Indias essay

you will develop three of your The Time Whens in order to create a story-in-fragments. Youll want to construct scenes rather than summaries of emotional states. Dont tell us how it felt; show us what happened so that we may feel it too. This is achieved through the application of creative-writing techniques (sensory detail, setting, character, dialogue) in what we call creative nonfictionreal stories that are told like fiction.

Theres only one catch: You cannot tell us what the connection between these stories is. We should be able to feel the connection, but you cannot state it outright. Sound good? Here are a few other tips for writing creative nonfiction:

• Connect to your audience through the story, not through rambling summary of how it felt.
• By showing us each scenethe actions, the setting, the sensory details, the detailed narrative recollection of the memorywe will sense the invisible thread without having to be told.
• Concentrate on sensory details.
• These are short pieces, so you dont need to reflect or explain your emotionswe will get a sense of them through scene and specifics. Showing is more important than telling.
• “Show, don’t tell”.
• Showing vs. Telling. This is a common mantra of narrative writing. Heres the difference:

Telling: It made me sad.

Showing: I cried as I clung to the baby blanket.

Telling: She was a caring person, and she always made me happy.

Showing: She made homemade French onion soup when I was sick.

See how much easier it is to feel emotion through showing? We can smell the soup and see her bringing it in on a tray while the narrator sniffles and coughs. Its specific and its sensorythats what youre going for. (Its okay to tell every once in a while, but showing allows your audience to come to the realization themselves while painting a vivid (i.e. memorable) picture).

Requirements

• Length
• Each microstory should be in the 250-350 word range (entire essay 800ish-1000ish words total).
• Include an extra space between each microstory to indicate their separateness.
• Include a title.
• Youre welcome to give each microstory a title, but thats not required.
• Focus on three unique, specific momentszoom in to avoid generalizing.
• Provide enough background information for your audience to understand both within the limited space of the essay.
• Include clear, concise, and specific descriptions.
• Illustrate each scene using detail, dialogue, setting, and vivid sensory.
• Keep reflection to a minimum.
• Give the audience a clear feeling of the events effect on the authors life. We should all be able to describe (in similar language) what the stories represent for the author, and how they mark a shift (however great or small) in the authors understanding of the world.
• Maintain a consistent verb tense and point of view.
• Make sure your sentences are functional and have varied structure and length.
• Edit for grammar, mechanics and spelling. Any grammatical deviations are purposeful and included to add meaning (e.g., purposeful sentence fragment, slang to capture voice).
• Dialogue (if included) should be properly formatted.

Don’t Do It!

• Dont assume your audience knows anything about either your social issue or about yourself.
• Dont provide excessive backstory.
• Do not mention the invisible thread.
• Dont crowd sentences with to-be verbs, inexact phrasing, vague or inexact descriptions.
• Dont use abstractions.

The time when I cried in private

Who: Just me, sitting alone; I was quiet, holding everything in, trying not to break down.

• What: I cried silently, overwhelmed by stress and pressure I hadnt shared with anyone.
• When: Late at night during a stressful period in my life, likely during the school year.
• Where: In my room, door closed, lights low, the space feeling small and heavy.
• Why: I didnt want to burden others or appear weak, so I handled my emotions privately.

2. The time when I felt proud of myself for pushing through

Who: Me, working through the challenge alone, mentally exhausted but determined.

• What: I kept going despite wanting to quit, finishing something that felt overwhelming at first.
• When: During a demanding time with school and personal responsibilities overlapping.
• Where: Likely at home or somewhere quiet where I could focus and push myself forward.
• Why: Giving up would have felt easier, but I wanted to prove to myself that I was capable.

3. The time when I bought my very first car alone

Who: Me and the car salesperson; I was nervous but confident.

• What: I signed the paperwork and made the decision completely on my own.
• When: As a young adult, marking a new level of independence.
• Where: At a car dealership, surrounded by rows of cars and unfamiliar paperwork.
• Why: I needed reliable transportation and wanted to show myself that I could handle a major responsibility independently..