The Elements of Writing 🖋 by Maira Andrade

525 Prompts for Narrative and Personal Writing

mandrade107 — 2024-02-22 14:48:31 UTC

These 525 (!) prompts will hopefully inspire you to start collecting some ideas.

The little rituals

mandrade107 — 2024-02-22 16:49:49 UTC

🍳☕️📰Explore how simple rituals and habits shape happiness, resilience, and connection to the world around us. Perhaps it will get you thinking about your own rituals. What is non-negotiable for you?

More than One Story

mandrade107 — 2024-02-22 16:57:02 UTC

This website generates personal prompts to get you rolling the ideas in! You can choose to open it before writing or even organize a group activity.

Hair, by Elizabeth Acevedo

mandrade107 — 2024-02-22 18:31:58 UTC

Through evocative imagery and powerful language, "Hair" celebrates individuality, resilience, and the transformative power of embracing one's heritage.

Personal Statements

mandrade107 — 2024-02-22 19:39:19 UTC

This is a fantastic resource to get acquainted with personal statements. In addition to the essays, you can also read admissions officers' comments on each text, which provides insights into what worked.

Inspiration from Literature

mandrade107 — 2024-02-22 20:11:23 UTC

"Call me Ishmael." is the opening sentence of Moby Dick and such a powerful, yet simple way to begin a story. Picture the excitement of grabbing your readers' attention right from the start, pulling them into your own narrative. See more examples here!

Community

mandrade107 — 2024-02-23 16:57:42 UTC

Here's the full link in case you want to click on the stories linked there as well: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/14/learning/what-communities-are-you-a-part-of-what-communities-would-you-like-to-explore.html

Dropping the reader into a scene

mandrade107 — 2024-02-26 13:21:36 UTC

Starting with a compelling scene or event can make the reader curious and intrigued about what led up to that point and what will happen next, encouraging them to keep reading. This technique is also known as 'in medias res', in case you want to look it up!

What are your values?

mandrade107 — 2024-02-26 14:51:41 UTC

What is important to you? Start with this form by The College Essay Guy. Then, look at some of the items you've ticked and draw lived experiences that match them. For example, let's say you value humor: where is that present in your life? Can you think back to a specific moment when you understood its importance in your life?

Community/Family tradition prompts

mandrade107 — 2024-02-26 17:02:17 UTC

Writing about a community/a group you belong to is most likely an essay you will have to tackle when applying to colleges and universities in the U.S. It can be a dance group, basketball team or even your family. Take a look at these cool prompts that connect food, traditions and family. 🥘🌿

What you will find in each section:

mandrade107 — 2024-02-26 17:44:28 UTC

mandrade107 — 2024-02-26 18:36:06 UTC

EducationUSA, in partnership with the Regional English Language Office created an essay writing resource center, which is an online platform that gathers resources to learn to write in English in academic format. The material is offered free of charge and can be accessed at any time.

mandrade107 — 2024-02-26 18:37:41 UTC

A popular online grammar checker that provides real-time suggestions for spelling, grammar, punctuation, and style errors. It offers both free and premium versions.

mandrade107 — 2024-02-26 18:39:31 UTC

A comprehensive online resource provided by Purdue University that offers extensive grammar guides, exercises, and citation style guides for various writing formats

mandrade107 — 2024-02-26 20:32:19 UTC

Which objects represent you?

mandrade107 — 2024-02-27 14:53:32 UTC

College Essay Guy has this interesting activity regarding objects that we own and cherish, and how they can be at the center of a personal essay - if there is depth and something special that connects them.

Learn how to show more than tell

mandrade107 — 2024-02-27 18:32:23 UTC

Think about a story you have enjoyed, whether it comes from a favorite childhood book or whether it’s a tale your friend told you yesterday or one your relatives love to repeat at family reunions. What makes that story memorable? Use the mentor texts and activities in this PDF to practice this technique.

Mundane moments

mandrade107 — 2024-02-27 20:57:09 UTC

From admissions officers: "Some of the more mundane moments in life make great essays".

Observation Journaling

mandrade107 — 2024-02-27 20:58:18 UTC

"I just wanted to not look at a screen. I didn’t have a book with me, so I took out my notebook and jotted down everything I saw, heard or smelled." Ready to give it a try?

The Elements of Style

mandrade107 — 2024-03-04 19:55:26 UTC

"The Elements of Style" is a classic reference book on writing style and grammar, written by William Strunk Jr. and later revised by E.B. White. Originally published in 1918 by Strunk, a Cornell University professor, it was intended as a concise guide for his students on effective writing. This link will take you to see a (wonderful) sample of the illustrated version, by Maira Kalman. [And yes, I named the padlet after the book! 🤓]

mandrade107 — 2024-06-03 12:14:36 UTC

If you are stopping by this padlet, I'd love to hear from you - as simple as a hello. I wish padlets could be more community-oriented, so we could interact. Still, it'd be great to get an idea of who is interested in what we are discussing here! You can add your name, where you are from, role (student? advisor?), etc...