The writing process; sometimes it works and sometimes…

I wrote an essay on Sunday about a high school graduation I had attended that weekend.

You see, I’m a community newspaper editor and I was there to cover the event and write a news story for my paper. But the event was so stirring that I was moved to also write an essay about it for the paper’s opinion page. The only trouble is when I wrote the first version it was a mess. I zigzagged, took u-turns and tried to make too many points. Not realizing how bad it was, I read it (with pride) to a friend. When I finished and looked at his face I wondered why he looked so pained.

Fortunately, I had left myself enough time before deadline to write another draft. The second version was much better, with a clearer focus, and I was able to publish it without embarrassing myself.

The first draft  of your college essay is a practice run. Leave yourself enough time to revise it as many times as needed. Read it to your friends and family members. Listen to their reactions. Take all the feedback into account, but stay true to your own central theme. Don’t make the mistake of embellishing your story.

The truth is always more interesting.

Have faith as you write that the final version will turn out okay.

If you get started this summer you’ll be doing yourself the biggest favor of your young life. When senior year begins, life will get busier than it  has ever been before. Don’t worry, you’ll get through it. Still, if you can complete this requirement before then, you’ll make it easier on yourself.

If you need help getting started, just email or click. I’m here to help. As a matter of fact, I’ve scheduled a workshop on “Brainstorming the college essay” for June 29, 2 to 5 p.m. in Westford, Mass. or via Skype. There are just 3 seats left for a total of only six students. There will be lots of one-on-one attention and you will leave with a solid essay topic and the beginning of a draft.

Go ahead and click!

My own truth

I’m working on an essay today in which I acknowledge that I haven’t discovered my own truth.

You see, in my brainstorming workshops I ask my students to write about their “kernel of truth.” What I mean is that I want them to acknowledge not just their successes but also their foibles. I want them to reveal the things they hide or don’t speak about.

I believe the most compelling essays are those that are truthful.

And yet, I’ve never really required myself to do the same. It’s time for me to look inside myself. This is scary stuff, but I can’t expect others to confide their vulnerabilities if I don’t know mine.

I’ll post the essay in a few days.

In the meantime, if you’re a rising senior ready to search for a topic for your college application essay, come to my workshop on June 29, 2 to 5 p.m. at One Technology Park Drive, Westford, Mass.

Register here and take a load off your shoulders. I’ll make it interesting, fun and meaningful.  I promise!

Brainstorming workshop, June 29

I’ll be holding a workshop to help rising seniors brainstorm their college application essays on Wednesday, June 29, from 2 to 5 p.m. at Technology Park Drive in Westford, Mass.

To register, click here.

The exact location will be sent to registrants.

Your essay can be the deciding factor in your college admission. Finding a topic that is meaningful to you will help you write an essay that is compelling and memorable.

Make your essay stand out in the submission pile. Whether you want to write a persuasive piece or a personal statement, you need to do research and know your topic. Don’t wait to get started. The summer will fly by. The next school year will begin and you will get really busy.

There will be college applications to fill out, sports games to play, homework to do and friends to see.

Write your essay now, before the pressure mounts.

I’m happy to help you get the wheels rolling.

Just click!

What’s your ‘kernel of truth?’

As defined by MacMillan Dictionary, the “kernel of truth” is “the central or most important part of something.”

What’s your kernel of truth?

When you find it, it’s time to start writing your college application essay because that central piece of your personality will make your story compelling and meaningful.

In my brainstorming workshops I talk a lot about finding your kernel of truth and we spend time talking about your passions, your family, and your experiences in an effort to find a subject that truly interests you.

The goal is to find a topic that is so important to you that you WANT to write about it.

Writing your 650-word college essay shouldn’t be an onerous chore. It ought to be a story that pours out of you and reflects the essence of whom you are.

I’ll be offering a brainstorming workshop in June and will send out an announcement shortly.

More information to follow.

There’s plenty of time…Why should I start my essay in June?

The school year is almost over and you are looking forward to your senior year.

Congratulations! You’re at the top of the heap now and you’re calling the shots and setting an example for the underclassmen in your school. Come mid-June you won’t have a care in the world, right?

WRONG! June is the time to start writing your college application essay. This is the only period between now and Feb. 1 when you will have no other pressures on you and you can give the essay the thought and time it needs.

Keep in mind that completing college applications is time-consuming and you will have schoolwork to complete and extra-curricular activities to do, as well.

Your essay is the ticket into the school of your choice. Don’t leave it up to chance. Give yourself enough time to make it the best possible essay you can produce.

Write your draft in June and edit, edit, edit. Give yourself a deadline of July 4 to have a final draft written and ready for review by your English teacher in the fall.

If you want professional help, contact me. This is what I love to do. I am passionate about helping you find the kernel of truth within yourself and telling your story — the one that a college admissions officer will remember and value.

We can get it done in as few as two or three one-hour sessions and it will be one less thing for you to worry about in September.

Together, our process will be simple: Brainstorm, Write, Edit, Submit.

April 6 brainstorming session approaching

Eight Westford Academy students are registered for my April 6 workshop on “Brainstorming your college application essay.” There are several more students who are wait-listed and hoping to get in.

I begin the session by asking each student to tell me about his or her interests and family life. The question seems simple enough, but what follows can be surprising. Some students have traveled or lived in exotic locations. They’re skilled in robotics, technology, sports, dance, or music. Even though they’re only 17 or 18, some have immersed themselves in other cultures or languages. Some coordinate events to raise funds for causes important to them.

They come to me with a wealth of rich experiences for writing an essay. The trick is to tell the story in just 650 words. Writing short is more difficult than writing long. It means every word counts. Action verbs are required and sentences must be carefully crafted.

After the introductions, I give the students short writing projects to help them think more deeply about their potential topic.

The goal is to engage them so that they want to write their story. If the students become interested, the exercise will be enjoyable rather than onerous.

I’m looking forward to Wednesday when I’ll meet another group of juniors and listen to their life experiences.

If your high school junior needs help getting started with the college essay writing process, please feel free to contact me. I can help him or her focus on a subject and begin writing within just an hour or two.

Contact the College Essay Confidante at: winningcollegeessay@gmail.com.

The brainstorming session

Four Westford Academy juniors attended my March 23 workshop on “Brainstorming your college application essay.” I was surprised by how intriguing their lives are and how effectively their experiences translate into interesting story topics.

One student has built three robotic arms and and is thinking about writing about the progression of building each arm. Another discussed his memories of living on the island of Kwajalein Atoll, part of the Marshall Islands, from around age 9 to 12. There were no cars on the island, he said. Instead inhabitants rode bicycles everywhere. A third student plays sports with passion but is plagued by a physical illness that once rendered him immobile for three days.

These life experiences are the stuff of great essays. I’ve asked the students to write their first drafts by April 15 and to aim for having a completed essay that is ready for submission by Sept. 15.

How about you? Do you need help brainstorming your college essay topic? I’m here to help. Coming up with a topic may seem like a murky exercise but within an hour or two, we can harness a clearcut story line that will help you to begin writing.

The next workshop takes place onsold-out-graphic April 6.

Groups of four to six can be put together for a two-hour brainstorming workshop at a cost of $150 per person. Sessions can be conducted in person or remotely using Skype.

Moving onward to the high school juniors

February 1 is here and the deadline for applying to college is over. Good luck high school seniors! May all your dreams come true.

For the rest of us, it’s time to turn our attention to high school juniors who should start thinking about topic choices for their college applications next fall.

Juniors, the spring semester is a great time to brainstorm ideas. Get together with friends and talk about your interests. Think of things meaningful to you that can serve as a metaphor for a life experience. Do you practice a sport? What are you passionate about? Have you had a tragic loss that changed your life? Have you failed at something?

Write a paragraph about each topic you want to explore. Don’t worry about grammar or spelling, just write down your thoughts. Then set it aside and let the ideas percolate. Return to your writings in a week or two and write some more. Go for broke — write more than one essay. Then, at some point, find a teacher, parent, older sibling or professional to help you establish a writing schedule, meet your deadlines, and finalize the essay before you return to school for your senior year. Take the pressure off of yourself by having your essay ready before things get too hectic. You won’t regret having it done before the college application deadline looms.