Personal Essay Writing

Writing Vivid Scenes or The Suggestion of a Scene

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The Suggestion of a Scene is an alternative to a long-developed scene.

Writing Vivid Scenes or The Suggestion of a Scene What a brief passage from The Great Gatsby can teach writers about movement, atmosphere, memory, and meaning through a few … Read more

How to Write Dinner Table Scenes

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Amp up the tension when writing dinner table scenes

How to Write Dinner Table Scenes That Reveal Power and Conflict Want to concentrate tension, characterization, interpersonal conflict, drop some bombshells, or start a mystery? Set the table. The … Read more

Write a Memoir: You Don’t Need To Have Your Life Figured Out

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You don't have to know what it all means to write a memoir

Write a Memoir Now You Don’t Have to Have Your Life Figured Out (And Why It’s Better if You Don’t) The Question That Stops Almost Everyone Nearly every writer … Read more

Publishing in Anthologies: 7 Ways to Boost Your Writing Career

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why you should publish personal essays

Publishiing in Anthologies: 7 Ways to Boost Your Writing Career Authors write books, but books are only part of a professional writing life.For many writers, a book project takes … Read more

Voice and Point of View in Writing: The Essential Distinction

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Ask the expert, Amy Lou Jenkins, MFA, about the difference between Voice and POV.

Voice and Point of View in Writing: The Essential Distinction Voice and point of view are two of the most searched and most misunderstood concepts in writing craft. Even … Read more

What Makes a Great Memoir

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Memoirs in a pile that deserve to be talked about

What Makes a Great Memoir: Craft Lessons from the Books Readers Can’t Stop Recommending What makes a great memoir?Not fame.Not shock value.And not even an extraordinary life. The memoirs … Read more