The preceding two essays focused on the challenges presented by students’ selfdisclosures in their writing. The authors, Janet Lucas and William DeGenaro, have read each other’s essays and provided the following brief responses. This cross talk between the writers continues, in a more deliberate way, the cross talk generated by their essays.

While some scholars in English and other disciplines disparage personal narrative writing by students, it can serve as a conversational bridge between students’ home cultures and academic culture and as a contact zone where those cultures can clash yet be explored;however, instructors and others who work with student writing must be prepared to hear and respond empathetically to emotionally difficult revelations such as the one discussed in this essay.