ABSTRACT
This chapter provides a broad overview of place-based writing, beginning with the specific and powerful resonance place holds for most people. The chapter goes on to provide a working definition of “place,” followed by a brief discussion of the importance of authenticity in the writing classroom, and a description of five potential benefits of place-based writing. This introductory chapter concludes with a preview of the rest of the collection, including a reference to the specific classroom activity at the center of each subsequent chapter.
