Your Mission (Part II): Write

This one has two parts:

Part the First

'Member when you applied to ASFA? We asked you to write an "autobiography" -- though, for some reason, we asked you to do it in third person. (?)

If you were like 96.37% of all applicants, it started something like this:

"On [fill in your birthdate], [fill in your name] was born in [fill in place of birth], and [fill in gender appropriate possessive pronoun] parents were very happy..."

Give or take.

Redeem yourself. At the very least, revise (i.e., re-see) yourself, lo these many years later.

500 - 750 words -- no less, no more -- of well-crafted nonfiction prose that says something fundamental (i.e., True, Essential) about who you are in the here-and-now. No other rules. (It doesn't even have to be in third person!)

Be ready to read it aloud when I get back on Monday, Aug 25. Like, in front of other people. In this room.

Part the Second

You will submit two essays for critique this semester. One shorter (1000 - 1500 words) and one longer (2000 - 3000 words). We'll critique the shorter essays in the first nine weeks and the longer ones in the second nine weeks. So take this opportunity to get started on your first conference draft. Other than the 1000 - 1500 word requirement, here are the parameters:

1. It should be in first person. Actually use "I."

2. The concept of Place should be important to the essay. Allow me to make a few nonbinding suggestions: here, perhaps? Or here? How about -- dare I even say it? -- here! Whatever place you choose, I strongly suggest A) you pick a place you have strong feelings about, one way or another, and B) you spend some time there before/during the writing process. If it's a place far away, do the best you can. Talk to people who are living there. Look at old pictures. Eat food native to the place. And, if all else fails, I guess you could Google it or something.

3. The rest is up to you.

All of you will use some version of this essay for your first conference draft. Two of you lucky souls will submit your conference drafts to my ASFA e-mail account by the close of business on Monday, Aug 25.

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