how do you write a personal essay about yourself

How to Write an Essay About Yourself | Writing Guide

Writing an essay about yourself might seem simple. After all, who knows you better than you do? But creating a compelling personal story takes careful planning, self-reflection, and a thoughtful approach. This guide will help you write an essay that grabs attention and leaves a lasting impression.

Content Guide

What is the Purpose of an Essay About Yourself?

Essay about yourself is all about looking inward and showing who you truly are. Personal essays let you to share your life stories, thoughts, and personal growth. Whether you’re writing for college applications, scholarships, job openings, or just a school project, a well-crafted personal essay can make a strong impact.

Types of Personal Essays

• College Admission Essays : College admission essays allow applicants to showcase their unique qualities and experiences, as highlighted in The College Board’s comprehensive guide on college application essay .
• Scholarship Applications : Highlight your unique skills, accomplishments, and goals.
• Professional Profiles : Showcase your traits, abilities, and experiences.

Think about why you are writing your essay. Are you hoping to stand out in a competitive college admissions process? Do you want to share an inspiring moment that shaped your goals? Understanding the purpose of your essay will guide your approach.

Key Elements of Personal Essays

Every great personal essay shares some important qualities:

• Honesty and Authenticity : Be true to yourself and share real thoughts and stories.
• Clarity and Focus : Make sure your essay has a clear goal and conveys your main points effectively.
• Engaging Writing Techniques : Using writing techniques, such as vivid language and storytelling, can help captivate readers and convey authenticity.

Think of one word that describes you best. How does this word show up in your life experiences? Jot down examples to help brainstorm for your essay.

How to Write an Essay About Yourself

Writing an essay about yourself can be a rewarding and insightful experience. It’s great for personal statements or reflective pieces. The key is to show your unique qualities, experiences, and growth. Here’s how to write an engaging essay about yourself:

Brainstorm Standout Qualities and Experiences

Take some time to reflect on your life experiences. Get a blank piece of paper and write down moments that stand out to you. Focus on times when you felt proud, faced a challenge, or experienced personal growth.

For example, I once found myself leading a neighborhood cleanup after a storm. At first, it felt overwhelming, but by the end of the day, I learned the power of community and perseverance.

Pause and think about a moment in your life that made you feel proud or changed you in some way. What lessons did you learn?

Choose Your Main Topic

From your brainstorming session , pick one strong idea that you can build your essay around. Your topic should be meaningful to you and interesting for others to read.

Let’s say you brainstormed about learning to cook with your grandmother – this could become an essay about family traditions, learning patience, or discovering your passion for cooking.

Use Vivid Details and Examples

Instead of just listing facts, paint a picture with your words. This helps your reader visualize your experiences and connect with your story.

Reflect on Personal Growth

One of the most powerful parts of a personal essay is showing how you’ve grown. Ask yourself: What did I learn from this experience? How has it shaped who I am today?

Once you’ve reflected on your growth, think about how to structure your story to make your essay flow smoothly.

Creating Your Essay Structure

Organize your essay into a clear beginning, middle, and end. Start with an introduction that hooks the reader and provides a glimpse of what’s to come. Use the body paragraphs to dive into your story, and wrap up with a conclusion that ties everything together.

Introduction

Your introduction should hook the reader and set the tone for the essay. It should include a sneak peek into the main theme you will explore.

Example Introduction:

“The kitchen timer rang, and the warm smell of vanilla and cinnamon filled our small apartment. I smiled as I pulled the cookies from the oven, remembering the first time I baked with Grandma Rosa. Back then, I didn’t know baking would teach me more than recipes—it would teach me patience and creativity.”

Think of a personal moment that grabs attention. What’s the first sentence that would make someone want to keep reading your story?

Body Paragraphs

The body paragraphs are where you dive into the details of your story. Each paragraph should support the main theme, using specific experiences and vivid details. Here’s how to craft strong body paragraphs:

• Start with a topic sentence : Introduce the main idea of the paragraph.
• Use specific examples : Share moments that illustrate your experience.
• Reflect on the meaning : Include insights or lessons learned to show growth.

Example Body Paragraph:

“Every Sunday, Grandma Rosa would tie an apron around my waist and pull out her worn recipe book. ‘Cooking is about patience,’ she would say as she showed me how to measure flour exactly or explained why we needed to wait for the butter to soften. At first, I found it frustrating. I wanted to rush through the steps and see the cookies finished, but each lesson taught me to slow down and focus. That patience later became a skill I relied on while studying for tough exams and navigating life’s challenges.”

Use phrases that guide the reader through your story, like “As time went on,” or “I soon realized that…” .

Pause and think about the most significant details in your story. What small moments help show your growth or lesson learned?

The conclusion should tie your story together, emphasizing what you’ve learned or how the experience has shaped you. Avoid ending abruptly—leave your reader with a clear takeaway or a memorable final thought.

Example Conclusion:

“Now, as I teach my younger sister how to make Grandma Rosa’s recipes, I understand that those baking lessons were really life lessons in disguise. Patience, precision, and creativity aren’t just baking skills—they’re tools I use every day in school and life. When I look back at those Sunday afternoons, I realize that Grandma Rosa was teaching me more than how to bake. She was teaching me how to handle life with grace and determination.”

Ask yourself: What’s the most important takeaway from your story? How can you end with a sentence that resonates with the reader?

How to Start an Essay About Yourself

Starting your essay in a captivating way is key to grabbing the reader’s attention. Your opening statement sets the tone and invites them into your story.

Hook Strategies That Capture Attention

Use one of these strategies to create an engaging opening:

• Start with a surprising fact or question : “Did you know that the average person changes careers three to seven times in their lifetime? My journey has been no exception.”
• Begin with a vivid memory or anecdote : “The sound of raindrops tapping against my window was like nature’s own drumbeat. It was the night before my first big move, and I felt both excited and terrified.”
• Open with a quote : Choose a quote that fits the message of your essay. “The story of my life is a series of moments, each one teaching me who I am.” – Unknown

Pause and write down three opening sentences for your essay. Which one feels the most compelling?

Incorporating Personal Experiences and Achievements

When writing an essay about yourself, find the right mix. You need to balance self-reflection and showcasing your personality . Choose experiences that reveal who you are and what you’ve learned.

How to Weave in Personal Experiences:

• Choose relevant stories : Pick experiences that support the main point of your essay.
• Add vivid details : Instead of saying, “I volunteered at an animal shelter,” describe it: “Every Saturday, I would walk into the shelter to the sound of barking dogs and the warm, welcoming smell of hay. It was here that I developed a deep empathy for those who couldn’t speak for themselves.”
• Reflect on what you learned : This is where you show growth. “Working at the shelter didn’t just teach me how to care for animals; it taught me the importance of compassion and persistence in all areas of my life.”

Make a quick list of three experiences that have shaped you. Next to each, jot down what you learned or how it impacted you.

Example Table of Personal Experiences:

Developing Your Writing Style

Writing a personal essay is more than just telling your story. It’s about showing your writing techniques and personality. You do this through your language, tone, and how you tell your story. We’ll look at ways to make your writing better and keep your readers interested.

Using Descriptive Language

You should use vivid language while writing an essay about yourself. This makes your story come alive for your readers. Try using metaphors, similes, and other figures of speech to make your story vivid.

Vary sentence structure

Mix short, impactful sentences with longer, more descriptive ones to keep your readers engaged. This keeps your essay exciting and keeps readers hooked until the end.

Balancing Show vs Tell

Good stories show, not tell. Instead of saying how you feel, show it through what you do and say. This makes your story more real and impactful for your readers.

“ Let your actions speak for your emotions. ”

Pick a sentence from your essay and rewrite it using more vivid language.

Editing and Refining Your Personal Essay

After drafting your essay, don’t rush to the finish line. Editing is where good writing becomes great.

Start by reviewing your essay yourself. Look for ways to make it better. Check the essay structure , how your story flows, and if your writing is clear.

Also, getting feedback from others can be helpful. Ask people you trust or mentors to read your essay. They can give you new ideas, point out what needs work, and suggest ways to make your writing better.

Read your essay out loud. Does it sound natural? Are there parts where you stumble or lose focus? Mark these sections and revise them.

Common Mistakes to Avoid in Personal Essays

Writing an essay about yourself is more than just telling your story. You must avoid common mistakes that can hurt your message. Let’s look at some important tips to help you write with confidence.

Being too general or vague

One big issue is being too general or vague. Personal essays need specific details and vivid descriptions to pull the reader into your story. Don’t just list your achievements without adding context or reflection.

Do not overshare

Being real is important, but too much information can push people away. Find a balance between sharing enough and keeping some things private. Stick to the most important parts that tell your story well.

Addressing sensitive topics without care

Sensitive topics like gender, race, politics, or religion can be challenging to navigate in a personal essay. Only discuss these topics if they are directly relevant to your narrative and handled with utmost care and sensitivity.

Excessive use of a thesaurus

Using a thesaurus excessively can make your writing sound unnatural and disconnected from your authentic voice. Focus on using clear, conversational language that resonates with your audience.

Abrupt ending

Ending your essay abruptly can leave the reader feeling unsatisfied or disconnected from your message. Conclude with a summary that reinforces your main theme and provides a memorable closing statement.

By avoiding these personal essay mistakes and using these essay writing tips , you can write a personal essay about yourself that captivates and impacts. The secret to a great personal essay is engaging the reader and sharing a story that resonates with them.

Essay About Yourself Example: Learning to Lead

It was the first day of summer camp, and my stomach was full of nervous butterflies. I had been chosen as a group leader for the first time, and I wasn’t sure I could do it. I looked around at the other campers, laughing and talking, and wondered if I could get them to listen to me.

On the second day, we were supposed to build a small boat out of cardboard and tape for a race across the pool. I wanted everything to go smoothly, but everyone had their own ideas. Some wanted to make the boat look fancy, while others just wanted to make it strong enough to float. As everyone started arguing, I felt panic rising in my chest. What if I couldn’t handle this?

I took a deep breath and remembered what my older brother once told me: “A good leader listens first.” So, I asked everyone to stop and share their ideas one at a time. After listening to everyone, we picked the best parts of each plan and started building. The laughter and teamwork that followed made me realize that leadership wasn’t just about giving orders—it was about bringing people together.

When the race started, our boat wasn’t the fastest, but it stayed afloat. We cheered as it crossed the finish line, and I felt a warm pride that wasn’t about winning. I learned that being a leader means helping others work as a team and making everyone feel included.

Looking back, that day taught me more than just how to lead a group. It showed me that even when I feel unsure, I can handle challenges by listening, being patient, and trusting myself. That lesson is something I carry with me, not just at camp but everywhere I go.

Final Thoughts

Writing an essay about yourself is an opportunity to share your unique story and show what makes you who you are. Embrace the process, be honest, and don’t be afraid to share a piece of yourself. With thoughtful planning and reflection, your essay will resonate and leave a mark.

Before you finish, ask yourself: Does this essay sound like me ? If it feels genuine, you’re on the right track.

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How to Write About Yourself

Last Updated: September 17, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Lucy Yeh . Lucy Yeh is a Human Resources Director, Recruiter, and Certified Life Coach (CLC) with over 20 years of experience. With a training background with Coaching for Life and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) at InsightLA, Lucy has worked with professionals of all levels to improve the quality of their careers, personal/professional relationships, self marketing, and life balance. There are 13 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 5,744,852 times.

Whether you're writing an essay about yourself for a scholarship, a self-introduction, or a personal bio for a job application, coming up with the right words to capture what makes you unique can feel challenging. Fortunately, there are tips and tricks that can make writing about yourself a breeze. Want some help getting across just how impressive, interesting, and skilled you really are? Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about putting yourself into words effectively, complete with examples.

Writing of the Autobiographical Nature

• Who are you?
• What is your background?
• What are your interests?
• What are your talents?
• What are your achievements?
• What challenges have you faced?

• What is your most interesting or unique quality? What word(s) describes you the best? Choose that topic.

• Bad: I like sports.
• Ok: I'm a fan of basketball, football, tennis, and soccer.
• Good: My favorite sport is football, both to watch and to play.
• Better: When I was growing up, I would watch Big Ten football with my dad and brothers every Saturday, before we'd go outside and toss the football around. I've loved it ever since.

• Braggy: I'm the best and most dynamic worker at my company right now, so you should want to hire me for my talents.
• Humble: I was lucky enough to be awarded three employee of the month awards at my current job. Turns out it was a company record.

Writing Personal Essays for School

• Common themes or prompts for autobiographical essays include overcoming obstacles, great successes or spectacular failures, and what you learned about yourself.

• Depending on the assignment, you may need to connect a personal anecdote to a reading or an idea from class. Start brainstorming topics that are connected to that idea, to give yourself a variety of options to choose from.

• Common autobiographical essay cliches include sports stories, mission trips, and dead grandmothers. While these can all make for excellent essays if done well, it is difficult to stand out when telling the story of how your lacrosse team lost a big game, then practiced hard, then won. It has been written before.

• If you want to tell the story of your nasty break-up, start with the break-up, do not start with the star-crossed way you met. You have got to get immediately to the tension in the story.

• When you have an idea of your topic, start writing a "memory list" of specific things that you remember about the event. What was the weather like? What did it smell like? What did your mother say to you?
• Your opening paragraph will set the tone for the rest of the essay. Rather than telling the dull biographical details (your name, your place of birth, your favorite food), find a way to express the essence of the story you are going to tell and the themes you are going to explore in your essay.

Writing a Cover Letter for an Application

• Outline your qualifications and highlight your talents in a cover letter.
• Write about who you are.
• In a cover letter, describe how your education and experience qualifies you for this position.
• Explain how this opportunity will benefit your career goals.

• When in doubt, keep it brief and serious. If you are unsure whether or not telling an amusing anecdote about your friend's bachelor party is appropriate in a cover letter, it is probably best to leave it out.

• "I'm writing to apply for the entry-level position with Company Inc. advertised on your website. I think my experience and training makes me an ideal candidate for this position."
• Contrary to popular belief, it is not necessary to include your name in the body of the letter: "My name is John Smith and I am applying...." Your name will be included in the signature, as well as the header of a cover letter, so there is no need to put it in the text itself.

• Who you are and where you come from.
• Where you want to go.
• How this opportunity would potentially help you get there.

• Be as specific as possible. It is alright to note that you are "A passionate leader in all walks of life" but it would be much better to write about an example of a time you lead in a surprising way.
• Stay focused on skills and talents that connect specifically to the thing you are applying for. Extracurricular involvement, leadership roles, and other types of outstanding achievement may be important to you personally, but it may be totally extraneous. If you include something, ensure to connect it specifically to the goal of the cover letter.

• Be as specific as possible. If you are writing a university cover letter, it is obvious that you have to have a degree to get a job as a doctor, but how did you come to choose this field? Why did you choose this school? What, specifically, do you want to take away from the experience?

• Be careful about using a cover letter to critique a business. It is not the time to describe the suffering of a particular brand over the previous fiscal quarter, then promising that you will be able to turn it around with your ideas. That might not go over well if you are hired, and then you are unable to live up to the promise.

• Even if it is impressive, a high GPA or class ranking does not belong in a cover letter. Highlight it on your resume, but do not include it in two different places of the application.

• Mailing address
• Telephone and/or fax number

Expert Trick : Save time and effort by creating one generic format that you can use for many different job applications by tweaking the specific content for each one. Start with a general introductory paragraph , then a section or two fleshing out your resume and expertise as it relates to the job, and finish it off with a closing paragraph and a note of thanks.

Writing a Short Biography Note

• Pretend you are writing about someone else. Write your name and start describing that person like a character or a friend: "John Smith is the Executive Vice President of Company Inc..."

• If you are a jack of all trades, say so. Do not be afraid to list "actor, musician, mother, motivational speaker, and professional rock climber" if they all apply equally.

• It is common to list degrees that you have received. Pay particular attention to anything that ties into the work you are writing about. If you have special training, include it here.

• "John Smith is the Executive Vice President of Company Inc., in charge of marketing and overseas acquisitions. He received an MBA with distinction from Harvard and lives in Montauk with his cat Cheeto."
• Do not overshare. It can seem funny to immediately start with "John Smith loves rafting and hates eating Cheetos. He's a total boss" and such bio notes can be appropriate for some venues, however be careful to avoid awkward oversharing. Telling everyone about your killer hangover might be best left for after work talk.

• Stephen King, who is one of the most successful and popular authors in recent history, has a bio note that just lists the name of his family members, his hometown, and his pets. Consider leaving out the self-congratulation entirely.

Community Q&A

• If you are having a difficult time writing about yourself, search online for examples of personal writing, in order to get some ideas and inspiration. Thanks Helpful 3 Not Helpful 0
• Don't think about how others feel about you. Everyone thinks from a different perspective. Thanks Helpful 3 Not Helpful 0
• Remember that you’re supposed to talk about yourself, it’s the main topic. Don’t talk about your friends or family, even though you may feel tempted to. Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 0

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/resumes-cover-letters/how-to-write-about-yourself
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/brainstorming/
• ↑ https://ohiostate.pressbooks.pub/choosingsources/chapter/narrowing-a-topic/
• ↑ https://www.yourdictionary.com/articles/essay-about-self-writing
• ↑ https://writingcommons.org/article/using-first-person-in-an-academic-essay-when-is-it-okay/
• ↑ https://www.glassdoor.com/blog/6-unconventional-ways-start-cover-letter/
• ↑ https://english.washington.edu/writing-cover-letter
• ↑ https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/career-goal-statement-examples
• ↑ https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/resumes-cover-letters/resume-vs-cover-letter
• ↑ https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/resumes-cover-letters/whats-the-ideal-cover-letter-length
• ↑ https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/resumes-cover-letters/how-to-format-a-cover-letter-example
• ↑ https://writingcenter.uagc.edu/first-vs-third-person
• ↑ https://www.grammarly.com/blog/how-to-write-bio/

About This Article

If you have to write an autobiographical description of yourself, write down a list of your talents, interests, and accomplishments. Use this list to help you choose one specific topic for your description, such as your academic achievements or your leadership qualities. Use specific, unique details to support your topic, such as being awarded an academic scholarship or the fact that you were president of the newspaper in high school. You can list bits of your personal life, but be careful not to overshare. If you want to write about yourself a cover letter or personal essay, keep reading the article! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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Telling the Story of Yourself: 6 Steps to Writing Personal Narratives

By Jennifer Xue

Table of Contents

Why do we write personal narratives, 6 guidelines for writing personal narrative essays, inspiring personal narratives, examples of personal narrative essays, tell your story.

First off, you might be wondering: what is a personal narrative? In short, personal narratives are stories we tell about ourselves that focus on our growth, lessons learned, and reflections on our experiences.

From stories about inspirational figures we heard as children to any essay, article, or exercise where we're asked to express opinions on a situation, thing, or individual—personal narratives are everywhere.

According to Psychology Today, personal narratives allow authors to feel and release pains, while savouring moments of strength and resilience. Such emotions provide an avenue for both authors and readers to connect while supporting healing in the process.

That all sounds great. But when it comes to putting the words down on paper, we often end up with a list of experiences and no real structure to tie them together.

In this article, we'll discuss what a personal narrative essay is further, learn the 6 steps to writing one, and look at some examples of great personal narratives.

As readers, we're fascinated by memoirs, autobiographies, and long-form personal narrative articles, as they provide a glimpse into the authors' thought processes, ideas, and feelings. But you don't have to be writing your whole life story to create a personal narrative.

You might be a student writing an admissions essay , or be trying to tell your professional story in a cover letter. Regardless of your purpose, your narrative will focus on personal growth, reflections, and lessons.

Personal narratives help us connect with other people's stories due to their easy-to-digest format and because humans are empathising creatures.

We can better understand how others feel and think when we were told stories that allow us to see the world from their perspectives. The author's "I think" and "I feel" instantaneously become ours, as the brain doesn't know whether what we read is real or imaginary.

In her best-selling book Wired for Story, Lisa Cron explains that the human brain craves tales as it's hard-wired through evolution to learn what happens next. Since the brain doesn't know whether what you are reading is actual or not, we can register the moral of the story cognitively and affectively.

In academia, a narrative essay tells a story which is experiential, anecdotal, or personal. It allows the author to creatively express their thoughts, feelings, ideas, and opinions. Its length can be anywhere from a few paragraphs to hundreds of pages.

Outside of academia, personal narratives are known as a form of journalism or non-fiction works called "narrative journalism." Even highly prestigious publications like the New York Times and Time magazine have sections dedicated to personal narratives. The New Yorke is a magazine dedicated solely to this genre.

The New York Times holds personal narrative essay contests. The winners are selected because they:

had a clear narrative arc with a conflict and a main character who changed in some way. They artfully balanced the action of the story with reflection on what it meant to the writer. They took risks, like including dialogue or playing with punctuation, sentence structure and word choice to develop a strong voice. And, perhaps most important, they focused on a specific moment or theme – a conversation, a trip to the mall, a speech tournament, a hospital visit – instead of trying to sum up the writer’s life in 600 words.

In a nutshell, a personal narrative can cover any reflective and contemplative subject with a strong voice and a unique perspective, including uncommon private values. It's written in first person and the story encompasses a specific moment in time worthy of a discussion.

Writing a personal narrative essay involves both objectivity and subjectivity. You'll need to be objective enough to recognise the importance of an event or a situation to explore and write about. On the other hand, you must be subjective enough to inject private thoughts and feelings to make your point.

With personal narratives, you are both the muse and the creator – you have control over how your story is told. However, like any other type of writing, it comes with guidelines.

1. Write Your Personal Narrative as a Story

As a story, it must include an introduction, characters, plot, setting, climax, anti-climax (if any), and conclusion. Another way to approach it is by structuring it with an introduction, body, and conclusion. The introduction should set the tone, while the body should focus on the key point(s) you want to get across. The conclusion can tell the reader what lessons you have learned from the story you've just told.

2. Give Your Personal Narrative a Clear Purpose

Your narrative essay should reflect your unique perspective on life. This is a lot harder than it sounds. You need to establish your perspective, the key things you want your reader to take away, and your tone of voice. It's a good idea to have a set purpose in mind for the narrative before you start writing.

Let's say you want to write about how you manage depression without taking any medicine. This could go in any number of ways, but isolating a purpose will help you focus your writing and choose which stories to tell. Are you advocating for a holistic approach, or do you want to describe your emotional experience for people thinking of trying it?

Having this focus will allow you to put your own unique take on what you did (and didn't do, if applicable), what changed you, and the lessons learned along the way.

3. Show, Don't Tell

It's a narration, so the narrative should show readers what happened, instead of telling them. As well as being a storyteller, the author should take part as one of the characters. Keep this in mind when writing, as the way you shape your perspective can have a big impact on how your reader sees your overarching plot. Don't slip into just explaining everything that happened because it happened to you. Show your reader with action.

You can check for instances of telling rather than showing with ProWritingAid. For example, instead of:

"You never let me do anything!" I cried disdainfully.

"You never let me do anything!" To this day, my mother swears that the glare I levelled at her as I spat those words out could have soured milk.

Using ProWritingAid will help you find these instances in your manuscript and edit them without spending hours trawling through your work yourself.

4. Use "I," But Don't Overuse It

You, the author, take ownership of the story, so the first person pronoun "I" is used throughout. However, you shouldn't overuse it, as it'd make it sound too self-centred and redundant.

ProWritingAid can also help you here – the Style Report will tell you if you've started too many sentences with "I", and show you how to introduce more variation in your writing.

5. Pay Attention to Tenses

Tense is key to understanding. Personal narratives mostly tell the story of events that happened in the past, so many authors choose to use the past tense. This helps separate out your current, narrating voice and your past self who you are narrating. If you're writing in the present tense, make sure that you keep it consistent throughout.

6. Make Your Conclusion Satisfying

Satisfy your readers by giving them an unforgettable closing scene. The body of the narration should build up the plot to climax. This doesn't have to be something incredible or shocking, just something that helps give an interesting take on your story.

The takeaways or the lessons learned should be written without lecturing. Whenever possible, continue to show rather than tell. Don't say what you learned, narrate what you do differently now. This will help the moral of your story shine through without being too preachy.

GoodReads is a great starting point for selecting read-worthy personal narrative books. Here are five of my favourites.

Owl Moon by Jane Yolen

Jane Yolen, the author of 386 books, wrote this poetic story about a daughter and her father who went owling. Instead of learning about owls, Yolen invites readers to contemplate the meaning of gentleness and hope.

Night by Elie Wiesel

Elie Wiesel was a teenager when he and his family were sent to Auschwitz concentration camp in 1944. This Holocaust memoir has a strong message that such horrific events should never be repeated.

The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank

This classic is a must-read by young and old alike. It's a remarkable diary by a 13-year-old Jewish girl who hid inside a secret annexe of an old building during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands in 1942.

The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion

This is a personal narrative written by a brave author renowned for her clarity, passion, and honesty. Didion shares how in December 2003, she lost her husband of 40 years to a massive heart attack and dealt with the acute illness of her only daughter. She speaks about grief, memories, illness, and hope.

Educated by Tara Westover

Author Tara Westover was raised by survivalist parents. She didn't go to school until 17 years of age, which later took her to Harvard and Cambridge. It's a story about the struggle for quest for knowledge and self-reinvention.

Narrative and personal narrative journalism are gaining more popularity these days. You can find distinguished personal narratives all over the web.

Curating the best of the best of personal narratives and narrative essays from all over the web. Some are award-winning articles.

Narratively

Long-form writing to celebrate humanity through storytelling. It publishes personal narrative essays written to provoke, inspire, and reflect, touching lesser-known and overlooked subjects.

Narrative Magazine

It publishes non,fiction narratives, poetry, and fiction. Among its contributors is Frank Conroy, the author of Stop-Time , a memoir that has never been out of print since 1967.

Thought Catalog

Aimed at Generation Z, it publishes personal narrative essays on self-improvement, family, friendship, romance, and others.

Personal narratives will continue to be popular as our brains are wired for stories. We love reading about others and telling stories of ourselves, as they bring satisfaction and a better understanding of the world around us.

Personal narratives make us better humans. Enjoy telling yours!

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Jennifer Xue

Jennifer Xue is an award-winning e-book author with 2,500+ articles and 100+ e-books/reports published under her belt. She also taught 50+ college-level essay and paper writing classes. Her byline has appeared in Forbes, Fortune, Cosmopolitan, Esquire, Business.com, Business2Community, Addicted2Success, Good Men Project, and others. Her blog is JenniferXue.com. Follow her on Twitter @jenxuewrites].

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