Here's a (Perfect) Guide on How to Write a Personal Essay

No one will read a personal essay during leisure time unless you really have nothing better to do. If you happen to be a blogger or editor, then reading various (written) materials is part of the job. (If you want to be the best in your craft, then you must learn the writing style of other writers.) When did personal essay become a genre? The answer could be a matter of debate.

Henry David Thoreau may be credited as THE one who invented the personal essay, as his compilation in "Walden" was a recollection of his thoughts during his solitary existence in Walden Pond. Those who would argue against it could cite Ralph Waldo Emerson, a close friend of Thoreau. There was a mutual respect between the two, as Emerson's essays revealed his opinion on a myriad of subjects and pressing issues during America's younger years. But personal essay must be based on a personal experience. (Emerson's ideas may be based on his experience as a diplomat in Europe, but it wasn't specific and detailed as Thoreau's reminiscing of his communal life.) The novel became a popular genre, such that this would be synonymous to authorship. This would bring us to personal essays.

Did the Internet popularize the (personal essay) genre? Yes. Did the state of the economy play a part (in its rise in popularity)? There's no doubt about it. Could anyone write a personal essay? Yes and no.

Aside from essays on the classic novels, you would be required to pen personal essays. As a matter of fact, you could write one for your application for the coming term. (You must be patted on the back if you choose a position paper on George Orwell. It may give you a head start in Modern Literature.) It should be proper to use the first-person approach, but something would dawn on you during your first year. You could be playful, if not experimental, in your approach. Your teachers won't only encourage it, but they will also be impressed with you. This will be advantageous in your favor, as you won't be restricted to the usual format. (If you're at a loss, then it will be the first-person approach.)

The new approach requires you to think like an author, editor, and teacher at the same time. It means recalling everything you know about fiction and storytelling. It's about revision and editing, which you'll be good at it at the end of your first year. It's also about finding a larger meaning from your perceptive observation about a particular life experience.

Here's How You Turn a Bland Piece of Work Into a Beautiful Paper

Illustrations will enable you to understand each step, so better pay attention to it. There are three aspects, which will be good enough for your reference (for your future assignments). Let's assume that this will be your first (personal essay):

There's no reason for you not to turn your personal essay into a larger-than-life saga. It seems exaggerated for most readers, but it would be the only way to catch their attention. You should have guessed after looking through a list of titles of personal essays on the Internet. (A meditation on "The Voice" blind auditions. The agony and ecstasy of dating a strict Christian girl. My awful date with Donald Trump.) If you think that this approach is beyond you, then look at it from where you're coming from. You want it your way, but it turns out to be not too different from the others. Your teacher may have struggled (in finishing your piece). Don't expect a reaction. Look at it as an exercise in authorship, where you must have an accurate description of the setting, the people (whom you likely know all your life), and what problem (or conflict) that happens along the way. If this isn't interesting enough, then nothing may be better.

Revise and edit your essay. And you'll keep on repeating the process unless you're satisfied with what you have written. Editing means checking on grammatical errors and faulty sentence structure while revision is making changes in your draft. It can be a painful process, as you must alot more time than you planned before. Keep in mind that change can be a good thing.

Be observant. It doesn't have to be your honest feeling on a coursemate who keeps on commenting on your looks. Try to be selective about your description of the events, which leads to a perspective that will prompt your teacher to pause (and admire your efforts). Your sensory abilities will come into play, and it can be a higher level of visual learning. There's nothing to worry if you're not that kind of student, as long as you do your best. If you can utilize your other senses, then you can't be asked to do more.

Don't Ever Forget the Following when Writing a Personal Essay

Students don't have a clue about finding a voice in their personal essay. It had nothing to do with the active (or passive) voice. It would be a tone, that denotes a particular feeling. You can be amusing, if not sarcastic. You can be having an exhilarating feeling, if not bouts of melancholy. You want the (raw) pain to ooze out, if not infect your teacher (and possibly readers) with your sunshine demeanor. You can opt to juggle these feelings, which your teacher will notice it (if you pull it off).

You must differentiate the specific from the general. It means citing a particular experience, if not two. You must be able to draw a moral lesson, if not memory that will suggest several meanings. And you don't have to try too hard on it. Read, read, and read more. It will give you more ideas (on how to write a personal essay). You can't insist that your initial approach will be the best option until you read it all.