Express Yourself Through Writing

Your deadline’s just around the corner and you still feel like you have nothing to write. The clock is ticking and you’re cramming again.

Don’t let this happen to you again. Here are 10 ways to write an essay more effectively and avoid that late-night writing cram sessions.

1.Write about a specific topic

If your teacher gave you a topic to write about, stick to it and research more on it, if needed. On the other hand, if your teacher gave you a broad, general topic to write about (ex: music), try to narrow it down into a specific topic (ex: Rock Music of the ’70s). Focusing on a specific topic makes it easier for you to write an essay.

2. Brainstorm and plan your essay

Think before you write! Draft an outline for yourself so your essay will be more organized and easy to follow.

3. Write a clear thesis statement

A thesis statement is a sentence that tells your readers what your essay is all about. DO be clear when writing your thesis statement. DON’T write “My essay is about…” or “I will write about..” this just makes your essay weak.

4. Make sure you complete the three parts of the essay

The three parts are:

Introduction: this is the first paragraph of your essay and it introduces the readers to what you will discuss. You can write a quote from a famous person (if you think it will help your essay), you can write an anecdote, a joke, or an alarming statistic to capture your reader’s attention.

Body: this is the middle part of your essay. This is where you will write your PIE. What is PIE? P-point; I-information; E-example. Each PIE should have its own paragraph (ex: you have three points, you should also have three paragraphs for your body.

Conclusion: this is the last paragraph of your essay. This summarizes or reiterates all the points you mentioned in your body. DO paraphrase your points and your thesis statement here. DON’T write “To conclude this paper,….” unless you are writing 10-pages or more.

5. Details… details.. details…

in real estate, it’s “location..location.. location”. In writing, it’s all about details. Add more details to make your essay stronger.

6. Do your research and write citations

Especially if your teacher asks you to do a research paper! Do not just copy paste from a website and claim it as your own. This is called plagiarism and is frowned upon by teachers. Be honest and cite your sources well.

7.Use vocabulary words appropriate for your grade level

This is your time to shine. Let the teacher know that you know vocabulary words suitable or even higher than your grade level. But make sure you know the meaning and how to use it correctly!

8. Proofread

After you write your essay, read it. Proofread for spelling and grammar errors and check if your ideas relate to your main topic.

9. Revise

Add or delete ideas the way you see fit. Make sure you spell the words correctly and make sure you use the correct punctuations.

10. Ask others to read your essay

Ask your mom, your dad, your sister or your brother to read your essay and ask their opinions about it. They might see errors that you missed.

Writing shouldn’t be a daunting task, even if you’re writing a school essay. Just remember these 10 tips and you’ll be good to go.