ESL Lesson Plan

...a fancy way of meaning that you are telling a story - your story.

This is the one piece of academic where using personal pronouns like "I" or "we" or "my" is acceptable.

This is because it is your story, and you get to tell it in the style that fits you best.

The more writing you do, the better you will understand your own style - and your style will keep developing as you write more and more.

I encourage my students to write a near-daily journal of about 150 words. This is a great habit and will help you make sense of the crazy situations of your life.

It is also extremely revealing when you look at something from a year or more back - something you have no memory of writing.

Writing from - and about - personal experience can be difficult - especially if you can't figure out where to begin.

My advice is very simple; just begin. Look at how most movies begin; they begin in the middle of the action. Just start telling your story. The great thing about writing is that you can always add a new beginning later.

If you are thinking of writing (or encouraging others to write) a memoir, take a look at this article by Salon --http://www.salon.com/2013/01/20/salons_guide_to_writing_a_memoir/.

Let me know what you are writing - especially if you know of some good online publishers.

Above all, write something worth reading. I hope I do.

Morf

About the author of this entry:

Morf has a B.A.from the Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington, USA and an MAT (Master's in Teaching English) from the University of Washington (Seattle, WA, USA). And, as much as Morf loves writing this blog, he is always open to other opportunities either blogging or teaching. You can contact him at mmorf@mail.com