Photo by Linda Cronin
I think I’ve written too much about essays on this blog. Here’s another post. (Sorry to those who are bored, bored, bored.)
I’ve got two assignments from my writing class to work up some essays: one for the likes of O mag or Self or some other such glossy and then a longer one for a more esteemed pub, The Sun, the Nation, etc., etc. I got my assignment a week before my trip abroad. A month away, more than a month sick, and a very busy summer with a lot of work and day job responsibilities and I’m just now getting back to this.
And the fact that I need to take my English Comp CLEP test in August (which includes the essay section), plus another one (probably history) in order to get back on track for my BA degree. This is hard to go to school and work full-time (sis and bro, how do you do this?)
I think it’s worth it. I’m heading to a double MFA program someday and I want to do it.
However, the art of the essay is not as easily learned as one supposes. I can articulate quite nicely my theme, but I still struggle with either not giving the reader enough of what we call a mature narrator and giving the reader too much mature narrator. Sometimes the mature narrator can steal the story or disappear from the page. Both situations don’t work at all.
Tonight I am meeting my writing buddies (first one right after work to work on book proposals and the second one later on after she finishes her work at Microsoft to discuss memoir/essay). Both are wonderful writers (as are all of my writing buddies; you don’t work this hard at your writing to just suck at it, trust me) and very interesting people to boot. It should be very enjoyable. I am hoping to get some insight into two of my rough draft essay pieces from the second writer and to set down a book prop writing schedule with the first writer.
So glad I’m not doing this on my own!
Seattle is having a heat wave this week. Everyone is frantically watering their lawn (neighbors have new sod down) so as not to lose it. We’re watering while they go on their Alaska cruise (our culdesac is headed to Alaska in August it seems; all on different ships, but same ports, same cruise line) and they are watering for us when we go on ours.
We leave August 30. I’m already packing and Todd just ordered a new camera lens for those magnificent glaciers. We are going with my parents and we are all so excited. Who knew that balcony rooms were this affordable? Well, not exactly bargain price, but doable. Worth it for this long-awaited trip. I intend to drink hot chocolate out on our balcony every morning and night. I cannot wait.
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