Personal essays are comprised of storytelling, personal experience and meaning. Sounds simple; tell a story based on personal experience that has meaning to me, the writer. Ok, now what do I do? Staring at the blank monitor, I restlessly tap the keyboard wondering why my mind suddenly went blank. Needing to brainstorm I pay attention to what’s going on around me. Bi-plane flying over, wind chimes tinkling, the bamboo needs water, my cat snoring on the couch… I remembered how loud my dad used to snore, he sounded like coffee perking. Oooo… coffee, wonder if there’s any left in the pot. French toast sounds good. My trip to Japan. The celebratory camping trip after my anatomy final. This is getting out of hand; I think I was better off with a blank screen. Ok, I need to breathe and focus.
Personal essays are very much about personal experience; however, the key is to determine the right topic(s) for your audience. Coming up with a theme or focus for your essay can be difficult. It’s one thing to decide what you want to write about; it’s another to make sure it’s appropriate for your audience. Most readers, anxious to read about my experience with Hedge Funds, aren’t going to care that my cat snores and the admissions officer at my graduate school specifically wanted to read about my academic and work experience and not the time I blew out a tire in Baja. All right, I admit these are extreme examples, but what is important to remember is that the potential for topics is endless, but the key is to know your audience and write to them.
If you are still having trouble generating ideas, think about who you are. Each of us fills multiple roles in life, both public and private. Take a moment and list at least 10 different roles that directly pertain to you. For example, wife, graduate student, Girl Scout leader, Oriental Body Therapist, aunt, native San Diegan, writer, walker, piano player. Once you’ve completed your list, write short paragraphs for each one describing yourself in each of these identities. As a walker, I trained eight months to complete the Dublin marathon. As an aunt, I have 10 nieces and nephews ranging in age from 30 down to 5. I changed diapers, drove carpools, tutored in history, gave driving lessons, listened to complaints and offered advice. As you describe each role, also consider what concerns you. As a walker, I often pick up trash around the lake. As an aunt, I’m concerned about peer pressure, quality of education and daycare centers. Remember, it’s not necessary to write complete descriptions for each role. Many may be succinctly described in 3-4 lines, while others may find you at the end of page 2 or 3 with no end in sight. Don’t worry if your descriptions become exceedingly complicated or spin off into tangents. Continue to explore your thoughts, feelings and viewpoints. As you write, your essay will start to take shape and form.
Writing personal essays can often lead the writer down the messy road of ambiguity. In order to avoid that road and take the write exit, it’s important to know where to begin. Whether your personal essay is intended for college admissions, a class assignment, family members or publication, the process remains the same.
Step 1: Decide what you want to write about and get it down on paper. Don’t worry about how it reads or correct use of language; just get your thoughts on paper.
Step 2: Start to shape your essay. Is your focus clear? Have you stayed on topic or strayed off on a tangent? Is it informative to the reader? Most importantly, is it personal?
Step 3: Edit, revise and rewrite. Whether it’s shyness or getting lost in the thought process, many writers often forget that personal essays are just that, personal. If you don’t like to talk about yourself, consider an event you participated in and write about it from your perspective or consider a role model or mentor that you may have and how that person has helped shape what and who you are today.
Step 4: Take a break. Get away and percolate. Even if you aren’t presently working on your essay, your mind will still be tossing ideas around and you’ll be able to review your essay with a fresh set of eyes. Personally, I’d recommend sleeping on it and putting at least six hours between you and your essay, but we all know that’s not always possible.
Step 5: Final checks. Do you feel like you told the story you wanted to tell? Have you read it aloud to determine consistency of voice and tone? Have you had someone else (editor, family, teacher, friend) read it and comment?
Some last thoughts. If your chosen audience has standard guidelines for submission, follow the directions carefully. If there are clear expectations as to length, printed format and chosen language, make sure you adhere to the guidelines. You may have the best story to tell, but the surest way to an unread paper is not reading and following directions.
Whatever your chosen topic, always keep your audience in mind; however, “This above all: to thine ownself be true, And it must follow, as the night the day, Thou canst not then be false to any man.” - Hamlet
