How do I Begin Drafting My

Autobiographical Essay

First, make sure your memory/experience is powerful enough to write about. What makes your experience unique and life learning lessons?

Step One Introduction

Everyone should have a developed introduction with a solid HOOK, EFFECTIVE background information (balance this by not giving so much that you end up repeating a lot of it in the essay. Make it more general and lead up to the thesis) THESIS is the final idea. Be sure it is original and not a cliché or a generalized statement.

Cliché/Generalized Ideas

1. You have ONE MINUTE to think of a Cliché or general idea

2. If you hear one of these statements and it appears in your thesis, then it needs revision

Thesis

Again, the thesis should be PERSONAL AND present a POWERFUL LESSON OR TWO.

Remember our first essay….let’s talk about that for just a minute.

REMEMBER YOUR ESSAY SHOULD FOLLOW THE SHORT STORY PLOT STRUCUTRE

START OF OUT WITH EXPOSITION (BACKGROUND INFORMATION EXTENDED IN BODY ONE)

BODY TWO—BEGIN TO BUILD RISING ACTION AND MAKE CONFLICT INTO YOUR STORY. DEVELOP THE CONFLICT. THIS IS WHERE YOU WANT TO PULL MOST EMOTION FROM THE READER

BODY THREE---BRING THE STORY TO A CLOSE WITH THE FALLING ACTION

BODY FOUR—CONCLSUION PART OF THE NARRATIVE. REFLECTION. MAKE IT PERSONAL AND DEVELOPED. IT SHOULD BE MORE THAN JUST A FEW SETENCES, BUT ALMOST A PAGE OR ATLEAST A HALF A PAGE TO TRULY SHOWCASE THE MEANING OF IT. THIS IS IS HUGE PART OF YOUR ESSAY!. IT’S WHERE YOU ARE EXPLAING YOUR THESIS AND EXTENDING ON HOW YOUR STORY PROVES YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE OR WHAT YOU LEARNED/DISCOVERED ABOUT YOURSELF!

Body One

This is your chance to give the reader the exposition the reader needs before the event occurred.

Examples: Death—Body One—Good Times specifically with that person. Bring that person and you to life by describing one or two of the good times you had. Tell/show the story you had with this person

Divorce---Show a good time you had with your family all being as one. Pick a specific time, place, event and narrate that event as a story an give us a sense of the closeness of the story

--Relationships---Show the good times of that relationship if you are going to write about it ending bad. Go back into time and narrate a specific event that you will never forget that person because you think that person will be with you.

Body One Continued

Relationships—Still Positive…Go back and narrate what life was like before you met this person. Describe in detail what you use to do before you met this beautiful person. Make your exposition general with giving me a general overview of what your life was like before you met this person

_First time doing something (Trip, Concert, etc) Go back in time and talk about how much you love this band or always imagined going on this trip. Give enough exposition to make it seem like this has always been a dream that you never though would happen. WHY DO YOU like this band/trip so much? Why would it be a dream come true if you got a chance to go on it or see them….Begin to build up your feelings of never thinking of getting the chance to get to see this band/trip

BODY TWO

DEATH- Explain how you learned about the death and what you felt. SHOW NOT TELL every thing you can remember about learning about this death. Include dialogue (even if it is embellished) Describe your final moment with this person and what it was like to see this person die. Describe in detail the funeral, who was there, what was said, how you felt, BRING THE STORY OF DEATH TO LIFE BY GIVING ENOUGH RISING ACTION HERE

BODY TWO

Divorce- Tell the story about you learning about the divorce. Include dialogue and strong SNT to evoke emotion. What was said to you, how did you feel, what was going on in your family at that exact time? Truly showcase what the divorce was like? Were people yelling? Did you over hear something? Narrate rising action that builds more suspense to the exposition in body one.

Body Two

Relationships---Describe the break up. How did it happen? Who was with you? Where did it take place? Tell the story of how it occurred and what you were thinking? Use rising action to build up to a climax in body Three. Truly tell/show the break up include dialogue of what was said during the break up! Pull the emotion from the reader

Body Two

Relationships that work well and are still working---Go back in time and tell the story of how you meet. Who was with you? How did you meet? Who asked who out? What was said? Capture this through Dialogue?

Set the stage by giving use a vivid description of the setting and set the rising action…how nervous were you and the other person? Give us specific examples of how this relationship started

Body Two

First time doing something---Tell the story about learning you were going on this trip/to this concert? Who told you? Where did they tell you? Was anyone with you? NARRATE and use RISING ACTION to show how the emotion changed you or what you got when you learned you were getting the chance to see a band/go on a trip for the first time? A dream you never thought would come true. Tell/show the story. Use dialogue where appropriate and truly showcase how/when you learned about your opportunity to get the chance to do this. How did this make you feel? Be sure you truly tell enough information.

Body Three

Death—What did you do after the funeral and what is life like now after she is gone? How is your life different? Start to bring your story to a close. Did anyone speak to you about this death? Did you go through any counseling you can tell us about? Who helped you through this situation? Narrate a specific story about life without her that you always use to do with her.

Body Three

Divorce—what is your family life like now? Describe in detail what it is like living with one parent or one parent at a time? If you live with one parent at a time, what is it like living with each one and what is the difference? Tell a story about what it is like living with each person at different times? Bring the story to a close through the rising action. Be specific and narrate a specific event that your family always use to do together that now you don’t get the chance to do OR if you still do that event with only one parent how is it different and how do you feel about that?

Body Three

Relationships (Negative)—What is life now like without this person? Are you two still friends? Why are you still friends? What do you do to keep a friendship alive…tell a story

Do you two hate each other and don’t see each other? What is life like without seeing the person everyday who you truly loved? Describe in detail what your life is like NOW that you no longer have this relationship with this person? Do you spend more times with friends? Did you get involved in something else? Bring the story to a close by describing what life was like after the relationship

Body Three

First time doing something---Describe your feeling afterwards? What did you do immediately after the concert/trip? Why did you do this? Show the story of what you did after the concert/trip was over? Bring it to a close. Were there people around you that you just met that are not going to meet again? How did this make you feel? What does it feel like that you may never get the chance to go on this trip/concert again? Essentially, describe in detail what you did after the concert was over…If you just went home, what did you at home? Who did you tell about the concert? What did they say? Did you go to your room and think about it? What were you thinking…Bring it to a close

Body Four

EVERYONE needs MAJOR REFLECTION ON HOW THIS EVENT TAUGHT YOU MORE ABOUT YOURSELF.

EXTEND YOUR THESIS.

HOW DID THIS EXPERIENCE MAKE YOU DISCOVER SOMETHING SPECIFIC ABOUT YOURSELF?

HOW ARE YOU NOW DIFFERENT BECAUSE OF THIS EVENT?

WHAT WILL YOUR FUTURE LOOK LIKE BECAUE YOU GOT THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE THIS?

HOW DID IT CHANGE YOU? WHAT DID YOU REALIZE ABOUT LIFE?

END IT WITH ANOTHER POWERFUL HOOK…END IT WITH A QUOTE, STATE, DIALOGUE, OR QUESTIONS YOU CAN ASK THE READER TO GET THEM BACK INVOLVED.

WHAT IF I HAVE MY OWN WAY OF WRITNG THIS

GO FOR IT! YOU WRITE IT THE WAY YOU NEED TO DO IT TO SUCCESSFULLY TELL YOUR STORY.

IN SOME INSTANCES YOU WILL NEED MORE THAN 5 PARAGRAPHS BECAUSE BODY PARAGRAPH 2 IS SO BIG THAT IT NEEDS TO BE BROKEN UP INTO SMALLER PARAGRAPHS…THIS IS FINE. DON’T JAM EVERYTHING INTO ONE PARAGRAPH ESP. BODY TWO. BREAK IT UP IN A NATURAL PLACE.

RD 1

JUST START WRITING ACCORDING TO THE POWERPOINT OR YOUR OWN STYLE. DON’T STOP WRITING TO THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU WANT TO SAY NEXT. KEEP WRITING AND WRITING AND WRITING UNTIL YOU HAVE TOLD THE ENTIRE STORY. DON’T CUT ANYTHING OUT OF YOUR STORY OF RD 1. WE CAN MODIFY IT FOR RD 1 AND CUT OUT WHAT YOU DO NOT NEED. FOR THIS DRAFT JUST WRITE THE STORY AND INCLUDE EVERYTHING YOU CAN.

REMINDERS

YOU ARE ALLOWED TO EMBELLISH THINGS. YOU DON’T REMEMBER EVERYTHING, SO IT’S OKAY TO MAKE SOME STUFF UP OR MAKE IT MORE SERIOUS, SCARY, LOVEABLE, SAD, DEPRESSING. ADD THIS TO YOUR STORY.

DON’T OVER EMBELLISH. EMBELLISH WHERE YOU THINK YOU NEED TO ADD MORE EMOTION OR DON’T REMEMBER MUCH

RD 1

REMEMBER THIS IS A ROUDH DRAFT. IT’S ROUGH DRAFT ONE. IT SHOULD NOT BE POLISHED OR COMPLETE.

IT NEEDS TO SIMPLY SHOW THE STORY IN AN ORDER THAT WORKS BEST FOR YOU (CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER FOR MOST OF YOU!)

RD 1

JUST WRITE, WRITE, WRITE, AND KEEP WRITING. DON’T WORRY ABOUT WRITING TOO MUCH.

WORRY ABOUT WRITING TOO LITTLE

KEEP LOOKING AT YOUR THESIS AND MAKE SURE YOUR STORIES YOU ARE TELLING CONNECT TO YOUR THESIS. IF IT DOESN’T, THEN YOU NEED TO FIX YOUR STORY.

RD 1

THERE ARE NO MISTAKES TO MAKE IN RD 1

EVERYONE OF YOU KNOWS HOW TO WRITE. NOW IT’S TIME TO PROVE IT TO ME PERIOD 1.

SHOWCASE YOU CAN TELL A STORY AND HAVE A VOICE. WE WILL WORK ON MAKING RD 1 MUCH BETTER WITH RD 2 LOOKING SPECIFICALLY AT SNT TECHNIQUES.

RD 1

THERE SHOULD BE NO FREEZING OR LACKING OF CONFIDENCE.

GO FOR IT AND JUST START TELLING YOUR STORY! YOU GOT YOUR INTRO DONE..NOW IT’S JUST TIME TO TELL/SHOW YOUR STORY.

REMEMBER YOU DON’T NEED TO FOLLOW MY FIVE PARAGRAPH ESSAY FORMAT UNLESS YOU WANT TO.

I WOULD SUGGEST BREAKING PARAGRAPH 2 INTO MORE THAN ONE BODY PARAGRAPH. I CAN’T TELL YOU WHERE BECAUSE IT’S YOUR STORY

FINAL THOUGHTS

THIS SHOULD BE A MINIMUM UP OF FIVE PARAGRAPHS:

INTRO, BODY ONE, BODY TWO, BODY THREE, CONCLUSION 5 PARAGRAPHS

IT MIGHT BE: INTRO, BODY ONE, BODY TWO (FIRST PART) BODY TWO (SECOND PART) BODY THREE, CONCLUSION 6 PARAGRAPHS

OR IT MIGHT BE: INTRO, BODY ONE (PART ONE) BODY ONE (PART TWO)_ BODY TWO (FIRST PART) BODY TWO (SECOND PART) BODY TWO (THIRD PART) CONCLISION 7 PARAGRAPHS

CD/CM METHOD

EACH BODY PARAGRAPH WILL NOT FOLLOW THE CD/CM METHOD.

AT TIMES YOU WILL BE TELLING A STORY AND MAYBE AFTER THAT YOU WILL REFLECT ON THAT PART AND THEN GO BACK TO RETELLING THAT STORY

AT TIMES YOU MAY ONLY BE TELLING THE STORY IN AN ENTIRE BODY PARAGRAPH

WHAT MIGHT IT LOOK LIKE

INTRO CD CD CD CM

INTRO CD/CM AT THE END CD CD/CM AT THE END CM

INTRO CD/CM AT THE END CD/CM AT THE END CD/CMAT THE END CM

INTRO CM/CD CD/CM CD CM