500 words could earn you a college education

October is Hispanic Heritage Month and in Florida, it's a big deal. Students can get a chance at a full scholarship to any public university within Florida by writing a brief essay addressing the question: "In what ways does the foundation of Florida's Hispanic legacy help to build the future of Florida's innovation economy?" Easy, right? Somebody's going to win. Why not you? I'm happy to make comments on any drafts I receive before 9/27. Deadline for submission is 10/1.
Rules and guidelines are here.

No more free reviews this time

After agreeing to read papers and send comments without grades for two days, I am nearly blind from reading student work. I'm done. The real work, the actual papers, come in tomorrow. If you're a student reading this for moral support before writing, here's my best advice. Be sure you are writing about the poems themselves, not only what the poems mean. Shift your focus away from the stories presented in the poems and consider elements and technique. Be sure every literary device you mention is interpreted. It is not enough to say: Here's a metaphor! (Whoopee!) You must say what effect the metaphor has, what it suggests and why it is important.

Sometimes I still don't know

According to www.dailyliteraryquote.com, it was Faulkner who said, "I never know what I think about something until I read what I've written on it." I'd like to think I agree with this. There was a time when writing was the main sorting method for me, a kind of typed reasoning that still helps me, but I no longer find as necessary as I once did. In truth, I know I don't agree with Faulkner. As a writing teacher and much more prosaic writer than Faulkner, I prefer to know my opinion on a topic before I dive into writing about it. That doesn't mean I can't change my mind as the writing develops. And of course it does not preclude a stream of consciousness, preamble sort of writing that I give myself permission to do, (and later to cut) in order to get started on a topic when I'm having a hard time finding a way in. So, I'm wondering about my students as they write this week. Do they know how to begin? Will they give themselves permission to write a lousy first draft? Will they leave time to revise? Time will tell, but I hope so.