tips on writing personal essays

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Tips and tricks for crafting engaging and effective essays.

Writing essays can be a challenging task, but with the right approach and strategies, you can create compelling and impactful pieces that captivate your audience. Whether you’re a student working on an academic paper or a professional honing your writing skills, these tips will help you craft essays that stand out.

Effective essays are not just about conveying information; they are about persuading, engaging, and inspiring readers. To achieve this, it’s essential to pay attention to various elements of the essay-writing process, from brainstorming ideas to polishing your final draft. By following these tips, you can elevate your writing and produce essays that leave a lasting impression.

Understanding the Essay Prompt

Before you start writing your essay, it is crucial to thoroughly understand the essay prompt or question provided by your instructor. The essay prompt serves as a roadmap for your essay and outlines the specific requirements or expectations.

Here are a few key things to consider when analyzing the essay prompt:

• Read the prompt carefully and identify the main topic or question being asked.
• Pay attention to any specific instructions or guidelines provided, such as word count, formatting requirements, or sources to be used.
• Identify key terms or phrases in the prompt that can help you determine the focus of your essay.

By understanding the essay prompt thoroughly, you can ensure that your essay addresses the topic effectively and meets the requirements set forth by your instructor.

Researching Your Topic Thoroughly

One of the key elements of writing an effective essay is conducting thorough research on your chosen topic. Research helps you gather the necessary information, facts, and examples to support your arguments and make your essay more convincing.

Here are some tips for researching your topic thoroughly:

By following these tips and conducting thorough research on your topic, you will be able to write a well-informed and persuasive essay that effectively communicates your ideas and arguments.

Creating a Strong Thesis Statement

A thesis statement is a crucial element of any well-crafted essay. It serves as the main point or idea that you will be discussing and supporting throughout your paper. A strong thesis statement should be clear, specific, and arguable.

To create a strong thesis statement, follow these tips:

• Be specific: Your thesis statement should clearly state the main idea of your essay. Avoid vague or general statements.
• Be concise: Keep your thesis statement concise and to the point. Avoid unnecessary details or lengthy explanations.
• Be argumentative: Your thesis statement should present an argument or perspective that can be debated or discussed in your essay.
• Be relevant: Make sure your thesis statement is relevant to the topic of your essay and reflects the main point you want to make.
• Revise as needed: Don’t be afraid to revise your thesis statement as you work on your essay. It may change as you develop your ideas.

Remember, a strong thesis statement sets the tone for your entire essay and provides a roadmap for your readers to follow. Put time and effort into crafting a clear and compelling thesis statement to ensure your essay is effective and persuasive.

Developing a Clear Essay Structure

One of the key elements of writing an effective essay is developing a clear and logical structure. A well-structured essay helps the reader follow your argument and enhances the overall readability of your work. Here are some tips to help you develop a clear essay structure:

1. Start with a strong introduction: Begin your essay with an engaging introduction that introduces the topic and clearly states your thesis or main argument.

2. Organize your ideas: Before you start writing, outline the main points you want to cover in your essay. This will help you organize your thoughts and ensure a logical flow of ideas.

3. Use topic sentences: Begin each paragraph with a topic sentence that introduces the main idea of the paragraph. This helps the reader understand the purpose of each paragraph.

4. Provide evidence and analysis: Support your arguments with evidence and analysis to back up your main points. Make sure your evidence is relevant and directly supports your thesis.

5. Transition between paragraphs: Use transitional words and phrases to create flow between paragraphs and help the reader move smoothly from one idea to the next.

6. Conclude effectively: End your essay with a strong conclusion that summarizes your main points and reinforces your thesis. Avoid introducing new ideas in the conclusion.

By following these tips, you can develop a clear essay structure that will help you effectively communicate your ideas and engage your reader from start to finish.

Using Relevant Examples and Evidence

When writing an essay, it’s crucial to support your arguments and assertions with relevant examples and evidence. This not only adds credibility to your writing but also helps your readers better understand your points. Here are some tips on how to effectively use examples and evidence in your essays:

• Choose examples that are specific and relevant to the topic you’re discussing. Avoid using generic examples that may not directly support your argument.
• Provide concrete evidence to back up your claims. This could include statistics, research findings, or quotes from reliable sources.
• Interpret the examples and evidence you provide, explaining how they support your thesis or main argument. Don’t assume that the connection is obvious to your readers.
• Use a variety of examples to make your points more persuasive. Mixing personal anecdotes with scholarly evidence can make your essay more engaging and convincing.
• Cite your sources properly to give credit to the original authors and avoid plagiarism. Follow the citation style required by your instructor or the publication you’re submitting to.

By integrating relevant examples and evidence into your essays, you can craft a more convincing and well-rounded piece of writing that resonates with your audience.

Editing and Proofreading Your Essay Carefully

Once you have finished writing your essay, the next crucial step is to edit and proofread it carefully. Editing and proofreading are essential parts of the writing process that help ensure your essay is polished and error-free. Here are some tips to help you effectively edit and proofread your essay:

1. Take a Break: Before you start editing, take a short break from your essay. This will help you approach the editing process with a fresh perspective.

2. Read Aloud: Reading your essay aloud can help you catch any awkward phrasing or grammatical errors that you may have missed while writing. It also helps you check the flow of your essay.

3. Check for Consistency: Make sure that your essay has a consistent style, tone, and voice throughout. Check for inconsistencies in formatting, punctuation, and language usage.

4. Remove Unnecessary Words: Look for any unnecessary words or phrases in your essay and remove them to make your writing more concise and clear.

5. Proofread for Errors: Carefully proofread your essay for spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors. Pay attention to commonly misused words and homophones.

6. Get Feedback: It’s always a good idea to get feedback from someone else. Ask a friend, classmate, or teacher to review your essay and provide constructive feedback.

By following these tips and taking the time to edit and proofread your essay carefully, you can improve the overall quality of your writing and make sure your ideas are effectively communicated to your readers.

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How to Write a Personal Essay for Your College Application

What does it take to land in the “accept” (instead of “reject”) pile?

How can you write an essay that helps advance you in the eyes of the admissions officers and makes a real impression? Here are some tips to get you started.

• Start early.  Do not leave it until the last minute. Give yourself time when you don’t have other homework or extracurriculars hanging over your head to work on the essay.
• Keep the focus narrow.  Your essay does not have to cover a massive, earth-shattering event. Some people in their teens haven’t experienced a major life event. Some people have. Either way, it’s okay.
• Be yourself.  Whether writing about a painful experience or a more simple experience, use the narrative to be vulnerable and honest about who you are. Use words you would normally use. Trust your voice and the fact that your story is interesting enough in that no one else has lived it.
• Be creative.  “Show, don’t tell,” and that applies here — to an extent. The best essays typically do both. You can help your reader see and feel what you are describing by using some figurative language throughout your piece.
• Make a point. As you finish your final body paragraphs ask yourself “So what?” This will help you hone in on how to end your essay in a way that elevates it into a story about an insight or discovery you made about yourself, rather than just being about an experience you had.

Where your work meets your life. See more from Ascend here .

We’ve all heard about the dreaded “college essay,” the bane of every high school senior’s existence. This daunting element of the college application is something that can create angst for even the most accomplished students.

• AA Amy Allen is a writer, educator, and lifelong learner. Her freelance writing business,  All of the Write Words , focuses on providing high school students with one-on-one feedback to guide them through the college application process and with crafting a thoughtful personal essay. A dedicated poet, Amy’s work has also been published in several journals including  Pine Row Press ,  Months to Years,  and  Atlanta Review .

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How to Write a Personal Essay: Your Easy Guide

The power of a well-written personal essay should never be underestimated. Inspiring readers with your experiences, lessons learned from past mistakes, or simply describing the joy you felt from doing a fun activity can literally change people's lives. Take a moment to reflect upon this. How much influence you can have on your audience with just a pen and paper in your hand and thoughts flowing through your head is insane.

To take the reins of your floating thoughts and put them into perspective, you need to know how to write a personal essay. Otherwise defined as a nonfiction narrative story, the personal essay format differs slightly from other kinds of writing with its implicit structure. Once we touch upon those, we will also explore some personal essay topics with our online essay writing service . After reading this article, we promise you'll be so confident writing your personal statement that you might want to craft many personal essays in one go!

Proper Format

When trying to understand what is a personal essay, you must start with the formatting specifics. And no, we didn't mean to scare you off if this sounded too complicated! The format for personal essay can be similar to most academic tasks with just a few distinct aspects. Let's examine the details from our paper writer :

• Font : Unless required to write in a Harvard essay format , you can use any readable fonts - Times New Roman, Arial, or Calibri in size 12.
• Margins : Just like in most writings, set your margins to one inch on all sides.
• Spacing : This is a classic! Use double-spacing throughout the essay, including between paragraphs.
• Indentation : Indent the first line of each paragraph by 0.5 inches or use the tab key. This might be a little too specific, but it's a true-and-tried method!
• Page numbers : Include page numbers in the top right corner of each page. You don't have to do this necessarily, but it can add more spark to your paper!
• Title : Include a title that reflects the theme or subject of your essay. Center the title on the page. Did we really have to elaborate on this?
• Header : Include a header with your last name and the page number in the top right corner of each page. After all, it's your personal story; why would you want to miss your name here?
• Length : The length of a personal essay can vary but typically ranges from 500 to 2,000 words. Well, unless you're discussing healing from a generational trauma... Then you'd probably need a few more extra pages.
• Tone : The tone of a personal essay should be conversational, reflective, and sincere. At least, this is what we recommend not to sound dull.
• Personal pronouns : Use first-person pronouns such as 'I,' 'me,' and 'my.' Remember, the spotlight is directed at you as you're the true hero of the story.

Personal Essay Topics

If you have got a lot of exciting stories to tell, your personal essay can shine brightly by interactively engaging the reader. Put in a little extra effort and dig deeper to find a unique or interesting experience or an unusual moment in your life.

Looking at a life lesson from another angle can turn into deep and purposeful subject matter. If you decide to pick a topic from a huge list of personal essay topics that you found in the internet, be precise and careful because not all of them can meet the requirements of your professor.

Personal Narrative Essay Topics

In this type of writing, try to explore a unique experience that creates a sense of conflict in your life. Explore how and why you were confused, annoyed, or hurt by the experience. Imagine your piece of paper as a place where you can freely express your emotions, discuss significant moments, & reflect on their impact on your life. This tip can help you create many really good essay topics, but if you need motivation, you can find some examples below.

• 'One small step that helped me skyrocket in my career!'
• 'Why controlling urges teaches you to master self-control.'
• 'People only learn from their own mistakes.'
• 'Life is not a one-dimensional path: it is curvier than a snake!'
• 'What I learned about conquering my fears.'
• 'The moment when I should have made a better choice.'
• 'The moment I overcame my public speaking fear.'
• 'How I conquered adversity with strength.'
• 'The impact of mentorship: valuable lessons learned from my mentor.'
• 'My journey to finding a place to belong.'

Personal Essay Topics on Specific Emotions

You may also talk about a specific event in your life that left a long-lasting impression on you. Usually, this type of essay reflects an incident that took place in your life and shifted it in some way. Dive deeper into your mind and find an event that is unique and personal to you. The weirder the occurrence, the more likely the essay will be engaging to read.

• 'How I ran away from fear: the power of exercising.'
• 'How I overcame the trauma through painting.'
• 'My quest to reclaim my cultural identity
• 'How I tackled cultural shock while studying abroad.'
• 'The year I went from being an amateur to a professional artist.'
• 'The best solo hike of my life
• 'The moment I beat my eating disorder and learned to love my true self.'
• 'How practicing gratitude helped me find beauty in the ordinary.'
• 'The power of letting go of toxic relationships
• 'How I lived up to my family's legacy.'

If you have not noticed, each of these titles can bring a fascinating vibe to the table. The names grab your attention, but you can only honestly know what they are about when reading them. That is the secret to a provocative title!

And if you'd rather have a pro write your personal essay for college, purchase essay on our platform and lay back in peace knowing your task is in expert hands!

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Crafting an Outline for Personal Essay

Like most academic tasks, the personal essay can be easily structured into 5 paragraphs . This is one of the most important steps of personal narrative essay writing at any level. Your outline for personal essay will serve as a navigator, so you don't want to get off track. Understanding how to start a personal essay, what to write in body paragraphs, and how to conclude it appropriately will be important.

How to Start a Personal Essay?

Start your writing with an introductory paragraph. As it gives your reader a clear understanding of what the story will be about. Employ a hook sentence to catch their attention and motivate them to read the rest of the paper with a whimsical thesis statement. It can be a narrative thesis, for example. But it must be written in one concise sentence that will bring the reader to the starting point of your essay.

Don't leave your readers in the dark in the introduction by explaining the important things such as:

• Who are the major characters?
• When and where is it taking place?
• What kind of story is it?

Creating the Personal Essay Body 

After creating an introduction, you must formulate three body paragraphs supporting your thesis statement. Each new point should contain its own body paragraph. Don't forget to make transitions from one paragraph to another to make sure that everything flows smoothly.

Usually, the body section is presented in the form of your experiences and your reflections on these events. You should also note the passage of time in your body sections, so make sure that the reader is aware of when and how each specific chapter took place.

How to Write a Conclusion Paragraph for Personal Essay?

Ultimately, it will be essential to wrap everything up and give your audience a sense of completeness by writing a proper conclusion. Restate your thesis, summarize the main points you have stated in body paragraphs, and leave your reader with a specific emotion, depending on the subject of your paper.

Readers should also discover a life lesson by going through the story. It is a moment where you show what you have learned from your experiences or how previous events have changed your life.

Tips for Personal Essay Writing Process

If you think you already possess sufficient knowledge of personal essays, we've yet to supply you with more information. Now let's explore the various stages of personal essay writing. Follow the list of valuable tips and advice without skipping a beat from our service where you can buy personal statement too.

Start with an Engaging Opening Sentence

Open your personal essay with an introductory section that will be engaging and interesting for your reader. In the opening section, introduce the principal characters of the story as well as the central theme or themes. It should also present the fundamental question of the essay.

Write from Your Unique Point of View

You are free to write from your point of view or in your own unique style. In contrast to other types of essays, writing from your perspective or in your personal manner is welcomed. For instance, if you are writing about a trip adventure, you might express your individual writing style by describing the sights and sounds that captured your attention. As a result, your writing will be more interesting and genuine and will better convey your experiences and feelings.

Take the Characters into Account

Be sure to describe your characters from all angles. Even though it is your real-life experience, you should still consider storytelling elements like the plot and characters. Using these ingredients in your writing will keep your reader engaged and help your essay flow smoothly.

Shed Light on a Deep Truth

Discuss your background experience with honesty and curiosity. Don't be afraid to uncover a hidden truth or a truth you didn't know was there at the time. Expose a thing that is uncomfortable or difficult for you to discuss. No matter who will read your essay. Whether it will be a teacher or somebody else, they will definitely appreciate your honesty and strive to share your experience.

Write a Rough Draft & Submit

After you have completed all the previous steps, it's time to write a rough draft. Writing a rough draft lets you get new ideas for a personal essay. Moreover, it's a great place to polish your essay and correct small grammar, spelling, and other types of mistakes. Get a second pair of eyes: No one can rate your writing as well as a neutral party. Once you have checked everything, you can start writing the final paper.

Before submitting your personal essay, double-check everything once again and make sure to present the central theme. After it, go through it and proofread your entire piece. Reading an essay full of grammatical mistakes is somewhat frustrating, which can be easily avoided. You can ask your classmate for help, so in that way, you will save each other. Don't forget to meet the deadline - and you're officially finished!

Personal Essay Examples

In our time it’s much more easier to find things on the Internet, and examples are not an exception. Remember one simple thing: not everything that you can find on the Internet is done correctly. If you need some inspiration to get started, you can find several examples of personal essays below, or you can use our free essay samples to sharpen your skills on any type of writing.

As we scratched the surface of the personal essay writing process and delved deep into the specific stages of creating a flawless paper, we hope you gained some valuable insights. These tips are all you'll ever need to inspire readers or even WOW the admissions officers!

If you want our experienced writers to help you with any writing assignment, whether a persuasive essay , creative nonfiction, or any type of college essay, hit us up with your ' do my homework for me ' request and consider it done with the highest caliber!

Want a Powerful Reflection of Your Personal Story?

Order your custom personal essay now and let our expert writers bring your unique experiences to life

Daniel Parker

is a seasoned educational writer focusing on scholarship guidance, research papers, and various forms of academic essays including reflective and narrative essays. His expertise also extends to detailed case studies. A scholar with a background in English Literature and Education, Daniel’s work on EssayPro blog aims to support students in achieving academic excellence and securing scholarships. His hobbies include reading classic literature and participating in academic forums.

is an expert in nursing and healthcare, with a strong background in history, law, and literature. Holding advanced degrees in nursing and public health, his analytical approach and comprehensive knowledge help students navigate complex topics. On EssayPro blog, Adam provides insightful articles on everything from historical analysis to the intricacies of healthcare policies. In his downtime, he enjoys historical documentaries and volunteering at local clinics.

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How To Write A Personal Essay: 7 Tips For Writers

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Table of Contents Hide

What is a personal essay, structure of a personal essay, step 1: choose an essay topic, step 2: create an essay outline, step 3: start with your introduction, step 4: write the body of the essay, step 5: be specific, step 6: include a conclusion, step 7: proofread and edit your work, 1. write from a personal point of view, 2. be original, 3. be vulnerable, 4. use vivid descriptions, 5. tune into your own emotions, 6. use the right tone, 7. be concise, bonus point: write in active voice, faqs on how to write a personal essay, we also recommend.

Crafting a personal essay can be a rewarding yet challenging task for writers. Whether you’re an experienced writer or just starting out, certain tips and techniques can help you create a compelling and impactful personal essay.

Personal essays allow writers to share their unique experiences, thoughts, and emotions with readers. They can be powerful tools for self-expression and connecting with others personally. However, writing a personal essay requires careful consideration of structure, tone, and content to effectively convey your message.

If you’re looking to enhance your personal essay-writing abilities, this blog post will provide you with seven valuable tips to guide you through the writing process. From finding your voice to selecting a compelling topic, these tips will help you craft a well-written and engaging personal essay that resonates with your audience. Whether you’re writing for a publication or for personal reflection, these tips will help you create a memorable and impactful piece of writing.

A personal essay is a writing that provides details of the experience, event, or realization from the past and how it left a lasting impression on the writer. Many employers and admissions departments ask aspirants to submit personal essays because they contain a lot of information about a person’s personality, outlook, and motivations and how specific circumstances formed them.

A personal essay often describes a memorable event from a first-person perspective and can be done in different writing styles, like a formal essay or creative nonfiction. Personal essays usually adopt a conversational tone that creates a deep connection with the reader.

Personal essay topics range from various subject matters such as the first time you failed a test in high school, an estranged family member, a moral turning point encountered during adolescence, how you handled an issue at work, survival of abuse, or a professor that changed the way you feel about literature.

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A personal essay consists of three main parts: introduction, body, and conclusion, and it differs from formal essays in their length, tone, and purpose. 

Let’s take a look at each section individually.

• Introduction : The first sentences of your personal essay must have a hook that captures the reader’s attention. Here you are expected to provide a statement that you plan on proving in the body of your essay. Avoid common cliches like opening with a famous quote (especially if this is a college essay), and try to form a unique connection with your audience.
• Body : The body of your essay is the main part of your story and should include your main points and personal evidence supporting the thesis statement of your narrative essay. This is where you give details of how your personal experiences shaped your point of view, and reflect on the knowledge gleaned.
• Conclusion : The conclusion of every essay is where you restate your thesis and share the moral of your story or a revelation of a deeper truth. Review why this essay matters and sum up the things you want the reader to take away from this particular piece.

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Step by step Process Of Writing A Personal Essay

While everyone’s writing process differs, there are a few step-by-step processes to guide you while writing a personal essay.

The best essay topics are often deeply relatable. Although the story itself is unique to the author’s experience, there’s some universal truth that speaks to us from just below the surface. Topics like facing a fear, falling in love, overcoming an obstacle, discovering something new, or making a difficult choice tackle feelings and events that happen in everyone’s life.

Drafting a personal essay outline first can help you lay out the main points and tone of the message you are trying to share. Your outline will help you figure out early on if this specific moment is worth writing about. Whichever topic you choose for your essay, it must have had a strong emotional impact on you or have taught you a lesson in some way.

All it takes to understand the importance of an outline is listening to someone who struggles to tell a personal story. Often, the story will seem to have no real point. The switchbacks where the teller says “But wait, I have to tell you about this part, first!” are maddening and disruptive. An outline will help you organize your thoughts before committing them to text.

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Include your hook, state your main point, and form an emotional connection with the reader. Stir your audience up for what your piece will be about and give them something to look forward to.

Use sensory details about the sequence of events surrounding your thesis to lead the reader through your personal essay. This is where you build up your personal story and eventually lead the reader to your main point.

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Don’t try to write about a general topic. Your essay may well be about climate change, but you need to illustrate it through the lens of a defining incident that’s deeply personal to you using specific terms. What did your experiences teach you about sexism? What does it mean to you as an individual? Provide details about real-life characters and the feelings you experienced.

Your conclusion is a summary of your experience as presented in the body of the essay. Here, you are expected to conclude in a positive and helpful note that will show the reader how aspirational you are.

Your essay should end with your reflection and analysis. What did you learn from the experience? How have the events and thoughts shaped your life? It’s not enough to say “And that’s what happened.” You have to describe how whatever happened shaped you.

After writing your personal essay the next thing to do is proofread and edit. While checking spelling and grammar is important, also ensure your intent is clear and your narrative is in line with what you are writing. No matter how good your writing skills are, it’s always helpful to reread your own work and ensure your point is clear.

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7 Key Tips On How To Write A Personal Essay

Here are 7 key tips that will help you write the best personal essay:

We all have a unique point of view towards issues and experiences. Since you are the only one who has experienced a particular event in that moment, in that particular way, in that place or time, with those people, you’re the best person to tell the story in the best way possible. When writing a personal essay flow naturally and let your inner thoughts tell the story.

As readers, we all crave new information and new experiences. When asked about how to submit effective queries, editors will often say, “Tell me something I don’t know.”

Admissions counselors seek out candidates of value. You need to show what makes a college campus more valuable? Students who exude enthusiasm, fortitude, leadership, drive, diversity, originality, and the ability to motivate others are always preferred. These kinds of qualities should be highlighted in the story your essay tells. Tell your tale because no one else has lived your life or experienced what you have in the same manner. Speak in a genuine voice for you.

Writing creatively doesn’t require you to be a genius or to have seen the world. Simply pay close attention to your surroundings and recognize when your thoughts are taking an odd slant on a subject.

Don’t be afraid to let your strengths, challenges, and personal stories shine through in your essay! Scholarship and admissions committees love to see that you’re self-aware of how you can improve as a person, or how you’ve grown because of your experiences. Honest writing can help tell the best stories (in this case, your story).

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When writing a personal essay try to create a visual image in your reader’s mind. Describe what you see, hear, smell, taste, and touch clearly so your readers can experience it with you. Let’s say you take your son to the State Fair for the first time. How did he feel while walking into the arena? What was his impression of the place? While writing, give a clear description that will give the reader a clear picture of what is being discussed.

We are emotional beings wired to feel the emotions of the other person. As writers, when we’re authentic, others react. Dig deep to remember the exact feeling you had at the time of the event you’re writing about and develop a vocabulary that matches your emotion and moments.

While writing a personal essay ensure your tone matches your essay. Don’t be sarcastic when you should be affectionate and vice versa. Also, don’t overuse a tone, it will bore your readers. You don’t want to risk alienating your readers by being overly political, preachy, crude, gross, or intolerant. How far you can go will depend upon your own comfort level, your intended audience, and the publication you’re targeting.

As we know from speakers who drone on and on, sometimes the most profound way to say something is to use as few words as possible. Say what you mean and don’t veer off track. It’s okay to write your way into a story—it can help get the juices flowing—but you have to be willing to delete the off-topic chatter during the editing process.

Use action verbs in your writing and try to avoid passive voice by making sure the subject performs the verb’s action. Be direct.

• Active:  Monkeys eat bananas. The cashier counted the money.
• Passive:  Bananas are eaten by monkeys. The money was counted by the cashier.

A personal essay is a writing that provides details of the experience, event, or realization from the past and how it left a lasting impression on the writer.

A personal essay consists of three main parts: introduction, body, and conclusion, and it differs from formal essays in their length, tone, and purpose. 

Always end your personal essay with a reflection and analysis. What did you learn? How have the events and thoughts you described changed your life or your understanding of life?

From finding your voice to selecting a compelling topic, these tips will help you craft a well-written and engaging personal essay that resonates with your audience. Whether you’re writing for a publication or for personal reflection, these tips will help you create a memorable and impactful piece of writing.

• masterclass.com – How to Write a Personal Essay: 6 Tips for Writing Personal Essays
• writersdigest.com – How to Write Compelling Personal Essays: 9 Ingredients for Spicing Up Your Writing
• grammarly.com – 7 Helpful Tips on How to Write A Memorable Personal Essay
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6 Steps to Writing the Perfect Personal Essay

Personal essays are easy once you know how!

• Tips For Adult Students
• Getting Your Ged

• B.A., English, St. Olaf College

It is the first day of a new school year and your teacher has just assigned a personal essay. They have good reasons for this assignment—personal or narrative essays allow teachers to assess your grasp of language, composition, and creativity.

If you don't know where to start or feel overwhelmed by the open-ended prompt, this list is here to help you navigate the process from beginning to end. Writing about yourself is easy to do when you keep the key ingredients of a great essay in mind.

Find Inspiration and Ideas

You can't begin a personal essay without a topic. If you are stuck on what to write about, look to some of these sources of inspiration:

• Consult lists of ideas to get your brain thinking about the possibilities of your essay. Remember that a personal essay is autobiographical, so do not write about anything untrue.
• Try writing a  stream of consciousness . To do this, start writing whatever is on your mind and don't stop or leave anything out. Even if ideas aren't connected to each other whatsoever, a stream of consciousness gets everything in your brain on paper and often contains many ideas.
• Do a little research. Browsing through whatever interests you can really get the creative juices flowing and lead to small self-reflections. Grab onto any of these that you think you might want to write about.

Don't be afraid to ask your teacher what they are looking for. If you still aren't sure what to write about, go to your teacher for suggestions or a more specific prompt.

Understand the Composition of an Essay

Before you start writing, remind yourself of basic essay composition. Almost all essays are made up of three parts: an introduction, a body of information, and a conclusion. The five-paragraph essay is a common iteration of this and it contains an introductory paragraph, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion paragraph. Use an outline, or general essay plan, to jot down your ideas before writing.

Introduction : Start your personal essay with a hook, or an interesting sentence that grabs your readers' attention and makes them want to read more. Select a topic that you know you can write an interesting essay about. Once you have a compelling topic, decide on the main idea you want to communicate and use it to capture your readers' interest in the first sentence.

After the hook, use the introductory paragraph to briefly outline the subject of your essay. Your readers should have a clear understanding of the direction of the rest of your piece from the introduction.

Body : The body of your essay is made up of one or more paragraphs that inform your readers about your topic, each paragraph accomplishing this in a unique way.

The structure of a paragraph resembles the structure of an essay. A paragraph contains an attention-grabbing topic sentence, several sentences elaborating on the point of the paragraph, and a conclusion sentence or two that summarizes the main idea. The conclusion sentence of a paragraph should also be used to transition into the next paragraph by smoothly introducing the next topic without going into too much detail.

Each paragraph should have its own idea that is closely related to the topic of the whole essay but elaborates on the main idea in a new way. It is important that topics flow logically from one to the next so that your essay is easy to follow. If your paragraphs are not related to each other or the main idea, your essay may be choppy and incoherent. Keeping your sentences concise also helps with clarity. Feel free to break a large paragraph up into two separate paragraphs if the topic changes or goes on for too long.

Conclusion : Close your essay with a final paragraph that summarizes the points you have made and states the takeaways. When writing personal essays, conclusion paragraphs are where you talk about the lessons you learned, ways that you changed as a result of your subject, or any other insights that were gained from your experience. In short: restate the ideas from the introduction in a new way and wrap up your essay.

Use Appropriate Voice for Essay and Verbs

In English grammar, there are many elements of writing that determine the quality of your work and voice is one of the most important. There are two types of voice: the author's voice and the voice of verbs.

Author's Voice

One of the things your teacher will be looking for when reading your personal essay is the use of voice in your essay, which is your own personal style of telling a story. They will be looking for features of your writing that make it unique, analyze the pacing of your essay, and determine how you establish your authority.

Because personal essays are works of nonfiction, your voice must be reliable. Other than that, you are free to play around with the delivery of your essay. Decide how formal or casual you want to be, how you want to keep the attention of your readers, how you would like your readers to feel when reading your essay, and how you would like your story to come across as a whole.

Voice of Verbs

Don't be confused—verbs have their own voice that is entirely separate from the author's voice. The active voice occurs when the subject of your sentence is performing the action or verb and the passive voice occurs when the subject is receiving the action.

The subject is italicized in the following examples.

Passive : An essay was assigned by Ms. Peterson.

Active : Ms. Peterson assigned a personal essay about summer vacation.

Generally, the active voice is most appropriate for personal essays as it is more effective at progressing a story forward. Using verbs in the active voice also tends to come across as more authoritative.

Be Consistent With Point of View and Tense

Personal essays are about yourself, so it is important that your point of view and tense be consistent with this. Personal essays are almost always written in first person tense, using the pronouns I, we, and us to tell what happened. Readers need to know what something was like from your perspective.

Remember that you can only speak to your own thoughts and feelings in first person tense unless you know for sure what another person was thinking or feeling and can quote them.

Personal essays are also written in the past tense because they describe something that happened to you, not something that is happening or will happen. You cannot speak confidently about experiences that have not happened or are still happening because you have not yet learned from them. Teachers will probably want you to write a personal essay to reflect on a real experience that taught you something.

Use Your Own Vocabulary

Just as you shouldn't lie when writing personal essays, you also shouldn't waver. Your choice of vocabulary can help you establish and maintain themes throughout your essay. Every word matters.

Your goal when writing a personal essay should be authenticity and you need to choose your vocabulary accordingly. Use the words that naturally come to mind when you are writing and don't try to be something that you are not. Your language should fit the topic and guide readers to interpret your writing in a certain way.

Here are some examples of how to choose the right words.

• When you are making a statement of opinion or fact, use powerful words that make your ideas clear. For example, say, "I ran like my life depended on it," rather than, "I ran pretty fast."
• If you are trying to communicate uncertainty that you felt during an experience, use words that convey these feelings. "I questioned whether or not it was a good idea," rather than, "I didn't know what would happen."
• Use positive language. Write about what did happen or what is rather than what did not happen or what is not . "I left room for dessert after dinner," instead of, "I hated dinner and couldn't even finish it."

Always be as descriptive as possible and incorporate all of your senses into your writing. Write about how something looked, sounded, felt, smelled, or tasted to help your readers imagine the experience for themselves. Use adjectives that support what you have described but do not use them to do the work of describing for you.

Edit, Edit, Edit

English grammar is tough even for native English speakers. Brush up on grammar rules before writing and revisit your work when you are finished to ensure that you have written an essay that you can be proud of.

No matter what you write, one of the most important parts of the writing process is editing . It is good practice to give yourself some space from your essay just after finishing it before you dive into editing because this can help you analyze your writing more objectively. A second opinion is always helpful too.

When editing, ask yourself these questions:

• Is the grammar/sentence structure of your essay correct?
• Is your essay well-organized and easy to follow? Does it flow?
• Is your writing on topic throughout the essay?
• Will your readers be able to picture what you have described?
• Did you make your point?
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How to Write a Personal Essay

Last Updated: February 2, 2023 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Jake Adams . Jake Adams is an academic tutor and the owner of Simplifi EDU, a Santa Monica, California based online tutoring business offering learning resources and online tutors for academic subjects K-College, SAT & ACT prep, and college admissions applications. With over 14 years of professional tutoring experience, Jake is dedicated to providing his clients the very best online tutoring experience and access to a network of excellent undergraduate and graduate-level tutors from top colleges all over the nation. Jake holds a BS in International Business and Marketing from Pepperdine University. There are 10 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 311,060 times.

A good personal essay can move and inspire readers. It can also leave the reader unsettled, uncertain, and full of more questions than answers. To write an effective personal essay, you will need to first understand the structure of a personal essay. You will then need to brainstorm ideas for the personal essay so you are ready when it is time to sit down and craft your essay.

Starting Your Personal Essay

• For example, maybe you want to write about an experience where you learned about failure. You may think the time you failed a pop quiz in class. Though the quiz may have seemed insignificant to you at the time, you realized later that failing the pop quiz forced you to reassess your goals and motivated you to get a passing grade. Seen from a certain angle, your small failure became a gateway to perseverance and determination.

• This could be a seemingly small moment that ended up having a profound influence on you later, such the first time you experienced disgust as a child or the look on your mother’s face when you told her you were gay. Try to really dig into why you were hurt or compelled to overcome a challenge in this moment in your essay.
• Remember that moments charged with strong emotion will often be more engaging to readers. Having a strong reaction to a specific moment will allow you to write passionately about it and keep your reader interested in your essay.

• For example, you may focus on the day you found out your father cheated on your mother, or the week you mourned the death of a loved one. Think about a heavy experience in your life that shaped who you are today.
• You may also decide to write about a seemingly light topic or event, such as your first ride on a roller coaster, or the first time you went on a cruise with your partner. No matter what event you choose, make sure it is an event that triggered a strong emotional response, ranging from anger to confusion to unabashed joy.

• For example, you may think about why you and your mother stopped speaking years ago or why you are no longer close to a childhood friend. You may also look at past romantic relationships that failed and consider why they did not succeed or a relationship with a mentor that went sour.
• This could also be about someone that you're close with. For example, you could write about a moment that tested your relationship with a close friend.

• Ask yourself questions about the current event. For example, how does the current event intersect with your own experiences? How can you explore a current social issue or event using your personal thoughts, experiences, and emotions?
• For example, you may have an interest in writing about Syrian refugee camps in Europe. You may then focus your personal essay on your own status as a refugee in America and how your experiences a refugee have shaped the person you are now. This will allow you to explore a current event from a personal perspective, rather than simply talk about the current event from a distant, journalistic perspective.

• The introductory section should include “the hook”, opening lines where you catch the reader’s attention. It should also have some sort of narrative thesis, which is often the beginning of an important event in the piece or a theme that connects your experience to a universal idea.
• The body sections should include supporting evidence for your narrative thesis and/or the key themes in your piece. Often, this is in the form of your experiences and your reflections on your experiences. You should also note the passage of time in your body sections so the reader is aware of when and how certain events occurred.
• The concluding section should include a conclusion to the events and experiences discussed in the essay. You should also have a moral of the story moment, where you reflect on what you learned from your experiences or how your experiences changed your life.
• In the past, it was advised to have five paragraphs total, one paragraph for the introductory section, three paragraphs for the body section, and one paragraph for the concluding section. But you can have more or less than five paragraphs for your personal essay as long as you have all three sections.

Writing the Personal Essay

• Don't begin with a line that explains exactly what is going to be discussed in, such as, “In this essay, I will be discussing my fraught relationship with my mother." Instead, draw your reader into your piece and still provide all the information needed in your opening line.
• Start instead with a specific scene that contains the key characters of the essay and allows you discuss the central question or theme. Doing this will allow you to introduce the reader to the characters and the central conflict right away.
• For example, if you are writing about your fraught relationship with your mother, you may focus on a specific memory where you both disagreed or clashed. This could be the time you and your mother fought over a seemingly insignificant item, or the time you argued about a family secret.
• Try to use an active voice instead of a passive voice as much as possible when you're writing your essay.

• This writing voice may be conversational, much like how you might speak to a good friend or a family member. Or, the writing voice may be more reflective and internal, where you question your own assumptions and thoughts about the subject of the essay.
• Many personal essays are written in the first person, using “I”. You may decide to write in the present tense to make the story feel immediate, or past tense, which will allow you to reflect more on specific events or moments.
• Include vivid sensory descriptions in your essay to help the reader connect with your unique perspective. Describing touch, smell, taste, sight, and sound can help the reader invest in your story and feel like they're there with you.

• You can also include lines of dialogue spoken by your characters, based on your memory of the event. However, you should limit dialogue to only a few lines a page, as too much dialogue can start to veer away from personal essay and more toward fiction.

• You may use a plot outline to organize your essay. The plot points should act as supporting evidence for the central question or issue of the essay.

• It’s important to remember that though an experience may appear to have all the drama necessary to make a good personal essay, it may be a drama that is too familiar to the reader already. Be wary of experiences that are familiar and filled with pathos that a reader may have experienced before.
• If you are writing about the sudden death of a loved one, for example, it may feel important and deep to you. But the reader will likely know what to expect of an essay about a dead loved one, and may not relate to your essay because they did not know the loved one like you did.
• Instead, you may try to uncover a truth that is deeper than “I am sad my loved one died.” Think about what the loved one meant to you and how the loved one affected your life, in positive and negative ways. This could lead to the uncovering of a deeper truth and a stronger personal essay.

Polishing Your Essay

• For example, you may use metaphor to describe the experience of telling your mother you are gay. You may describe your mother’s face as “impenetrable, a sudden wall”. Or you may use a simile, such as “my mother’s reaction was silent and stunned, as if she had been struck by lightning.”

• As you read it out loud, you should highlight any sentences that are confusing or unclear as well as sentences that do not appear as strong as the rest of the draft. You should also make sure your characters are well developed and your essay follows some kind of structure or sense of plot. Consider if you are hitting a deeper truth in your draft and what you can do to get there if it is not yet on the page.Revising your essay will only make it that much stronger.

• When you are revising, you should consider if your content is really worth writing about, if you are writing about a topic or subject you are passionate about, and if your reader will understand your writing. You want to avoid confusing your reader, as this can turn her off from reading to the end of your essay.
• You should also make sure the focus and themes of the essay are clear. Your experiences should center around a central question, issue, or theme. This will ensure your personal essay is well written and concise.
• Avoid relying on spellcheck to catch all of the spelling and grammar errors in your essay.

Expert Q&A

• To get a better sense of the genre, you should read highly crafted examples of personal essay. There are several known personal essays that are often taught in academia, including "Notes of a Native Son” by James Baldwin, “The Death of a Moth” by Virginia Woolf, “Shipping Out” by David Foster Wallace, “The White Album” by Joan Didion, and “We Do Abortions Here” by Sallie Tisdale. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0
• Ask yourself several questions as you read the examples, such as: How does the writer introduce the subject of their essay? How does the writer explore the subject for a personal perspective? What are the key themes in the essay? How does the writer connect their personal experiences to a universal theme or idea? How does the writer use humor or wit in the essay? What is the concluding moral of the essay? Does the end of the essay leave you satisfied, unsettled, curious, or all of the above? Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0

Sample Essay and Template

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://owl.excelsior.edu/writing-process/thesis-sentence/thesis-sentence-angles/
• ↑ Jake Adams. Academic Tutor & Test Prep Specialist. Expert Interview. 20 May 2020.
• ↑ https://courses.lumenlearning.com/englishcomp1/chapter/writing-a-narrative-or-personal-essay/
• ↑ https://www.grammarly.com/blog/personal-essay/
• ↑ https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/how-to-write-a-personal-essay
• ↑ https://stlcc.edu/student-support/academic-success-and-tutoring/writing-center/writing-resources/point-of-view-in-academic-writing.aspx
• ↑ https://www.grammarly.com/blog/story-plot/
• ↑ https://www.grammarly.com/blog/literary-devices/
• ↑ http://admissions.vanderbilt.edu/vandybloggers/2013/09/how-to-write-your-personal-essay/
• ↑ http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/revising-drafts/

About This Article

To write a personal essay, start by deciding on an experience that affected your life in some way, such as how failing a pop quiz in class made you change your goals. Next, draft an outline containing the points you want to make, and including an introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. When writing, start your essay with an engaging scene that introduces the characters and main theme, then develop the characters in the body section so they're well-rounded. Conclude by summing up what you learned from the experience. For tips on how to include a plot in your essay and how to proofread your work, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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Personal Essay | Definition, Guidelines & Tips

Abby has worked with grades 1 through 8 as a specialist and teaching assistant for over five years. They have been writing ELA and SS curriculum for almost ten years. They have a Bachelor's degree in the humanities, specializing in American Indian studies and radical pedagogy from Michigan State University, and are currently earning an MEd from the University of Toronto in Indigenous knowledge and decolonizing education.

Amy has taught college and law school writing courses. She holds a master's degree in English and a law degree.

What are 5 elements of a personal essay?

Personal essays can take on a number of forms, but there are typically five elements to them. The five elements of a personal essay are a strong opening hook, interesting story, interesting characters, absorbing setting, and an ultimate point or conclusion.

How do you write a personal essay?

A personal essay can be written in accordance with a traditional five-paragraph format, but also can be made to be more creative in format. The unifying characteristic across all personal essays is the focus on recounting a personal experience and how a writer's life has been shaped by that experience.

Table of Contents

What is a personal essay, how to write a personal essay, personal essay guidelines, lesson summary.

A personal essay is an autobiographical or non-fiction piece of writing. It focuses on a specific occurrence, how its author experienced that occurrence, and how the author's life has book-ended that occurrence (the "before" and "after" of the titular thing in question).

Why Write a Personal Narrative Essay About Yourself?

In choosing to write a personal essay, as opposed to other types of essays or personal statements, an author is choosing to compose a narrative about themselves , from their own point of view, with a focus on a specific event and how it has shaped them. Where a personal statement offers an overview of a person's life, professional experience, or other surveys of personal information, a personal essay shares a specific occurrence and its impacts, perhaps even its larger implications, from the author's perspective . These essays give authors the chance to use their own life experiences to inform a specific point that might reach beyond their own lives.

Elements of a Personal Essay

Personal essays are commonly attributed a specific, five-paragraph format, involving an introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Creative formats, however, abound too. Ultimately, there is no set format for a creative essay, but there is a general structure to be found in most: the telling of a specific story, and how that story impacted the author.

How a story is told can adhere to any number of structures, from braids to linear narrative arcs to circles. The pieces can be a strict five paragraphs or run shorter or longer. Tone is personal, casual, or otherwise such that readers feel invited into the story being told. Unlike other types of writing, personal essays are defined by their vulnerability. As a writer shares a vulnerable part of themselves, they invite readers to travel with them. This includes processing and reflecting on the subject of the essay as well as their own personal stories. The five basic elements of a personal essay are a strong opening hook or attention-grabbing introduction, an interesting story, interesting characters, an absorbing setting, and an ultimate point or conclusion.

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• 0:05 Reasons for a Personal Essay
• 0:56 Identify Your Purpose
• 3:16 Three Important Guidelines
• 5:55 Lesson Summary

Personal essays are created over a series of steps, starting with brainstorming and ending with publication or completion. Those steps are as follows:

Brainstorming

Personal essay writers generate possible essay ideas. This is how to start a personal essay. A writer may begin with an exploration of topics, listing of personal events or stories, reading other writers' personal essays, or a process of reflecting upon what about themselves they (the writer) might like to explore in writing.

Topic Selection

Personal essay writers select an occurrence about which to start writing. This occurrence may be replaced by another one over the course of the writing process, or it may evolve to center its focus in a slightly different way. But by selecting a singular event or story to write about, writers have a starting line from which to work.

Personal essay writers outline their essays before beginning to write them. If writers are adhering to the more traditional five-paragraph format, outlines will detail what an author wishes to include in their introductory paragraph, in each of the following three body paragraphs, and their conclusion paragraphs . The actual contents of these paragraphs may change over the course of the writing process but outlining allows writers to shape the direction of their work and identify which ideas they would like to develop and why.

If an essay is not following the five-paragraph format, outlines still offer writers the chance to map out a piece's trajectory. If a writer wants to toggle back and forth between the past and present in an essay, they can use their outline process. This allows them to decide when they will switch between the two eras, and how to make that transition happen effectively. If a writer wants to include a secondary story alongside the primary one, outlining how the two will interact and serve each other will help the writer convey each story and its overlap with the other effectively.

First Draft

Personal essay writers write a first draft of their essay, testing out the story and how they want to tell it, exploring what works and does not work. Drafts are not published, as they are not an essay's final form. This means that writers can freely make mistakes and experiment with structure, tone, and word use in order to find what works best for a specific essay.

Personal essay writers will personally edit their essays and also have others edit their essays. The intent during this process is to remove what does not work in a draft, restructure it, if need be, and ensure the story or stories the author wishes to tell are getting their due. Writers then revise their pieces based on this editing feedback. This step can be repeated more than once as writers prefer.

Final Draft

Personal essay writers take a final pass over their work and then ask others to do the same, confirming the content and clarity of an essay before its final release.

Although personal essays can be very creative, flexible pieces of writing, there are a few guidelines that can aid authors in their efforts to write interesting, thought-provoking pieces:

• Narrowing an essay's scope, trying to focus on a specific occurrence instead of a broad topic or series of events. This helps writers keep their essays focused and effective.
• Editing ideas, a process through which authors can limit how much material is included in an essay and instead concentrate on detailing the material that IS included. This helps to ensure that the writing comes to life for readers, without overwhelming them with the sheer volume of content.
• Staying on topic allows writers to keep an essay closely tied to a central theme, instead of overextending the piece and overwhelming readers (which is intertwined with the "editing ideas" guideline).
• Supporting the main idea guides writers as they develop their essays, choosing words and ideas that support the overall intent of the piece, as opposed to diluting its effectiveness by including multiple ideas.
• Using an outline helps writers reach the benchmarks they have set for themselves in the development of their essays. It ensures the inclusion and order of events as the writer originally envisioned. This keeps the writing organized and its structure consistent.

Tips for Writing a Personal Essay

In addition to the personal essay guidelines listed above, some other tips for successfully writing a personal essay include:

• Trying to both show AND tell in writing. Personal essays give authors the chance to "show" through explorations of emotions, thoughts, and more. But they also leave room for writers to "tell," frankly laying out the facts of an event or the reactions elicited by a conversation, etc.
• Centering the personal, instead of the universal. Personal essays invite readers into an author's singular experience of something. The more true to themselves and vulnerable a writer is, the more effective their essay can be.
• Following the direction of the story. An author might intend to write an essay about a disastrous family road trip they took as a teenager, but partway through, realize that, in fact, the story they really want to tell is about why their relationship with their siblings is so strained.

Ways to avoid common mistakes when writing a personal essay include:

• Writing a strong ending. If a writer can develop a general conception (if not a specific idea) of what the conclusive event or words of an essay will be, before arriving at the end, that knowledge can then inform the whole piece's development.
• Writing defensively instead of honestly. If a writer composes an essay that is intended to tell a story but ultimately focuses on the author's defensiveness regarding that story, readers are left with a singular choice: to either agree with the author or disagree. When an author tells a story, offering personal experience and insight for others to ingest, readers can reflect on their narrative and own experiences, drawing new and different conclusions.
• Writing a list of events instead of a story. No matter what format a writer uses in their essay composition, an itinerary of events does not create a compelling narrative. An essay writer must weave together information, details, and descriptions in order to guide readers through the piece, instead of handing them a checklist of facts.

Personal essays are a form of writing that can be either creative, nonfiction, or autobiographical. They can entertain and also support, argue against, or inform a claim. They can adhere to a five-paragraph format, or take on different, more creative formats. They can also be structured in a linear fashion, or weave back and forth through time and space. This allows them to introduce additional stories, new perspectives, and other aspects of writing that step beyond the lines of traditional formats. The unifying factor across all personal essays is the intent to share and explore a personal event in the writer's life. The event might relate to broader topics (for example, a story about gender discrimination), but these essays are most effective when kept to a narrow scope, focusing on vulnerability and reflection from the writer themselves about a singular occurrence they have experienced.

Personal essays can be developed in accordance with the step-by-step writing process, involving brainstorming, outlining, drafting, revising, and finalizing. Having an outline to help guide the process can aid writers in keeping their essays focused and narrowed to a specific topic. The more honest and focused an essay is, right up through its conclusion, the more involvement it can elicit from readers, and stimulate outsider reflection and engagement far beyond the writers' original intentions.

Video Transcript

Reasons for a personal essay.

Have you ever met someone at a party, and within the first few minutes, they've given you way too much personal information? You may have thought, 'Hey, I don't even know you, and I definitely don't need to know all of those details!'

Well, when you're assigned a personal essay , your job is to do what our friend there didn't do, and that's strike a good balance. You need to give glimpses of yourself - your personal experiences, observations and views - but you need to do so with a specific purpose in mind. Your job isn't to throw out a ton of details, but rather to achieve a certain goal by using a select few of those experiences, observations, and views.

You may be asked to write a personal essay as part of the application process for a college, or you might be given the assignment of writing a personal essay for a writing course or a test. Whatever the case may be, there are a few things that you should keep in mind in order to keep your personal essay on track.

Identify Your Purpose

There are three major types of personal essays , and we can identify each by its purpose. Some personal essays are meant to entertain, some are meant to inform, and others are meant to support or oppose a specific position. So when you're writing a personal essay, the most important thing to do is to identify your purpose.

Perhaps you're writing a narrative essay that tells a story about a significant event that happened to you. If that's the case, you need to ask yourself whether your purpose is to entertain, as some stories do, or perhaps to do something altogether different.

If you're writing a narrative essay as part of an application, for example, your goal should ultimately be to inform, to let your reader know something important about yourself - to underscore a specific feature like your athleticism, your artistic abilities or the fact that you're well-traveled, for example. If this is the case, remember our friend from the party, and think about which details are important to flesh your story out. Which details capture the message that you're trying to convey? Remember: stay on track, and don't ramble. Use your personal experiences and observations to support your main point or main idea.

If you're writing a personal essay that's meant to inform the reader about some specific aspect of your life, like the fact that you do a lot of volunteer work, it can be a good idea to carefully choose a few specific anecdotes that help illustrate your commitment to volunteer work, and to describe each of those anecdotes briefly, spending roughly the same amount of time on each short story.

Remember that there is a third major type of personal essay. You may be asked to write a personal essay that requires you to support or oppose a specific position, supporting your reasoning with experiences and observations from your own life. Keep in mind that this type of personal essay differs a bit from the typical persuasive essay because with a typical persuasive essay , you'll often rely on external evidence - facts, statistics, expert opinions - to build your case, much like a lawyer would.

But in a personal essay that supports or opposes a specific position, your job will be to support or oppose an idea based on your own experiences, observations, and views. Remember our friend from the party, though. Your job isn't just to throw out random, overly-detailed stories. Instead, you should think carefully about what experiences or observations you want to share to support your position .

Three Important Guidelines

Keep in mind these general guidelines:

1. Narrow Your Scope

Especially when you're writing a personal essay with the purpose of supporting or opposing a particular point, it's best to stick to a specific theme with the personal experiences and observations that you bring up in support of your position.

For example, if you're writing a personal essay in which you support the position that public schools should require students to wear school uniforms, you might explain your personal experience of having worn school uniforms, and explain that it helped you focus on your school work. Explain how it helped, using a few concrete examples.

If you bring up several completely different examples in a relatively short personal essay, you might feel that you're providing ample evidence in support of your point, but you may actually be creating a real problem: an essay that feels scattered and that lacks focus. So instead, work on achieving a narrow scope in which you offer one major example or a few related examples.

2. Edit Your Ideas

As you think about how to use your personal observations and experiences to show your support for or opposition to a position, keep your eye on the ball. (The ball here is the main point of your essay.)

You may have observed or experienced a lot of things that relate to the topic of your essay, but that doesn't mean that those things are relevant and should be in your essay. Always ask yourself: does the idea that I'm about to include support my point? For example, you may have worn your school uniform to a lot of activities, like chess club after school, but if that fact has no bearing on your position that public school uniforms are a good idea, then edit that idea, and omit it from your essay.

3. Don't Meander

This guideline is similar to the previous one. As I mentioned, it's important to omit irrelevant facts and ideas. It's just as important to keep relevant points on track. For example, you might explain in your essay that wearing a school uniform helped you focus clearly on your class lectures because you had fewer fashion-based distractions. Then, describe how that was the case, but don't wander into a story about the fact that your best friend thought that the school uniforms were a terrible idea and that the two of you used to get into heated debates about them.

To help yourself stay on track, it can be very helpful to sketch out a quick outline for your own use before you start writing your actual essay - even a personal essay - as it can help keep you on track with the points you need to make.

If you've been asked to provide your own personal experiences and observations to support or oppose a position, remember that your position on the issue you're writing about should be the centerpiece of your essay. Your stories about your experiences and observations are important, but they should be details presented in an organized way to support your main point.

Remember that there are different types of personal essays, and when writing one, your purpose might be to entertain, to inform, or to support or oppose a specific position. No matter which type of personal essay you're writing, you want to present your personal experiences, observations, and views with your particular purpose in mind. Remember to stay focused with a narrow scope, to edit your ideas so that you're presenting only relevant points, and be sure that you don't meander. Rein in your points and examples so that you don't ramble in your paper.

Lesson Objectives

After watching this lesson, you should be able to:

• Identify three types of personal essays, based on writing purpose
• Construct your own personal essays by following the three important guidelines

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How to Write a Personal Essay for College, Scholarship, or Social Change

A personal essay is a short piece that demonstrates the author’s point through a story told from a first-person perspective and based on the author’s authentic experiences. It can be an uplifting tale of success or revelation designed to inspire. Yet it can also be an account of failure meant to warn others against repeating the same mistakes. The tone of the personal essay is semi-formal and conversational. The main objective is to establish a connection with the reader and leave them with some insight.

A personal essay is a flexible format that exists in various incarnations: from a formal autobiography to creative nonfiction. It can also cover different subject matters: a story of a triumph over adversity, a moral turning point, finding your way into a profession, or a formative relationship with a significant person. The particular focus is chosen based on the purpose.

In this post, we will examine the three most popular personal essay situations. You will learn:

• how to write a personal essay about yourself for a school admission
• how to write a personal essay for scholarships and grant applications
• how to write a good personal essay for publications, such as blogs, op-eds, etc.

How to Write a Personal Essay for College Application

Many students face the need to create a personal essay for the first time when preparing their college application. This adds anxiety and high-stakes pressure to the already awkward situation of writing about yourself for strangers. However, millions of students write their application essays every year, and there is absolutely no need to worry about it. Here is what admission officers and college admission advisors want you to remember when you are preparing to write a personal essay.

• Give it a thought, but don’t worry too much

A personal essay is an essential part of your application and a valuable tool to display some of your character traits that don’t make it into charts, scores, and reports. However, it’s not a “make it or break it” component of the application. Yes, it is the only piece of your application that is still in your control. Yet, on the other hand, the rest is already there: all the trophies, grades, and extracurriculars are done and recorded. All that is left is to add a personal touch to let the admission officer know the real you.

• Put yourself in the spotlight

Modesty is usually commendable, but don’t remove yourself from this text. Even if you choose a prompt asking you to tell about your role model or a person you admire, don’t spend the entire essay praising them or detailing their accomplishments. Focus on their influence on you. Tell what you learned from them and how their example influenced your decisions, your values, and your view of the world. The audience of this essay is genuinely interested in learning more about you, so don’t disappoint them.

• Don’t rely on “winning strategies”

Trying to emulate “essays that got me into an Ivy school” isn’t the best idea. If that particular essay worked for that specific application to that selective college doesn’t mean it will have the same effect in your unique situation. All students, schools, and admission officers are different and put value into different things. Don’t try to game the system and guess what your readers want to hear. Instead, focus on the things that are genuinely important to you.

• Fill the gaps in your application

The essay is your chance to add something new to your application. Don’t waste it recounting things that are already there: your academic achievements, athletic successes, extracurricular activities, etc. Focus on something admission officers cannot find in transcripts and test scores.

• Ask for advice

If you struggle to pinpoint your strongest traits or things that make you unique, ask people in your life for input: family, friends, teachers, coaches, etc. However, don’t go beyond sourcing ideas on writing or advice on improving your draft. Please don’t ask them to actually write for you. You wouldn’t ask your parents, “ Do my coursework for me!” after being admitted, so why ask them to write your personal essay? Treat it like your first college assignment.

• Edit and proofread

One of the primary purposes of this essay, beyond letting the school representatives know what makes you tick, is to showcase your writing skills. Therefore, make some effort to ensure you put your best foot forward. Revise several times, spacing editing sessions out and letting your draft sit for several days or even weeks. Don’t forget to check out our free essays writer tools for planning, drafting, editing, proofreading, and making sure your text meets recommended word count.

However, don’t panic if you find an error after you submit your application. Most schools practice a holistic approach to student selection, so a single typo wouldn’t hurt your chances.

How to Write a Personal Essay for a Scholarship

A scholarship is a great way to fund college tuition, which young people tend to underestimate. They usually have their eyes on prestigious, highly competitive scholarships like Fulbright, Marshall, Rhodes, Goldwater, and Truman. This creates bias, and they think winning is unrealistic for someone who is not exceptionally gifted or already highly accomplished. However, what many students don’t realize is that you can cover tuition fees by consistently winning a number of smaller, more accessible scholarships.

Yes, it will take a lot of research and application. This means a lot (I do mean, A LOT ) of writing since almost all legitimate scholarships require you to write a personal essay or answer specific questions to apply. The good news: practice makes perfect, and every subsequent essay will be easier for you than the previous one. Here are some things you should keep in mind.

• Don’t procrastinate

Sort all your prospective scholarships by the deadline date and start writing right now, giving yourself enough time for revision and editing. Create an application schedule and incorporate regular research, writing, and application submission into your calendar. Applying for scholarships can feel like a full-time job, and in a way, it is: you must show up regularly to keep the money coming.

• Highlight relevant accomplishments

This is the best, most objective way to answer the popular “Why do you deserve this scholarship?” type of prompt without bragging or overselling yourself. Lay out your professional or academic path to date using the most significant achievements as milestones. Keep it to the point, and don’t list all the trophies and diplomas – only the ones relevant to this scholarship. For example, if this is a scholarship for young leaders, concentrate on projects you’ve organized and roles you’ve filled that fit the description of “leadership.”

• State your need

You might be deserving, but that’s just one component of the winning combination. Another one is need. Describe your financial situation: do you work? receive financial aid? support a family as a provider? etc.

• Highlight the impact

Now, go beyond finances. Tell how this scholarship will help you achieve your educational objectives and career goals. What you, as a scholar and professional, will be able to contribute to the field, community, the world? How will this scholarship empower you to give back? Demonstrate to the granting institution that they are making a difference by investing in your education.

• Keep it short

Write in simple and clear language. Stay on point and within the limits of the recommended word count. Don’t overcomplicate your style to make an impression or “fill the page.” Concentrate on your message, values, and the things that drive you.

• End positively and politely

The best way to wrap your personal essay up is to tell how your education so far has been changing your life and thank the committee for their time and the opportunity to apply.

• Check readability

Make sure your essay is accessible to the reader: written in complete sentences, logically structured, and flowing naturally. Ask someone to read your text for clarity or use an automated readability checker .

When you are happy with the content, tone, and delivery, spellcheck and edit your essay for grammar and punctuation before the submission.

Despite the scholarship essay being more formal, with a rigid structure and several necessary points to hit, it still has a place for your personality: your hopes, dreams, struggles, and unique tone of voice. After reading your essay, decision-makers should feel they know you personally.

How to Write a Good Personal Essay for Other Occasions

A good personal essay has a profound impact on readers. It can inspire, comfort, affirm, move, unsettle, stir, make someone doubt their assumptions, and question their values. It can argue crucial moral and political things through a personal story. It brings a human dimension into the argument and convinces readers by leveraging empathy and relatable real-life examples. Personal essays can spark important discussions and start big cultural, social, and political changes, just as a small stream starts a roaring river.

To create something as compelling and poignant, you will have to devote a fair amount of time to the pre-writing phase and later to revision and editing. Here are some tips on how to write a personal experience essay for various occasions.

• Find a story and a slant

Tell about something that is very important to you: something you hold dear or something that infuriates you. It doesn’t have to be a dramatic story or extraordinary event, but it must illustrate your point and help your readers relate. It can be a current event or a personal situation from your past that triggered an emotional response. For example, you can tell how you struggled to find a perfect prom dress to demonstrate how fashion caters to a very limited size and body type, putting pressure on consumers to conform and shape themselves to fit – not the other way around.

• Find a tone

Different stories benefit from different tones of voice. Some messages come across better if they are very sincere. Others might need a bit of humor and light-heartedness. Then again, others require scathing sarcasm and scrutiny. Make sure that your story and the tone you choose to tell it match and don’t clash: don’t trivialize serious matters, but don’t over-dramatize something mundane.

• Find a focus

What differentiates a great personal essay from an aimless memoir-style rambling is the focus. Find a focal point for your story: an object, a phrase, a feeling, or a metaphor to tie it all together and serve as a tangible symbol to represent the main idea. It can be anything: a coveted designer item, a physical response of nausea to potent triggers, a hurtful comment that still rings in your ears, a smell of your grandmother’s cooking that feels like home, etc.

• Use structure creatively

The structure of a story is a rhetorical device too. Leverage it as expressive means to elicit the emotional response you need. Open your essay with an engaging scene, dropping your readers right in the thick of it. Alternatively, prepare them with an exposition. Ask a rhetorical question or kick things off with an inventive hook. Likewise, for the rest of the story, you can create suspense and keep the intrigue until last or show your hand at the very beginning to manage expectations. You don’t have to follow a linear plot, but you don’t have to innovatively break it, either. See what works best for your story and your message.

• Make your essay real with detail

Use sensory and physical detail to describe your characters, places, and objects to give them dimension. Use all five senses and follow the “show, don’t tell” rule for a more impactful and memorable essay. You don’t have to spend paragraph after paragraph describing someone to make them real for your reader. Choose a defining trait or a vivid detail. For example, an inappropriately loud voice or strong perfume can stand in to highlight someone’s obnoxious, inconsiderate personality. Soft hands or kind eyes can be singled out to describe someone caring and gentle, etc.

• Read your essay out loud

For a revision session, read your essay out loud to yourself or a friend. This way, it will be easier to identify confusing or unclear sentences, passages that are too long or monotonous, pick up on repetitive expressions, etc. Inconsistencies, abrupt theme changes, dragging pace, etc., also become more apparent when you read aloud.

This type of personal essay crosses over into a literary domain, and it might be tempting to embellish the truth. However, stick to reality if you want it to be an essay, not a short fiction feature. You can convey your side of the story and your personal perspective, but you must never manipulate or invent facts and twist someone else’s words so they would better fit your artistic vision.

For all types of personal essays, reading someone else’s work can be insightful. It will give you a better sense of the genre and any particular means a writer can use to introduce the subject, convey personal perspective, connect their experience to a universal idea, use humor, etc. Read personal essays in our free library and enrich your writer toolkit now!

Jana Rooheart

Jana Rooheart came to WOWESSAYS™ with a mission to put together and then slice and dice our vast practical experience in crafting all kinds of academic papers. Jana is an aspired blogger with rich expertise in psychology, digital learning tools, and creative writing. In this blog, she willingly shares tricks of pencraft and mind-altering ideas about academic writing any student will find utterly beneficial.

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How to Write a Personal Essay

You may find yourself writing a personal essay for a couple of reasons. For example, high school students may be required to write them as part of their college application while professional writers wonder how to write a good personal essay because of the need to share personal stories with an audience. It is by means of this piece of writing that you can inspire and draw in your audience with information that you have gained from your own unique experience.

What is a personal essay?

A personal essay is a piece of academic writing that students use to communicate about a particular event, experience, or some aspect of their past. It is also used as a vessel to link past and present, for example, to describe a lasting impression left by some personal event in one’s history. The personal essay also often looks toward the future. In it, one might talk about one’s hopes and aspirations, for instance. A lot of reps from college admission boards ask potential candidates to craft a personal essay in order to get more info on students’ personalities, experiences, motivations, outlooks, and how their special circumstances have affected them. Typically, a personal essay comprises three core parts: intro, body, and conclusion. The paper differs from formal essays in tone, length, and purpose. 

Reasons to write a personal essay

Knowing how to start a personal essay, cover the topic, and end it victoriously is a must since the paper can offer a lot of benefits, both personal and academic. Below are some of the key reasons why students may need to craft a personal essay:  

• To stand out in a college application. When applying for a scholarship, college, university, or internship, a well-composed personal essay can help you stand out against the background of other applicants. Whether written with the help of a trusted custom essay writing service or independently, a personal paper is something that can help you prove you’re the right candidate. By using it, you can showcase your unique talents, experiences, qualifications, and even discuss the character traits that are not reflected by your academic achievement. 
• To write a job application. When applying for a part- or full-time job, your employer may ask you to provide a personal essay to get to know more about your career goals. It helps them to see whether you’re the right match for the team and the overall corporate mission.
• To self-reflect. When wondering how to write a personal essay, students are encouraged to reflect on their values, beliefs, and experiences. This process of introspection can help young adults better understand themselves and foster personal growth.  
• To communicate with others. Writing a personal essay is not only about articulating your experiences or ideas on paper. It can be part of your personal correspondence when you have to communicate your thoughts and experiences to an audience.

How to write a personal essay: the prompts

To have a better idea about the personal essay before you rush over to the dissertation writing service for help, check out some of these prompts for inspiration:

• Reflect on an extra-important event or experience in your life that has shaped who you are today. In what way did this event impact your values, beliefs, or outlook on life?
• Describe one of the biggest challenges that you have successfully overcome. It can be a personal, academic, or professional obstacle. 
• Discuss some person in your life who has had a huge influence on you. What kind of life lessons or insights have you gained from this special relationship?
• Recall and reflect on the most memorable journey that you ever had. What life lessons did you learn from it? Did you learn something by exploring a new culture? 

The prompts mentioned above are designed to inspire students who wonder how to write a personal essay and to encourage them to reflect on their unique experiences, relationships, and beliefs, providing them with a starting point in the creative writing process.

Tips to pick an interesting topic for your personal essay

When browsing potential personal essay ideas, go for something that is easy to write about. If thoughts on how to write a personal essay on a particular topic don’t seem to come to you easily, check out some of these quick tips on selecting a topic:

• Reflect on personal experiences. Ponder over events, obstacles, challenges, failures, or successes in your life that have had a great impact on you. Thinking about your past can serve as a solid cornerstone for a winning personal essay.
• Pick a meaningful topic. Focus on the topics that are relevant to you and meaningful. You will see how the process of writing becomes more authentic and engaging when you write about something that touches you deeply.
• Know your audience. Who will be reading? What is it that you want them to learn or understand about you? Pick a topic that will enable you to connect with your target readers and convey all the aspects about yourself that you wish to convey in the best possible manner.  
• Look for feedback. If you wonder how to write a personal essay on a topic that will be engaging for the target audience, discuss it with your friends, family members, teachers, mentors, or members of the online community. 
• Browse themes or values. Make a list of themes and/or values that are important for you, like empathy, compassion, creativity, resilience, etc. Picking a topic that aligns with your values can help you infuse authenticity and depth into your personal essay.

Personal essay structure

While these kinds of papers tend to vary in style and content, they typically follow a particular personal essay structure used to effectively convey your message and engage the reader. Below, we offer some tips on how to structure a personal essay successfully:

Traditional personal essay structure

Introduction

Objective: the introductory paragraph serves to hook your reader’s attention and provide some context for the whole paper.

Hint: start with an attention-grabbing hook like a quote, stats, anecdote, etc. Give a brief overview of the theme and end your intro with a clear and powerful thesis statement. Keep in mind that a thesis statement is not a compulsory part of a personal essay.

Background or exposition

Objective: give all important background info or context to help your audience understand why exactly your experience is important.

Hint: share relevant details about yourself like your beliefs, background, or interests. Set a solid stage for the moments/events you’ll reflect on in the next segment.

Body paragraphs

Objective: the heart of the essay, that is, the body, must be logically organized with each paragraph focused on a specific aspect of your experience. Include concrete examples, personal insights, descriptions, and dialogues (if needed) to bring your story to life.

Hint: use transitions to connect ideas between different paragraphs and be honest when sharing your thoughts.  

Reflection and analysis

Objective: reflect on the importance of your experiences and their (possible) broader implications. Think about how exactly your experience shaped you as a person and your values. Focus on the lessons that you have learned and changes that may be the results of the experience that you discuss.

Hint: provide critical self-reflection and do not hesitate to check out alternative (opposing) viewpoints.

Objective: use your conclusion to sum up the key points and provide a sense of closure.

Hint: end with a memorable statement that will leave an impression. Do not include new facts or arguments in the final part. Instead, leave the readers with a thought-provoking takeaway based on the essay’s central message.

Tips on how to structure a personal essay and write it properly

The process of writing a personal essay is not in itself tough if you make sure to follow the plan offered below:

1. Pick an intriguing topic. Go for the topic that is meaningful to you and offers some space for self-reflection and introspection. It can be a life-changing event, personal experience, or one of your unique character traits.

2. Create an engaging intro. Avoid exaggeration but begin with an opening paragraph to hook your reader’s attention. This is also where you establish the tone for your essay.

3. Organize your ideas. structure your personal essay with a clear intro, a body, and a conclusion. Make sure your ideas are organized logically and use transitions to link different parts of your narrative.

4. Give vivid descriptions. Since you’re working on a personal paper, don’t forget to use descriptive language and sensory details to create a vivid picture in your reader’s mind.

5. Start with an intro. Provide a hook, a thesis statement, and attempt to establish an emotional connection with your target audience. Give them something special to expect.

6. Write the body of the essay. Use your body paragraphs to build your unique story and lead your target readers to the main points of the essay. Employ all the sensory details surrounding the relevant events and people in your story to help propel them forward.

7.  Conclude. Sum up what you want your readers to learn about your unique life experiences and let your readers know what your special message is to them. It is highly recommended to end your personal essay on a hopeful and positive note.

How to Write a Personal Essay: Final Recommendations

• Stay focused. You know the central message or theme of your essay so stick with it. Avoid unrelated jokes or inappropriate jargon that may confuse your readers.
• Edit and revise. Don’t skip this part. Put your work aside for a while when it’s done, and let your brain reload. Get back to it with a fresh pair of eyes to scan it for grammar, punctuation, and other errors.
• Seek feedback. Approach a trusted family member or friend with the message, “I need to write my coursework , could you please take a look?” Fresh perspectives will definitely help you identify areas for improvement and make your prose stronger.
• Be open to revision. Even if you have to do it multiple times, it’s OK. After all, writing is a process. It’s an art. And each revision gets you closer to perfection.

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Ultimate guide to writing a personal essay, carla johnson.

• June 14, 2023
• How to Guides

A personal essay is a type of creative nonfiction in which the writer tells the reader about their own thoughts, experiences, and feelings. In contrast to other types of essays that focus on research, analysis, or making an argument, a personal essay is more about thinking about yourself and what you want to say.

The point of a personal essay is to show who the writer is, what they’ve been through, and how they see the world. By sharing personal stories and thoughts, the writer can connect with the reader on a deeper level and give a unique and personal view on a certain topic or issue.

There are many reasons why personal essays are important. They let writers explore their own thoughts and feelings and share what they’ve learned with other people . Personal essays can also be a great way to help people understand and care about each other by giving them a window into the lives of others.

In this article , we’ll show you how to write a personal essay from start to finish, with 10 examples and ideas to get you started. We will talk about the basic structure of a personal essay and give you tips on how to tell a good story and connect with your audience.

Whether you’re a student who wants to improve your writing skills or a professional who wants to share your personal experiences and insights with others, this guide will give you the tools you need to write a compelling personal essay.

What You'll Learn

Elements of a Personal Essay

To write a compelling personal essay, it is important to include the following elements:

1. The importance of a clear theme: A clear theme provides focus and coherence to your personal essay. It should be a central idea that ties together all of the events and experiences you describe in your essay .

2. Creating a compelling introduction: Your introduction should grab the reader’s attention and provide a hook to draw them in. It should also introduce your theme and provide some context for the events and experiences you will describe in your essay .

3. Developing a narrative arc: A narrative arc is the structure that guides your personal essay. It should include a beginning, middle, and end, with a clear progression of events that build toward a climax and resolution.

4. Creating dynamic characters: Your personal essay should include characters that are well-developed and engaging. This can include yourself, as well as other people who have played a significant role in your experiences .

5. Dialogue and description: Dialogue and description are important tools for bringing your personal essay to life. They can help to create a sense of immediacy and intimacy, and can help to convey the emotions and experiences you are describing.

6. Reflection and analysis: Your personal essay should include reflection and analysis on the events and experiences you describe. This can help to provide insight into your thought processes and personal growth.

7. Conclusion and takeaway: Your personal essay should include a conclusion that provides closure and a sense of resolution.It should also leave the reader with a takeaway or lesson that they can apply to their own lives .

Choosing a Topic

Choosing a topic for your personal essay can be challenging, but it’s important to select a topic that is meaningful and relevant to your life experiences. Here are six categories of topics to consider:

1. Personal experiences: Write about a significant event or experience in your life, such as a difficult decision you had to make, a moment of triumph or failure, or a life-changing experience.

2. Relationships and family : Explore the dynamics of your relationships with family members, friends, or romantic partners. Write about the challenges, joys, and lessons you have learned from these relationships.

3. Identity and self-discovery: Reflect on your personal identity and the experiences that have shaped your sense of self . Consider how your background, culture, or beliefs have influenced your worldview.

4. Travel and culture: Write about your experiences traveling to different parts of the world, and how these experiences have broadened your perspective and challenged your assumptions.

5. Challenges and obstacles: Write about a difficult challenge or obstacle you have faced , and how you overcame it. Consider the lessons you learned and how this experience has shaped you.

6. Hobbies and interests: Write about a hobby or interest that is important to you, and how it has influenced your life and worldview.

You can write an interesting and powerful personal essay if you choose a topic that is important to you and relates to your life. When writing your piece, keep in mind the parts of a personal essay and take the time to think about your experiences, feelings, and personal growth. With these tools, you can write a personal essay that will connect with readers and show them your unique thoughts and experiences.

Personal Essay Examples

Reading personal essay examples can be a helpful way to understand the elements of a strong personal essay. Here are 10 inspiring personal essay examples:

1. “The Fourth State of Matter” by Jo Ann Beard

2. “On Keeping a Notebook” by Joan Didion

3. “Me Talk Pretty One Day” by David Sedaris

4. “The Year of Magical Thinking” by Joan Didion

5. “Notes of a Native Son” by James Baldwin

6. The Death of My Father” by Steve Martin

7. “The White Album” by Joan Didion

8. “Consider the Lobster” by David Foster Wallace

9. “The Empathy Exams” by Leslie Jamison

10. The Glass Essay” by Anne Carson

Each of these personal essays is characterized by its unique voice, vivid storytelling, and thoughtful reflection. Reading these examples can help you develop an understanding of the different ways that personal essays can be structured and the types of topics that can be explored.

Personal Essay Topics

Choosing a topic for your personal essay can be challenging, but there are many different areas of your life that you can explore. Here are 15 personal essay topics to consider:

1. A meaningful experience that changed your life

2. A challenge you overcame

3. A relationship that impacted your life

4. Your cultural identity

5. A place that is special to you

6.A hobby or interest that defines you

7. A pivotal moment in your life

8. A difficult decision you had to make

9. An obstacle you faced and how you overcame it

10. Your personal beliefs and values

11. The importance of family in your life

12. Your greatest achievement

13. A time you failed and what you learned from it

14. A lesson you learned from someone you admire

15. A childhood memory that has stayed with you

These personal essay topics can be adapted and expanded to fit your own experiences and interests. Remember to choose a topic that is meaningful to you and that you can explore in depth through storytelling and reflection. With the right topic and approach, you can write a personal essay that is both engaging and impactful.

Personal Essay Structure

A clear structure is essential to a well-written personal essay. Without a clear structure, your essay may feel disjointed and lack coherence. Here are some tips for structuring your personal essay effectively:

1. Start with an engaging introduction that captures the reader’s attention and sets the tone for the rest of the essay .

2. Develop a clear narrative arc that guides the reader through the events and experiences you describe. This should include a beginning, middle, and end, with a clear progression of events that build toward a climax and resolution.

3. Use descriptive language and sensory details to bring your experiences and characters to life. This can help to create a sense of immediacy and intimacy, and can help to convey the emotions and experiences you are describing.

4. Include reflection and analysis on the events and experiences you describe. This can help to provide insight into your thought processes and personal growth.

5. End with a conclusion that provides closure and a sense of resolution. It should also leave the reader with a takeaway or lesson that they can apply to their own lives.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. what is the difference between a personal essay and a memoir.

A personal essay is a short, non-fiction piece that focuses on a single event or experience. A memoir, on the other hand, is a longer work that typically covers a larger period of time and may include multiple events and experiences .

2. Can I use humor in a personal essay?

Yes,humor can be a powerful tool in a personal essay. However, it’s important to use humor in a way that is appropriate to the tone and content of your essay .

3. Should I use first person in a personal essay?

Yes, it is generally appropriate to use first person in a personal essay. This allows you to speak from your own perspective and to share your personal experiences and insights with the reader.

4. How do I make my personal essay stand out?

To make your personal essay stand out, focus on developing a unique voice and perspective. Be honest, authentic, and vulnerable in your writing, and try to convey your experiences and emotions in a way that is both relatable and insightful.

5. How long should a personal essay be?

The length of a personal essay can vary depending on the assignment requirements. However, a typical personal essay is usually around 500-800 words.

In conclusion , personal essays are an important type of creative nonfiction that let writers share their own experiences and insights with others. You can write a powerful and memorable personal essay by making sure it has a clear structure, an interesting story, and thoughtful reflection.

Remember to choose a topic that is important to you and to use descriptive language and sensory details to bring your experiences to life. With the right approach and frame of mind, you can write a personal essay that makes readers feel something and gives them a unique and personal view of the world.

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How to Write a Personal Essay

Published September 27, 2020. Updated May 20, 2022.

Personal Essay Definition

A personal essay is an essay that tells about you, about some aspect of yourself and your life that you wish to share.

Overview of a Personal Essay

A personal essay is all about the one who is writing the essay, but it is structured and organized in a predictable pattern. A personal essay is a part narration (telling a story), part description, and part reflection (analyzing something that happened and attributing meaning to it). You can write a full-length personal essay without doing research. This kind of essay helps to show your writing skills and abilities and helps the reader get to know you and your writing voice. However, a personal essay still needs a focus.

This page covers the following points:

Key Takeaways

What is a personal essay, parts of an essay, why would you be asked to write a personal essay, what a personal essay needs to have, possible topics to write about.

• A personal essay is about you, about some aspect of yourself and your life that you wish to share
• A teacher might assign a personal essay as a way to get to know you and your writing style
• A personal essay still needs to follow the conventions and structures of essay writing
• A personal essay should have a well-defined beginning, middle, and end

If you look at the name, a personal essay is an essay about YOU. You know something about yourself, right? This should be a piece of cake to write!

Now, hang on just a second…

Yes, it’s about you, but don’t forget that second part of the name: essay. It is still an essay that needs to follow the conventions and structures of essay writing.

So a personal essay is not just five paragraphs that go on and on about your favorite movies.

A personal essay is all about you, but it is structured and organized in a predictable pattern. It is part narration (telling a story), part description, and part reflection (analyzing something that happened and attributing meaning to it).

To help you write a personal essay, this guide will:

• Tell you why a teacher might assign a personal essay
• List what a personal essay needs to have
• Give you a list of possible topics to write about
• Take you through the parts of an essay, with a sample

Worried about your writing? Submit your paper for a Chegg Writing essay check , or for an Expert Check proofreading . Both can help you find and fix potential writing issues.

Most essays have three parts: an introduction, a body, and a conclusion.

Think of the organization of an essay like this:

• Intro – Tell your reader what you’re going to write about
• Body – Write about it
• Conclusion – Tell them what you wrote about

Let’s go through each part of a personal essay. Each part includes a sample.

Introduction

You want to begin your essay with a hook . A hook is an interesting opening that “catches” your reader and makes them want to read more. Your hook is usually the first sentence or two. Since this is a personal essay, it’s fine to have your hook be something interesting about you.

After you’ve hooked the reader, you want to give some context or background information. Think of each sentence in your intro as a stepping point. Each sentence brings you closer to your thesis statement.

Once you’ve given some context, write a thesis statement, which tells the reader exactly what they’re going to read about. Since it’s a personal essay, this should preview for the reader what they’re going to learn about you. Think of it as a map to the rest of your essay.

Sample Introduction

Can you identify the hook, background information, and thesis statement in this sample?

Did you know that children can “absorb” languages without even trying? Until the age of about nine, children acquire languages, and they can acquire more than one at a time. After that age, new languages must be learned, which is a long, slow process. I acquired two languages as a child because my parents spoke Spanish at home, but I learned English at school. Then, in university, I decided to try to learn a third language: French. After years of learning and some practicing, I can communicate in basic French.

A typical essay has between one and three body paragraphs, although you can write as many as you need (or as many as your teacher assigns you). Regardless of how many body paragraphs, they will all be organized in a similar manner.

Start with a topic sentence to show your reader what is coming up. This is a general sentence that gives an overview of that paragraph.

The substance of a personal body paragraph is, of course, information about you. Whatever you’re sharing with the reader goes here.

End a body paragraph with a sentence that summarizes what you wrote or that leads into the next paragraph.

Sample Body Paragraphs

Can you identify the topic sentences? Is all of the information in the body paragraphs about the writer?

In university, I chose to study French for two reasons. First, I thought it was the most beautiful language I’d ever heard. Second, I wanted the experience of learning a language, of learning vocabulary and grammar little by little. I took a French class every semester of college and by the time I graduated… well, the truth is that I still couldn’t communicate easily. But I was determined to continue learning until I could.

In graduate school, I needed an elective, so I chose a French class. I took a placement test and was placed in French 102. At first, I was devastated – four years of college French and I was back in French 102? But I decided to embrace the opportunity to keep learning. My decision paid off. Because I was a little older, I approached my French in a more mature way. I was able to understand the grammar better, and I was less shy about speaking up. One of our assignments was to give a three-minute presentation in French about a French topic, and I spoke about cheese. I will admit that a lot of translation took place while I was writing my presentation, but the presentation was a success.

After graduate school, I took the opportunity to spend six months in a French-speaking country. At first, I was very nervous. We have all heard the stereotype of finicky French people who won’t talk to you if your French isn’t perfect. That wasn’t my experience at all; I was able to communicate enough to buy a baguette every morning, ask for directions, order a pizza, and generally make my way in this French-speaking country.

Before you turn in that paper, don’t forget to cite your sources in APA format , MLA format , or a style of your choice.

This is how your essay ends and is the last impression your reader takes away.

Conclude your essay by tying back to your thesis statement (from the introduction). Then, summarize the main points of your essay.

If you want, end with a closing statement: an idea that you want your reader to walk away with. If you haven’t included a reflection in the body paragraphs, the closing statement would be a good place to put it.

Sample Conclusion

Can you identify the sentence that ties back to the thesis statement? Can you identify the summary of the main points? Can you identify a closing statement?

Even now, I wouldn’t say I’m a fluent French speaker. Will I ever be? I don’t know, but I can proudly say that I am able to communicate in French well enough to make myself understood and to understand what other people tell me, even if I often have to ask, “Can you speak more slowly, please?” in French. Learning another language is not an easy process. You have to really want it because it will take time and effort. However, if you are dedicated, you can definitely learn another language successfully enough to communicate. 

Example Personal Essay on Learning French

Example personal essay on loving writing.

A teacher might assign a personal essay for a variety of reasons, especially early on in the semester or school year. Here are a few of those reasons:

• You might need to brainstorm or outline what you want to write about, but you shouldn’t need research. After all, you’re writing about YOU.
• Your teacher will be able to see how you write. Can you structure sentences? Are your ideas coherent? Are you creative? How is your vocabulary?
• Do you know what the introduction, body, and conclusion are? Do you include a thesis statement and paragraphs? Do you clearly transition your ideas?
• At the beginning of a school term, this is an excellent way for a teacher to get to know their students. What you choose to write about will reveal who you are, and how you choose to write tells the teacher something about your writing voice.

It would be nice to think you can just write whatever you want about yourself, but that would not necessarily be an essay.

A personal essay still needs to have a focus: what is it about? It won’t address everything about you. This is an essay, not a 20-volume encyclopedia.

A personal essay still needs to be organized. It needs to have a beginning, a middle, and an end. The reader should feel like they took a trip to a particular destination, not like they’re lost in the woods, wandering aimlessly.

A personal essay still needs to have developed characters. Characters? Yes. They don’t just appear in fiction. Whoever populates your essay – whether it’s just you, or you and your family, or you and your friends – they are considered characters, and they should be developed.

A personal essay still needs to have consistency in point of view and verb tense. This sounds more technical, but because you’ll be writing about yourself, you want to make sure your point of view remains consistent. Adopting the first-person point of view is perfectly acceptable. Write “I” all over the place! But don’t start referring to yourself as “she” or “he” halfway through, because that will confuse your reader. Also, keep your verb tenses consistent. Are you writing in the present tense? Be consistent. Are you writing in the past tense? Be consistent. Will you jump back and forth in time? Make sure you don’t lose your reader when you make those switches.

A personal essay still needs to make a point by the end. Reflect on what this all meant. Why did you choose to write about this ? Let’s say you write about your relationship with your grandmother. At the end of the essay, your reader should understand what was important about your relationship with her. How did she impact you? How is your life different, better, sweeter because of your relationship with her? Make sure your essay answers those questions for your readers.

Since a personal essay is, you know, personal, it’s better to choose a topic that resonates with you. If the topic makes you feel meh , don’t choose that one! Don’t like any of these? Choose something else that you want to share!

For each of these topics, you can write about something positive or negative, as long as it was meaningful to you:

• Your relationship with a family member
• Your relationship with a friend or loved one
• An animal, such as a pet, that affected you
• A place where you felt comfortable
• A place where you felt uncomfortable
• An experience you had growing up
• A situation that didn’t turn out the way you expected
• A difficult lesson you learned
• A strong belief you have
• A goal you accomplished with hard work

Published September 7, 2020.

By Halina Stolar. Halina has a master’s degree in teaching and taught English as a Second Language and writing for almost 15 years overseas. She now works as a freelance writer and geeks out over grammar for fun.

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How To: Write Your Personal Essay

Posted by Carolyn Pippen on Wednesday, September 11, 2013 in Application Process , General Information , The College Essay .

While we still have a few more days until the official beginning of fall, around here it feels a lot like the season has already begun. Classes are back in session , the leaves are falling off the trees, and most of our counselors have departed for the two-month marathon of flights, high school visits, and college fairs that we call travel season.

In addition, thousands of high school seniors across the country have begun the process of filling out college applications. Regardless of whether or not one of your applications will be submitted to Vanderbilt, we would like to offer you a few nuggets of the expertise we have acquired working with students and evaluating applications over years.

Thus we give you: The “How To” Series. Over the next several weeks, we will be posting lists of tips concerning various pieces of the application that we hope will make this process a little less overwhelming for all of you. Today’s tips focus on the personal essay.

• Be thoughtful, but not fretful. As a senior, most of the accomplishments that will make up the bulk of your application – academic performance, test scores, and extracurricular involvement – are said and done. In a sense, the only part of the application over which you have complete control right now is the essay. Don’t let this scare you! While the essay is a valuable tool that we use to understand you better, it is rarely if ever a “make or break” component of your application.
• Keep the “personal” in personal essay. The Common Application presents six different prompts for you to choose from when writing your essay. To be honest, we don’t really care that much what you write about, as long as you’re writing about you. In other words, don’t spend the entire essay detailing the life of your favorite and most accomplished family member, but rather focus on how that person has affected you and your life decisions. Don’t give us a detailed narrative of your favorite community service trip, but instead tell us what you learned from that trip and how it has changed your outlook on the world. This is one time when it’s okay to be self-centered – more than anything, we want to know about you!
• Don’t try to guess what the reader wants to hear. If you ask a hundred different admissions counselors what their favorite kind of essay is, you will likely get a hundred different answers. Trying to figure out what topic will get us most excited is like trying to guess which outfits the judges of Project Runway are going to like the most – no matter how many times we watch, Heidi always manages to confound. Instead of trying to game the system, focus on the things that get you excited. If nothing else, I promise that passion will show through.
• Feel free to be funny or creative – but don’t overreach. If your friends tell you that you’re the funniest person in the class, use that skill to your advantage. If your creativity is what sets you apart from your peers, let that innovation guide the structure and content of the essay. On the other hand, if every joke you make at the cafeteria table falls flatter than a pancake in a Panini press, don’t try to fake it. Figure out what your personal strengths are, and stick with them.
• Tell us something we don’t already know. When writing your essay, be sure to keep in mind all of the other pieces of your application we already have in front of us while we’re reading it. Do not use this space to summarize your extracurricular involvement or your academic achievements if we’ve already seen these things in your resume and transcript. We know that there is more to you than just test scores and leadership roles, so tell us more!
• Ask for input (but not too much). Your parents, friends, guidance counselors, coaches, and teachers are great people to bounce ideas off of for your essay. They know how unique and spectacular you are, and they can help you decide how to articulate it. Keep in mind, however, that a 45-year-old lawyer writes quite differently from an 18-year-old student, so if your dad ends up writing the bulk of your essay, we’re probably going to notice.
• Edit, proof, polish, and breathe. Beyond gaining insight into your personal psyche, the purpose of the essay is also to showcase your written communication skills. Treat this essay just like any class assignment – write it early, proof and revise, keep an eagle eye out for spelling and grammatical errors, and make sure it is presented in a clean and polished way. That being said, do not call our office in a panic if you discovered a missing article or a misused “its” after you hit submit. Because of our holistic selection process , no student will be denied based on one element of his or her application; this includes typos.

Tags: academic credentials , breathe , college applications , Common Application , essay writing , extracurricular activities , Heidi Klum , how to apply , personal essay , Project Runway

November 11th, 2013

Hi Carolyn, students get stressed regarding writing college admission essays. Your tips are going to help them a lot.

November 30th, 2013

thanks it helped me write a good essay

July 22nd, 2015

Thanks for the informative tips on short essay writing .

January 20th, 2016

Hello, I am applying to a liberal arts college and am sort of stuck up on the essay. Should I be completely honest and mention my shortcomings. I am pretty much introverted and not a good conversationalist. Should I or should I not mention these

January 27th, 2016

Your essay should help to give better, deeper insight into you as a person. As the post mentions, your essay should supplement the other parts of your application to help us understand you better. That said, you don’t have to include anything about yourself that you don’t feel comfortable sharing.

April 25th, 2016

Great tips!

September 3rd, 2016

Is there a specific place to write the essay and is there a prompt, the common app doesn’t have a location to attach a personal essay.

September 6th, 2016

Thank you for your question. The Common Application gives students the option to choose one of five essay prompts. You can read the essay promts on the Common Application site at http://www.commonapp.org/whats-appening/application-updates/common-application-announces-2016-2017-essay-prompts

Again, thanks for your question and your interest in Vanderbilt.

September 17th, 2016

so Vanderbilt does not have additional or supplemental essays?

September 20th, 2016

Thank you for your question – you are correct, there are no supplements for Vanderbilt.

September 21st, 2016

Hi! I’m just adding the final touches to my application and I’m ready to send it off. I’m very excited! Just a clarification: when you say there aren’t any supplements for Vanderbilt, does it mean that the activity essay/expansion isn’t required or is that not classified as a supplement? Thank you!

September 22nd, 2016

Hi Hannah, thanks for your question (and congratulations on finishing up your application). This can vary depending on the specific application method you are using. I think you may be asking about the Common App, and in that case the short answer about activities is required to submit your application. We don’t consider that a supplement because it is a part of the Common Application. If you have more questions, please feel free to follow up.

Thank you for the clarification!

September 23rd, 2016

I made a mistake..3 actually! I submitted my application today and after looking back through my pieces of writing, I realized that I accidentally wrote a word twice in my personal statement and forgot a period, and I also failed to include a small word in my topic sentence for my activities essay on the common app. Apparently, I was far too excited to hit submit. I would hate to have my admission chances suffer because of this. I’ve emailed my admissions counselor, but in the meantime, is there anything that can be done? Thank you!

September 30th, 2016

Hi Hannah, thank you for checking in on this. Emailing your admissions counselor is absolutely the right course of action, and I am sure they will handle it from here. Don’t worry about it! And thanks for your enthusiasm about Vanderbilt!

April 13th, 2017

Thanks for tips, right now i’m in the middle of essay writing, so your article is just what i needed. Start to get more and more worried each day, seems like now i know what to do

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Personal Essay – Tips for Writing and Examples

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An effective personal essay has the power to change someone’s life by telling a compelling story that can profoundly impact readers. It’s incredible how much influence you can wield over your audience with nothing more than a pen, paper, and the words in your mind. After reading this article, you’ll not only feel prepared to write a compelling personal essay, but may also be inspired to produce multiple personal statements or a college essay at once.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

• 1 Personal Essay – In a Nutshell
• 2 Definition: Personal essay
• 3 Personal Essay: Make it successful
• 4 Personal Essay: Before writing
• 5 Personal Essay: Structure
• 6 Personal Essay: Revising

Personal Essay – In a Nutshell

•  A personal essay should be 500 to 2,000 words long, except maybe when discussing overcoming trauma’s effects on several generations.
• Every personal essay page should have a header with your surname and the page number in the upper right corner. After all, this is your life narrative, so why would you want to leave yourself out?
• A personal essay should have a casual, reflective, and honest tone. At least, this is how you can avoid coming across as boring.
• Make sure the title of your essay fits its topic or concept.
•  Write your personal essay in the first person, using words like “I,” “me,” and “my,” and keep in mind that you are the main focus of this piece.

Definition: Personal essay

• The purpose of a personal essay is to examine a subject through the lens of the author’s thoughts, feelings, and experiences. It is often a reflective and creative piece of writing that provides insights into the author’s personality, values, beliefs, and goals. The personal essay differs from others, such as from the research paper , because it is more informal and allows the author’s voice and personality to shine through.
• A personal essay is often required as part of a graduate school application because it allows applicants to showcase their personal qualities and experiences. As a result, it makes them unique and valuable candidates for the program. Admissions committees use the essays to evaluate an applicant’s writing ability, critical thinking skills and personal characteristics not reflected in other application materials, such as transcripts and test scores.
• Therefore, a personal essay is essential to a graduate school application because it helps admissions committees better understand applicants beyond their academic achievements and qualifications.

Personal Essay: Make it successful

It’s important to incorporate key elements that engage readers and create a lasting impact to write a successful essay. Here is what you should consider.

Authenticity

Emotional impact, reflection and insight.

The most effective personal essays are honest and true to the writer’s voice and experiences. This means being vulnerable and sharing personal stories, thoughts, and emotions.

A successful personal essay should evoke an emotional response from the reader, whether that’s laughter, tears, or a feeling of connection.

Any good personal essay aims to make the reader feel like they know the author and can understand their thoughts and feelings.

You should take the time to reflect on your experiences and share insights that you have gained from them. This not only adds depth to your essay but helps readers connect with you on a more profound level.

You can create a powerful and engaging piece that resonates with readers long after they have finished reading by incorporating these elements into your personal essay writing.

Personal Essay: Before writing

The first step is understanding what is required before you begin writing. The most significant part of a personal essay is a direct response to an issue or suggestion from the application.

For example, you may be asked to write about how you came into your own as a person, how you overcame adversity or why you want to pursue a certain line of work. This will guide where you put most of your effort, but you need to develop your spin on the question to succeed.

There is no one way to write a personal essay; here is your opportunity to express yourself uniquely. However, there are methods you may use to create a tale that is interesting and coherent.

Personal Essay: Structure

While essays are often subjective, they require a clear and logical structure to effectively convey the writer’s message. Here is a basic structure that can be followed when writing a personal essay:

Introduction

The tone and narrative you wish to communicate should be introduced naturally in the opening paragraph of your personal essay.

Creating a setting that reflects your personality and hobbies is a great technique to hook the reader. Consider a life event that altered your worldview, a tale about your ancestors, influential education or instructive experience and an odd meeting when at a loss. If you want to write a believable scenario, you need to do more than just describe the setting. You need to hook the reader with a phrase that makes them want to keep reading and you need to fill in the blanks with specifics.

Similarly, you can start by discussing why you are interested in the field you want to enter or the job you are applying for; this will demonstrate your motivation and dedication. It’s not enough to just claim interest. Identifying your motivation for entering this area is the first step.

• Is this a new interest or have you always had a thing for this?
• Is it something you have always been good at or have you had to practise?
• Where does it fall inside your larger scheme of things?
• What do you believe it does for people in general?

Putting the introduction last makes sense. Do not worry about coming up with a great introduction if you are having trouble writing the remainder of the personal essay; just note any interesting thoughts that come to mind as you go.

Avoid starting sentences with “Ever since I was a child…” or “For as far back as my memory serves me…”

After introducing the overarching ideas explored in your statement, you may go into the details of your background and aspirations. Many other approaches exist for organizing the main content of your personal essay.

Give an Account of How You Changed Throughout Time:

Explaining in a timeline the major life event that has led up to your graduate school application is a simple but effective tactic. Do not try to fit in everything you have ever done; instead, focus on the achievements that will help your application stand out. Create an engaging story that highlights your growth and development.

Take Responsibility for Your Difficulties:

You may frame your personal essay as a narrative of success over adversity if getting into graduate school has not been a walk in the park. Is there a lack of people from your social, cultural or economic background in the industry? Demonstrate how you will bring a fresh viewpoint using your experiences. Avoid dwelling on your weaknesses and instead utilise them as opportunities to shine a light on your many admirable traits. Your strength of character, creativity and determination make you an excellent choice for graduate school.

Show off your expertise by providing concrete examples:

If you are applying to a PhD or other research-focused programme, demonstrating your knowledge of the subject matter and the department is essential. In your personal statement, you might elaborate on your interest in and dedication to the field in which you want to pursue further study. Examine the major concerns that have guided your research. For what reason do you find them appealing? Please do not treat the personal essay as a research project; instead, use it to demonstrate your interest in and the ability for the area and your ability to think creatively and independently.

Talk About Where You See Your Career Headed:

Focusing on realistic objectives and how the programme can help you accomplish them is especially important when applying to a more professionally focused programme. Do more than just name the job you want to get. Show that you have considered your future in this field and prove that you will be a good fit for the profession.

Transform your claims into narratives, such as describing an internship where you took the initiative to launch a new project rather than just stating that you are hardworking and self-motivated.

Do not just repeat your CV by attempting to sum up all you have done. The personal essay is not for listing your educational or professional experience but for commenting, assessing and connecting it to larger issues.

Your conclusion should circle back to the program and your goals for participating, whether those goals focus on gaining practical skills or examining philosophical topics. Highlight how this program aligns with your goals and interests to convince the admissions committee that you are the ideal candidate.

When applying to a program with a stronger academic or research emphasis, leave the reader intrigued by explaining what you intend to learn and why you believe this is the ideal location to do it. You may use this space to share your excitement for any courses or instructors you look forward to taking advantage of.

Try to show the larger context in which your personal goals fit within the context of your town, area of study or the larger society.

Just restate the key points you made. A personal essay is a small assignment, so make every word count.

Personal Essay: Revising

You should give yourself enough time to review and polish the content, since you will be required to perform many writing tasks in graduate school. While a more formal tone than is common in academic writing is not required, you should still aim for clarity, conciseness and coherence in your work. Check for coherence using transitions and subject phrases to link paragraphs and provide logical progression.

Please do not be reluctant to make as many changes to the text and its organization as you see fit. Due to a personal statement’s flexible framework, you may try several approaches and rearrange elements to find what works best.

How Long Should a Personal Essay Be?

For graduate school applications, a personal statement should be 500 to 1,000 words long.

What is a Personal Essay?

A personal essay is a piece of writing that explores a particular topic or experience from the author’s point of view. It often reflects on personal experiences, observations and feelings.

How do I Start Writing a Personal Essay?

Begin by choosing a topic that is important to you and brainstorming ideas. Consider the audience you are writing for and the purpose of your essay. Create an outline to organize your thoughts and start writing.

What Should I Include in a Personal Essay?

A personal essay should include a clear introduction that sets up the topic, a body that explores the topic in detail with supporting evidence and a conclusion that summarizes the main points and leaves a lasting impression on the reader. It should also include the author’s personal voice and unique perspective.

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English Language Arts

From ‘Lives’ to ‘Modern Love’: Writing Personal Essays With Help From The New York Times

By Katherine Schulten

• Oct. 20, 2016

If you’re a regular Times reader, you’ve no doubt enjoyed, and maybe even taught with, some of the 1,000-plus personal essays from the Magazine’s Lives column , which has run weekly for decades.

But did you know that NYTimes.com also regularly features personal writing on everything from love and family to life on campus , how we relate to animals , living with disabilities and navigating anxiety ?

In this post we suggest several ways to inspire your students’ own personal writing, using Times models as “mentor texts,” and advice from our writers on everything from avoiding “zombie nouns” to writing “dangerous” college essays.

And since we’ve linked to but a fraction of the thousands of engaging personal pieces published in the paper over the years, we also invite you to add your own suggestions in the comments.

Seven Ideas to Inspire and Improve Personal Essays

App smart | digital diaries, a look at apps that help you document your daily life, through words, pictures and social media..

1. Keep a journal.

Research suggests that recording our run-of-the-mill, daily experiences, rather than just our highs and lows, could bring us unexpected joy. And there are apps you can use to make doing that easier.

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Trusted Advice for Academic and Professional Success

How to Write Personal Essays for U.S. Universities

Friday | March 22, 2019 | by Mariel S. Tavakoli

Mariel S. Tavakoli is a WES Expert Ambassador who recently graduated from the University of Oxford. Her studies focused on helping international students prepare personal statements in English.

Below, she provides essential insights about how to prepare a personal essay that will improve your chances of earning admission to a college or university in the United States.

When you are applying for an undergraduate program, graduate program, or scholarship, the written portion of the application requires you to reflect on your past experiences and connect them to your future goals. This portion might be called a personal statement, personal essay, or statement of purpose.

But no matter what it is called, and no matter what topic you are assigned, the true inspiration for your personal essay will always be the same: you.

Every admissions officer really wants to hear your unique voice, story, and vision. So, while there is no wrong way to approach an essay topic (which might also be referred to as a “prompt,” or come in the form of a question), there are ways to make the writing process more manageable—and the end result more powerful.

Here are some essential tips that will help you prepare an excellent personal essays for colleges and universities in the United States.

Give Yourself Time

The most important thing you must remember to do is give yourself enough time to write.

Many U.S. high school students begin writing their essays in the spring or summer—about six months before the application deadline. If this is the first academic essay you are writing in English, or your first time writing for an audience that is based in the United States, the most important thing you can do is to start thinking, researching, and writing in advance.

The process of writing a personal essay begins long before you grab a pen and paper.

Here are a few steps that will help you prepare:

First: Start by reading! The more that you read examples of personal essays in English, the more likely it is that you will figure out how to express your unique voice clearly in this language. This will also help you discover the appropriate level of academic expression and formality. Of course, you will need to do some research to find a variety of successful sample essays to study. Do not forget to consider that when planning the total time you will need.

Next: Identify teachers, parents, and friends who are fluent in written English and/or know what is expected of personal essays in the United States. Ask if they will agree to give you feedback. Sometimes, there is a designated staff member at your target school in the U.S. who can send you specific resources or provide more direct help; it is always worth asking the admissions office if this is the case for international applicants. You should be in touch with all of these potential candidates before you start writing; do not wait until you are ready to hand them something to read! (You will follow up and ask for their feedback once you complete your first draft.)

Now: Start writing! With plenty of time to understand, plan, write, and revise, you will write the best personal essay possible. This also helps you prevent stress during the application process.

Related Reading How to Get Into Graduate Schools in the U.S.

Understand Your Audience

Have you heard the following terms when reading about the personal essay?

• Tell your story

In order to understand these terms and your audience—university admissions officers—it is important to understand the admissions process.

U.S. universities have traditionally taken a holistic approach to admissions. In other words, your admissions decision is not based on your marks or test scores alone. Rather, admissions officers attempt to get a 360-degree understanding of who you are and how you would align with the other students and the university culture as a whole. This is what is meant by a “good fit” with a university.

To understand what an admissions officer might be looking for, your first stop is the university itself. Check out its website, follow its social media pages, read testimonies from alumni, get in touch with current students, read the university’s strategic plan. As you do, make note of common phrases and shared language. Store it away for when you are reflecting and writing later on.

While a holistic admissions process is a great way to get to know applicants, it also means that admissions officers have to read hundreds of applications in a day. Your personal story must therefore “stand out” from the competition. Although it can be uncomfortable, articulating your strengths and highlighting your most important accomplishments will make a strong impression, even on the most tired admissions officer. Use direct language and specific examples to showcase the most original things about your personality, personal history, and future ambitions.

But no matter what, the best way to appeal to admissions officers is by being truthful and genuine. So next, let us dive into an entire section dedicated to “telling your story”…

Learn More: Get the E-Guide Funding Your Education in the U.S.

Find Your Story

“Telling your story” to an unknown admissions officer is not an easy task. A personal essay requires you to be personal and professional at the same time. You also have to weave your experiences and goals together into a cohesive narrative.

The first step is to take an inventory of your life thus far. You might already have a lot of this information organized on your CV. Use this to group your experiences into categories: job titles, responsibilities, lessons learned, types of impact, special skills, hobbies and interests, and so on.

However, your personal essay should not read like a list or résumé. To avoid this, choose one or two experiences that relate to the topic of your personal essay and excite you the most. Explore how you can connect other strong points from different categories back to it. Begin thinking about how you might weave these together into one compelling narrative.

For example, pay attention to how one experience may have led to a realization, inspired a behavior, or triggered a memory. Even the smallest personal details can be a gateway or framework to the rest of your essay.

It is important for your personal essay to balance authenticity (what is important to you) with what admissions counselors might expect from a viable applicant. To start, any leadership roles or times when you went above and beyond your responsibilities are important to highlight. Then, think back to your research on the university and what language people used to describe the campus or community. Do any of your experiences fit with these qualities?

Again, do not be afraid to show off these accomplishments and impress those admissions officers!

Next Steps: Watch the Webinar Understanding the Admissions Process in the U.S.

Write It Down

There is not one right way to structure your personal essay. By giving yourself plenty of time to rearrange your thoughts with different words, sentences, and paragraphs, you will write an essay that represents your ability to think critically, as well as your ability to express yourself in writing. Both of these are essential skills and they are highly valued by admissions officers.

In the United States, it is important to follow basic concepts of essay organization. Make sure to group your thoughts into cohesive paragraphs, and use effective transitions between different ideas. Again, because your reader is tired and overwhelmed, it is important to make sure that your essay structure and specific word choices guide them through your statement.

Lastly, focus on your language. You should use your best academic English, and leave plenty of time at the end to refine and proofread. This is when you should contact the people that you identified in your research phase—the friends, family, and professionals who agreed to read your first draft.

Instead of asking for general feedback, ask them to share their thoughts on three specific things:

• Your language use (word choice)
• Your essay’s content (theme, story)
• Your essay’s structure (organization of ideas)

Envision Your Future

The personal essay portion of your application is a challenge. But it is also a great academic exercise. Writing your personal essay prepares you for all of the writing you will do as part of your education in the U.S.

This is also a great time for personal reflection and growth. Take this time to explore your history, motivation, and goals—and get excited about your future studies in the United States!

Mariel S. Tavakoli, a WES Ambassador , is a recent graduate of the University of Oxford.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of World Education Services (WES).

Essays That Worked

The essays are a place to show us who you are and who you’ll be in our community.

It’s a chance to add depth to something that is important to you and tell the admissions committee more about your background or goals. Below you’ll find selected examples of essays that “worked,” as nominated by our admissions committee. In each of these essays, students were able to share stories from their everyday lives to reveal something about their character, values, and life that aligned with the culture and values at Hopkins.

Read essays that worked from Transfer applicants .

Hear from the class of 2027.

These selections represent just a few examples of essays we found impressive and helpful during the past admissions cycle. We hope these essays inspire you as you prepare to compose your own personal statements. The most important thing to remember is to be original as you share your own story, thoughts, and ideas with us.

Ordering the Disorderly

Ellie’s essay skillfully uses the topic of entropy as an extended metaphor. Through it, we see reflections about who they are and who they aspire to be.

Pack Light, But Be Prepared

In Pablo’s essay, the act of packing for a pilgrimage becomes a metaphor for the way humans accumulate experiences in their life’s journey and what we can learn from them. As we join Pablo through the diverse phases of their life, we gain insights into their character and values.

Tikkun Olam

Julieta illustrates how the concept of Tikkun Olam, “a desire to help repair the world,” has shaped their passions and drives them to pursue experiences at Hopkins.

Kashvi’s essay encapsulates a heartfelt journey of self-discovery and the invaluable teachings of Rock, their 10-year-old dog. Through the lens of their companionship, Kashvi walked us through valuable lessons on responsibility, friendship, patience, and unconditional love.

Classical Reflections in Herstory

Maddie’s essay details their intellectual journey using their love of Greek classics. They incorporate details that reveal the roots of their academic interests: storytelling, literary devices, and translation. As their essay progresses, so do Maddie’s intellectual curiosities.

My Spotify Playlist

Alyssa’s essay reflects on special memories through the creative lens of Spotify playlists. They use three examples to highlight their experiences with their tennis team, finding a virtual community during the pandemic, and co-founding a nonprofit to help younger students learn about STEM.

More essays that worked

We share essays from previously admitted students—along with feedback from our admissions committee—so you can understand what made them effective and how to start crafting your own.

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Our interactive workshops—on topics like the college search process and essay preparation—will help you build your strongest application when you’re ready to apply.

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• You will have 8 questions to choose from. You must respond to only 4 of the 8 questions.
• Each response is limited to a maximum of 350 words.
• Which questions you choose to answer is entirely up to you. However, you should select questions that are most relevant to your experience and that best reflect your individual circumstances.

Keep in mind

• All questions are equal. All are given equal consideration in the application review process, which means there is no advantage or disadvantage to choosing certain questions over others.
• There is no right or wrong way to answer these questions. It’s about getting to know your personality, background, interests and achievements in your own unique voice.  
• Use the additional comments field if there are issues you'd like to address that you didn't have the opportunity to discuss elsewhere on the application. This shouldn't be an essay, but rather a place to note unusual circumstances or anything that might be unclear in other parts of the application. You may use the additional comments field to note extraordinary circumstances related to COVID-19, if necessary. 

Questions & guidance

Remember, the personal insight questions are just that—personal. Which means you should use our guidance for each question just as a suggestion in case you need help. The important thing is expressing who you are, what matters to you and what you want to share with UC. 

1. Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes or contributed to group efforts over time. Things to consider: A leadership role can mean more than just a title. It can mean being a mentor to others, acting as the person in charge of a specific task, or taking the lead role in organizing an event or project. Think about what you accomplished and what you learned from the experience. What were your responsibilities?

Did you lead a team? How did your experience change your perspective on leading others? Did you help to resolve an important dispute at your school, church, in your community or an organization? And your leadership role doesn't necessarily have to be limited to school activities. For example, do you help out or take care of your family? 2. Every person has a creative side, and it can be expressed in many ways: problem solving, original and innovative thinking, and artistically, to name a few. Describe how you express your creative side. Things to consider: What does creativity mean to you? Do you have a creative skill that is important to you? What have you been able to do with that skill? If you used creativity to solve a problem, what was your solution? What are the steps you took to solve the problem?

How does your creativity influence your decisions inside or outside the classroom? Does your creativity relate to your major or a future career? 3. What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed and demonstrated that talent over time? Things to consider: If there is a talent or skill that you're proud of, this is the time to share it.You don't necessarily have to be recognized or have received awards for your talent (although if you did and you want to talk about it, feel free to do so). Why is this talent or skill meaningful to you?

Does the talent come naturally or have you worked hard to develop this skill or talent? Does your talent or skill allow you opportunities in or outside the classroom? If so, what are they and how do they fit into your schedule? 4. Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity or worked to overcome an educational barrier you have faced. Things to consider: An educational opportunity can be anything that has added value to your educational experience and better prepared you for college. For example, participation in an honors or academic enrichment program, or enrollment in an academy that's geared toward an occupation or a major, or taking advanced courses that interest you; just to name a few.

If you choose to write about educational barriers you've faced, how did you overcome or strive to overcome them? What personal characteristics or skills did you call on to overcome this challenge? How did overcoming this barrier help shape who you are today? 5. Describe the most significant challenge you have faced and the steps you have taken to overcome this challenge. How has this challenge affected your academic achievement? Things to consider: A challenge could be personal, or something you have faced in your community or school. Why was the challenge significant to you? This is a good opportunity to talk about any obstacles you've faced and what you've learned from the experience. Did you have support from someone else or did you handle it alone?

If you're currently working your way through a challenge, what are you doing now, and does that affect different aspects of your life? For example, ask yourself, How has my life changed at home, at my school, with my friends or with my family? 6. Think about an academic subject that inspires you. Describe how you have furthered this interest inside and/or outside of the classroom. Things to consider:  Many students have a passion for one specific academic subject area, something that they just can't get enough of. If that applies to you, what have you done to further that interest? Discuss how your interest in the subject developed and describe any experience you have had inside and outside the classroom such as volunteer work, internships, employment, summer programs, participation in student organizations and/or clubs and what you have gained from your involvement.

Has your interest in the subject influenced you in choosing a major and/or future career? Have you been able to pursue coursework at a higher level in this subject (honors, AP, IB, college or university work)? Are you inspired to pursue this subject further at UC, and how might you do that?

7. What have you done to make your school or your community a better place? Things to consider: Think of community as a term that can encompass a group, team or a place like your high school, hometown or home. You can define community as you see fit, just make sure you talk about your role in that community. Was there a problem that you wanted to fix in your community?

Why were you inspired to act? What did you learn from your effort? How did your actions benefit others, the wider community or both? Did you work alone or with others to initiate change in your community? 8. Beyond what has already been shared in your application, what do you believe makes you a strong candidate for admissions to the University of California? Things to consider:  If there's anything you want us to know about you but didn't find a question or place in the application to tell us, now's your chance. What have you not shared with us that will highlight a skill, talent, challenge or opportunity that you think will help us know you better?

From your point of view, what do you feel makes you an excellent choice for UC? Don't be afraid to brag a little.

Writing tips

Start early..

Give yourself plenty of time for preparation, careful composition and revisions.

Write persuasively.

Making a list of accomplishments, activities, awards or work will lessen the impact of your words. Expand on a topic by using specific, concrete examples to support the points you want to make.

Use “I” statements.

Talk about yourself so that we can get to know your personality, talents, accomplishments and potential for success on a UC campus. Use “I” and “my” statements in your responses.

Proofread and edit.

Although you will not be evaluated on grammar, spelling or sentence structure, you should proofread your work and make sure your writing is clear. Grammatical and spelling errors can be distracting to the reader and get in the way of what you’re trying to communicate.

Solicit feedback.

Your answers should reflect your own ideas and be written by you alone, but others — family, teachers and friends can offer valuable suggestions. Ask advice of whomever you like, but do not plagiarize from sources in print or online and do not use anyone's words, published or unpublished, but your own.

Copy and paste.

Once you are satisfied with your answers, save them in plain text (ASCII) and paste them into the space provided in the application. Proofread once more to make sure no odd characters or line breaks have appeared.

This is one of many pieces of information we consider in reviewing your application. Your responses can only add value to the application. An admission decision will not be based on this section alone.

Need more help?

Download our worksheets:

• English [PDF]
• Spanish [PDF]