Writing the Personal Essay
Fall 2004
Monday 6:30-9:00
Instructor: Terri Long
Office: McGuinn 100
e-mail: longt@bc.edu
Hours: Before class, by appointment
Texts
Inventing the Truth, The Art and Craft of Memoir, Zinsser
Modern American Memoirs, Dillard & Conley
The Elements of Style, Strunk & White
“Through finding a story’s shape within you life’s shape, you could know what
your life means.” Tristine Rainer, Your Life as Story
This semester, we’ll read the personal stories of others, using those pieces
as inspiration to help us discover and write the stories of our own lives. In
writing the stories of our life, we explore feelings and beliefs about love and
loss, faith and commitment, hope and disappointment, faith, courage,
challenge and success; in exploring our emotions and deepest beliefs, we
search for meaning and insight.
We’ll look with a writer’s critical eye at an assortment of essays, discussing
their insight and meaning. In our discussions on craft, you’ll learn the
techniques you need to write compelling essays. You’ll learn to engage your
readers by writing realistic dialogue, building interesting scenes, describing
dynamic characters and settings. Exercises and homework assignments,
designed to complement classroom discussion, will give you the opportunity
to experiment with structure and form, as you learn new ways of exploring
and expanding your creativity.
Essay Assignments: In addition to regular short exercises, you’ll write two
creative pieces: a two to three-page personal reflection and a five-page
memoir. Because it’s almost impossible to write a good essay in one draft—as
any practicing writer knows, the “real” writing happens in the revision—you
are encouraged to write multiple drafts. A polished final draft of your
workshop essay will be due the last night of class.
Papers will be graded on creativity, content, style, structure, and mechanics.
All essays must be turned in the evening they are due.
Paper Format: We’ll be using the Modern Language Association (MLA)
standard manuscript format for English and the humanities.
Attendance and Class Participation: A large portion of this class will be
conducted in workshop format. Please remember: workshops help the critic
as much as they help the writer. It’s not fair to you or to your classmates,
who depend on your insight and support, if you don’t show up.
(Extra incentive: attendance and participation count toward your grade.)
Grades: Grade assessments are based on three components, ranked in the
following order: quality of essays, attendance and participation, completion
of homework and exercises.
Conferences: I’d be pleased to meet with you before class to discuss the
essay you’re working on-or to talk about writing in general. So that I’ll be
able to give you the attention you need, I ask that you schedule an
appointment the week before you’d like to meet.
Peer Critique: The peer critique is your response to the pieces presented in
the workshops. Please read each piece carefully, then write an analysis,
describing the essay’s strong points and pointing out areas where you feel
the writing might be improved. Try to make your comments as specific as
possible. Careful analysis of the peer essays will, of course, help the author,
but will also help you to become a better writer and critic.
One final note: One week before your scheduled workshop, you’ll be asked
to bring copies of your second essay to class. You must to bring enough
copies for everyone. Because this class meets in the evening, it’s nearly
impossible to distribute work outside of class. Essays not brought to class
the night they are due will not be reviewed. If an emergency forces you to
reschedule your workshop, you are responsible for: 1) finding a classmate to
switch time slots with you; 2) informing me, so I can update the schedule.
Workshops are to be rescheduled ONLY in emergency situations.
I hope you find this a rewarding and productive semester. I look forward to
sharing your work.
Work Schedule: Writing The Personal Essay, Fall 2004
ESSAY ASSIGNMENTS: In addition to regular exercises, you will be
writing two essays, a short, 2-3 page reflection and a longer (5 page)
personal essay. A revised draft of your first essay is due on 10/18; a
polished draft of your second essay is due on the final night of class.
Please Note: Late Papers will not be accepted.
You are encouraged to write multiple drafts of your essays. Though it is not
required, I suggest that you form peer workshops, with group members
critiquing one another’s drafts.
ALL assignments are to be DOUBLE-SPACED, with 1” margins, and
MUST adhere to page limits. Shorter pieces can be fully developed by
tightening your focus.
Week One
9/13
Discussion: 1) Writers and the writing process
2) Subjectivity and Truth
3) Getting started—what interests you?
4) Brainstorming
Week Two
9/20
Reading: “Learning to Chill Out,” McCourt, ITT 61
“The Autobiography of Malcom X,” MAM 142
Writing: 1) One page reflection on writing process.
2) Copy an opening and a closing that you admire
(may be from different sources). Describe, in a
paragraph, what appeals to you and why.
Discussion: 1) Start with a punch; end with a bang.
2) Focus & Narrative form
Exercise: Revise essay open and close.
Week Three
9/27
Paper Due
Reading: “Life with Mother,” Baker ITT 23
“Growing Up,” Baker MAM 49
Writing: Paper #1 Write a 2-3 page story/reflection
about someone you care about. How does that person’s
life intersect with your own?
Discussion: Voice, Point of View
Exercise: Switching POV
Week Four
10/4
Reading: “Lifting the Veil,” Gates ITT 101
“The Same River Twice,” MAM 297
Writing: Jot down details that you might add to develop
your reflective piece. Be as specific as possible.
Discussion: Telling a true story
God is in the detail.
Exercise: Developing the Story
Week Five
Tues 10/12
Reading: “Poets In My Youth,” Simpson, ITT 83
“ Facts of Life,” Howard, MAM 68
Writing: (One page) Describe someone you love or
someone you detest. Make the description come alive.
Discussion: Description
Exercise: You’re MIA: Describe yourself.
Week Six
10/18
Rev. Due.
Reading: “The Woman Warrior,” Kingston, MAM 231
“The Duke of Deception,” Wolff, MAM 288
Writing: 1) Revision Paper #1
Discussion: Dialogue
Exercise: Practice dialogue writing
Week Seven
10/25
Reading: “The Site of Memory, Morrison, ITT 183
“The Court of Memory,” McConkey MAM 345
Writing: (One page) Write a short, focused story about a
particular event. What significance does that story have
for you?
Discussion: 1) Focus & Meaning
Exercise: Round the class stories
Week Eight
11/1
Reading: “To Fashion a Text, Dillard, ITT 141
“Replacing Memory,” Lopez, MAM 372
Writing: (One page) Using Lopez’s essay as a model,
divide one of your pieces into sections. Briefly describe
the contents of each section.
Please bring a draft of one of your essays to class.
Discussion: Structure/Organization—shaping a text
Exercise: How Does Structure/Organization Change A
Story?
Week Nine
11/8
Reading: “The Past Breaks Out,” Kazin ITT 119
“Will’s Boy,” Morris MAM 222
Writing: (One Page) Describe a place that moves you.
Discussion: Setting & Atmosphere
Week Ten
11/15
Reading: “This Stubborn Soil,” Owens MAM 269
Writing: (One Page) Write a brief story about
something you’ve done.
Discussion: 1) Scene Making
2) Profluence
Week Eleven
11/22
Reading: “Brothers and Keepers,” Wideman, MAM 407
Writing: (One Page) Write a brief analysis of the essay
you intend to present as your final piece. What’s working?
What isn’t? What moves the story forward?
Discussion: Revision
Please bring a copy of one your essays to class.
Week Twelve
11/29
Reading: “This Boy’s Life,” Wolff MAM 193
Writing: Copy two paragraphs written by your favorite
author, then write two paragraphs of your own, imitating
his or her style. Finally, write a paragraph describing the
stylistic techniques you copied.
Discussion: Style, Edit, Final Revision
Please bring a copy of your final essay to class.
Week Thirteen
12/6
Reading: “Art and Ardor,” Ozick MAM 108
Writing: Write a one page opening of a new essay.
2) Make a list of questions about writing in
general or essay writing in particular.
Discussion: All About Writing
Week Fourteen
Writing: 1) Polished Draft of Workshop Essay
12/13
2) Personal Evaluation—where do you think you
are now with your writing? What has changed in your
writing this semester? How have you grown as a writer?
Discussion: Appreciating the finished product.