HOW TO PLAY THE WRITING GAME...and WIN! (February Blog)

Your teacher has just assigned you the one thing you dread, but know you will face several times during the school year in several of your classes.  Yes, that's right, kids, it's time to write

THE ESSAY!  

You let out a deep sigh as you feel the heavy weight of dread in your gut, and your entire attitude fades to black.  It's as if someone has pulled a dark veil over your formerly sunny outlook.

Okay, maybe that's a BIT dramatic.  But for many of us, writing the essay is a task that takes more gumption just to begin than to actually complete.

Year one scholars, as I write this blog, juniors are rapidly approaching the unit summative: The Taming of the Shrew HL essay.  If that isn't punishment enough, we also must get approval on our essay outline plan from Mrs. Caraway (yours truly!) a document that helps clarify for ourselves and our reader just what it is we are doing, and how this great idea meets the course criteria (thus providing a possible highlight of where we have fallen short!)

Year two scholars, as I write this blog, you are revising and making your final selection of your HL Essay to submit to IB!  At the close of our two years together, looming in deadly proximity, we have the IB exams, both of which are essays (Paper 1 is actually TWO essays, while Paper 2 is comparative and involves memorizing quotes) that bring with them the added element of the time limit.   

Now, now, now; writing an essay, comparative or otherwise, doesn't have to be such a downer!  In fact, it can become something you look forward to!  (Okay, maybe that's taking it a bit too far).  At the very least, it can be a challenge you are ready and able to meet.

Like anything else worth doing, writing takes what I like to refer to as the three P's:  perseverance, passion, and patience.  You need to eliminate the idea of "TRY my best" and substitute that notion with "DO my best."  Do not even entertain the notion of "this will be hard" or "I cannot do this well," or "my teacher will hate this."  Do not put it off until the last minute, or it will be a self-fulfilling prophecy of doom.

Instead, set aside a quiet space, do some relaxation breathing (think yoga, pilates, or dance) and ELIMINATE DISTRACTIONS.  Silence your phone.  In fact, just move your phone to a completely different room or floor of your home, if applicable.  Do not allow yourself to text friends or scroll through Instagram.  It's just you, some paper (or a screen) and words.  Take some time to go through your notes and quotes, and begin the process of writing.  Don't put the pressure of editing or grammar on yourself at this stage.  Writing is a process.  Allow your subconscious creativity to flow first, uninhibited.  You can fix it all later.  Be patient with yourself and your thoughts.  Wait for the right words or search them out until you find the one you truly feel is best. Use a thesaurus for inspiration.  DON'T SURRENDER.

You get to design your exploration in the HL, so you might as well write about something that interests YOU.  Don't think about me (aka your teacher), or anyone else.  Glance over the marking scheme.  Then, take time to craft your topic, and organize your evidence in such a way that shows off your writing style.

Describing is necessary to set things in motion, but don't stay there!  Spend most of your time in analysis. Depth is the key: what is being written/explored, how is the writer exploring it, why those choices, and to what impact?  Again, revision and editing will come in the final stages.  The first stage of the writing process is....wait for it... PLANNING!  When you do begin to put your ideas and plans to paper and write, find something fun in it...something that stirs your creative passion.

Writing the essay, or anything for that matter, may never be your favorite thing to do, but at the very least, it doesn't have to be a punishment.  Review the articles below about "Writing" and specifically "Writing the Essay."  The tips are awesome, I think.  Drink them in, and come ready to attack ALL your writing challenges...

                                                    AND WIN.

Here are the links to writing tips for the essay, and just writing in general.  Read through them--some of the tips in them may be repeated but reworded in a different way.  Sometimes, hearing the same thing multiple times and in different ways is key in helping to cement your understanding!  Then, in your post, tell me the tips you found the most helpful or enlightening!


1.  12 Useful Tips to Improve Your Writing

2.  General Essay Writing Tips

3.  The Five Step Guide for Writing Essays in IB