Writing+a+Personal+Essay

= **Writing the Personal Essay** = = = =You have had memorable experiences that taught you life lessons. Personal essays retell those events, choices, and conclusions. Often, as we write, we remember moments vividly and include times, ages, grades in school, descriptions, and dialogue. It may be the first time you have written about that time in your life, so it is a valuable piece to save. I suggest that you save any personal writing on computer or flash drive for future use.= = = =For Week 1 of 2014-15, College Prep Courses will write a draft in class.=


 * // Basics of Writing a Narrative Personal Essay— //**
 * // 1. The story you tell makes a point. //**
 * // 2. Readers learn in the opening the 4 W’s (who, what, when, and where) as you set the stage of your story. //**
 * // 3. You tell the events in chronological order, including changes of location and time. //**
 * // 4. You write at least 3 different scenes of action that happened and dialogue that people said. Use correct punctuation. //**
 * // 5. Use concrete, specific details instead of general explanations. //**
 * // 6. The story should build to an “aha” moment, a dramatic conclusion when we readers get your point. Your conclusion reflects what you learned from this experience. //**

=You can read a class handout for one of our assignments below:=

** Read this article about what people think when they read mistakes. **
**Here are two examples of personal essays, one from an assignment and one from a textbook.**

YouTube "This I Believe" essay -->[|"What doesn't kill you, only makes you stronger."]

Open this document below to see suggestions for writing personal essays.
= = =Next, once your draft is returned, please revise your paper, add details and dialogue, and type. Double space the typed paper to give me room to write comments. Use a 1" margin. Please staple the original draft copy on the bottom, underneath the typed copy.=

**25 Mistakes to Avoid (notes from class)**