The good personal essay demands more advanced writing skills and creativity than a regular assignment in the educational establishment. It is also a great opportunity to share interesting and unique moments of the life with your readers. But many students don't know how to present themselves and to grab all the attention by including the spicy details in the text. But life is not a movie and it is possible that there are no breathtaking moments as in the made-up story. So, now we will provide you with a few tips about the personal essay creation.
How to Start?
Before you start writing an essay, make a list of the most significant events in your life. It can be the one that really changed you, formed your identity and made a unique profile of who you are. Even if this incident seems to be boring or not exciting enough, you should consider it as an important experience and think about the benefits to the reader which he or she can learn from your story. The main idea of the essay must be specific but simple and familiar to the reader at the same time. People like when the writer is on the same page with them.
How to Engage the Reader?
There are different ways how you can draw the person’s attention with the first line:
1. Create the Catchy Introduction
A small annotation at the beginning of the personal essay is a great way to provide a reader with the information about the plot, main characters and to tell why this topic is important and crucial for the evolution of your personality. You should include some extraordinary details to hook the reader and, if possible, to intrigue him.
2. Tell as If You Draw
A good book or essay always paints a picture in reader’s fantasy. He or she live this moment with you for the second time and is driven by the same emotions you felt. You need to find the right words and make the essay more alive by adding some dialogs and vivid descriptive scenes. Use the action verbs to make the story more dynamic and the most suitable adjectives to convey your feelings.
3. Be Able to Stop
Explain as much as you need, but do not overdo it with unnecessary and boring details. Thoroughly revise your written essay and cut redundant parts that have no bearing on the main idea of the story. It is nice to dilute the narrative with jokes or humorous episodes but remember that they can be funny only for you. Unclear moments and excessive embellishments are also able to discourage the reader.
4. Truth Is Above All
Be sincere and tell only about the events which happened on your life’s highway. Teach yourself to tell the truth in the personal essay, even if there are some flaws in the situation you describe. This approach requires courage and honesty. And it always wins because, actually, people like characters with weaknesses. It is sending a message that not only the reader is imperfect, but also the writer too. You can even help people become better while telling about your failures on the way to success.
5. Find a Deeper Meaning
The hidden truth which is not easy to find attracts the person and makes him or her to read the rest. Some people are looking for a deep meaning even where there isn’t any. You can compose a bit more complicated plot to awake the reader’s interest and his wish to reveal some extra ideas or personal thoughts.
How to Finalize the Work?
It is necessary to think up an entertaining ending and to revise the essay – it often requires editing. At the end of the story, the reader should understand everything you wanted to say. So, a punchline of the personal essay must be bright, memorable and teachable. Here you can express all your opinions about the impact of this situation on your future life.
Besides, you need to read the essay again, preferably out loud. When you spell out the sentences aloud it is much easier to find the parts that sound bad or are stylistically wrong. After the correction of the main mistakes connected with a storyline continue with the polishing. There can be some spelling errors that you didn’t notice while reading the first time.
And the most important thing in personal essay writing is that your paper must have some value. If your creation introduces something new and helps the reader to solve his own problems, the writing seems to be successful enough to reach the audience and to get them thinking about the issue which your essay represents.
