How do I start writing a personal essay when I have no formal writing experience?
The thing about personal essays is they don't require credentials—they require attention. Murasaki Shikibu wrote from her position as a lady-in-waiting, observing the court around her, and that specificity of perspective made her work irreplaceable. You don't need to be a trained writer; you need to notice something true. Start by choosing a small moment or contradiction that genuinely puzzles you. Not a grand life lesson, but something textured: why does a particular song make you cry, or why do you always rearrange the furniture when you're anxious? Write toward understanding it, not toward impressing anyone. Let your voice be conversational at first—the essay form will find itself as you revise. The real skill in personal essay writing is honest observation, which you already do every day. You're just learning to pause and examine it on the page.