Preparing to Write a College Application Essay

After selecting a prompt… You must decide what SPECIFIC story you want to tell Ask yourself if your story responds fully to the prompt you selected Keep your intended audience in mind

Structure: Deciding How to Organize Your Story Flashback: the author depicts the occurrence of specific events to the reader, which have taken place before the present time the narration is following (yet the MAIN story takes place in the present time). Examples: past narratives by characters, depictions and references of dreams and memories Flashback is used to create a background to the present situation, place or person.

Deciding How to Organize Your Story  Framed Narrative: an introductory or main narrative is presented, at least in part, for the purpose of setting the stage either for a more emphasized second narrative or for a set of shorter stories. The frame story leads readers from a first story into THE MAIN EVENT(S) The frame story may also be used to allow readers to understand a part of the story, then jump to another part that can now be understood.

Deciding How to Organize Your Story Foreshadowing is a literary device in which a writer gives an advance hint of what is to come later in the story. Foreshadowing often appears at the beginning of a story or a chapter and helps the reader develop expectations about the coming events in a story. A writer may use dialogues of characters to hint at what may occur in future. Any event or action in the story may throw a hint to the readers about future events or action. Even a title of a work or a chapter title can act as a clue that suggests what is going to happen.

Deciding How to Organize Your Story In medias res, ( Latin: “in the midst of things”) the practice of beginning a narrative by plunging into a crucial situation that is part of a related chain of events; the situation is an extension of previous events and will be developed in later action. The narrative then goes directly forward, and exposition of earlier events is supplied by flashbacks.

Deciding How to Organize Your Story A plot twist is a radical change in the expected direction or outcome of the plot of a narrative. It is a common practice in narration used to keep the interest of an audience, usually surprising them with a revelation. Some "twists" are foreshadowed.

Deciding How to Organize Your Story First person narrative is a point of view where the story is narrated by one character at a time. This character may be speaking about him or herself, or sharing events that he or she is experiencing. In first person, we only see the point of view of one character. While this character may share details about others in the story, we are only told what the speaker knows. An author may switch from character to character, but still use first person narrative. This way, we may learn about what other characters think and feel, but we are still limited in our knowledge because we must rely on what the character shares.

Deciding How to Organize Your Story Breaking the fourth wall: Breaking the fourth wall is when, throughout the course of a narrative, either the author or the main character talks directly to the reader. For example, the protagonist might do something particularly evil, and then turn around and ask the reader, “I know you think I’m the worst person in the world right now. But ask yourself: if you were in my position, what would you do differently?”

After selecting your intended structure… REMEMBER TO: SHOW vs. TELL your story

Highlighting Descriptive Techniques REMEMBER TO HIGHLIGHT AND LABEL your use of 4 of the following techniques: Imagery Simile Metaphor Repetition Allusion Onomatopoeia Alliteration

HIGHLIGHT DIALOGUE IN GREEN Formatting with Speaker Tags When beginning with the speaker tag: John said, “I’ll call you tomorrow.” Note that in this example, a comma is placed after the speaker tag. When the quotation ends with speaker tag: “I’ll call you tomorrow,” John said. A comma is placed at the end of the quoted dialogue, inside the quotation mark, before the speaker tag. A period completes the sentence, but after the speaker tag. When the dialogue tag is placed in the middle: “I’ll call you,” John said, “tomorrow.” A comma is used inside the quotation mark preceding the speaker tag, and again after the tag, before the quotation mark that completes the quote. A lower case letter indicates the second part of the quotation is a continuation of the first part of the quotation.

More Formatting Guidelines Formatting Two (or more) Speakers When two or more people are speaking, each line of dialogue must go to a new line or paragraph. It’s a new “paragraph” because each time a new person speaks, the line must be indented. “I’ll call you tomorrow,” John said. “Have a nice day.” “But I thought you might stay,” Diane said. “I can’t. I have to go.” “I wish you wouldn’t.” “Mom! I need a drink of water!” Diane’s daughter yelled from her bedroom.

A Sense of Understanding/Closure Provide a conclusion that follows from and reflects on what is experienced, observed, or resolved over the course of the narrative. Make these colleges pay attention to YOU! (Be unique/avoid clichés) Formulate a memorable/meaningful ending to your narrative Decide after reading your finished narrative if this story serves its intended purpose (admission to college)

Attention to Detail Write a 650 word count (appx. 2 pages) essay addressing one of the prompts provided. MLA format Header and heading 1 inch margins, all sides Indent paragraphs (no additional spaces between paragraphs) Double spaced 12 pt. font, Times New Roman Creative Title in 12 pt. font (not underlined, or italicized, or in a fun color, or in a strange font)

DUE DATES 8/13: First draft submitted to turnitin.com by midnight Block day 8/15 or 8/16: Hard copy of your first draft due in class 8/20: FINAL DRAFT submitted to turnitin.com by midnight