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The Good Die Young
I was friends with a boy, beginning in kindergarten until his death in fourth grade. On our very first day of school, we kissed each other on the lips after another kid dared us to. He had the bushiest eyebrows of any kid I’d ever seen in my life, and a little cavity on one…
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Is Home a Place or a Feeling?
Though I think it could be both, for me personally, home has gotta be a place. When I think about home, I think about lush, green limestone islands, clean, white sandy beaches, and a lazy, laid-back atmosphere that’s conducive for lounging the day away. Palau is home. It’s where I experienced many important “firsts” in…
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New Writing Space for a New Writing Project
I rented an office space in downtown Tacoma, for the entire month of June, so I can finally have some incentive to get up bright and early, make the commute, and sit my butt down in a chair and finally get to work on my first novel. I figured, “Hey, if you don’t wanna watch…
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Sharing Writing Advice: Short Story
Whether you’re a published writer or you’ve just recently decided to become one, the short story form is a great way to hone your craft. For me personally, as a beginning writer, this form has helped me to vastly improve my writing skills. A short story is loosely defined as a work of fiction, or…
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The Two Faces of Racism in Everything That Rises Must Converge
Last year, while most people took a quarter off and enjoyed summertime in the Pacific Northwest, I took a writing class in Seattle. At some point (the 3rd or 4th week, I think), the class read some of Flannery O’Connor’s short stories and shared our thoughts about them on a discussion board. It was insightful,…
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George Orwell “Shooting An Elephant” Analysis
Shooting an Elephant is a narrative essay written by 1984 author, George Orwell. The essay’s themes include imperialism, oppression, and redemption. It’s told from the first person perspective of an Indian Imperial police officer—presumably Orwell himself—who has an epiphany while responding to a call about a rampaging elephant. Orwell masterfully uses narration and description to…