Up Close & Personal Apr 2026

A deep essay is more than a story; it is an analysis of a specific belief, value, or transformation.

: Your draft should have at least 3–5 "so what" moments—points where you explicitly reflect on how an event changed your perspective or reinforced a core value. Up Close & Personal

: Much like filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock viewed the close-up as a powerful tool to be used sparingly, choose 1-2 key moments to zoom in on with intense emotional detail. 3. The Structural Deep Dive A deep essay is more than a story;

A successful deep essay often follows a "Show and Tell" approach—providing both the scene and the commentary that explains its significance. Marina Benjamin on Crafting the Personal Essay Up Close & Personal