If you’re havin’ essay problems, I feel bad for you, son. I got 99 problems but a hook ain’t one. I don’t have a hook problem, aside from the sick pleasure I glean from mangling popular song lyrics to suit my purpose, nor does Jay Z, if all those platinum albums are to be believed. …
My eyes were red and burning as blood slowly ran down my forehead. My cramped and trembling fingers hovered over the keyboard like it was a Ouija board. I closed my eyes and, when I opened them again, the blog post was finished. It was like nothing I had written before. Okay, so, that didn’t …
In a 1971 fight, Joe Frazier famously floored boxing champ Muhammad Ali with a strong left hook, leading to Ali’s first ever professional loss in the boxing ring. This is most definitely not the source of the word “hook” in writing, but the analogy is as solid as Frazier’s punch. No matter what type of …
If I asked you to tie an overhand knot, you might stumble a bit. Actually, if you’ve never been a scout, you might think it’s impossible for you to know how to tie such an obscure knot. But what if I showed you an example? It would certainly help, right? Check out the video below …
To some people, writing a formal outline for a speech is about as much fun as getting a flu shot. I get it. If you’re not a fan of outlines, it can be pretty tedious to sort out where to put an “A,” a “1,” or a “b.” The mere thought of it is enough …
When I was a kid, my older brother tried to convince me that I was an alien and that Mom and Dad would send me back to my own planet if I misbehaved. Older siblings can be pretty persuasive, and if you’ve ever fallen victim to this persuasion (as I may have done once or …
Have you spent the afternoon surfing the ‘net and checking every social media app in existence just to avoid working on your expository essay? Are you spending more time procrastinating than you are writing? That’s okay. I can’t blame you—writing an expository essay can be frustrating. It doesn’t have to be that difficult, though. All …
I’m sure you’ve heard stories about famous writers who say they can’t write until they’re inspired or unless they have the perfect writing conditions. For these writers, inspiration might hit in six months when they’re walking out of a pub in London or having brunch in New York City. The perfect writing conditions might be …
Have you ever heard that touching a frog will give you warts or that Twinkies never expire? These urban legends have been around a long time, but they’re simply myths. While touching some frogs can irritate your skin, frogs don’t cause warts. They’re caused by viruses. And Twinkies? Well, they may not be made from …
Your hands tremble as you nervously open the letter that just arrived from your dream school. And then… “Noooooo!” you scream in anguish as your dreams (and your soul) are crushed by those big red letters staring back at you. Okay, an actual rejection letter would probably let you down way more gently than that. …
Imagine you’re auditioning to be a contestant on a cool new TV show that requires you to traverse the country in search of clues. If you get to the final destination first, you win a million dollars. (Not a bad deal, right?) As you step in front of a panel of rather intimidating celebrity judges …
Let’s say you’re a single person who’s looking for a significant other but can’t seem to find any normal people at school or at work, so you decide to try an online dating app. You want your profile to stand out among potential dates, so you carefully select your best staged candid shots and choose …
Teachers often assign essays that have to meet a minimum word, paragraph, or page count. Unfortunately, this often leads to a paper littered with wordy sentences. Instead of adding more context or evidence to your thesis, you end up with a lot of fluff. While the most important thing in your mind is meeting that …
Since you have to write an argumentative essay, you might as well learn how to write it well, right? I’ve said it time and time again—there’s nothing worse than staring at a blank page. Putting together an argumentative essay outline is the perfect way to turn your blank document into a ready-to-use template. All you …
Read this post to get an awesome grade on your next essay! Okay, so I can’t exactly promise that by reading this post alone you’ll get an awesome grade on your next paper. But that opening line likely grabbed your attention, right? You’re still reading this post, so not only did the line serve as …
Your heart is pounding so hard that you’re positive everyone in the room can hear it. Beads of sweat form on your brow as you try to load your presentation. You pause and breathe deeply. It does nothing to calm you. The presentation finally loads … but it’s the draft you started days ago. The …
What is it about compare and contrast essays that makes them so difficult to get started? Maybe it’s having to juggle two different subjects in one essay. Usually you set your sights on one topic and tackle it directly. However, with a compare and contrast essay, you have to tackle two subjects. Plus, while addressing …
Think you’re ready to write your synthesis essay outline? That’s awesome! But I’m going to ask you for a favor: pump your brakes for a second, so you can ask yourself this question: Have I ever written a synthesis essay before? If the answer is no, then you’ll want to check out How to Write …
Question: Who actually writes letters these days? Answer: Everyone, including you! Traditional, handwritten “snail-mail” letters might seem like they’re on the endangered species list, but that doesn’t mean that letter writing isn’t alive and well. Writing a professional letter is a necessary skill for anyone who wants to get ahead. Click To Tweet …
WANTED: Witty, engaging writers to share their opinions about current, relevant, and/or local topics. Must be able to create buzz-worthy writing that gets people talking. If this sounds like you, I have the perfect writing assignment: an op-ed. Op-eds (opinions and editorials) are short essays published in newspapers. They were designed to allow the average …
You’ve taken the required exams. You’ve filled out online and paper forms. You’ve sent in your high school transcripts. You’ve maybe even requested some letters of recommendation to help seal the deal. But as those admissions deadlines approach, you still have one thing left–the dreaded personal statement. Sure, you’re just one hopeful student in a …