Crafting Presence : The American Essay and the Future of Writing Studies

Essays are central to students’ and teachers’ development as thinkers in their fields. In __Crafting Presence__, Nicole B. Wallack develops an approach to teaching writing with the literary essay that holds promise for writing students, as well as for achieving a sense of common purpose currently lacking among professionals in composition, creative writing, and literature. Wallack analyzes examples drawn primarily from volumes of __The Best American Essays__ to illuminate the most important quality of the essay as a literary form: the writer’s “presence.” She demonstrates how accounting for presence provides a flexible and rigorous heuristic for reading the contexts, formal elements, and purposes of essays. Such readings can help students learn writing principles, practices, and skills for crafting myriad presences rather than a single voice. __Crafting Presence__ holds serious implications for writing pedagogy by providing new methods to help teachers and students become more insightful and confident readers and writers of essays. At a time when liberal arts education faces significant challenges, this important contribution to literary studies, composition, and creative writing shows how an essay-centered curriculum empowers students to show up in the world as public thinkers who must shape the “knowledge economy” of the twenty-first century. Essays are central to students' and teachers' development as thinkers in their fields. In Crafting Presence, Nicole B. Wallack develops an approach to teaching writing with the literary essay that holds promise for writing students, as well as for achieving a sense of common purpose currently lacking among professionals in composition, creative writing, and literature. Wallack analyzes examples drawn primarily from volumes of The Best American Essays to illuminate the most important quality of the essay as a literary form: the writer's "presence." She demonstrates how accounting for presence provides a flexible and rigorous heuristic for reading the contexts, formal elements, and purposes of essays. Such readings can help students learn writing principles, practices, and skills for crafting myriad presences rather than a single voice. Crafting Presence holds significant implications for writing pedagogy by providing new methods to help teachers and students become more insightful and confident readers and writers of essays. At a time when liberal arts education faces serious challenges, this important contribution to literary studies, composition, and creative writing shows how an essay-centered curriculum empowers students to show up in the world as public thinkers who must shape the "knowledge economy" of the twenty-first century. -- from back cover Wallack Illuminates The Most Important Quality Of The Essay As A Literary Form: The Writer's 'presence'. She Demonstrates How Accounting For Presence Provides A Flexible And Rigorous Heuristic For Reading That Can Help Teach Students Not Just Writing Skills, But Writing Practices--provided By Publisher. Introduction -- The Genre Of Presence -- Historical Thinking In Essays : Crafting Presence In The Company Of Ghosts -- Error And Illumination : Crafting Reading Presences -- Crafting A Self Made Of Images In Essay -- Learning The Essay. Nicole B. Wallack. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Introduction The genre of presence "Historical thinking" in essays : crafting presence in the company of ghosts "Error and illumination" : crafting reading presences Crafting a self made of images in essays Learning the essay.