WHAT ARE WE LOOKING FOR ?

Simply put we are looking for a factual story about something that has happened in your life. More specifically we are looking for stories that are easy to read, that tell a story and that cause the reader to pause for a moment when they have finished the story.

TIPS ON HOW TO WRITE THESE KIND OF STORIES

Be specific

If someone is going to be swept up in your story they need to know exactly what has happened to you. Without this information, how will they understand and empathise with you, your actions and your emotions? But don’t waffle on. There might be a long drawn out background story behind your essay, but is it all necessary? The reader shouldn’t have to wade through a thousand words to find the five hundred that are important. Give a good, clear lead-up to the story, or weave it into the story, if it’s necessary but don’t go off at a tangent.

Don’t be passive

Write your work in first person and avoid using a passive voice. Any tense other than first person puts the reader one step away from where you and the story are, and you need to avoid that. Often when we are writing something personal or about a sensitive subject it is tempting to use the third person because it distances us from the words, but unfortunately it does exactly the same to the reader. For the same reason use strong descriptive words and use an active voice.

Show your feelings

I have always said that my best work is written with a tissue in one hand, and that’s true whether it’s for wiping the tears of laughter, joy or sadness. Use the emotions you have to add depth to your writing. The reader might not have gone through the situation you are writing about but they will no doubt have had an event in their life that will bring out similar emotions. By including your emotions their empathy will arise and intensify the impact of your story.

Don’t preach

Let the essay tell the message, if there is one. None of us like being told what to do or think. Finding a good balance by weaving a message clearly into your work can be difficult, but it is an important and useful skill to acquire.

Finally, if your story includes anyone else, check whether they want to have their name included or not. Giving characters a name is important because they help the reader identify with you, so if someone doesn’t want their name printed, consider making up a fictitious one for them. Since many personal essays cover sensitive topics it is important to consider the feelings of those people also involved in your story. You might be willing to tell the world what happened to them, but are they?