Elizabeth's Blogs: April 2015

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

How to Write an Essay (NOT for Kiley's Class)

Take it easy, but not too easy. Remember that it's quality over quantity, but word count matters just as much. Pick a topic. Make sure it's a friendly topic... choose wisely. Make it something you want to write about, something that interests you, but if you don't know what to do, write about something simple... something that plenty of evidence can be found for... something basic. But not too basic, or every other classmate of yours will be writing about the same topic, with the same details, the same evidence, so, basically the same essay. You want to make sure you have thought of something juicy. Not apple juice, not cranberry juice, but idea juice! Juicy ideas will always lead you in the right direction. Make your ideas flow. Not in a zig-zag formation where there is always that one turn where you least expect it, but rather in a nice wave... smooth. Write a draft. Don't spend too much time on it and surely don't think about it too much. It's a rough draft anyway. Don't worry about how bad it is and how it looks like you put so little effort into it. Enjoy the idea that at least you've written something! In the next week or so, begin to look back at your draft and think to yourself, "What in the world was I writing?" But still, don't stress it. Calm down and get back to work. Go over your ideas and take some more time adding evidence. Evidence is always important. But so is your sleep. So, shut down your computer, get into bed, forget about your unfinished essay that is due the next morning, and go to sleep. But please, don't forget to finish the essay the next morning!