Ten Sure-Fire Ways to Write a Good Essay
1. Organization and neatness are critical. It's a good idea for you to write a thesis statement before you begin. This is the main statement or idea you want to make about yourself in your essay. You should never stray from your statement. You should use good paragraph development and grammar, and have no spelling mistakes. You should strive for an eye-catching opening and a conclusion that illuminates your personality. You also need to narrow your topic. The essay should be no more than two pages. Instead of writing about “my experience as an actor,” you should write about one character you portrayed and what you learned from the experience.
2. You should be unique. If after reading your essay you can honestly say that no one else in the world could write it—you have a unique work. To accomplish this, you should consider writing about personal experiences or family members, for example. You should avoid trendy or current topics that are widespread in the news or thrown around freely at school and the dinner table. You want your topic to stand out as being different.
3. You should be open and revealing, express true feelings, and be sincere and honest. You need to show things about yourself, not just tell. Actions speak louder than words.
4. Humor is always welcome, but you shouldn't use it unless you're good at it. Nothing falls flatter than a funny essay that isn't funny. You shouldn't be cynical or sarcastic. Self-effacing humor is often effective and revealing.
5. Opinions are welcome, but you shouldn't be hateful or angry. If you choose a controversial topic, you should state it calmly and offer constructive ideas. You should be positive and address all sides of the argument, not just your own side. You shouldn't appear as a know-it-all or frustrated or dwell on sadness or melancholy.
6. You shouldn't brag or blatantly promote yourself.
7. You shouldn't be afraid to write about a personal shortcoming or experience from which you learned a lesson. Turning a negative into a positive is a sign of maturity.
8. You might want to consider something a little daring. Some students prefer to write a poem instead of an essay. That's acceptable as long as it fulfills all the requirements of the essay. Remember: you want to separate your essay from the hundreds of other essays in the admissions office, so you need to pay close attention to the instructions. If creativity is encouraged or invited, you should by all means indulge.
9. You shouldn't write an academic paper. You should stay away from topics designed to show you knowledge. This essay is about you.
10. Avoid procrastination. You should think and plan your essay early in the game. This will make it an enjoyable, challenging, and stress-free exercise.
