Success Stories
Project - Writing Instructions
We
invite you to contribute to this project by
writing and submitting your own statement of
personal belief. We understand how challenging
this is—it requires such intimacy that no one
else can do it for you. To guide you through
this process, we offer these suggestions:
Tell a story: Be specific.
Take your belief out of the ether and ground
it in the events of your life. Consider
moments when belief was formed or tested or
changed. Think of your own experience, work,
and family, and tell of the things you know
that no one else does. Your story need not be
heart-warming or gut-wrenching—it can even be
funny—but it should be real. Make sure
your story ties to the essence of your daily
life philosophy and the shaping of your
beliefs.
Be brief: Your statement
should be between 350 and 500 words. That's
about three minutes when read aloud at your
natural pace.
Name your belief: If you
can't name it in a sentence or two, your essay
might not be about belief. Also, rather than
writing a list, consider focusing on one core
belief, because three minutes is a very short
time.
Be positive: Please avoid
preaching or editorializing. Tell us what you
do believe, not what you don't believe. Avoid
speaking in the editorial "we." Make your
essay about you; speak in the first person.
Be personal: Write in words
and phrases that are comfortable for you to
speak. We recommend you read your essay aloud
to yourself several times, and each time edit
it and simplify it until you find the words,
tone, and story that truly echo your belief
and the way you speak.
We
are eager for your contribution. |
