Prompt for first Essay

Prompt for first Essay

September 14, 2009
Dear Committee:
This spring our press will introduce a new edition of Leo Tolstoy's classic War and Peace. This massive work is a strange melding together of various themes, styles and genres. And while the book is heralded as a masterful novel, we worry that the title obscures the narrative's greatness. While Tolstoy touched our hearts with this book, he failed to give it a name that amply captures its central spirit. Our press has decided that because Tolstoy equivocated in naming this book, we will take liberties in changing what did not fully satisfy its author.
To be sure, there will be plenty of controversy whirling around our upcoming meeting where our board will vote on the new title. We, therefore, want you to supply a compelling justification for the new title. We are looking for something that weaves the seemingly disjointed parts together; something catchy that serves the primary purpose of getting to the core of Tolstoy's tome.

On Sept. 25 our board will read your committee's essay along with various others. What we want is a new title that is vigorously defended in your essay from beginning to end. Your argument must be razor sharp and tidy. Each submission will be between 1500 and 2000 words. If you need to nitpick, dissent from fellow committee writers, or engage in an aside that will help your argument but that is not essential for the main essay--we invite you to relegate these words to end notes. (If you are worried about merit as Tolstoy was, you may break up the writing and indicate in the notes who wrote what.) In other words, while you will certainly need to point to various specifics in the text, we don't want Tolstoy's verbosity or dissension to bloat your arguments: if need be put extended quotes and such in the notes. The word count is for the main text; please include the count at the end of the paper.
Once these essays are submitted by Sept 25, noon. Each committee will be assigned to read another committee's entry and respond with a 150-200 word critique. This critique will be due shortly after.
One last bit of advice: Our committee will be persuaded by cogency--by style and substance. While no title can hold this sprawling work together, you should try your best to do the impossible.

Sincerely,
Vladimir Pushkin
chief editor, Fated Ends Press