Before you dive into your research, make sure you get the okay from the subject to write their biography. Ask them if they are willing to be the subject. Getting their permission will make writing the biography much easier and ensure they are open with information about their life.  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. Primary sources could include books, letters, pictures, newspapers and newspaper clippings, magazines, internet articles, journals, videos, interviews, existing biographies, or an autobiography by the subject. Look for these sources at your local library or online. Read as much as you can about the subject and highlight any key information you come across in your sources. 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? Interviewing people will breath life into your research--people you interview can tell you stories that you can’t find in a history book. Interview the subject as well as people close to them, such as spouses, friends, business partners, family members, coworkers, and peers. Conduct the interview in person, by phone, or through e-mail.  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. To get a feel for the subject’s history, spend time in locations and areas that are meaningful or important to the subject. This could be the subject’s childhood home or neighborhood. You could also visit the subject’s workplace and regular hang out spots. 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. Contextualize the subject’s life by looking at what was going on around them. Consider the time period they grew up in as well as the history of the places where they lived. Do research on the economics, politics, and culture of their time period. Look at the news events happening in the place where they lived or worked. 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? To help you organize your research, make a timeline of the person’s entire life, starting from birth. Draw a long line on a piece of paper and fill in as much of the person’s life as you can. Highlight key events or moments on the timeline. Include important dates, locations, and names. 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.

Summary: Ask the subject for permission to write the biography. Look for primary sources about the subject. Conduct interviews with the subject and those close to them. Visit locations that are important to the subject. Study the time and place of the subject’s life. Make a timeline of the person’s life.


Ask people in the neighborhood if they need a dog walker.  Imagine, you get paid for hanging out with a cool dog!  Girls love guys with dogs, so there can be other benefits too. Do you like getting paid to play in dirt and mud?  Ask around, especially older people often need garden help.  Mowing lawns is pretty traditional, but can be boring. Planting flowers may sound a bit girly, but its fun. Many gardens need rocks moved or fences fixed. Shoveling snow. Summer camps may need counselors. After school/day care places may want a teen to come run kids around. There are a couple ways to do it.  Easiest is to get a job cleaning a mom's minivan.  They will take what they can get.  Washing a middle aged dad's sports car can be tougher, since they are so demanding.

Summary: Walk Dogs. Work in the Garden and Driveway. Become a Camp counselor. Wash Cars.


While a standard velvet blazer is nice, you can add extra “wow” factor by picking a blazer that has unique features. For example, sharp shoulders, exaggerated lapels, funky draping, or an hourglass waist. Women’s velvet blazers look gorgeous with cuffed or 3/4 length sleeves that taper from loose in the upper arm to fitted at the forearm.  Consider a blazer that’s either high-waisted or extra long. Go to the extreme: look for a blazer that’s super fitted, or loose at the torso and slim-armed but with big shoulders. To make your blazer even more unique, add your own custom buttons. For example, large vintage pearl-faced buttons. You can pair your blazer with a wide variety of tops. Turtlenecks are great for colder months. In warmer months, try wearing a light-colored or printed camisole. Or, try a polo shirt, button-down shirt, or plain t-shirt underneath. Tops with solid colors or microprints go great with velvet blazers. Velvet blazers look especially put-together with dark denim jeans. Alternately, don a denim skirt with your blazer. Lean towards dark-washed denim if the hue of your velvet blazer is dark but bold. Some velvet colors that pair well with denim are lipstick red, forest green, royal blue, and deep burgundy. Consider a short, printed dress for a fun, flirty look. You can wear this look with or without tights. Pair it with flats or a cute ankle boot. This look can transition day to night by bringing only a change of undershirt and shoes in your bag. For example, try wearing a cotton shirt and simple flats in the daytime. Switch it out for a silk top and standout heels for evening wear. Find a scarf that is formal but stands out. For instance, a sapphire blue silk with a fancy paisley.
Summary: Choose a blazer with stand-out style. Choose a complimentary shirt. Dress it down with denim. Wear your blazer over a dress. Add velvet pants to make a suit. Add a bold printed scarf.