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Writing a Personal Essay

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Writing a Personal Essay

14,504 already enrolled

Included with

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.
4.5

90 reviews

7 hours to complete
Flexible schedule
Learn at your own pace
Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.
4.5

90 reviews

7 hours to complete
Flexible schedule
Learn at your own pace

Build your subject-matter expertise

This course is part of the Memoir and Personal Essay: Write About Yourself Specialization
When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.
  • Learn new concepts from industry experts
  • Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
  • Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
  • Earn a shareable career certificate

There are 4 modules in this course

This class is the chance to create your personal essay or extend into a full memoir -- from planning and structure to bold narrative brushstrokes to the layering of significant detail. You will develop the opportunity to find your voice and see it come alive, amplified and improved, on the page. This is the chance to tell your story in a way that invites readers in; your story, written to be read. The memoir and personal essay are two of the best-selling and most universally acclaimed genres in the world of modern creative writing. Welcome to your story.

In this week, you will learn how to discover what you wish to say, and how to organize your material and your story (and what is the difference between the two).

What's included

5 videos1 peer review

5 videos•Total 41 minutes
  • Open Your Eyes•7 minutes
  • Five Nouns•9 minutes
  • Open the Window•7 minutes
  • Foibles, Fallibilities, and Flaws•7 minutes
  • A Conversation with Said Sayrafiezadeh•11 minutes
1 peer review•Total 60 minutes
  • The Mistake•60 minutes

In this week you lean how to overcome your internal critic and your fears.

What's included

5 videos1 peer review

5 videos•Total 39 minutes
  • Step by Step•9 minutes
  • Out of the Ditch•5 minutes
  • Building As You Go•7 minutes
  • A Little Distance•6 minutes
  • A Conversation with Dani Shapiro•12 minutes
1 peer review•Total 60 minutes
  • Using Memory•60 minutes

In this week, you will learn how to sift through the dusty attic of all your memories, to find the ones that are narrative gold.

What's included

4 videos1 peer review

4 videos•Total 29 minutes
  • The Intimate and the Everyday•7 minutes
  • What Are Facts For?•5 minutes
  • In the Story•6 minutes
  • A Conversation with Chandra Prasad•12 minutes
1 peer review•Total 60 minutes
  • Details in the Story•60 minutes

In this week, you will learn how to tell a good sentence from a bad one and how to absorb the lessons of great memoirists and essayist, without copying anyone.

What's included

5 videos1 peer review

5 videos•Total 41 minutes
  • Begin in the Middle•6 minutes
  • Drowning in Rhinestones•7 minutes
  • White Space•7 minutes
  • A Conversation with Ariel Levy•13 minutes
  • Building the House•8 minutes
1 peer review•Total 60 minutes
  • Listen to the Sound of Your Writing•60 minutes

Earn a career certificate

Add this credential to your LinkedIn profile, resume, or CV. Share it on social media and in your performance review.

Instructor

Instructor ratings
4.7 (34 ratings)
Wesleyan University
3 Courses•112,685 learners

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Learner reviews

  • 5 stars

    76.66%

  • 4 stars

    11.11%

  • 3 stars

    2.22%

  • 2 stars

    5.55%

  • 1 star

    4.44%

Showing 3 of 90

IK
·

Reviewed on Apr 6, 2023

Previously I was interested in "autobiography", but thanks to this course, I am now equally interested in "personal essay."

TC
·

Reviewed on Sep 20, 2019

This course is a great way to continue building writing skills.

HS
·

Reviewed on Apr 3, 2021

This was a really helpful course in giving me insight into the personal essay; however, I think that the ideas communicated in the lessons could be communicated in a more clear and abrupt manner.

Frequently asked questions

To access the course materials, assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid. The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.

When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.

Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.

Financial aid available,

¹ Some assignments in this course are AI-graded. For these assignments, your data will be used in accordance with Coursera's Privacy Notice.