From Writer’s Relief staff:
The personal essay is more than a diary entry for the masses. You probably don’t want people to read your journal as is, but chances are, having a literary magazine say that they want to publish your feelings, opinions, and observations sounds pretty darn good. The trick is to move past the egocentric style of a journal entry to create a narrative tale others can relate to. Here are four tips that we have found successful in getting editors to say, “Yes!” to your submission.
Brevity and precision. In these modern days, people have a tough time focusing their attention for too long. We get involved with something and then a TV show comes on, or you get sidetracked by a message on your computer, or…you have a wicked hangnail that needs to be picked. Your personal essay should be under 3,500 words—and we state this adamantly. This is, apparently, the absolute most attention that the modern human can give to a piece of writing (man, we’re lazy sometimes). Though you may want to ramble on about conflict in the Middle East, or your addiction to gummy bears, it is better to establish your goal and get to it quickly. The shorter the work, the more focused your presentation. Thus, the better you keep the readers’ interest. Now, put down that gummy bear.
Post a Comment