Category: Essay

two photos of a canal in amsterdam--one during the day, one during the night--overlayed on each other so that day or night evokes the memory of the other.W
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Writing on Memory, Considering When To Do So

"All genres have a central expectation, and that of memoir is wisdom," writes Kutlay in this meditation on history, memory, and writing about ourselves.
a photo of the front range mountains in snow with a photograph of Barrel cactus in bloom from Hovenweep National Monument, 05/1972 overlayed. Cactus flower is U.S. National Archives’ Local Identifier: 412-DA-2398C
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Circling Back: Return and Recursivity in Nature-Based Memoir

"All memory is a circling back to moments of earlier experience," writes Kayann Short as she evaluates the importance of return in ecobiography.
A bright yellow sunset over a black horizon with colorful dots overlaid.T
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The Endurance of A Classic

"While this fear is nothing compared to experiencing war, I worry that the circumstances will change me completely, as they changed him." - a 17-year old Kazakh student reflects on All Quiet on the Western Front
a view of a lake in a valley with the tree in the foreground and overlaid is the alphabet in black and white lettersO
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Obscured Truth: A Review of Sheila Heti’s Alphabetical Diaries

An exercise in experimentation, Sheila Heti’s Alphabetical Diaries started as lines from the author’s diary, which she then entered into an Excel spreadsheet, alphabetized, and..
small pink cluster flowers and bright green leaves overlayed onto 1940s and 1950s monster movie posters. You can make our some of the titles like "I was a teenage frankenstein," but they are not clearly visible.L
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Love the Creature

“And now, once again, I bid my hideous progeny go forth and prosper. I have an affection for it…But this is for myself; my readers..
A maroon rectangle with three overlapping images inset photograph of a brick wall and a green gate.N
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No Le Digas A Nadie. Don’t Tell Anyone.

“No le digas a nadie” is a threat that happens in almost every conversation I have with my mom. It’s synonymous with, “Don’t tell another..
orange-hued flowers that look like they've been cut out of images on a yellow background. the flowers include black-eyed susans, daisys, marigolds, and tropical flowersH
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How (Not) To Define A Lyric Essay

Heidi Czerwiec and Erica Trabold explore the function of lyric essays, and how lyric essay collections are illuminating this style of nonfiction writing.
A somewhat blurry image of a lit-up carnival ride called The Shaker in motion. Overlayed are semi-transparent purple spirals in an indistinguishable pattern.W
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When the Arc is Too Small

When a narrative arc doesn't work, how do we find a structure for a work of narrative nonfiction?
A collage of three different houses with words overlaid.P
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Prose and Connotations

"It seems like such a small thing to consider, with all of the other elements writers are asked to pay attention to, but I know I need to consider the specific connotations of my words," writes Jenny Hughes.
A photo of an open book where you only see the bottom of the book and the back cover overlayed on a photo of wood grain.T
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That One Time A Writer Signed All My Books

How Andi Stout found a literary community and how it makes her a better writer: An Essay on Literary Citizenship.