With the encouragement of an English instructor for whom English was a second language and who was consequently enthusiastic about writing experiences, English students in a Texas high school put together an anthology of literary criticism on the modern American novel. Honor students read American novels of their choice and wrote evaluations of them for young readers. Criteria for literary criticism collected by students through reading and discussion were condensed by the teacher into a workable guide for the students to use while reading. After several successful writing experiences, the class focused on the anthology. The instructor guided the students through each stage of the writing process for their critical essays. Individual conferences and peer review sessions were held. As the writing became more refined, the reviews were divided into three categories: established classics; books that deal with teenage anxieties such as love, war, prejudice, or friendship; and books of science fiction or fantasy. The final product was rewarding for the students, parents, and instructor, and included all the essays, regardless of quality. Other writing experiences used by the teacher include imitating famous writers' styles, writing chapters about an established character, writing "Cliffs notes" for a novel, writing a reader's theatre script about a poet, and creative writing on unit and semester exams. In addition to improving grammar, punctuation, and spelling, such writing experiences have also served the emotional needs of the students. (HTH)