Students from high school through college have one thing in common: they are responsible for writing countless numbers of papers during their academic life. There are intense research papers, argumentative, persuasive, as well as cause and effect essays. Personal essay is another type of paper that professors frequently ask their students to write. Why and how to write a personal essay? The reason they are ask to write this type of essay is that it gives the professors the opportunity to get a feel for the student’s writing style, as well as their grasp on spelling and grammar.
What Exactly is a Personal Essay?
A personal essay is a work written about an event or events that occurred at some point in writer’s life. These essays can be about a traumatic life event, such as the loss of a family member, childhood pet, or they can be about adventures that the author had growing up. The most important aspect to a personal essay is that it is based on recollections of experiences that happened to the writer. Once the essay is completed the reader should be able to step into the writer’s shoes to experience what they went through. They also should always walk away with some sort of relatable message or lesson.
How to Write a Personal Essay
Unlike other types of academic essays, personal essay is the one that allows students the most flexibility in the manner it is composed. These essays have a basis in personal experiences or memories. There is no need for research or fact checking like there is in other essay formats. It is possible to talk to other friends or family members that may have been present during the event or events discussed throughout the essay. By doing this, you will ensure the statements or stories presented are fact based. When writing a personal essay, avoid excessive embellishments that did not indeed occur.
Prior to starting your personal essay, one of the biggest challenges is to pick a topic that excites or inspires you. One of the best ways to write a strong personal essay is to choose a topic you have a strong feeling or connection to. Writing about something that you care about helps with the writing process, as well as offers the opportunity for a longer personal essay.
When it comes to what voice to use, this is one occasion where you need to use the first person. Since you are writing about your personal experience, you need to tell it like a story, where you verbally telling it to your professor or fellow classmates. Read the examples of personal essays in order to get the notion of how to write them.
Furthermore, when writing your personal essay use a language that is clear and concise to avoid confusing the reader. Remember, this type of essay is about the recounting of a memory or an experience from a time in your life, so try to avoid turning it into the essay of another kind, such as persuasive or argumentative.
Things To Remember
Despite the flexibility that writing a personal essay suggests, comes the responsibility to stick with the requirements and parameters set forth by your instructor. Although you may have a bit of free reign with how you set about writing your essay, instructors will want to know that you can write them in a well thought out and required format, which can include a designated word count.
Other things to remember when writing a personal essay is that it is like telling a story, only a story based around facts. Start your introduction with something that will grab the attention of the reader and will make them want to continue reading. Try to avoid being vague in your descriptions. Instead of vaguely recounting many experiences “camping in the woods,” specifically point out the details related to one specific camping experience. This will help to maintain the interest.
Writing an effective and engaging personal essay is a bit easier than other types of essays because it tells about an experience the writer had previously in their life. It can be about anything from the death of a beloved pet or family member to a memorable event in the writer’s life, such as a hiking adventure, or a nerve-wracking experience during a dangerous storm. Despite the personal nature of this essay, it is important to remember to use structure, proper grammar, as well as spelling to ensure that the professor will get a high-quality paper.