You learn important skills in essay writing that you can apply to other forms of writing, but are essays always the best way to communicate ideas to others?
When Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr. wanted to save a piece of American history in 1830, what did he do?
Did he write his senator? Take out an ad in the local papers? Write a letter to the editor? Make protest signs?
Although all of those are legitimate methods of communication, he did none of them yet still succeeded in saving the USS Constitution, an old warship that had fought in the important War of 1812.
How did he do it?
He wrote a poem! Yes, his poem was instrumental in saving this important ship that you can see in Boston Harbor today! The name of his poem is “Old Ironsides.” You can read about it here.
Emily Dickinson had plenty to say, too, and she used poetry as well. She often wrote little poems and gave them away to friends and neighbors. Over 1,800 of her poems were found after her death.
Martin Luther King Jr. got his message out in powerful speeches.
When people in the 1960s and ’70s wanted to protest U. S. involvement in the Vietnam War, one of their most powerful “secret weapons” was writing songs. It’s true. Their messages about war and peace were powerful to move hearts and change minds.
Politicians get their messages out in speeches, slogans, billboards, debates, news releases, commercials, and editorials.
Every writer has to think intelligently about this: What is the best way to communicate this idea? How will you get your message out?
Now it’s your turn: Think about your idea, dream, or message. What do you want people to know about? What is important enough to you that you want to tell someone else about it? It can be huge or tiny, public or personal.
Once you have that idea, dream, or message figured out, think about HOW best to express it so that it will have the greatest impact: song, poem, letter to the editor, letter to a friend, email to a member of Congress, billboard, speech, ad or commercial, protest signs, 280-character tweet, novel, short story, script for a social media video, and so forth.
Write down everything that you have so far: your message and your method. If you have the time and inclination, write your message using your chosen method.
Teachers, here’s a corresponding middle school prompt.
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