Some Writing Tips that may be Helpful!

Proof Read!

After writing a long paper I have a hard time going back and re-reading it, but I do it anyway for the sake of a well written essay. Even then I always miss some grammatical errors or spelling mistakes. So my solution is (Drum roll please) to have my amazingly smart sister read my papers and tell me what she thinks, and fix whatever mistakes she sees. Now I know that most people are running a tad bit short on the “smart sister” supply, so I guess the next best thing is for someone they deem as “smart” to take a look at their piece.

Just write, don’t stare blindly at the computer screen until 2 a.m.

 For me getting started on an essay is the hardest part of writing. I can hardly count the number of times where I have just stared blindly at my computer or out my window, waiting for some inspiration to just appear by flying space craft or Devine intervention, and it never happens. I think this statement is worth saying twice. IT NEVER HAPPENS. What I’ve found helpful is to just write about anything, even if it has nothing to do that pertains to the topic. True, I have had to delete many an unfinished essay because it was awful, but it did start the “creative juices” to flow.

 Don’t depend on just Microsoft Word to catch all of the mistakes

Microsoft Word can be a very good friend, but through personal experience it has proven to be my worst enemy. Let me explain, I’m the worst at spelling, so when I write I just tend to write and make spelling mistakes planning to go back and fix them. Microsoft Word has a different plan. This program thinks that it should fix these mistakes for me, instead of waiting patiently like a good computer should do. The program then takes the words and turns them into words that I didn’t want and often enough don’t make sense with what I’m writing. Sometimes I catch Microsoft in the act, most the time I don’t.

Procrastination is our enemy

 Many times I find myself waiting until the last possible second to write a paper, or do any homework for that fact. It’s human nature to want to put off those horrible assignments that ruin our nights and weekends. This is still one of the hardest things for me to do, to just do my homework in the very beginning so that I can have a free weekend and not have to worry. If I do the assignments right away then they would be even better because I’d had more time to go over and correct them, and I would have much more free time on my hands as a result.

Have fun

If the paper I’m writing is boring and I hate writing it, I know that whoever is going to read it is going to hate it just has much as I do because it shows through my writing how much I didn’t care about the subject. Plus, the teacher is stuck reading whatever I turn in, and they don’t want to be stuck reading some idiotic essay that’s as dry as sand. So take some pride, make it interesting, have some fun, and show them what you’ve got. Just remember these few simple words: If you can’t stand writing it, they’ll hate reading it.