Personal Essay is delivered as an Intensive course, meaning intensive, focused learning occurs within a compressed timeframe: one day for in-person sessions held in NYC, or two days for Zoom-based instruction. This course welcomes writers of all experience levels and experience ranges. You'll find a detailed syllabus further below.
A personal essay answers a fundamental question: what is your perspective on a given topic, and how have the events and experiences of your life shaped that viewpoint? This form allows you to explore any subject imaginable, whether profound, amusing, or somewhere in between, filtered entirely through your individual experience and observations.
Unlike the formal, impersonal essays you may have composed in academic settings, personal essays should reflect your distinct voice, individual perspective, and unique observations about the world. In this course, you'll master the techniques for constructing compelling personal essays and learn strategic approaches to sharing and publishing your work with audiences.
We'll teach you how to craft personal essays that genuinely represent you, whether your subject matter centers on significant life events or small, everyday moments, whether your tone is contemplative or humorous.
Important Distinctions:
Personal essays and memoirs share common ground; both incorporate autobiographical material from the writer's lived experience. The key difference lies in emphasis: personal essays prioritize the writer's perspective and viewpoint, whereas memoirs emphasize storytelling and narrative arc. Gotham offers separate courses in Memoir Writing as well as the Personal Essay Writing Intensive.
This course provides foundational knowledge and practical skills in personal essay writing. The curriculum includes:
- Focused lectures
- Writing exercises and hands-on practice
Key Topics Covered:
- Understanding the Personal Essay Form
- Discovering and Selecting Essay Topics
- Connecting Personal Experience with Universal Themes
- Building an Effective Essay Structure
- Developing and Refining Your Distinctive Voice
- Publication Strategies and Getting Published
About Zoom Classes
- Zoom classes conduct instruction in real time and synchronously.
- Students from all corners of the globe participate through Gotham, which stands as New York City's most well-established and respected writing school.
- Zoom classes use videoconference technology to provide real-time instruction, similar to traditional in-person classrooms, except all participants join from their own location using a computer or device. Zoom software is free and easy to learn.
- You may participate in Zoom writing classes from any location with internet access. Although the majority of our Zoom participants reside in the United States, our student body includes participants from virtually every nation on Earth.
- Technical support is provided to all students. In the interest of protecting participant privacy, Zoom sessions are not recorded or saved.
