Obituary Assignment

Obituary Assignment

Yes, I’m serious. When I went to work for the Cincinnati Post, I spent my first two weeks on the obit desk. No, I was not being punished. No, I wasn’t being morbid. Everyone who came to the Post—and it doesn’t matter how much experience you had previously or what paper you worked for before—spent their first two weeks on the obit desk.

Back in those days you would get information both from the family and the mortuary. The Post ran the obits for free and had a rather large section. At first, I wasn’t sure what to make of the assignment. But it quickly grew on me. Every person has a story. Every person has some interesting quirk that has made his or her life worth knowing about. I learned this writing obituaries. It made me a better reporter. It made me a better listener. It made me a better writer. And, importantly, it made me a better person. To this day, I still read obituaries. I’ve even helped a few families in my ward write obituaries for loved one who have passed.

So, you’re going to write your own obituary for me. I want at least 500 words. Try not to go too much past three pages max. I’m not going to give you any real parameters for this because I want to see what you’ve got in you—I want to see what your journalistic chops are made of. Like all writing assignments for this class I want it typed (word processed). I want your name and a “slug” on it. Get used to this.

Don’t just jump into this. Spend some time thinking and reflecting. This assignment not only will allow me to assess some of your writing skills but also will help me get to know you, how you think, and what you value.

Submit this to me via email (steven.r.thomsen@gmail.com) no later than January 6 at 5 p.m. Bring a hard copy to class and come prepared to talk about your post-mortem prose.

Good luck and have fun.