Simon Says... Finding The Story Within The Ramblings
On college essay editing and trips to IKEA.
Welcome to Simon Says, a weekly newsletter from Rachel Simon all about freelance life—from the inside scoop on just-published stories to advice on how to pitch to what it’s *really* like to leave a cozy full-time gig for the chaotic, unpredictable world of invoicing (jk, freelancing, but IYKYK).
Yesterday, I met with a teen girl to help with her college application essay, a service I offer through Gotham Writers Workshop. It was our first session out of five, so we focused on figuring out the essay’s topic. We considered a lot of possibilities—her passion for helping others, her experience being raised by a single mother, her talents in photography and art—but what we settled on was much simpler: her love of taking the NYC ferry to IKEA every month.
When she told me she did this, it was just a silly side comment, not meant to be the basis of her essay. But the moment she said it, I knew it was the way to go. I could see the whole essay clearly: an intro set in IKEA, strolling around and eating meatballs alongside her mom; three body paragraphs devoted to what these trips signify for her (a self-care break from the hustle of AP classes and after-school activities; precious bonding time with her mom, who raised her alone after leaving her dad; and the unique beauty of growing up New York, with its busyness and people-watching and chatter); and, finally, a conclusion spinning it all together as she looks towards the future, away from her home and family but heading to something exciting and new.
The girl loved the idea, and we’ll spend the next four sessions turning it into an essay that’ll hopefully help get her into the colleges of her dreams. For me, it was so satisfying, and always is, to find the story in a student’s ramblings and ideas. It’s what I’m best at as a teacher and editor, I think—pulling out one tiny moment or musing and turning it into the heart of the essay. The student is always surprised but thrilled; once I point it out, they see it immediately, too, and are so excited to get to work, now that they know what their piece is really about.
It’s why I’m so looking forward to teaching a four-week Personal Essay workshop in Raleigh this summer, and helping more students find the truth in their stories.
Some Stories I Wrote Last Week
-An interview with Beverly Gooden, an author and advocate for domestic abuse survivors, about her new memoir for Shondaland.
-A review for Travel + Leisure of the giant, gorgeous umbrella we got for our backyard, and a review for Real Simple of the five-shelf storage unit we use to store… everything.
-A roundup of frozen dog treat ideas for Daily Paws.
-A spotlight on a few popular home items for People, including a smart cordless vacuum cleaner, a couch cushion cover, an indoor insect trap.
-Two fashion roundups for Byrdie, the first about the best weekender bags for travel and the second about the best affordable watch brands.
-A list of the best wallpapers for Real Simple, and of the best outdoor movie screens for Better Homes & Gardens.
The Inside Scoop
Each week, I’ll pick one story I’ve written (new or old, if needed) and explain how it got from pitch/assignment to publication. This week, it’s the Shondaland interview with Beverly Gooden.
This story came from an assignment, as my Books editor at Shondaland wanted a writer to talk to Beverly about her memoir. I wasn’t previously familiar with her, but I looked her up and was really impressed by all her advocacy work for domestic violence survivors, including starting the hashtag #WhyIStayed years ago in the wake of the Ray Rice scandal. I got sent a copy of her book, which is an important and unsparing look at the aftermath of domestic abuse, and set up a call with her to talk. We had a thoughtful, moving conversation, which I turned into the piece you can read today.
Other Work/Life Stuff Of Note
As mentioned, it’s college essay season! If there’s a high schooler in your life getting ready to apply and who might need a little help figuring out their essay, let me know!
Also, my book publicity team made a form you can fill out to order your custom crossword puzzle after pre-ordering my book. Look how pretty it all is!
Coming Up…
Reminder that I’m hosting a one-hour open house on Zoom all about Essay & Opinion Writing on Tuesday, June 28, teaching a six-week Creative Nonfiction class via Zoom starting in July, and (as mentioned) also teaching a four-week personal essay course in Raleigh starting in July as well.
Also, we’re going back to Brooklyn this weekend for a friend’s wedding and I cannot wait to eat all the bagels and pizza I can get my hands on in 48 hours. Say hi if you’re around!
That’s it for today, friends. Thanks for reading, as always.
-Rachel