Rachel Dalrymple and Faculty Mentor: Joohn Bennion, English Department

The purpose of this project was to increase my understanding of nonfiction writing by
collaborating with prominent nonfiction writers at the NonfictioNow conference in
Reykjavik in June 2017. Following the conference, I created a portfolio of nonfiction
essays. Selections of these essays were submitted to BYU’s Fall 2017 literary journal
Inscape, and they will be submitted to the 2018 Carroll, Mayhew, and Mckay essay
contests.
This project was meant to make me a better teacher of writing, as I am studying to be
an English teacher at the secondary level. The study of writing is very similar to the
study of teaching because you must learn how to be clear, but also engaging. Both
teaching and writing are a study of how to communicate most effectively.
At the NonfictioNow conference I met many writers, many of whom were teachers of
writing as well. One of my favorite things I learned from these writers/teachers was how
to learn along with my students, so my writing can improve while I am teaching. I
learned that regardless of the age I am teaching, it is important to remain open to
learning from my students. Even young writers can produce inspiring work, and I want
my students to know I believe they are capable of anything. I am excited to teach
because it means a life of continuous learning from my students.
One of the talks I attended during the conference was a panel of writers discussing
blurring the line between fiction and nonfiction. I was intrigued by this idea, and I
included an essay in my portfolio that experimented with genre blending. This essay is
more experimental than my typical essays, but the talks at this conference inspired me
to try new things. Creativity comes with risks, and not every risk turns into a
masterpiece. The experimental essay I wrote is still a work in progress, but it may
someday turn into something delightful. If nothing else, it was good practice in pushing
my creativity to new limits, and it has made me more daring in the types of writing I am
willing to try.
I begin my English student teaching experience in a couple of weeks, and I plan to use
the things I learned through this mentoring experience to help my students become
better writers. Travelling to Reykjavik to learn from the most prominent writers was an
adventure that inspired me to be more creative. I will encourage my students to be
creative and adventurous in their writing. The experiences I have had through this
ORCA grant have hopefully made me into someone who can have a positive influence
on my students’ lives.