Every student has a story to tell, but not every student feels confident enough to share it. The #BeAnAuthor contest gives students an opportunity to write, publish, and share their personal narratives. Through this process, they learn that their experiences matter and that their words have the power to connect with others.
What is a Personal Narrative
A personal narrative is a type of writing that tells the story of a real experience from the writer’s life. It is written in the first person and focuses on a meaningful event, lesson, or moment. Unlike an autobiography that covers a person’s entire life, a personal narrative zooms in on a single experience and explores its significance.
Advice from an English Teacher
Students can strengthen their personal narratives by thinking about how to bring their stories to life. To support them in this process, I asked my husband, an experienced English teacher, to share practical strategies that help students craft engaging narratives and develop their writing voice. These strategies will not only improve student writing but also prepare them to submit a strong entry for the #BeAnAuthor contest.
Why Personal Narratives Help Students Find Their Voice
Many students do not see themselves as writers. Personal narratives help students express themselves in a way that feels natural. Instead of inventing characters or writing formal essays, they focus on their own experiences, making the writing process more personal and meaningful.
When students write about moments from their lives, they begin to recognize the power of their own voice. They see that their experiences matter and that they have something worth sharing. The #BeAnAuthor contest encourages students to take ownership of their writing and gives them a platform to publish their work.
Using Book Creator
Book Creator is a digital publishing tool that allows students to write, design, and publish their own books. Students can combine text, images, drawings, and voice recordings to bring their stories to life. Teachers can use Book Creator to support student writing by encouraging creativity, collaboration, and multimedia storytelling. With the ability to publish and share books, students see themselves as real authors, making writing more engaging and meaningful.
#BeAnAuthor Contest with Book Creator
Encourage your students to share their personal narratives and become published authors. The #BeAnAuthor contest gives students an opportunity to reflect on their experiences and turn them into digital books.
Who Can Enter?
- Open to students in elementary, middle, and high school
- Students must write a personal narrative about a real experience
- Schools may submit up to three student books
Contest Guidelines
- Stories must be created in Book Creator
- Entries should be between 5 and 30 pages
- Books can include text, images, voice recordings, and illustrations
- Submissions must be written in English
Submission Details
- Entries must be submitted by a teacher, not individual students
- Schools are encouraged to hold their own selection process to choose their top three books
- The submission deadline is April 5, 2025
How to Enter
- Create a personal narrative in Book Creator
- Finalize and polish the book before submission
- Teachers submit the top three books for their school
If you are new to Book Creator, sign up for free and discover templates and examples to help you get started.
Tips from an English Teacher for Strong Personal Narratives
Even as a math teacher, I am passionate about incorporating writing into all subjects, including math. Personal narratives can be a valuable tool in any classroom, helping students connect their learning to real experiences. I also have the added bonus of being married to an English teacher whose passion for writing (and em dashes) inspires me to include more student writing in my lessons. I asked my husband, Barton, for his best tips on helping students craft strong personal narratives.
Choosing a Story That Matters
Students often struggle with what to write about. They may think their story has to be dramatic, but some of the best personal narratives come from small, everyday moments that had a lasting impact.
Encourage students to reflect on:
- A moment when they learned something important about themselves
- A challenge they overcame and how they did it
- A mistake they made and what they learned from it
- A time when they saw something in a new way
By focusing on personal growth and discovery, students can find stories that feel meaningful and engaging.
Focus on One Meaningful Moment
Students often think they need to tell their entire life story, but the most powerful personal narratives focus on one defining moment. Instead of summarizing multiple events, students should zoom in on a single experience that changed them in some way. A clear focus helps create a more engaging and emotionally impactful story.
Starting with a Strong Hook
The beginning of a personal narrative should grab the reader’s attention. Instead of starting with background information, students should jump right into the moment.
Instead of:
“Last summer, my family and I went to the beach.”
Try:
“The waves crashed against my legs, and I held my breath as I stepped deeper into the cold water.”
Encouraging students to start with action, dialogue, or a sensory detail helps set the scene and pull the reader in.
Using Details to Bring the Story to Life
A great personal narrative makes the reader feel part of the experience. Instead of simply telling what happened, students should show the moment using sensory details.
Instead of:
“I was nervous before my speech.”
Try:
“My hands shook as I gripped my notecards, my heart pounding so loudly I could barely hear my teacher call my name.”
Encouraging students to focus on how things looked, sounded, smelled, felt, and even tasted makes their writing more immersive.
Show Character Change
Every good story involves transformation. The writer should show how they changed or grew as a result of the experience. This may include illustrating who they were before the event, what happened during the event, and how they saw the world differently afterward. The best personal narratives allow readers to witness that journey.
Helping Students Organize Their Story
Many students struggle with structuring their writing. While a chronological approach works for most personal narratives, students can experiment with different techniques:
- Starting in the middle of the action and then going back to explain how they got there
- Slowing down an important moment to build tension and anticipation
- Ending with a reflection that helps the reader understand why the experience mattered
Encouraging students to think about the best way to tell their story helps them take ownership of their writing.
Use Details to Make Characters Relatable
A strong personal narrative is not just about what happened but also about who the writer was in that moment. People connect with stories that feel real. Encouraging students to share their imperfections, mistakes, and honest emotions makes their story more relatable. Readers want to connect with someone who struggles, learns, and grows—not a perfect character who never faces challenges.
Keep the Story Focused
Every part of the story should serve a purpose. Students should ask themselves if each sentence is either:
- Moving the plot forward
- Revealing something about the character
If a detail does not accomplish either of these goals, it may not belong in the story.
Engage the Senses
Good writing makes the reader feel like they are inside the story. One way to do this is by incorporating sensory details. Students should think about how things looked, sounded, smelled, or felt in the moment.
With Book Creator, students can take this further by adding images, sound recordings, and even video clips to bring their stories to life. Using multimedia allows students to enhance the emotional impact of their writing and create an immersive experience for their audience.
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Include Conflict and High Stakes
Without conflict, there is no story. A strong personal narrative should center around a challenge or obstacle. The writer must want something, but achieving it should not be easy. Whether the student overcomes the challenge or not, the process of trying and changing is what makes the story compelling.
To build tension, students should also consider the stakes. What happens if they fail? If nothing is on the line, the story will not feel as engaging. High stakes do not have to be life-or-death situations. Even small stakes, like the fear of embarrassment or the desire to prove something to themselves, can make the story meaningful.
Be Selective with Description
While sensory details are important, too much description can slow the story down. Every descriptive detail should either reveal something about the character or move the plot forward. If it does neither, it can be cut.
Write One True Thing
If students are struggling to get started, they can follow Hemingway’s advice: Just write one true thing. They do not have to start at the beginning of the story. They just need to find one honest detail, one moment that stands out, and write it down. One true thing often leads to another, and soon the story starts to take shape.
Ending with a Reflection
A strong personal narrative does not just describe an event. It explains why the experience mattered. The best stories leave the reader with something to think about.
To help students craft a strong ending, ask them:
- What did you learn from this experience?
- How did this moment change you?
- Why does this story still stand out to you?
Encouraging reflection gives the narrative depth and meaning, helping students find their voice in #BeAnAuthor.
How Book Creator and an Authentic Audience Enhance Writing
Writing becomes more meaningful when students know that their work will be shared with an audience beyond their teacher. Book Creator allows students to turn their writing into a published book that can be shared digitally with classmates, families, and a wider audience.
When students publish their work in Book Creator, they have a reason to take their writing seriously. They care more about organization, clarity, and detail because they know others will read it. Seeing their stories in a polished digital format also makes the writing feel more real and professional.
Book Creator enhances the writing experience by giving students tools to:
- Add images and drawings to help visualize their story
- Use voice recordings to bring emotion to their words
- Format their text in a way that makes reading engaging
- Share their books with an authentic audience
Publishing student writing shifts the focus from completing an assignment to creating something that has value. It allows students to see themselves as real authors with stories worth telling.
Bringing Personal Narratives into Other Subjects
Personal narratives do not have to be limited to English class. Storytelling can enhance learning in all subjects, including STEM.
In math, students can write about:
- A time they struggled with a concept and finally understood it
- A real-world moment when they used math without realizing it
- A mistake they made and what they learned from it
In science, students can write about:
- A time they used the scientific method to solve a real problem
- A discovery they made through observation or an experiment
- A moment when they changed their thinking based on evidence
Encouraging students to write personal narratives across subjects helps them make connections between their learning and their everyday lives.
Helping Students See Themselves as Writers
Not every student sees themselves as a writer, but personal narratives allow them to share their experiences in a way that feels natural. Writing about real moments from their lives helps students develop confidence in their storytelling abilities.
The #BeAnAuthor contest is an opportunity for students to see their writing in a new way. When students know that their work will be published and read by others, they put more thought into their writing and take greater pride in their work.
Encourage your students to take part in the #BeAnAuthor contest and help them find their voice through storytelling.
Encourage Students to Enter the #BeAnAuthor Contest
The #BeAnAuthor contest gives students an opportunity to take their writing to the next level. Publishing their work helps students see themselves as real authors and gives them a purpose for writing.
Contest Details
- Open to elementary, middle, and high school students
- Students must write a personal narrative and create a digital book using Book Creator
- Each school can submit up to three student books
- Deadline: April 5, 2025
For full contest details and submission guidelines, visit: alicekeeler.com/bookcreator25
