SECTION V

OTHER WRITING EXPERIENCES

Just because these experiences are filed under “other,” don’t think of them as insignificant. In fact, a couple of these are the most difficult experiences in the entire book.

Knowing how to write a proposal (“May I?”) is a particular type of argument that is highly adaptable to any occasion, be it asking for money or even applying for a job. Being able to anticipate the needs of your audience is a vital skill for success here.

Writing a well-turned joke requires both creativity and a ruthless attention to precision in using language.

The conflict and solution letters not only have a practical purpose in helping assess and remedy a personal issue; they also allow for the practice of a key writing skill, rhetorical sensitivity, which is particularly relevant when making arguments with an eye toward convincing audiences to act.

Two experiences require the crafting of advice, something many of us are inclined to do but without as much thought as is required here.

The profile and the tribute are similar, except one is about a stranger, and the other is about someone you already know well. The short imagined monologue is proof that anyone can write something funny.

“The Right Word vs. the Almost Right Word” is an exercise in thinking about sentences and can be repeated over and over again.

These are experiences that allow you to see how well you can transfer what you learn from one experience to another.