This definition holds reasonably true in this class, except that it does not mean that an essay should be logical, formal, five paragraphs long, or written on an assigned topic. Defining an essay in this way gives you the chance to experiment with things you've never tried before and to take chances and make mistakes. Essays should not be just tossed casually off the top of your head. Essays are works you will want to spend more time on, to develop and change through the semester in rewrites and for the publication, and perhaps even to send out into the world. Some typical kinds of essays that people in this class have written before follow.
Subject can be a serious social issue, or more personal or even humorous and silly.
The best ones use concrete details and can give the reader powerful emotions. The best ones inform readers or obscure, interesting, or controversial topics. Creative essays can teach you things about reader interest and vividness in description that you can then carry back to your other kinds of essays. The best ones connect the author's experience with some experience of the reader either though emotion or with some kind of general statement about life. In addition to the six essays, you will be required to cooperate with other students to produce collaborative projects during the course of the semester.