1. Autobiographical Incident Steps in the writing process: Identify an incident (event occurring over a relatively short period of time) when you were resilient in overcoming a hardship or injustice. Write about a time someone threw you a lifeline, singled you out for attention, or made you feel that you were liked and respected for yourself. Write a sentence or two briefly telling about the incident. In one sentence, tell why this incident was significant to you. Recall the scene - who was there, where did it occur, what did you hear, see, smell, etc. at the scene. Describe it so that others would feel they were there.

2. Autobiographical Incident Outline the sequence of events: What happened 1st, 2nd, 3rd? What were your feelings at the time of the incident? What are your thoughts today? How has your life changed as a result of this incident? Put these ideas aside and begin your first draft.

3. Autobiographical Incident What does the incident mean to me? You chose your incident because it had a special meaning for you. If your writing doesn’t make the significance of the incident clear, your reader will say, “So what?” Explain what the incident means to you in a sentence or two – for example, I disappointed myself by not being a hero when my cousin was in trouble. As you draft, keep looking back at this statement to see whether what you’ve written is in line with it. If not, either rewrite your draft or rethink your statement.