Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Ideas for your Personal Essay Topics


            
          Martin Luther King Jnr once said that if a man is called to be a street sweeper he should sweep the streets so well so that long after he is gone all the starry hosts of heaven and earth will look back and say there lived a great street sweeper. That is a paraphrase of the quote so please don’t hang me if you feel I have said-or written-it wrongly. The point of the matter however is that one needs to give his all in whatever circumstance he is in and in whatever career field he is. It is the same thing that should be applied when thinking of writing your personal essays.
            The topics chosen for your personal essays need to come from your forte, from your stronghold, from the things that you are very comfortable talking about. This is important, very important if you ask me, because it liberates you and enables you give your very best. For instance, you could easily choose to describe a significant experience that impacted greatly upon your life like your accomplishments, your struggles in life if any and so on. This is always a very good way of choosing a topic as it brings the best out of you, more so when it comes to vivid descriptions.
            Another thing to consider when looking around for personal essay topics perhaps could be the moment(s) of epiphany in your life; think of your reactions then and put them down. A description of your interests in life, the rationale or reason behind your interests, your funny childhood experiences, the type of friends you keep and how they would characterize you and so on could also be a good source of personal essay topics. Your future ambitions and aspirations could also form a very source of topics for your personal essays. The point is that the topics chosen should be things you can easily identify with and also if possible the things you have experienced in life; you can never go wrong with that. Many years after you are long gone people could also look back and say that there lived a great essayist.  

Monday, July 2, 2012

How to end your essay


           Every essay has a beginning and an end. The ending of an essay is what is referred to as a conclusion. Since it is the end of the essay it should not be hastily concluded. It should be concluded in a way that the essay makes an impact even as it comes to the end. The conclusion should support your general ideas in a brief way. This conclusion should provide closure as opposed to leaving more questions.
            Linking the first paragraph to the last paragraph is a good way to end your essay. This is especially effective if the topic comprised of a question that begged an answer. Another way to end it is by concluding your message with a proverb, saying or idiom that suits the moment. The conclusion should have a hint of dramatic effect. This is something that always strikes the reader. The conclusion should also consist of main points made of facts. It is not meant to be a summary of the essay.
            It is also important for you to re-emphasize your thesis or stand. It should not be repeated in the same words. However you should explain the reason as to why you chose certain material to support your thesis. It may also be appropriate to show your reasons for disputing anything that opposes your thesis. You can also include questions that will redirect your reader to your thesis. This will convince them more that you thesis is correct. The conclusion should ensure the reader remembers your argument for a longer time.