Risk, Revision and Personal Essay Writing Resources

Lesson 8 of 8: Finding Your Essay's Heartbeat

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Hi Writers,

Wow. The weeks and lessons have flown by. We have a few important items left to cover: writing about others, revising, and resources. Plus, one last wonderful essay to read. Here we go.

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What about the other people I write about in my personal essay, like my ex-[husband/wife, lover, landlord, roommate, business partner] or my mother, father, sibling, child, bestie, neighbor, teacher? Do I need to tell them about the essay? Should I let them read it? Do I need their approval if I want to publish it? These are common questions that come up when you write personal essay (and memoir). 

First, ask yourself this question: Is what I’m writing true?