I apologize for being impolite to @Calliemomofgirls. Was not intended to be a direct comment to anyone.
All totally good, @Publisher. I’ve gotten to know your voice in the time I’ve been here, so I didn’t take it personally at all. I picture us all sitting around a table and you gruffly – but with a smile on your face – saying “hogwash!” after I pour my heart out, and the group cracking up. “oh that’s our Publisher!” No harm intended or perceived. (I hope you’ve gotten to know my voice enough too to know that I was poking a bit of fun at you calling your comment a “gentle suggestion.”). I’ll take a moment here to apologize to @mommysmalls or anyone else who thought I was being obtuse – sometimes it’s super clear in our own minds who we were quoting. I should have used the quote function to clarify which quote I was referring to so folks don’t have to dig or have photographic memories.
Anyway – really didn’t mean to distract from the point of the thread, which is, in my opinion, an interesting compilation of the different ways people have been successful in approaching essay questions.