"I do not think that the vocation of writer is superior to any other," writes Melissa Febos in her newest essay collection, "but I do believe it is the most useful life for me, the one in which I can ...

“You think you have problems,” such was the wisdom my father imparted while he read the newspaper or watched a television news story about a person facing tragic circumstances. When stories of ...

As I revised my personal statement college essay for the ninth time, I grumbled in frustration. I had spent the past month editing, rewriting, and brainstorming topics that would hopefully let ...

Your life story is more than a simple sequence of events; it’s a powerful tool that shapes your identity, guides your choices, and influences your future. This concept, called “narrative identity,” ...

Vinita Dawra Nangia is a senior journalist, author & columnist. She is the Director of the Times Literature Festival. The blog O-zone reflects her insights into life, relationships and contemporary ...

“How does the writer of personal narrative pull from his or her own boring, agitated self the truth speaker who will tell the story that needs to be told?” This is the fundamental question that ...

When I first taught personal narrative in my freshmen Literature and Writing course last year I planned a traditional unit. I practiced descriptive writing techniques by having them listen to the ...

When I was 12, I stood shivering outside my class. It was January in Toronto and I had returned to school after spending the holidays at my grandparents’ house in New Delhi. There, I ate peeled ...

Brandon Galarita is a freelance writer and K-12 educator in Honolulu, Hawaii. He is passionate about technology in education, college and career readiness and school improvement through data-driven ...