Continuing with Guest Blogger, Susan Bono, here are building blocks for writing personal essay, or memoir.

Character: you

Problem: give yourself a problem

Struggle: problem creates conflict

Epiphany: after struggle, a flood of new understanding

Resolution: what you do differently as a result

Many essays begin with a clear, straightforward statement of intent. All essays have an implied thesis and should have a clear angle —a particular way of approaching and narrowing the subject matter.  For example, notice how the following statements could shape your narrative from the start.

I want to tell you how ______________changed my life. (Universal statement: this is the basic scaffolding for every personal essay)

I learned about ________from ___________.

I thought I would never learn to love ____________.

We’ll continue this exploration of personal essay and memoir over the next few days with intriguing writing prompts suggested by Susan Bono.