I'm such a hypocrite when it comes to writing essays. Twice now I've had to write an essay on "how to write an essay"--the first one was confusing; the second annoying. Both times I had this section where I talked about how you don't. Ever. Ever. Start. Writing. The. Intro. First.
Guess what I just did.
Yuppers. I'm working on an essay (er... actually, I'm writing a blog post instead of writing my essay, but, uh, you get what I mean) and the first thing I wrote was the introduction. Actually, I think I might've written the conclusion first, but I'll have to see if I can circle the essay back around to include that paragraph.
So I keep thinking back to my other essays and wanting to force myself to start with the body of the essay, like I keep writing is what you're supposed to do. But I don't actually care that much (I care about a good grade, that is, but I don't care about going against my own advice).
The last four essays I wrote I started in the middle, and I just don't feel like it this time. I like my opening paragraph. The thesis is iffy, but I'll fix it up later. And I like my opening sentence. (Now let's just hope my professor does, too.) I got some nice quotes for the middle, and after that I've no idea. I hate planning anyway. So I'm going to start with the intro because I feel like it. So what if it's hypocritical. I have my own way of writing, and I'll stick with it. I hate forced writing. I hate forcing myself to write forced writing. So the answer is simple. I won't.
Intro... check. Conclusion... possible check. Body of the essay... nonexistent. I can deal.
Now back to writing this essay.
Really? I always start with the intro. That seems to be what the teachers demand. Turn in your introduction on Monday, turn in the rest of the essay on Friday. And I find that it helps. If you have a good introduction paragraph, then you have your thesis and method of development already, and all that remains is to write it.
ReplyDeleteNow, things like "a hook!!" can always be refined at a later date, and if your thesis/MOD changes in the middle, you can come back and change those, too, but for me, the intro paragraph has always been the jumping-off point.
Jumping to my death, that is. I, too, dislike essays.
These are college essays I'm talking about. And apparently college-essay intro's are supposed to contain a hook, background information on your subject, a thesis, a preview, and a transition into the body of the essay (as does the conclusion, only backwards and opposite). The professors say that because the intro gives hints of what the paper is going to be about, it should be written afterwards. But I mean, it's just guidelines (and this is a short essay, so it doesn't have the same formatting as a five plus-page paper). Also, now that I'm in Writing 2, we have more freedom because it isn't a required class. So the professor knows that we can all at least write.
ReplyDeleteBut yeah, essays aren't my favorite. I can't wait until next year when I can do creative writing and be done with all these composition classes.
Ehh. Well, I've never written a college essay, and everybody wants these things formatted different. If you ask me, one should write it in the order that works best for them. Although the abstract really should come at the end.
ReplyDeleteWe'll see. Maybe I get to college, and find that I can never start with an introduction again. Even if it makes sense that if I already know what the paper is about, I could technically start anywhere I want. xP
You have composition classes as a prerequisite to creative writing? D: That makes no sense.
I write essays the same way I write stories, so nothing ever happens in order,and they're usually rather messy and take serious editing. The introduction usually just appears midway somewhere . . .
ReplyDeleteI think the problem is that most people don't know what works best for them, so the teachers make them do it different ways to try and get them to figure it out.
ReplyDeleteUm. No. Well. Yes. It's confusing. Some conservatories will take COMP 100 in replace of the SATs, and being homeschooled and a person who likes writing, that was preferable than a test (I'm just taking a few classes at my local college before actually going somewhere next year). But even without that, I *think* I'd've had to take First Year Writing I and II before being allowed to take any creative writing classes.
I don't know what it's like at other schools, but I'm looking at a creative writing minor with a dance major. I'm pretty sure composition classes are all prerequisite, though, since they focus on grammar and sentence structure. Sadly, even most college kids can't write very well.
Haha, I tend to write stories in order. But for one essay I had to write last year, I wrote it completely out of order. I went paragraph by paragraph and once I was finished writing I pieced it together. It was... interesting.
ReplyDelete