1. C.J. Hill – SP 2019
LONG WORKSHOP ESSAY
ASSIGNMENT INSTRUCTIONS
first draft
We have spent the semester reading and discussing all kinds and shapes of creative nonfiction.
Lyrics, research-heavy, essays with a call to action, portraits and ponderings, retellings—by this
point, you should have come across something that spoke to you as a writer. Said this is what you
want to do.
The rest of our time together will be spent working on your own full-length piece of creative
nonfiction, whatever form that ends up taking for you. You are open to writing on any topic,
making any sort of conviction, just as long as its roots are in the real world. The following are
your only guidelines/restrictions:
THIS ASSIGNMENT REQUIRES:
• A length of 10-12 pages
• A focus on the creative—using the tools in your toolbox to tell a story in a new and
interesting way including, but not limited to, research, metaphor, a unique structure,
braiding, juxtaposition, scene, reflection, perhapsing, questioning, etc.
• An arrival at a so what—there should be some larger purpose for telling your story beyond
simply wanting to share it
FORMAT:
• Write in standard edited English and in a basic font like Times New Roman, with at least
1.5 line spacing
• Make sure your name is written at the top and include a creative working title (one that is
not simply “Long Workshop Essay”)
• Include page numbers
SUBMISSION:
• Bring fifteen hardcopies of your essay to class on the date it is due, one copy for each
of your classmates, your instructor, and yourself.
• Bring a folder to class with you to class on the date it is due in which to stow all of your
classmates’ drafts until their workshop date. It is your responsibility to keep track of
the drafts. Remember our class’s confidentiality clause—you are being entrusted
with your classmates’ words outside of our space. Do not ruin this trust
ASSESSMENT:
• This assignment is worth 100 points and will be graded by adherence to the prompt and
these listed requirements, as well as attention and participation in our class discussions
• Allowing this piece to be workshopped by your peers while following workshop decorum
is also a crucial part of this assignment’s grade
LONG WORKSHOP ESSAY FIRST DRAFT
DUE IN CLASS MONDAY, MARCH 25
