Kaely Horton / Winter 2016
WR 115
Essay #1: Personal Narrative
One of the most valuable tools we have available to us as writers is our personal
experience. Our lives and backgrounds shape who we are, inform our opinions, values,
and beliefs, and can provide powerful evidence in supporting our ideas.
Personal narrative is also a fantastic tool of reflection, helping both us and our readers
to find meaning in everyday experience. Reflective writing is a common genre in college
writing courses; you are frequently asked to describe a personal experience and discuss,
not just what happened, but why that experience was important.
This assignment asks you to write a 3-4 paged personal narrative that tells the story of
an important moment of change or turning point in your life. In this essay, you will be
(1) describing this moment in specific detail and (2) reflecting on how this turning
point has impacted your life.
You may find that it is easier to tell the story of past events than recent ones; often, it
takes time, hindsight, and reflection to truly understand the meaning of an experience.
However, the moment you choose is up to you. Remember that your turning-point
moment does not have to be an earth-shattering event. You might, for example, write
about the first time you learned to ride a bike, and explain that that moment was
important because it sparked a lifelong passion for cycling.
Requirements:
 Your essay should describe a specific turning point or important moment of
change in your life.
 Don’t try to tell the story of your entire life in 3-4 pages. Your essay should feel
focused and narrowed. Choose one moment, experience, scene, etc., and dig
into it as thoughtfully and thoroughly as you can.
 Be as creative as you want – you may include dialogue, slang, the “I” pronoun,
and whatever else you feel is effective in bringing your story to life.
 Be specific! Use concrete, sensory details to recreate the experience.
 Go into detail reflecting on your experience. In addition to writing about what
happened, you should also explain why that experience was important, how/if
your perception of it has changed over time, and what kind of lasting impact it
has had in your life.
 Your essay should be 3-4 pages long, double-spaced, and typed. For more
detailed formatting guidelines, please see the “Formatting an Academic Paper”
example on my instructor website.
Due Dates
 First draft: Tuesday, Jan. 26 (3+ pages – bring hard copy to instructor conference)
 Final Draft: Tuesday, Feb. 2 (email by midnight)