15-20 Pages...

Is becoming more overwhelming than I could ever imagine. "15-20 pages of prose (fiction or literary non-fiction) sent directly to the program director." That is the only direction I have been given by the Graduate Admissions Department at The University of Baltimore (UB). Really, I could go at least a half dozen ways with those parameters. I've decided to apply to the MFA program at UB. Yes, I am nuts, I am going back to school (that is after I swore that academia wouldn't see me again after the last experience). Filling out the application wasn't all bad. Asking for (and receiving) glowing recommendation letters was easy (I mean everyone "loves" me...laugh). Requesting all of those transcripts from every school that ever saw me was annoying, but I plowed through. I even wrote and mailed the Statement of Interest with relative ease. But this 15-20 pages is just....uggggg!

So, I've pulled out some old stuff. I have printed things that are on the computer and various flash drives. All of the samples are all over the house and I am sure it is a fire hazard. I have read everything (at least 3 times) and still have no idea what to send.

I called the program director's office (under an assumed name. Sorry, but I don't want the people to know that I am anal and a dork). I asked the woman that answered the phone for some direction on what I should send, thinking that maybe I could get a clue from her response on what the Selection Committee may be looking for. She responded, "Send us what you want us to see. Send us what you think represents who you are as a writer." What the hell kinda answer is that? Talk about the non-answer answer.

Well what can I do? That was the lady's answer. Send what represents me as a writer.

After letting her non-answer answer simmer for a while, I actually have two other questions that I wished I had come up with back in November when I decided to apply to this program. One, what kind of writer am I? Two, what writing have I done that represents what I say is the answer to number 1?

All I know is that I better come up with an answer soon. My writing samples are due to UB by February 1.