Are you staring at a blank document waiting for genius to strike you? Wading through hundreds of pages of notes and wishing you knew how to whip them into a piece of original writing? You’re not alone. Many writers find themselves stuck at the beginning, and never make it past that opening sentence to write their essay. Add the pressure of a deadline or grade in there, and it’s a recipe for disaster. In this blog post, we’ll give you some tips on how to get started on your essay – no matter where you are in the writing process. So whether you’ve just begun brainstorming ideas or are already deep into drafting, read on for helpful advice!
Understand the Prompt
One of the most important things to do when starting your essay is to understand the prompt or topic. There’s nothing worse than pounding out an essay you’re proud of, only to realize it doesn’t really address the task at hand! Read the prompt and instructions as many times as you need to in order to really internalize what you’re being asked to write about. It might help to highlight the different components that are required, or to copy or insert the prompt into the document you’re writing in so you can watch it as you write. If you’re unsure about anything, look for sample essays or ask a teacher or tutor for clarification. Once you have a good understanding of the task at hand, you’re ready to start writing!
Get started writing
Getting started writing your essay does not necessarily mean writing the first word of the introduction. Contrary to popular belief, there is no rule that says you have to start your essay at the beginning. In fact, sometimes it can be easier to begin in the middle or even at the end! If you’re having trouble getting started, try writing a summary of what you want to say first, and then flesh it out from there. This can help you get your thoughts in order and give you a starting point to work from. The easiest way to get started writing is to just start writing. Begin with what you know you want to say, or even just rephrasing your notes. This will help you get the ball rolling and start putting your thoughts into words.
The topic sentence
The role of the topic sentence is critical as you write your essay. You should keep the purpose of the topic sentence in mind as you write. A topic sentence is a concise, engaging statement that describes the main idea of the paragraph (or section) that follows. Not every paragraph needs a topic sentence, but it’s a good way to stay organized. If it helps you, think of the topic sentences as a full-sentence outline, and keep them as you work. For example, you might write “This paragraph is about the symbolism in 1984.” They’ll be the “bones” of the essay. You can delete or rewrite them later.
The hook
Every great essay has a strong opening, or “hook,” that engages the reader and sets the tone for the rest of the piece. A hook can take many forms – a personal story, an anecdote, a human interest aspect of a topic, a surprising fact, or a rhetorical question, for example. No matter what form it takes, the hook should be attention-grabbing and make the reader want to keep reading. It’s the essay equivalent of a cliffhanger. It might make sense to save the hook till you’ve written the rest of the essay, then go back and think of the most engaging way you can draw the reader in.
Now what?
This is admittedly a lot of info. There’s some good news. No matter where you are in your writing process, there are lots of resources to help you out. Don’t be afraid to use the resources your school provides, or supplement them with some of the many tools and resources available online such as an essay writing service.
