Writing essays can be difficult. However, it is also unavoidable, especially for students. Luckily, there are certain steps that you can take to ensure that your essay writing results go above and beyond what you think that you can accomplish.
In this article, we are going to take a look at 5 steps that you can take to keep your writing above the rest. They aren’t anything complicated either and you can incorporate them into your everyday life without too much fuss.
1. Know What Your Point Is Before You Start Writing
The first thing you are going to want to do is to make a plan. Don’t ever go into a writing without some sort of plan as to what you are going to say. If you don’t know what you are going to say, you will end up rambling which, needless to say, doesn’t make for a good paper.
The best essay writers will tell you that having some sort of prewriting strategy is the best way to deal with this. You don’t have to have your entire paper planned out but make sure you have a general plan with your most important points highlighted.
2. Be Specific When You Write
If you want your writing to pop, be specific. However, there is a balance to this. Take a fiction writing for example, you want to know what your main character looks like but you don’t need a chapter dedicated to every outfit they put on.
The same applies to essay writing. Give your audience enough to know what is going on but don’t be afraid to allow them to make the occasional inference in your writing. Don’t forget, though, to make sure that if you are describing something to give enough detail; your audience isn’t inside your head, they don’t know everything that you mean to say.
3. Keep Your Sentences and Paragraphs Short
You want your writing to be easy to read. The best way to do that is to make sure and keep your sentences short. Using run-on sentences and long, winding sentences is a way to quickly confuse your audience.
Instead, stick to simple sentences with simple language. This way, you keep your essay easy to read and engaging to your readers. For example, using the word “use” rather than “utilize” helps to keep your papers easy to understand and avoid unnecessary complication.
Think about when you open a webpage online. If you see a long chunk of text, you probably are less likely to continue reading. The fact of the matter is that most people have short attention spans.
Take this article for example; none of the paragraphs exceed 4 or 5 lines. This is because it is easy to look at and easy to comprehend. This is also a good way to keep you from going on tangents. If you limit your paragraphs, you aren’t as likely to stray from the topic at hand.
For example, you won’t need to worry about the fact that a reader will take a glance at your paper and dread reading lengthy paragraphs. In addition, you will keep yourself safe from the use of long sentences or overly flowery language.
4. Don’t Be Afraid to Edit
Editing isn’t a bad thing or a time waster. In fact, it is absolutely crucial to making sure that your paper is as top-notch as it has the potential to be. This may cut down on length but it will improve your paper’s quality.
You are also likely to see mistakes that you made that you didn’t notice while you were writing. These are usually bigger mistakes, such as grammar or sentence logic rather than simple things you’d catch with a word processor like spelling. So, reread everything you write and consider the components of each sentence and how your audience will perceive the writing.
5. Don’t Worry About Getting It Right the First Time
A good writer usually doesn’t get everything right their first try and that’s okay. Don’t give up hope because you need to go through a couple drafts before your essay is perfect. Even Hemingway and Dickens were prone to a few thrown away chapters before they were happy with their work.
Conclusion
Creating the perfect piece of writing takes time and patience. However, there are some things you can do to make sure that your writing stands out. Be specific but don’t bore or confuse your audience with unnecessary details.
In addition, keep your sentences and paragraphs short. This way, you won’t lose the attention of your reader or confuse them.
Finally, don’t be afraid to use more than one draft. Everyone makes mistakes and no one is perfect on the first try. So, starting over isn’t necessarily bad, it just means that you needed another try.