I am currently in contact with both of my advisors (from my undergrad and from my masters). I will be receiving LoRs from both of them, plus one from another professor that I have worked with in grad school.
My SoP is already drafted- I have steered clear of the "I love to read" nonsense, and instead concentrated on why I am pursuing my PhD and what I hope to accomplish.
As for my writing sample, though, I am a little worried. I have a paper on TS Eliot, but I have two problems with handing it in: 1) It is 21 pages long and will need to be drastically cut to meet the maximum page requirement for the programs (around 15pp); 2) It is on theory, which is not necessarily what I hope to focus on in grad school.
I would like to start over and write a paper on Kerouac, but have found two problems with that as well: 1) I don't know how well-received it will be, as it is not a conventional, traditional author; 2) My grad advisor said that unless other professors in the programs I am applying to have written about Kerouac, it may not be a good idea. I found one professor at one of the schools I am looking at who wrote about him, but I don't want to have to write a different sample for every school I enroll in.
Any advice?? Thank you!