There are different things to consider when writing a creative nonfiction essay as opposed to a traditional academic essay. As you read the examples in “Essay Openers,” consider the ways these writers have chosen to begun longer pieces. What are the effects of these opening paragraphs for you as a reader? What sorts of expectations do they set up for you about what might come next? Which essay openings feel most effective to you? Least effective? Why?
The other two readings in this batch explore what it means to really know a place. In “Ashtray County,” Robert Vivian writes about a specific place he has come to know, while Barry Lopez in “American Geographies” writes more generally about what it means to have a relationship to the landscapes we belong to. As you work on writing your own place narrative, how might these pieces serve as examples and/or points of inspiration for you? Do you agree or disagree with Vivian’s and Lopez’s ideas about how connections to place teach us about ourselves? What specific elements of their writings most help you understand their ideas?
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