The Art Of Personal Essay Writing

The first step in learning the art of personal essay writing is to understand that they are different from most other styles of writing. There are many ways that a person can write about events in their life, and all of them have different requirements and styles, including this one.

Personal Essays are short, usually powerful stories about one event in the writer’s life. These stories have increased in popularity over the years, leading to a wider range of publishers looking for the stories. Visit a book store or newsagency and chances are that it won’t be long before you find at least once publication that includes personal essays.

If learning the art of personal essay writing is something you want to do, and it’s a freelance market you’re interested in be warned, don’t just pick an event and write about it because chances are you’ll miss at least one of the vital requirements.

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Usually editors who are looking for this genre of work have a clear picture in their heads of what they are after and this is normally included in their submission guidelines. So always search this out before you start writing AND then read as many of their published personal essays as possible. That way you can see exactly what they want to include in their publications.

Most events can be written up in a variety of ways with emphasis on a selection of things. By finding what the editor is after you’ll be able to tailor your story to the market.

Personal essays are by their nature personal, so if your story includes other people you will need to get their permission before including their name in the story. Respect their choice if they say ‘no’, but don’t forget that many will be happy if you just give them an alias.

Vital Points In The Art Of Personal Essay Writing
• Remember it is first and foremost a story, so stick to only what is essential.
• Don’t waffle, don’t diatribe, don’t soapbox and don’t tell the reader what lesson they are supposed to take from the story.
• Focus on tight writing and strong descriptive words.
• Include emotions, this way the reader will be able to become more involved in your story.

Learn more about Personal Essays with our Writing from the Heart online course


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