Never Change the Rules - Writing About Race

Never Change the Rules - Writing About RaceThe first rule for any poetry contest is 'never change the rules.' This is especially true when you are writing an essay and writing about race. In my opinion, this is the best time to critique your own work because you have a history to analyze, especially when it comes to race in poetry.Erasing history is not a viable essay topic for many colleges and universities. They take a lot of pride in having a certain area of the country to be studied well. Most universities would be not proud to have a graduating class that failed to include anything about slavery, Jim Crow laws, segregation, or other forms of racism. I know that several graduating classes from Howard University include a great deal of awareness of that period in our history.So, the first rule for your essay is not to change the topic or to try to make your essay relevant to current events. You should be writing about the past in its different ways. Whether you write about the tim es you spent at summer camp, the music you listened to, or the individuals you met during your travels. Your essay is only as good as the information you include.Another thing to consider when writing about the past is the fact that you are writing to someone. It is up to you to make your point as clearly and concisely as possible. With this in mind, avoid using phrases like 'In my opinion'in my opinion...' You want your point to stand out, so let your emotions and words speak for themselves.When you write your essay, you will want to start from the beginning. Whether you use a time line or use chronology, make sure you begin with your time in high school or college. Then continue with your life after you finished school. Then, you can talk about your race experiences as well as your personal experiences as a reader of books, movies, songs, and television. When you see or hear something that touches your heart, remember to bring it back to your essay.Remember to do your research bef ore writing your college essay. This means that you need to have gone through the same events and individuals that you are writing about. You don't have to go back to find the names of the people you learned about, but you can just remember that they were there and have found the relevant information by researching.As an aspiring poet, you are looking for a way to express your feelings and thoughts on racial issues, so you need to write the best essay you can. It doesn't mean that you need to worry about style or grammar and length because you already have the benefit of being in high school or college. Just make sure that you have a clear understanding of the facts about race in America and start writing about the past to get the best results.