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My whole life had been an uninterrupted act of loving him.

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Phillip Lopate

A personal essay often includes some or a lot of personal confession. That makes the reader feel less lonely in their confusion and darkness.

Confession, Confusion, Darkness, Essay, Lonely
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The prospect of a long day at the beach makes me panic. There is no harder work I can think of than taking myself off to somewhere pleasant, where I am forced to stay for hours and 'have fun'.

Beach, Fun, Pleasant, Prospect, Work

Most good essays are conversations with yourself - not just your decided thoughts but your dilemmas.

Conversation, Decided, Dilemma, Essays, Thoughts

Doubt is my boon companion, the faithful St. Bernard ever at my side. Whether writing essays or just going about daily life, I am constantly second-guessing myself. My mind is filled with 'yes, buts,' 'so whats?' and other skeptical rejoinders. I am forever monitoring myself for traces of folly, insensitivity, arrogance, false humility, cruelty, stupidity, immaturity and, guess what, I keep finding examples. Age has not made me wiser, except maybe in retrospect.

Daily, Humility, Stupidity, Writing, Yes

The essay must be artistically rendered: You must keep the reader engaged, whether with wit, conflict, mischief, and
or yes, with honesty.

Artistically, Conflict, Honesty, Reader, Wit

In new work, we need to see the shadow, however faint, of previous literary effort.

Effort, Literary, Needs, See, Shadow
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