I'm not clear on whether you are contemplating a straight autobiography or a fictional work based on your life experiences. If the former, I'd say on @jazzabel's scale above it's no more than a 1 no matter how well you write. Sadly, we live in a culture steeped in celebrity, in which people become celebrities just for the sake of it. Write it because there will be value in it, but don't expect to change any lives because of it (how many autobiographies have you seen at the local bookstore written by someone you never heard of?). It the latter, then I would recommend that you approach it strictly as a work of fiction that is informed by your life experiences. Most writers do this to a certain extent, anyway. And since you do not appear to have published anything (outside of a few advocacy pieces, neither have I) then you may well end up regarding this project as a learning experience. So I would advise approaching it that way at the start. One other thought - as laudable as your goal of influencing young people and helping them avoid the mistakes you made, the sad truth is that the vast majority of young people don't learn that way. They learn, as you have, from experience. As they say, good judgment comes from experience, but experience often comes from bad judgment.
Probably should have mentioned that, from an agents point of view, not being famous, infamous/notorious would make it a No Sale. If you want to self-pub, you might want to consider the rationale behind. It's up to you to decide where you will find the most satisfaction in your work. That, in fact, is the most important part.
Hmmm... Good points by all, but I wouldn't be selling it as an autobiography as such. It's not going to be "TLK: The Autobiography" rather a story of a guy's life over a couple of months, the things that happens, the things he learns etc. The only difference is that that guy is me. So, it's a tricky one. I guess, actually, it is a work of fiction, even though it's not. The story appears to be fiction because the MC could be anyone. But it's me. I don't even have to mention that, if I have to. It is a tricky one though. I assume I would have to push this as the aforementioned pseudo-fiction, but is that even possible? Because, as you all say, it is technically an autobiography.
TLK, Write the story. Write it for yourself. Write it as fiction. During World War One, a 19 year old American joined the Italian Army to fight. He met his first love. She was older. After a time she put him aside for a man her own age...it broke this boys heart. In 1929 he was in Paris, and wrote, and published a book about his life in the Italian Army in the war. He wrote the story as fiction. In the end of the story his first love dies in his arms. His friends suggested he write the truth, She left him for another man. He refused. He was putting a close to something that had hurt him. The name of the book, "A Farewell to Arms." The author; Ernest Hemingway. They say a writer can't hide, they are all over the pages of what they write. Be all over your pages. Write a GREAT STORY, and close the hurt. You cold have a best seller.
Like most of the classics 'A Farewell to Arms' is an enormously overrated novel. The only emotion it stirred within me was boredom, and the occasion waft of nausea. This is a warning; do not try to emulate Hemmingway, because you might succeed.
Please. You think Hemingway's bad? You should see some of Shakespeare's junk! I mean, the putz couldn't even write in prose. Not only that, but all his characters talk funny.
Sorry to post in what is quite an old thread, but I thought I'd give you all a little update about this project. Firstly, I've decided to go through with it. Whether I complete it remains to be seen but, so far, I've enjoyed writing it and, at a personal level, feel it has benefited me. As they say, time enjoyed wasting is not wasted time. I've written the first two chapters, amounting to 3,200 words (short chapters, I know) just today, which is good pace for me. I find it easier to write than my usual genre, Fantasy, though that's probably because I'm drawing from my own experiences. But whilst the writing has been going well, I'm unsure of the quality. It isn't going to be the most interesting book in the world anyway, I don't think, so I can't really afford to make it worse with crap writing. Even at this early stage, reading it back it sounds a lot worse than my normal stuff. Do you reckon the switch in genre or the fact it's my own experiences will be affecting the writing quality and whether or not there's any way I can turn it around? Thanks again
