Write Personal Essays to Build Platform & Earn a Paycheck

Hi, Writers! I hope you’re having a lovely June. It’s warm and sunny here in Eugene, Oregon, and grass pollen is making everyone miserable. But there are strawberries and garter snakes and sugar snap peas, so I’m happy.

I’ve had personal essays on my mind ever since I created my self-paced online course on how to write personal essays for newspapers, magazines, and beyond. Interested? Preview two free lessons in the course right here.

I’m excited about a few editorial calls for submissions, and didn’t want to wait until July 1st:

• Awakenings Journal is looking for personal essays about mental illness.

• Big Wing Review wants personal essays about healing.

• Viator needs travel-related essays by Latinx writers.

• Business Insider wants personal essays about parenting, lifestyle, etc.

• HuffPost Personal is always looking for personal essays; I love working with these editors!

• Writer’s Digest is offering a free personal essay challenge the last week of June with lots of fun prompts and discussions.

Before I forget, I have two new self-paced online lessons: How to Sell Personal Essays and How to Use Personal Essays to Promote Your Book.

And I still have a few spots available in this fabulous weekend writing workshop in Ashland, Oregon; we’ll immerse ourselves in personal essays, and in good food and musical theater at Oregon Shakespeare Festival.

I hope all’s well, and I look forward to seeing you in person or virtually.

Happy Summer!

Melissa