Personal Writing
Hafizah Augustus Geter: On Confronting Complicated Questions When Writing Memoir
Award-winning writer Hafizah Augustus Geter discusses how her experience as a poet helped her take on her new memoir, The Black Period.
How You Know When the Time Is Right To Write a Memoir
Choosing to write a memoir is no small decision. How do you know when the time is right for you? Here, author Peter Quinn shares how to know when to write a memoir.
How To Find and Write the Soul of a Place
When "home" is defined by more than one place, capturing each uniquely can be challenging and rewarding. Here, author Annette Libeskind Berkovits shares how to find and write the soul of a place.
Lisa Nikolidakis: On Writing Emotionally Difficult Material
Author Lisa Nikolidakis discusses how grief fueled her desire to write her new memoir, No One Crosses the Wolf.
Mia Mercado: On Challenging Niceness Through Personal Essays
Writer Mia Mercado discusses combining essays with short stories in her new collection, She’s Nice Though.
How To Turn Artifacts and Research Into a Family Memoir
A century’s old family heirloom acted as a clue to the past for author Cornelia Maude Spelman. Here, she shares how to turn artifacts and research into a family memoir.
6 Things My Career as a Travel Writer Taught Me About Writing a Memoir
After 30 years as a travel writer, Mark Chesnut spent his days exploring the world and writing about what he saw. Here, he shares 6 things his career as a travel writer taught him about writing his first memoir.
How To Write Dark Comedy in Nonfiction: The Other Three S’s
Sometimes a subject is so dark that all you can do is laugh—but there’s an art to writing serious subjects comedically. Here, bestselling author Glenn Rockowitz shares how to write dark comedy in nonfiction using the other three s’s.
Sari Botton: On Finding Compassion Through Memoir
Award-winning writer and editor Sari Botton discusses the transformative process of writing her memoir, And You May Find Yourself.
A Different Angle: How To Revisit a Painful Past Without Re-Triggering Your Present
Writer Sari Botton knew she had a memoir in her but felt conflicted over writing about her traumatic experiences. Here, she shares how she navigated writing her memoir from a different angle.
Mark Kurlansky: On Coincidences Driving Memoir
Award-winning author, playwright, and journalist Mark Kurlansky discusses the experience of channeling Ernest Hemingway in his new memoir, The Importance of Not Being Ernest.
Telling My Story: How to Work Through Painful Feelings While Writing a Memoir
When revisiting your past means unearthing painful memories, it’s important to find solitude somewhere. Here, author Laura L. Engel discusses how to work through painful feelings while writing a memoir.
6 Types of Creative Nonfiction Personal Essays for Writers to Try
In this post, we reveal six types of creative nonfiction personal essays for writers to try, including the fragmented essay, hermit crab essay, braided essay, and more. Take your essay writing up a notch while having fun trying new forms.
Florence Olajide: On Perseverance and Persistence Through Memoir
Florence Olajide discusses how the persistence from others led her to writing her new memoir, Coconut.
What Is a Lyric Essay in Writing?
In this post, we look at what a lyric essay is, including what makes it different from other types of essays and when writers may prefer to use this style.
How to Write Compelling Personal Essays: 9 Ingredients for Spicing Up Your Writing
Author Elaine Klonicki discusses how to turn the stories you tell in person into compelling personal essays on paper.
What Is a Personal Reportage Essay in Writing?
In this post, we look at what a personal reportage essay is, including what makes it different from other types of essays and when writers may prefer to use this style.
Brevity: Market Spotlight
For this week's market spotlight, we look at Brevity: A Journal of Concise Literary Nonfiction, an online publication released three times per year and focused on extremely brief nonfiction essays.
What Is a Braided Essay in Writing?
In this post, we look at what a braided essay is, including what makes it different from other types of essays and when writers may prefer to use this style.
Tracey Michae’l Lewis-Giggetts: On Intentional Expressions of Black Joy
Author and podcast host Tracey Michae’l Lewis-Giggetts discusses how exploring personal joy led her to write her new essay collection, Black Joy.
How Do I Find My Voice in Writing?
Recently, a young writer reached out to Senior Editor Robert Lee Brewer about how to develop his natural writing voice. Here's his answer.
What Is a Hermit Crab Essay in Writing?
In this post, we look at what a hermit crab essay is, including what makes it different from other types of essays and when writers may prefer to use this style.
What Is a Graphic Essay in Writing?
In this post, we look at what a graphic essay is, including what makes it different from other types of essays and when writers may prefer to use this style.
Two Tips for Incorporating Reportage and Cultural Criticism into the Personal Essay and Memoir
When writing real-life events, including interviews and first-hand accounts can enhance the writing. Here, author and essayist Hasanthika Sirisena shares two tups for adding reportage and cultural criticism into personal essays and memoirs.