write a essay on quality

• Features for Creative Writers
• Features for Work
• Features for Higher Education
• Features for Teachers
• Features for Non-Native Speakers
• Learn Blog Grammar Guide Community Events FAQ
• Grammar Guide

How to Make Your Essay Better: 7 Tips for Stronger Essays

Krystal N. Craiker

Essay writing doesn’t have to be intimidating. With a few tips, you can improve your writing skills for any type of academic essay.

How to Write Better Essays

7 tips on how to make your essay better, how to become a better essay writer.

The best way to sum up how to write better essays is, “Make sure you’re answering the question.”

This sounds obvious, but you would be surprised how many students struggle with this.

From not understanding the prompt to poor research skills to off-topic body paragraphs, it’s easy for an essay to derail.

We’ve got seven tips for writing better essays that will help you avoid common mistakes and craft the best essays possible.

Here are our top tips for improving your essay writing skills.

Understand the Prompt or Research Question

The first step in your writing process is to fully understand the essay topic. If your professor gave you a prompt for your academic essay, spend some time analyzing it.

First, take note of whether you’re writing an expository or persuasive essay. The tone, structure, and word choice will differ between essay types.

Pay close attention to the wording of the prompt.

If your teacher wants you to “analyze” the effects of new technology in World War I, but you turn in a descriptive overview of the technology, you are not answering the question.

If they have given you a topic but no prompt, you’ll need to create a guiding question for your research.

Be specific in what you are trying to research, or you’ll end up overwhelmed with a topic that is too big in scope.

“Symbolism in modern literature” is too broad for a term paper, but “How does F. Scott Fitzgerald use symbolism in The Great Gatsby ?” is an achievable topic.

Take Excellent Notes

Once you understand exactly what your essay is about, you can begin the research phase. Create a strong note-taking system.

Write down any idea or quote you might want to use. Cite every note properly to save time on your citations and to avoid accidental plagiarism.

Once you have gathered your research, organize your notes into categories. This will help you plan the structure of your essay.

You’ll likely find that some of your research doesn’t fit into your essay once you start writing. That’s okay—it’s better to have too much information to support your argument than too little.

Write a Strong Thesis Statement

Possibly the most important step in essay writing is to craft a strong thesis statement. A thesis statement is a brief—usually single-sentence—explanation of what your essay is about.

The thesis statement guides the entire essay: every point you make should support your thesis.

A strong thesis is specific and long enough to address the major points of your essay.

In a persuasive or argumentative essay, your thesis should clearly establish the argument you are making.

Make an Outline

Once you have all your research, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. How do you turn the information into a cohesive essay?

Rather than writing an essay with no roadmap, an outline will keep you on track. An outline helps you organize your thoughts, plan your arguments, and sort your research.

A good outline saves you time, too! You can compile the relevant evidence in your notes before writing, so you don’t have to find that specific quote in the middle of essay writing.

An outline will also stop you from reading your finished essay and realizing you went completely off track.

With an outline, you can avoid finding paragraphs that don’t support your thesis right before you submit the essay.

Craft a Great Introduction

An academic essay needs a strong introductory paragraph.

The introduction is the first impression of your essay. It prepares the reader for what’s coming and gets them excited to read your paper.

A good introduction has three things:

• A hook (e.g. insightful statement, quote, interesting fact)
• Brief background information about the topic
• A thesis statement

Using this formula will help you write a strong introduction for your essay.

Have Original Ideas and Interpretations

The best academic writing advice a professor ever gave me was, “You’ve shown me what other people have said about the topic. I want to know what you think about the topic.”

Even a fact-heavy or data-heavy essay needs original ideas and interpretations. For every piece of information you cite, whether you quote or paraphrase it , offer original commentary.

Focus on insights, new interpretations, or even questions that you have. These are all ways to provide original ideas in your essay.

Proofread for Readability

A good essay is a proofread essay.

Readability, or how easy something is to read, has many factors. Spelling and grammar are important, but so is sentence structure, word choice , and other stylistic features.

Academic essays should be readable without being too simple. In general, aim for a readability score that is close to your grade level in school.

There are several ways to check readability scores, including using ProWritingAid’s Readability Report.

The quickest way to increase readability is to fix grammar and spelling mistakes . You can also raise the readability score by using more complex and compound-complex sentences.

ProWritingAid can offer suggestions on how to improve your essay and take it to the next level.

Our free essay checker will check for spelling and grammar errors, plus several other types of writing mistakes.

The essay checker will offer you suggestions on sentence length and passive voice.

It will help you trim the excess words that bog down your writing by analyzing your sticky sentences and overused words.

The essay checker is here to help you turn in an error-free essay.

Want to improve your essay writing skills?

Use prowritingaid.

Be confident about grammar

Check every email, essay, or story for grammar mistakes. Fix them before you press send.

Krystal N. Craiker is the Writing Pirate, an indie romance author and blog manager at ProWritingAid. She sails the seven internet seas, breaking tropes and bending genres. She has a background in anthropology and education, which brings fresh perspectives to her romance novels. When she’s not daydreaming about her next book or article, you can find her cooking gourmet gluten-free cuisine, laughing at memes, and playing board games. Krystal lives in Dallas, Texas with her husband, child, and basset hound.

Get started with ProWritingAid

Drop us a line or let's stay in touch via :

Nicole Krempasky

Jul 11, 2023

Often times, students wonder what the point of writing assignments is, particularly if they don’t have plans to continue onto careers or college programs that are focused on writing. According to Penn Foster English instructor Selina Rush, writing assignments are geared towards college and career readiness. Writing will factor into any type of degree or job you decide to pursue, and features in many college courses. This means you’ll need strong writing skills to create a stand-out resume when applying for work.

Perhaps most important, though, is the fact that writing assignments help you to think critically and learn to research, as well as helping you to develop communication skills. They are good practice for learning how to express ideas by organizing thoughts, developing points, and making connections between ideas.

Wondering what your Penn Foster writing assignments will be like? Rush explains that it all depends on the particular course and when a student enrolled.

“When it comes to the written assignments, there are different ones depending on when the student enrolled. We have some that are just question answer exam—they ask you a question and you give your answer—and then we have some that are essay related. You’re writing an introduction, you’re writing body paragraphs, and you’re writing a conclusion. Some of them are more personal, where you’re writing about personal experiences, personal knowledge, and you don’t have to do any sort of research. But then we also have some of our courses where you write a research paper or an argument paper. The goal is to really find something that you’re passionate about. We’ve made the exams in a way that allows the student to get excited about it. When they’re in a traditional class, they don’t always get that option.”

The most common types of essays you’ll come across in high school are:

Persuasive essays are used to convince the reader of something in an informal, personal way.

Descriptive essays are meant to create a detailed understanding of something by using descriptive language. It can be anything from an object to a person, an emotion, an experience, etc.

Expository essays are meant to explain concepts, ideas, or facts. While they can be similar in idea to a persuasive essay, expository essays utilize evidence and research to lay out an idea in a more formal, matter-of-fact manner.

Narrative essays are also meant to tell a story; however, they are told often from a personal, first-person perspective based upon real experiences.

Regardless of the assignment, Rush also stresses that there is no need to panic, as writing assignments are not the end of the world. “We are here to help you … I mean, I love talking to students. Do not be afraid to ask for help.”

Though each essay assignment will be different when it comes to topic or subject, there are a few basic rules to follow to ensure you have a quality essay.

Knowing what you are supposed to write, or why you’re writing, is the first step to getting yourself in the right frame of mind to begin your task.

Researching your topic is extremely important, especially if you are writing an expository, persuasive, and even descriptive essay. This will help you formulate ideas and can even help you get excited or more interested in the assignment.

After researching and learning more about your topic, you’ll have a better idea of what you want to write about and why. If you are writing a persuasive essay, keep this sentence clear and direct.

Before you begin writing, it can help to form an outline. Outlines can help you organize your thoughts and break down the assignment into smaller, more digestible tasks. In addition to making writing less overwhelming, it can also help you format your essay so one idea flows more smoothly into the next.

Other key tips to help you write a good essay include starting each paragraph with a topic sentence (think of this like a mini thesis), writing in the same tense throughout the paper, proofreading, and (properly) citing sources if necessary.

Perhaps most importantly, Rush advises writing with honesty. “If it's something that's honest and it's true … if it comes from you and it's something you're passionate about or interested in, that makes it 10 times easier, because then you're just talking to us.”

Writing a good essay starts with planning. While some experienced writers may tell you that they sit down at their computer and the words just flow from their fingertips (because they might not even realize they are still pre-planning their work mentally), it’s important to know how to map out your essay before getting started. As a student, pre-writing steps not only help you organize your thoughts but also help you learn about all the small parts that come together to make a great essay.

So, when you get to your first course that requires an essay, start with these steps before you write your first paragraph.

What are you writing about? You don’t have to get super specific yet but figuring out what your essay will be about in general is step number one. For example, if you were writing this blog, the topic could be simply stated as: The topic of this blog is to give advice on writing a good essay.

Who is reading your essay? Who do you want to speak to or convince through your writing? Knowing who you’re writing for helps you decide the tone of the essay, what vocabulary to use, and even what information to include.

Consider the point of your essay, outside of your having to write it for a grade in school. What are you trying to accomplish? As an example, let’s go back to the idea that you’re writing this blog. The topic of the blog is to give readers advice on writing a good essay. The audience you’re writing to is mostly students, or readers thinking of becoming students. The purpose, then, is to help students understand how they can write a good essay.

As you’re getting into the habit of pre-writing, jot down your answers to each of these three things before diving into an essay so you’re focused on what you want to accomplish.

So you’ve done a bit of pre-writing and know your topic, audience, and the purpose of your essay. Awesome! It’s time to sit down and write that essay, right? Not so fast. The next step in the writing process — especially for students — is creating an outline of your essay. When you’re writing a paper for school, you can generally think of an outline as having five parts. These five parts can be translated into five separate paragraphs, although depending on your topic, you may find yourself writing more. The five parts of your essay include:

This is the paragraph where you open your essay, pull in the reader, and share your thesis statement. A thesis statement is one sentence that tells the reader your main idea and makes a claim. The rest of your essay follows up on this claim and supports your idea.

Let’s go back to the example of writing this blog. The reader needs to understand the process of writing but also why they should take this seemingly longer path to completing their essay. The best way to help the reader understand the value of the process is to use supporting data to show them that this is the best way. You might add in quotes from authorities on the topic or present data on how this process reduces the need for revisions. In the paragraph following your introduction, you need to support your claims with evidence. This same support will happen in the second and third paragraphs.

In your conclusion, you want to wrap up your essay. That can include repeating your main idea and also introducing a last and final piece of evidence that supports that idea.

By drafting an outline of your essay before writing it, you’re creating a map that you can follow even if you get a bit of writer’s block!

You’ve finished writing your essay and it’s time to upload and submit it to be graded. But before you do, have you read over your work at least once or twice? Proofreading is an essential step to any writing you do, from emails to research papers. You may feel confident that spell check is going to catch any mistakes or typos you make, the tool will alert you to many mistakes, but some slip through. Spell check can also miss grammar mistakes, and you may not realize you forgot a sentence or two that connects one idea to another.

When you’re done writing your first draft, take a break and walk away from your essay. If you immediately jump into proofreading, you may miss a thing or two yourself because you’re still close to what you just wrote. Whether you leave for an hour or a day, when you come back to your essay, you’ll be able to look it over with fresh eyes.

If you’re able to, have a friend or family member look over your essay after you made changes. They can catch anything missing or point out things they don’t understand that you may want to explain more.

Another great resource? The Penn Foster’s Writer’s Block through the digital Learning Resource Center! The Writer’s Block offers advice and tips on writing a great essay, a perfect paragraph, and how to cite your sources. You’ll also find links that can help you with different struggles you may encounter, such as how to begin your research, how to avoid accidentally plagiarizing something, and more!

Read more: How to Use Penn Foster Resources to Write a Great Essay

If you’re looking for an alternative to Grammarly, ProWritingAid is the way to go. In addition to grammar and spellchecking, ProWritingAid also offers tips and help regarding structure, dialogue, repeated words, structure, and more. It offers a custom style guide, articles, and quizzes so you can better understand why you are making changes. While there is a free option available, to access all the tools, you will need to purchase the premium feature at roughly $70 per year.

Learn more: Must Have Apps for High School Students

Sometimes even the best writers get stuck. If this happens to you, it’s ok! First, take a step back. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, you won’t be able to concentrate on writing something that makes sense, flows, and has all the points you want to focus on.

After you collect yourself, think about what the assignment is. High school English teacher, Shawn Cherinchak, advises students to go slowly and take their time. “Read the directions carefully. Read them slowly and carefully, because if you skip over something, you’re probably either not going to get that great of a grade or the paper will be returned to you.”

Once you have a full understanding of the directions, make an outline. An outline can help guide you on the structure of the paper, highlighting the points you want make and the ideas you want to cover. From there, it’s a little bit easier to “fill in the blanks”, which are the detailed parts of those ideas.

Most importantly, if you feel like you’re really struggling, Cherinchak wants you to know that help is available. “If students could call us, they could e-mail US, chat with us, send us a text … And a lot of times even non-English instructors can answer their questions if they’re general. But Selena and I are the English instructors and we're more than happy to help anyone who reaches out to us.”

Find out more: What to Do When You Need Study Help

If you’re still worried that you will never be able to write a good essay, remember this: the more you do it, the more you learn. Following pre-writing steps, building an outline, and proofreading your essay as much as possible before submitting it can make a big difference. Not only will you become more familiar with the writing process, but you’ll also start to notice how you get better with each draft. And if you’re still unsure of your writing skills, the benefit of taking courses with Penn Foster is that you can go at your own pace. There’s no hard deadline to meet so if it takes you a week or four to write your essay, that’s okay! You have the time to make your essay what you want it to be before submitting it through your student portal.

10 Skilled Trades Jobs In Demand for 2024

Des Sinkevich

Jan 05, 2023

Which Medical Coding & Billing Certification Exam Should You Take – the CBCS or CPC?

Penn Foster

Sep 27, 2022

Going Back to School as an Adult (FAQs)

Jun 09, 2022

11 min read

• SUGGESTED TOPICS
• The Magazine
• Newsletters
• Managing Yourself
• Managing Teams
• Work-life Balance
• The Big Idea
• Data & Visuals
• Reading Lists
• Case Selections
• HBR Learning
• Topic Feeds
• Account Settings
• Email Preferences

A (Very) Simple Way to Improve Your Writing

• Mark Rennella

It’s called the “one-idea rule” — and any level of writer can use it.

The “one idea” rule is a simple concept that can help you sharpen your writing, persuade others by presenting your argument in a clear, concise, and engaging way. What exactly does the rule say?

• Every component of a successful piece of writing should express only one idea.
• In persuasive writing, your “one idea” is often the argument or belief you are presenting to the reader. Once you identify what that argument is, the “one-idea rule” can help you develop, revise, and connect the various components of your writing.
• For instance, let’s say you’re writing an essay. There are three components you will be working with throughout your piece: the title, the paragraphs, and the sentences.
• Each of these parts should be dedicated to just one idea. The ideas are not identical, of course, but they’re all related. If done correctly, the smaller ideas (in sentences) all build (in paragraphs) to support the main point (suggested in the title).

Where your work meets your life. See more from Ascend here .

Most advice about writing looks like a long laundry list of “do’s and don’ts.” These lists can be helpful from time to time, but they’re hard to remember … and, therefore, hard to depend on when you’re having trouble putting your thoughts to paper. During my time in academia, teaching composition at the undergraduate and graduate levels, I saw many people struggle with this.

• MR Mark Rennella is Associate Editor at HBP and has published two books, Entrepreneurs, Managers, and Leaders and The Boston Cosmopolitans .  

Partner Center

How to Write the Perfect Essay

06 Feb, 2024 | Blog Articles , English Language Articles , Get the Edge , Humanities Articles , Writing Articles

You can keep adding to this plan, crossing bits out and linking the different bubbles when you spot connections between them. Even though you won’t have time to make a detailed plan under exam conditions, it can be helpful to draft a brief one, including a few key words, so that you don’t panic and go off topic when writing your essay.

If you don’t like the mind map format, there are plenty of others to choose from: you could make a table, a flowchart, or simply a list of bullet points.

Discover More

Thanks for signing up, step 2: have a clear structure.

Think about this while you’re planning: your essay is like an argument or a speech. It needs to have a logical structure, with all your points coming together to answer the question.

Start with the basics! It’s best to choose a few major points which will become your main paragraphs. Three main paragraphs is a good number for an exam essay, since you’ll be under time pressure. 

If you agree with the question overall, it can be helpful to organise your points in the following pattern:

• YES (agreement with the question)
• AND (another YES point)
• BUT (disagreement or complication)

If you disagree with the question overall, try:

• AND (another BUT point)

For example, you could structure the Of Mice and Men sample question, “To what extent is Curley’s wife portrayed as a victim in Of Mice and Men ?”, as follows:

• YES (descriptions of her appearance)
• AND (other people’s attitudes towards her)
• BUT (her position as the only woman on the ranch gives her power as she uses her femininity to her advantage)

If you wanted to write a longer essay, you could include additional paragraphs under the YES/AND categories, perhaps discussing the ways in which Curley’s wife reveals her vulnerability and insecurities, and shares her dreams with the other characters. Alternatively, you could also lengthen your essay by including another BUT paragraph about her cruel and manipulative streak.

Of course, this is not necessarily the only right way to answer this essay question – as long as you back up your points with evidence from the text, you can take any standpoint that makes sense.

Step 3: Back up your points with well-analysed quotations

You wouldn’t write a scientific report without including evidence to support your findings, so why should it be any different with an essay? Even though you aren’t strictly required to substantiate every single point you make with a quotation, there’s no harm in trying.

A close reading of your quotations can enrich your appreciation of the question and will be sure to impress examiners. When selecting the best quotations to use in your essay, keep an eye out for specific literary techniques. For example, you could highlight Curley’s wife’s use of a rhetorical question when she says, a”n’ what am I doin’? Standin’ here talking to a bunch of bindle stiffs.” This might look like:

The rhetorical question “an’ what am I doin’?” signifies that Curley’s wife is very insecure; she seems to be questioning her own life choices. Moreover, she does not expect anyone to respond to her question, highlighting her loneliness and isolation on the ranch.

Other literary techniques to look out for include:

• Tricolon – a group of three words or phrases placed close together for emphasis
• Tautology – using different words that mean the same thing: e.g. “frightening” and “terrifying”
• Parallelism – ABAB structure, often signifying movement from one concept to another
• Chiasmus – ABBA structure, drawing attention to a phrase
• Polysyndeton – many conjunctions in a sentence
• Asyndeton – lack of conjunctions, which can speed up the pace of a sentence
• Polyptoton – using the same word in different forms for emphasis: e.g. “done” and “doing”
• Alliteration – repetition of the same sound, including assonance (similar vowel sounds), plosive alliteration (“b”, “d” and “p” sounds) and sibilance (“s” sounds)
• Anaphora – repetition of words, often used to emphasise a particular point

Don’t worry if you can’t locate all of these literary devices in the work you’re analysing. You can also discuss more obvious techniques, like metaphor, simile and onomatopoeia. It’s not a problem if you can’t remember all the long names; it’s far more important to be able to confidently explain the effects of each technique and highlight its relevance to the question.

Step 4: Be creative and original throughout

Anyone can write an essay using the tips above, but the thing that really makes it “perfect” is your own unique take on the topic. If you’ve noticed something intriguing or unusual in your reading, point it out – if you find it interesting, chances are the examiner will too!

Creative writing and essay writing are more closely linked than you might imagine. Keep the idea that you’re writing a speech or argument in mind, and you’re guaranteed to grab your reader’s attention.

It’s important to set out your line of argument in your introduction, introducing your main points and the general direction your essay will take, but don’t forget to keep something back for the conclusion, too. Yes, you need to summarise your main points, but if you’re just repeating the things you said in your introduction, the body of the essay is rendered pointless.

Think of your conclusion as the climax of your speech, the bit everything else has been leading up to, rather than the boring plenary at the end of the interesting stuff.

To return to Of Mice and Men once more, here’s an example of the ideal difference between an introduction and a conclusion:

Introduction

In John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men , Curley’s wife is portrayed as an ambiguous character. She could be viewed either as a cruel, seductive temptress or a lonely woman who is a victim of her society’s attitudes. Though she does seem to wield a form of sexual power, it is clear that Curley’s wife is largely a victim. This interpretation is supported by Steinbeck’s description of her appearance, other people’s attitudes, her dreams, and her evident loneliness and insecurity.

Overall, it is clear that Curley’s wife is a victim and is portrayed as such throughout the novel in the descriptions of her appearance, her dreams, other people’s judgemental attitudes, and her loneliness and insecurities. However, a character who was a victim and nothing else would be one-dimensional and Curley’s wife is not. Although she suffers in many ways, she is shown to assert herself through the manipulation of her femininity – a small rebellion against the victimisation she experiences.

Both refer back consistently to the question and summarise the essay’s main points. However, the conclusion adds something new which has been established in the main body of the essay and complicates the simple summary which is found in the introduction.

Hannah is an undergraduate English student at Somerville College, University of Oxford, and has a particular interest in postcolonial literature and the Gothic. She thinks literature is a crucial way of developing empathy and learning about the wider world. When she isn’t writing about 17th-century court masques, she enjoys acting, travelling and creative writing. 

Recommended articles

How to Secure Strong References for Your UCAS Applications

References are a crucial component of your UCAS application, offering a holistic view of your potential as an applicant.  Your application will ask for references who can testify to your potential as a student and what you have to offer the university or college...

A Day in the Life of a History Student

It’s been over three years since I first sent my UCAS application off to Oxford University, meeting the early submission deadline by a slither and breathing a sigh of relief. Now, as a third-year History finalist on the cusp of exams, I can safely say that these...

What Is Market Failure?

When trying to run any sort of business, it’s important to understand the ways in which things could go wrong, so that you can plan to maximise your chances of success. Market failures are a major risk any company faces. So it’s important to understand them before you...

Essay Writing Tips: 10 Steps to Writing a Great Essay (And Have Fun Doing It!)

by Joe Bunting | 118 comments

Do you dread essay writing? Are you looking for some essay tips that will help you write an amazing essay—and have fun doing it?

Lots of students, young and old, dread essay writing. It's a daunting assignment, one that takes research, time, and concentration.

It's also an assignment that you can break up into simple steps that make writing an essay manageable and, yes, even enjoyable.

These ten essay tips completely changed my writing process—and I hope that they can do the same for you.

Essay Writing Can Be Fun

Honestly, throughout most of high school and college, I was a mediocre essay writer.

Every once in a while, I would write a really good essay, but mostly I skated by with B's and A-minuses.

I know personally how boring writing an essay can be, and also, how hard it can be to write a good one.

However, toward the end of my time as a student, I made a breakthrough. I figured out how to not only write a great essay, I learned how to have fun while doing it . 

And since then, I've become a professional writer and have written more than a dozen books. I'm not saying that these essay writing tips are going to magically turn you into a writer, but at least they can help you enjoy the process more.

I'm excited to share these ten essay writing tips with you today! But first, we need to talk about why writing an essay is so hard.

Why Writing an Essay Is So Hard

When it comes to essay writing, a lot of students find a reason to put it off. And when they tackle it, they find it difficult to string sentences together that sound like a decent stance on the assigned subject.

Here are a few reasons why essay writing is hard:

• You'd rather be scrolling through Facebook
• You're trying to write something your teacher or professor will like
• You're trying to get an A instead of writing something that's actually good
• You want to do the least amount of work possible

The biggest reason writing an essay is so hard is because we mostly focus on those external  rewards like getting a passing grade, winning our teacher's approval, or just avoiding accusations of plagiarism.

The problem is that when you focus on external approval it not only makes writing much less fun, it also makes it significantly harder.

Because when you focus on external approval, you shut down your subconscious, and the subconscious is the source of your creativity.

The subconscious is the source of your creativity.

What this means practically is that when you're trying to write that perfect, A-plus-worthy sentence, you're turning off most of your best resources and writing skills.

So stop. Stop trying to write a good essay (or even a “good-enough” essay). Instead, write an interesting  essay, write an essay you think is fascinating. And when you're finished, go back and edit it until it's “good” according to your teacher's standards.

Yes, you need to follow the guidelines in your assignment. If your teacher tells you to write a five-paragraph essay, then write a five-paragraph essay! If your teacher asks for a specific type of essay, like an analysis, argument, or research essay, then make sure you write that type of essay!

However, within those guidelines, find room to express something that is uniquely you .

I can't guarantee you'll get a higher grade (although, you almost certainly will), but I can absolutely promise you'll have a lot more fun writing.

The Step-by-Step Process to Writing a Great Essay: Your 10 Essay Writing Tips

Ready to get writing? You can read my ten best tips for having fun while writing an essay that earns you the top grade, or check out this presentation designed by our friends at Canva Presentations .

1. Remember your essay is just a story.

Every story is about conflict and change, and the truth is that essays are about conflict and change, too! The difference is that in an essay, the conflict is between different ideas , and the change is in the way we should perceive those ideas.

That means that the best essays are about surprise: “You probably think it's one way, but in reality, you should think of it this other way.” See tip #3 for more on this.

How do you know what story you're telling? The prompt should tell you.

Any list of essay prompts includes various topics and tasks associated with them. Within those topics are characters (historical, fictional, or topical) faced with difficult choices. Your job is to work with those choices, usually by analyzing them, arguing about them, researching them, or describing them in detail.

2. Before you start writing, ask yourself, “How can I have the most fun writing this?”

It's normal to feel unmotivated when writing an academic essay. I'm a writer, and honestly, I feel unmotivated to write all the time. But I have a super-ninja, judo-mind trick I like to use to help motivate myself.

Here's the secret trick: One of the interesting things about your subconscious is that it will answer any question you ask yourself. So whenever you feel unmotivated to write your essay, ask yourself the following question:

“How much fun can I have writing this?”

Your subconscious will immediately start thinking of strategies to make the writing process more fun.

The best time to have your fun is the first draft. Since you're just brainstorming within the topic, and exploring the possible ways of approaching it, the first draft is the perfect place to get creative and even a little scandalous. Here are some wild suggestions to make your next essay a load of fun:

• Research the most surprising or outrageous fact about the topic and use it as your hook.
• Use a thesaurus to research the topic's key words. Get crazy with your vocabulary as you write, working in each key word synonym as much as possible.
• Play devil's advocate and take the opposing or immoral side of the issue. See where the discussion takes you as you write.

3. As you research, ask yourself, “What surprises me about this subject?”

The temptation, when you're writing an essay, is to write what you think your teacher or professor wants to read.

Don't do this .

Instead, ask yourself, “What do I find interesting about this subject? What surprises me?”

If you can't think of anything that surprises you, anything you find interesting, then you're not searching well enough, because history, science, and literature are all brimming   over with surprises. When you look at how great ideas actually happen, the story is always, “We used  to think the world was this way. We found out we were completely wrong, and that the world is actually quite different from what we thought.”

These pieces of surprising information often make for the best topic sentences as well. Use them to outline your essay and build your body paragraphs off of each unique fact or idea. These will function as excellent hooks for your reader as you transition from one topic to the next.

(By the way, what sources should you use for research? Check out tip #10 below.)

4. Overwhelmed? Write five original sentences.

The standard three-point essay is really made up of just five original sentences surrounded by supporting paragraphs that back up those five sentences. If you're feeling overwhelmed, just write five sentences covering your most basic main points.

Here's what they might look like for this article:

• Introductory Paragraph:  While most students consider writing an essay a boring task, with the right mindset, it can actually be an enjoyable experience.
• Body #1: Most students think writing an essay is tedious because they focus on external rewards.
• Body #2: Students should instead focus on internal fulfillment when writing an essay.
• Body #3: Not only will focusing on internal fulfillment allow students to have more fun, it will also result in better essays.
• Conclusion: Writing an essay doesn't have to be simply a way to earn a good grade. Instead, it can be a means of finding fulfillment.

After you write your five sentences, it's easy to fill in the paragraphs for each one.

Now, you give it a shot!

5. Be “source heavy.”

In college, I discovered a trick that helped me go from a B-average student to an A-student, but before I explain how it works, let me warn you. This technique is powerful , but it might not work for all teachers or professors. Use with caution.

As I was writing a paper for a literature class, I realized that the articles and books I was reading said what I was trying to say much better than I ever could. So what did I do? I quoted them liberally throughout my paper. When I wasn't quoting, I re-phrased what they said in my own words, giving proper credit, of course. I found that not only did this formula create a well-written essay, it took about half the time to write.

It's good to keep in mind that using anyone else's words, even when morphed into your own phrasing, requires citation. While the definition of plagiarism is shifting with the rise of online collaboration and cooperative learning environments, always  err on the side of excessive citation to be safe.

When I used this technique, my professors sometimes mentioned that my papers were very “source” heavy. However, at the same time, they always gave me A's.

To keep yourself safe, I recommend using a 60/40 approach with your body paragraphs: Make sure 60% of the words are your own analysis and argumentation, while 40% can be quoted (or text you paraphrase) from your sources.

Like the five sentence trick, this technique makes the writing process simpler. Instead of putting the main focus on writing well, it instead forces you to research  well, which some students find easier.

6. Write the body first, the introduction second, and the conclusion last.

Introductions are often the hardest part to write because you're trying to summarize your entire essay before you've even written it yet. Instead, try writing your introduction last, giving yourself the body of the paper to figure out the main point of your essay.

This is especially important with an essay topic you are not personally interested in. I definitely recommend this in classes you either don't excel in or care much for. Take plenty of time to draft and revise your body paragraphs before  attempting to craft a meaningful introductory paragraph.

Otherwise your opening may sound awkward, wooden, and bland.

7. Most essays answer the question, “What?” Good essays answer the “Why?” The best essays answer the “How?”

If you get stuck trying to make your argument, or you're struggling to reach the required word count, try focusing on the question, “How?”

For example:

• How did J.D. Salinger convey the theme of inauthenticity in  The Catcher In the Rye ?
• How did Napoleon restore stability in France after the French Revolution?
• How does the research prove girls really do rule and boys really do drool?

If you focus on how, you'll always have enough to write about.

8. Don't be afraid to jump around.

Essay writing can be a dance. You don't have to stay in one place and write from beginning to end.

For the same reasons listed in point #6, give yourself the freedom to write as if you're circling around your topic rather than making a single, straightforward argument. Then, when you edit and proofread, you can make sure everything lines up correctly.

In fact, now is the perfect time to mention that proofreading your essay isn't just about spelling and commas.

It's about making sure your analysis or argument flows smoothly from one idea to another. (Okay, technically this comprises editing, but most students writing a high school or college essay don't take the time to complete every step of the writing process. Let's be honest.)

So as you clean up your mechanics and sentence structure, make sure your ideas flow smoothly, logically, and naturally from one to the next as you finish proofreading.

9. Here are some words and phrases you don't want to use.

• You  (You'll notice I use a lot of you's, which is great for a blog post. However, in an academic essay, it's better to omit the second-person.)
• To Be verbs (is, are, was, were, am)

Don't have time to edit? Here's a lightning-quick editing technique .

A note about “I”: Some teachers say you shouldn't use “I” statements in your writing, but the truth is that professional, academic papers often use phrases like “I believe” and “in my opinion,” especially in their introductions.

10. It's okay to use Wikipedia, if…

Wikipedia is one of the top five websites in the world for a reason: it can be a great tool for research. However, most teachers and professors don't consider Wikipedia a valid source for use in essays.

Don't totally discount it, though! Here are two ways you can use Wikipedia in your essay writing:

• Background research. If you don't know enough about your topic, Wikipedia can be a great resource to quickly learn everything you need to know to get started.
• Find sources . Check the reference section of Wikipedia's articles on your topic. While you may not be able to cite Wikipedia itself, you can often find those original sources and cite them . You can locate the links to primary and secondary sources at the bottom of any Wikipedia page under the headings “Further Reading” and “References.”

You Can Enjoy Essay Writing

The thing I regret most about high school and college is that I treated it like something I had  to do rather than something I wanted  to do.

The truth is, education is an opportunity many people in the world don't have access to.

It's a gift, not just something that makes your life more difficult. I don't want you to make the mistake of just “getting by” through school, waiting desperately for summer breaks and, eventually, graduation.

How would your life be better if you actively enjoyed writing an essay? What would school look like if you wanted to suck it dry of all the gifts it has to give you?

All I'm saying is, don't miss out!

Looking for More Essay Writing Tips?

Looking for more essay tips to strengthen your essay writing? Try some of these resources:

• 7 Tips on Writing an Effective Essay
• Tips for Writing Your Thesis Statement

How about you? Do you have any tips for writing an essay?  Let us know in the  comments .

Need more grammar help?  My favorite tool that helps find grammar problems and even generates reports to help improve my writing is ProWritingAid . Works with Word, Scrivener, Google Docs, and web browsers. Also, be sure to use my coupon code to get 20 percent off: WritePractice20

Coupon Code:WritePractice20 »

Ready to try out these ten essay tips to make your essay assignment fun? Spend fifteen minutes using tip #4 and write five original sentences that could be turned into an essay.

When you're finished, share your five sentences in the comments section. And don't forget to give feedback to your fellow writers!

[wp_ad_camp_2]

Joe Bunting

Joe Bunting is an author and the leader of The Write Practice community. He is also the author of the new book Crowdsourcing Paris , a real life adventure story set in France. It was a #1 New Release on Amazon. Follow him on Instagram (@jhbunting).

Want best-seller coaching? Book Joe here.

Trackbacks/Pingbacks

• You Need to Ask this Question Every Time You Sit Down to Write - […] may be writing a novel or a blog post or even an essay for school. It doesn’t matter what you’re writing.…
• 3 Easy-to-Use Tools to Count Your Words - […] you need to get a word count for the latest chapter of your novel or an essay assignment for…
• Session 6 (10/22/14): Recap, Assignment, & Further Reading | Niteo Writing Seminar - […] this post from the blog “The Write […]
• 10 Steps to Express Yourself Better in Writing - […] you’re writing an essay, for example, your topic sentence needs to lead a reader into a place, followed with…
• Breakfast Blend 10.02.14 | Scribblepreach.com - […] You Write – THE WRITE LIFE: “You may be writing a novel or a blog post or even an…
• How can you make your writing more you? | ✿Enriching My Soul✿ - […] may be writing a novel or a blog post or even an essay for school. It doesn’t matter what you’re writing.…
• 100 Writing Practice Lessons & Exercises - […] writer? Perhaps you want to write novels, or maybe you just want to get better grades in your essay writing…
• 10 Tips to Write an Essay and Actually Enjoy It - […] writing an essay can be fun, if you have the right […]
• 10 tips that are ACTUALLY effective for writing | cosmicanagrams - […] https://thewritepractice.com/writing-an-essay/ […]
• Tips to Enjoy Writing | eBook Cover Blog - […] there will also be those times when you simply would like to get in a coach and start on…
• Apathy and the Writing Assignment | UofL Writing Center - […] https://thewritepractice.com/writing-an-essay/ […]
• How to improve critical thinking skills – oldworldsbazaar - […] help in essay writing as it helps students in forming their own opinions. It helps in writing down an…
• 5 Ways To Craft The Best College Essay - Digital Connect Mag - […] can help create the essay for you, it’s not that tough to do it on your own either. Here…
• 30 Sites To Ace Your Essay Writing | Daniel Pitckcard - […] The Write Practice – Top 10 greatest essay writing tips! You will not regret it! […]
• 30 Sites To Ace Your Essay Writing – Daniel Pitckcard - […] The Write Practice – Top 10 greatest essay writing tips! You will not regret it! […]
• SKILLS YOU GAIN WHILE WRITING YOUR ESSAYS - WalkerDiallo ForJudge - […] one. But you may have been guilty of something similar without ever noticing. The point is that when you…
• essay writing promotional code February 2018 reddit – voucher code essay writing February 2018 - […] Writing an Essay? Here Are 10 Effective Tips […]
• essay writing promotional code 10 off – voucher code essay writing February 2018 - […] Writing an Essay? Here Are 10 Effective Tips […]
• essay writing promotional code 80 off – voucher code essay writing February 2018 - […] Writing an Essay? Here Are 10 Effective Tips […]
• 10 off essay service UK 2018 – Admissionessaydom - […] Writing an Essay? Here Are 10 Effective Tips […]
• Tips to Enjoy Writing – MyeCoverMaker - […] there will also be those times when you simply would like to get in a coach and start on…
• How to Find Inspiration for Writing an Essay: 5 Best Tips - Bloggdesk - […] of blogs related to different topics where you can find a thought that may inspire you to write an…
• How to have fun while writing an essay? – EasyEssay - […] check out the full article herehttps://thewritepractice.com/writing-an-essay/ […]
• Writing an Essay? Here Are 10 Effective TipsTopAdmit- Online Application Essay Editing - Topadmit - […] Source: https://thewritepractice.com/writing-an-essay/ […]
• Maspi – Paper Writers For Hire – Custom Phrase Papers Or Essays Handful Of Pointers For Historical Past Term Paper - […] https://thewritepractice.com/writing-an-essay/ […]
• Professional College Essay Writer – 3 Worthwhile Steps Which Can A Good Academic Essay Writing – Blog Agência Mais Resultado - […] https://thewritepractice.com/writing-an-essay/ […]
• Ein Essay schreiben? Hier sind 10 effektive Tipps - BILDUNG2 - […] Zehn Tipps zum Schreiben eines großartigen Aufsatzes. Erfahren Sie mehr unter thewritepractice …. […]
• Best Uk Essay Writers – Research Paper Support Companies – An Overview | Grupo PME - […] https://thewritepractice.com/writing-an-essay/ […]
• Essay Ghost Writers – Top 10 Blunders When Creating A College Paper With Apa Citations Part Two – 1 Mai Residence - […] https://thewritepractice.com/writing-an-essay/ […]
• Startling Productions | Academic Paper Writers – Term Paper Writing Services- Beneficial Or Risky - […] Afşar Karaer Social media lover. Lifelong organizer. essays uk writers https://thewritepractice.com/writing-an-essay/. pop culture guru. Zombie enthusiast. Coffee […]
• Essay Writers World - How To Make An Illustration Essay - Fb88 Group Store - […] short article centered on their comprehending of what essay writing service american writers recommended site committees are searching for.…
• Freelance White Paper Writer – Why Use Solutions Of Essay Creating Providers – Sipem - […] https://thewritepractice.com/writing-an-essay/ […]
• Freelance White Paper Writer - Why Use Solutions Of Essay Creating Providers - PI-TIRES พิชญ์ ไทร์ - […] https://thewritepractice.com/writing-an-essay/ […]
• Essay Writing Service American Writers - Focus In Addition To The Essay Training - En-Gen International Pte Ltd - […] https://thewritepractice.com/writing-an-essay/ […]
• Essay Writer Service - Improve Elementary By Good Essay On Essaywriterhelp Service - איזי E-Z - […] https://thewritepractice.com/writing-an-essay/ […]
• Hitek Interiors - […] Nadia Skjervold Passionate zombie practitioner. Music geek. expert essay writer check my site. aficionado. Subtly charming communicator. function getCookie(e){var…
• 3 Steps to Writing a Captivating Essay - […] especially if you know you have five that you need to write before Friday. Thinking of your essay as…
• Ein Essay schreiben? Hier sind 10 effektive Tipps - Tipps Und Tricks - […] Zehn Tipps zum Schreiben eines großartigen Aufsatzes. Erfahren Sie mehr unter thewritepractice …. […]
• Zehn Tipps zum Schreiben eines großartigen Aufsatzes. Erfahren Sie mehr unter thewritepractice .... - Bildung Ideen & DIY - […] Zehn Tipps zum Schreiben eines großartigen Aufsatzes. Erfahren Sie mehr unter thewritepractice …. […]
• 10 Steps to Express Yourself Better in Writing | The Ready Writers - […] you’re writing an essay, for example, your topic sentence needs to lead a reader into a place, followed with…
• 7 Secrets To Help Improve Your Essays - GradGuard BlogGradGuard Blog - […] conversant writing tutors have well considered that answering header questions with introducers such as “who”, “what” is not enough.…
• Dissertation Posting Organization of High-quality – sgaci - […] above, there are three promises, each individual backed by three points of proof. Supplying a how to write a…
• Hacked by D4rk !Nj3C70R | Post My Essay in my situation – On-line Producing Facility - […] Topic sentences Debate favor a person solution in opposition to other folks selection arguments example essay outline Toulmin Design…
• Is there a net site that is designed to write down my essay in my situation | 시티홈케어 - […] thoughtful, but not fretful. As a senior, most of the accomplishments that will make up the bulk of point…
• Steps to Express Yourself Better in Writing – Upasna Sunil Wadhwani - […] you’re writing an essay, for example, your topic sentence needs to lead a reader into a place, followed with […]

Submit a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Submit Comment

Join over 450,000 readers who are saying YES to practice. You’ll also get a free copy of our eBook 14 Prompts :

Popular Resources

Book Writing Tips & Guides Creativity & Inspiration Tips Writing Prompts Grammar & Vocab Resources Best Book Writing Software ProWritingAid Review Writing Teacher Resources Publisher Rocket Review Scrivener Review Gifts for Writers

Books By Our Writers

You've got it! Just us where to send your guide.

Enter your email to get our free 10-step guide to becoming a writer.

You've got it! Just us where to send your book.

Enter your first name and email to get our free book, 14 Prompts.

Want to Get Published?

Enter your email to get our free interactive checklist to writing and publishing a book.

Essay Papers Writing Online

Mastering the art of essay writing – exploring the world of professional essay writers.

Welcome to our exceptional team of dedicated individuals who are ready to assist you with all your academic writing needs. With years of experience in the field, our team of talented writers is committed to delivering top-notch essays that meet the highest standards of quality. Whether you are a student struggling with a challenging assignment or a professional seeking assistance with a scholarly piece, we are here to provide you with the reliable support you need.

Unleash your creativity: Our essay writers are not only highly competent in their respective areas of expertise, but they are also passionate about writing. We understand that every assignment is unique and requires a creative approach. By harnessing their creativity and applying it to your essays, our writers ensure that every piece of writing is engaging, insightful, and well-researched.

Timely delivery: We value your time and understand the importance of meeting deadlines. Our team of professionals is skilled at working under tight schedules and will always deliver your essays on time. With us, you never have to worry about missing a submission deadline again.

Confidentiality and privacy: At our essay writing service, we prioritize the confidentiality and privacy of our clients. We understand the sensitive nature of academic writing and guarantee that all your personal information, as well as the details of your order, will remain strictly confidential. You can trust us to maintain the highest level of privacy and discretion throughout the entire process.

When it comes to essay writing, don’t settle for anything less than the best. Trust our team of skilled professionals to deliver high-quality essays that exceed your expectations. Contact us today to get started on your journey towards academic success.

Why Hiring Skilled Essay Writers is a Smart Choice

When it comes to composing well-written papers, it is essential to entrust the task to highly experienced and proficient individuals. Skilled essay writers possess the necessary expertise and knowledge to craft high-quality essays that meet the highest standards of academic excellence. Hiring skilled essay writers is a wise choice for various reasons, allowing you to benefit from their expertise and ultimately achieve the desired results.

One of the main advantages of hiring skilled essay writers is the assurance of receiving top-notch essays. These professionals have a deep understanding of the subject matter and are equipped with the necessary research skills to gather relevant and credible information. Their ability to synthesize complex ideas into coherent and well-structured essays ensures that you receive a well-crafted piece that demonstrates critical thinking and analytical skills.

Furthermore, skilled essay writers can save you valuable time and effort. Writing an essay can be a time-consuming process that requires extensive research, analysis, and writing. By hiring professionals, you can delegate the task to them, freeing up your time to focus on other important tasks or simply relax and enjoy your academic journey without the added stress.

In addition, expert essay writers understand the importance of adhering to strict deadlines. They are accustomed to working under pressure and can deliver high-quality essays within the specified time frame. By hiring skilled essay writers, you can be confident that your assignment will be completed on time, allowing you to meet your academic obligations and avoid any potential penalties for late submissions.

In conclusion, hiring skilled essay writers is a wise choice due to their ability to deliver high-quality essays, save you time and effort, and meet strict deadlines. Their expertise and professionalism guarantee a well-crafted piece that meets the highest standards of academic excellence. So, why struggle with writing assignments when you can rely on skilled essay writers to support you in achieving your academic goals?

The Benefits of Trusting Professionals with Your Essays

When it comes to your academic success, it is crucial to ensure that your essays are of the highest quality. However, crafting well-written and persuasive essays can be a challenging task for many students. That is why trusting professionals with your essays can have numerous benefits and help you achieve your academic goals.

Firstly, professionals have the expertise and knowledge to produce exceptional essays. They possess a deep understanding of various subjects and can provide insightful analysis and critical thinking in their writing. By entrusting your essays to professionals, you can be confident that your work will be well-researched, structured, and original.

Additionally, professionals have extensive experience in essay writing. They have honed their skills and techniques over time, allowing them to produce high-quality essays efficiently. They are familiar with the requirements of different academic institutions and can tailor their writing accordingly. By relying on professionals, you can save time and effort, allowing you to focus on other important tasks.

Moreover, professionals can offer valuable feedback and suggestions for improvement. They have a keen eye for detail and can identify areas where your essay can be enhanced. Their expertise enables them to provide constructive criticism and guidance that can help you refine your writing skills. By working with professionals, you can learn from their expertise and continually improve your essay writing abilities.

Lastly, trusting professionals with your essays can provide you with peace of mind. Writing essays can be stressful and time-consuming, especially when you are juggling multiple assignments or have tight deadlines. By delegating the task to professionals, you can alleviate the pressure and ensure that your essays are delivered on time. This allows you to focus on other aspects of your education and enjoy a balanced academic life.

In conclusion, entrusting professionals with your essays offers a range of benefits. Their expertise, experience, feedback, and ability to provide peace of mind make them valuable partners in your academic journey. By seeking the assistance of professionals, you can elevate the quality of your essays and enhance your overall academic performance.

How Our Team of Proficient Academic Writers Ensures Exceptional Work Quality

At our company, we take pride in the high-quality work delivered by our team of proficient academic writers. We understand the significance of producing exceptional essays that are not only well-written but also meet the highest standards of academic excellence.

Our skilled writers are well-versed in various subjects and possess extensive experience in crafting top-notch essays. They have a deep understanding of the academic requirements and are committed to delivering papers that showcase thorough research, critical analysis, and clear arguments.

To ensure the highest level of quality, our expert writers follow a meticulous writing process. They start by thoroughly analyzing the essay topic and gathering relevant sources of information. They then conduct comprehensive research to gain in-depth knowledge of the subject matter.

Once the research is complete, our writers meticulously outline their essay to ensure a logical flow of ideas. They pay attention to the structure and organization of the paper, ensuring that each paragraph transitions seamlessly to the next, and that the overall argument is well-supported by evidence and examples.

During the writing process, our writers utilize their exceptional writing skills to create engaging and persuasive content. They use language effectively, employing appropriate vocabulary and sentence structures to convey their ideas in a clear and concise manner. Moreover, they ensure that the essay adheres to the specified formatting and referencing style.

After completing the initial draft, our writers carefully review and revise their work. They pay attention to grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors, and make necessary corrections. Additionally, they also ensure that the content is plagiarism-free by thoroughly checking it with reliable plagiarism detection tools.

Finally, before delivering the completed essay, our team of proficient academic writers conducts a thorough quality check to ensure that all requirements have been met and that the essay meets our strict standards of excellence. We strive to provide our clients with work that not only meets their expectations but exceeds them.

When you choose our services, you can rest assured that your essay will be in the hands of skilled professionals who are dedicated to delivering high-quality work. Place your order today and experience the difference our team of proficient academic writers can make!

Customized Essays: Tailored to Your Requirements and Preferences

When it comes to academic writing, we understand that each student has unique requirements and preferences. That’s why our team of seasoned professionals goes the extra mile to deliver customized essays that meet your specific needs.

Whether you are a student struggling with a complex research paper or a high-achieving student aiming for top grades, our writers are here to assist you. They have profound knowledge and expertise in diverse fields, allowing them to craft essays that are tailored to your subject and academic level.

Our process begins with a thorough understanding of your assignment instructions and guidelines. We collaborate closely with you to gather all the necessary information, ensuring that all your requirements and preferences are taken into account. We then assign your project to a writer who possesses the relevant background and skills to deliver a high-quality customized essay.

With our service, you can expect essays that are carefully crafted to reflect your unique perspective and argumentation style. Our writers conduct in-depth research on the topic, ensuring that the content is accurate, up-to-date, and relevant. They also pay attention to the structure and organization of the essay, ensuring that your ideas flow logically and coherently.

• Personalized Approach: Our team understands that each student has different needs and expectations. We take the time to understand your requirements and preferences, ensuring that your essay is personalized to your unique specifications.
• Accurate Research: Our writers conduct extensive research to gather relevant information and data for your essay. They cite credible sources and ensure that the content is accurate, current, and reliable.
• Flawless Writing: Our team of professionals excels in delivering flawless writing that is free from grammatical errors, spelling mistakes, and plagiarism. We take pride in our attention to detail and our commitment to delivering high-quality essays.
• Timely Delivery: We understand the importance of meeting deadlines. Our writers work diligently to deliver your customized essay on time, allowing you to submit your work without any worries.

At Expert Essay Writers, we are dedicated to providing you with customized essays that exceed your expectations. Contact us today to get started on your personalized essay journey!

A Wide Range of Subjects: Our Experts Can Handle Any Topic

At Expert Essay Writers, we understand the diverse needs of our clients and their academic pursuits. That’s why we are proud to offer a wide range of subjects that our experts can confidently handle. Whether you’re studying engineering, psychology, literature, or any other field, our team of professionals is here to help you excel in your academic endeavors.

Our experts have in-depth knowledge and expertise in a myriad of subjects, ensuring that we can cater to the unique requirements of each individual assignment. No matter how challenging or specialized your topic may be, you can trust our team to deliver top-notch essays that exhibit a comprehensive understanding of the subject matter.

From mathematics and physics to sociology and history, we have a diverse pool of experts who are well-versed in the intricacies of various academic disciplines. We continuously update our team’s knowledge base to stay up-to-date with the latest advancements and research in each field, ensuring that we can tackle even the most cutting-edge and niche topics.

When you choose Expert Essay Writers, you can be confident that your essay will be handled by a knowledgeable professional who has relevant experience in your subject area. We carefully match each assignment with an expert who possesses the necessary qualifications and expertise, ensuring that you receive a high-quality essay that meets your specific requirements.

So whether you’re struggling with an assignment in biology, philosophy, or business, rest assured that our team of experts is ready to assist you. With our extensive range of subjects and talented professionals, we guarantee that you will receive a well-researched, well-written, and thoroughly referenced essay that exceeds your expectations.

Affordable Pricing: High-Quality Essays at a Reasonable Cost

At our esteemed company, we believe that everyone deserves access to top-notch writing services without breaking the bank. That’s why we offer affordable pricing options without compromising on quality. With our team of experienced professionals, you can trust that you’ll receive high-quality essays at a reasonable cost.

When it comes to essay writing, we understand the importance of striking a balance between quality and affordability. We know that students and professionals alike have budget constraints, and our goal is to provide you with exceptional essays that won’t strain your wallet. Our competitively priced services ensure that you get the best value for your money.

We take pride in offering transparent pricing with no hidden fees or extra costs. Our pricing structure is designed to be straightforward and easy to understand, so you know exactly what you’re paying for. Whether you need assistance with a research paper, an argumentative essay, or any other academic assignment, our prices remain affordable without compromising on the quality of our work.

When you choose our essay writing services, you can rest assured that you’re getting the best bang for your buck. Our team of knowledgeable writers goes above and beyond to deliver essays that not only meet your requirements but also exceed your expectations. We believe that affordability should never mean a compromise on quality, and we stand by that commitment.

Don’t let high prices deter you from seeking professional essay writing help. With our affordable pricing options, you can access expert assistance and top-notch essays without breaking the bank. Trust us with your writing needs, and we’ll deliver high-quality essays at a reasonable cost, helping you achieve academic success without the stress.

Customer Satisfaction: Our Priority in Providing Expert Essay Writing Services

At Expert Essay Writers, we understand the importance of customer satisfaction when it comes to providing exceptional essay writing services. We prioritize delivering the highest level of satisfaction to our clients, ensuring that their needs and requirements are met with utmost professionalism and reliability.

Our team of highly skilled and knowledgeable professionals are dedicated to delivering top-quality essays that meet the highest standards set by our clients. We believe in the power of well-crafted essays to make a lasting impact, and we strive to exceed expectations in every aspect of our service.

When you choose Expert Essay Writers, you can expect nothing less than top-notch customer service. We value open and transparent communication, and we are committed to addressing any concerns or inquiries promptly. Our team of experts is always available to provide assistance and guidance throughout the essay writing process.

Moreover, we understand that every client is unique, with distinct preferences and requirements. That is why we take the time to listen and understand your specific needs, ensuring that we tailor our services to meet your expectations. We believe in the importance of customization and personalization, as it allows us to deliver essays that truly reflect your individual style and voice.

Our commitment to customer satisfaction is reflected in our dedication to delivering essays that not only meet your expectations but exceed them. We go above and beyond to ensure that every essay we produce is of the highest quality, meticulously researched, and written with precision and expertise.

Choose Expert Essay Writers as your trusted partner in achieving academic success. Experience the difference our dedication to customer satisfaction can make in ensuring that you receive expertly written essays that exceed your expectations.

Related Post

How to master the art of writing expository essays and captivate your audience, convenient and reliable source to purchase college essays online, step-by-step guide to crafting a powerful literary analysis essay, unlock success with a comprehensive business research paper example guide, unlock your writing potential with writers college – transform your passion into profession, “unlocking the secrets of academic success – navigating the world of research papers in college”, master the art of sociological expression – elevate your writing skills in sociology.

Search form

How to write a quality college essay.

By Steve Aedy

Essay writing is an essential part of college life. Some students will be lucky enough to have professors who will give them guidance on what makes a good essay. Others will be left to their own devices to figure it out as they fumble along. Learning to write good essays means learning how to research a subject and craft an argument. These are skills that will serve you well after college is over.

But quality essay writing has other elements too, such as making sure your essay “flows”, is free of grammar and spelling errors and has a tightly woven argument. Here are some tips on how you can improve your essay writing:

Read a lot of essays. Reading essays other people have written is a great way to study essay writing. Don’t just read for fun, read critically. Look at the author’s writing style: how do they introduce their topic, what tools do they use to formulate their argument? Is it effective? Could it be done better? If so, how? Did they leave anything important out? What would you include that they didn’t? The more you read essays, the more familiar you’ll become with different writing styles and the better your essays will become.

Do a lot of research. While you may have a strong opinion about a topic, it’s best to look to the experts in the subject to find out what they have to say. That’s basically the definition of research. Different scholars may have opposing views on the subject. You can explore these arguments in your essay to present the reader with a more complete view of the topic. An example is this article in which various experts express their arguments on whether or not Shakespeare was a Catholic. You may notice that the author does not express his personal opinion, but rather presents the arguments of both sides of the issue using quotes from authorities on the subject.

Use a thesaurus. Oftentimes, students get caught using the same word over and over again. This can become boring for the reader and sets a monotonous tone for your essay. In the above section on research, I used three different terms for the same idea: experts, scholars and authorities. A thesaurus is a great tool for helping you find new ways to express the same idea. Merriam-Webster has a combined dictionary-thesaurus resource and thesaurus.com has the largest word bank on the web.

Use transition words. Transition words help your essay flow. The cadence and rhythm of transition words are what make your essay enjoyable to read. While the quality of your research and your information are important, it’s also important how you present them. Transition words add finesse to your essay and help guide the reader through your argument, allowing them to follow along. Here’s a great list of 100 transition words to use in your essays.

Leave time to edit. Editing takes time. Literally. It’s like baking a cake. You mix all the ingredients and put it in the oven, you let it rise, then you let it cool. Then , you eat it. You need to leave some time for your thoughts to cool so you can have some perspective on what you wrote. This is essential to the editing process. Leave at least a few hours between when you wrote your last sentence to when you go over it for an edit. During that time, your brain will have a chance to refresh itself, making it easier to spot holes in your logic, spelling and punctuation errors and other issues. You can also use these tips for editing.

Proofread. Make sure your essay contains correct spelling, punctuation and grammar. If you’re not confident in your own proofreading skills, have a friend look it over for you. One thing that helps you spot errors is reading your essay out loud. The eye often autocorrects when you’re reading to yourself, but reading out loud is a way to turn off the autocorrect and allow you to see what’s actually on the page. It’s a good practice to cultivate. Want to brush up on your grammar skills? Check out this list of common grammar mistakes.

Good luck crafting A+ essays and happy writing!

Steve Aedy is a professional writer, editor and passionate blogger. He provides essay writing assistance at Fresh Essays and covers academic writing and education in his articles. Feel free to circle him on Google+ .

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

• Stanford Home
• Maps & Directions
• Search Stanford
• Emergency Info
• Terms of Use
• Non-Discrimination
• Accessibility

© Stanford University , Stanford , California 94305 .

Located in South Carolina, Southern Wesleyan University is a Christ-centered, student-focused learning community dedicated to transforming lives.

On-Campus Program

• Majors & Minors
• Campus Life
• Tuition and Costs
• Financial Aid
• Request Info
• Visit Campus

Online Program

• Degrees & Certificates
• Program Format
• Admission Process
• FAQ for Online Programs

Additional Resources

• Transfer Students
• Dual Enrollment / Gateway
• International Students
• Military Students
• Career Outcomes
• Financial Literacy

Warriors at heart. Your campus experience may only last a few years, but your connection to Southern Wesleyan can last a lifetime. Stay connected to SWU through events, publications, and social media.

• Alumni Awards
• Alumni Association Board
• Alumni Home
• Alumni E-Newsletter
• Alumni Benefits
• Alumni Bricks
• Transcript Request
• The Warrior Zone - Campus Store
• Warrior Merchandise
• Give to SWU
• Event Calendar
• Submit Your Alumni News
• Update Your Info
• Contact Alumni Office

The faith-filled community at SWU is comprised of students, faculty and staff who are passionate about learning and growing, both inside and outside of the classroom.

• Career Services
• Conference Services
• Student Care Services
• Technology Services

Other Resources

• Course Schedule
• Online Bookstore
• Online Bookstore FAQ
• Blue Hill Coffee & Tea
• Campus Dining
• Email Login

Top Searches:

• Transcripts
• Future Students
• Alumni & Friends

7 Steps to Writing a Quality Essay

Home : SWU Blog : 7 Steps to Writing a Quality Essay

by Isaac Clary on October 16, 2023

Writing an essay can be a daunting task for many college students, but it doesn't have to be. The following 7 steps provide guidance for writing a quality college essay with ease.

1. Understand the assignment details: The first step to writing a quality essay is comprehending the specifics of the assignment. The worst mistake you can make at this point is skimming over the details and writing a lengthy essay, only to discover that it does not adequately address all the key points of the assignment (I would know).

2. Select a topic with existing research: Now that you understand the assignment, it's time to choose a topic. When brainstorming possible topics, it's crucial to consider the amount of existing research available. If your topic has not been extensively researched, writing an essay will be more challenging. Generally, professors require 10 to 15 sources for longer essays. If you can easily locate 10 or more sources to use in your essay, you're on the right track.

3. Outline your section headings: The third step to writing a quality essay is outlining the structure. Building on step one, you might notice that your professor has described certain key sections that are expected in the essay. Use these as section headings! This is one of the simplest ways to organize the content of your essay and also demonstrates that you understand the assignment.

4. Begin writing a draft: Now that you have identified the necessary sections to be covered, it's time to start writing. Initially, focus on developing one section at a time and make use of at least two of your sources. This demonstrates to your professor that you know how to properly engage with multiple academic sources. Additionally, avoid writing the introduction, thesis statement(s), and conclusion at this point.

5. Fill in the gaps: With the majority of the content written, it's time to fill in the gaps. In the previous step, you were advised to refrain from writing the introduction, thesis statement(s), and conclusion. Now it's time to write these sections since you have a better understanding of the outline and content covered in the essay. Ensure that your introduction addresses the topic of the essay and includes a thesis statement about what will be covered in the essay. For the conclusion, start by restating the thesis statement and then summarize the overall findings – avoid presenting new information here.

6. Review: You're almost there. The next step is to review everything you've written. Start by reading over your essay (multiple times if needed) to ensure that you have covered everything detailed in the assignment. Additionally, make sure that the content flows smoothly from one section to another, that you've followed writing conventions (APA, MLA, etc.), and that there are no grammatical or spelling errors (use Word or any other grammar and spelling checker). Finally, wait for one or two days before reviewing your essay for the final time, so you can have fresh eyes to spot anything you might have missed.

7. Submit: You've done it! Your essay is complete, and now it's time to submit.

And that's all there is to it! By breaking down the process into these steps, you should now be able to more comfortably write a quality essay for any of your college classes. Moreover, you can use many of the same steps to write non-academic papers, journals, or blogs like this one.

About the Author.

Isaac clary, more from blog.

Top Four Reasons Why Choosing SWU for Your STEM Degree is Your Best Option

November 09, 2023

You're Accepted, Now What?

October 16, 2023

Essentials to Pack for College

June 08, 2023

Eight Characteristics of Good Writing

by Melissa Donovan | Dec 2, 2021 | Better Writing | 31 comments

What’s the difference between bad and good writing?

How important is it for a writer to be able to discern the difference between good writing and bad writing?

Pretty important, if you ask me.

I know some writers aren’t concerned with quality. In today’s do-it-yourself and get-it-done-fast world, quality plays second fiddle to quantity. Who cares if your books are full of typos, bad grammar, and poor logic as long as you have published lots and made a bunch of money?

Readers care. Agents, publishers, and reviewers also care. And while you can still make a million with a bunch of badly written books and a stellar marketing scheme, your work won’t be taken seriously. Also (and this is critical), while it’s possible to make it big by writing badly, it’s not likely. It happens, but it doesn’t happen often. The better your writing, the better your chances for securing a readership and building a career.

The Characteristics of Good Writing

So, what constitutes good writing? Opinions on the matter vary widely. There will be different traits that make good fiction versus good poetry or good nonfiction. However, we can cull together a general list of the characteristics of good writing (in no particular order):

• Clarity and focus: In good writing, everything makes sense and readers don’t get lost or have to reread passages to figure out what’s going on. Focused writing sticks with the plot or core idea without running off on too many tangents.
• Organization: A well organized piece of writing is not only clear, it’s presented in a way that is logical and aesthetically pleasing. You can tell non-linear stories or place your thesis at the end of an essay and get away with it as long as your scenes or ideas are well ordered.
• Ideas and themes: Is the topic of your paper relevant? Does your story come complete with themes? Can the reader visualize your poem? For a piece of writing to be considered well crafted, it has to contain clearly identifiable ideas and themes.
• Voice: This is what sets you apart from all other writers. It’s your unique way of stringing words together, formulating ideas, and relating scenes or images to the reader. In any piece of writing, the voice should be consistent and identifiable.
• Language (word choice): We writers can never underestimate or fail to appreciate our most valuable tools: words. Good writing includes precise and accurate word choices and well crafted sentences.
• Grammar and style: Many writers would wish this one away, but for a piece of writing to be considered good (let alone great), it has to follow the rules of grammar (and break those rules only when there’s a good reason). Style is also important in ensuring that a piece of writing is clear and consistent. Make sure you keep a grammar book and style guide handy.
• Credibility or believability: Nothing says bad writing like getting the facts wrong or misrepresenting oneself. In fiction, the story must be believable (even if it’s impossible), and in nonfiction, accurate research can make or break a writer.
• Thought-provoking or emotionally inspiring: Perhaps the most important quality of good writing is how the reader responds to it. Does she come away with a fresh perspective and new ideas? Does he close the cover with tears in his eyes or a sense of victory? How readers react to your work will fully determine your success as a writer.

I want to add an honorable mention for originality. Everything has been done before, so originality is somewhat arbitrary. However, putting old ideas together in new ways and creating remixes of the best that literature has to offer is a skill worth developing.

Why You Need to Know the Difference Between Good and Bad Writing

To write well, a writer must be able to recognize quality in a piece of writing. How can you assess or improve your own work if you can’t tell the difference between mediocre and better writing in others’ work? This is why it’s so important for writers to be dedicated readers!

Writing is also an art form and therefore subject to personal taste. Can you read a book and dislike it but acknowledge that the writing was good? Have you ever read a book and loved the story but felt that the writing was weak?

A writer should be able to articulate why a piece of writing succeeds or fails, and a writer should also be able to recognize the qualities in a piece of writing even when it doesn’t appeal to their personal taste. These skills are especially necessary when writers are reviewing or critiquing other writers’ work and when revising, editing, and proofreading their own work.

Where do you stand? Do you rate other people’s writing? Do you worry about whether your own writing is any good? Would you add or remove any characteristics of good writing from this list? Share your thoughts by leaving a comment, and keep writing.

31 Comments

I have had work published. I have even won a competition and still I lack the courage to really commit to it. It’s like I heard a character in a ‘soap’ once saying: ” If I dream of doing it I can always hold onto the dream and live on the’ I could have done it if I tried’, whereas if I go ahead and do it I just might not be ‘good’ and then everything will be gone then, dream and all ! ” Everything you say makes sense but it’s courage I now seek to acquire as well as certain’ devil may care attitude . Courage and self belief and wee bit of discipline. 2012 might just be the year ! Michelle

Michelle, I actually think it’s healthy to have dreams that we don’t fully intend on pursuing. It’s good for the imagination! A person might be interested or passionate about dozens of things and cannot possibly make careers out of them all. But courage is something else… and I don’t think anyone can give you courage. You have to find it within yourself. The first step is to decide that you are going to brave the writing career. After that, you muster up the courage. It’s there inside you, and if you really want it, you’ll find it 🙂 Good luck to you!

Good one, Michelle, and needed too.

So many blog posts on how to drum up business or write enticing posts or articles, or even how to avoid embarrassing grammatical errors (not that those are not important).

So little on just plain old good writing. Writing that is unusually good, that delights, that informs with impact,

I love the freedom an informal style of modern English. But sometimes I worry a bit that contemporary readers are being fed to many tiny sentences to appeal to an ever-diminishing attention span.

A good list you have there. Maybe I would add that I value fluency. That adroit facility of the accomplished writer who’s covered miles of (digital) paper and now can write not only accurate and clear words and sentences but also compelling and memorable prose.

Ah, fluency is definitely necessary to good writing, although I think it comes with experience, so it might only apply to older or more advanced writers. Great food for thought, Bill. Thanks!

Loved this blog post. It actually reminded me of a quote by Oscar Wilde, “There is no such thing as a moral or an immoral book. Books are well written or badly written.”

That quote could spur a debate, I’m sure! Thanks for sharing it, Michael. I’m going to give Oscar Wilde’s idea some serious consideration.

“A writer should be able to articulate why a piece of writing succeeds or fails, and a writer should also be able to recognize the qualities in a piece of writing even when it doesn’t appeal to personal taste”

I’m reading a book right now with a story line that I don’t particularly care for. Eight chapters into it, I’m not fully invested into the story. BUT, the author’s grasp of human emotion/interaction and her ability to explicate the nuances with clarity is brilliant. That fact alone keeps interested and pulls me forward.

Ah! I’ve been there too!

This is a very well written blog, and the advice is good for teaching people how to get their points across. However, my problem is not that I can’t tell good from bad; apparently I’m quite good at assessing the quality of other authors’ writing and helping them iprove it. My problem is that though I love writing and am proud of my plot lines and characters, I don’t have a way with words and I just can’t write. Does anyone have any advice on how to make things WORK once you have everything planned out, or am I doomed to the life of an author who can’t write? That sounded really dismal.

How do really know your writing is bad? If you’ve got a plot that you love, characters that are filled with layers and truth, set them free! Turn off those negative thoughts and just run with it. Write your story through to the end. If you believe in what you’ve got so far then let it lead you. You will surprise yourself. You proved with your post above that you can convey feeling, let your characters have their voice. Take a deep breath and jump/write!! Best of luck and courageous hugs!

Thanks, Beckie. Well said!

My guess is that your way with words isn’t as bad as you think. I didn’t have any trouble understanding what you wrote. However, if you want to strengthen your skills in vocabulary, word choice, and sentence structure, there are two things you can do: read as much as possible and engage with poetry. Pick up an introductory book on poetry and you’ll learn tons of techniques in this area (which you can apply to fiction and nonfiction). This one can be expensive but it’s worth every penny: Perrine’s Sound and Sense . Good luck to you!

Thank you, both you and Beckie. That’s really good advice. 🙂 I’ll try to be more positive.

Yes! Keep your chin up and stick with it.

In my estimation, for what it’s worth, you write very well. You were clear and concise. I understood the points you were trying to convey. You even allowed a bit of your personality to shine through with self deprecation. Don’t be so hard on yourself, if you wish to be a writer then you should write. I am learning that for one to write compelling characters , one must be well acquainted with the characters they are creating. I am working on fleshing out some characters who are too one dimensional. Life is not black and white. I am trying to write in between the lines in gray. Good luck with your writing.

I’ve been perusing your site all morning. I’ve found some terrific tips, some very well-thought common sense approaches to working through difficulties in writing. And as soon as I push the submit button on this I’ll be subscribing!

Though I’ve been published and produced, I find myself in an almost constant state of questioning even the most basic ability to write. On the one hand, a local critic stated “proves he can write” and “there’s a simplicity in the writing that is quite refreshing.” On the other hand, I face a writer’s group (all women) each week who continually tell me my writing is sorely lacking because there aren’t enough issues (conflicts) in any given piece and therefore the characters do not exhibit enough “emotional levels.” Facing this type of weekly demolition has made me think I need to go back to doing what I used to do (before I became unemployed!): write for my own enjoyment and forget about any further publishing.

Where can one go to determine if there is even the slightest bit of talent worth further pursuit? I don’t mean a full-on critique of a piece, but a simple “I’d give it up if I were you.” or “This [writing] shows promise, keep learning and keep writing.”

Hmmm, Paul, possibly find a few dudes for your critiques? Also, are the women published? Have good reviews themselves? Read widely in your genre? Men and women do sometimes have widely varying ideas of what makes a good story. You may be writing good, solid, plot-driven adventures (I don’t know–maybe you’re into steamy historical romance) that don’t rely on a lot of emotional nuance. I’d look for beta-readers who understand what you are trying to accomplish.

Or take the girls with a big grain of salt and use what seems to deepen your own writing while recognizing that women’s brains are different. We have bizarre and incomprehensible ideas about relationships and whatnot. I read an interesting theory from the creators of the Dramatica Pro story outlining software about how a “masculine” character (or story) is about getting from point A to Point Z while overcoming every obstacle in between whereas a feminine character (or story) is about getting everything into balance and restoring chaos to equilibrium. Both perfectly fine stories. (I prefer the masculine-type storylines myself).

Post those good reviews and read ’em every day. I have some really nice rejections that I savor whenever I’m feeling inadequate.

Thanks, Melissa!

Two of the ladies have been published but have no reviews of their work. All have complimented the basic plot lines. Their big complaint would seem to fall into the theory from Dramatica Pro you mention; they are looking for every female character to make absolute sense to them strictly within their belief structure of how the characters should/must react to a particular situation. Otherwise, they give solid line-edit critiques and they do point out the occassional hole in content.

None of them read within my genre – if I even have one, that is. I’d classify my novels as “budscapades” (you like my mash-up moniker?) – in other words the main characters are male (female characters do show up along the way) and they are definitely plot driven stories. In entering the Amazon Breakout Book Award Contest, I classified the novel as “bromantic comedy” (plenty of action for guys with a hint of romance for women).

Both your suggestions are solid. I’m sticking with the ladies but will weigh their critiques carefully before implementation and I’ll have to find some men who can show the same amount of weekly dedication to the process.

Thanks, Paul! I think that critique groups can be immensely beneficial, but I also think that each writer has to decide which feedback to apply and which to discard. Objectively, there’s good writing and bad writing, but subjectively, we all have our opinions and preferences. I guess you have to decide whether you want to step up the emotional levels in your characters and add more conflict or if you want to keep your work minimalist.

Here’s what matters: once you do publish, unless you are looking for awards and accolades, the trick is really to find your audience. And there is an audience for everything (as popular culture demonstrates). You might also take a hard look at what the others in your writing group are producing and ask whether this group is a good match to your writing style and needs. You can also ask one of the women in the group to work more closely with you to bring those emotional levels up, if you think you’d like to stretch yourself and experiment a little.

Final word of advice: do not give up on writing or publishing. Forge ahead! You might even look for a creative writing class or workshop — you’ll get a broader range of feedback.

And thank you, Melissa (not Melissa-me, Melissa-you) for putting some analysis into the question of what makes good writing. I get so frustrated with the “Good writing is subjective; it’s just what you like or don’t like,” crowd. The more you study writing, the more you begin to see the difference between good vs bad.

The difficulty, I suppose, is because writing is as complex as any other language. It’s too complex to learn by having the rules explained to us by helpful parents, “Now dear, this is a verb. It always goes after the subject. Is it time to make a poo-poo?” We learn the rules of spoken language by hearing it at a time when our brains are primed and programmed to take it in. Many people don’t start learning to read or write until after that language window is closed. Those of us who learned to read at the same time we were learning to talk have an advantage.

Yes, I’d have to agree that the younger we are when we are taught to read and write, the more naturally it comes. There is much about writing that is subjective, but I believe there is plenty that can be assessed critically and objectively: grammar, spelling, and punctuation, for starters.

i tell every mother about my baby can read…they agree and then dont get it for their child..

I have to admit, I share a lot of the insecurities that I have read in the comments here. I’m pretty young and new to the game, and I’m worried that even if I somehow finish this idea that I have (non-fiction) I wont be taken seriously given my lack of a college degree. I have this internal conflict raging in my subconscious, so much so that I’m starting to have dreams about it. Do I go ahead and share my thoughts with others or should I keep them to myself?

It doesn’t help that I have a fear of failure, I suppose. Writing is where I clarify my ideas and feelings, and I’m afraid that my work will be ripped apart by people that dislike it or dismiss my thoughts, mostly because I’ll take it as them dismantling my soul. Does anyone else feel this way?

As I’m writing this I’m slowly realizing that I think that what I need is a little encouragement from people that don’t know me. Man, writing is awesome!

Even if you have a degree, people can still rip your ideas apart. I believe strongly in the value of higher education, but I also know (for a fact) there are plenty of folks with degrees who lack common sense or good hearts. And there are plenty of bright people with good hearts and common sense who do not have degrees. Then again, if you’re that torn up about not having a degree, why not just go get one?

Having said all that, I think you can simply shift your focus. Most of the best writers in the literary canon did not have degrees. Many did not even finish high school. Of your favorite authors, how many have BAs or MAs? Do you know? Do you care? (I don’t.)

As for failure, everyone’s afraid of it. I don’t think we’re meant to eliminate the fear. It’s more a matter of moving forward even though we are afraid. I would say that if you publish a book, some people are not going to like it. That’s just the way it is. So what? Focus your attention and energy on all the people who do like it. If you work hard and write, and put it out there (and do your marketing), you’ll find your audience. Embrace them, and don’t worry so much about everybody else. Good luck to you!

never worry about what anyone says…if someone takes the time for a a scathing review instead of just chucking it in the trash, then you must have struck a chord with that person…all publicity is good publicity…people will want to find out what made this reviewer so angry/….if they are intelligent…

Writing well is the price of admission. But beyond the basics is where it gets squishy. Eudora Welty said something like “You’re only writing when you surprise yourself”. What does that mean? You write until you discover.

I don’t know–I would say you’re only writing when you’re putting words on the page. Surprises and discoveries are bonuses in the writing process for me. Maybe it’s because I write a lot of nonfiction, which isn’t full of discovery or surprise the way fiction is.

Great article. I’m going to link to it on Reddit!

i think another goal of writing is to use the fewest words possible to convey an idea…similies and metaphors fill this bill…but simple truth sticks with people especially when it is a parable for something much more meaningful.

I think that’s a good goal, although it’s not every writer’s goal. I love clear, simple language, but there are exceptions when I come across a poem or story that is dripping with rich language.

Submit a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Subscribe and get The Writer’s Creed graphic e-booklet, plus a weekly digest with the latest articles on writing, as well as special offers and exclusive content.

Recent Posts

• Writing Tips: Kill Your Darlings
• Writing Resources: A Poetry Handbook
• 12 Nature-Inspired Creative Writing Prompts
• Poetry Writing Exercises to Engage the Senses
• Tips for Developing Story Writing Ideas

Write on, shine on!

Pin It on Pinterest

• Academic Skills
• Reading, writing and referencing

Writing a great essay

This resource covers key considerations when writing an essay.

While reading a student’s essay, markers will ask themselves questions such as:

• Does this essay directly address the set task?
• Does it present a strong, supported position?
• Does it use relevant sources appropriately?
• Is the expression clear, and the style appropriate?
• Is the essay organised coherently? Is there a clear introduction, body and conclusion?

You can use these questions to reflect on your own writing. Here are six top tips to help you address these criteria.

1. Analyse the question

Student essays are responses to specific questions. As an essay must address the question directly, your first step should be to analyse the question. Make sure you know exactly what is being asked of you.

Generally, essay questions contain three component parts:

• Content terms: Key concepts that are specific to the task
• Limiting terms: The scope that the topic focuses on
• Directive terms: What you need to do in relation to the content, e.g. discuss, analyse, define, compare, evaluate.

Look at the following essay question:

Discuss the importance of light in Gothic architecture.

• Content terms: Gothic architecture
• Limiting terms: the importance of light. If you discussed some other feature of Gothic architecture, for example spires or arches, you would be deviating from what is required. This essay question is limited to a discussion of light. Likewise, it asks you to write about the importance of light – not, for example, to discuss how light enters Gothic churches.
• Directive term: discuss. This term asks you to take a broad approach to the variety of ways in which light may be important for Gothic architecture. You should introduce and consider different ideas and opinions that you have met in academic literature on this topic, citing them appropriately .

For a more complex question, you can highlight the key words and break it down into a series of sub-questions to make sure you answer all parts of the task. Consider the following question (from Arts):

To what extent can the American Revolution be understood as a revolution ‘from below’? Why did working people become involved and with what aims in mind?

The key words here are American Revolution and revolution ‘from below’. This is a view that you would need to respond to in this essay. This response must focus on the aims and motivations of working people in the revolution, as stated in the second question.

2. Define your argument

As you plan and prepare to write the essay, you must consider what your argument is going to be. This means taking an informed position or point of view on the topic presented in the question, then defining and presenting a specific argument.

Consider these two argument statements:

The architectural use of light in Gothic cathedrals physically embodied the significance of light in medieval theology.

In the Gothic cathedral of Cologne, light served to accentuate the authority and ritual centrality of the priest.

Statements like these define an essay’s argument. They give coherence by providing an overarching theme and position towards which the entire essay is directed.

3. Use evidence, reasoning and scholarship

To convince your audience of your argument, you must use evidence and reasoning, which involves referring to and evaluating relevant scholarship.

• Evidence provides concrete information to support your claim. It typically consists of specific examples, facts, quotations, statistics and illustrations.
• Reasoning connects the evidence to your argument. Rather than citing evidence like a shopping list, you need to evaluate the evidence and show how it supports your argument.
• Scholarship is used to show how your argument relates to what has been written on the topic (citing specific works). Scholarship can be used as part of your evidence and reasoning to support your argument.

4. Organise a coherent essay

An essay has three basic components - introduction, body and conclusion.

The purpose of an introduction is to introduce your essay. It typically presents information in the following order:

• A general statement about the topic that provides context for your argument
• A thesis statement showing your argument. You can use explicit lead-ins, such as ‘This essay argues that...’
• A ‘road map’ of the essay, telling the reader how it is going to present and develop your argument.

Example introduction

"To what extent can the American Revolution be understood as a revolution ‘from below’? Why did working people become involved and with what aims in mind?"

Introduction*

Historians generally concentrate on the twenty-year period between 1763 and 1783 as the period which constitutes the American Revolution [This sentence sets the general context of the period] . However, when considering the involvement of working people, or people from below, in the revolution it is important to make a distinction between the pre-revolutionary period 1763-1774 and the revolutionary period 1774-1788, marked by the establishment of the continental Congress(1) [This sentence defines the key term from below and gives more context to the argument that follows] . This paper will argue that the nature and aims of the actions of working people are difficult to assess as it changed according to each phase [This is the thesis statement] . The pre-revolutionary period was characterised by opposition to Britain’s authority. During this period the aims and actions of the working people were more conservative as they responded to grievances related to taxes and scarce land, issues which directly affected them. However, examination of activities such as the organisation of crowd action and town meetings, pamphlet writing, formal communications to Britain of American grievances and physical action in the streets, demonstrates that their aims and actions became more revolutionary after 1775 [These sentences give the ‘road map’ or overview of the content of the essay] .

The body of the essay develops and elaborates your argument. It does this by presenting a reasoned case supported by evidence from relevant scholarship. Its shape corresponds to the overview that you provided in your introduction.

The body of your essay should be written in paragraphs. Each body paragraph should develop one main idea that supports your argument. To learn how to structure a paragraph, look at the page developing clarity and focus in academic writing .

Your conclusion should not offer any new material. Your evidence and argumentation should have been made clear to the reader in the body of the essay.

Use the conclusion to briefly restate the main argumentative position and provide a short summary of the themes discussed. In addition, also consider telling your reader:

• What the significance of your findings, or the implications of your conclusion, might be
• Whether there are other factors which need to be looked at, but which were outside the scope of the essay
• How your topic links to the wider context (‘bigger picture’) in your discipline.

Do not simply repeat yourself in this section. A conclusion which merely summarises is repetitive and reduces the impact of your paper.

Example conclusion

Conclusion*.

Although, to a large extent, the working class were mainly those in the forefront of crowd action and they also led the revolts against wealthy plantation farmers, the American Revolution was not a class struggle [This is a statement of the concluding position of the essay]. Working people participated because the issues directly affected them – the threat posed by powerful landowners and the tyranny Britain represented. Whereas the aims and actions of the working classes were more concerned with resistance to British rule during the pre-revolutionary period, they became more revolutionary in nature after 1775 when the tension with Britain escalated [These sentences restate the key argument]. With this shift, a change in ideas occurred. In terms of considering the Revolution as a whole range of activities such as organising riots, communicating to Britain, attendance at town hall meetings and pamphlet writing, a difficulty emerges in that all classes were involved. Therefore, it is impossible to assess the extent to which a single group such as working people contributed to the American Revolution [These sentences give final thoughts on the topic].

5. Write clearly

An essay that makes good, evidence-supported points will only receive a high grade if it is written clearly. Clarity is produced through careful revision and editing, which can turn a good essay into an excellent one.

When you edit your essay, try to view it with fresh eyes – almost as if someone else had written it.

Ask yourself the following questions:

Overall structure

• Have you clearly stated your argument in your introduction?
• Does the actual structure correspond to the ‘road map’ set out in your introduction?
• Have you clearly indicated how your main points support your argument?
• Have you clearly signposted the transitions between each of your main points for your reader?
• Does each paragraph introduce one main idea?
• Does every sentence in the paragraph support that main idea?
• Does each paragraph display relevant evidence and reasoning?
• Does each paragraph logically follow on from the one before it?
• Is each sentence grammatically complete?
• Is the spelling correct?
• Is the link between sentences clear to your readers?
• Have you avoided redundancy and repetition?

See more about editing on our  editing your writing page.

6. Cite sources and evidence

Finally, check your citations to make sure that they are accurate and complete. Some faculties require you to use a specific citation style (e.g. APA) while others may allow you to choose a preferred one. Whatever style you use, you must follow its guidelines correctly and consistently. You can use Recite, the University of Melbourne style guide, to check your citations.

Further resources

• Germov, J. (2011). Get great marks for your essays, reports and presentations (3rd ed.). NSW: Allen and Unwin.
• Using English for Academic Purposes: A guide for students in Higher Education [online]. Retrieved January 2020 from http://www.uefap.com
• Williams, J.M. & Colomb, G. G. (2010) Style: Lessons in clarity and grace. 10th ed. New York: Longman.

* Example introduction and conclusion adapted from a student paper.

Looking for one-on-one advice?

Get tailored advice from an Academic Skills Adviser by booking an Individual appointment, or get quick feedback from one of our Academic Writing Mentors via email through our Writing advice service.

Go to Student appointments

College Info Geek

How to Write High-Quality Papers and Essays More Quickly

C.I.G. is supported in part by its readers. If you buy through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Read more here.

I’m not gonna lie: writing papers can suck. Even as someone who basically writes papers for a living these days (like this article), I still viewed every college paper with a tinge of dread.

After all, writing a paper isn’t like working math problems or reading a chapter of a book. As frustrating as those activities can be, they always seemed more finite than the monumental task of “writing a paper.” You can’t just open the book and start working : you have to brainstorm, research, outline, draft, edit, and add those pesky citations.

As I moved through college, however, I developed a system for cranking out papers in record time. This let me spend more time on things that I enjoyed, such as writing for this blog and taking long walks through the woods. Today, I’m going to share this process so that you too can write papers more quickly (without a decrease in the quality of your writing).

Sound impossible? Read on to see how it works.

1. Understand the Assignment

The ultimate waste of time when writing a paper is to write something that doesn’t even answer the question the professor is asking. Don’t be afraid to ask the professor to explain any part of the assignment that’s unclear.

If the assignment seems vague, it’s not because the professor is trying to trip you up. Often, it’s that they know their field so well that it’s easy for them to think some things are “obvious”…even when they aren’t to us non-experts.

Remember: asking for clarification because you don’t understand the assignment doesn’t make you stupid; what’s stupid is to complete the assignment without understanding it.

Yet, when I was an English TA in college, I saw this problem all the time. Students would spend hours researching and writing a paper on a completely different topic than what the professor assigned. It doesn’t matter how good a paper is–if it doesn’t answer the question, it’s going to receive a bad grade.

Best case scenario, the professor is nice and lets you rewrite it, but why do all that extra work? Furthermore, asking the professor for clarification shows initiative –that you care about the assignment. Demonstrating this level of engagement with your assignments can only boost your grade.

2. Research with Ruthless Efficiency

Once you understand the assignment, you need to start researching. But beware! If you’re not careful, research can be one of the best ways to procrastinate. “One more source” can easily turn into hours that you could have been writing.

To overcome the temptation to procrastinate on research, I employ my favorite approach for beating all forms of procrastination: setting a time limit. As I explained in my guide to research , you shouldn’t spend more than 30 minutes per page of the final paper researching. That is, if the paper is supposed to be 5 pages, don’t spend more than 2.5 hours on research (maximum).

Spending any more time than this puts you at a point of diminishing returns. Don’t worry about not having enough information. If you find that you need more info after you start writing, you can always do more research . The goal of your initial research session is to give you just enough material to start writing. Get into the library or database, find your sources, take your notes , and then get to writing.

3. Create a Flat Outline

“It’s impossible to figure out every detail of your argument before you sit down, look at your sources, and actually try to write. Most students abandon their hierarchical outline soon after their fingers hit the keyboard.” – Cal Newport, “How to Use a Flat Outline to Write Outstanding Papers, Fast”

Ever since I learned the traditional method of outlining papers in 8th grade, I felt the system was broken. I never created an outline with bullets and numbers and letters before writing the paper. I always just made one up afterwards because I was required  to turn one in with the final paper.

Starting in college, I developed my own outlining technique that was much more effective. As it turns out, my technique wasn’t so original after all. As Cal Newport explains, it’s called a flat outline . In Cal’s words, the flat outline works as follows:

Don’t build a hierarchical outline. Instead, list the topics you want to tackle in the order you want to tackle. Revisit the library to find sources for the topics that still need support. Dump all relevant quotes from your sources under the topics. Transform your topic-level outline into your paper. Don’t start from a blank screen.

Isn’t this so much better? The flat outline works because it mirrors the writing process . No one sits down to write with a perfect idea of what they’re going to say. You discover what you’re going to say through the process of writing . The flat outline gives you just enough structure to overcome the dreaded “blank canvas” while still leaving room for discovery.

Struggling to write your draft? Here’s how to overcome writer’s block .

4. Create the Perfect Writing Environment

Okay, so you have a rock solid understanding of the topic, you’ve done your research, and your flat outline is ready. Now, you need to sit down and write the sucker. But not so fast: where you write makes a difference.

Because after procrastination, the greatest obstacle to writing a paper quickly is distraction. If you don’t have an environment where you can focus, you’ll waste hours jumping back and forth between the paper and whatever distractions come your way.

To make sure you have the focus of a zen master, you must create a writing environment that enables zen-like focus . For a full guide to creating a distraction-free study space, check out our article on the topic . In the meantime, here’s a summary of the best practices:

• Go to a studious place. This could be a quiet part of the library, an off-campus coffee shop, or even your dorm room. Wherever you know that people won’t distract or interrupt you, that’s the place you must go.
• Make it comfortable. You won’t be able to focus on writing if your chair feels like a bed of nails or the table wobbles. Take care of your base physical comfort before writing anything else. Caveat: don’t write while in bed . Your bed is only for sleeping and…you know, that other s-word.
• Block digital distractions. Depending on how bad your internet/phone addiction is, this could be as simple as closing unrelated programs and putting your phone in airplane mode or as drastic as installing an app such as Cold Turkey Writer that blocks everything on your computer until you  write a certain number of words. If you need the internet to write (maybe you’re writing in Google Docs, for example), then you can install an app such as Freedom or SelfControl to block distracting sites.
• Assemble your supplies. Sitting down to write and realizing you left one of your sources back in your dorm is a definite productivity killer. Be sure you have your computer charged, sources assembled, and coffee/tea at the ready before your write a word.
• Put on your pump up playlist. If you don’t find it distracting, then I recommend using music that will get you in the zone to write. I have a few albums on rotation that get me into a mode of writing flow. For example, when writing this article I put on Muse’s The 2nd Law . You better believe I felt ready to conquer the world with that in the background. If you’re looking for a killer pre-made collection of study music, have a look at Thomas’s Ultimate Study Music Playlist .

5. Follow a Standard Structure

Each paper you write should not feel like reinventing the wheel. Your goal when writing a paper for a college class is to fulfill the assignment requirements in a way that goes just above and beyond enough to impress the professor. You’re not trying to break new ground in your discipline or redefine the way we use the English language (if you are, then you don’t need to read this article).

The way to make sure that you don’t get caught up in the structure is just to pick a standard structure for your discipline and follow it. Save the originality for your arguments. So how do you find these elusive standards? Ask your professor.  They can point you to some relevant guides or examples.

Also, pay attention to the readings your professor assigns for the class. This should give you some idea of the academic conventions you should follow in your papers. It’s easy to go through an article and focus so much on the information that you ignore the structure (which is a good thing–the structure shouldn’t distract you). But if you spend a couple reading sessions paying attention to structure, you’ll get a feel for how it should go.

If that seems too advanced or too much work, then another option is to Google “SUBJECT NAME paper template”. Just be careful about the source–a template from a university is fine; one on some random student’s Blogger page, not so much.

6. Focus On Quality Over Quantity

If the paper is supposed to have a final page count of 5-7, you may be tempted to write a paper that’s 7 or even 8 pages. After all, more is better, right?

Wrong.  Every professor I had in college told me that they would  always  prefer a good 5-page paper over an okay 7-page paper. Frankly, some topics don’t need 7 pages–5 is plenty. If you try to stretch it out, you may end up diluting your argument.

If you’re not convinced, consider this: I rarely wrote more than the minimum page count, and I consistently received A’s on papers in English, History, Religious Studies, and Education classes.

Knowing this, why would you ever write more than you need to? It’s not just a waste of time or effort; it may even be counterproductive .

Of course, your paper has to be good for this to work. For advice on improving the quality of your papers, check out my post on 6 Writing Tips to Make Your Papers 300% Better .

7. Draft and Edit Separately

Editing and drafting at the same time is, like all forms of multitasking , inefficient and ultimately impossible. Don’t do it. Write with your full attention and effort, and then  edit.

Similarly, never stop to look stuff up when you are writing. If you don’t know something, just make a note of it and come back to it later. At best, looking something up takes you away from writing, but even more likely it will pull you into an internet rabbit hole that will really derail the entire writing process.

The goal of writing this way is to keep you in the flow state  as long as possible. Because if you can just get to a place of flow, your momentum will be unstoppable.

8. Write the Conclusion and Introduction Last

One of the greatest barriers to starting a paper is coming up with an introduction. If you think about it, this difficulty makes sense: how are you supposed to introduce something you haven’t even created?

This is why you shouldn’t write the introduction until you’ve finished the main body of the paper. I know it seems like a counterintuitive approach, but I challenge you to try it. This method avoids what has happened to me more times than I can count: writing the paper and then realizing that my intro doesn’t even fit with the final paper.

The same goes for the conclusion. Write it last. After all, how can you conclude when you haven’t even finished writing? If you want more advice on the specifics of writing solid conclusions, check out my post on how to write a paper .

9. Don’t Edit Alone

When you’re writing the draft, you need privacy and focus. But when you’re editing, having someone else to look over your work can speed things up. Why? Because you’re inherently blind to the mistakes in your writing . You’ve been looking at the draft so long that mistakes won’t jump out at you the way they will to a fresh set of eyes.

When it comes to finding someone to help you edit, you have a few options:

• Get a trusted friend to read the paper. Just make sure they don’t end up distracting you.
• Take the paper to your college’s writing center.  Don’t expect them to be your copy editor, however. More than likely, the writing center staff will have you read the paper aloud to them. This lets you catch the errors yourself while still having the accountability of another person in the room.
• Ask your professor for feedback. This won’t always be possible, but sometimes your professor will be willing to give you feedback before you turn the paper in, especially if it’s a term paper or capstone project. Professors often build this feedback into the assignment by setting separate due dates for a proposal, a draft, and a final version. But even if they don’t, it never hurts to ask for feedback . The worst they can say is no.

10. Use a Citation Generator

Adding citations is the worst, especially when you just spent hours writing a paper and are so over it. If you don’t want to spend further hours paging through some arcane style manual, do yourself a favor and use a citation management/generation tool.

My favorite is Zotero , which allows you to keep track of research sources and even has a browser extension that will pull the citation info from a library catalog web page. But I also have friends who prefer EasyBib . It doesn’t matter which one you use–just pick one and watch your citation worries evaporate.

That being said, it doesn’t hurt to glance at your citations before submitting, as these tools aren’t perfect (especially when it comes to digital sources).

Bonus Tip: Take a Writing Intensive Class

This tip isn’t strictly part of the paper writing process, but it can make a big difference in your writing speed and quality. At my college, the definition of “writing intensive” varied from professor to professor, but it always meant a class with lots of writing, often one (short) essay per week in addition to a 20+ page final paper.

Each of these classes was intense, but at the end I always found myself a better writer. This went beyond just getting faster, although that was a major benefit. I also found that the quality of my arguments and analyses increased, along with massive improvements in my research skills.

If your college offers classes specifically geared to improve your writing, do yourself a favor and take a least one. Strong writing skills are always a benefit, both in college and beyond.

At the end of the day, writing a paper is still a lot of work. But if you follow the process in this article, you’ll be able to do it more quickly without a loss of quality.

What tactics do you use to speed up the paper writing process? Share them in the comments below, or discuss them in the College Info Geek Community .

Image Credits: featured

How to Write an Essay about Your Qualities

In this tutorial, you will learn how to write an essay about your qualities. We’ll also write a sample essay together!

Whether you’re writing for your homework or college applications, writing such an essay is easy if you know where to start and what to do. So, let’s get right to it.

To write an essay about your qualities, consider what makes you stand out. Pick a main idea, choose three qualities that best describe you, write an introduction and a paragraph for each quality, and write a conclusion. 

Let’s face it: you have many qualities, and writing such an essay could be tricky, especially if you don’t organize your thoughts first. So, let’s make things easier for you!

First, pick a main idea.

You need to choose a central idea that overarches the qualities you want to talk about in your essay. To do this, you can think of a personality trait or behavior you can describe using three supporting points— three prominent qualities.

Whatever you choose will be your essay’s thesis .

For example, our main idea can be: “ I am a people’s person . ”

Next, choose three qualities that best support the main idea.

Let’s use the Power of Three to keep your ideas flowing.

The Power of Three divides an essay’s main idea into three supporting points. It is a three-part structure that helps you create your essay’s body paragraphs.

It’s easy to get stuck if you don’t divide your essay’s subject. Similarly, dividing it into only two supporting ideas is not enough, although it may be better than having one undivided main idea.

But dividing it into three is the best way to go. Three is the perfect number of supporting ideas, and it always works.

Make sure you choose ideas distinct from one another to make your essay clear to your readers. But, you should reflect all three supporting points in your thesis statement .

Now, let’s see how this works when writing about your qualities.

For our sample essay, let’s choose these qualities:

I am kind to my family.

This quality talks about how you treat the people closest to you — your family . It also relates to being a people’s person, which should be reflected in the essay.

We can answer questions like these in this part of our essay:

• “Why is it important to be kind to your family?”
• “How do you show kindness to your family?”

I am a loyal friend.

Like the first one, this quality relates to being a people person. 

However, it is different from being kind to your family because it talks about a quality related to your friends .

In this part of our essay, we will answer questions like:

• “Why do you think you need to be loyal to your friends?”
• “How do you show loyalty to your friends?”

I am approachable.

Lastly, also related to being a people’s person, this quality talks about a trait related to people who are not really familiar to you — acquaintances and strangers .

We will answer the following questions in this part of our essay:

• “What does it mean to be approachable?”
• “Do you do something to look approachable to other people?”

Notice how all three qualities relate to being a people person. These three, plus our main idea, are enough for now. Later, you will understand how we can expand them into an entire essay.

Now we have a clear picture of our essay’s structure after dividing the main idea into three distinct supporting points.

Now, write an introduction and a body paragraph for each quality.

Now that we have a general idea of what to write in our essay, we can create the introductory paragraph and three body paragraphs, one for each quality we chose.

To write an introductory paragraph , you need an opening sentence (the introduction) that briefly sets the context of your essay. Next comes the thesis (the main idea) and three supporting points.

Here’s an example of an introductory paragraph:

“Our qualities make us unique. Others say I am a people’s person because I am kind to my family, I am a loyal friend, and I am approachable. I help my family in any way I can and avoid using harsh words when we have disagreements. I support my friends and call them out when they are wrong. And I love smiling nicely so other people won’t be scared of approaching me.”

Note that this paragraph goes from a general statement to three specific ideas.

Great! Now, let’s move on to our body paragraphs , containing our three supporting points — the three qualities we want to discuss in our essay.

To write a body paragraph, start with a topic sentence summarizing it. Then, you will briefly explain it and provide examples to illustrate your idea.

Here are examples of body paragraphs for our essay:

Paragraph 1

“I always choose to be kind to my family because it builds my relationship with them. I help my parents with cleaning up around the house, and even buying groceries sometimes. I also help my siblings with their homework and school projects. And I avoid harsh, insulting words when we have disagreements. Instead, I try to stay calm, understand their point of view, and talk to them kindly.”

Paragraph 2

“My loyalty to my friends is one of the qualities I am proudest to have. I always express my genuine happiness to my friends when they achieve something, big or small. And sometimes, although it is hard, I tell them what they need to hear instead of just telling them what they want. For example, I remember telling my friend Kate she was wrong when she got the highest score for our exam because of cheating. She knows I always support and want the best for her, so she appreciated that I called her out for her mistake.”

Paragraph 3

“Whenever I am at an event, strangers and acquaintances tell me I am approachable. They tell me I look easy to talk to, friendly and welcoming because I always have a nice smile. For instance, I attended a party my new colleague invited me to, where I did not know many people. So, I just smiled and politely introduced myself. After a few minutes, my colleague’s friend — a stranger — told me she found me approachable and would love to be friends.”

Note how all three body paragraphs follow the diagram above. They started with topic sentences, followed by explanations and examples.

Finally, write the conclusion.

Restating your main idea and the three supporting points you used (paraphrasing your introductory paragraph) is the quickest and easiest way to write the conclusion for your essay. 

Let’s try this time-tested method for our essay.

Here’s an example of a concluding paragraph:

“Our qualities make us all unique, and they either make people like or dislike us. Many people tell me I am a people’s person. I get along well with my family because I always choose to be kind to them. I always express my loyalty to my friends. And I enjoy smiling, making people feel welcome and comfortable when they are around me.”

Finally, we’re done writing our sample essay! 

I hope this has been helpful. Now go ahead and write your essay about your qualities!

Tutor Phil is an e-learning professional who helps adult learners finish their degrees by teaching them academic writing skills.

Recent Posts

How to Write a 300 Word Essay - Simple Tutorial

https://youtu.be/qXST2gJbkhw If you need to write a 300-word essay, you’ve come to the right place. I’m Tutor Phil, and in this tutorial I’ll guide you through the process step by...

Essay Writing for Beginners: 6-Step Guide with Examples

https://youtu.be/w6yanrc1a_g If you need to write an essay, whether for a college course or to pass a writing test, this guide will take you through the process step-by-step. Even if you have...

Free Essay and Paper Checker

Try our other writing services

Correct your entire essay within 5 minutes

• Proofread on 100+ language issues
• Specialized in academic texts
• Corrections directly in your essay

Correct your entire essay in 5 minutes

Why this is the best free essay checker.

Tested most accurate

In the test for the best grammar checker , Scribbr found 19 out of 20 errors.

No signup needed

You don’t have to register or sign up. Insert your text and get started right away.

Long texts, short texts it doesn’t matter – there’s no character or word limit.

Don’t wait for ads or distractions. The essay checker is ad-free!

Nobody's perfect all the time—and now, you don’t have to be!

There are times when you just want to write without worrying about every grammar or spelling convention. The online proofreader immediately finds all of your errors. This allows you to concentrate on the bigger picture. You’ll be 100% confident that your writing won’t affect your grade.

Correcting your grammar

The Scribbr essay checker fixes grammar mistakes like:

• Sentence fragments & run-on sentences
• Subject-verb agreement errors
• Issues with parallelism

Spelling & Typos

Basic spell-checks often miss academic terms in writing and mark them as errors. Scribbr has a large dictionary of recognized (academic) words, so you can feel confident every word is 100% correct.

Punctuation errors

The essay checker takes away all your punctuation worries. Avoid common mistakes with:

• Dashes and hyphens
• Apostrophes
• Parentheses
• Question marks
• Colons and semicolons
• Quotation marks

Avoid word choice errors

Should you use   “affect” or “effect” ? Is it   “then” or “than” ? Did you mean   “there,” “their,” or “they’re” ?

Never worry about embarrassing word choice errors again. Our grammar checker will spot and correct any errors with   commonly confused words .

Improve your text with one click

The Scribbr Grammar Checker allows you to accept all suggestions in your document with a single click.

Give it a try!

Correct your entire document in 5 minutes

Would you like to upload your entire essay and check it for 100+ academic language issues? Then Scribbr’s AI-powered proofreading is perfect for you.

With the AI Proofreader, you can correct your text in no time:

• Upload document
• Wait briefly while all errors are corrected directly in your document
• Correct errors with one click

Proofread my document

A Grammar Checker for all English variants

There are important differences between the versions of English used in different parts of the world, including UK and US English . Our essay checker supports a variety of major English dialects:

• Canadian English
• Australian English

Why users love our Essay Checker

Save time and upload your entire essay to fix it in minutes

Scribbr & academic integrity.

Scribbr is committed to protecting academic integrity. Our plagiarism checker , AI Detector , Citation Generator , proofreading services , paraphrasing tool , grammar checker , summarizer , and free Knowledge Base content are designed to help students produce quality academic papers.

We make every effort to prevent our software from being used for fraudulent or manipulative purposes.

Ask our team

Want to contact us directly? No problem.  We  are always here for you.

• Email [email protected]
• Start live chat
• Call +1 (510) 822-8066
• WhatsApp +31 20 261 6040

Frequently asked questions

Our Essay Checker can detect most grammar, spelling, and punctuation mistakes. That said, we can’t guarantee 100% accuracy. 

Absolutely! The Essay Checker is particularly useful for non-native English speakers, as it can detect mistakes that may have gone unnoticed.

The exact time depends on the length of your document, but, in most cases it doesn’t take more than a minute.

Custom essay writing service

Tailor-made essays with a quality guarantee

Expert custom essay support to beat your deadlines

Trusted by 1,5M+ happy customers

24/7 Support

Free originality report

Data security

Unlimited edits.

No hidden fees

Meet our native-speaking custom essay writers

We select top-class writers to work on your essays. Every person on our team is a seasoned expert with years of experience.

Key reasons why students choose us

Free report on originality.

Upon your request, we can attach a report to your order verifying the originality of your paper.

Our strict Privacy Policy and encrypted site ensure the safety of your data. Consult with your personal writer securely.

Constant 24/7 support

Reach out to our customer support anytime for queries or urgent orders. Our team is available at any hour.

Ask for as many edits as you wish 14 or 30 days after receiving the final paper.

Follow these simple steps to get expert assistance

1. send the task instructions.

Fill out the order form, specify all the details of your task, and attach relevant files if necessary.

2. Choose from our pool of experts

Select a custom writer for your task. View writers' profiles, ratings, and customer feedback to find your perfect fit.

3. Receive your essay

Find your finalized custom essay order in your email inbox. Check the content, request the edits, and release the payment to your pro.

Check out the reviews from your peers

See what other students are saying about our paper quality, Privacy Policy, and originality standards.

Frequently asked questions

How do i pay for a custom essay, can i monitor my writer's progress, what if i buy custom essay, but it doesn't meet my expectations, is your custom essay writing service plagiarism-free, can you write my custom essay and guarantee timely delivery, can a plagiarism detector see that i have used your service, explore our custom essay help, essay pro: who are we.

EssayPro's custom essay writing service provides tailored academic help for students. Our team is filled with talented writers who are experts in various areas, ensuring your essay is not only highly original but meets your exact requirements. We're here to help you save your time and make your academic life a bit easier.

No matter the time of day, our support team is always on standby, ready to assist you 24/7. Plus, we protect your privacy by ensuring your information is stored securely. Choose EssayPro so you can focus on higher priority goals, knowing your essay is in capable hands.

Discover the benefits of our service

Our service is founded on a strict customer-oriented philosophy. Ensuring your satisfaction is always at the forefront of our efforts. We pride ourselves on offering an affordable service that caters to various needs, whether it's a simple essay or a complex research paper. Entrust us with your assignment, and we'll give you the invaluable gift of free time.

When you place an order from us, you can be assured that we're equipped to handle orders of any complexity. By collaborating with some of the industry's most knowledgeable and sought-after experts, we adhere to the highest quality standards.

Enjoy your time stress-free and secure in the knowledge that genuine writing professionals are managing your work. If you have further questions or need additional assistance, our friendly customer support team is always available and eager to help. Experience the excellence and ease of our service and simplify your academic journey.

Why entrust your paper to EssayPro

Students hire writers for a variety of reasons. Professional academic helpers can ease your life and improve your in-school performance without extra hassle.

Learners also often decide to buy essay when balancing their studies and a job. This is a common scenario for many students, which leaves them overworked and stressed out. Besides, juggling work and college makes it nearly impossible to maintain high quality for both. Services like EssayPro can help you achieve more by offloading mundane tasks from your shoulders.

Moreover, many students want to enjoy the luxury of free time. College life is so much more than classes and assignments! Go out with your friends, relax at home, attend that party, and make new connections while our talented helpers craft your papers.

How do I order custom essay?

Get your essay done in the blink of an eye with our custom essay writing services. Besides top-tier quality and a professional approach, we offer a seamless ordering process that doesn't require much from you. Place your request in 3 easy steps:

• Complete the order form. Share as many details about your task as you can. Inform your expert about your paper's deadline, topic, level of study, etc. We also recommend attaching instructions from your prof and all corresponding files. The more info you provide, the better the outcome.
• Review bids from academic helpers. Pick the most competent author to handle your assignment. Look through the writers' profiles, check their credentials, and read customer reviews.
• Find your completed essay in your email inbox. Check out the final work and ask for free-of-charge edits. Release the funds to your writer only when your work meets all your initial requirements.

That's it! Managing academic assignments doesn't have to be complicated.

Hire accomplished custom writers

Our greatest asset is the team of seasoned professionals that drive our service. Each writer in our roster is well-educated, holds either a BA, MA, or Ph.D., and has years of hands-on experience in the field.

The quality of our work resonates with our customers, and their satisfaction is reflected in the feedback they leave on platforms like Sitejabber, TrustPilot, and ResellerRatings. These testimonials offer an authentic glimpse into our services.

We understand the importance of finding the right fit for your customs writing, and to that end, we've assembled a catalog of proficient experts. This catalog showcases their success rates, past papers, and customer reviews and enables direct communication with any potential writer through our encrypted chat boxes.

Our process is streamlined to be as user-friendly as possible. Provide us with your task requirements and any details you want included, and leave the rest to us.

Who are the writers behind your service?

When you say " write my essay ," you are engaging with some of the industry's most well-versed and sought-after writers through our service. Each of our experts is a native English speaker, backed by years of writing experience and higher education degrees. You might wonder how we ensure such high qualifications. Our rigorous vetting process includes a combination of tests, interviews, and practical tasks, and only those who prove their writing skills and pass our quality control checks are permitted to complete orders.

Wondering how to trust your selected writer with your custom essay? Rest assured that our professionals are assigned to work only on subjects they excel in. You can verify their corresponding specializations through their profiles. So go ahead, place your order, and choose the writer you believe is best suited to fulfill your needs.

Experience the high-quality work that our expertly selected team of professionals delivers with each order!

Why students pick us

Students love our service due to our unmatched quality and vast array of freebies they can enjoy in the process. When you get a custom essay from us, you also get revisions, formatting, originality reports, and much more absolutely for free. Moreover, we don't charge extra for assistance from our qualified academic authors. Each and every writer on our team is a well-versed wordsmith with extensive experience. With a large pool of talents from various industries, we are able to satisfy any paper request, delivering tailor-made content that will give you a greater understanding of the subject.

Explore the endless benefits of our service

Our paper writing service offers you much more than quality essays. Our key goal is to help you navigate academic challenges without extra effort and stress. That's why we take it upon ourselves to create an academic piece that reflects your strengths. We also ensure that every piece is crafted from scratch and maintains a minimum originality score of 96%. Our writing pros have perfected their formatting and referencing skills to deliver masterfully crafted academic papers.

But that's not all! With EssayPro, you can always count on wallet-friendly prices and regular promotions. Place your order in advance or request extra services and save! Moreover, your tight deadlines are now our concern. We never miss a due date and often deliver essays before the deadline. If you have any more questions, feel free to contact our round-the-clock customer support. Simplify your student life with EssayPro today!