Last week we looked at how you could write about your own life. This is called an autobiography. This week we will look at writing about somebody else.
If you write about the life of another person, this is called a biography. In some ways these can be more difficult to write.
When you write about yourself, you know all the facts. When you write about somebody else, you have to do some research. This might include looking at some reference material. If the person is still alive, then you might be able to interview them. This first-hand information is very valuable.
A good biography has some information about the person as well as some judgment about them. Read the fictional biography below.
A Good Life
Lam Kit Wai is a marvellous example for young people. He was born in 1937 in Shanghai. In those days his family was very wealthy. They owned a cotton mill on the outskirts of the town. But then one day things changed. When Lam was 12 years old, his family left everything they had and moved to Hong Kong.
Hong Kong was a very different place in those days. Lam, his parents and his two sisters moved into a very small shack made of metal. It was in a cramped space on a hill in Shamshuipo. Some people called it a squatter village. There were thousands of families in the same situation. His father worked in a factory making toys. He was not his own boss anymore. Lam hated to see how sad his