NEWS YOU CAN USE. Maybe you saw these stories. Maybe you missed them, but these are among the pieces I’ve read recently that might elicit some form of short memoir – an op-ed, or personal essay – from you. Once a week I’ll bring you news pieces I find provocative.
Here are some that get me going:
- Saying “I told you so” will not turn this topic into an essay. You must elaborate.
- The new mother of invention: Our need to recycle.
- Marriage and its economic worth.
- Have an op-ed in you about stem cells? Here’s an update on that important topic.
- Vacation planning for the end of the world.
Surely you have something to write using one of these as your news peg.
Looking for inspiration or guidance on how to write a personal essay? Look at my categories for NPR essays, parenting essays, and several other topics. All of the pieces there have been published, or have aired on the radio. Pressed for time? Check out the interactive calendar, where other news pegs give you the option to work weeks in advance. So write on.
