Personal Essay

Six Tuesday Sessions

10:00-12:30 EST

Dates: 1/20 – 3/10 (OFF 2/3 & 2/17)

The personal essay examines one piece of a life — an oddity or observation, a habit or hatred, a relationship or loss — through the author’s unique point of view. Great essayists situate personal topics within a broader context; they expose their humanness and, in doing so, connect to the humanness of us all. In this course, participants practice the personal essay writing process, from mining the raw material of their lives to completing pieces. Characteristics and craft techniques of the personal essay form are discussed as they relate to student writing. Each week, participants share new or revised work in an intimate, supportive setting.

What to expect from this workshop:

• A warm, supportive environment.
• Positive feedback that highlights moments of power, resonance, and strong craft.
• Suggestions for next steps as you work on your draft.
• Follow-up emails filled with resources, such as mentor texts, craft essays, prompts, thoughts on the writing life, and information about publication.