Personal essays are written for various reasons. While high school students write it for college entrance, it is the medium a writer share their own experiences. Through it, the writer narrates important life lessons and activities. It can be a significant life event, a trip, or a memorable story.
A personal essay describes a life encounter of the writer. Written in the first person pronoun, it comes in either creative nonfiction or formal essay. It is best to write in a conversational tone to bring your readers along. This connection is vital so that readers can be in your shoes to and relate to your story. With this, they can learn a lesson, get inspired, or it serves as a warning to those towing the same path as the author.
A personal essay can cover a variety of subjects. You can write about your first trip, the first day at school, a near-death situation, following bad friends, an event that changed your life, an encounter with a bully, failing exams, drug addiction, or battling with a terminal disease, among others. Meaning you can write about whatever experience you believe could be of interest to others.
Just like any other essay, a personal story must have an introduction, body, and conclusion. Each segment serves a purpose and shouldn’t be undermined. A typical piece has about five paragraphs; however, personal essays could be less or more. You should avoid starting with quotes or clichés.
Introduction: The introduction to your essay is where you present your topic and a brief of what readers should expect. It must contain a hook to entice your audience to continue reading your story. Try to connect with your readers right from here by making them resonate with your piece.
Body: The body usually comes with at least three paragraphs and gives detailed accounts of your story. The writer develops the story by introducing characters and builds up dialogues. Each section should come with something new
Conclusion: At this point, you conclude your essay by highlighting the points in the body. It would be best if you always had something for the readers to take home.
Outline your essay
Before you even start writing, you first need to outline your work. Drafting makes your job easier. You can layout your points, choose your audience, and set a tone for communicating your message. It also helps you to determine whether your story is worth spending your time on it. Therefore, you should always choose something that has a substantial impact on you and can influence your readers.
Get your intro intact
The introduction is an essential aspect of every essay. It should be attractive, clear, and concise. It should contain a hook that would entice your readers.
After you’ve got your introduction done, follow it with a meaty body. It should be detailed enough to encompass all the exciting events in the story. Be specific, and engage your readers.
You can now finish your personal essay by summarization all you’ve said in the body and a take-home brief. Afterward, proofread your work before submitting it.