How to Write Great Essays

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R E W R I T I N G
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T R AT E G I E S
Any of the six prewriting strategies explained in Chapter 1 can work well for exit essays and
college admissions essays. But if your essay is personal, consider exploring your real sub-
ject first. Since that subject is you—your thoughts, experiences, likes and dislikes—it is wise
to look inward with two great techniques: journaling and taking inventory.
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Untimed Essay Writing Strategies  CHAPTER 6 
HOW TO WRITE GREAT ESSAYS

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JOURNALING
Keeping a journal might seem like an odd advice, unrelated to the major task you have to
accomplish, but it is actually a great way to begin your essay, for two important reasons.
First, your journal will sound like you, written in an authentic voice that should need very
few adjustments when applied to the essay. Rachel Klein, a college counselor at Milton Acad-
emy in Milton, Massachusetts, advises her students to keep journals to help with essay writ-
ing because journals “give them back their own words.” Journals, Klein says, are like “your
mind coming out on paper.” When you are writing your essay, you can use the journal as a
reference for tone and word choices that convey your authentic voice.
The second reason for keeping a journal is that, as written with the journal prompts pro-
vided on page 70, it can be a great source of ideas. In your journal, you can write about what
is important to you, your goals and aspirations, your values, and your take on everything
from popular culture to current events. Coupled with the information you gather in your
personal inventory, a journal is the perfect raw data from which to begin the essay writing
process.
Journaling doesn’t have to be elaborate, or time consuming. Take a minimum of five min-
utes a day to write or type something personal. To journal successfully, it must become a
habit. In order to do that, you need to make the process as simple and painless as possible.
Think about your habits, and which of the two journaling options best suits them. You can
write in a book you have designated as your journal, or you can make journal entries on
your computer, either in word processing documents, or in one of the many new online
journal sites.
If you are writing, get a journal that is small enough to carry with you everywhere you
go. When inspiration hits, you will be ready. Can’t get started? Pick a time and place to write
in your journal each day. If you are typing, set aside a specific time to journal. Open your
journal document before going online to avoid distractions. Stick with it for the allotted
time period.
If you are considering an online journal, visit www.blogger.com and/or www.livejour-
nal.com to see how they are set up. Some sites require you to type entries while online, and
others have downloadable diaries that may be added to at any time. A potential problem
with these types of sites is the distractions. There are other diarist’s entries to read, software
to play around with, and features such as uploading pictures that can keep you from your
real task. If you can’t get right down to work, choose a handwritten or simple word pro-
cessing journal.
Consider trying some of the following prompts to shake up an existing journal, or to
get you started on a new one. If you are new to journaling, find some paper, or open a
word processor document, and write about yourself, the world as you see it, a good thing
that happened today, a bad thing that happened today. The subjects are limitless, but
remember to keep it about you. Use the following prompts to help you if you are stuck,
or want some direction for your writing.

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