writer's digest personal essays

Writing The Personal Essay: Your Guide to Getting it Right

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Personal essays are appealing first-person stories found in magazines, newspapers, anthologies, and collections. They’re true stories told by people willing to share their intimate thoughts and feelings about life. Topics include travel, parenting, grief, nature, nostalgia, recovery, and more. They’re incredibly popular with loads of publishing opportunities, but crafting a sellable personal essay requires a complete understanding of the category.

Windy Lynn Harris has helped hundreds of writers find success writing personal essays. A personal essay isn’t simply an anecdote but an in-depth exploration of a subject. Writing the truth is important, but great storytelling holds equal weight. Well-written essays harness cadence, individuality, a narrative arc, and creativity. In this session, Windy will share the essential components required to deliver a meaningful true story so you can craft your personal essays with confidence.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN:

• The definition of a personal essay
• Personal essay essentials
• The two stories you tell: inside and outside
• The structure of personal essays
• Which ideas make great personal essays
• How to deliver an emotional experience on the page
• When the term Creative Nonfiction applies to your essay
• How to write a successful first draft
• How to use theme as a revision tool
• Windy’s top ten tips for getting it right

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?

• Writers who want to explore first-person writing
• Writers who aren’t sure what makes an essay an essay
• Writers who want to write something publishable this year
• Writers who want to become more proficient essayists
• Writers who want to understand the CNF category
• Memoir writers
• Writers interested in self-exploration
• Writers of any skill level or experience

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Welcome to Writer’s Digest Competitions!

The Writer’s Digest collection of competitions, all which are held on a yearly basis, have long-standing respect within the writing community.

Over 90 years ago, Writer’s Digest launched its first writing competition. Today, Writer’s Digest holds six distinct competitions. Some competitions have a variety of categories while others are devoted entirely to one genre/format. Honoring writers across a variety of genres and formats including short pieces (fiction and non-fiction), poetry, humor, articles (print or online) and self-published books, Writer’s Digest has a competition to highlight your work.

Winners are eligible for cash prizes, free trips to our ever-popular Writer’s Digest Annual Writing Conference, promotion in our print magazine and website, and more.

We hope that you’ll join us and share your work in any (better yet--all) of the competitions!

Competitions which are accepting submissions are listed below. Each competition has its own individual set of guidelines, rules, prizes, submission instructions, submission fees, deadlines, judges, etc. You can view the complete list of Writer’s Digest writing competitions, including upcoming competitions, by visiting: https://www.writersdigest.com/wd-competitions . The dates, fees, rules, categories etc. are only available and current on the website while the competition is live and accepting entries. You may, however, look at the previous year’s competition to get a sense of what to expect. 

Sharpen your pencils, sync your devices, and mark your calendars!

You can compete in multiple WD competitions with a single login!

Writer’s Digest Poetry Awards  

DEADLINE: 10/01/2024   Calling all poets! We’re looking for poems of all styles–rhyming, free verse, haiku, and more–for the 19th Annual Writer’s Digest Poetry Awards! This is the only Writer’s Digest competition exclusively for poets. Enter any poem 32 lines or fewer for your chance to win $1,000 in cash. PROSPECTUS       Everything you’ll need to know can be found on WritersDigest.com or in an easy to follow PDF which outlines the following:  

• DEADLINES AND FEES
• HOW TO ENTER
• PREPARING YOUR ENTRY
• RULES AND GUIDELINES
• 2024-2024 WD COMPETITION SEASON PLANNER 

  -For questions related to any of the topics above, email us at: [email protected]. Please reference the the competition name in the subject line of the email.      -For questions related to your Submittable account, including payment, connect via email at: [email protected] or via the help form at: https://www.submittable.com/help/submitter/

Writer’s Digest Short Short Story Competition DEADLINE: 11/15/24    We’re looking for short fiction stories! Think you can write a winning story in 1,500 words or fewer? Enter the 25th Annual Writer’s Digest Short Short Story Competition for your chance to win $3,000 in cash, get a feature interview in Writer’s Digest magazine, and a paid trip to our ever-popular Writer’s Digest Conference! PROSPECTUS  

Everything you’ll need to know can be found on WritersDigest.com or in an easy-to-follow PDF that outlines the following:    

• 2024-2025 WD COMPETITION SEASON PLANNER 

  -For questions related to any of the topics above, email us at: [email protected]. Please reference the the competition name in the subject line of the email.             -For questions related to your Submittable account, including payment, connect via email at: [email protected] or via the help form at: https://www.submittable.com/help/submitter/

Writer's Digest Self-Published E-book Awards DEADLINE: 9/16/2024  

We’re looking for the best self-published e-book(s) in eight of the most popular categories. Enter the 12th Annual Writer’s Digest Self-Published E-book Awards for your chance to win! $5,000 in cash, a feature about you in Writer’s Digest magazine, and a paid trip to our ever-popular Writer’s Digest Conference! PROSPECTUS Everything you’ll need to know can be found on WritersDigest.com or in an easy to follow PDF which outlines the following:  

• 2024 WD COMPETITION SEASON PLANNER 

-For questions related to any of the topics above, email us at: [email protected]. Please reference the the competition name in the subject line of the email.     -For questions related to your Submittable account, including payment, connect via email at: [email protected] or via the help form at: https://www.submittable.com/help/submitter/

Writer's Digest Personal Essay Awards DEADLINE: 10/1/2024     We’re looking for personal essays! Think you can write a winning essay in 2,000 words or fewer? Enter the Writer’s Digest Personal Essay Awards for your chance to win! $2,500 in cash, publication in Writer’s Digest magazine, and a paid trip to our ever-popular Writer’s Digest Conference! PROSPECTUS     Everything you’ll need to know can be found on WritersDigest.com or in an easy-to-follow PDF that outlines the following:  

-For questions related to any of the topics above, email us at: [email protected]. Please reference the the competition name in the subject line of the email.       -For questions related to your Submittable account, including payment, connect via email at: [email protected] or via the help form at: https://www.submittable.com/help/submitter/

If you want to write your story, there is no better time than now! I invite all my students and writing colleagues to submit their stories to the Writer’s Digest Personal Essay Contest. The early bird deadline is fast approaching on September 1st, but the deadline for all is September 30th. What are you waiting for? Get to it. Oh, and I am so delighted to be named the special guest judge for this contest. I was an early judge last year and read over 400 submissions. This year I will be reading the top 30 essays. Here are the guidelines and more information. Remember, your personal essays must be original and never published, although Writer’s Digest will consider work from your blog or social media posts. Take a look and enter, and don’t forget I teach Personal Essay writing for Writer’s Digest University. 

I recently spoke on pitching and personal essays at the fabulous Writer’s Digest conference in New York City. It was a fantastic event with top authors and essayists in attendance. I especially liked editor Amy Jone’s interview with author and keynoter, Marlon James.

Here is an Estelle’s Edge for you (my pro tips) for writing personal essays. This one is from my “All About the Pitch” column in every print issue of Writer’s Digest. My Estelle’s Edge: Make sure you have a narrative arc to your essay (a beginning, middle and end). Something needs to happen that changes you and transforms you in some way by the end of the piece. That is how it will resonate for readers. What are you waiting for? Write that essay! I can’t wait to read what you write!

5 Responses to “I’m Judging the Writer’s Digest Personal Essay Contest”

Hi Estelle Thanks for the great post. Congrats on judging the essay contest and especially on just the top thirty which is still a lot I’m going to submit an essay and hope it makes it to you Best Brahna

Thanks Brahna, I’m so glad you find it helpful.

Congrats to you on your new book! The essay contest sounds exciting! Thx for posting this opportunity!

Thanks so much Kelly. Best of luck to you with it.

Things are going so well for you! This is great, Estelle.

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How to Write a Residency Personal Statement with Examples from a Program Director

Residency programs receive thousands of applications from qualified candidates, and your personal statement provides the chance for you to show a program why they should choose you.

For Kamran M. Mirza, MD, PhD, Professor of Pathology Education at Godfrey D. Stobbe, the residency personal statement is the first piece of the application that he reads. So, it’s important to make it count. 

Use your voice to show them why you’re the perfect match for their program. It could be the thing that tips the scales in your favor.

Remember, it’s called the residency “match” for a reason. Programs aren’t just looking for the best candidates; they’re looking for the best match for their team and culture. Your personal statement is your opportunity to showcase why you belong there.

Key Takeaways:

• Invest time in your personal statement, as this can be the first piece of your application that a program director reads.
• Start with an engaging opening, use illustrative incidents to maintain the reader’s interest, and conclude by reinforcing your main points and linking back to your introduction.
• If there are any gaps, unexplained grades, or other potential red flags in your application, use your personal statement to provide context and show the lessons you have learned from these challenges. 
• Steer clear of clichés, rehashing old statements, and focusing too much on experiences before your time in medical school. Instead, emphasize current interests and future aspirations. 
• Ensure your writing is polished, free of grammatical errors, and avoid controversial topics unless they are presented thoughtfully and professionally.

What is the Purpose of a Personal Statement?

A personal statement paints a picture of you. While your ERAS application introduces your accomplishments, it doesn’t fully capture the essence of you . There’s a whole history behind why you’re on this journey to becoming a doctor, and your personal statement is where you get to tell that story. Show the program why this path matters to you.

A personal statement highlights your unique qualifications and experiences. It’s your opportunity to talk about your professional aspirations and showcase the experiences that make you stand out—whether it’s research, clinical skills, leadership, or even your ability to communicate effectively. Explain how these experiences have shaped you and how they’ll influence the way you practice in your chosen specialty.

A personal statement shows your commitment. Demonstrate how you’ve gone above and beyond the basic requirements. Make it personal. Share what you believe in, what you love about the specialty, what fascinates you, and what you find most rewarding. This is where you show the program what you will bring to the table to make an impact in the lives of the patients you will serve.

A personal statement sells you. Residency programs are going to be reading hundreds of these, so it’s crucial that yours makes an impact. Think of your motivation as the trunk of a tree, with specific incidents or work experiences branching out from there. Remember—be genuine. Don’t feel like you have to oversell yourself. Just be true to who you are, and let your passion and experiences speak for themselves. That’s what’s going to resonate the most.

How to Write a Residency Personal Statement 

The personal statement is your chance to help residency programs really understand who you are, what draws you to your desired specialty, and what sets you apart from other candidates. To make sure your personal statement is top-notch, here’s what you should include:

• Lead with a catchy opening paragraph that grabs the reader’s attention and makes them want to read more. This is the most critical part of your personal statement, and a strong start sets the tone for the rest of your narrative.
• Recapture the reader’s attention about halfway through your statement with insight that reinforces your overall theme.
• Focus on a few illustrative incidents that have shaped your journey. Unite these incidents with a theme or thesis that ties your story together and highlights what makes you unique.
• Outline what you want to say and the order in which you want to say it. This will help you create a coherent and well-structured narrative.
• Use concrete examples of experiences that help distinguish you from others and make your story more relatable and memorable.
• Write about interests that excite you. When you share what you are passionate about, it will come through in your writing and resonate with the reader.
• End your message with a conclusion that refers back to your opening and restates your thesis. This brings your personal statement full circle and leaves a lasting impression on the reader.

 Effective Residency Personal Statement Examples 

During the 2025 Match Summit event, Dr. Kamran Mirza presented several personal statements to help guide medical students through the process.

As a program director who has read many residency personal statements as part of the ERAS application process, Dr. Mirza shares some of the best residency personal statement examples.

Example #1 – The Introduction

I love dinosaurs. 

When I was a kid, all I wanted to do was learn everything I could about them – how they lived, what they ate, and what they looked like. My love of dinosaurs led me to apply to college as a paleontology major. Like any eager student, I wanted a head start in college so I decided to take a human anatomy class. My goal was to learn the names of bones. One day in class, the teacher showed us a video of total hip replacement and that was it. My entire life’s dream shifted. From that day on, I knew I wanted to be a surgeon. 

Example #2 – A Story of Family Hardship

My mother immigrated from the Philippines to Minnesota as a mail-order bride. Amidst the improved living conditions and snowy winters, she was physically abused by my father and repeatedly threatened for her life. Between episodes of abuse, she gave birth to me, her firstborn child. In the thick of her celebration and under postpartum care, her OBGYN connected her with the resources necessary to exit her dangerous situation. This was the first of many instances that would provide me insight into the immense privilege that OBGYNs have of caring for extremely vulnerable patients, such as my mother. And so, my mother left for California with her newborn infant, and if not for her OBGYN, she – and I – might not have survived. 

Example #3 – The Theme

The key to a perfect choux pastry, or any pastry for that matter, and the singular quality I’m convinced separates good surgeons from great ones are one in the same.

Mise en place is a French culinary adage meaning, “everything in its place.” In short, one’s ability to prepare is the major determinant of quality.

The best preparation, however, is informed by experience. I can tell you every ingredient, tool, and step to follow to make choux, but I can’t tell you how many eggs you’ll need. Recognizing the perfect texture comes only through practice and repetition. In these iterations one learns what could go wrong, what’s likely to go wrong, and whether those are the same. 

Example #4 – Turning Around Your Red Flag

During my senior year of undergrad, I was diagnosed with depression and got the help I needed to become the best student I could be. Through this experience, I learned the importance of advocacy for myself and others. Once I sought help for my mental health, my entire academic career changed. I use this skill now to advocate for my patients. 

For more examples, be sure to watch Dr. Mirza’s entire presentation below.

How to Address Red Flags

Your residency personal statement is a great way to address any gaps in your education, unexplained grades, or any other potential red flags in your application that may stand in your way of showcasing your strengths for a potential program.

There is no need to focus too much on any red flags you are able to address within your ERAS application. However, if there is something that you need to provide further explanation for, the best way to do so is to use your personal statement to turn it around to show how this challenge in your life shaped you in a positive way, and the lessons you learned. 

What to Avoid When Writing Your Personal Statement 

As you begin mapping out your residency personal statement, there are some common drawbacks that can prevent your statement from standing out.

As a rule of thumb, here are some things you should avoid: 

• Cliches . Saying, “I want to help people,” isn’t going to set you apart—it’s something we innately hope all of you feel strongly about! However, what did you have to overcome to get here, and what part of your story led you to this moment? Stay clear of cliche stories that make it look like you didn’t put effort into your personal statement. Give specific examples of experiences that inform your career choice and demonstrate your skills.
• Rehashing medical school statements. Your time in medical school has helped shape who you are and why you are pursuing your desired specialty. Focus on experiences and challenges you have overcome in the present day and try to steer clear from anything before medical school. 
• Focusing too much on what led you to your specialty. While it’s important to touch on this, it shouldn’t dominate your narrative. Leave room to discuss your current interests and future aspirations. What excites you about the residency ahead? What are your goals for the future, both in residency and beyond? Programs want to see that you are forward-thinking and have a clear vision for your career.
• Informal writing. Your statement should be polished and well-structured, demonstrating your ability to communicate effectively.The best advice you can receive is revise, revise, and revise some more. Plan to read your personal statement several times, as well as others, to make sure your story stays on track, is free of grammatical errors, and remains engaging throughout.
• Controversial topics. It’s wise to avoid topics that include political, ethical, or religious issues. While it’s important to share your personal experiences, you don’t want your writing to come off as offensive or cross any lines. However, when relevant, sharing examples of hardships or family problems that have shaped your journey can be powerful, provided they are presented in a way that is thoughtful and professional. You can refer to Dr. Mirza’s example above for how to best position this.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long should your residency personal statement be.

The standard recommendation is to keep your residency personal statement to one page, which is around 600-750 words in length.

How to Write a Residency Personal Statement?

Start with an outline to help you begin to narrow down your theme, followed by examples you want to include. Remember to follow our guide on what to avoid, and don’t forget to revise, revise, revise !

Should You Address Red Flags in Your Residency Personal Statement?

Your personal statement is how you are going to sell yourself to your desired program. If you are able to address your red flags in your application, there is no need to bring them up in your essay, especially if it might invoke any doubt. However, if you are able to address it in a way that demonstrates how you overcame your situation and learned lessons from your struggles, this is a great opportunity to show the program how you were able to turn it around into a positive experience. 

What are Some Residency Personal Statement Examples?

While we touch on a few samples in this blog, Dr. Kamran Mirza, a program director who presented on the topic of writing an effective personal statement, shares several more in his presentation. Watch the full clip from TrueLearn’s 2025 Match Summit event here !

Time to Write Your Personal Statement

We know there is a lot of information here, and we hope these insights have given you a solid foundation to start shaping your own personal statement. The most important thing to remember about the residency personal statement is there are no shortcuts in this match application process. Doing things the right way and going the extra mile will set you apart from the hundreds of other applicants. 

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