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The Hardest Part Of Writing Is Always The Beginning

For most writers, the hardest part of writing is right here. It’s the start, the beginning, the opening.

It’s finding an idea, the first words, and the first sentence. All types of writing have a beginning, so it’s the same for every writer.

You might be writing a book, an article, a poem, or an essay. Yes, they are very different writing projects.

But they all start with a few words that can often be challenging to find.

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How to beat the hardest part

Every writer learns how to overcome the dreaded blank page . It doesn’t matter if you use a pen and paper or write on a screen.

The New York Times published a terrific cartoon on the topic.

I’ve only shown the first and last slide above. But you can see the complete cartoon here , and I’m sure you’ll know the feeling.

You need to show up and write.

Finding excuses and putting things off for another day is always the easy option.

But it only forestalls the inevitable, so you may as well get on with it and grind out your first few words.

Every writer knows the feeling. But as soon as you find your first ten, fifteen, or twenty words, you are on your way.

Down the track, you will undoubtedly revisit these words when you move on to your second draft or editing stage .

So don’t worry about them when you start writing. Just get some words down so you can move your project forward.

What’s the easiest part of writing?

For me, it’s the middle because it is easy once I’ve got past the grind of the first 100-200 words.

I might be working from an outline or simply a few notes. But by this time, the topic or plot is clear in my head, and the words flow very easily.

There are so many stages to the writing process, and every writer has an opinion about what is easy and what is difficult.

For some, it can be writing the first draft, the editing stage, or writing dialogue .

Another easy part for me is researching because I enjoy discovering new ideas, facts, or interesting tidbits.

As a bonus, I sometimes stumble on something unrelated to my current project that gives me an idea for a new one.

I take a few notes that I know will help me with the first words and sentences when I get around to it.

So, if there is an easy part of writing, for me, it’s the part between the beginning and the end.

Other writing challenges

You often read about writer’s block . But I’m not sure that there is a strict definition.

It can mean many things, such as being lazy, tired, demotivated, or lacking new ideas.

The most frequent advice is to take a break or push through it by fighting and scratching out more words.

I prefer the second option, even if it’s tough sometimes. When I push myself, the words might come slowly, but they always start to flow again.

While I think that the start is one of the most difficult parts of writing, the end is not far behind.

Writing the last line of a novel or the summary of an essay can be challenging.

Sometimes, the problem is knowing when to stop.

If I include something new in an ending or conclusion, something is wrong. Then, I have to revisit parts of the draft.

One last and overriding challenge is to decide if your topic, subject, theme, or plot is worth reading.

Writing is one thing, but writing something that people will want to read is another.

Overcoming the writing challenges

Whatever you write, you will get there in the end.

If you are new to writing, finding a way to keep the words flowing is just one part of becoming a writer.

The only way forward is to recognize your weaknesses and strengths and work on improving your skills and knowledge.

Quite simply, the more you write, the better you get at overcoming the challenges.

Every writer will have a different view or belief about the easiest or hardest part of writing.

In a sense, it’s not a big deal because all pursuits have challenging and easier components.

However, if you can identify areas in your writing that cause you some difficulty, you can work on them and find solutions.

Being a writer can be a tough job at times.

Yet overcoming obstacles and difficulties and completing your project is always so rewarding.

But my thoughts and ideas in this article might not be the same as yours.

So, what do you find is the most challenging part of writing?

Related reading: How To Find Things To Write About When You Are Out Of Ideas

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Derek Haines

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How to Write a Great College Essay, Step-by-Step

College Admissions , College Essays

Writing your personal statement for your college application is an undeniably overwhelming project. Your essay is your big shot to show colleges who you are—it's totally reasonable to get stressed out. But don't let that stress paralyze you.

This guide will walk you through each step of the essay writing process to help you understand exactly what you need to do to write the best possible personal statement . I'm also going to follow an imaginary student named Eva as she plans and writes her college essay, from her initial organization and brainstorming to her final edits. By the end of this article, you'll have all the tools you need to create a fantastic, effective college essay.

So how do you write a good college essay? The process starts with finding the best possible topic , which means understanding what the prompt is asking for and taking the time to brainstorm a variety of options. Next, you'll determine how to create an interesting essay that shows off your unique perspective and write multiple drafts in order to hone your structure and language. Once your writing is as effective and engaging as possible, you'll do a final sweep to make sure everything is correct .

This guide covers the following steps:

#1: Organizing #2: Brainstorming #3: Picking a topic #4: Making a plan #5: Writing a draft #6: Editing your draft #7: Finalizing your draft #8: Repeating the process

Step 1: Get Organized

The first step in how to write a college essay is figuring out what you actually need to do. Although many schools are now on the Common App, some very popular colleges, including Rutgers and University of California, still have their own applications and writing requirements. Even for Common App schools, you may need to write a supplemental essay or provide short answers to questions.

Before you get started, you should know exactly what essays you need to write. Having this information allows you to plan the best approach to each essay and helps you cut down on work by determining whether you can use an essay for more than one prompt.

Start Early

Writing good college essays involves a lot of work: you need dozens of hours to get just one personal statement properly polished , and that's before you even start to consider any supplemental essays.

In order to make sure you have plenty of time to brainstorm, write, and edit your essay (or essays), I recommend starting at least two months before your first deadline . The last thing you want is to end up with a low-quality essay you aren't proud of because you ran out of time and had to submit something unfinished.

Determine What You Need to Do

As I touched on above, each college has its own essay requirements, so you'll need to go through and determine what exactly you need to submit for each school . This process is simple if you're only using the Common App, since you can easily view the requirements for each school under the "My Colleges" tab. Watch out, though, because some schools have a dedicated "Writing Supplement" section, while others (even those that want a full essay) will put their prompts in the "Questions" section.

It gets trickier if you're applying to any schools that aren't on the Common App. You'll need to look up the essay requirements for each college—what's required should be clear on the application itself, or you can look under the "how to apply" section of the school's website.

Once you've determined the requirements for each school, I recommend making yourself a chart with the school name, word limit, and application deadline on one side and the prompt or prompts you need to respond to on the other . That way you'll be able to see exactly what you need to do and when you need to do it by.

The hardest part about writing your college essays is getting started. 

Decide Where to Start

If you have one essay that's due earlier than the others, start there. Otherwise, start with the essay for your top choice school.

I would also recommend starting with a longer personal statement before moving on to shorter supplementary essays , since the 500-700 word essays tend to take quite a bit longer than 100-250 word short responses. The brainstorming you do for the long essay may help you come up with ideas you like for the shorter ones as well.

Also consider whether some of the prompts are similar enough that you could submit the same essay to multiple schools . Doing so can save you some time and let you focus on a few really great essays rather than a lot of mediocre ones.

However, don't reuse essays for dissimilar or very school-specific prompts, especially "why us" essays . If a college asks you to write about why you're excited to go there, admissions officers want to see evidence that you're genuinely interested. Reusing an essay about another school and swapping out the names is the fastest way to prove you aren't.

Example: Eva's College List

Eva is applying early to Emory University and regular decision to University of Washington, UCLA, and Reed College. Emory, the University of Washington, and Reed both use the Common App, while University of Washington, Emory, and Reed all use the Coalition App.

Even though she's only applying to four schools, Eva has a lot to do: two essays for UW, four for the UCLA application, one for the Common App (or the Coalition App), and two essays for Emory. Many students will have fewer requirements to complete, but those who are applying to very selective schools or a number of schools on different applications will have as many or even more responses to write.

Eva's first deadline is early decision for Emory, she'll start by writing the Common App essay, and then work on the Emory supplements. (For the purposes of this post, we'll focus on the Common App essay.)

Pro tip: If this sounds like a lot of work, that's because it is. Writing essays for your college applications is demanding and takes a lot of time and thought. You don't have to do it alone, though. PrepScholar has helped students like you get into top-tier colleges like Stanford, Yale, Harvard, and Brown. Our essay experts can help you craft amazing essays that boost your chances of getting into your dream school . 

Step 2: Brainstorm

Next up in how to write a college essay: brainstorming essay ideas. There are tons of ways to come up with ideas for your essay topic: I've outlined three below. I recommend trying all of them and compiling a list of possible topics, then narrowing it down to the very best one or, if you're writing multiple essays, the best few.

Keep in mind as you brainstorm that there's no best college essay topic, just the best topic for you . Don't feel obligated to write about something because you think you should—those types of essays tend to be boring and uninspired. Similarly, don't simply write about the first idea that crosses your mind because you don't want to bother trying to think of something more interesting. Take the time to come up with a topic you're really excited about and that you can write about in detail.

Analyze the Prompts

One way to find possible topics is to think deeply about the college's essay prompt. What are they asking you for? Break them down and analyze every angle.

Does the question include more than one part ? Are there multiple tasks you need to complete?

What do you think the admissions officers are hoping to learn about you ?

In cases where you have more than one choice of prompt, does one especially appeal to you ? Why?

Let's dissect one of the University of Washington prompts as an example:

"Our families and communities often define us and our individual worlds. Community might refer to your cultural group, extended family, religious group, neighborhood or school, sports team or club, co-workers, etc. Describe the world you come from and how you, as a product of it, might add to the diversity of the UW. "

This question is basically asking how your personal history, such as your childhood, family, groups you identify with etc. helped you become the person you are now. It offers a number of possible angles.

You can talk about the effects of either your family life (like your relationship with your parents or what your household was like growing up) or your cultural history (like your Jewish faith or your Venezuelan heritage). You can also choose between focusing on positive or negative effects of your family or culture. No matter what however, the readers definitely want to hear about your educational goals (i.e. what you hope to get out of college) and how they're related to your personal experience.

As you try to think of answers for a prompt, imagine about what you would say if you were asked the question by a friend or during a get-to-know-you icebreaker. After all, admissions officers are basically just people who you want to get to know you.

The essay questions can make a great jumping off point, but don't feel married to them. Most prompts are general enough that you can come up with an idea and then fit it to the question.

Consider Important Experiences, Events, and Ideas in Your Life

What experience, talent, interest or other quirk do you have that you might want to share with colleges? In other words, what makes you you? Possible topics include hobbies, extracurriculars, intellectual interests, jobs, significant one-time events, pieces of family history, or anything else that has shaped your perspective on life.

Unexpected or slightly unusual topics are often the best : your passionate love of Korean dramas or your yearly family road trip to an important historical site. You want your essay to add something to your application, so if you're an All-American soccer player and want to write about the role soccer has played in your life, you'll have a higher bar to clear.

Of course if you have a more serious part of your personal history—the death of a parent, serious illness, or challenging upbringing—you can write about that. But make sure you feel comfortable sharing details of the experience with the admissions committee and that you can separate yourself from it enough to take constructive criticism on your essay.

Think About How You See Yourself

The last brainstorming method is to consider whether there are particular personality traits you want to highlight . This approach can feel rather silly, but it can also be very effective.

If you were trying to sell yourself to an employer, or maybe even a potential date, how would you do it? Try to think about specific qualities that make you stand out. What are some situations in which you exhibited this trait?

Example: Eva's Ideas

Looking at the Common App prompts, Eva wasn't immediately drawn to any of them, but after a bit of consideration she thought it might be nice to write about her love of literature for the first one, which asks about something "so meaningful your application would be incomplete without it." Alternatively, she liked the specificity of the failure prompt and thought she might write about a bad job interview she had had.

In terms of important events, Eva's parents got divorced when she was three and she's been going back and forth between their houses for as long as she can remember, so that's a big part of her personal story. She's also played piano for all four years of high school, although she's not particularly good.

As for personal traits, Eva is really proud of her curiosity—if she doesn't know something, she immediately looks it up, and often ends up discovering new topics she's interested in. It's a trait that's definitely come in handy as a reporter for her school paper.

Step 3: Narrow Down Your List

Now you have a list of potential topics, but probably no idea where to start. The next step is to go through your ideas and determine which one will make for the strongest essay . You'll then begin thinking about how best to approach it.

What to Look for in a College Essay Topic

There's no single answer to the question of what makes a great college essay topic, but there are some key factors you should keep in mind. The best essays are focused, detailed, revealing and insightful, and finding the right topic is vital to writing a killer essay with all of those qualities.

As you go through your ideas, be discriminating—really think about how each topic could work as an essay. But don't be too hard on yourself ; even if an idea may not work exactly the way you first thought, there may be another way to approach it. Pay attention to what you're really excited about and look for ways to make those ideas work.

Consideration 1: Does It Matter to You?

If you don't care about your topic, it will be hard to convince your readers to care about it either. You can't write a revealing essay about yourself unless you write about a topic that is truly important to you.

But don't confuse important to you with important to the world: a college essay is not a persuasive argument. The point is to give the reader a sense of who you are , not to make a political or intellectual point. The essay needs to be personal.

Similarly, a lot of students feel like they have to write about a major life event or their most impressive achievement. But the purpose of a personal statement isn't to serve as a resume or a brag sheet—there are plenty of other places in the application for you to list that information. Many of the best essays are about something small because your approach to a common experience generally reveals a lot about your perspective on the world.

Mostly, your topic needs to have had a genuine effect on your outlook , whether it taught you something about yourself or significantly shifted your view on something else.

Consideration 2: Does It Tell the Reader Something Different About You?

Your essay should add something to your application that isn't obvious elsewhere. Again, there are sections for all of your extracurriculars and awards; the point of the essay is to reveal something more personal that isn't clear just from numbers and lists.

You also want to make sure that if you're sending more than one essay to a school—like a Common App personal statement and a school-specific supplement—the two essays take on different topics.

Consideration 3: Is It Specific?

Your essay should ultimately have a very narrow focus. 650 words may seem like a lot, but you can fill it up very quickly. This means you either need to have a very specific topic from the beginning or find a specific aspect of a broader topic to focus on.

If you try to take on a very broad topic, you'll end up with a bunch of general statements and boring lists of your accomplishments. Instead, you want to find a short anecdote or single idea to explore in depth .

Consideration 4: Can You Discuss It in Detail?

A vague essay is a boring essay— specific details are what imbue your essay with your personality . For example, if I tell my friend that I had a great dessert yesterday, she probably won't be that interested. But if I explain that I ate an amazing piece of peach raspberry pie with flaky, buttery crust and filling that was both sweet and tart, she will probably demand to know where I obtained it (at least she will if she appreciates the joys of pie). She'll also learn more about me: I love pie and I analyze desserts with great seriousness.

Given the importance of details, writing about something that happened a long time ago or that you don't remember well isn't usually a wise choice . If you can't describe something in depth, it will be challenging to write a compelling essay about it.

You also shouldn't pick a topic you aren't actually comfortable talking about . Some students are excited to write essays about very personal topics, like their mother's bipolar disorder or their family's financial struggles, but others dislike sharing details about these kinds of experiences. If you're a member of the latter group, that's totally okay, just don't write about one of these sensitive topics.

Still, don't worry that every single detail has to be perfectly correct. Definitely don't make anything up, but if you remember a wall as green and it was really blue, your readers won't notice or care.

Consideration 5: Can It Be Related to the Prompt?

As long as you're talking about yourself, there are very few ideas that you can't tie back to one of the Common App or Coalition App prompts. But if you're applying to a school with its own more specific prompt, or working on supplemental essays, making sure to address the question will be a greater concern.

Deciding on a Topic

Once you've gone through the questions above, you should have a good sense of what you want to write about. Hopefully, it's also gotten you started thinking about how you can best approach that topic, but we'll cover how to plan your essay more fully in the next step.

If after going through the narrowing process, you've eliminated all your topics, first look back over them: are you being too hard on yourself? Are there any that you really like, but just aren't totally sure what angle to take on? If so, try looking at the next section and seeing if you can't find a different way to approach it.

If you just don't have an idea you're happy with, that's okay! Give yourself a week to think about it. Sometimes you'll end up having a genius idea in the car on the way to school or while studying for your U.S. history test. Otherwise, try the brainstorming process again when you've had a break.

If, on the other hand, you have more than one idea you really like, consider whether any of them can be used for other essays you need to write.

Example: Picking Eva's Topic

• Love of books
• Failed job interview
• Parents' divorce

Eva immediately rules out writing about playing piano, because it sounds super boring to her, and it's not something she is particularly passionate about. She also decides not to write about splitting time between her parents because she just isn't comfortable sharing her feelings about it with an admissions committee.

She feels more positive about the other three, so she decides to think about them for a couple of days. She ends up ruling out the job interview because she just can't come up with that many details she could include.

She's excited about both of her last two ideas, but sees issues with both of them: the books idea is very broad and the reporting idea doesn't seem to apply to any of the prompts. Then she realizes that she can address the solving a problem prompt by talking about a time she was trying to research a story about the closing of a local movie theater, so she decides to go with that topic.

Step 4: Figure Out Your Approach

You've decided on a topic, but now you need to turn that topic into an essay. To do so, you need to determine what specifically you're focusing on and how you'll structure your essay.

If you're struggling or uncertain, try taking a look at some examples of successful college essays . It can be helpful to dissect how other personal statements are structured to get ideas for your own , but don't fall into the trap of trying to copy someone else's approach. Your essay is your story—never forget that.

Let's go through the key steps that will help you turn a great topic into a great essay.

Choose a Focal Point

As I touched on above, the narrower your focus, the easier it will be to write a unique, engaging personal statement. The simplest way to restrict the scope of your essay is to recount an anecdote , i.e. a short personal story that illustrates your larger point.

For example, say a student was planning to write about her Outward Bound trip in Yosemite. If she tries to tell the entire story of her trip, her essay will either be far too long or very vague. Instead, she decides to focus in on a specific incident that exemplifies what mattered to her about the experience: her failed attempt to climb Half Dome. She described the moment she decided to turn back without reaching the top in detail, while touching on other parts of the climb and trip where appropriate. This approach lets her create a dramatic arc in just 600 words, while fully answering the question posed in the prompt (Common App prompt 2).

Of course, concentrating on an anecdote isn't the only way to narrow your focus. Depending on your topic, it might make more sense to build your essay around an especially meaningful object, relationship, or idea.

Another approach our example student from above could take to the same general topic would be to write about the generosity of fellow hikers (in response to Common App prompt 4). Rather than discussing a single incident, she could tell the story of her trip through times she was supported by other hikers: them giving tips on the trails, sharing snacks, encouraging her when she was tired, etc. A structure like this one can be trickier than the more straightforward anecdote approach , but it can also make for an engaging and different essay.

When deciding what part of your topic to focus on, try to find whatever it is about the topic that is most meaningful and unique to you . Once you've figured that part out, it will guide how you structure the essay.

Decide What You Want to Show About Yourself

Remember that the point of the college essay isn't just to tell a story, it's to show something about yourself. It's vital that you have a specific point you want to make about what kind of person you are , what kind of college student you'd make, or what the experience you're describing taught you.

Since the papers you write for school are mostly analytical, you probably aren't used to writing about your own feelings. As such, it can be easy to neglect the reflection part of the personal statement in favor of just telling a story. Yet explaining what the event or idea you discuss meant to you is the most important essay —knowing how you want to tie your experiences back to your personal growth from the beginning will help you make sure to include it.

Develop a Structure

It's not enough to just know what you want to write about—you also need to have a sense of how you're going to write about it. You could have the most exciting topic of all time, but without a clear structure your essay will end up as incomprehensible gibberish that doesn't tell the reader anything meaningful about your personality.

There are a lot of different possible essay structures, but a simple and effective one is the compressed narrative, which builds on a specific anecdote (like the Half Dome example above):

Start in the middle of the action. Don't spend a lot of time at the beginning of your essay outlining background info—it doesn't tend to draw the reader in and you usually need less of it than you think you do. Instead start right where your story starts to get interesting. (I'll go into how to craft an intriguing opener in more depth below.)

Briefly explain what the situation is. Now that you've got the reader's attention, go back and explain anything they need to know about how you got into this situation. Don't feel compelled to fit everything in—only include the background details that are necessary to either understand what happened or illuminate your feelings about the situation in some way.

Finish the story. Once you've clarified exactly what's going on, explain how you resolved the conflict or concluded the experience.

Explain what you learned. The last step is to tie everything together and bring home the main point of your story: how this experience affected you.

The key to this type of structure is to create narrative tension—you want your reader to be wondering what happens next.

A second approach is the thematic structure, which is based on returning to a key idea or object again and again (like the boots example above):

Establish the focus. If you're going to structure your essay around a single theme or object, you need to begin the essay by introducing that key thing. You can do so with a relevant anecdote or a detailed description.

Touch on 3-5 times the focus was important. The body of your essay will consist of stringing together a few important moments related to the topic. Make sure to use sensory details to bring the reader into those points in time and keep her engaged in the essay. Also remember to elucidate why these moments were important to you.

Revisit the main idea. At the end, you want to tie everything together by revisiting the main idea or object and showing how your relationship to it has shaped or affected you. Ideally, you'll also hint at how this thing will be important to you going forward.

To make this structure work you need a very specific focus. Your love of travel, for example, is much too broad—you would need to hone in on a specific aspect of that interest, like how traveling has taught you to adapt to event the most unusual situations. Whatever you do, don't use this structure to create a glorified resume or brag sheet .

However you structure your essay, you want to make sure that it clearly lays out both the events or ideas you're describing and establishes the stakes (i.e. what it all means for you). Many students become so focused on telling a story or recounting details that they forget to explain what it all meant to them.

Example: Eva's Essay Plan

For her essay, Eva decides to use the compressed narrative structure to tell the story of how she tried and failed to report on the closing of a historic movie theater:

• Open with the part of her story where she finally gave up after calling the theater and city hall a dozen times.
• Explain that although she started researching the story out of journalistic curiosity, it was important to her because she'd grown up going to movies at that theater.
• Recount how defeated she felt when she couldn't get ahold of anyone, and then even more so when she saw a story about the theater's closing in the local paper.
• Describer her decision to write an op-ed instead and interview other students about what the theater meant to them.
• Finish by explaining that although she wasn't able to get the story (or stop the destruction of the theater), she learned that sometimes the emotional angle can be just as interesting as the investigative one.

Step 5: Write a First Draft

The key to writing your first draft is not to worry about whether it's any good—just get something on paper and go from there. You will have to rewrite, so trying to get everything perfect is both frustrating and futile.

Everyone has their own writing process. Maybe you feel more comfortable sitting down and writing the whole draft from beginning to end in one go. Maybe you jump around, writing a little bit here and a little there. It's okay to have sections you know won't work or to skip over things you think you'll need to include later.

Whatever your approach, there are a few tips everyone can benefit from.

Don't Aim for Perfection

I mentioned this idea above, but I can't emphasize it enough: no one writes a perfect first draft . Extensive editing and rewriting is vital to crafting an effective personal statement. Don't get too attached to any part of your draft, because you may need to change anything (or everything) about your essay later .

Also keep in mind that, at this point in the process, the goal is just to get your ideas down. Wonky phrasings and misplaced commas can easily be fixed when you edit, so don't worry about them as you write. Instead, focus on including lots of specific details and emphasizing how your topic has affected you, since these aspects are vital to a compelling essay.

Write an Engaging Introduction

One part of the essay you do want to pay special attention to is the introduction. Your intro is your essay's first impression: you only get one. It's much harder to regain your reader's attention once you've lost it, so you want to draw the reader in with an immediately engaging hook that sets up a compelling story .

There are two possible approaches I would recommend.

The "In Media Res" Opening

You'll probably recognize this term if you studied The Odyssey: it basically means that the story starts in the middle of the action, rather than at the beginning. A good intro of this type makes the reader wonder both how you got to the point you're starting at and where you'll go from there . These openers provide a solid, intriguing beginning for narrative essays (though they can certainly for thematic structures as well).

But how do you craft one? Try to determine the most interesting point in your story and start there. If you're not sure where that is, try writing out the entire story and then crossing out each sentence in order until you get to one that immediately grabs your attention.

Here's an example from a real student's college essay:

"I strode in front of 400 frenzied eighth graders with my arm slung over my Fender Stratocaster guitar—it actually belonged to my mother—and launched into the first few chords of Nirvana's 'Lithium.'"

Anonymous , University of Virginia

This intro throws the reader right into the middle of the action. The author jumps right into the action: the performance. You can imagine how much less exciting it would be if the essay opened with an explanation of what the event was and why the author was performing.

The Specific Generalization

Sounds like an oxymoron, right? This type of intro sets up what the essay is going to talk about in a slightly unexpected way . These are a bit trickier than the "in media res" variety, but they can work really well for the right essay—generally one with a thematic structure.

The key to this type of intro is detail . Contrary to what you may have learned in elementary school, sweeping statements don't make very strong hooks. If you want to start your essay with a more overall description of what you'll be discussing, you still need to make it specific and unique enough to stand out.

Once again, let's look at some examples from real students' essays:

Neha, Johns Hopkins University

Brontë, Johns Hopkins University

Both of these intros set up the general topic of the essay (the first writer's bookshelf and and the second's love of Jane Eyre ) in an intriguing way. The first intro works because it mixes specific descriptions ("pushed against the left wall in my room") with more general commentary ("a curious piece of furniture"). The second draws the reader in by adopting a conversational and irreverent tone with asides like "if you ask me" and "This may or may not be a coincidence."

Don't Worry Too Much About the Length

When you start writing, don't worry about your essay's length. Instead, focus on trying to include all of the details you can think of about your topic , which will make it easier to decide what you really need to include when you edit.

However, if your first draft is more than twice the word limit and you don't have a clear idea of what needs to be cut out, you may need to reconsider your focus—your topic is likely too broad. You may also need to reconsider your topic or approach if you find yourself struggling to fill space, since this usually indicates a topic that lacks a specific focus.

Eva's First Paragraph

I dialed the phone number for the fourth time that week. "Hello? This is Eva Smith, and I'm a reporter with Tiny Town High's newspaper The Falcon. I was hoping to ask you some questions about—" I heard the distinctive click of the person on the other end of the line hanging up, followed by dial tone. I was about ready to give up: I'd been trying to get the skinny on whether the Atlas Theater was actually closing to make way for a big AMC multiplex or if it was just a rumor for weeks, but no one would return my calls.

Step 6: Edit Aggressively

No one writes a perfect first draft. No matter how much you might want to be done after writing a first draft—you must take the time to edit. Thinking critically about your essay and rewriting as needed is a vital part of writing a great college essay.

Before you start editing, put your essay aside for a week or so . It will be easier to approach it objectively if you haven't seen it in a while. Then, take an initial pass to identify any big picture issues with your essay. Once you've fixed those, ask for feedback from other readers—they'll often notice gaps in logic that don't appear to you, because you're automatically filling in your intimate knowledge of the situation. Finally, take another, more detailed look at your essay to fine tune the language.

I've explained each of these steps in more depth below.

First Editing Pass

You should start the editing process by looking for any structural or thematic issues with your essay . If you see sentences that don't make sense or glaring typos of course fix them, but at this point, you're really focused on the major issues since those require the most extensive rewrites. You don't want to get your sentences beautifully structured only to realize you need to remove the entire paragraph.

This phase is really about honing your structure and your voice . As you read through your essay, think about whether it effectively draws the reader along, engages him with specific details, and shows why the topic matters to you. Try asking yourself the following questions:

• Does the intro make you want to read more?
• Is the progression of events and/or ideas clear?
• Does the essay show something specific about you? What is it and can you clearly identify it in the essay?
• Are there places where you could replace vague statements with more specific ones?
• Do you have too many irrelevant or uninteresting details clogging up the narrative?
• Is it too long? What can you cut out or condense without losing any important ideas or details?

Give yourself credit for what you've done well, but don't hesitate to change things that aren't working. It can be tempting to hang on to what you've already written —you took the time and thought to craft it in the first place, so it can be hard to let it go. Taking this approach is doing yourself a disservice, however. No matter how much work you put into a paragraph or much you like a phrase, if they aren't adding to your essay, they need to be cut or altered.

If there's a really big structural problem, or the topic is just not working, you may have to chuck this draft out and start from scratch . Don't panic! I know starting over is frustrating, but it's often the best way to fix major issues.

Consulting Other Readers

Once you've fixed the problems you found on the first pass and have a second (or third) draft you're basically happy with, ask some other people to read it. Check with people whose judgment you trust : parents, teachers, and friends can all be great resources, but how helpful someone will be depends on the individual and how willing you are to take criticism from her.

Also, keep in mind that many people, even teachers, may not be familiar with what colleges look for in an essay. Your mom, for example, may have never written a personal statement, and even if she did, it was most likely decades ago. Give your readers a sense of what you'd like them to read for , or print out the questions I listed above and include them at the end of your essay.

Second Pass

After incorporating any helpful feedback you got from others, you should now have a nearly complete draft with a clear arc.

At this point you want to look for issues with word choice and sentence structure:

• Are there parts that seem stilted or overly formal?
• Do you have any vague or boring descriptors that could be replaced with something more interesting and specific?
• Are there any obvious redundancies or repetitiveness?
• Have you misused any words?
• Are your sentences of varied length and structure?

A good way to check for weirdness in language is to read the essay out loud. If something sounds weird when you say it, it will almost certainly seem off when someone else reads it.

Example: Editing Eva's First Paragraph

In general, Eva feels like her first paragraph isn't as engaging as it could be and doesn't introduce the main point of the essay that well: although it sets up the narrative, it doesn't show off her personality that well. She decides to break it down sentence by sentence:

I dialed the phone number for the fourth time that week.

Problem: For a hook, this sentence is a little too expository. It doesn't add any real excitement or important information (other than that this call isn't the first, which can be incorporate elsewhere.

Solution: Cut this sentence and start with the line of dialogue.

"Hello? This is Eva Smith, and I'm a reporter with Tiny Town High's newspaper The Falcon. I was hoping to ask you some questions about—"

Problem: No major issues with this sentence. It's engaging and sets the scene effectively.

Solution: None needed, but Eva does tweak it slightly to include the fact that this call wasn't her first.

I heard the distinctive click of the person on the other end of the line hanging up, followed by dial tone.

Problem: This is a long-winded way of making a point that's not that important.

Solution: Replace it with a shorter, more evocative description: " Click. Bzzzzzzz. Whoever was on the other end of the line had hung up."

I was about ready to give up: I'd been trying to get the skinny on whether the Atlas Theater was actually closing to make way for a big AMC multiplex or if it was just a rumor for weeks, but no one would return my calls.

Problem: This sentence is kind of long. Some of the phrases ("about ready to give up," "get the skinny") are cliche.

Solution: Eva decides to try to stick more closely to her own perspective: "I'd heard rumors that Atlas Theater was going to be replaced with an AMC multiplex, and I was worried." She also puts a paragraph break before this sentence to emphasize that she's now moving on to the background info rather than describing her call.

Step 7: Double Check Everything

Once you have a final draft, give yourself another week and then go through your essay again. Read it carefully to make sure nothing seems off and there are no obvious typos or errors. Confirm that you are at or under the word limit.

Then, go over the essay again, line by line , checking every word to make sure that it's correct. Double check common errors that spell check may not catch, like mixing up affect and effect or misplacing commas.

Finally, have two other readers check it as well . Oftentimes a fresh set of eyes will catch an issue you've glossed over simply because you've been looking at the essay for so long. Give your readers instructions to only look for typos and errors, since you don't want to be making any major content changes at this point in the process.

This level of thoroughness may seem like overkill, but it's worth taking the time to ensure that you don't have any errors. The last thing you want is for an admissions officer to be put off by a typo or error.

Example: Eva's Final Draft (Paragraphs 1 and 2)

"Hello? This is Eva Smith again. I'm a reporter with Tiny Town High's newspaper The Falcon , and I was hoping to ask you some questions about —" Click. Bzzzzzzz. Whoever was on the other end of the line had hung up.

I'd heard rumors that the historic Atlas Theater was going to be replaced with an AMC multiplex, and I was worried. I'd grown up with the Atlas: my dad taking me to see every Pixar movie on opening night and buying me Red Vines to keep me distracted during the sad parts. Unfortunately my personal history with the place didn't seem to carry much weight with anyone official, and my calls to both the theater and city hall had thus far gone unanswered.

Once you've finished the final check, you're done, and ready to submit! There's one last step, however.

Step 8: Do It All Again

Remember back in step one, when we talked about making a chart to keep track of all the different essays you need to write? Well, now you need to go back to that list and determine which essays you still need to write . Keep in mind your deadlines and don't forget that some schools may require more than one essay or ask for short paragraphs in addition to the main personal statement.

Reusing Essays

In some cases, you may be able to reuse the essay you've already written for other prompts. You can use the same essay for two prompts if:

Both of them are asking the same basic question (e.g. "how do you interact with people who are different from you?" or "what was an important experience and why?"), or

One prompt is relatively specific and the other is very general (e.g. "tell us about how your family shaped your education" and "tell us something about your background"), and

Neither asks about your interest in a specific school or program.

If you choose to reuse an essay you wrote for a different prompt, make sure that it addresses every part of question and that it fits the word limit. If you have to tweak a few things or cut out 50-odd words, it will probably still work. But if the essay would require major changes to fit the criteria, you're probably better off starting from scratch (even if you use the same basic topic).

Crafting Supplemental Essays

The key to keep in mind in when brainstorming for supplemental essays is that you want them to add something new to your application . You shouldn't write about the same topic you used for your personal statement, although it's okay to talk about something similar, as long as you adopt a clearly different angle.

For example, if you're planning to be pre-med in college and your main essay is about how volunteering at the hospital taught you not to judge people on their appearance, you might write your secondary essay on your intellectual interest in biology (which could touch on your volunteering). There's some overlap, but the two topics are clearly distinct.

And now, you're really, truly, finally done. Congrats!

What's Next?

Now that you know how to write a college essay, we have a lot more specific resources for you to excel.

Are you working on the Common App essay ? Read our breakdown of the Common App prompts and our guide to picking the best prompt for you.

Or maybe you're interested in the University of California ? Check out our complete guide to the UC personal statements .

In case you haven't finished the rest of the application process , take a look at our guides to asking for recommendations , writing about extracurriculars , and researching colleges .

Finally, if you're planning to take the SAT or ACT one last time , try out some of our famous test prep guides, like "How to Get a Perfect Score on the SAT" and "15 Key ACT Test Day Tips."

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Alex is an experienced tutor and writer. Over the past five years, she has worked with almost a hundred students and written about pop culture for a wide range of publications. She graduated with honors from University of Chicago, receiving a BA in English and Anthropology, and then went on to earn an MA at NYU in Cultural Reporting and Criticism. In high school, she was a National Merit Scholar, took 12 AP tests and scored 99 percentile scores on the SAT and ACT.

Ask a Question Below

Have any questions about this article or other topics? Ask below and we'll reply!

• Tips for Reading an Assignment Prompt
• Asking Analytical Questions
• Introductions
• What Do Introductions Across the Disciplines Have in Common?
• Anatomy of a Body Paragraph
• Transitions
• Tips for Organizing Your Essay
• Counterargument
• Conclusions
• Strategies for Essay Writing: Downloadable PDFs
• Brief Guides to Writing in the Disciplines

BOSS Magazine

The Most Difficult Aspects of Writing an Essay

The issue with essay writing is that it is nearly impossible to tell if an essay is truly good beyond the rubric. This is because the value of writing is so subjective.

by BOSS Editorial | Published: August 30, 2022 | Updated: August 30, 2022 12:29 pm

For many students out there English is a difficult subject. It’s not because essays are hard to write. In fact, an outline (i.e. MLA formatted outline ) used properly can make an essay easily doable. Add some editing and proofreading to the mix, along with a bit of MLA formatting, and you have English teachers throwing praise at you the way they praise authors who died decades upon decades ago. The issue with essay writing is that it is nearly impossible to tell if an essay is truly good beyond the rubric. This is because the value of writing is so subjective. Some readers are more interested in the content rather than its presentation, some vice versa. It is about knowing your audience, but sometimes even that is unclear. This is where the three most challenging aspects of essay writing come in: vocabulary, connection, and comedic timing (because what is life without a laugh?)

With flowery, dramatic vocabulary, a dismal, monotonous essay can be reborn as a sensational, magnificent piece of modern literature. Doth thee not believeth me? Take Shakespeare’s Hamlet for example; to say that Hamlet was considering taking his own life would have been simple enough, but William had the right idea. “To be, or not to be: that is the question:” This quote has been repeated for centuries upon centuries: the drama really does pay off! While Hamlet was a piece of creative writing, there is still something to learn from Shakespeare within the realm of academic writing : you aren’t going to be remembered for following the same rules as everyone else. Shakespeare is credited with the invention of over 1,700 words that are still used in the English language today! Sometimes being a little extra is OK. Sometimes your eye-catching, soul-stirring, hair-raising word choice will get you more places than you may have initially thought.

Providing a personal connection can make or break an essay. This doesn’t always mean providing a personal anecdote; the audience doesn’t even have to know it is there. Writing is always so much more meaningful when the author is passionate about it, and when they have a clear, thought-out opinion on their topic. That’s why personal essays, synthesis essays and opinion pieces are infinitely more engaging to read than written analyses, APA or MLA outlines , and reports.

Irony and comedic timing can always be used in essay writing. It is a common misconception that comedy has no place in academic writing. You don’t have to write a knock-knock joke to let your reader enjoy themselves. Within this very essay we have gotten away with joke dropping, over-casual language, and even some poorly written Shakespearean. As well as the use of flowery, dramatic vocabulary touched on the importance of flowery, dramatic vocabulary, a personal connection where the importance for the author to personally connect to their text was mentioned.

It is important to recognize that not everyone has the same strengths when it comes to writing an essay. Even though many people find the structure to be an easier thing, some may not feel the same. At day’s end, vocabulary, personal connections and comedic timing may not be the most difficult part of essay writing for everyone. But they are the backbone of writing style, which is something that is often very difficult to get a handle on. Even in academic writing, no two people will ever write the same exact essay on a topic, due to their unique style and creativity. Thus, all writing is creative writing. Take the risk, be different (because what is life without a little creativity?)

By: BOSS Editorial

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The Writing Process

The Eberly tutors have identified these sites as ones that are personally useful to them. In the annotation that follows each site, a tutor explains that benefits of the site. While the Eberly tutors hope you find these sites useful, we encourage you to come and visit us for a face-to-face session in the Writing Center.

Brainstorming (The American University in Cairo) Often the most difficult part of writing is starting to write. The process of choosing a broad topic and narrowing it down to a thesis can be both daunting and frustrating. This website provides nine different techniques for brainstorming an idea for a paper. C.B.

Brainstorming (University of North Carolina) "Brainstorming" is one of the most important steps in the writing process which you should never skip. This well-written and informative site introduces you to thirteen helpful and applicable techniques. Do you know that besides free-writing, clustering and circling, you could also inspire your ideas by making similes and asking yourself "journalist questions"? Have you ever considered thinking outside the box by linking a biography term with a history concept? Those techniques are just a few of the rich resources this website provides you. X.Z.

Writer's Web: Brainstorming (University of Richmond) Before the structure of a thesis statement comes together, free form brainstorming must take place. This process consists of generating the ideas one has about a subject and is often different for everyone. One basic strategy involves freethinking about a topic and listing any thoughts as they pop into your head. This site also provides tips for narrowing down your

Classes: Note Taking, Listening, and Participation (Dartmouth College) If you're anything like those of us here at the Writing Center, you take copious amounts of notes.But the question is, do you ever read them again after class is over? What you need to do is learn a better, smarter way to take notes that will actually be helpful come exam time. This site will help you take more effective notes, but it will also teach you how to be an active listener. So don't waste your time furiously scribbling your way through an entire lecture; check out what Dartmouth College has to say and spend your class time learning, not writing. C.H.Note-taking for Essay Writing (Cuesta College) If you are taking a course where plenty of readings are assigned, you do not need to be psychic to know an essay will be part of your future. What better way to prepare for the future than to optimize your note-taking skills? Good notetakers have an easier time understanding major themes and concepts discussed in class. This guide from Cuesta College provides a list of habits for those students who want to improve their note-taking skills or adopt other techniques, like putting down the highlighter. F.A.

Note Taking Strategies (Saint Mary's College of California) Note taking is an essential part of learning, particularly in college where material is often thrown at you in a variety of classes. Saint Mary's College provides a page with a three-step process to make notetaking efficient and precise. M.N.

Outlining (Purdue University) I'm such a good writer. I can just take all these ideas floating around in my head and organize them into a clear and cogent essay. Psh. If this is your mindset when you begin to write a paper, and it's actually true, I applaud you. However, for us mere mortals, outlining is a great way to get your ideas together and keep your paper on track. This site will help make sure that your outline is as effective as possible. G.M.

Outlining and Organizing (Writing Center, Los Angeles Valley College) Are you disorganized in your thinking? Do the facts you've gathered for your paper just seem like a big, disconnected blob? Fret no more! This page gives easy and straightforward organizing tips to allow you to organize your evidence around a thesis, especially guiding you to organize your body paragraphs around your thesis, and to structure each body paragraph around its sub-thesis. J.K

Organizing Your Argument (Purdue University Online Writing Lab) Get those thoughts in line! Learn how to make a thesis, support it with evidence, and add some new characters. Warrants show how the evidence relates to the claim. Backing supports warrants. Counterclaims oppose views to your thesis. Rebuttals prove counterclaims wrong. All of these pieces together form a big, happy family of solid logic! M.C.K.

Prewriting and Outlining (University of Maryland University College) Don't frustrate yourself by staring at that blank word document and waiting for inspiration to strike. Instead, here are some prewriting exercises that can help you generate some golden ideas. Then this site explains how to plan out your paper by organizing those scribblings into an outline. M.K.N.

Prewriting Strategies (University of Kansas) Have you ever experienced writer's block? Certain strategies can prevent you from losing your train of thought mid-writing. This site lists many creative forms of pre-writing activities that can help writers of any level avoid loss of ideas for an essay. A.F.

Symptoms and Cures for Writer's Block (Purdue OWL) At some point, every writer experiences writer's block. This can be extremely frustrating, making it seem nearly impossible to proceed with an assignment. Do not worry! This article discusses several common causes of writer's block and will help you evade the problem by utilizing one of several suggested techniques. Now you can confidently proceed with that A+ paper! E.S.

Understanding Assignments (University of North Carolina) Blindly diving into writing an essay may not be the way to approach an assignment. Essay writing is a process and the first step involves understanding what is being asked of us. The writing center at the University of North Carolina provides greatly detailed insight on this critical stage of the writing process also known as reading and understanding the prompt. F.A.

Introductions (University of North Carolina) Introductions getting you down? The University of North Carolina is here to lift you back up. This website not only gives strategies on how to write this first and most daunting paragraph but also gives different styles of introductions. For your reading pleasure, each style is even ranked for effectiveness and accompanied by an example. Don't let the introduction blues defeat you! Conquer it instead with this wonderful resource. J.C

Drafting an Essay (University of Washington - Bothell) Do you ever hear the word "draft" and cringe with disbelief at the length? Do you often ask why people go through the trouble of writing a first draft when it seems like they could just as easily write a final in one go? If so then maybe it's time to take a look at what exactly writing those first, second, and third drafts really means and the reasons behind why so many people seem to write multiple drafts. R.W.

Ending the Essay (Harvard University) The conclusion to an essay is arguably one of the most important parts of a scholarly paper. A conclusion provides one last chance for you to prove the point that you are trying to convey to an audience. This site provides specific ideas for how to end a paper and also offers tips regarding what not to do when writing a conclusion. C.B.

Integrating Writing: Drafting the Essay (University of Washington Bothell) No matter what step of the writing process you find yourself stuck in, the University of Washington is here to help. It details each step of the process, highlighting which aspects of writing to focus on, whether it be developing an argument in the first draft or refining the flow of information for the final draft. J.C

Does my paper "flow?" (University of North Carolina) Make your paper "flow" by placing it on a riverbed and waving goodbye. That's not really recommended, but you can make your paper "flow" by writing in a coherent manner that allows readers to make sense of the text. This fluidity can be achieved on the sentence level, paragraph level, and draft level. This short video introduces the three levels of "flow," and ways to identify them. F.A.

Reorganizing Drafts (University of North Carolina) You might have experienced anxiety and uncertainty about the logical flow of ideas in your essay after you finish a draft. When such happens, chances are that you need to reorganize you draft.This website introduces you to five helpful and substantial strategies with detailed examples. Some innovative strategies include "reverse outlining", which guides you to create an outline based on a written paper and to see if the thesis is followed through. Others include "talking the paper out" and "visualizing" the paper. You will surely find the strategy that works best for you. X.Z.

Reverse Outlining (Purdue University) Purdue Owl suggests an interesting tactic to help you analyze your own essay and ensure it makes sense organizationally. The reverse outline involves assessing the topics in each part of the essay to make sure they are formulated as the writer had originally planned and that the paragraphs flow in a logical manner. This method consists of a two step, easily repeatable process. M.N.

Revising Drafts (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) Revising your paper is the most important part of your writing process. This article offers some reasons for both proofreading and revising papers and gives some suggestions as to how you should approach your revisions. All of the sections are divided by common statements or questions (such as, "What happens if I no longer agree with my own point?") so it's easy to locate the tip(s) or explanation(s) that will be most helpful to you. E.B

Revision (Brigham Young University) Revising your essay means much more than simply running your spellchecker! This site's comprehensive check list covers everything from content and organization to grammar and diction. If you're having trouble looking at your essay objectively, use these guiding questions to reread your paper with a new, critical eye. M.K.N.

Editing/Proofreading

Editing and Proofreading Tips (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) This page offers tips and tricks to edit your paper, such as changing the font or l a y o u t in order to "trick your brain into thinking it's seeing an unfamiliar document." It also offers guidance on what to look for when editing and proofreading. Perhaps the most important piece of advice it gives is to create distance between yourself and your paper. J.K.

How to Proofread (University of Wisconsin at Madison) Sometimes it is hard to see the forest for the trees, so proofreading your own paper can sometimes seem impossible. Finding your own mistakes can be challenging, but this website is here to help. "How to Proofread" will give you a step-by-step method for finding the weaknesses of your own paper as well as providing you with other proofreading resources. C.H.

Proofreading for Common Surface Errors (University of Indiana) Little spelling mistakes, missed punctuation marks, forgotten words, even random capitalized letters. All of these tiny errors-and many more-seem so insignificant, but if you make a lot of them, they start to add up. The culmination of a bunch of silly little mistakes can become an annoyance and start to detract from the quality of your work. Learning simple strategies to find these small errors can be extremely effective in creating a strong piece of writing. Check out this website to learn all about these strategies. J.W.

Proofreading Tips (Grammar Girl) Every writer, good and bad, suffers through the pains of proofreading. It is nearly impossible to catch all of one's mistakes, and Grammar Girl explains this common problem in a personable and understandable way. Grammar girls emphasizes that no one is perfect but gives writers tips on how they can improve their proofreading process. C.C.

Proofreading - (Purdue OWL) Proofreading is necessary for virtually every writing assignment. The proofreading process allows the writer to review his/her paper and address mistakes in grammar, sentence structure, voice, etc. While you may have been taught to read your writing slowly multiple times to catch errors, this article discusses a few general strategies that can improve your proofreading skills and help you catch errors you might have otherwise missed! E.S.

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What Makes Writing So Hard?

MAY 9, 2022

Many students struggle with writing—but what makes it so hard? And why do so many students hate to write? Writing is a task with a very high cognitive load. Giving students meaningful practice and clear structures for writing helps them move their thoughts out of their heads and onto the page.

Who Needs to Write? Everyone.  

Based on the most recent NAEP writing assessment , only about one in four students at any grade level is proficient in writing—and that number hasn’t shifted meaningfully in decades. One in five students scored at the lowest proficiency level, Below Basic, at each tested grade level. Clearly, the traditional English Language Arts (ELA) programs used to teach writing are not, on their own, enough to move the needle for most students. 

At the same time, writing is more important than ever in our knowledge economy. Writing is a “gatekeeper” skill for many higher-paying professions. Most white-collar and technical jobs require at least basic writing skills, whether for creating formal reports or simply communicating through email. In blue-collar and service jobs, people are often expected to be able to write clearly to communicate with customers. And writing will almost certainly be required to advance beyond the entry levels. In fact, a survey of business leaders put written communication skills at the top of the list of sought-after attributes. 

Beyond the workforce, writing, like reading, is a skill that enables full participation in our modern world. Good writing skills allow people to participate in democracy by writing letters to the editor or expressing their views to a representative. Writing also allows people to participate in, rather than simply watch, all of the discourse and entertainment happening online. Writing can empower people to self-advocate in a variety of contexts, from healthcare to consumer interactions to legal proceedings. Writing skills are essential for anyone who wants a seat at the table in today’s complex political, consumer and personal realms. 

The High Cognitive Load of Writing

By some metrics, today’s kids and teens are writing more than ever—that is, if you count texting, commenting on online content, and interacting in multiplayer games. But these interactions do not rise to the level of writing required to be successful on state assessments, college assignments, or workplace tasks. When students are faced with an authentic writing task—such as responding to a piece of text, writing a research paper, or developing an original narrative—the majority struggle. 

In part, that may be because students don’t have much practice with formal writing, especially in extended form. There is some evidence that students today spend less time on writing than in the past, especially on argumentative writing and writing in the content areas. The Institute of Educational Sciences (IES) recommends that students have 60 minutes of writing time each school day , including a mix of direct writing instruction and writing assignments that span different purposes and content areas. However, only about 25% of middle schoolers and 30% of high schoolers meet the standard, and many students are only spending about 15 minutes each day on writing. 

But even with ample time and instruction, writing is hard —in fact, it is arguably the hardest thing we ask our students to do. Natalie Wexler, the author of The Knowledge Gap , explains that writing has an even higher cognitive load than reading . That’s because, in addition to processing information, students also have to figure out how to get their own thoughts on the page. 

Writing is a highly complex skill that involves many discrete sub-skills at both the “macro” and “micro” levels. 

• At the “macro” level, students have to figure out what to say: what is the point they are trying to make or the story they are trying to tell? What is the best way to organize their ideas and structure their piece? What are the big ideas and conclusions they want to get across? What kind of supporting evidence or details are needed? 
• At the “micro” level, students must apply a myriad of foundational writing skills, from the motor skills involved with keyboarding or handwriting to decisions about word choice, syntax and grammar. 

All of these writing processes are happening at the same time , adding to the overall cognitive load of the task. To lower the cognitive load, students must achieve proficiency and fluency at both the macro and micro levels. When students struggle with foundational skills such as letter formation and word selection, they may not have enough cognitive resources left to focus on the “big picture” of what they want to say. On the flip side, students who don’t know how to organize their ideas will not have much energy to focus on developing their writing style and editing and polishing their work.

The Hardest Part of Writing is Thinking

For most students, the hardest part of writing isn’t writing out individual words or forming a complete sentence. It is simply figuring out what to say . In fact, the Writing Center of Princeton says: 

Writing is ninety-nine percent thinking, one percent writing. In other words, when you know what you want to say and how you want to say it, writing becomes easier and more successful.

Writing is, fundamentally, thinking made visible. If you can’t think, you can’t write. One of the best ways of lowering the cognitive load of writing is to give students a structure for organizing their ideas and thinking through the flow and structure of their piece. 

That’s where Thinking Maps come in. Thinking Maps provide the structure for thinking through a writing task and organizing ideas prior to writing.

It starts with understanding the task itself. Students in a Thinking Maps school learn to use “signal words” that indicate what kind of thinking is required for a task. Then, they know what kind of Map to use to start their thinking process. For example, if the prompt asks them to explain the similarities and differences between two historical eras, they know immediately that this will be a “compare-and-contrast” task. The Double Bubble Map provides the structure they need to organize their ideas, whether from their existing knowledge, in-depth research, or a text provided with the prompt. Once they have fleshed out their ideas, students can use a writing Flow Map to develop their piece section by section. Having this kind of structure helps students move through the planning and organizing phases of writing more quickly so they have more time to spend on other parts of the writing process, including revising and editing. It also leads to clearer, more organized writing. 

At Pace Brantley Preparatory, a Florida school serving students with learning disabilities in grades 1-12, adding some dedicated Thinking Maps planning time prior to writing led to better writing products on their benchmark assessments. Read the Pace Brantley story .   

In our Write from the Beginning…and Beyond training , teachers learn how writing develops across the grade levels and how to use Thinking Maps to support student writing, including using the Maps to process thinking before writing and using the writing Flow Map to plan writing. Advanced training includes specific strategies for different genres, including Narrative, Expository/Informative, Argumentative, and Response to Text.

When students can think, they are ready to write. And when students can write, they are ready for anything. 

Want to know more about Thinking Maps and writing?

• Download the recording: Building a Deep Structure for Writing

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The Hardest Part of Writing Really Well

by Joe Bunting | 52 comments

We're here in Paris, and to better experience the city, I've been reading A Moveable Feast , Ernest Hemingway's memoir about living and writing in Paris. In the book, Hemingway reveals what I think is one of the hardest parts about being a serious writer, a writer who cares deeply about the quality of his or her prose.

It comes when he's talking with fellow expatriate author F. Scott Fitzgerald. They're drinking whiskey at Closerie des Lilas, a restaurant that still exists in Paris, and as they drink, they talk about their writing habits.

At the time, Hemingway is somewhat awed by Fitzgerald, who was older and more experienced than the 25-or-so-year-old Hemingway, Fitzgerald having already published a few novels, including The Great Gatsby , and several stories in the  Saturday Evening Post. 

Meeting Fitzgerald and talking about his writing convinces Hemingway that he needs to write a novel of his own, but the form intimidates him. He says:

But it was very difficult, and I did not know how I would ever write anything as long as a novel. It often took me a whole morning of work to write a paragraph.

Great Writing Is Slow Work

For the last few weeks, I've been able to spend more time on my creative writing and less on commercial work. It's wonderful, but it reminds me how much longer it takes to write good creative prose than it takes to write blog posts and journalism and non-fiction books.

For example, to write my posts for The Write Practice,  I usually spend a morning writing, between three to five hours. However, when I write my essays for  Goodbye Paris , it takes me about three mornings for pieces of roughly equal length. And even then they often need feedback from others and then more work afterward.

Creative writing is slow work, slow work that requires patience, discipline, and doggedness to finish no matter the cost.

The “Secret” to Writing Well

I've talked to so many writers who have great ideas but just can't seem to finish them. Many of them are even very good writers, but they can't complete their novels and plays and short stories.

Writing inspires them, entices them, but ultimately leaves them defeated. They email me disappointed, asking me what they should do to finish their ideas. “My ideas are great. Everybody says so. But I just can't seem to finish.”

I wish I had a better answer, some secret technique to turning your ideas into perfect novels, guaranteed bestsellers, masterpiece works of art. But I don't.

“I don't know,” I tell them. “Honestly, I'm right there with you, and so was Hemingway, and so were so many other great writers. It's very difficult. The only thing to do is keep writing.”

Are You Up For the Difficult Job of Writing?

Are you up for that? Are you willing to make space for your writing ? Are you willing to say no to great opportunities, even new ideas that other people tell you are genius, so you can finish your single paragraphs that take all morning?

Can you keep writing even when it takes three times longer than you think it will?

Writing a novel is very difficult. Are you up for it? It's fine if you're not, but if you think you are or you want to be, you need to learn to be dogged, to never give up, to keep writing no matter how long it takes. Writing is a hard job, which means that if you want to accomplish it you need to become hard yourself.

How about it. Are you up for it?  

Today, work on your work in progress, no matter where you are in the process. If you don't currently have a work in progress, write about a writer who has been working on a single paragraph all morning. How is he feeling? What is he thinking about?

Write for fifteen minutes. When you're finished, post your practice in the comments section. And if you post, make sure you give feedback to a few other writers.

Bonne chance!

Joe Bunting

Joe Bunting is an author and the leader of The Write Practice community. He is also the author of the new book Crowdsourcing Paris , a real life adventure story set in France. It was a #1 New Release on Amazon. Follow him on Instagram (@jhbunting).

Want best-seller coaching? Book Joe here.

52 Comments

I’ve written a novel and had it copyrighted for my sake, I guess to prove I could do it. It’s very long. I was stumped by three agents who didn’t seem interested. I have to take it out again and see where I stand in my own mind…to see if I should self-publish…and all that it entails, meaning self-promotion. But looking back, I never really gave it a chance. It is worth that at least. This is the year.

Carole, What an accomplishment! To write and copyright a novel is such a huge job. You should rejoice and give your manuscript your best shot. Maybe before this year ends you can see it published. Just keep working.

Carole, congrats on finishing a novel! Altho it’s hard to be rejected by agents, try to remember that not all of them will be a good match for your book. Kathryn Stockett was rejected by over 60 agents before she found one who believed in The Help! And, JK Rowling rejected by dozens for Harry Potter – keep sending it out!

Give it a chance, Carole!

Right now I am stuck in the last part of my novel. I have been writing for almost three years and I would be lying if I pretend I did my best to finish it. But I have worked through very hard circumstances and I am ‘dogged’ to accomplish it the best way I can. English is not my first language and the possibilities of publishing my novel in Egypt are not that encouraging. But I don’t allow all the negative thoughts that hammer my head day and night hold me back.

My characters keep me going, they have become part of my life and sometimes I feel it is them, not me who actually write. When I am discouraged for one reason or another I do something that may look stupid but it does work for me: I ask them to write their own version of the novel. And they use my mind and hands to write. They provide me with solutions for the most difficult problems that keep me awake at night. Maybe you will think I am crazy but I will give you an example. In the last part of the novel I had some dangling thread that I failed to pull up together. I did not know what to do with my antagonist. I let her write to me and she did. Here is what she wrote: How dare you leave me out of your last part like I was nothing? You think you can get away with it? You cannot just eliminate me whenever you feel like it because you hate me and I cannot speak for myself. I am your antagonist, don’t you ever ignore me! I will ruin your story, I will show the world how lousy a writer you are! You don’t think I can do this? Of course you are the one who will doom yourself to it, not me. What am I anyway? I am only one of the people you made and hated and could no longer stand my presence in your story. But make sure you won’t get away with it. I won’t lose much if you force me to disappear in your last section. After all I am just an ink creature. You will be the one to lose. In losing me you lose part of who you are, a piece of you that could have still breathed and lived and filled your world. You are limiting yourself, not me. I will not die anyway, you will find me haunting your day and sleep. You will find me jumping into your very next book, or even worse, taking shape in your personal life. Beware of me, I will not leave you alone! I am Maha Ghanem, the one you suffocated with every breath and success you gave to your precious sweat protagonist! Her words were the last I wrote before I slept and the very next morning I found a solution for her. Writing a novel is just a long term project that permeates your life. To me it is just like raising a kid.

I don’t think it’s crazy one bit, I love your idea to allow your characters to write for you when you are stuck! I am going to try this…I have to say, that Maha sure has a strong voice! Keep going….I hope she helps you finish.

Margaret, Thank you for the encouraging comment. I hope it works for you.

Letting the characters talk while we write was the topic of a post here about two (?) weeks ago, CHARACTERS AS MUSE (or something similar) by Jot Collado. Mine have been helping me in ways that is blowing my mind!

Though it’s not exactly a current wip, it bugged me a lot that I made quite some mistakes in it. But now I made some changes, though I know it could be way better – but it’s enough for today 😉 It’s also quite a long story, so I post only the beginning. If you fancy reading the rest, let me know.

As Polly the vampire sheep met the old woman, she hadn’t had any blood in days and felt weak. She even tried to eat grass, just like she used to do when she was still a normal sheep, but it didn’t help at all and had only made her feel worse.

You might imagine how relieved Polly was to see the old lady running around a house which was built of bread and covered with cakes, bantering happily with her black cat while collecting wood. Not that Polly paid much attention to the house, it was more the old woman that interested her. And even though this lady was the most ugliest woman she had ever seen in her entire sheep life, with a hump and a big wart on her nose, it did nothing to stop the starving sheep.

So Polly staggered forwards, carefully breaking through the thick undergrowth of the dark wood, hiding her pointy teeth so that the granny wouldn’t be suspicious right away and tried to hush her growling stomach. But the old woman wasn’t deaf and heard Polly approach, and suddenly swirled around and threw one of the thick branches at Polly, almost giving her a heart attack.

Polly only managed to dodge the branch because of her vampiric powers, which, even though she was starving, were still present and made her way faster than any other sheep in the world. Usually, Polly would have been proud of this, but right now she didn’t care much about her enhanced abilities. She was hungry like hell and she would drain this stick throwing old bat.

A vampire sheep with attitude. What fun!

Thank you Marilyn! 🙂

Bonjour, Joe! How fun to read Hemingway and share your insights while you are in that great city. I love the truth of this post. Writing IS slow work. Each sentence, sometimes even a word is like digging for gold in an abandoned mine. Oscar Wilde pretty much summed it up when he said “This morning I took out a comma and this afternoon, I put it back in again.” S-L-O-W work is right. And yet, to me it’s worth it. Each nugget I discover and each finish line I cross feels like a major accomplishment. I Just entered a short story contest (2,5oo words) and my first attempt at fiction. I made the deadline just under the wire and almost quit a dozen times. Doubt, fear and that old “can’t” word shadowed me for the two months I took writing the story. Don’t think it’s up to the contest standards, but I feel good for having finished and having the courage to put my work out there…. Here is the first paragraph of the story (haaa – I edited it again this morning even though it was sent a week ago…)

When daddy left in April, mama told us to stop calling her mama. “My name is Yvonne and that’s what I want you to call me now.” She was stirring the tomato soup on the two burner stove that scorched up the counter so bad it had more craters than my geography project of the Grand Canyon. “No sense pretending we’re a real family with your daddy gone again. Besides, I never wanted to be anyone’s mama in the first place.” Even when a bad fever made Finch call out to mama in the middle of the night, Yvonne just rolled over in the bed next to us and said “Natalie, tell your little sister there’s no mama here.” I turned ten that summer and was older and smarter than Finch, but calling mama Yvonne felt like taking the Lord’s name in vain….

Congratulations on making the deadline Margaret! That IS an accomplishment. Now when is the next one going to be? 🙂

I really like your story. What a strange and telling first line!

thanks, Joe! Working on the novel now. It’s my first love and has been in my head and heart over 6 years now. The short story was a distraction from that…btw, a great piece of advice I received recently from an author was to not look at a novel as a book. She said it’s daunting for even the pros and suggested I just keep writing scenes as they come to me and weave it together when I have enough scenes….food for thought.

Good idea, Margaret. You should write a guest post for the Write Practice about that. 🙂

I just might do that once I get a few more scenes under my belt 🙂

Nice work. The last sentence really grabbed me.

thx, Marilyn!

Great opener! Sounds like a story that would definitely hold my interest. Very well written too.

thx, Joanna!

You’re very welcome 🙂

The last few sentences really strike! Like it a lot.

thx, Hanni!

Hi Joe I loved this post. It’s nice to know the greats struggle as well 🙂 I must confess my real challenge comes in the edit. I can quite happily throw thousands of words on the page on a daily basis, but the slow steady approach that effective editing needs has me often frustrated. On the plus side, I’m reaching a point now where i can really tell the different in quality between my older stuff and current WIP and it’s because of the editing and the things I’ve learned along the way. I’m also learning to enjoy editing, bit by bit, as I recognise that a first draft is exactly that. I’ve stopped saying my book is finished and started saying my first draft is complete! 🙂 The point being, it’s all about the time. The amount of time you’re willing to put in and the dedication required to do so. cheers Mike

Exactly, Michael. As I was thinking about this post, I meant to mention something about editing as part of the part that takes forever, but then I got focused on some other aspect. I’m actually a slow writer AND a slow editor so it’s doubly bad! 😉 Thanks for chiming in.

I feel that pain, Joe. I can edit at a decent speed–I even enjoy editing and revision very much. It’s getting something valid to edit that’s been elusive for far too long. At least I know I am in great company on so many levels, lol.

I think it took JRR Tolkien something like seven years to write The Hobbit, twelve years to write Lord of the Rings, and most of his life to write the stories that eventually became The Silmarillion. That’s how I am… I started my first real novel-writing attempt about six years ago, turned the project into a short story about two years ago, and am STILL making minor edits on it to this day. I started another novel two years ago, have written several rough drafts, and am trying to figure out what to do with the latest one which is finally getting close to what I want but is incomplete. It really can be hard to stick with a project for as long as it takes to really perfect it. If it’s ever perfected. And I’m sure, even after publishing, most authors continue to tweak their stories. But… in spite of all the hardships… I love writing. 🙂

I wish I would have written only one complete draft for a novel, yet alone the editing. All I ever managed are short stories about 2000 words long, before I turn to another little project, and this is already quite some work for me.

Yes, he fascinates me. He was weirdly un-prolific, wasn’t he. But his inner world was so full. I admire him because it wasn’t about audience or being a great writer for him. It was all about the stories. But I also wish he had been more focused on publishing! Oh well. He was probably a good professor, right? 🙂

I like Steve Job’s quote, Sarah. “Real artist’s ship.” Perhaps it’s time to send out that story and work on the next thing.

This from my WIP, children’s historical fiction that takes place in 1928 in northern Minnesota:

“Psst, Lilly. Wake up,” Dorsey whispered. “This is the first day of school.”

“Leave me alone. “I’m still sleepy.” Lilly mumbled, pulling the blanket over her head.

“You old sleepy head. Get up. We can’t be late,” Dorsey said, still whispering, so she will not wake Lola and Henry, who are too young to go to school. “You know you want to wear that new dress Mama made you. It looks so pretty on you with all those tiny blue flowers.”

It’s true. Lilly can hardly wait to wear the new dress with the Peter Pan collar that Mama sewed in Iowa when they were harvesting corn. It makes her feel special. She almost never gets to wear new clothes. Instead, she wears clothes that Dorsey or a cousin already outgrew. Hand-me-downs, Mama calls them.

“I can smell homemade bread toasting in the skillet. You know how much you like it with strawberry jam. Let’s wash our faces and get dressed,” Dorsey said.

Soon the girls climb down the rope ladder from the sleeping loft. Mama gets up early to start a fire in the wood-burning stove, where she is cooking their breakfast. She turns when she hears them, “It’s about time you got down here.”

Dorsey is so excited to be going to their new school she can hardly eat, even though it is her favorite breakfast. When she plays school with her sisters, Dorsey uses a small piece of slate and a sharp rock to teach Lilly and Lola the alphabet. She wants to be a teacher when she grows up.

“I wonder what our new teacher will be like,” Dorsey said.

“I hope she’s pretty,” big brother Fred said, walking in on the conversation. “I’ve done my chores, Mama. Come on you two. Eat up. We have nearly two miles to walk to school.”

Thank you for posting this today. My WIP was calling my name when I woke up this morning, but I kept finding excuses, and I usually do WP before I start hammering on it to get “warmed up.” Instead I dove right into a chapter that has been bothering me for awhile. I definitely struggle with seeing projects through, after that initial rush of getting things out that you want to say, trying to mould it into something people can actually understand can be a drag. I need to find a way to keep that portion inspired. Hope Paris is treating you kindly!

Sounds like good timing Martha. Thanks. 🙂

OMG. Reading the comments. Thanks to everyone who shared and commented. It’s a relief to know that others are going through the process; yes…the editing is tricky Yes…the characters keep you going. They are real people and call out…it is not crazy. Thanks for the post…I so appreciate the comments and will probably come back for encouragement. Writing is a solo process, above all unless we engage with others. I have not done that in a while. It feels sooo good. Thanks.

No need to go solo, Carole. Glad you found some encouragement here. 🙂

Carole, You are absolutely right. It does feel good to share. It is the first time I try it and I feel better already. Keep going.

This is more a story about someone who hadn’t been productive in months. It’s the only thing that hit me as I read the prompt:

Ideas hadn’t come for months. Harper had already been reduced to part time slash work from home status; he wasn’t much use to a brainstorming agency without ideas, good or bad.

Harper had exhausted everything he could think of to restore the muse. He’d tried peppermint aroma therapy, talking to a motivational speaker, sessions with a counselor, seeing movies about big ideas (hoping they’d ignite his own), and even banging his head on the wall to jar something loose.

Nothing worked.

So he resorted to staring out the window as spring gave way to summer which gave way to fall.

As the weather cooled and trees began to shed, something happened. Harper noticed a certain tree, fifty or so yards away, started to get weird. There was definitely something in the branches. But he couldn’t see exactly what it was, as the remaining leaves formed a sort of protective cover. He continued to watch, but it was exhausting, as only one or two leaves fell a day. The tree was taking its sweet time.

Finally, when the first frost hit and Harper was on his last nerve, the final leaf fell.

What Harper saw made his hands and legs shake. The branches twisted themselves, perfectly, into the word, “SEE.” This wasn’t like some Jesus burnt into toast. The letters were unmistakable and impossible. He even took a picture with his camera – as speculative things never appear on film – and saw the letters clearly in the photograph.

For the first time, Harper felt hope. Legs propped up on a small cushion, he smiled while staring at the words. Things were going to turn around, he just knew it. It was time for him to “see” the ideas. After all, the tree was right there telling him to.

And so he watched and saw and noticed and worked. The next meeting was a disaster. And so was the next one. Whatever the tree was supposed to be telling him, Harper didn’t feel any different, so he became obsessed with the “SEE” tree. Not necessarily because of the extreme unlikeliness that branches could twist and turn to form words, but because the enormous, made-just-for-him sign that was staring him right in the face ultimately didn’t produce anything. Sitting in his seat and staring out the window for hours yielded nothing in terms of ideas or muses or paragraphs. And it was infuriating. What’s the purpose of an inert heavenly sign?

Finally, after crying everything out at his desk, Harper had had enough. He was going to the tree. Maybe touching it or getting a close-up might reveal something. Just in case, he brought a saw. If it came down to it, he wasn’t opposed to a little threat. He waited until twilight fell; that way, if he needed to climb up, he’d wait til darkness fell.

That evening, just as the sun hovered over his left shoulder, Harper climbed out his back window. It was odd, but he wasn’t letting the tree out of his sight. Then, he climbed his brick fence, scaled his neighbor’s wall, opened his neighbor’s gate, walked through his neighbor’s front yard, and froze. Just across the street, on a haphazard lawn, was the tree. And the words still stared at him.

Slowly, as if in a trance, he began inching toward the curb, the tree still in his sight.

Very interesting story! There’s something about nature that makes us want to get to the bottom of it, and yet it remains elusive no matter how hard we try. Have you read Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard? She has this obsession with seeing a tree glow, seeing all it’s energy purely, and then one day it does and it nearly blinds her. This reminded me of that. You might check it out.

Thanks! I haven’t heard of the story, but will definitely check it out… I’m going right now, LOL 🙂

Hey Joe. What do you mean “How is **he** feeling?” ?? Why is the word “writer” automatically paired with the masculine pronoun?

(Just pushing your Parisian buttons. 😉 Have you tried one of those chocolate banana crepes on the street corner yet? )

Good question, Birgitte. I’m usually pretty good about that. Check the first paragraph. I suppose sometimes they really are he’s though. 🙂

Of course they’re he’s too. And lovely he’s, too! 🙂

Don’t leave Paris without the chocolate crepes….

It was already 11 o’clock. Three hours had scraped by, and I had written less than half a paragraph. I forced myself to smile at my computer, the way you smile at a know-it-all friend as you imagine what it would be like to smack him or push him backwards off a raft. Joe tells me that smiling helps – reduces stress by up to 20%, even! – but then he’s one of those know-it-alls. I turned my f-you smile 20 degrees and beam it at his photograph tacked to cork board next to my computer. It was a relief to look away from the words on the screen; just then they were beginning to look, to my eye, like the detritus you would collect on the beach after a small shipwreck. Or worse – that sort of jumbled rubbish is usually imbued with some sort of mystery and character, two qualities I had started to believe would remain entirely absent from not only my work, but me personally.

The room was too hot, I suddenly decided. The air floated like a thick mist around me, cloaking me with additional sweaty layers of skin. I thought about stripping down to my briefs, but couldn’t bring myself to move closer to the image of the crazy naked philosopher-writer, since it was bloody obvious I wasn’t actually doing any writing. Instead I settled for opening a window – the one at the furthest end of the room, a good excuse to have a few more seconds away from my desk. In the corner of my eye I saw the words of the screen fade away as the screensaver came on – today it was pinky-red, as if my computer’s eye were bloodshot with tears that I had abandoned it to find myself some comfort and unpolluted oxygen. Yeah, well, the feeling’s mutual, I thought as I wrenched the window outward into the garden air. On days like this, no matter what I wrote, I felt like I was a lovesick teenager pouring insincere emotions out onto a page with phrases like “blackening soul” or “agonising love”. Each word was an unrequited love letter to a flame that had long since gone out; the flame of inspiration.

Ugh! I cringed at the phrasing of my last thought as soon as it materialised. I sighed out at the garden and abandoned the rest of the morning to daydreams about alternative career paths.

I really enjoyed reading this. Pretty much summed up my entire last years experience with writing. You painted a pretty good picture, though sometimes it was a bit much, like a song constantly being played on a high note. But over all, nice job.

Thank you for this post, Joe. I’ve never read a book about a writers life or experiences, but ‘A Moveable Feast’ sounds like a good read.It comforts me to know that I’m not weird for spending hours trying to finish three paragraphs. Anyway, here’s the beginning of my WIP:

Seated in the lonely park bench, dressed dapperly with a grey bandanna ’round his neck and a brown satchel beside him, Zachary Dale fixed his eyes on the young woman sitting in the grass field. The sun broke through the clouds, and in so doing, magnified her radiance. He’d been observing many things in the park, such as trees, the grass, the clouds, and even other people. But a subtle difference between her and the rest, was that through his eyes, she glowed. Her head turned to his direction, he pretended to be writing in his notebook. This had been a pattern for the last several weeks, and over the course of that time, questions had arisen: Why does she always sit in the same place at the same time? Who was she? And why don’t I simply leave this place and continue my travels? Indeed, he was a traveler. From the arctic wastelands to the Gobi Dessert. From a buttered croissant in Paris, to a chest burning bottle of homemade Vodka. But above all else, in every sense of the phrase, he yearned to touch the heavens. To boldly stand above the clouds on top the worlds watchtower, and feel the beauty of silence in its most pure form. Perhaps then, he may hear the voice of God himself.

“Hello, Zackary.” Zackary flinched out from his thoughts and looked up to his speaker. It was the woman, standing inches away from him, her golden brown hair eclipsing the sun. He hid his blush, “Sorry for staring.” “Don’t be,” she said while sitting next to him on the bench, “Though, I must admit, you’ve got a good deal more patience than myself. Usually it’s the man who asks the woman to dance.” “Might I ask how you knew my name?” She pointed to his satchel. ‘Zackary’ was sewed onto the front flap…

Bonjour, Joe, et bienvenue en France à toi et à ta petite famille ! Just a little word to say that it is “Bonne chance !”, my dear ! (See, I’ve read your prompt ’til the last words !) Thanks for your daily wonderful advices. Hope you enjoy your stay ! Don’t hesitate to write about this habit French people share, to be disagreeable with foreigners : we, french ones, often forget it and we need someone to remind us that even english speaking ones are real persons, who deserve respect, too…

Thanks for correcting me, Joy! I’ve fixed it. You’ll have to excuse mon beaucoup mauvais Francais!

I’ve had great luck with the French so far, so don’t worry. It helps though that I’m traveling with a very cute one year old baby. 🙂

I stared out the car window as the rain fell down leaving drops of patterns. The sky looked bleak and hopeless like my life. I listened to radio as the suffocating sileince of my dad in the car the lyrics because of you played softly in the background. The worn out road to the new house was riddled with pot holes that were forgotten we pulled into the driveway of the house the sad little thing. I felt the urge to hide and forget everything the death, the drinking, the abuse. I held on to the boxes on my lap and stepped out of the car. “CJ stupid girl you need the keys”. My dads roughly yelled at me. “Yes dad sorry”. I said faintly. “Speak up louder”. He yelled. I said it once more a little louder but my voice filled unease. I stepped into the house. A chill went up my spine the small house wasn’t welcoming at all. After moving in and unpacking I found my dad passed out on the couch with a bottle of whisky. I looked at him sadly and walked up stairs the old wooden stairs creeped from years of use. I stepped in my room closing the door softly. I laid down on my bed and cried softly. I woke up the next day and walked to my dads hardware store. The smell of metal, paint, and sawdust lingered. I sat behind the counter waiting for costumers. I stared at the clicking watching the hours slowly tick by. I snapped out of day dreaming at the sound of the bell if the door ring. “Good Day”. I say politely. A old black man smiled kindly at me and nodded. Please stay back there dad. I thought to myself. My dad is the biggest racist you’ll ever meet. Black, Yellow, Red he dosen’t care if your not white then you might as well die. I find no problem with color people. Mom always said to treat everyone with respect. “Miss where can I find this color of paint”. The man showed me a light color of blue. “I’ll get it”. I said. After mixing the paint I talked with him for awhile. “You talk better then most adults”. He said laughing. “Thanks”. I said. “What’s Your name”. “Camile Jazzimine Pines but everyone calls me CJ”. “My name’s Tom Rolk”. After we talked for awhile a I smelled whisky behind me. I turned and saw my dad standing behind me. CJ. I said coldly. “Y.. Y.. Yes dad”. I said. “Give the man his paint and stop talking with him how many times have I told you we don’t talk with people like him”. “Sorry dad”. I said quietly. I looked at tom to say sorry and he nodded. After tom left dad hit in the arm.” Don ‘t you ever do that again”. He yelled. He stumbled back to the office and slept. I grabbed a piece of paper 319 Oakville Dr was written it. I slipped it in my pocket and went back to work.

As a writer who spent nearly nine hours yesterday on an introductory paragraph re-write, I feel this one. Thanks for the reminder that it is supposed to go this way sometimes.

I’ve been looking for an answer for so long!

I’m 17.5. When I was 14, I wrote a whole book. I spent almost all of my summer vacation on it. Since then, I started writing a few stories but never seemed to finish. Every time I had some new idea, I was very enthusiastic about it, but after some time I just lost the motivation to write it.

I’ve searched the internet many times, just wanting to know why I could finish that book, and yet couldn’t finish anything else. I thought, maybe it’s the characters. I really loved the first book’s characters. And then I started wondering how to create characters I love so much. I didn’t find a satisfying answer till today. Then I wondered, maybe it’s time. My school has a pretty long school day comparing to other schools around here. I come home in the afternoon, pretty exhausted, and sometimes I don’t feel like sitting and writing. Or maybe it’s life. I don’t feel very satisfied from life right now. I know I felt like that at 14 as well, but the feeling was a bit different. Maybe if I don’t have motivation for life, then I won’t have motivation as well.

But there’s one thing I know: I never wanna give up. I’m still looking for an answer, but thank you so much for posting this. It made me feel less like a failure. I should just try and try and try until I get it right. The answer will come by soon.

🙂 Good luck everyone!

(Please forgive my english, if I got any mistakes, it isn’t my native language…)

Awesome stuff, Joe. I have three works in progress at various stages, so this is great help for me to finish. One at a time. You’re right though, the more I write the better it gets.

I’m one of those writers who has a hard time finishing her work. I start novels, but leave them unfinished. In fact, over the last several months I’ve let my writing practice slip because I felt list at sea with my writing. This week however, I set myself a solid thirty minutes a day where I sit down and write. This article came at the perfect time for me. Thanks Joe!

I LOVE creating, but I stopped because of family and career. But, now I want to do it again. I feel Shakespeare is the ultimate in writing and I think there are only seven plots or so. So every conceivable plot line has been done, not counting non-fiction. The key here is to make as much money as possible and then write your greatest work or works. What I am saying is it doesn’t have to be Shakespeare or Twain or Faulkner, at least your first novel doesn’t. Just write something that the publisher and people will like and then the rest will be history. Do me a favor, read a quick synopsis on Mickey Spillane. I think it took him a little over two weeks to write his first novel, I, The Jury. Hope this helps. Oh, if any of you make it big, I take 18%.

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• The four main types of essay | Quick guide with examples

The Four Main Types of Essay | Quick Guide with Examples

Published on September 4, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on July 23, 2023.

An essay is a focused piece of writing designed to inform or persuade. There are many different types of essay, but they are often defined in four categories: argumentative, expository, narrative, and descriptive essays.

Argumentative and expository essays are focused on conveying information and making clear points, while narrative and descriptive essays are about exercising creativity and writing in an interesting way. At university level, argumentative essays are the most common type. 

In high school and college, you will also often have to write textual analysis essays, which test your skills in close reading and interpretation.

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Table of contents

Argumentative essays, expository essays, narrative essays, descriptive essays, textual analysis essays, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about types of essays.

An argumentative essay presents an extended, evidence-based argument. It requires a strong thesis statement —a clearly defined stance on your topic. Your aim is to convince the reader of your thesis using evidence (such as quotations ) and analysis.

Argumentative essays test your ability to research and present your own position on a topic. This is the most common type of essay at college level—most papers you write will involve some kind of argumentation.

The essay is divided into an introduction, body, and conclusion:

• The introduction provides your topic and thesis statement
• The body presents your evidence and arguments
• The conclusion summarizes your argument and emphasizes its importance

The example below is a paragraph from the body of an argumentative essay about the effects of the internet on education. Mouse over it to learn more.

A common frustration for teachers is students’ use of Wikipedia as a source in their writing. Its prevalence among students is not exaggerated; a survey found that the vast majority of the students surveyed used Wikipedia (Head & Eisenberg, 2010). An article in The Guardian stresses a common objection to its use: “a reliance on Wikipedia can discourage students from engaging with genuine academic writing” (Coomer, 2013). Teachers are clearly not mistaken in viewing Wikipedia usage as ubiquitous among their students; but the claim that it discourages engagement with academic sources requires further investigation. This point is treated as self-evident by many teachers, but Wikipedia itself explicitly encourages students to look into other sources. Its articles often provide references to academic publications and include warning notes where citations are missing; the site’s own guidelines for research make clear that it should be used as a starting point, emphasizing that users should always “read the references and check whether they really do support what the article says” (“Wikipedia:Researching with Wikipedia,” 2020). Indeed, for many students, Wikipedia is their first encounter with the concepts of citation and referencing. The use of Wikipedia therefore has a positive side that merits deeper consideration than it often receives.

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An expository essay provides a clear, focused explanation of a topic. It doesn’t require an original argument, just a balanced and well-organized view of the topic.

Expository essays test your familiarity with a topic and your ability to organize and convey information. They are commonly assigned at high school or in exam questions at college level.

The introduction of an expository essay states your topic and provides some general background, the body presents the details, and the conclusion summarizes the information presented.

A typical body paragraph from an expository essay about the invention of the printing press is shown below. Mouse over it to learn more.

The invention of the printing press in 1440 changed this situation dramatically. Johannes Gutenberg, who had worked as a goldsmith, used his knowledge of metals in the design of the press. He made his type from an alloy of lead, tin, and antimony, whose durability allowed for the reliable production of high-quality books. This new technology allowed texts to be reproduced and disseminated on a much larger scale than was previously possible. The Gutenberg Bible appeared in the 1450s, and a large number of printing presses sprang up across the continent in the following decades. Gutenberg’s invention rapidly transformed cultural production in Europe; among other things, it would lead to the Protestant Reformation.

A narrative essay is one that tells a story. This is usually a story about a personal experience you had, but it may also be an imaginative exploration of something you have not experienced.

Narrative essays test your ability to build up a narrative in an engaging, well-structured way. They are much more personal and creative than other kinds of academic writing . Writing a personal statement for an application requires the same skills as a narrative essay.

A narrative essay isn’t strictly divided into introduction, body, and conclusion, but it should still begin by setting up the narrative and finish by expressing the point of the story—what you learned from your experience, or why it made an impression on you.

Mouse over the example below, a short narrative essay responding to the prompt “Write about an experience where you learned something about yourself,” to explore its structure.

Since elementary school, I have always favored subjects like science and math over the humanities. My instinct was always to think of these subjects as more solid and serious than classes like English. If there was no right answer, I thought, why bother? But recently I had an experience that taught me my academic interests are more flexible than I had thought: I took my first philosophy class.

Before I entered the classroom, I was skeptical. I waited outside with the other students and wondered what exactly philosophy would involve—I really had no idea. I imagined something pretty abstract: long, stilted conversations pondering the meaning of life. But what I got was something quite different.

A young man in jeans, Mr. Jones—“but you can call me Rob”—was far from the white-haired, buttoned-up old man I had half-expected. And rather than pulling us into pedantic arguments about obscure philosophical points, Rob engaged us on our level. To talk free will, we looked at our own choices. To talk ethics, we looked at dilemmas we had faced ourselves. By the end of class, I’d discovered that questions with no right answer can turn out to be the most interesting ones.

The experience has taught me to look at things a little more “philosophically”—and not just because it was a philosophy class! I learned that if I let go of my preconceptions, I can actually get a lot out of subjects I was previously dismissive of. The class taught me—in more ways than one—to look at things with an open mind.

A descriptive essay provides a detailed sensory description of something. Like narrative essays, they allow you to be more creative than most academic writing, but they are more tightly focused than narrative essays. You might describe a specific place or object, rather than telling a whole story.

Descriptive essays test your ability to use language creatively, making striking word choices to convey a memorable picture of what you’re describing.

A descriptive essay can be quite loosely structured, though it should usually begin by introducing the object of your description and end by drawing an overall picture of it. The important thing is to use careful word choices and figurative language to create an original description of your object.

Mouse over the example below, a response to the prompt “Describe a place you love to spend time in,” to learn more about descriptive essays.

On Sunday afternoons I like to spend my time in the garden behind my house. The garden is narrow but long, a corridor of green extending from the back of the house, and I sit on a lawn chair at the far end to read and relax. I am in my small peaceful paradise: the shade of the tree, the feel of the grass on my feet, the gentle activity of the fish in the pond beside me.

My cat crosses the garden nimbly and leaps onto the fence to survey it from above. From his perch he can watch over his little kingdom and keep an eye on the neighbours. He does this until the barking of next door’s dog scares him from his post and he bolts for the cat flap to govern from the safety of the kitchen.

With that, I am left alone with the fish, whose whole world is the pond by my feet. The fish explore the pond every day as if for the first time, prodding and inspecting every stone. I sometimes feel the same about sitting here in the garden; I know the place better than anyone, but whenever I return I still feel compelled to pay attention to all its details and novelties—a new bird perched in the tree, the growth of the grass, and the movement of the insects it shelters…

Sitting out in the garden, I feel serene. I feel at home. And yet I always feel there is more to discover. The bounds of my garden may be small, but there is a whole world contained within it, and it is one I will never get tired of inhabiting.

Though every essay type tests your writing skills, some essays also test your ability to read carefully and critically. In a textual analysis essay, you don’t just present information on a topic, but closely analyze a text to explain how it achieves certain effects.

Rhetorical analysis

A rhetorical analysis looks at a persuasive text (e.g. a speech, an essay, a political cartoon) in terms of the rhetorical devices it uses, and evaluates their effectiveness.

The goal is not to state whether you agree with the author’s argument but to look at how they have constructed it.

The introduction of a rhetorical analysis presents the text, some background information, and your thesis statement; the body comprises the analysis itself; and the conclusion wraps up your analysis of the text, emphasizing its relevance to broader concerns.

The example below is from a rhetorical analysis of Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech . Mouse over it to learn more.

King’s speech is infused with prophetic language throughout. Even before the famous “dream” part of the speech, King’s language consistently strikes a prophetic tone. He refers to the Lincoln Memorial as a “hallowed spot” and speaks of rising “from the dark and desolate valley of segregation” to “make justice a reality for all of God’s children.” The assumption of this prophetic voice constitutes the text’s strongest ethical appeal; after linking himself with political figures like Lincoln and the Founding Fathers, King’s ethos adopts a distinctly religious tone, recalling Biblical prophets and preachers of change from across history. This adds significant force to his words; standing before an audience of hundreds of thousands, he states not just what the future should be, but what it will be: “The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.” This warning is almost apocalyptic in tone, though it concludes with the positive image of the “bright day of justice.” The power of King’s rhetoric thus stems not only from the pathos of his vision of a brighter future, but from the ethos of the prophetic voice he adopts in expressing this vision.

Literary analysis

A literary analysis essay presents a close reading of a work of literature—e.g. a poem or novel—to explore the choices made by the author and how they help to convey the text’s theme. It is not simply a book report or a review, but an in-depth interpretation of the text.

Literary analysis looks at things like setting, characters, themes, and figurative language. The goal is to closely analyze what the author conveys and how.

The introduction of a literary analysis essay presents the text and background, and provides your thesis statement; the body consists of close readings of the text with quotations and analysis in support of your argument; and the conclusion emphasizes what your approach tells us about the text.

Mouse over the example below, the introduction to a literary analysis essay on Frankenstein , to learn more.

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is often read as a crude cautionary tale about the dangers of scientific advancement unrestrained by ethical considerations. In this reading, protagonist Victor Frankenstein is a stable representation of the callous ambition of modern science throughout the novel. This essay, however, argues that far from providing a stable image of the character, Shelley uses shifting narrative perspectives to portray Frankenstein in an increasingly negative light as the novel goes on. While he initially appears to be a naive but sympathetic idealist, after the creature’s narrative Frankenstein begins to resemble—even in his own telling—the thoughtlessly cruel figure the creature represents him as. This essay begins by exploring the positive portrayal of Frankenstein in the first volume, then moves on to the creature’s perception of him, and finally discusses the third volume’s narrative shift toward viewing Frankenstein as the creature views him.

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

• Ad hominem fallacy
• Post hoc fallacy
• Appeal to authority fallacy
• False cause fallacy
• Sunk cost fallacy

College essays

• Choosing Essay Topic
• Write a College Essay
• Write a Diversity Essay
• College Essay Format & Structure
• Comparing and Contrasting in an Essay

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At high school and in composition classes at university, you’ll often be told to write a specific type of essay , but you might also just be given prompts.

Look for keywords in these prompts that suggest a certain approach: The word “explain” suggests you should write an expository essay , while the word “describe” implies a descriptive essay . An argumentative essay might be prompted with the word “assess” or “argue.”

The vast majority of essays written at university are some sort of argumentative essay . Almost all academic writing involves building up an argument, though other types of essay might be assigned in composition classes.

Essays can present arguments about all kinds of different topics. For example:

• In a literary analysis essay, you might make an argument for a specific interpretation of a text
• In a history essay, you might present an argument for the importance of a particular event
• In a politics essay, you might argue for the validity of a certain political theory

An argumentative essay tends to be a longer essay involving independent research, and aims to make an original argument about a topic. Its thesis statement makes a contentious claim that must be supported in an objective, evidence-based way.

An expository essay also aims to be objective, but it doesn’t have to make an original argument. Rather, it aims to explain something (e.g., a process or idea) in a clear, concise way. Expository essays are often shorter assignments and rely less on research.

The key difference is that a narrative essay is designed to tell a complete story, while a descriptive essay is meant to convey an intense description of a particular place, object, or concept.

Narrative and descriptive essays both allow you to write more personally and creatively than other kinds of essays , and similar writing skills can apply to both.

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How to End a College Essay: Strategies and Examples

Writing a college essay takes skill, but making a strong college essay conclusion is often the most important part. A great ending can make a big impact on your readers and bring your main ideas together. This guide will walk you through four strategies that will help you create impactful conclusions that resonate with your audience.

1. Writing a Memorable College Essay Conclusion

The conclusion of your essay is your last chance to strengthen your main points and leave a lasting impression. A well-written ending can make your whole essay better and more memorable.

Successful Essay Ending Examples

Here are some great ways to end an essay:

• Share a thoughtful idea that connects to your main point, giving a sense of closure and understanding.
• Quickly go over your main points, showing them in a new way.
• Discuss why your topic matters beyond just your essay.
• Link back to your introduction, making your writing feel complete.

Example: 

"When I started looking into how music affects the brain, I didn't know I'd find a connection to my grandmother's struggle with Alzheimer's. I learned that songs people know well can often bring back memories for patients, even when they have trouble talking. This discovery changed how I see music's power and gave me a new way to connect with my grandmother. When we hum her favorite songs together, I see hints of recognition in her eyes, reminding me that sometimes, big scientific ideas can have very personal effects."

Common Mistakes in Ending an Essay

Avoid these problems when writing your college essay conclusion:

• Adding new ideas: Your conclusion should bring together existing points, not introduce new information.
• Just repeating your main point: While it's important to remind readers of your main idea, simply saying it again word-for-word doesn't work well.
• Using overused phrases: Don't use expressions like "In conclusion" or "To sum up."
• Stopping too suddenly: Make sure your conclusion gives a feeling of completion and doesn't leave readers hanging.

Aithor's advanced language model can help you write compelling conclusions that avoid these common mistakes and enhance the overall impact of your essay.

2. Thought-Provoking Questions: A Powerful Way to End an Essay

Ending an essay with a question that makes people think can get your readers interested and encourage them to keep thinking about your topic. This approach leaves a strong impression and can make your essay more memorable.

"After looking at how social media changes how we see ourselves, we're left with an important question: Can we find a way to share our lives online while still living them fully offline? Maybe the answer isn't choosing between the online and real worlds, but learning how to connect well in both."

When using this method, make sure your question is:

• Related to your essay's main topic
• Open-ended, encouraging deeper thought
• Not easy to answer with just "yes" or "no"

3. How to End Your College Essay with a Call to Action

A call to action (CTA) in your conclusion can encourage your readers to do something based on the ideas you've talked about. This works well for essays about social issues, environmental problems, or personal growth topics.

"In this essay, we've looked at the problem of plastic in our oceans. Now, it's time to help fix it. Start by replacing one single-use plastic item you use every day with something you can use again. It could be as simple as using a reusable water bottle or bringing your own bags to the store. Tell your friends and family what you're doing. By taking these small steps, we're not just making less waste; we're starting a chain reaction that can lead to cleaner oceans and a healthier planet."

When writing a CTA for your college essay conclusion, make sure it's:

• Clear and easy to write
• Directly related to your essay's main points
• Something your readers can actually do

Aithor can assist you in writing perfect calls to action that connect with your readers and fit well with your essay's content.

4. Personal Anecdotes: An Engaging Essay Ending

Ending an essay with a personal story can help your readers feel connected to you and strengthen your main message. This approach makes your writing more relatable and human.

"Last summer, I helped at a local animal shelter. One day, they brought in an older, scruffy dog named Max. For weeks, people passed him by, always choosing younger, cuter puppies instead. I started spending extra time with Max, and slowly, his playful side came out. When a family finally took him home, the happiness on their faces – and Max's wagging tail – showed me how important it is to give every living thing a chance. This taught me more about patience, unfair judgments, and the power of second chances than any book ever could."

When using a personal story to end your college essay:

• Make sure it relates to your main topic
• Keep it short and powerful
• Use clear language to paint a picture for your readers

Tips on How to End a College Essay

To write a strong conclusion, think about these extra tips on how to end a college essay:

• Wrap up your main points clearly while suggesting how they might apply to other things or future ideas to keep your readers thinking.
• Make sure your conclusion sounds like the rest of your essay for a smooth, polished finish.
• Don't weaken your arguments by sounding unsure in your conclusion.
• Be extra careful with grammar and punctuation in your conclusion, as it's the last thing your readers will remember.
• Write your conclusion to connect with your specific readers, whether they're college admissions staff, teachers, or other students.
• Write a short and powerful conclusion that drives your main points home without repeating too much or using too many words.

Remember, your conclusion is your last chance to make a strong impression. Take your time to write it carefully, making sure it ties together your main points and shows why your essay matters.

For those wondering how to end a reflection paper, Aithor can help you improve your college essay conclusion, making sure it's polished, powerful, and fits your specific needs. This top writing tool can help you refine your essay ending examples and give you guidance on how to end a reflection paper or any other type of school writing.

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The Hardest Part of Writing an Essay

I explained the hardest part of writing an academic essay.

Hello, friends! I hope are all having a delightful December!

We have all written academic essays in the past.

Chances are, you’ve probably struggled with an essay at least once in your life.

Now let’s start with talking about starting an essay.

I do not know about you but I always thought getting started and writing the essay was and still is in most cases, the hardest part of writing an academic essay.

It must be the fear of thinking it is not going to turn out good or the fear that the.teacher or professor might not think it is up to their standards.

Possibly even you are not knowledgeable enough to write it.

I don’t know about you but, I certainly have these feelings.

Especially when writing a research paper.

When I was in high school, I had to write a thorough research paper on the Space Race in the 1960s.

For those that do not know, the space race was a decade-long competition between, America, Russia, China, and others. They were completed with one another to see who could be the first country to put a man on the moon.

SPOILER ALERT: The United States of America won.

It was broadcasted all over the country. The event was the Super Bowl today ( only mostly across the US).

I was and still am genuinely instead on this topic. I remember looking forward to researching stats.

Ar the time, I had only heard about the event though stores my parents told me. Along with a belief talk about it from one of our history textbooks in a history class I had.

The research was fascinating to me. From all the different perspectives of the space race. It was amazing.

It was difficult to put out the quotes and facts I wanted to use in my research paper.

The hardest part though was sitting down and starting to write the paper.

When you start to pull everything together. Make your thoughts into complete and coherent sentences.

I do not know why this was the hardest part. I knew the material. I was knowledgeable about the Space Race.

I knew what happened and I could give you a verbal summary of it.

There was just something so daunting about have to sit in front of a computer screen and stare a blank digital page.

You begin to start typing and you know what you’re going to say. Then, you lose your train of thought and do not know what to do next.

One minute you are plugging away at the keyboard typing that essay and the next minute you are drawing a complete blank.

For whatever reason, I am not sure.

It still happens to me on a regular basis.

If this has happened to you, even if it was only once. Comment down below. I would love to hear about it.

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Chase Bank says it is aware of viral 'glitch' inviting people to commit check fraud

Chase Bank is urging its customers not to commit check fraud.

The bank’s plea comes after this weekend a viral trend took over TikTok and X, with users being told that there was a systemwide glitch and that, if they deposited false checks in an ATM and withdrew that money soon afterward, they would be able to cheat the system and take out a large sum of cash before the check bounced.

The only problem? This is not a “glitch” — it’s a check fraud scheme and those who participate will be on the hook for all the money they withdrew once the check bounces.

Although some on TikTok called the scheme a “glitch,” Chase reminded its customers that this “glitch” is actually an invitation to commit fraud. 

“We are aware of this incident, and it has been addressed,” a spokesperson for Chase said in a statement to NBC News. “Regardless of what you see online, depositing a fraudulent check and withdrawing the funds from your account is fraud, plain and simple.”

NBC News has not verified if anyone actually committed the crime as part of the viral trend. However, videos online purported to show people successfully withdrawing cash from an ATM after depositing a fraudulent check into their own bank account — before others quickly pointed out that what they were doing was a crime.

While conversation about the “glitch” has taken over TikTok, it appears the first mention of it was on X , when a user shared an excessive balance of more than $80,000 in his account on Thursday, according to meme database Know Your Meme . 

One video appeared to show lines forming outside of a Chase branch in New York suggesting people were flocking to the bank to “get free money.” Just as quickly as the trend took off, however, people were soon posting screenshots of massive negative balances and holds on their Chase accounts as a result of allegedly trying to withdraw the money. 

“I don’t know what these people think writing bad checks is, but I don’t know why they thought this was a glitch,” one TikTok user said . “Definitely don’t do it.” 

Fake check deposits are a common form of check fraud and are not new, although the chaos of this weekend saw many online discover the tactic for the first time — and mistaking it for a money hack.

Large checks deposited digitally are often placed on hold while the bank reviews their authenticity, but some ATMs allow customers to access a portion of the newly deposited funds immediately. This allows users to quickly withdraw the money before their check clears or bounces.

Fraudsters often approach this by opening bank accounts with fake identities, creating and depositing counterfeit checks from seemingly legitimate sources, then abandoning the account and leaving it with a negative balance.

Another common trick involves a scammer pretending that they sent a check for a greater amount than they meant to, hoping that the recipient is willing to deposit the check and transfer the excess money, which would ultimately leave the victim out of their own funds after the check bounces.

But in this case, people online seem to be simply committing check fraud against themselves — making it relatively easy for a bank to catch on and hold them accountable.

In the days after the Chase “glitch” gained traction, other TikTokers began dunking on those who had tried it, with some joking about waking up with enormous negative balances and others warning users that they had no chance of outsmarting the multinational banking institution.

“Chase Bank glitch? No, that’s called fraud,” one TikTok user said in a video that accrued more than 1 million likes in one day. “You went to the bank and took $50,000 that didn’t belong to you. That’s not a life hack, that’s called robbery. You’re going to jail. Prison actually.”

Angela Yang is a culture and trends reporter for NBC News.

Kalhan Rosenblatt is a reporter covering youth and internet culture for NBC News, based in New York.

Man who threatened skier, snowboarder near Brighton with a gun had to write an essay. Here’s what it said.

Man who asked “are you an ikon user” to alleged trespassers required to write an essay on “the use of deadly force in utah” as part of plea deal..

The Brighton man who threatened a skier and a snowboarder with his Winchester rifle after they crossed his driveway last winter wouldn’t say he brandished his weapon. He now admits, however, that he “exhibited” the gun.

Keith Stebbings, 67, pleaded guilty to third-degree felony assault for his interactions with the skier and snowboarder on separate incidents near his home in the Town of Brighton on Feb. 24. The felony charge will be dismissed, however, if Stebbings abides by all the terms of his probation. A second charge of threatening, a Class B misdemeanor, was dismissed with prejudice.

As part of his plea, which he entered into the 3rd District Court on June 25, Stebbings was put on probation for 36 months. The court also demanded he surrender his .30-30 Winchester rifle, take a gun safety course and write an essay on “The use of deadly force in Utah.”

Stebbings did not return calls seeking comment for this report.

“I do appreciate the term ‘exhibited’ in the [Utah Criminal Code]. It is far clearer to me than brandished,” Stebbings wrote in his essay, which was obtained by The Salt Lake Tribune. “I was unaware at the time of the incident that exhibiting an unloaded gun on my personal property was unlawful when encountering an individual trespassing.”

(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Old Prospect Road, where a man threatened a snowboarder with a shotgun for allegedly entering his property near Brighton Ski Resort, on Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2024.

On the day in question, snowboarder Loren Richardson, 41, was following a plowed path he said he believed would lead him from the backcountry near Brighton Resort to his vacation rental in town. When he banked around a cluster of trees, however, Richardson came face to face with Stebbings and the barrel of his rifle. Stebbings then began cursing at Richardson and shoving him.

“What are you, an Ikon user ?” Stebbings said, referring to the multi-resort ski pass often blamed for overcrowding at resorts. “I don’t give a [expletive]. This is private property.”

“Do it again and there will be holes in you.”

A GoPro camera attached to Richardson’s helmet recorded the entire interaction. It went viral when he posted it to his Instagram account and has received 106,000 plays.

Stebbings was dressed in a red checkered flannel shirt, black beanie and flowing gray pants. A red camping chair was set out in the path behind him. He continued to curse at Richardson after the snowboarder stopped, unbuckled from his snowboard and walked quickly down Old Prospect Avenue toward Big Cottonwood Canyon Road.

(Christopher Cherrington | The Salt Lake Tribune)

“My stomach was in my throat,” Richardson told The Tribune in February. “I was just like: ‘Be apologetic.’ I don’t know. ‘Why is he going to shoot me? Why is this happening?’”

When he reached the junction of the two roads, Richardson met two skiers, one of whom said he also had been threatened by Stebbings. That skier, a Salt Lake City man who has asked not to be named, told the police Stebbings hit his hip with the butt of the rifle . He was returning to his car after taking a backcountry ski clinic near Guardsman Pass. Richardson came from the opposite direction via an egress into United States Forest Service property from Brighton Resort. Both said they did not see any “No Trespassing” or private property signs before Stebbings assaulted them.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by LRF (@loren_richardson_films)

The skier’s father reported the encounter to the Unified Police Department that afternoon. Richardson filed his report two days later. When officers visited Stebbings house, he initially told them he didn’t know anything about the run-ins, according to a police report. Once informed he was caught on video, Stebbings told officers he and his neighbors had become frustrated with skiers and snowboarders trespassing over their property.

Stebbings’ essay on “the use of deadly force in Utah” consists of five paragraphs and an excerpt of Title 76 of the Utah Criminal Code, which defines “threatening with or using a dangerous weapon in a fight or quarrel.” He dedicated one of those paragraphs to telling the court that some of his neighbors “have banded together, partly on my behalf, to approach Brighton Ski Resort to inquire whether the Resort would be willing to develop a plan and install appropriate diversion mechanisms to alleviate the trespasser problem.”

Stebbings by The Salt Lake Tribune on Scribd

Stebbings formerly worked as a ski instructor for Brighton.

Brighton spokesperson Jared Winkler said the resort gave Stebbings fencing to cordon off his property immediately after learning of the encounters. He added that the resort is always open to listening to the community but he was unaware of anyone raising concerns about trespassers in the months since the encounters.

Previously, Winkler stated that Brighton is required by law to allow egress to adjacent USFS property and that it isn’t responsible for skiers and snowboarders once they leave the resort.

In his essay, Stebbings wrote that “following the incident, my behavior changed.” He said he now calls UPD to request more patrols on days he expects to see an influx of skiers and snowboarders crossing his property. He records video footage of alleged trespassers and gives them “a non-threatening warning that they are on private property.” And, he said, before the rifle was confiscated he no longer brought it outside.

UPD confiscated the Winchester rifle on July 7 and will hold it until Dec. 25, 2025, so long as Stebbings abides by his parole. He has been ordered to enroll in a gun safety course this fall and he cannot leave the state for more than 45 days at a time.

Though his probation is set for 36 months, Stebbings can wrap up his punishment by Christmas Day 2025 if he shows 100% compliance and receives a recommendation from the probation agency.

Editor’s note • This story is available to Salt Lake Tribune subscribers only. Thank you for supporting local journalism.

2-year-old child dead after being found in canal near elementary school in Logan

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Trump and Allies Forge Plans to Increase Presidential Power in 2025

The former president and his backers aim to strengthen the power of the White House and limit the independence of federal agencies.

Donald J. Trump intends to bring independent regulatory agencies under direct presidential control. Credit... Doug Mills/The New York Times

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By Jonathan Swan Charlie Savage and Maggie Haberman

• Published July 17, 2023 Updated July 18, 2023

Donald J. Trump and his allies are planning a sweeping expansion of presidential power over the machinery of government if voters return him to the White House in 2025, reshaping the structure of the executive branch to concentrate far greater authority directly in his hands.

Their plans to centralize more power in the Oval Office stretch far beyond the former president’s recent remarks that he would order a criminal investigation into his political rival, President Biden, signaling his intent to end the post-Watergate norm of Justice Department independence from White House political control.

Mr. Trump and his associates have a broader goal: to alter the balance of power by increasing the president’s authority over every part of the federal government that now operates, by either law or tradition, with any measure of independence from political interference by the White House, according to a review of his campaign policy proposals and interviews with people close to him.

Mr. Trump intends to bring independent agencies — like the Federal Communications Commission, which makes and enforces rules for television and internet companies, and the Federal Trade Commission, which enforces various antitrust and other consumer protection rules against businesses — under direct presidential control.

He wants to revive the practice of “impounding” funds, refusing to spend money Congress has appropriated for programs a president doesn’t like — a tactic that lawmakers banned under President Richard Nixon.

He intends to strip employment protections from tens of thousands of career civil servants, making it easier to replace them if they are deemed obstacles to his agenda. And he plans to scour the intelligence agencies, the State Department and the defense bureaucracies to remove officials he has vilified as “the sick political class that hates our country.”

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