An essay is an educational tool that has been around for centuries. In modern times, the essay has become quite popular among students, especially creative writing students. Why? Well, writing an essay provides practice in a variety of areas, including research, organization, and creating a cohesive argument. In addition, the essay can be a great tool for students to practice their English skills. However, if you are a creative writing student, beware of the many pitfalls that await you. In this blog post, we will discuss some of the most common mistakes that rookie creative writers make and how you can avoid them. So, read on to learn more.
The Three Steps to a Successful Essay
As a creative writing student, it is your job to figure out what to write about. Sometimes, this can be a tricky task. You want to choose a subject that you are passionate about, but you also want your essay to be interesting and relevant to your audience. To make matters worse, there are so many potential topics that you could write about, and it can be quite overwhelming to decide which one to choose. If you want to end up with a successful essay, follow these three steps; research, organization, and drafting. Let’s discuss each one in detail.
1. Research
When you are deciding what topic to write about, the first and most important thing to do is to research. The reason behind this step is simple. If you want your essay to be relevant to your audience, you must first learn about them. Unfortunately, this is often the part that gets overlooked by students. When you are brainstorming ideas for your essay, you will inevitably come across a topic that seems interesting, but you lack the proper research skills to back it up. Before you start writing, do your research and try to learn as much as possible about the topic you have chosen. Look for books, articles, and anything else that can provide you with valuable information. Once you have gathered all the necessary data, you can start forming your arguments and making your points.
2. Organize
After you have thoroughly researched the topic, it’s time to start organizing your essay. There are many different ways to organize an essay, but you should choose the one that works best for you. One of the most common ways to organize an essay is by using the 3 – 5 paragraph formula. This means that you will begin your essay with a short introduction. This is usually followed by three or five paragraphs of reasoning (argument). A good rule of thumb is to make sure that each paragraph has a topic sentence that connects it to the previous paragraph. The final sentence of each paragraph should be backed up by at least two citations (ideas, facts, or examples that support your position).
3. Draft
The last and most important step in order to write a successful essay is to draft. This step is all about editing and polishing your work. In the earlier stages of your writing, you will likely make numerous mistakes. However, all these mistakes can be corrected with just a little editing and polishing. When you are drafting, go through your essay line by line to make sure that each part is written correctly. In addition, you can also ask a friend or teacher to edit the essay for you. Once you are satisfied with the content, you can style it and format it to look like a professional piece.
In conclusion, writing an essay is an important part of your education. It provides you with practice in a variety of areas, such as research, organization, and creating a cohesive argument. In addition, the essay can be a great tool for students to practice their English skills. However, if you are a creative writing student, make sure that you are not tricked by the easy access to ideas that online tools provide. Remember, the internet is a wonderful thing, but it can also be a dangerous place for a student who does not properly vet the information they are learning. So, think twice before you enter a conversation on social media platforms like Twitter or Facebook. In the end, only you can decide what you will write about, but these steps will get you much closer to writing a successful piece.