What goes in the essay?
I amy be overthinking things, but what belongs in the 7-800 word "description of your background and reasons for attending"? I guess I'm thrown by it being "used to introduce you to the workshop's instructors".
Is this strictly business (I've been writing ten years, here are my publishing credits, here's my training, here's my expectations of CW) or is it more of a development of my character (I'm married with one beautiful daughter, I like dachshunds, I am addicted to Buffalo wings, and I write some too)? I'd hate to be passed over for sending the wrong thing.
Like I said, I'm probably overthinking it. I've read too many books that stress the importance of the "cover letter" and now I'm paranoid. Any advice would be helpful, though alums who have clearly been through this (successfully) would be great. I'll just go back to chewing my nails and drinking coffee.
-Oso
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Comments
essay
Submitted by Vylar Kaftan on November 7, 2008 - 7:19am.
It's what the instructors read before they meet you, so they can have some idea of who you are. It has very little effect (if any) on whether you are admitted or not. All the things you listed are fine.
Cover letters are an entirely different beast. Those should be as simple as possible (really).
So don't stress too much about the essay.
By the way, as mentioned in another thread, the boards are a little slow this year, but they'll pick up in January and February.
Vylar Kaftan
CW '04, Clarion West Forum Master
http://www.vylarkaftan.net
I'll second what Vy said;
Submitted by debtaber on November 13, 2008 - 9:49pm.
I'll second what Vy said; don't stress over it. It doesn't hurt to mix a bit of the personal and business side of things. Just pay more attention to whatever is most significant to *you* in your writing background and your reasons for attending, and don't worry about the specifics of who will be reading it later.
No more nail biting...but I may join you in the excessive coffee drinking just on principal.
~Deb Taber
CW 04
Thanks!
Submitted by Oso on November 8, 2008 - 7:27pm.
Thank you for clarifying that. Now I can sleep better. Or at least just lose sleep over other things.
Yeah, what Scott
Submitted by Sandra M. Odell on November 13, 2008 - 4:32pm.
Yeah, what Scott said...
Deciding that writing is a better idea,
Sandra
I am wounded, but I am not slain. I shall lay me down and rest awhile then rise and fight again. -- John Byrden