As the name suggests, a senior writing project is a project that you complete as a senior – typically in your final year of high school or university. The purpose of these projects is to give you experience in writing and to encourage you to pursue a career in writing. However, it’s not just about getting your feet wet; it’s about giving you a taste of what it’s like to be a professional writer. Here are some of the things you can do to make the most of this experience and create a memorable piece of work.
Choose an experienced writer to be your mentor
One of the things that sets a senior project apart from other types of writing projects is the presence of an experienced writer. Even though you won’t be writing professionally for a while, having a senior writer as a mentor allows you to get an early taste of what it’s like to be a professional. Ideally, you want to choose a writer who has a lot of experience in helping students prepare for their senior year. This way, you can get a head start on your career and ask for help when you need it. It’s also a good idea to get a taste of different genres and platforms. This way, you can choose the one that suits you best and stick with it.
Make sure that you work with a personalised coach
Besides getting help from an experienced writer, you can also get guidance from a personalised coach who will help you find your voice and give you tips on how to develop your style. Having a coach is especially helpful if you’ve never written anything before or if you’ve only written for your school’s newspaper. A lot of high school students would benefit from having a coach – it’s a good idea to look into whether or not your school offers them. The main thing is that you feel comfortable enough to open up to them and they understand what you’re going through.
Set a word count and stick to it
An important thing to keep in mind when you’re working on your senior project is how much you should be writing every day. The rule of thumb is around 2,000 words per day. Ideally, you want to set a word count and stick to it. This helps you keep track of how much you’re writing and ensures that your work doesn’t go out of hand. If you break the daily word count, you’ll likely end up with a lot more than you planned and won’t have enough time to edit and revise your work.
Plan out the structure of your project
When it comes to planning your senior project, it’s important to set the right structure. You don’t want to rush it and end up with a piece of work that’s messy and confusing. For some students, it might be helpful to break your plan down into sub-plots and storylines that you can follow. This gives the reader a clear understanding of what’s going on while also keeping you motivated to write each day. You might also want to consider planning a publication date for your work. Be sure to leave yourself enough time to write the entire piece and the editing and revising process.
Choose a topic that you’re passionate about
If you’re looking for a topic for your senior project, consider topics that you’re passionate about. You’ll be writing about something that you’re interested in and it’ll make it easier to work on projects that you’re passionate about. For example, if you love animals and know a lot about them, you might want to do a project on animal rights. The same goes for any other passionate topic. If you’re not sure what to pick, look at what interests you most about your school and community. Think about the topics that you’ve covered in your past year’s school newspaper and what you could do with the contents of your school’s archives. The choice is entirely up to you.