1. PERSONAL ESSAY

2. CHARACTERISTICS OF A PERSONAL ESSAY
PERSONAL --- HAVING TO DO WITH ONESELF
NARRATIVE – STORY
A PERSONAL
NARRATIVE IS
A STORY ABOUT
YOURSELF

3. Point of view
First person
Pronouns such as I, we, us, me, etc.

4. may be others besides the author but maintains first person POV

5. Where and when the story takes place
SETTING
TIME (day, year, history)
PLACE (scenery, weather, location)
USE SENSORY DETAILS
Where and when the story takes place

6. FOCUS ONE EVENT ONE IDEA Does NOT tell an entire story. ONE moment
ONE snapshot
Does NOT tell an entire story.

7. CHRONOLOGIC ORDER Starts with what happens first and moves forward
Transition use – then, later, next, etc.

8. PLOT
Introduction
rising action
climax
falling action
resolution

9. If you had an assignment to write your own personal essay, what questions would you ask an instructor about personal essays?