Motives for Writing

Preface Introduction: Writing for Your Life The Rhetorical Situation Author / Audience / Purpose / Topic / Occasion The Writing Process Finding a Topic Chaotic Processes Brainstorming / Freewriting / Mapping Structured Processes Classical Topics / Pentad / Journalist' Questions / Varying Perspectives Dealing with Writer's Block / Planning Discovery Drafts / Outlines Lists and Jottings / Formal Outlines Nutshells, Abstracts, and Capsules / Classic Oration Drafting / Revising / Editing 1. Writing to Record a Memory Edward Abbey, Death Valley Marilyn Schiel, Levi's Dennis Covington, Snakes David Mamet, The Watch Maya Angelou, Finishing School Itabari Nejeri, Life with Father David Groff, Taking the Test 2. Writing to Explore Experience Carol Lloyd, Cents and Sensibility Joan Didion, On Keeping a Notebook Annie Dillard, Living Like Weasels Scott Russell Sanders, Grub Barbara Kingsolver, Somebody's Baby Gloria Naylor, "Mommy, What Does 'Nigger' Mean?" Mike Rose, I Just Wanna Be Average 3. Writing to Report Information Ann Hodgman, No Wonder They Call Me a Bitch Nina Siegel, Putting the Squeeze on Lemon Dealers Jon g. Auerbach, Yiddish in the Air Tim Rogers, Tough Break Peter Stark, As Freezing Persons Recollect the Snow Sidney Katz, The Importance of Being Beautiful Jennifer Egan, The Thin Red Line 4. Writing to Interpret Information Nicholas D. Kristof, In Japan, Nice Guys (and Girls) Finish Together Nicholas Lemann, Rewarding the Best, Forgetting the Rest Alan Dershowitz, Shouting "Fire! Amy Cunningham, Why Women Smile Stephen Jay Gould, Women's Brains Catherine R. Stimpson, Coming-of-Age Catherine Dold, What Happened to the Anasazi? 5. Writing to Evaluate Something Stephen Hunter, Titanic's Unsinkable Saga Dana Moskowitz, The Sad Comedy of Really Bad Food Donald Kennedy, "How To Pay for a Good College" Ralph De Toledano, The Greatness of Billie Bob Nagy, Volkswagen's New Beetle Susanna Kaysen, My Diagnosis Mark Twain, Fenimore Cooper's Literary Offenses 6. Writing to Move Others Larry Carlat, You are Me Charles, Earl Spencer, Eulogy for Princess Diana Martin Luther King, Jr., I Have a Dream George Orwell, A Hanging Alice Walker, Am I Blue? Dorothea Dix, On Behalf of the Insane Poor Jonathan Swift, A Modest Proposal 7. Writing to Persuade Others Louis Barbash, Clean Up or Pay Up Ellen Frankel Paul, Bared Buttocks and Federal Cases Stephen L. Carter, Does Religion Matter? Joshua Wolf Shenk, Why You Can Hate Drugs and Still Want to Legalize Them Vicki Hearne, What's Wrong with Animal Rights Thomas Jefferson, The Declaration of Independence Martin Luther King, Jr., Letter from Birmingham Jail 8. Writing to Amuse Others Patricia Volk, Technology Makes Me Mad Jeff Foxworthy, It's Nice Work if You Can Avoid It Judith Rogola, Desperately Seeking a Dishwasher John R. Alden, Breakfast at the FDA Cafe Paul Reiser, Is This Kid Beautiful or What? Dave Barry, MsPtato and RayAdverb David Sedaris, Santa's Little Helper 9. Writing to Experiment with Form Ernest Hemingway, Monologue to the Maestro Luc Sante, I Was Born Judy Ruiz, Oranges and Sweet Sister Boy Annie Dillard, The Deer at Providencia George Orwell, Marrakech Richard Selzer, How to Build a Slaughterhouse 10. Writing to Understand Reading Toshio Mori, Abalone, Abalone, Abalone Lon Otto, Winners Pam Houston, Selway Rita Dove, Daystar Leslie Adrienne Miller, The Driving Range Mark Doty, Tunnel Music Rafael Campo, Defining Us Audre Lorde, Power Garret Hongo, Off from Swing Shift Gary Soto, Black Hair Alberto Rios, Nani Henri Cole, 40 Days and 40 Nights John O'Brien, Reclaiming the Walk Gerald Manley Hopkins, Pied Beauty Susan Glaspell, Trifles