1. In your first session(s), brainstorm a list of questions (that you’ll later answer) to help guide your personal statement. Here are some ideas: 

• What do you want PDs to know about you when they finish reading (keeping in mind they’ve already read your CV)? 
• What are the core values you want to convey in your PS? 
• What makes you different from the 1,000s of other applicants who applied? 
• What’s going to make you a FANTASTIC resident? 

There are LOTS of other guiding questions you can come up with–don’t rush through this part of the process. The more (high quality) questions you have, the better.

2. Once you’re satisfied with your list of questions, freewrite answers to all of them. Do this one question at a time, writing exhaustively about one topic until the timer goes off or you run out of things to say. 

“Freewriting” (in this context) is a process wherein you set a timer and force yourself to keep writing on a focused topic until the buzzer sounds. Aim for 10-15 minutes of writing per question you set out to answer–and do not allow your mind to wander or your fingers to stop typing. 

When writing, do not worry about grammar, spelling, or even if the ideas are good or bad. The idea is simply to get as many ideas out of your head and onto the page as possible. Don’t shy away from messy reflection, allow yourself to make lists of words/examples…capture everything. This article by renowned compositionist Peter Elbow elaborates on freewriting. Note: The article is about open-ended freewriting; you’ll want to take a more structured approach and stay focused on your questions. 

When you feel there is nothing left to write down that’s relevant to your questions or your residency personal statement, you’re done freewriting. 

3. The next stage is revision, and there are several goals:

• Go through everything and cut out all the “bad” ideas or concepts that just aren’t impressive/important/unique enough to include. Don’t delete them forever…just put them in a different document. Sometimes those “bad” ideas are needed later.
• If this proves hard for you, you’re in good company. Stephen King once said about revision, “[It’s] going to hurt; revising a story down to the bare essentials is always a little like murdering children, but it must be done.”
• Review what’s left, and do some reorganizing focused on flow and storytelling. 
• Elaborate on ideas to make them more poignant and meaningful. 
  
• Build connections between ideas.
• The three previous points are arguably the hardest part of writing. The work can feel almost painful, but try to remember that the struggle to make pieces fit together in the right order is just part of the process. It happens to all writers, even best-sellers. Remember too that it’s okay to revisit “steps” 1 and 2 (ask and answer more questions). 
• Evaluate what might be missing from your story. This can be anything from timeline clarification to a concrete discussion of your strengths that includes examples. Find the gaps in your story, and fill them.

As the saying goes, “rinse, wash, and repeat”…as many times as necessary until you’ve got a solid document. For some this takes only a couple hours. For most it takes longer (days, weeks…dare I say months).

A last bit of advice here: don’t force yourself to write the introduction paragraph first. You do not have to write your personal statement in order from the first paragraph to the last. Start where it’s comfortable. Just build paragraphs…they will fall into place along the way as you reorganize and revise.