Autobiography

Nelson Mandela was a staunch opponent of the racial segregation practiced in South Africa at the time of his youth. His opposition was not restricted to peaceful protest and he became involved in a group which bombed railway tracks and electrical distribution facilities. He was arrested, tried in a court of law, found guilty and imprisoned. It was while he was imprisoned that he became the symbol and hero of the freedom struggle. His time in prison destroyed his relationship with his first wife and their children, but allowed him to study and greatly improve his knowledge and education

In 1994 he became the first President of a free and democratic South Africa. He proved a good, honest and capable leader and was respected by most of the population, irrespective of race. He truly put the welfare of all South Africans at the top of his lift of priorities, particularly children. On his retirement, he was replaced by another well-educated man, President Thabo Mbeki. Unfortunately President Mbeki made extreme promises he could not keep. The country is now led by President Zuma, an uneducated but popular man among the masses. Under his rule, political corruption is rife. Bribery is an everyday occurrence and poverty is growing. Crime plagues the entire population, mostly violent crime by armed robbers.

The community cost of Freedom - which Nelson Mandela so avidly fought for - is now a broken system of education where the vast majority of the citizens can't graduate High School, a broken health system where equipment and medicines have been stolen from most public hospitals, an utterly corrupt police system, a broken postal system where any mail of value is likely to be stolen, a crazy transport system where trains are a haven for muggers, rapists and murderers, and buses don't run because they are not maintained. Most commuters use mini-bus taxis, also poorly maintained and often driven by unlicensed, unqualified drivers, on poorly maintained roads. Unemployment is a HUGE problem, with millions of people living in utter poverty in squalid conditions, in home-made shacks, or in over-crowded apartment buildings they just hi-jack from the owners and legitimate residents. The city centers have become slums. Those with money have long moved to "complexes" in the suburbs where they live in security behind high walls with electric fences and private security guards. The poor cannot afford the bribes needed to secure even menial jobs. The only advantage for the vast majority of the population is that they now have the right to vote. Over a third of the population is HIV+ or dying of AIDS.

The Electricity Power monopoly, ESKOM, cannot generate enough power for the country's needs, so we have "rolling blackouts". The wealthy have installed their own power generators. The water supply system has not been maintained for 20 years. Many cities and towns cannot guarantee that water from the mains supply is safe to drink. Water pollution of dams and rivers is another problem. The wealthy have domestic water purifiers and also drink bottled water. None of this effects the poor. They don't have electricity or piped water to their shacks and hovels anyway.

Of course, they can gaze with pride at the huge stadiums, costing billions, built to host the Soccer World Cup. Pity most can't afford the cost of a ticket to watch any of the games, but that's life...

So you could say that the cost of Mandela's freedom fight has been abject poverty for the masses, and the destruction of most of the infrastructure of the country. On the plus side there has been the most incredible wealth for corrupt politicians and their cronies inserted into top jobs in state-owned businesses.

Most people will view the question skeptically. Autobiographies are a dime a dozen, and you don't give any indication that would make your life story compelling reading for any audience. There are many available materials that help fledgeling authors work through the basic steps, but in a nutshell you have to write a very strong outline of your story highlighting what makes your story compelling.

Do some extensive research and find the titles of autobiographies that have similar basic themes as yours. This is extremely important; you are ultimately searching for a way to present your story from some unique (if at all possible) perspective, so that it isn't like the thousands of books that are already out there. Also check to see what publishers are selling such books. Be aware that especially today publishers are not chomping at the bit to spend a fortune on printing and distribution of books with stale themes by unknown authors. You might research the possibility of approaching publishers that are specializing in electronic publishing.

After you do this research and get a red hot outline written, send it out. You might consider sending it to independent and/or major film studios. If your story is a keeper you might get someplace with that. I'd caution you, though, about authorship of stories that get turned into movies. J. R. R. Tolkein's estate has yet to see one penny from the LOTR films according to materials I've seen over the last couple of years, and it probably never will. I'd opt to get paid a flat sum rather than count on royalties that will never come. Just remember that your life story has to be compelling for a wide audience and not just interesting to you.

Frank McCourt's autobiography, Angela's Ashes: A Memoir, won the 1997 Pulitzer Prize in the "Biography or Autobiography" category because the Pulitzer jury thought his work was excellent and the Pulitzer Board agreed. They did not release a public statement documenting the reason the book won the award.

An excerpt from the book's dust jacket may give a better explanation:

"Angela's Ashes, imbued on every page with Frank McCourt's astounding humor and compassion, is a glorious book that bears all the marks of a classic. As Mary Breasted, author of Why Should You Doubt Me Now, said: "Frank McCourt's book is deeply moving, for his searing story is true. No one has ever written about poverty or childhood like this. That Frank McCourt lives to tell the tale is amazing. That he could create out of such squalor and misery a flawless masterpiece is nothing short of miraculous."