2024 Personal Essay Writing Challenge: Day 5
Wow! After today, we’ve just got the weekend. If you’re still writing each day, whether you post in the comments or silently outside them, congratulations! We’re almost to the finish line. On Monday morning, I’ll share details for next steps for this challenge.
Also, I noticed that at least one person did today’s prompt for yesterday’s prompt (while responding to yesterday’s prompt). Funny how that can happen.
For today’s prompt, write a personal essay that’s a letter to someone or something. You could write the letter to a person from the present, past, or future. The person could be famous, someone you know personally, or even yourself. And like I mentioned, the person could actually be an object (like a letter to a half gallon of rocky road ice cream, artificial intelligence, or French poetry).
Using the letter format is one way to write a personal essay, but there are others. Here are six types of personal essays for you to try on your own.
Remember: These prompts are springboards to creativity. Use them to expand your possibilities, not limit them.
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Completely separate of this fun and free personal essay challenge, be sure to check out the annual Writer’s Digest Personal Essay Awards. The top prize is $2,500 cash, publication in Writer’s Digest, and more.
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Here’s my attempt at a Letter personal essay:
“Dear Summer Swim Season,” by Robert Lee Brewer
Thank you for another fun couple months of watching my daughter make friends, memories, and personal improvements in her swimming.
Where does the time go? It feels like we just started, but last night was the final swim.
As my daughter made PRs, I made mac & cheese, pasta salad, hamburgers, and hot dogs at concessions, which I got to work with my wife, son, and other fellow parents. The evenings were hot, especially next to the grill, but there were also plenty of jokes and smiles.
I enjoyed you, yes, but I always feel like you last the right amount of time, and I’m looking forward to lazy July afternoons beside the pool. So farewell, Summer Swim, farewell.
I wish you and all the year-round swimmers the best, but I’ll gladly wait until next May to reconnect. Until then, I bid you adieu.
Turning off the grill,
Robert
(Note: I admit this one was a little more difficult to craft, partially because I’m a little worn out. But that’s one thing I appreciate about these challenges; they force me to show up every day to see what happens. Hope everyone has another couple days in them.)