Whether you’re writing a report, an essay, or fiction, the best writing is personal. Writing is a conversation between you and your reader. If they want to look up facts and figures without your personal analysis, there’s always the internet. Readers crave a personal connection with the writing and that’s what you bring to the conversation.
Nonfiction
Think about the last report you wrote. Was it an assigned topic? If not, how did you choose what to write about? Was your report dull and lifeless or did you pack it with the passion you have for the topic? The best writing always has a personal component. That personal connection allows you to care about the topic which lets you share your passion with your readers.
Memoir
Memoir is writing about your own experiences and how they changed your outlook on life. 
When your teacher asks you to reflect on an experience, a family member, or a slice of life, what they’re looking for is how those experiences, people, or life experiences shaped who you are today. It can be scary to bare your soul, especially to your teacher—a virtual stranger. But don’t write for them. Write for yourself. Writing is an exercise in self-discovery. You can always prepare a sanitized version to turn in, but the most meaningful memoir reveals unexpected insight and exposes new perspectives.
Fiction
How can you make fiction personal if it’s all made up? One way is to take an issue you are passionate about and fictionalize it. Pour all your knowledge about the topic into your story. Invite your reader onto the page through detail in description. Another way is to weave actual events (or exaggerated 
versions of actual events) into your story. The best storytellers are those who have experienced life. Go out and live!
Meaningful prose can inspire. Love and beauty 
are most evident when seen against a backdrop of ugliness and hate. But it’s okay for writing to be angry or jealous or vengeful or judgmental—these are human emotions; readers demand humanity from the writing. Sprinkle your work with tension and conflict to draw an emotional reaction. The best writing is personal. Harness your emotions and pour them into your work.
