Using Personal Anecdotes in Your Articles
While a few publications frown on personal anecdotes, most encourage them because they add flavor to writing. Rather than just giving a laundry list of reasons to do something, you can use a personal anecdote to give the reader a frame of reference.
How long are personal anecdotes?
Usually, personal anecdotes are only one or two paragraphs in the middle or at the end of an article. They describe a situation or an event only briefly, but are long enough to convey the importance of the anecdote in relation to the article. Feel free to use creative license in setting the scene and driving your point home.
How do personal anecdotes enhance an article?
Most articles are meant to give advice of some kind, to bestow knowledge upon the reader. Since everyone learns differently, there are some readers who will reach the end of an article wondering, "How does this affect me?" You can show readers why you are giving the advice by describing a personal experience of your own. This brings reality to your article and shows why it is important.
How do you choose a personal anecdote?
Your best bet on choosing a personal anecdote for your article is to think about why you're writing the article in the first place. What event or memory caused you to come up with this idea and why it is important? In most cases, you've subconsciously chosen the topic because of an event in your life, and that is the anecdote you should tell.
Why do editors like personal anecdotes?
Editors will often choose an article with a personal anecdote over one that doesn't contain any personal history. Why? Because editors are people, too, and they know that an article with a personal anecdote will resonate more strongly with their reader base. People are interested in knowing what's happened to the author of an article, even if it's only a one-paragraph anecdote.
How can you incorporate personal anecdotes into articles?
Often, personal anecdotes come at the end of an article, but they can also be used as a strong opener or a mid-article reprieve from the information you are giving. Read your article carefully without the anecdote to decide where it might fit in and then try to weave it into the flow of your article.
In many cases, a personal anecdote will come to you during the course of your writing and you will immediately find the perfect place for it. Sometimes, however, personal anecdotes don't come quite so easily, and you'll have to work to make it fit. Regardless, personal anecdotes can add flavor and a dose of reality to your articles, which will almost always turn a better response from editors.
Published by Steve Thompson
Steve is a full-time freelance writer. In addition to the more than 3,000 articles he's written for AC, he has also written articles and other materials for more than 100 happy clients. He enjoys writing abo... View profile
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- Often, personal anecdotes come at the end of an article.
- Editors will often choose an article with a personal anecdote over one that doesn't have one.
- You can show readers why you are giving the advice by describing a personal experience.
5 Comments
Post a CommentI've used them successfully in AC articles (related to stroke and aphasia). Health related topics are more easily understood when personal examples are shared. I've recently been reading, however, that AC may no longer accept the abundance of anecdotes that I frequently incorporate. My readers have learned much of stroke and aphasia because of the anecdotal stories. That is all that I need to continue writing - even if AC won't publish them anymore!
Good advice.
For AC, I guess there is a "fine line" between anecdote and memoir. The meat needs to be there, with maybe just a VERY short personal example for AC. Then again, I did have one article that was basically a memoir re-written to include about 5 sentences of advice. AC took it and ran with it; front page story. It was my highest ever offer from AC by the way LOL. Go figure!
I agree it sounds like a great idea but I have heard so much of the opposite both from AC and other places that say to keep anything personal out of it. Now I'm confused!
It is a great idea, but every time I use them in AC articles, they state that they won't pay due to it being a "personal memoir." It is a bunch of crap really.