1. Writing a Personal Essay

2. The purpose of a personal essay….
To show the significance of ordinary events
To tell an engaging story (narrative)
The purpose of a personal essay….

3. Steps to Writing a Personal Essay

4. Introduction Sometimes called a “hook” or a “grabber.”
Grab the reader’s attention with dialogue, an anecdote, or an interesting statement.
Introduction

5. Your first thesis statement needs to hint at things to come in your paper.
“Little did I know…..”
“I realized later that things didn’t exactly turn out as planned….”
Thesis Statement # 1

6. Tell your story (narrative)
Use dialogue
Rely on memory and observation
Use specific details to help create a picture for the reader. EX. exact times, dates, and geographical locations can be helpful
Use as many paragraphs as you think necessary
Tell your story (narrative)

7. Second thesis statement
This is your interpretation—how you see events NOW as opposed to when they actually happened.
What was the significance of the event?
What did you learn?
How has this event changed how you see things or how you act?
What lesson did you take away from this event?
What surprises you about it now that you didn’t think about at the time it was happening?
Second thesis statement

8. Things to do….. Vary sentence length and structure
Use clear chronological order so the reader does not become confused
Use transitions to move from one idea/event to the next.
Proofread BEFORE you turn it in to make sure you say exactly what you want to say
Show—don’t tell. Allow the reader to draw conclusions about your story.
Things to do…..

9. Things to avoid….. Clichés—overused expressions
Ex. “I felt a lump in my throat and butterflies in my stomach….”
“I felt as if I were on top of the world…”
Things to avoid…..