ENGL000: Pre-College English

Personal writing is writing that does not require outside sources to support its statements. An easier way to think of it is writing that is based on your experiences and opinions; when you write about yourself, people you know or have known, and experiences you have had, you are doing personal writing. The statement "Starting college has been stressful for me" is a nice example of a statement that would be supported by personal experience and/or opinion.

The reason this book is going to focus on personal writing is because it is going to allow us to hone in on writing skills and not worry about also learning research skills (which are a major focus of college composition, the class many of you will probably take after this one). From an instructor standpoint, we only need to focus on teaching writing because you (the student) will be providing the content. 

What is particularly cool when you write about yourself is that you are the expert. There is no one who knows more about your experiences and opinions than you do. You do not have to reference experts, use outside sources, or interview other people when you write about yourself.  

Another exciting way to think about personal writing is that you are telling a story that no one else in the whole world can tell. Our voices have power and sharing our stories can help us reflect on our lives and progress. You might, for example, write about a mistake you made in the past and what led up to it happening. In doing this, you might be able to better determine causes behind difficulties you are currently facing. Writing about our experiences can be a great way to better understand and learn from them.

Source: Erin Severs
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