The Writer's Notebook: 2009

Our Story Begins...

The Writer's Notebook is a place for doing the work of writers. Here you will find prompts that hopefully can be the ice pick for the frozen sea that is your creative brain, and that can turn into the larger projects of the quarter.

Writer's Notebook entries should undergo at least two drafts before submitting--that is, they begin as "free writes" or writing we may do in class. Then, so it's more than merely free form, please type your entry, revising to a "second level" kind of draft. You should have FIVE of these pieces each quarter.

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Writers Notebook, vol xiv

1. Write a Letter to the Editor

2. Write a short essay based on your favorite song, like some of these.

3. Write an Open Letter To Those Unlikely to Respond

4. Write a persuasive essay that uses examples, cases, and logic.

5. Write a Hemingway parody

6. Letter to yourself at age 12: Write a letter to yourself at age 12. What will you tell yourself? What advice do you have in facing the next six years? Explain to yourself what the world you yourself at 12 are about to enter will be like.

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Mental Floss

Tolle brings Katy Neymon's blog to the table, featuring off-beat, risk-type essay questions.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

One Hundred College Application Essay Prompts

What do Elvis, Dennis Rodman, William S. Buroughs and YOU have in common?

They will all appear on this list of a hundred prompts. What more do you need?

Thanks, AP for posting!