<p>My S has written Three essays so far, and I feel he can do better, but he was struggling for ideas and so I suggested he write about " The Most Memorable Dinner" where he invites 5 people fictional or real and ask questions to his heart's content. Would that make an interesting topic?</p>
<p>Bumppppppppp</p>
<p>So the dinner would be like an interview? I don't see how this would work that well and could easily sound contrived.</p>
<p>The most successful essays I've seen are first person narratives in which the student shares his thoughts, in his own voice, about a topic that reveals something meaningful to him. My favorite essay of my daughter's revealed her unrelenting imagination. My son's revealed, quite poignantly, his love and awe of the wilderness. These essays could not have been written by anyone else, because their experiences were perceived in a way that is unique to them.
One approach might be to think about your son, and explore with him some of his finer or defining qualities. What experiences has he had where these qualities presented themselves? If he can tell a story about one of these experiences and at the same time show the reader who he is through the telling, he could have the makings of an engaging and revealing essay.</p>