Writing the Personal Essay: Finding Your Story (Lecture)




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The personal essay is one of the oldest and most enduring forms of creative nonfiction, originating with Michel de Montaigne and continuing today as a versatile form that blends storytelling, reflection, and analysis. In this course, we will explore the personal essay as both a literary art and a tool for self-expression. We will ask what defines a personal essay: a true narrative drawn from our own lives, shaped with theme, structure, tone, and voice. Through readings, discussion, writing exercises, and drafting our own personal essays, we will study essential elements such as narrative arc, scene-setting, reflection, honesty, and perspective. We will discover how personal essays capture unique voices and reveal singular insights. Whether writing for publication, personal growth, or the pleasure of crafting words, this course will help us find our voices, tell our stories with clarity, and better understand the enduring power of the personal essay.

Your instructor: Lisa Stolley
Lisa Stolley, professor of English at the University of Illinois Chicago and Northwestern University, is a published fiction author. Her short stories have appeared in numerous literary journals, earning an Illinois Arts Council Award, a Pushcart Prize nomination, and first prizes from the Washington Review and Georgia State Review. Her nonfiction has been published in Today’s Chicago Woman and the Chicago Reader. Stolley teaches scientific writing at UIC’s School of Public Health and is a legal writer for immigration attorneys.


Class Dates and Time: Saturdays, April 18 through May 23
11am Pacific | 12pm Mountain | 1pm Central | 2pm Eastern
Each session is 90 minutes. 
 
 Class schedule: Live lecture will take place on Saturdays via ZOOM 
  • 4/18/2026
  • 4/25/2026
  • 5/2/2026
  • 5/9/2026
  • 5/16/2026
  • 5/23/2026

Class Details

6 Session(s)
Weekly - Sat

Location
Virtual - Any Location

Instructor
Osher Online 

Tuition: 

$70.00

Call 847-492-8204 to purchase Membership Send to Friend »

Schedule Information

Date(s) Class Days Times Location Instructor(s)
4/18/2026 - 5/23/2026 Weekly - Sat 01:00 PM - 02:30 PM N/A, Virtual - Any Location  Map Osher Online 

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