The elderly prof gave us an outline, explaining to us all the juicy details that we would have to include in our autobiographies. And boy oh boy...she was asking for all the INTIMATE, GORY DETAILS our young lives had to offer.
"Don't worry, class," she said, "Everything you put in your autobiographies will remain strictly confidential. For my eyes only."
Oh yeah? :) Everytime someone says that, an alarm bell goes off in my head. Not that I've anything to hide. But oooh...who knows what my classmates have done? What if....? What if...? :)
I've never been tempted to pilfer any prof's files, but in this case.... Hehe. Just kidding. :) Oh, to be a fly on Ma'am's desk while she's reading our works!!
Gosh. Now I know my real calling. I'm going to be an English teacher, and every class under me will be forced to turn in juicy autobiographies for my own reading pleasure. :)
So. How to make it creative. Any tips? :) Tips, comments, suggestions are welcome!!
I don't want to (and I can't :)) go all angsty like Holden Caufield in The Catcher in the Rye (peace, Kannika!). I don't think I can pull off Louisa May Alcott's semi-autobiographical sentiment-ridden LITTLE WOMEN style either. I can't imitate Anne Rice's rich, evocative prose that just seems to suck people in, and I can't write like Steven Pressfield ("Tell the Spartans, stranger passing by, that here, obedient to their laws, we lie..."). If only I can write like my favorite authors and the other delightful authors I've encountered in class...But I can't. And my own limitations frustrate me.
I'm reminded of what Sir M said when I consulted with him privately for our finals in CW 100. We were supposed to come up with a final portfolio piece that would 'showcase' our writing strengths in either the personal essay, the poem, or the short story. He asked me the question that stumped me completely. "What do YOU want to write?"
Ho-ho-ho.
I'm still stumped, really. :)
I had only one definite answer ready for him: Definitely NOT poetry. Or plays.
But at least I know now that I really REALLY REALLY want to teach. ;-)
Now I need to FIND MY VOICE. Drama drama!!
Nonsensical Insert: Speaking of voices... WAAA!!! Constantine got eliminated in American Idol!! What, are most Americans DEAF as well as FAT (the reason why they're all gunning for that fat loser Scott)??! Grrar!!
