What would I even write about?

That’s a perfectly good question to bring to our first conversation. I might ask what you’ve been reading lately, or what your friends always come to you for. Sometimes I’ll tell you a story about myself first. It’s a little strange to ask someone you’ve just met to tell you something personal. I’m happy to go first.

Often, the most interesting thing you say comes halfway through a story, almost as an aside. That’s usually where I’ll ask, “Wait, can you tell me more about that?”

Once you find something you want to write about, we’ll work on how to tell it. You’ll try an opening, decide which details belong, and revise. My job is to tell you where I wanted to hear more and where I lost the thread. You get to decide what you want a reader to know about you.

You can come to me for a single essay, a fresh perspective on a draft, or writing support as part of your college applications.

My daughter Nina and I are making a graphic novel about the personal statement together: my words, her drawings. PERSONAL: What Do I Even Write About? is coming in April 2027.