The Best American Essays of 2015 seems like a type of book for a limited audience. I don't know many people who will run into Barnes and Noble and say "Can you show me your essay section?" Because, in truth, the essay genre gets a lot of flack due to the academic essay being force fed to us as students. Even I, a lover of all things English, made this mistake.
When I was in college, the one class I looked forward to taking since the beginning was the history of the english language with Professor Young. I loved history and in high school was played a lecture on this topic which urged me to learn more. So, of course, when the time came for me to enroll in the course it was completely full. Professor Young only allowed 30 students in a class she only taught in the Spring and refused to change her mind. Which meant I got stuck taking the alternative- ENC 3311 Essay as a Cultural Commentary. It's like wtf does that even mean.
Anywho, this book above was the textbook for the class and my Professor was a casual brunette dude named Matt (I'm almost convinced all guys are named Matt). Matt (I'm not being disrespectful that is what he had us call him) was so in love with the essay genre and kind that I allowed myself to buy in to what he was saying and after reading an essay or two was in it for myself.
Essay writing was really exploratory writing. There are stories and dialogue and nonfiction. There are final points and open endings. The genre is very free and forward thinking and after my long drought I discovered I was rather good at it.
One part of the class was to have a one on one meeting with Matt. As I waited for my turn, I heard him politely squash a girl's hopes of having her essay published as it needed a bit of tweaking. Immediately, I worried I had pegged him wrong and he was one of those writer/professors who always tells people their work is not good enough. However, when I entered the first thing he said to me is "Your essay needs to be published".
This guy- This doctorate of English who teaches English at the University level thought I should publish my essay. The level of shock and flattery I felt was incomparable. Of course, my essay needed fixing too (which I knew), but he felt my style was so strong and compelling it would be worth it.
I always did want to publish that piece- any piece, but unfortunately it was on a topic involving someone close to me who wished it not to be permanently placed on paper. Either way, maybe not this book, but this class and the fact that I allowed myself to be apart of it impacted me as a writer forever. I hope that someday I do publish something. Here's to hoping.
No comments:
Post a Comment