In personal essays, students should write about some stories that happened to them. There aren’t many restrictions for such a type of academic paper. However, if you want to create a paper that will be interesting to read, you should follow a few main rules. If you’ve never written personal papers before, it’s advisable to learn the tips given below.
When telling their stories, students often deviate from the main event and start describing other details that don’t relate directly to their topics. This usually makes readers less excited about the text. Always try to focus on the main message that you want to convey.
You don’t always need to describe the characters of your essay in a traditional way. Sometimes, just the way particular characters act in dialogs will describe them better than any words. Scene descriptions will help you create an atmosphere that you want your readers to feel when reading your work.
Make sure that every part of your text is clear and understandable to your audience. Even when you’re describing a conversation with you and your friends, for example, don’t mention metaphors or jokes that only you and your friends would understand. If this is necessary for the story, however, you should explain unclear terms and phrases for your readers.
You should tell the truth in your story. Even if you’re not the main hero or if your actions aren’t always good or clever. Such honesty will be appreciated by your readers. Moreover, if you tell only good things about yourself, people may think that you’re narcissistic.
Don’t try to act seriously when telling your story if you’re not a very serious person in real life. Write your essay as if you were telling this story in real time. Speak aloud when composing your sentences to make them sound more like you.
There is no need to start your essay from the chronological beginning of your story. Grab the attention of your readers by mentioning some of the most interesting parts of the narrative and, then, use flashbacks to explain the events properly.
In the last paragraph, you should tell your readers what lessons you’ve learned from the described events. Write about the mistakes you’ve made and explain to your readers why they shouldn’t repeat your mistakes.