1. Write a short creative nonfiction piece. Creative nonfiction is a type of writing that uses literary techniques (like the poetic devices we have studied in class) to report on actual people, places, and events. It includes various types of writing spanning from nature and travel writing to biography, memoir, or interview.
2. Please keep this project short. It should be 350—700 words (use your word processor word count function). You will need to overwrite at first and then cut out any words that are not absolutely essential. This process will make your final draft much sharper than your first draft. Put the final word count at the top right-hand corner of your assignment.
3. Pack your sentences with fresh poetic devices and strong images. Use the five senses. Focus on capturing a few moments with words. Slow down and show the details.
4. Avoid clichés like the plague (hah!).
5. Like a good poem, your piece should have a “turn” in it. In other words, your reader should have at least one “aha” moment where suddenly his understanding is expanded or opened up. He should look at your subject in a new light because of this “turn.”
6. Please select one of the following topics:
- An old family photograph
- A small moment that became a turning point in your own life
- A moment in your life that will be in your children’s history books
- An everyday object that says something important about you and/or your world
7. If you need inspiration, browse some of the short essays from past issues of the online journal for creative nonfiction called Brevity (http://www.creativenonfiction.org/brevity/pastissues.htm).
8. Your final draft should be typed, 12-point Times New Roman font, double-spaced. Include a creative title. Make sure you read your final draft aloud to someone for final editing.
9. The final draft is due on Thursday, April 28 at the start of class.
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