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English Composition 2

Simplifying the Writing Process

Creating a compelling and sharply written essay can feel overwhelming for a multitude of reasons. There are time constraints, word counts, and other basic requirements that must be met. There is also the literature itself. Trying to excel at writing a college-level paper can appear daunting; however, preparing a well written and focused essay is not as hard as one may think. With an understanding of the literature, a strict focus on ideas, and organization throughout every step, constructing a well-received essay can become easier to accomplish.

My writing process begins with understanding what I have read and taking notes. To gain a thorough understanding of what I have read, I read the material more than once. I find it helpful to read in a location with minimal background noise. For me, this means waiting until my children are asleep. To make sure I fully understand what I am reading, I will write down any questions I have as I read. I jot down a few words to give myself a reference point so I can go back to any of the particular passages, reread them, and gain a better understanding. Additionally, I find it helpful to take notes pen and paper style. I purchased a three-subject notebook at the beginning of the semester and dedicated a subject to each essay I would write. This way, I have all of my notes in one location that I can take anywhere. There is a bonus because a notebook does not require any charging. I think it is essential to take down notes about all of the characters, the setting, important events or actions, and any themes that are recurring or prominent. When taking notes for my research paper in which I was to compare and contrast three works of literature, I created a Venn diagram to keep my information organized as well as easily accessible. Staying organized is an integral part of my writing process. I stay more focused, and the writing flows more easily when I have notes that are clear and well detailed.

Another significant component of my writing process is deciding on my topic and the main ideas that I will expand on in the body paragraphs of my essay. For example, the subject of my second essay was Sophocles' play Antigone. One of the major themes of the play was pride, so I decided my topic would be the prideful nature of one of the main characters. I think choosing to focus on a specific character's pride as my topic as opposed to using just the broad theme of pride made my paper more concise and better organized. While it was challenging to limit my use of information to just one character, I believed that it would keep my paper more focused and allow me to write a more in-depth interpretation. After choosing the topic, I look through all my notes and highlight any that relate to that particular topic. Within those notes I find what I want to use for my main ideas that I want to expand on. I think it is vital to choose main ideas that will allow for specific information that relates to and supports the overall topic. Take, for example, the first essay I wrote for my English 1002 course. The paper was based on my interpretation of the short story "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?" My topic was Arnold Friend as the Devil. Therefore, two of my main ideas that would relate to this topic and support my interpretation was the appearance of Arnold Friend and Arnold Friend's supernatural abilities. Both of those main ideas left plenty of room to be expanded on with details from the literature, and aid in supporting my topic. When the main ideas can support and help prove the interpretation expressed in the topic, the overall essay will be stronger.

Additionally, putting all of my ideas together is an important step in my process. I find it easiest to dedicate a separate word document for each paragraph of my essay. I format the page before I start writing, and then I focus only on my main idea for that body paragraph. I like to begin my paragraph with the topic sentence that I have already decided on, and then I move on to find all of the evidence and quotes that I need to present strong ideas. When I list an idea, I like to ask myself how I can prove what I am stating. If I have one quote, I challenge myself to find a second quote or explanation that could also serve as evidence to the point I am trying to make. I think it is essential in writing a college-level paper to stay focused solely on the main claim I have made in my topic sentence and not jump from main idea to main idea within the same body paragraph. When working on the body paragraphs, I include only relevant information that will help support my topic sentence. For example, when writing my essay on Antigone, I focused all of my second body paragraph on Antigone's actions and how they caused hardship for the other characters in the play. I made that statement my topic sentence and devoted the rest of the paragraph towards proving my claim with specific details and quotations from the play. Although there was plenty of great information that would have explained other characters' actions and how they affected Antigone, I refrained from including any of that. I believe that sticking with a specific idea and proving only that makes for a stronger, more clearly focused essay.

Sticking to my three major steps for writing, I find it much easier to create an essay regardless of the subject matter. Always using the same blueprint for writing, while it seems elementary, is actually quite helpful at keeping my ideas in order and my words flowing. In my experience, creating an essay that is focused on a few main ideas that are well-identified and supported is the best way to approach the process of writing a college essay.