Having trouble deciding what to write about yourself?
Whether you’re writing for your journal, your memoir, or a class assignment, you have plenty of topics about yourself to choose from.
You’re more interesting than you might think.
So are the people you live with, work with, and meet — if only for a moment.
Once you look through the prompts listed below, the real challenge will be choosing which one to write about first.
What Is a Unique Way to Write about Yourself?
The point of writing about yourself is to grow in self-knowledge and understanding of where you are and where you want to be.
With that in mind, it makes sense to write about what you’ve learned so far and how you learned it. It also helps to explore what you’re good at as well as what areas need work.
Consider the following categories of self-knowledge:
- Mistakes you’ve learned from
- Changes to your beliefs and the catalysts behind them
- Painful experiences and what you’ve learned from them
- Favorite things and why you love them
- Things that make you angry or that motivate you to fight for change
Things to Write about Yourself: 87 Writing Prompts
Enjoy these all about me writing prompts. Start with one that leads your mind to a specific, vivid memory. Then free-write to your heart’s content.
1. Describe something you’re good at.
2. What do you want to be when you grow up and why?
3. How do you want people to remember you?
4. What personal beliefs of yours have changed over the years?
5. What would you like to invent and why?
6. If you won $1 million, what would you do with it?
7. If you had all the money you needed to create a nonprofit organization, what would its mission be?
8. What would you change about school or your country’s education system if you could?
9. If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go first and why?
10. Where do you want to live, and what kind of lifestyle would you like to afford easily?
11. What’s the biggest mistake you’ve ever learned from?
12. Would you rather get paid well for a job you can tolerate or paid little for work you love?
13. What is your favorite food and why? Do you make it yourself, or do you prefer paying others to do so?
14. What superstitions do you believe in or have you believed in, and why?
15. Do you believe in luck (good or bad)? If so, do you think a higher power is pulling strings on your behalf — or working against you? How much control do you have over your life?
16. Describe your first job, what you learned from it, and whether (and why) you’d recommend it to anyone?
17. What do you love about yourself? And who in your life sees that in you? Who doesn’t?
18. Describe your best friend and how you met. What keeps your friendship going?
19. Write about an animal with whom you’ve felt a close kinship and describe the relationship between you.
20. If you could design your own home, what would be its most important features?
21. What’s your favorite outfit (including footwear and accessories) and why?
22. What’s your biggest dream for the future, and what are you doing to get closer to it?
23. What makes you angry? When was the last time something made you so mad you took action to change it?
24. What’s your favorite holiday and why? What do you do to celebrate it?
25. If you have a romantic partner, what do you love most about them and your relationship? What would you change if you could?
26. What do you most want to accomplish in your life and why?
27. Have you ever gotten something you wanted, only to realize it wasn’t what you really wanted after all?
28. Do you want to be more like one of your parents or grandparents? Why or why not?
29. Describe one of your earliest childhood memories.
30. Write about the benefits and challenges of having siblings — or of being an only child.
31. How much of your body are you comfortable with people seeing? Has that changed?
32. What do you find gross that other people don’t — or vice-versa?
33. Are you interested in marriage, or would you prefer a romantic partnership without marriage? What are your reasons?
34. If you could design your own end, what manner of death would you choose and why?
35. How do you want your body dealt with after you die? Do you want your remains buried or scattered, and why?
36. Describe a favorite game from your young childhood (aged 0 to 10).
37. Write about something you succeeded at because you did NOT GIVE UP.
38. Write about a favorite elementary school classmate and what you liked about them.
39. Write about an interesting high school classmate and what you liked about them.
40. Write about the best coworker you’ve ever had and why you loved working with them.
41. Write about the best job you’ve ever had and what you loved about it.
42. How would you build the perfect sandwich (with or without bread)?
43. Write about a death in your family and how it impacted you.
44. Write about a birth in your family and how it affected you.
45. Write about a marriage or divorce in your family and how it impacted you.
46. Write about your intimate social circle, how it was formed, and how it influences you.
47. Write about your chosen family — the people in your life who have become family to you — and how they have become so important.
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48. Is your living space usually neat and tidy or messy and disorganized? Are you comfortable with it as it is, or what steps are you taking to change it?
49. Write about a personality trait you inherited or picked up from a parent.
50. Explain whether you think it’s ever morally acceptable to lie, and — if yes — in what situations?
51. Write about a way in which you’re different from a parent or both parents.
52. Do you believe in astrology? And, if so, what do you love about your sign?
53. Do you find any value in tarot cards or rune stones? If yes, which is your favorite, and what have you learned from it?
54. Do you collect anything? If yes, describe your collection, how it began, and what it means to you.
55. What is one thing you’re most likely to splurge on — clothes, food, skincare, entertainment, etc. — and why?
56. What do you think of your hometown? Is it a good place to live, and would you live there again? Why or why not?
57. What’s one quality you think everyone should look for in a romantic partner?
58. Write about what you wish more people knew about your chosen job/career.
59. Write about an external struggle that’s been wearing on you lately.
60. Write about an internal struggle that’s been distracting you and wearing you down.
61. Describe something you love — or don’t love — about the people in your country.
62. Would you ever consider leaving your country and changing your citizenship? Why or why not?
63. How do you define patriotism? Would you redefine it if you could, or do you consider the word more or less toxic?
64. What do you think of dress codes for school? What do you see as their purpose, and what would you do if a student’s attire was a clear violation of that code?
65. What do you think of hair codes for school? Should someone be excluded for having a non-white hairstyle that honors their culture?
66. When it comes to voting for a presidential candidate, what qualities and beliefs do you look for in a candidate? What are the dealbreakers or non-negotiables?
67. Tell a story about when you had your heart broken. Who did it, what happened between you, and what kind of relationship do you have with them now?
68. Tell a story about when you lost a friend. What happened, and have either of you reached out to the other since then?
69. Describe the benefits and challenges of being an introvert, extrovert, or ambivert (whichever you are).
70. Write about a habit or addiction you’ve been struggling with for years. What has helped you fight or change it? Who has helped?
71. Write about a kind of physical exercise you enjoy? What do you love about it? Is this something you do (or would love to do) regularly?
72. Describe a time you spoke up for something you believed in. Do you still hold that belief? How do you feel when someone else stands up for it or a contrary view?
73. Describe — in vivid detail — your dream home. How is it perfect for you?
74. Write about a teacher, coach, or mentor who inspired you. How has their influence shaped you and the life you’re living? What do you wish you could tell them?
75. Describe something you did in the past year (or past five) that made you proud.
76. Write about someone you admired — until you learned something morally offensive they said or did (racist, sexist, homophobic, Islamophobic, antisemitic, etc.).
77. Write about someone you thought little of until you learned of something brave, heroic, or generous they said or did.
78. Do you consider your adopted animals as pets, companions, or family members? Explain why and offer some history on your past relationships with animals.
79. If you were to travel around the world, would you rather go alone or with company? If you’d like a traveling companion, who would that be?
80. Are you more likely to listen to sad music or happy music when you’re feeling low?
81. When was the last time you took a risk to show someone how you feel about them?
82. When was the last time someone made a grand gesture to get your attention or show their regard for you? How did you respond, and why?
83. Tell a story about a time you got into trouble at work or school. Do you regret what you did, or does the memory make you proud? Who else was involved?
84. Write about something you believe that isn’t a widely-held belief.
85. What terrified you most as a child? Does it still scare you?
86. Has anyone ever made a snap judgment of you based on your appearance? What did they say? And how did you respond?
87. Describe your personal style (clothing, hair, nails, etc.) and how it’s changed over the years.
Now that you’ve looked through these about me ideas for writing, which one will you write about first?
You can even make a shorter list of your favorites and tackle one each day for your journal. Or use your favorites as chapter topics for your memoir.
The important thing is to grow in self-knowledge and to forgive yourself for not being perfect. No one is. Just keep learning.