This document provides instructions for Project 2 of an English course. Students are asked to write a 4-7 page letter to someone they used to be close with but are no longer in contact with. The letter must include at least one story or anecdote from their relationship. Students should focus on developing their individual voice for the intended recipient and use specific details when sharing their story. The project will be evaluated based on how well the student maintains a consistent and recognizable voice throughout and establishes an effective tone while making emotional appeals tailored to the recipient.

1. ENGL 208 Personal & Exploratory Writing Page 1 of 2
Project 2: Epistolary Essay
Due Sunday, October 7
4-7 pages
Write to please just one person. If you open a window and make
love to the world, so to speak, your story will get pneumonia.
—Kurt Vonnegut
Write a letter to someone you used to be close to, but no longer are. This could be an ex-
boyfriend or ex-girlfriend, it could be an estranged family member, a friend who grew apart,
or a mentor you no longer speak to. It could even be someone who has passed away—the
important thing is that you are writing a letter to someone that was very important in your
life, but is no longer present. The letter must contain at least one story or anecdote—this
might be a memory you have with the person, or it might be a significant event that has
happened to you since you last spoke to the recipient of the letter, that you really wish you
could share with them.
What
For this project, you will be focusing on your individual voice, and writing to a particular audience. We all
speak and act differently according to who we are around; your job in this project is to choose a specific
audience and write to them in a consistent, particular voice. Your voice in this letter should contribute to
your purpose (if you are condemning the recipient of your letter, your voice might be blunt and resentful,
for example). Make sure you study the lectures/readings on literary “voice;” voice has a specific meaning in
this context. You will also use specific detail to tell the story/anecdote.
How
If you actually sent this letter, the person receiving it should know from the first sentence that it is from you
and no one else. Write like yourself; you will still be revising significantly, but revisions should help you
sound more like yourself, not less. You will utilize literary techniques such as: word choice, tone, pathos, and
syntax, in order to craft your particular voice. Use standard MLA formatting, but instead of a title, write a
salutation to the recipient of the letter (for example, instead of “Letter to Sally” centered in the page, you
might write “My dearest Sally,” left-justified).
Evaluation
This project will be evaluated on the following criteria.
An ‘A’ epistolary essay will:

2. ENGL 208 Personal & Exploratory Writing Page 2 of 2
• Use a consistent, recognizable voice from beginning to end.
• Establish a complex tone.
• Employ intentional word choice and syntax to achieve effect.
• Make emotional appeals from one individual to another.
• Use specific details.
• Be written in edited, polished English (any grammatical choices that do not follow English
conventions in order to establish voice must be intentional, not mistakes).
• Meet all requirements for a ‘B’ essay.
A ‘B’ epistolary essay will meet all requirements laid out in the grade contract, including but not limited to:
• Significant revisions made between drafts.
• Deals with a perplexing or complex issue.
Learning Objectives. After completing this assignment, you should be able to:
• Write in a consistent voice for a particular audience.
• Understand how audience shapes the purpose and tone of communication.
• Create emotional appeals for a particular audience using voice and tone.