<p>I like to write in my spare time and was wondering if writing about that in an essay could be viewed as a good EC. Is it better to just not mention it since writing about writing is kind of ridiculous? I don't plan on getting published or anything (though it would be nice) I was just wondering if writing, on my own time, could be views as an EC. </p>
<p>On a side note, would becoming a published author help too? I wouldn't mind going that extra mile over this summer to try and get a work published ;)</p>
<p>You should include notation of anything you spend a solid amount of time doing. That’s why they want you to put stuff like “babysitting” or “care-taking” if that’s a significant obligation for you; it’s another way to say that you don’t just go home and sit at your computer for 9 hours after school.</p>
<p>Writing could most definitely be an extracurricular activity, even if it’s just for fun.</p>
<p>If you want to get published, start small. Go for the magazines (poetry, short fiction, etc), people don’t just pump out an amazing novel.</p>
<p>Haha yeah I know people don’t pump out amazing novels. I get confused over what to put down as an EC. I spend a “solid amount of time” learning out of school stuff. I plan on teaching myself calculus over the summer. Is that an EC? Idk, I like to learn things too haha. Well thanks for the responses so far guys.</p>
<p>I put it down as an EC. I didn’t really have any “solid accomplishments” to back it up since I never bothered applying to any writing contests. (I did go to Iowa for the summer so maybe that gave me some legitimacy.) I wrote something along the lines of “completed two novels, poetry, short stories” for my description and said I spent 6 hrs/ wk on it. Originally, I had written my personal statement on why I write, but discarded it in favor for a personal statement on a leadership role in a more conventional extracurricular. </p>
<p>So far, colleges haven’t seemed to be objecting to it. Actually, I also wrote my activities essay about blogging and that hasn’t been a problem thus far either. </p>
<p>Lol I’ll let you know on april 1st if things went okay, even with my app focusing on two dubious ECs. Haha.</p>
<p>But I definitely don’t think it’s silly to write about writing. At all. Of course, your personal statement better be beautifully written or else you’ll get no credibility.</p>
<p>Good contests to apply to: Scholastic Arts & Writing, YoungArts
I don’t know about getting published in literary magazines; teenink isn’t exactly reputable, and it’s pretty difficult to start submitting. You’ll have to fully research it and you’d essentially be competing against adults in M.F.A programs for the well-established litmags.</p>
<p>Indie magazines and newspapers are a great start. They’re more likely to publish works and still give you reason to call yourself a “published” writer.</p>