Dear Snow Day, and Your Pile of Prompts! Hey, Snow Day, let's tell it like it is before we start with the prompts: Everybody loves you, I think. Especially the mayor-- you make him popular. Which makes you more popular than basically anyone ever. You make school children freak out with joy and relief. Most of us stress-balls appreciate when Mother Nature throws us a bone, and gives us a free pass to play hooky, and play-- and in this case, respond to a prompt. By choice-- can you believe it?-- some of us weirdos use the extra time you give us to write. BECAUSE WE LIKE IT, AND IT MAKES US FEEL ALIVE. It makes us feel as powerful as a blizzard, as impactful as bad weather, as connected to everything. In case you were wondering. So for those folks "stuck" at home, who are not "busy" binging on video games, pretending to clean, or youtube-ing until their eyes cross, here are some personal essay writing prompts. Courtesy of Essay Intensive and our partner, Snow Day, who really looks out for our creative well-being. These five writing prompts were all derived from an article on how to escape an avalanche (literally, but consider the metaphorical implications). Please check out the details of avalanche-escapsim here. Then, get to pleasurable work. The Writing Prompts Write about a time you got snowed under.-- literally or metaphorically. Write about a time you had to thrash to save your life. If spitting helps us know which way is down, write about not knowing which way is up and what to do about it. Write about something you witnessed in extreme weather-- say, your neighbor's skirt blowing over her head, or someone on a sled being towed by a car. Beacon, Probe, Flotation--respond to these words any way you like. OR Write a short essay in three parts, each part themed around one of these words. How to Deal with Snow Day Prompts: Freewrite-- set your timer: 5-20 minutes per prompt. And just keep going if you hear the beep but you're on Continue Reading …
prompts
Paying Attention (to Freewriting)
If you've been paying attention, you know we think free-writing is THE way to start your college essay. But unexpectedly I came across some sage advice on how NOT to begin your essay, which I'll pass onto you. (Don't fret-- it leads right back to free-writing.) Being Bored, Lazy, Trivial and Proud: that's how not to write your college essay. Paying attention? Got that? Need a sharper voice to tell you so? Sit up and listen to these words from poet Frank O'Hara. Or better: read them out loud. Don’t be bored, don’t be lazy, don’t be trivial, and don’t be proud. The slightest loss of attention leads to death. — Frank O’Hara, 1964 Did he say death? He said death! To avoid such certain death, here are some free-writing exercises to set your observer free. Your medicine is...Your attention! And what simple steps must you take? Pay it! (Don't worry: your doctor would approve.) (And the admissions committee would definitely approve, because they are SO bored of being bored!) Your inner observer can do the work There is nothing better you can do for your college essay success (or your writing voice, period) than to liberate your honest inner observer. Who's that? Glad you asked. It's the little voice inside you that knows--or could know-- what you're really like. Where you shine, where you falter, where you are (join the club, membership free) unmistakably human. Let's look at this quote again, then complete all or some of the prompts below. Don’t be bored, don’t be lazy, don’t be trivial, and don’t be proud. The slightest loss of attention leads to death. — Frank O’Hara, 1964 Free-Writing Prompts: Reflect on something from your life that makes you: 1) bored, 2) lazy, 3) trivial and 4) proud. (One example for each, please, and using as much detail as possible) Reflect on something that makes you sit up and pay attention. Voluntarily (say, Simone Biles) or involuntarily (say, gunshots). Speculate: how could you cross the Continue Reading …
Free-writing for your college essay content? Yes!
I'm a big believer in guided free-writing for students: Just when you think you have nothing to write about for your college essay (or generally!), BOOM, a subject appears from the back of your mind. It's like magic: awesome, repeatable and yours if you want it. Free-writing helps young writers produce freely I watched this magic happen again this weekend in Chicago, at JPMorgan Chase The Fellowship Initiative. We convened on the 56th floor of the company skyscraper, where I offered my intro to the college essay workshop (a sizzling title!) meant to fire up the Fellows' creative circuits. The offices sported a dizzying, commanding view of miniaturized downtown, Big Ole Lake Michigan, and a huge sky. The view itself said, "We own this!" Exactly how I hope the students come to feel about their college essays. Exactly where the productive power of free-writing can get you. Continue Reading …
Procrastination got your college essay? Try this!
Is your college essay due this weekend, or next week, and you've been procrastinating epically? Here's how to beat the procrastination paralysis and crank out a college essay by deadline. Note & Plug! The photo featured above shows gung-ho participants in a customized Essay Intensive college essay writing workshop, Just Write, at The TEAK Fellowship. They beat procrastination, just like you will, and punched out some quality personal essays! So, speaking of-- back to you. The moment is Now It's beyond crunch-time. You're panicking that you don't have time (because you screwed yourself) to be all that you need to be in your college admissions essay: insightful, creative, authentic, reflective, and thoughtful. (You're wrong-- keep reading). You're seriously considering writing your college essay on your dog's midlife crisis as you watch him limp after spastic squirrels. And ending it with a line about the pointlessness of striving in this world. Think again. Let your dog have his own crisis. Seize your loaded moment for what it's worth, and use our tips to write. Continue Reading …
Which Common App prompt should I answer?
I can't pick! College Application season is all about picking-- not apples, not your nose, not lottery numbers, no: on top of picking schools and hoping they pick you, some students stress about picking which Common App prompt to answer. Unless you like having extra things to stress out about (and far be it from us to take that from you), let's clear that up right now. It's actually simple-- write your essay, then select the Common App prompt you think it matches most closely. Continue Reading …