The personal essay, one of the oldest forms of creative nonfiction, blends storytelling, reflection, and analysis to give voice to lived experience. In this course, we will explore the personal essay as both art and self-expression. Through readings, discussion, and writing exercises, we will study elements such as narrative arc, scene-setting, and reflection. We will draft our own essays, discovering how this enduring form helps us find our voices and tell our stories with clarity.

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. Hernon fiction 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.

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