O‌‍‍‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‍‍‌‍‍‍‍‌‍‍verview: Write a personal essay that combines both memoir a

O‌‍‍‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‍‍‌‍‍‍‍‌‍‍verview: Write a personal essay that combines both memoir and research on the related topic (at least 3 sources). The topic may be on anything you choose, but there must also be a personal connection to the issue so that you can use memoir writing in your essay. A one paragraph “pitch” on your topic taking in considering audience and public interest will be required a few weeks prior and be worth 5%. A pitch is a common practice in the field of nonfiction, journalism or professional writer especially for freelance writers. Basically, a writer sends their idea for a story or essay to an editor and then the editor says whether or not they are interested in the piece for their publication. For this exercise, imagine I am the editor and you want me to approve your personal essay for my imaginary “Life writing” publication. The pitch itself should be concise (no more than 1 page), you can draft it as an email in a word document. After greeting the recipient (me), describe the topic of the essay you would like to write and some details of what you aim to explore. Now here’s the hard part. Next argue why this essay needs to be published and why you are the person to write on this topic. What is your experience/ expertise/ credentials? Conclude the letter professionally. Step 2: The Research This essay should include at least 3 sources, but these types of source materials can be broad. They can be scholarly sources, journalistic articles, opinion pieces (but cited as opinions you are dialoguing with, not as fact), pieces of mu‌‍‍‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‍‍‌‍‍‍‍‌‍‍sic, art, literature; demographic data or surveys, etc. You could even interview someone. Think of all the different types of sources Carmen Maria Machado uses and get inspired. In this essay, for example, Katy Waldman writes about her personal experience with Anorexia, as well as ideas of women’s bodies in literature throughout history and other women’s essays about eating disorders. She also quotes doctors, poets, articles about eating disorders in other publications. Obviously, I don’t expect your paper to be this complicated, but even reading the first few sections you can see how she is interweaving personal experience with research and commentary. The essays we read in the next two weeks should also give you some ideas. Step 3: Reflect Explore your personal relationship to the topic and what you’ve learned in your research with some writing reflection. Experiment with your own personal experience on the topic via memoir. Step 4: Put the pieces together There is no right way to write this paper; there is no format or outline I can give you. Although there’s no formal thesis here, there should be a message you want to leave your reader with. Consider what that message is and how you can write this essay to convey that message the strongest way you can. Step 5: Edit & Revise Step 6: You must include a works cited and properly MLA cite. I will take off m‌‍‍‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‍‍‌‍‍‍‍‌‍‍ajor points for this.