Although I typically blog about children's fiction writing, I, like many writers, create in a variety of genres. In the past 15 years, my personal essays have appeared many times in such publications as the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, My Outer Banks Home magazine, and, most recently, my own "A Little Bit of Life" column for Penn Franklin News Publishing Company (covering the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh).

Personal essays are, at the heart of it, an author's relaying of his or her personal experiences in such a way that those experiences connect to a larger, universal truth. For those writers who like the idea of getting personal, below are seven essay writing tips that will make newspaper and magazine editors take notice of your story.

As an example, I'll use my previously published essay "Hot and Bothered."

Hot and Bothered
By Brenda Haas
Previously published Sept. 28, 2016, Penn-Franklin News
 
My husband Mike has always told me I was “hot.”

I finally concur. I’m not just hot. I’m bothered.
 
Bothered by the night sweats which wake me up at least two or three times a week. Bothered by the occasional urge to rip off every piece of clothing during an episode of the “Big Bang Theory” (not because I’m naturally attracted to geek boys) and stick my head in the refrigerator. Bothered by my inability to remember who a person is two seconds after being introduced, what I was supposed to get at the grocery store, where my reading glasses are (on top of my head) or why I walked into a room.
 
“The Change” … It’s a comin.’ And I’m bothered. Oh. So. Hot. And. Bothered.
 
Oddly, Mike is a little joyous. As is the case with many husbands, he prefers to freeze at night. For over 23 years he slept on top of the covers while I shivered in multiple layers, including fuzzy socks, and grumbled about the cold. Even in the summer, air conditioning was always something I could have lived without. Until now. Suddenly, with all these change-of-life hormones raging through me, I’m a huge, sweaty advocate of minimal clothing, no covers and the ceiling fan blasting away at the highest level. The AC has been lowered to 68 degrees from its previous economical 72. For the first time in our marriage, we are equal temperature bed partners.
 
Mike is also a tinge alarmed.
 
It’s the roller coaster of emotions, you see. I’m that accident you come upon along the side of the road … something you don’t want to see but can’t stop looking at as you drive by. Romantic comedies are my sweet spot to bring on the waterworks. That and any picture of either of my children when they were babies, or kicking a soccer ball, or blowing out birthday candles, or going to Homecoming, or receiving an award, or performing on stage or … you get the picture.
 
Really, I’ll cry for just about any reason at all. Even a charmingly sardonic news article about “mentalpause.”
 
I have a very soft heart.
 
Which is easily turned to stone. You should see my head spin when I realize someone used my good kitchen towel to, gasp, clean up a spaghetti sauce mess on the counter. Dog prints through the house on a wet day? Head spin. Empty cereal box deceptively left in the pantry? Serious head spin. Political ads and automated spam calls. Serious, serious head spin.
 
I can just as easily lose control while laughing at a stupid joke or my dog’s flatulence. Rolling on the floor in a fit of giggles until I cry or hyperventilate is not out of the question.
 
It’s not pretty. Not the spaghetti sauce, not the dog prints, not the cereal box, not the ads, not the calls, not the joke, not the flatulence nor the rolling on the floor.
 
Hot and bothered mood swings. Really not pretty.
 
There are times I am, as my teenage daughter might say, a wee bit “cra-cra.” Lord knows, she is the most patient child on the planet. I will ask if she did her homework. She will say “yes.” An hour later, I will ask if she did her homework. She will sigh heavily and say “yes.” The added eye roll is how I know it’s déjà vu all over again.
 
Lord knows, she is the most patient child on the planet. I will ask if she did her homework. She will say “yes.” An hour later, I will ask if she did her homework. She will sigh heavily and say “yes.” The added eye roll is how I know it’s déjà vu all over again.
 
I’m sorry. Did I already mention that?
 
Oh. My. Goodness. Somebody turn on the fan. It sure is warm in here. Excuse me while I remove a layer or two and stick my head in the refrigerator.
 
Hot and bothered. It’s not pretty.

###


7 TIPS ON WRITING A PERSONAL ESSAY

1. Be real. Choose a topic of which every (wo)man can relate. Clearly, in my hot and bothered example, I have some issues with hitting menopause. That's the whole point. Half the reader population has either gone through menopause, is going through it now, or dreads when that time will come. When I first wrote this piece, I received many comments from female readers who could relate to my story. I also received a shocking number of comments from male readers because ... well ... see tip #2.

2. Laugh at yourself. We all have a funny story to tell, and being able to see the humor in everyday life, and your own foibles, gives readers a reason to smile. We are human, and self-deprecating humor, almost always, allows the reader to feel like they are hearing a story from an approachable friend, not just some random writer. Despite the fact that my hot and bothered story targeted women, many of my male readers also saw the humor and could easily relate to the woes of my hubby (putting up with my hormone induced "cra-cra").

3. Make 'em cry. Just as funny can reel them in, so can a story that naturally brings on the waterworks. Many of my most popular essays have been about a topic that reminds readers of difficult or nostalgic times in their own lives. Sending off one's child to college for the first time? Reminiscing about growing up on a farm and helping a favorite grandparent with the milking? These are the types of everyday stories I have had the most success selling to publishers. If a story prompts a reader to get out a box of tissues, serious plus. For an example of one of my nostalgia pieces, read the below PDF link: Of Mighty Mouse and Independence.

4. Repetition is good. Notice the use of the phrase "hot and bothered" throughout the story. Not only is it a funny phrase usually used in a completely different context, but it allows the reader to always wrap back around to the title of my essay. Note the repetition in paragraph #3 when listing all the things I'm "bothered by," repetition in paragraph #10 with the "head spins," etc. I even intentionally repeated a paragraph in an attempt to create "déjà vu all over again":

Lord knows, she is the most patient child on the planet. I will ask if she did her homework. She will say “yes.” An hour later, I will ask if she did her homework. She will sigh heavily and say “yes.” The added eye roll is how I know it’s déjà vu all over again.

(NOTE: To be perfectly honest, I didn't love this use of the same exact paragraph twice in a row upon reading it again two years later, but what the heck? It seemed like a clever use of repetition at the time. Unfortunately, I think readers could have thought it was a mistake, if they weren't paying attention. Be careful not to overdue repetition, which brings us to tip #5)

5. Keep it simple, stupid. Each publication is different, but it has been my experience, writing primarily for "slice of Americana" newspaper columns, that editors typically want to hear a simple story with a simple point, but told in a thought-provoking way. Flowery writing, intended to show you are a "real" writer with a ginormous and interesting vocabulary, may put distance between you and your "every (wo)man" reader. Remember #1? Be real and the readers will appreciate who you are and that your story is also their story. Sometimes less really is more.

6. Follow the directions. Word count can vary depending on the publication. An essay around 700-800 words is common for a personal essay newspaper column or magazine. Make sure, though, that you check the publication's website for exact length and submission requirements. Follow those requirements to the letter. If submitting to a magazine, take note of any available calendar indicating deadlines for holiday pieces (for instance, if writing a story about baby's first Christmas, be sure to know how far in advance such stories would be considered for the December issue. It's not unusual for a magazine to be planning many months in advance. Submitting at the wrong time could prevent your work from even getting a look). Also, many newspapers and magazines do not accept previously published articles.

7. Know your rights. If your article is accepted for publication, know what you are signing away when you get the contract. Is the publication buying "First Serial" rights? All rights? For more information, check out this Writer's Digest post.

Good luck and happy essay writing! #personalessay #writingtips #amwriting #writingnow #creativenonfiction #freelancewriting #freelancewriter #freelance #writer #SCBWI  #menopause #mentalpause

I doubted myself yesterday. In fact, I've doubted myself a lot in the past several months. As a writer, it's impossible not to doubt. We feel the weight of unfinished manuscripts, of plots that seem flawless in our heads but not on the page, of missing commas and dangling participles, of rejection letters (or the absence of such), of never getting an agent ... an editor ... a book deal.

Doubt is part of the territory, but it doesn't have to be a negative.

Just a few positive thoughts about doubt:

1. Doubt prods you to seek out your peers. Whether you participate in critiques via email, join a national organization such as Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), cruise online writing blog sites, or go to writing conferences, surrounding yourself with other writers can be comforting. Writers are incredibly supportive of other writers. Don't write in a bubble.

2. Doubt makes you humble. Nobody likes a know-it-all, boastful writer. Although agents and editors want a writer with confidence, they will likely be turned off by someone who touts in a query letter how much better his or her writing is than anything currently out there earning publishing dollars on bookstore shelves. Stay humble, my friend.

3. Doubt allows your writing to grow. Don't think that first chapter is perfect yet? Find a critique partner or monthly critique group to help you see the flaws in your work. Have someone with top notch grammar skills, such as a professional editor, take a crack at final proofing. Doubt can produce growth, and growth can produce writing dollars.

4. Doubt forces you to be flexible. Although agents and editors expect a manuscript to be in the best possible shape when they receive it, writers should expect changes. A writer who thinks his or her work is "perfect," as is, may have a hard time forming a good working relationship and may hinder repeat publishing opportunities. Inflexibility may also prevent your manuscript from being the best it can be.

5. Doubt allows you to fail, making success all the sweeter. This may seem a very convoluted comment, but each failed attempt to publish your work, and all the doubt that comes with it, should teach you a thing or two and push you to work harder (and better). It is through learning from our mistakes that we come closer to perfecting our work and seeing success in whatever form we wish, whether that first request from an agent to see the full manuscript, your book available for $1.99 on Kindle, or the ultimate six figure deal with a major publishing house.

I get it. I understand doubt. I recently gave up my position as a newspaper reporter with a Pittsburgh newspaper. I moved several hours away, after being in the same community for over 20 years. No one here knows me as the humor columnist of "A Little Bit of Life" essays about my quirky mom existence. No one knows me as the reporter who scooped the robbery at the bank just down the street ... twice. No one knows me as the advocate for the arts at all the high schools and community theaters. Unlike my previous reporter position, which guaranteed reporting about regular people on a regular basis with regular deadlines, I'm now writing in a freelance capacity. Jobs rarely fall from the sky. Though I have over 20 years of writing experience, including helping many small businesses and non-profits look good in the public eye, I am essentially starting over. Making new contacts. Finding my way.

And seriously doubting myself.

That's why I decided to blog about the benefits of doubt.

Because, no doubt, there are a lot of writers that need a little more confidence in their writing. And that's okay ... as long as you (and I) use that doubt to confidently get to success, whatever that may be.

I'm rooting for you (and me).