Hi Melissa,

My coeditor, Ash, is in Victoria so I know that's been tough! Great question about personal essay and creative nonfiction. Creative nonfiction is "true stories told well" (That's the definition Lee Gutkind, one of the big creative nonfiction names, gives). It's a broad category and includes personal essays (your life stories). Creative nonfiction can also include biographies, history, travel writing, essays, lyrical essays, etc. It's a fun and stretching genre! If you'd like to see a peak of a lesson from my Creative Nonfiction Academy let me know.