benefit me in my workplace. So easy to pick up and the videos were easy to understand. Would definitely recommend to anyone.
Chloe Hambly
I took up this course initially to help me with my own dog, but found that as I worked through the material I actually started thinking that this could be something that I could use to make a second income. From start to finish I found the course engaging and interesting. I am now doing another dog related course and am experiencing the same level of enjoyment. I would recommend New Skills Academy without hesitation.
Keith Smith
