Personal Essay Writing

Draft, edit and sell first-person essays

WHEN Materials available starting July 2
Discussions start Tuesday, July 9, 8-9 pm ET - Full Schedule

WHERE Online

PRICE
$550 (or $525 for AvantGuild members - details)

Add to Calendar
iCal | Outlook

ALSO STARTS: New York - 7/23/2013

Notify me when this is offered again.

Best Value

Details

From Anna Quindlen to Adam Gopnik, the work of personal essayists is increasingly filling the pages of magazines and websites, offering readers a glimpse of inner worlds and casting a light on the larger world around them.

This class will focus on writing and selling first-person narratives, starting with short opinion and slice-of-life pieces appropriate for The New York Times op-ed page, and moving on to longer, reported pieces written in the first-person. Assignments will be workshopped and ready for pitching.

In this class, you will learn how to:

Find a narrative voice to anchor your essay
Tell a personal story without being whiney
Tell someone else's story
Know what to leave in and what to leave out
Self-edit and assess your voice, style, and tone

By the end of class, you will have:
At least two complete and salable personal essays.

Students who have taken this class have been published in:
The New York Times, Modern Love, Christian Science Monitor, The Washington Post, Newsweek, Self, Salon.com, Runner's World, the San Francisco Chronicle, and the London Times.

The online classroom has several components:

Lessons: Learn new skills through written lessons
Discussion: Join a weekly live, interactive discussion via IM and video
Assignments: Complete homework and receive instructor feedback
Forums: Exchange resources, meet peers, and ask your instructor questions

Course Syllabus

Personal Essay Writing (PDF)

View a sample syllabus for the class here.

Instructor

Jessica Olien's writing has been published in Slate, Salon, Bust, TheAtlantic.com, Jezebel, Nerve, Marie Claire, Budget Travel, Conde Nast Traveler, xoJane, and The L Magazine. Her work has been cited by The New York Times, The Economist, Politico, and PBS.

She has appeared on various television and radio programs, including Talk of the Nation on NPR, to discuss her work.

Jessica Olien's Courses
Personal Essay Writing – (Starts July 2)

Testimonials

This class was a great, confidence-building experience for me. I was worried that I didn't have anything of value to add as a writer. This class was the kick in the butt I needed to put myself out there and do something I really love. Now I have a grip on how to construct a good essay and pitch it. -- Ann Carrathers