Have you ever written a perfect essay without any mistakes? If you haven’t, this might help you. We can all agree that one of the worst things about school is writing essays. They can be frustrating and stressful! Here are a few tips for the next time your teacher expects you to write an essay:

-Once you settle on a topic, take the time to make an outline of all the points you want to address in you essay. Organization is key!

-Tie in to the reader in the introduction, then use that idea in your conclusion.

-Use the claim, support, conclusion format. First you state your thesis, otherwise known as your claim statement. Next you should support your claim statement with evidence. At the end, you tie it all together with your conclusion. (This format works for individual paragraphs and an entire essay.)

-Don’t feel the need to write your essay in order. You can start with whatever piece of your paper you want. Personally, I like to write my support first, followed by the conclusion, and end with the introduction.

-Make sure to address the viewpoint opposing your own.

-If you sit down to work on any piece of writing and you haven’t done anything, then get up. Stretch, walk around, and eat a light snack before revisiting your writing. This gives your mind the chance to unwind.

-Find a writing nook, where you feel comfortable writing (it could even be the bathtub)
Instead of trying to just write something down, work on being effective.

-REPETITION!!! Tell the reader over and over the point you’re trying to get across.

-There are four parts to your audience: the person who agrees with you completely, the person who agrees somewhat, a person who disagrees somewhat, and a person who disagrees completely. Write to the ones who agree and disagree somewhat. They are the people you can convince to see a new light.

-Worry about spelling and grammar after you’re done instead of while you are writing.
Finally, add the finishing touches and embellishments at the end.

There’s no such thing as a perfect essay, but rather an effective one. Use these tips to help gear your essays in the future when you’re stuck and get closer to a perfect essay.