Writing the Personal Narrative EssayFall 2016

You will, at points in your life, be asked to write about yourself, let a prospective college or employer
know about you. What to write? The following activity will help you write a good essay. We will work
through many of these steps in class. Be sure to keep all of your pre-writes and revisions in a folder. I will
collect this folder.
Prewrite;
Make a list of significant events
Choose the event that you believe will create an interesting story.
List the chronological order of actions
Choose the actions that most strongly recreate the event for readers
Recreate the setting - list and describe (best details)
Introduce key people - list, describe, recreate conversations
Determine significance - remember feelings and thoughts at the time; determine what
you now feel about the event
Write:
Determine dominant impression for audience - (think film: mood, atmosphere, music,
images)
Determine the impression you want to give your readers about you and your experience.
Determine the most effective way to bring your readers into your event.
Determine ways to effectively develop your event so that your readers can fully
appreciate its importance (details/descriptions re: setting, key people, actions, etc.)
Determine the final impression that you want to give your readers.
Reformulate:
Get peer evaluations
Reformulate/revise the essay

Dates A/B

In Class

Out of Class

August 24/25

Begin College Essay

Read Brandt

Complete Brandt essay

Discuss essay
Begin pre-write

Complete pre-write

Pre-write due
Group work

Begin first draft

Sept. 1/2

In-class writing exer.

Complete first draft

Sept. 6/7

Typed Complete First Draft

Self- Evaluation
Peer Evaluation
Begin reformulation

Sept. 8/9

Things Fall Apart

Mid-quarter test

Sept. 12/13

Final Draft due w/all pre-work

August 26/29
August 30/31

Complete final draft

Length/Format = 2-3 pages; typed; double-spaced; 12 Times New Roman; 1 margins

Points possible = Prewrite + First Draft = 25 pts.
Final Draft = 75 pts.