His wife knows he doesn't wear jewelry. Don't take examples from television or books or newspapers unless they have an effect on you. Write about universal themes you've experienced personally but others can relate to, like love, fear, and death or sex, drugs, and rock'n'roll. Use specific examples that stick to one theme. Stick to one theme.
Personal essays come in all kinds.
Some are forms of reportage, such as those by John McPhee or Tracy Kidder, telling the truths about people they've interviewed yet injecting the honesty of the reporter's perception rather than trying to pretend a writer has no slant that skews a story. By baring your life, using concrete situations and honest thoughts, and following the basic rules of grammar and composition, you too can write a personal essay in twenty-five sentences. Return to The Georgia Review 's Fall 1998 issue. All rights reserved.