It's All About Connecting

     As I watched the videos introducing each individual’s personal essay/blog, I noticed the things that made for a more effective video. I think that the one’s that capture the most interest are the ones that seem the most sincere and filled with raw emotion. Also, the ones that gave the shortest explanation didn’t give enough detail to hold my attention, so a good introductory video were the ones that gave enough detail about their essay, but who didn't go into the specifics.

     As for the essays that I read, they were “Nine Days Difference,” “A Temporal Death,” “Hooked,” “God Blessed the Broken Road,” and “La Ultima Pieza del Rompecabezas.” I chose to read these based on my interest and intrigue from the videos. They were all interesting and engaging, but I especially liked “La Ultima Pieza del Rompecabeza” and “Nine Days Difference” because they both included three things that I personally think are important in writing an effective personal essay that the audience can connect to. Those three things are detail, genuine, raw emotion, and relatable content. I love the use of language in “La Ultima Pieza del Rompecabeza” and how she describes little things like the weather or her dripping, wet hair. She uses just the right words to convey the emotions she felt during her experience, and there were things that she included, like her relationship with her mother, that I can relate to. The essay 's“Nine Days of Difference” raw and honest emotion is what speaks to the audience and what makes her relating her experience effective.

      These three things: raw emotion, detail, and relatable content, is what I want to focus on having in my personal essay, along with other things, so that the reader can have a real connection with the story. I also really think that relating a personal essay in the form of a blog is good because it makes it all the more personal for both the writer and the reader.