As I cycle through another season of life when writing is sucking me in, I find myself revisiting Phillip Lopate’s 15,000 word introduction to the Art of the Personal Essay anthology, and thinking, THAT! *That* is what I want to do. *That* is a cultural practice I want to be part of… Crafting personal essays is something I find myself doing without much intention or planning, like it’s driven somewhat unconsciously. But I take heart that my impulse is okay, because, in addition to all the historical figures Lopate anthologizes, there are also a few people writing personal essays online now who lend the activity contemporary cache and flavor. Derek Sivers. Paul Graham. Steph Ango is another one I just found, engaged in a similar kind of writing. I consider their essays personal because they’re self-published on personal websites.