words that start with biography

Synonyms of biography

• as in memoir
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Thesaurus Definition of biography

Synonyms & Similar Words

• autobiography
• hagiography
• psychobiography
• character sketch
• pathography

Thesaurus Entries Near biography

biographies

Cite this Entry

“Biography.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/biography. Accessed 1 Apr. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on biography

Nglish: Translation of biography for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of biography for Arabic Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about biography

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How to Write a Biography

Last Updated: May 14, 2023 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Stephanie Wong Ken, MFA . Stephanie Wong Ken is a writer based in Canada. Stephanie's writing has appeared in Joyland, Catapult, Pithead Chapel, Cosmonaut's Avenue, and other publications. She holds an MFA in Fiction and Creative Writing from Portland State University. There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 1,849,595 times.

Writing a biography can be a fun challenge, where you are sharing the story of someone’s life with readers. You may need to write a biography for a class or decide to write one as a personal project. Once you have identified the subject of the biography, do your research so you know as much about them as possible. Then, dive into the writing of the biography and revising it until it is at its finest.

Researching Your Subject

• If the subject does not give you permission to write the biography, you may want to choose a different subject. If you decide to publish the biography without the subject’s permission, you may be susceptible to legal action by the subject.
• If the subject is no longer alive, you obviously do not need to ask permission to write about them.

• You may create research questions to help focus your research of the subject, such as, What do I find interesting about the subject? Why is this subject important to readers? What can I say that is new about the subject? What would I like to learn more about?

• For in person interviews, record them with a tape recorder or a voice recorder on your computer or phone.
• You may need to interview the subject and others several times to get the material you need.

• You may also want to visit areas where the subject made a major decision or breakthrough in their life. Being physically in the area can give you a sense of how the subject might have felt and help you write their experiences more effectively.

• When researching the time period ask yourself: What were the social norms of that time? What was going on economically and politically? How did the social and political climate affect the subject?

• You may also include historical events or moments that affected the subject on the timeline. For example, maybe there was a conflict or civil war that happened during the person’s life that affected their life.

Writing the Biography

• You may end up focusing on particular areas of the person’s life. If you do this, work through a particular period in the person’s life chronologically.

• For example, you may have a thesis statement about focusing on how the person impacted the civil rights movement in America in the 1970s. You can then make sure all your content relates back to this thesis.

• Flashbacks should feel as detailed and real as present day scenes. Use your research notes and interviews with the subject to get a good sense of their past for the flashbacks.
• For example, you may jump from the person’s death in the present to a flashback to their favorite childhood memory.

• For example, you may focus on the person’s accomplishments in the civil rights movement. You may write a whole section about their contributions and participation in major civil rights marches in their hometown.

• For example, you may notice that the person’s life is patterned with moments of adversity, where the person worked hard and fought against larger forces. You can then use the theme of overcoming adversity in the biography.

• For example, you may note how you see parallels in the person’s life during the civil rights movement with your own interests in social justice. You may also commend the person for their hard work and positive impact on society.

Polishing the Biography

• Revise the biography based on feedback from others. Do not be afraid to cut or edit down the biography to suit the needs of your readers.

• Having a biography riddled with spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors can turn off your readers and result in a poor grade if you are handing in the text for a class.

• If the biography is for a class, use MLA, APA, or Chicago Style citations based on the preferences of your instructor.

Biography Help

Community Q&A

• Be careful when publishing private or embarrassing information, especially if the person is not a celebrity. You may violate their "Right of Privacy" or equivalent. Thanks Helpful 31 Not Helpful 5
• Have the sources to back up your statements about the subject's life. Untruthful written statements can lead to litigation. If it is your opinion, be clear that it is such and not fact (although you can support your opinion with facts). Thanks Helpful 16 Not Helpful 15

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• ↑ http://grammar.yourdictionary.com/writing/how-to-write-a-biography.html
• ↑ https://au.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/how-to-write-a-bio
• ↑ https://grammar.yourdictionary.com/writing/how-to-write-a-biography.html
• ↑ https://www.writersdigest.com/writing-articles/3-tips-for-writing-successful-flashbacks
• ↑ https://www.grammarly.com/blog/how-to-write-bio/
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/editing-and-proofreading/
• ↑ https://www.plagiarism.org/article/how-do-i-cite-sources

About This Article

Before you write a biography, gather as much information about the subject that you can from sources like newspaper articles, interviews, photos, existing biographies, and anything else you can find. Write the story of that person’s life, including as much supporting detail as you can, including information about the place and time where the person lived. Focus on major events and milestones in their life, including historical events, marriage, children, and events which would shape their path later in life. For tips from our reviewer on proofreading the biography and citing your sources, keep reading! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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Quick Summary

The Greek root word bio means ‘life.’ Some common English vocabulary words that come from this root word include bio logical, bio graphy, and amphi bi an. One easy word that is helpful in remembering bio is bio logy, or the study of ‘life.’

Living with 'Bio'

The Greek root word bio means ‘life,’ and gives rise mostly to words from the realm of the ‘life’ sciences.

We’ve all taken bio logy (or bio ) classes, in which you learn all about ‘life.’ Bio logical processes have to do with the way ‘living’ organisms function. Micro bio logists study small ‘life’ forms, such as bacteria, viruses, and other one-celled organisms.

Speaking of life forms, amphi bi ans, such as frogs and salamanders, can ‘live’ both in water and on land. Amphi bio us military vehicles, such as tanks, can also operate or ‘live’ in both water and on land.

A bio graphy (or bio ) is a book that tells all about the events in someone’s ‘life,’ written by an author other than the subject of the ‘life’ history. An auto bio graphy, on the other hand, is a history of a person’s ‘life’ written by that person.

The adjective aero bi c refers to the oxygen a ‘life’ form requires in order to ‘live.’ Aero bi cs are simply exercises which cause ‘living’ organisms, such as yourself, to breathe faster as your body consumes more oxygen. Anaero bi c exercise almost completely depletes the oxygen from a ‘living’ organism’s body, such as an all-out sprint which leaves you gasping for air!

Sym bio tic organisms ‘live’ together, each needing the other to survive. An example of a mutually beneficial sym bio sis or ‘living’ together is between the clownfish and the anemone (think “Finding Nemo”). In this relationship which increases survival rates, the clownfish gets a protective home, and the anemone gets cleaned by the clownfish.

And just where can living organisms live and thrive? Why, in a bio sphere of course, or those parts of the Earth that support and allow the existence of ‘life.’

You can now add the knowledge of this handy root word bio to your, well, knowledge bio , which will hopefully make the rest of your vocabulary ‘life’ a bit more livable!

• biology : study of ‘life’
• microbiology : study of very small ‘life’ forms
• amphibian : ‘life’ living in water and on land
• biography : a ‘life’ history
• symbiosis : two ‘life’ forms living together
• aerobic : pertaining to air for ‘life’ to exist
• anaerobic : lacking air for ‘life’ to exist
• biosphere : part of the Earth where organisms ‘live’

Related Rootcasts

The fascinating parts of words.

Morphology is the study of how words are put together by using morphemes, which include prefixes, roots, and suffixes. Parsing the different morphemes in a word reveals meaning and part of speech. For instance, the word “invention” includes the prefix in- + the root vent + the suffix -ion , from which is formed the noun “invention.”

Etymology: Word Origins

Etymology is that part of linguistics that studies word origins. English vocabulary words are formed from many different sources, especially Latin and Greek. By determining the origins of the morphemes in English words, one is better able to remember and determine the dictionary definitions of words.

A sym bio tic relationship is one in which two organisms, organizations, or people intimately depend on each other, both acting to benefit the relationship.

Biology is the scientific study of living things, such as plants and animals.

relating to or characteristic of animals of the class Amphibia

autobiography

a bio graphy of yourself

short for “ bio graphy”

biochemistry

the organic chemistry of compounds and processes occurring in organisms

biodegradable

capable of being decomposed by e.g. bacteria

break down naturally through the action of bio logical agents

biodiversity

the diversity of plant and animal life in a particular habitat (or in the world as a whole)

the branch of ethics that studies moral values in the bio medical sciences

biofeedback

a training program in which a person is given information about physiological processes (heart rate or blood pressure) that is not normally available with the goal of gaining conscious control of them

an account of the series of events making up a person's life

plant materials and animal waste used as fuel

physics as applied to bio logical problems

examination of tissues or liquids from the living body to determine the existence or cause of a disease

an inborn bio logical process that is cyclical in nature

the regions of the surface and atmosphere of the Earth (or other planet) where living organisms exist

macrobiotics

the theory of promoting health and longevity by means of diet (especially whole beans and grains)

a minute life form (especially a disease-causing bacterium)

Differentiated vocabulary for your students is just a click away.

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• Learn How to Write a Biography: A Step-by-Step Guide.
• Self Publishing Guide

Human lives are intricate tapestries woven with experiences, emotions, challenges, and triumphs. Biographies and autobiographies serve as windows into these remarkable stories, offering insight into the lives of individuals who have left their mark on history or those who wish to chronicle their own journeys. 

I n this guide, we will explore the art of writing biographies and autobiographies, delving into the nuances of both genres and providing valuable tips on how to craft compelling narratives.

Understanding Biography and Autobiography

• Biography: Exploring Lives Beyond the Surface A biography is a literary exploration that unveils the intricate layers of a person’s existence, transcending the mere listing of events. It provides a comprehensive account of an individual’s life, offering insights into their achievements, struggles, societal impact, and distinct qualities that define them. These narratives serve as windows into history, allowing readers to traverse time and understand the legacy left by remarkable individuals. Biographies are usually crafted by biographers, individuals skilled in research and storytelling. They undertake a meticulous journey of gathering information from diverse sources, such as historical records, interviews, letters, and secondary literature. The biographer’s role is to curate these fragments of information into a coherent narrative, painting a vivid portrait of the subject. This comprehensive approach lends credibility and depth to the portrayal, enriching the reader’s understanding of the subject’s contributions and character. Example:  Consider the biography of Mahatma Gandhi. A biographer compiling his life story would explore not only his role in India’s fight for independence but also his principles of nonviolence, his experiments with truth, and his impact on the world’s political landscape. By presenting a holistic view of Gandhi’s life, the biography reveals the nuances of his personality, beliefs, and the larger context in which he operated.
• Autobiography: The Intimate Dialogue of Self-Discovery An autobiography is a narrative journey undertaken by the subject themselves—a profound sharing of one’s life experiences, emotions, and reflections. This genre provides readers with an intimate insight into the subject’s psyche, allowing them to witness their life’s trajectory through personal recollections. Autobiographies carry a unique authenticity, as they are composed from the vantage point of the person who lived those moments, providing a firsthand account of their journey. Autobiographies draw from the subject’s reservoir of memories, emotions, and introspections. This self-exploration leads to a narrative that is often more than a linear chronicle; it becomes a tapestry woven with the threads of emotions, thoughts, and personal revelations. By directly communicating with the reader, the autobiographer creates a powerful connection, allowing readers to step into their shoes and experience their story from within. Example:  A notable example of an autobiography is “The Diary of a Young Girl” by Anne Frank. Written during her time in hiding during World War II, the book offers a candid portrayal of Anne’s life, fears, hopes, and dreams. Through her own words, readers gain a deep understanding of the challenges faced by Jews during the Holocaust, as well as the resilience and humanity that Anne exudes even in the face of adversity.

Writing a Biography:

Research: The Foundation of a Compelling Biography Thorough research is the cornerstone of a captivating biography. Delve into reputable sources like books, articles, interviews, and archives to gather a comprehensive view of your subject’s life. By immersing yourself in these materials, you gain insights into their experiences, motivations, and contributions. Scrutinise the historical context to understand the era’s impact on their journey. Successful research forms the bedrock of your biography, enabling you to present an accurate and nuanced portrayal that resonates with readers. It’s through meticulous research that you uncover the hidden stories and connect the dots, allowing the subject’s essence to shine through the pages.

Selecting a Focus: Defining the Narrative Scope Choosing a focal point is essential for a well-structured biography. Decide whether to cover the subject’s entire life or concentrate on specific periods or achievements. This decision shapes the narrative’s trajectory, preventing it from becoming overwhelming or disjointed. A focused approach allows you to delve deeply into pivotal moments, providing a more profound understanding of the subject’s journey. By clarifying the scope, you enable readers to follow a coherent storyline, making it easier for them to engage with the subject’s life in a meaningful way.

Structuring the Biography: Chronology and Themes The organisation of your biography greatly impacts its readability. Structure your work into logical sections or chapters, employing either a chronological or thematic arrangement. Begin with an engaging introduction that captures readers’ attention and provides essential context. A chronological structure follows the subject’s life in sequential order, offering a clear timeline of events. Alternatively, a thematic structure groups events by themes, allowing you to explore different facets of the subject’s life. A well-structured biography guides readers smoothly through the subject’s experiences, fostering a deeper connection and understanding.

Show, Don’t Tell: Evocative Storytelling Vivid descriptions, anecdotes, and quotes breathe life into your biography. Rather than merely listing facts, employ descriptive language to recreate scenes and emotions, allowing readers to immerse themselves in the subject’s world. Use anecdotes to illustrate key moments, capturing the essence of the subject’s character and the impact of events on their journey. Integrating quotes from the subject, contemporaries, or relevant sources adds authenticity and depth. Through this technique, you transport readers into the subject’s experiences, enabling them to witness the moments that shaped their lives.

Balanced Perspective: Portraying Strengths and Flaws A balanced portrayal adds credibility and depth to your biography. While it’s tempting to focus solely on accomplishments, a well-rounded view includes the subject’s strengths and flaws. This authenticity humanises the subject, making it relatable and multidimensional. By acknowledging both successes and challenges, readers gain a more honest understanding of their journey. Balancing positives and negatives helps readers empathise with the subject, connecting them on a deeper level and offering a more genuine insight into their lives.

Engaging Emotions: Creating Emotional Resonance Emotions are a potent tool in biography writing. Delve into the subject’s feelings, struggles, and aspirations to create an emotional connection with readers. By tapping into their emotional experiences, you make the narrative relatable and engaging. Sharing personal challenges and triumphs allows readers to empathise and reflect on their own lives. This emotional resonance elevates the biography from a mere factual account to a compelling and moving story that lingers in readers’ minds, leaving a lasting impact.

Citing Sources: Ensuring Accuracy and Credibility Accurate information is vital in biography writing. Properly cite your sources to maintain credibility and integrity. Clear citations not only lend authority to your work but also provide readers with the opportunity to explore further if they desire. Accurate referencing safeguards against misinformation and ensures that your portrayal is based on reliable evidence. In addition to enhancing your credibility, thorough citations demonstrate your commitment to thorough research and ethical writing practises, contributing to the overall trustworthiness of your biography.

Complete Guide to Write a Biography. Start Writing Your Biography Now

Writing an Autobiography:

Reflecting on Significant Moments and Experiences Initiating an autobiography involves introspection into your life’s pivotal moments. Delve into memories that have influenced your journey, such as turning points, challenges, relationships, and achievements. Reflect on these experiences, dissecting their impact on your personal growth and development. By contemplating these key events, you gain insight into the narrative threads that weave your life story together. This reflective process sets the foundation for an authentic autobiography that resonates with readers on a profound level.

Developing Your Unique Voice and Tone Crafting an autobiography demands a consistent voice and tone that reflect your personality. Write in a way that feels true to you, capturing your unique perspective and emotions. Authenticity is key, as it allows readers to connect with your narrative on a personal level. Whether your tone is introspective, humorous, or contemplative, ensure it aligns with the essence of your experiences. By embracing your genuine voice, you create an autobiography that not only tells your story but also conveys the essence of who you are.

Structured Storytelling for Engagement While autobiographies can be more flexible in structure compared to biographies, organising your narrative into coherent sections or themes enhances its readability. By grouping related experiences together, you provide readers with a clearer understanding of the themes that have shaped your life. This structure helps maintain their engagement by guiding them through your journey in a logical and compelling manner. While allowing for creativity, a structured approach ensures that your autobiography remains focused and accessible.

Embracing honesty and authenticity Honesty is the bedrock of an impactful autobiography. Share not only your triumphs but also your mistakes and failures. Authenticity creates relatability, allowing readers to connect with your humanity and vulnerabilities. Your journey’s challenges and setbacks are just as integral to your story as your successes. By being candid about your experiences, you demonstrate resilience and growth, inspiring readers to reflect on their own paths. This level of authenticity fosters a deeper connection, making your autobiography a source of empathy and encouragement.

Adding Depth Through Reflection Incorporate reflection to imbue your autobiography with depth and meaning. Explore the lessons you’ve learned from your experiences and the transformations they’ve prompted. Delve into how these moments shaped your beliefs, values, and perspective on life. By offering insights gained from introspection, you provide readers with wisdom and a broader understanding of your journey. Reflection transforms your autobiography from a chronicle of events into a thoughtful exploration of personal growth and the profound impact of life’s moments.

Creating vivid details for immersion Immerse readers in your world by employing sensory details and vivid descriptions. Paint a picture with words, allowing readers to visualise the scenes and emotions you’re describing. By incorporating sensory elements like sights, sounds, smells, and feelings, you transport readers into the moments you’re recounting. This immersive experience draws them closer to your story, fostering a stronger connection. Vivid details not only make your autobiography more engaging but also enable readers to forge a deeper connection with your experiences and emotions.

In the realm of literature, biographies and autobiographies stand as powerful testaments to the diversity and richness of human existence. Whether you’re capturing the life of a historical figure or penning your own life story, the art of writing these genres involves meticulous research, introspection, and a keen understanding of human emotions. 

Through carefully chosen words and evocative storytelling, biographers and autobiographers alike can craft narratives that resonate with readers and offer a deeper understanding of the human experience. So, whether you’re writing about the extraordinary or the everyday, embrace the challenge and privilege of narrating lives through the written word.

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Blog • Perfecting your Craft

Posted on Jun 30, 2023

How to Write a Biography: A 7-Step Guide [+Template]

From time to time, nonfiction authors become so captivated by a particular figure from either the present or the past, that they feel compelled to write an entire book about their life. Whether casting them as heroes or villains, there is an interesting quality in their humanity that compels these authors to revisit their life paths and write their story.

However, portraying someone’s life on paper in a comprehensive and engaging way requires solid preparation. If you’re looking to write a biography yourself, in this post we’ll share a step-by-step blueprint that you can follow. 

How to write a biography: 

1. Seek permission when possible 

2. research your subject thoroughly, 3. do interviews and visit locations, 4. organize your findings, 5. identify a central thesis, 6. write it using narrative elements, 7. get feedback and polish the text.

FREE RESOURCE

Biography Outline Template

Craft a satisfying story arc for your biography with our free template.

While you technically don’t need permission to write about public figures (or deceased ones), that doesn't guarantee their legal team won't pursue legal action against you. Author Kitty Kelley was sued by Frank Sinatra before she even started to write His Way , a biography that paints Ol Blue Eyes in a controversial light. (Kelley ended up winning the lawsuit, however).  

Whenever feasible, advise the subject’s representatives of your intentions. If all goes according to plan, you’ll get a green light to proceed, or potentially an offer to collaborate. It's a matter of common sense; if someone were to write a book about you, you would likely want to know about it well prior to publication. So, make a sincere effort to reach out to their PR staff to negotiate an agreement or at least a mutual understanding of the scope of your project. 

At the same time, make sure that you still retain editorial control over the project, and not end up writing a puff piece that treats its protagonist like a saint or hero. No biography can ever be entirely objective, but you should always strive for a portrayal that closely aligns with facts and reality.

If you can’t get an answer from your subject, or you’re asked not to proceed forward, you can still accept the potential repercussions and write an unauthorized biography . The “rebellious act” of publishing without consent indeed makes for great marketing, though it’ll likely bring more headaches with it too. 

✋ Please note that, like other nonfiction books, if you intend to release your biography with a publishing house , you can put together a book proposal to send to them before you even write the book. If they like it enough, they might pay you an advance to write it.  

Book Proposal Template

Craft a professional pitch for your nonfiction book with our handy template.

Once you’ve settled (or not) the permission part, it’s time to dive deep into your character’s story.  

Deep and thorough research skills are the cornerstone of every biographer worth their salt. To paint a vivid and accurate portrait of someone's life, you’ll have to gather qualitative information from a wide range of reliable sources. 

Start with the information already available, from books on your subject to archival documents, then collect new ones firsthand by interviewing people or traveling to locations. 

Browse the web and library archives

Put your researcher hat on and start consuming any piece on your subject you can find, from their Wikipedia page to news articles, interviews, TV and radio appearances, YouTube videos, podcasts, books, magazines, and any other media outlets they may have been featured in. 

Establish a system to orderly collect the information you find 一 even seemingly insignificant details can prove valuable during the writing process, so be sure to save them. 

Depending on their era, you may find most of the information readily available online, or you may need to search through university libraries for older references. 

For his landmark biography of Alexander Hamilton, Ron Chernow spent untold hours at Columbia University’s library , reading through the Hamilton family papers, visiting the New York Historical Society, as well as interviewing the archivist of the New York Stock Exchange, and so on. The research process took years, but it certainly paid off. Chernow discovered that Hamilton created the first five securities originally traded on Wall Street. This finding, among others, revealed his significant contributions to shaping the current American financial and political systems, a legacy previously often overshadowed by other founding fathers. Today Alexander Hamilton is one of the best-selling biographies of all time, and it has become a cultural phenomenon with its own dedicated musical. 

Besides reading documents about your subject, research can help you understand the world that your subject lived in. 

Try to understand their time and social environment

Many biographies show how their protagonists have had a profound impact on society through their philosophical, artistic, or scientific contributions. But at the same time, it’s worth it as a biographer to make an effort to understand how their societal and historical context influenced their life’s path and work.

An interesting example is Stephen Greenblatt’s Will in the World . Finding himself limited by a lack of verified detail surrounding William Shakespeare's personal life, Greenblatt, instead, employs literary interpretation and imaginative reenactments to transport readers back to the Elizabethan era. The result is a vivid (though speculative) depiction of the playwright's life, enriching our understanding of his world.

Many readers enjoy biographies that transport them to a time and place, so exploring a historical period through the lens of a character can be entertaining in its own right. The Diary of Samuel Pepys became a classic not because people were enthralled by his life as an administrator, but rather from his meticulous and vivid documentation of everyday existence during the Restoration period.

Once you’ve gotten your hands on as many secondary sources as you can find, you’ll want to go hunting for stories first-hand from people who are (or were) close to your subject.

With all the material you’ve been through, by now you should already have a pretty good picture of your protagonist. But you’ll surely have some curiosities and missing dots in their character arc to figure out, which you can only get by interviewing primary sources.

Interview friends and associates

This part is more relevant if your subject is contemporary, and you can actually meet up or call with relatives, friends, colleagues, business partners, neighbors, or any other person related to them. 

In writing the popular biography of Steve Jobs, Walter Isaacson interviewed more than one hundred people, including Jobs’s family, colleagues, former college mates, business rivals, and the man himself.

🔍 Read other biographies to get a sense of what makes a great one. Check out our list of the 30 best biographies of all time , or take our 30-second quiz below for tips on which one you should read next. 

Which biography should you read next?

Discover the perfect biography for you. Takes 30 seconds!

When you conduct your interviews, make sure to record them with high quality audio you can revisit later. Then use tools like Otter.ai or Descript to transcribe them 一 it’ll save you countless hours. 

You can approach the interview with a specific set of questions, or follow your curiosity blindly, trying to uncover revealing stories and anecdotes about your subject. Whatever your method, author and biography editor Tom Bromley suggests that every interviewer arrives prepared, "Show that you’ve done your work. This will help to put the interviewee at ease, and get their best answers.” 

Bromley also places emphasis on the order in which you conduct interviews. “You may want to interview different members of the family or friends first, to get their perspective on something, and then go directly to the main interviewee. You'll be able to use that knowledge to ask sharper, more specific questions.” 

Finally, consider how much time you have with each interviewee. If you only have a 30-minute phone call with an important person, make it count by asking directly the most pressing questions you have. And, if you find a reliable source who is also particularly willing to help, conduct several interviews and ask them, if appropriate, to write a foreword as part of the book’s front matter .

Sometimes an important part of the process is packing your bags, getting on a plane, and personally visiting significant places in your character’s journey.

Visit significant places in their life

A place, whether that’s a city, a rural house, or a bodhi tree, can carry a particular energy that you can only truly experience by being there. In putting the pieces together about someone’s life, it may be useful to go visit where they grew up, or where other significant events of their lives happened. It will be easier to imagine what they experienced, and better tell their story. 

In researching The Lost City of Z , author David Grann embarked on a trek through the Amazon, retracing the steps of British explorer Percy Fawcett. This led Grann to develop new theories about the circumstances surrounding the explorer's disappearance.

Hopefully, you won’t have to deal with jaguars and anacondas to better understand your subject’s environment, but try to walk into their shoes as much as possible. 

Once you’ve researched your character enough, it’s time to put together all the puzzle pieces you collected so far. 

Take the bulk of notes, media, and other documents you’ve collected, and start to give them some order and structure. A simple way to do this is by creating a timeline. 

Create a chronological timeline

It helps to organize your notes chronologically 一 from childhood to the senior years, line up the most significant events of your subject’s life, including dates, places, names and other relevant bits. 

You should be able to divide their life into distinct periods, each with their unique events and significance. Based on that, you can start drafting an outline of the narrative you want to create.  

Draft a story outline 

Since a biography entails writing about a person’s entire life, it will have a beginning, a middle, and an end. You can pick where you want to end the story, depending on how consequential the last years of your subject were. But the nature of the work will give you a starting character arc to work with. 

To outline the story then, you could turn to the popular Three-Act Structure , which divides the narrative in three main parts. In a nutshell, you’ll want to make sure to have the following:

• Act 1. Setup : Introduce the protagonist's background and the turning points that set them on a path to achieve a goal. 
• Act 2. Confrontation : Describe the challenges they encounter, both internal and external, and how they rise to them. Then..
• Act 3. Resolution : Reach a climactic point in their story in which they succeed (or fail), showing how they (and the world around them) have changed as a result. 

Only one question remains before you begin writing: what will be the main focus of your biography?

Think about why you’re so drawn to your subject to dedicate years of your life to recounting their own. What aspect of their life do you want to highlight? Is it their evil nature, artistic genius, or visionary mindset? And what evidence have you got to back that up? Find a central thesis or focus to weave as the main thread throughout your narrative. 

Or find a unique angle

If you don’t have a particular theme to explore, finding a distinct angle on your subject’s story can also help you distinguish your work from other biographies or existing works on the same subject.

Plenty of biographies have been published about The Beatles 一 many of which have different focuses and approaches: 

• Philip Norman's Shout is sometimes regarded as leaning more towards a pro-Lennon and anti-McCartney stance, offering insights into the band's inner dynamics. 
• Ian McDonald's Revolution in the Head closely examines their music track by track, shifting the focus back to McCartney as a primary creative force. 
• Craig Brown's One Two Three Four aims to capture their story through anecdotes, fan letters, diary entries, and interviews. 
• Mark Lewisohn's monumental three-volume biography, Tune In , stands as a testament to over a decade of meticulous research, chronicling every intricate detail of the Beatles' journey.

Finally, consider that biographies are often more than recounting the life of a person. Similar to how Dickens’ Great Expectations is not solely about a boy named Pip (but an examination and critique of Britain’s fickle, unforgiving class system), a biography should strive to illuminate a broader truth — be it social, political, or human — beyond the immediate subject of the book. 

Once you’ve identified your main focus or angle, it’s time to write a great story. 

While biographies are often highly informative, they do not have to be dry and purely expository in nature . You can play with storytelling elements to make it an engaging read. 

You could do that by thoroughly detailing the setting of the story , depicting the people involved in the story as fully-fledged characters , or using rising action and building to a climax when describing a particularly significant milestone of the subject’s life. 

One common way to make a biography interesting to read is starting on a strong foot…

Hook the reader from the start

Just because you're honoring your character's whole life doesn't mean you have to begin when they said their first word. Starting from the middle or end of their life can be more captivating as it introduces conflicts and stakes that shaped their journey.

When he wrote about Christopher McCandless in Into the Wild , author Jon Krakauer didn’t open his subject’s childhood and abusive family environment. Instead, the book begins with McCandless hitchhiking his way into the wilderness, and subsequently being discovered dead in an abandoned bus. By starting in medias res , Krakauer hooks the reader’s interest, before tracing back the causes and motivations that led McCandless to die alone in that bus in the first place.

You can bend the timeline to improve the reader’s reading experience throughout the rest of the story too…

Play with flashback 

While biographies tend to follow a chronological narrative, you can use flashbacks to tell brief stories or anecdotes when appropriate. For example, if you were telling the story of footballer Lionel Messi, before the climax of winning the World Cup with Argentina, you could recall when he was just 13 years old, giving an interview to a local newspaper, expressing his lifelong dream of playing for the national team. 

Used sparsely and intentionally, flashbacks can add more context to the story and keep the narrative interesting. Just like including dialogue does…

Reimagine conversations

Recreating conversations that your subject had with people around them is another effective way to color the story. Dialogue helps the reader imagine the story like a movie, providing a deeper sensory experience. 

One thing is trying to articulate the root of Steve Jobs’ obsession with product design, another would be to quote his father , teaching him how to build a fence when he was young: “You've got to make the back of the fence just as good looking as the front of the fence. Even though nobody will see it, you will know. And that will show that you're dedicated to making something perfect.”

Unlike memoirs and autobiographies, in which the author tells the story from their personal viewpoint and enjoys greater freedom to recall conversations, biographies require a commitment to facts. So, when recreating dialogue, try to quote directly from reliable sources like personal diaries, emails, and text messages. You could also use your interview scripts as an alternative to dialogue. As Tom Bromley suggests, “If you talk with a good amount of people, you can try to tell the story from their perspective, interweaving different segments and quoting the interviewees directly.”

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These are just some of the story elements you can use to make your biography more compelling. Once you’ve finished your manuscript, it’s a good idea to ask for feedback. 

If you’re going to self-publish your biography, you’ll have to polish it to professional standards. After leaving your work to rest for a while, look at it with fresh eyes and self-edit your manuscript eliminating passive voice, filler words, and redundant adverbs. 

Then, have a professional editor give you a general assessment. They’ll look at the structure and shape of your manuscript and tell you which parts need to be expanded on or cut. As someone who edited and commissioned several biographies, Tom Bromley points out that a professional “will look at the sources used and assess whether they back up the points made, or if more are needed. They would also look for context, and whether or not more background information is needed for the reader to understand the story fully. And they might check your facts, too.”  

In addition to structural editing, you may want to have someone copy-edit and proofread your work.

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Importantly, make sure to include a bibliography with a list of all the interviews, documents, and sources used in the writing process. You’ll have to compile it according to a manual of style, but you can easily create one by using tools like EasyBib . Once the text is nicely polished and typeset in your writing software , you can prepare for the publication process.  

In conclusion, by mixing storytelling elements with diligent research, you’ll be able to breathe life into a powerful biography that immerses readers in another individual’s life experience. Whether that’ll spark inspiration or controversy, remember you could have an important role in shaping their legacy 一 and that’s something not to take lightly. 

Continue reading

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BIO: A vocabulary for biographical information

Other formats: RDF/XML

This document describes a vocabulary for describing biographical information about people, both living and dead.

The BIO vocabulary contains terms useful for finding out more about people and their backgrounds and has some cross-over into genealogical information. The approach taken is to describe a person's life as a series of interconnected key events, around which other information can be woven. This vocabulary defines the event framework and supplies a set of core event types that cover many use cases, but it is expected that it will be extended in other vocabularies to suit their needs. The intention of this vocabulary is to describe biographical events of people and this intention carries through to the definitions of the properties and classes which are person-centric rather than neutral. For example the Employment event puts the person being employed as the principal agent in the event rather than the employer.

The BIO vocabulary defines a number of core classes and properties for describing biographical information:

At its heart the BIO vocabulary is concerned with people, their relationships and the events in their lives. Together these can be used to build up a narrative of a person's life and their interactions with other people, organizations and the world around them. Events bound intervals of time that may be associated with particular relationships between people and groups or organisations. Many different types of life event are defined in this vocabulary including the obvious Birth, Marriage and Death but also Coronation, Performance and even Murder. These events are not intended to be fully comprehensive but are representative of the types of events associated with biographical material. Currently the relationship segment of the vocabulary is underspecified with only a generic Relationship class available. It is envisaged that many types of relationship such as families, employments and ownerships will be specified in the future.

The sequence of events and intervals build a timeline of history against which people and their relationships can be placed. The aim is to enable simple forms of genealogical reasoning such as determining whether a child was born out of wedlock or the location of a family given the fact one of their children was attending a particular school. Events are ordered in time by relating them to one another and to abstract intervals of time:

Please see https://github.com/iand/vocab-bio for the master version of this vocabulary.

Please direct feedback on this document to the FOAF-DEV mailing list"

• 2003-03-07 - first issued
• 2003-07-28 - semantic change by Ian Davis: Added keywords property
• 2004-03-05 - editorial change by Ian Davis: Added Creative Commons license
• 2005-04-01 - editorial change by Ian Davis: Added examples
• 2009-05-19 - editorial change by Ian Davis: Minor changes to improve publishing process
• 2010-04-20 - editorial change by Ian Davis: Added change history
• 2010-05-10 - semantic change by Ian Davis: Major expansion of properties and classes
• 2010-05-20 - editorial change by Ian Davis: Batch of revisions based on community feedback
• 2010-06-05 - semantic change by Ian Davis: Added biography property
• 2010-06-06 - semantic change by Ian Davis: Added subproperty and equivalent property relations for bio:father, bio:mother and bio:child
• 2011-06-10 - semantic change by Ian Davis: Added bio:Formation and bio:Disbanding events
• 2011-06-10 - semantic change by Ian Davis: Added bio:Performance event
• 2011-06-14 - editorial change by Ian Davis: Expanded description and added diagrams
• 2011-06-14 - semantic change by Alexandre Passant: Added properties for Birth and Death Event types, motivated by JSON serialisations of RDF
• 2011-06-14 - semantic change by Ian Davis: Added bio:Relationship class and properties

The URI for this vocabulary is

When abbreviating terms the suggested prefix is bio

Each class or property in the vocabulary has a URI constructed by appending a term name to the vocabulary URI. For example:

Terms Grouped by Theme

Properties that relate an event to another event: Concurrent Event , Following Event , Preceding Event , Immediately Following Event and Immediately Preceding Event

Terms Summary

An alphabetical list of all terms defined in this schema.

Properties and Classes

URI: http://purl.org/vocab/bio/0.1/Accession

The event of a person succeeding to the right to hold regal power. This event is often automatic on the death of the previous monarch and is usually followed by a coronation event.

Being a member of this class implies also being a member of Individual Event .

• 2010-05-03 - first issued

URI: http://purl.org/vocab/bio/0.1/Adoption

The event of creating of a legal parent/child relationship that does not exist biologically.

URI: http://purl.org/vocab/bio/0.1/agent

A person, organization or group that plays a role in an event.

Having this property implies being an Event . Every value of this property is a foaf:Agent . It is a sub-property of owl:differentFrom and the inverse of Life Event

• 2010-05-05 - first issued

Other Information

Agent relationship.

URI: http://purl.org/vocab/bio/0.1/Relationship

A particular type of connection existing between people, groups or organizations related to or having dealings with each other.

Having Participant or Relationship Interval implies being a member of this class. Things are a member of this class if they are the value of Relationship . It is equivalent to rel:Relationship .

• 2011-06-14 - first issued

URI: http://purl.org/vocab/bio/0.1/Annulment

The event of declaring a marriage void from the beginning as though it never existed.

Being a member of this class implies also being a member of Group Event .

Assassination

URI: http://purl.org/vocab/bio/0.1/Assassination

The event of a person being deliberately targeted and killed.

Being a member of this class implies also being a member of Murder .

URI: http://purl.org/vocab/bio/0.1/Baptism

The ceremonial event held to admit a person to membership of a Christian church.

• 2010-05-20 - editorial change by Ian Davis: Revised comment, replacing 'the Christian church' with 'a Christian church'

URI: http://purl.org/vocab/bio/0.1/BarMitzvah

The ceremonial event held when a Jewish boy reaches age 13.

URI: http://purl.org/vocab/bio/0.1/BasMitzvah

The ceremonial event held when a Jewish girl reaching age 13, also known as "Bat Mitzvah."

URI: http://purl.org/vocab/bio/0.1/biography

An extended description or account of someone's life.

It is expected that the value of this property is either a literal formatted with HTML markup or a pointer to an HTML document.

Having this property implies being a foaf:Person .

• 2010-06-05 - first issued

URI: http://purl.org/vocab/bio/0.1/Birth

The event of a person entering into life.

Being a member of this class implies also being a member of Individual Event . Things are a member of this class if they are the value of Birth Event .

The birth of Albert Einstein

• 2010-05-04 - editorial change by Ian Davis: Marked as testing

Birth Event

URI: http://purl.org/vocab/bio/0.1/birth

An birth event associated with a person, group or organization.

Having this property implies being a foaf:Agent . Every value of this property is a Birth . It is a sub-property of Life Event and owl:differentFrom .

• 2011-07-12 - semantic change by Alexandre Passant: Proposed addition of the property

URI: http://purl.org/vocab/bio/0.1/Burial

The event of interring the remains of a person's body into the ground.

Change of Name

URI: http://purl.org/vocab/bio/0.1/NameChange

The event of a person changing their name.

Change of Position

URI: http://purl.org/vocab/bio/0.1/PositionChange

The event of a person changing the position they hold with an employer.

URI: http://purl.org/vocab/bio/0.1/child

A biological child of a person.

Having this property implies being a foaf:Person . Every value of this property is a foaf:Person . It is a sub-property of owl:differentFrom . It is equivalent to Is parent of .

• 2010-06-06 - semantic change by Ian Davis: Made equivalent to rel:parentOf on suggestion of Gautier Poupeau

Concluding Event

URI: http://purl.org/vocab/bio/0.1/concludingEvent

An event that marks the end of an interval and/or relationship. The event changes of the state of affairs that held during the interval. For example a period of study may be concluded by a Graduation event.

Every value of this property is an Event . It is a sub-property of owl:differentFrom .

• 2010-05-06 - first issued

Concurrent Event

URI: http://purl.org/vocab/bio/0.1/concurrentEvent

An event that occurs while this event is occurring. The events need not start or conclude at the same times.

This property is symmetrical. Having this property implies being an Event . Every value of this property is an Event . It is a sub-property of owl:differentFrom .

URI: http://purl.org/vocab/bio/0.1/Coronation

The ceremonial event of a person being invested with regal power to become a monarch.

URI: http://purl.org/vocab/bio/0.1/Cremation

The event of disposing of the remains of a person's body by fire.

The cremation of Albert Einstein

URI: http://purl.org/vocab/bio/0.1/date

The date at which an event occurred.

The date should be formatted as specified in ISO8601 . For example: 2003-03-15 corresponds to the 15th March 2003, and 2003-03-15T13:21-05:00 corresponds to 15th March 2003, 8:21 am, US Eastern Standard Time.

Having this property implies being an Event . It is a sub-property of Date .

• 2010-05-03 - editorial change by Ian Davis: Added a plural label
• 2010-05-04 - editorial change by Ian Davis: Marked as a stable term

URI: http://purl.org/vocab/bio/0.1/Death

The event of a person's life ending.

Being a member of this class implies also being a member of Individual Event . Things are a member of this class if they are the value of Death Event .

The death of Albert Einstein

Death event.

URI: http://purl.org/vocab/bio/0.1/death

An death event associated with a person, group or organization.

Having this property implies being a foaf:Agent . Every value of this property is a Death . It is a sub-property of Life Event and owl:differentFrom .

URI: http://purl.org/vocab/bio/0.1/Demotion

The event of a person changing the position they hold with an employer to one with less importance or responsibility.

Being a member of this class implies also being a member of Change of Position .

URI: http://purl.org/vocab/bio/0.1/Disbanding

The event of a group or organization being disbanded.

• 2011-06-10 - first issued

URI: http://purl.org/vocab/bio/0.1/Dismissal

The event of a person involuntarily giving up their office or position. Dismissal is often perceived to be the employee's fault and may be considered disgraceful.

URI: http://purl.org/vocab/bio/0.1/Divorce

The event of legally dissolving a marriage.

The divorce of Albert Einstein and Mileva Marić

URI: http://purl.org/vocab/bio/0.1/Emigration

The event of a person leaving their homeland with the intent of residing elsewhere.

Albert Einstein emigrating to the United States

URI: http://purl.org/vocab/bio/0.1/employer

An agent that is involved in an event as an employer.

Having this property implies being an Event . Every value of this property is a foaf:Agent . It is a sub-property of Agent .

URI: http://purl.org/vocab/bio/0.1/Employment

The event of a person entering an occupational relationship with an employer.

URI: http://purl.org/vocab/bio/0.1/Enrolment

The event of a person initiating attendence to a school or other place of learning.

URI: http://purl.org/vocab/bio/0.1/Event

An event is an occurrence that brings about a change in the state of affairs for one or more people and/or other agents. Events are assumed to occur over a period of time and may not have precise start and end points.

Being a member of this class implies also being a member of c4dm:Event , cyc:Event , msg0:Event and dctype:Event . Having Date , Place , Position , Event Interval , Preceding Event , Immediately Preceding Event , Following Event , Immediately Following Event , Concurrent Event , Agent , Employer , State , Parent , Principal , Partner , Officiator , Witness , Spectator or Organization implies being a member of this class. Things are a member of this class if they are the value of Preceding Event , Immediately Preceding Event , Following Event , Immediately Following Event , Concurrent Event , Initiating Event , Concluding Event or Life Event .

• 2010-05-04 - semantic change by Ian Davis: Made equivalent to cyc:Event
• 2010-05-20 - editorial change by Ian Davis: Marked as testing status
• 2010-05-20 - semantic change by Ian Davis: Removed subclass of owl-time ProperInteval

Event Interval

URI: http://purl.org/vocab/bio/0.1/eventInterval

The interval during which the event occurs. This interval represents the exact interval of occurence for an event, it starts at the moment the event commences and finishes when the event concludes. In other words both the event and the interval start at the same instant of time and extend for the same duration.

Having this property implies being an Event . Every value of this property is an Interval .

URI: http://purl.org/vocab/bio/0.1/Execution

The event of a person being deliberately killed as punishment.

Being a member of this class implies also being a member of Death .

URI: http://purl.org/vocab/bio/0.1/father

The biological father of a person, also known as the genitor.

This property is functional. Having this property implies being a foaf:Person . Every value of this property is a foaf:Person . It is a sub-property of owl:differentFrom and Is child of .

• 2010-06-06 - semantic change by Ian Davis: Made subproperty of rel:childOf on suggestion of Gautier Poupeau

Following Event

URI: http://purl.org/vocab/bio/0.1/followingEvent

An event that starts at some time after this event.

This property is transitive. Having this property implies being an Event . Every value of this property is an Event . It is a sub-property of owl:differentFrom .

URI: http://purl.org/vocab/bio/0.1/Formation

The event of a group or organization coming into being.

URI: http://purl.org/vocab/bio/0.1/Funeral

The event of marking a person's death with a ceremony.

URI: http://purl.org/vocab/bio/0.1/Graduation

The event of a person being awarded educational diplomas or degrees.

Albert Einstein receiving his Doctorate from the University of Zurich

Group event.

URI: http://purl.org/vocab/bio/0.1/GroupEvent

A type of event that is principally about one or more agents and their partnership. Other agents may be involved but the event is most significant for the partner agent.

Every member of this class has at least 2 Partner properties. Being a member of this class implies also being a member of Event and a class that has at least 2 Partner properties.

Immediately Following Event

URI: http://purl.org/vocab/bio/0.1/immediatelyFollowingEvent

An event that starts immediately after this event.

Having this property implies being an Event . Every value of this property is an Event . It is a sub-property of owl:differentFrom and Following Event .

Immediately Preceding Event

URI: http://purl.org/vocab/bio/0.1/immediatelyPrecedingEvent

An event that occurs and concludes immediately before this event.

Having this property implies being an Event . Every value of this property is an Event . It is a sub-property of owl:differentFrom and Preceding Event .

Imprisonment

URI: http://purl.org/vocab/bio/0.1/Imprisonment

The event of a person being detained in a jail or prison.

• 2010-05-04 - first issued

Inauguration

URI: http://purl.org/vocab/bio/0.1/Inauguration

The ceremonial event marking the beginning of a person's term of office as a leader.

Individual Event

URI: http://purl.org/vocab/bio/0.1/IndividualEvent

A type of event that is principally about a single person, group or organization. Other agents may be involved but the event is most significant for the principal agent.

Every member of this class has exactly 1 Principal property. Being a member of this class implies also being a member of Event and a class that has exactly 1 Principal property.

Initiating Event

URI: http://purl.org/vocab/bio/0.1/initiatingEvent

An event that marks the start of an interval and/or relationship. The event contributes to and/or causes of the state of affairs that hold during the interval. For example a period of study may be initiated by an Enrolment event.

URI: http://purl.org/vocab/bio/0.1/Interval

A extended interval of time related to a particular state of affairs, such as the lifespan of a person or a period of employment.

Being a member of this class implies also being a member of time:ProperInterval . Things are a member of this class if they are the value of Event Interval or Relationship Interval .

Investiture

URI: http://purl.org/vocab/bio/0.1/Investiture

The ceremonial event of a person taking a public office or honour.

URI: http://purl.org/vocab/bio/0.1/keywords

A comma delimited list of key words that describe a person.

Having this property implies being a foaf:Person . Every value of this property is a rdfs:Literal . It is a sub-property of Subject .

• 2003-07-28 - first issued
• 2010-05-03 - semantic change by Ian Davis: Declared that this is a datatype property

URI: http://purl.org/vocab/bio/0.1/event

An event associated with a person, group or organization.

Having this property implies being a foaf:Agent . Every value of this property is an Event . It is a sub-property of owl:differentFrom and the inverse of Agent

• 2010-05-03 - semantic change by Ian Davis: Made a subproperty of owl:differentFrom
• 2011-06-14 - semantic change by Ian Davis: Changed domain to foaf:Agent

URI: http://purl.org/vocab/bio/0.1/Marriage

The event of creating uniting the participants into a new family unit, sometimes accompanied by a formal wedding ceremony. This is intended to cover a broad range of marriages including those given formal legal standing, common-law, or by convention. It is not restricted to marriages of two people of the opposite gender, but also includes polygamous and same-sex unions.

Being a member of this class implies also being a member of Group Event . It is equivalent to cyc:WeddingEvent_Generic .

The marriage of Albert Einstein and Mileva Marić

• 2010-05-04 - semantic change by Ian Davis: Made equivalent to cyc:WeddingEvent_Generic

URI: http://purl.org/vocab/bio/0.1/mother

The biological mother of a person, also known as the genetrix.

URI: http://purl.org/vocab/bio/0.1/Murder

The event of a person being killed unlawfully with intent by the killer.

Naturalization

URI: http://purl.org/vocab/bio/0.1/Naturalization

The event of a person obtaining citizenship. Note that the place the naturalization event occurs at may be different from the state the person is obtaining citizenship of.

Albert Einstein becoming a citizen of the United States

URI: http://purl.org/vocab/bio/0.1/officiator

A person that officiates at a ceremonial event.

Having this property implies being an Event . Every value of this property is a foaf:Person . It is a sub-property of Agent .

One-line bio

URI: http://purl.org/vocab/bio/0.1/olb

A one-line biography of the person.

Having this property implies being a foaf:Person . Every value of this property is a rdfs:Literal .

URI: http://purl.org/vocab/bio/0.1/Ordination

The ceremonial event held when a person receives authority to act in religious matters.

Organization

URI: http://purl.org/vocab/bio/0.1/organization

An organization that plays a role in an event.

URI: http://purl.org/vocab/bio/0.1/parent

A person that takes the parent role in an event.

Participant

URI: http://purl.org/vocab/bio/0.1/participant

A person, group or organization that participates in a relationship for some time.

Having this property implies being an Agent Relationship . Every value of this property is a foaf:Agent . It is a sub-property of owl:differentFrom and the inverse of Relationship It is equivalent to rel:participant .

URI: http://purl.org/vocab/bio/0.1/partner

A person that is involved in a event as a partner in a relationship.

Performance

URI: http://purl.org/vocab/bio/0.1/Performance

The event of an individual or a group of performers performing. Examples include concerts, plays, recitals, recordings, busking etc.

Being a member of this class implies also being a member of Group Event . It is equivalent to mo:Performance .

• 2011-06-12 - first issued

URI: http://purl.org/vocab/bio/0.1/place

The place at which an event occurred.

Having this property implies being an Event .

URI: http://purl.org/vocab/bio/0.1/position

The employment position or public office involved in an event.

Preceding Event

URI: http://purl.org/vocab/bio/0.1/precedingEvent

An event that occurs and concludes at some time before this event.

URI: http://purl.org/vocab/bio/0.1/principal

A person that takes the primary and most important role in an event. For example the principal in a Birth event would be the child being born and the principal in a Burial event would be the deceased person.

URI: http://purl.org/vocab/bio/0.1/Promotion

The event of a person changing the position they hold with an employer to one with more importance or responsibility.

URI: http://purl.org/vocab/bio/0.1/Redundancy

The event of a person involuntarily giving up an office or position that is no longer needed. Redundancy is usually perceived to be the employer's fault and is usually due to conditions outside of the employee's control.

Relationship

URI: http://purl.org/vocab/bio/0.1/relationship

A relationship that a person, group or organization participates in for some time.

Having this property implies being a foaf:Agent . Every value of this property is an Agent Relationship . It is a sub-property of owl:differentFrom and the inverse of Participant It is equivalent to rel:participantIn .

Relationship Interval

URI: http://purl.org/vocab/bio/0.1/interval

The interval during which the relationship persists.

Having this property implies being an Agent Relationship . Every value of this property is an Interval .

Resignation

URI: http://purl.org/vocab/bio/0.1/Resignation

The event of a person voluntarily giving up or quitting their office or position.

URI: http://purl.org/vocab/bio/0.1/Retirement

The event of a person exiting an occupational relationship with an employer after a qualifying time period. In many cultures retirement is expected and even required once the person reaches a particular age.

URI: http://purl.org/vocab/bio/0.1/spectator

A person that is present at and observes the occurrence of at least part of an event.

URI: http://purl.org/vocab/bio/0.1/state

A country or independent territory that is involved in an event.

Having this property implies being an Event . It is a sub-property of Agent .

URI: http://purl.org/vocab/bio/0.1/witness

A person that witnesses and can bear testimony to the occurrence of an event.

Having this property implies being an Event . Every value of this property is a foaf:Person . It is a sub-property of Spectator .

A Biography of Henry VIII, King of England

Based on information at Wikipedia and Hull University

The source for this page can be found in the Github repository .