Struggling with Your College Essay? Here are 5 Tips to Free Yourself from Writer’s Block
- Genine Babakian
- Oct 17, 2019
- 2 min read
Updated: Feb 5, 2020
In this fourth in a series of college essay writing tips, the focus is on the beast that many high school students face:
Writer’s block.
Do you have a good idea for an essay, but you don’t know how to get started? Here are five tips to help free yourself from writer’s block.
1) Start in the middle.
The first paragraph of your essay is critical, but that doesn’t mean it needs to be the first step in your writing process. Take some of the pressure off by starting somewhere in the middle. Any paragraph will do. You might begin by describing context. For example, if your essay is about overcoming a personal failure (not making the team, losing the student council election, coming in dead last at the debate tournament), try writing about what that activity has meant to you. How you felt when you were part of a team, or a change agent in your own school/community. Or if your essay is about your desire to be an Olympic medalist, filmmaker, dog breeder, Supreme Court Justice (fill in the blank), you can begin by describing the steps that lead you to that goal. Pull out some memories that illustrate your lifelong desire.
2) Brainstorm first, organize later.
Your college essay is not the rigid, five-paragraph format you’ve been learning how to write since the third grade. You have the freedom to break out and tell your story in a creative and (hopefully) compelling way. Start by brainstorming – write what comes to mind without worrying about spelling and grammar and paragraph structure. Find the bare bones of your story first before you clean it up and figure out how the pieces fit together.
3) Write some alternative openings and pick the one you like the best.
You might already have a general idea about how you want to begin your essay; it’s a good idea to write your way in using different approaches. Try drafting dialog, depicting a memory, or describing a scene to see which opener appeals to you. There are many ways to tell a story!
4) Imagine writing your story as if you were telling it to a friend.
If you are writing about an experience that has had a strong impact on your life or challenged your point of view, you might feel more comfortable if you imagine sharing your narrative with a trusted friend, rather than a faceless admissions officer. It takes some of the pressure off and frees you to write.
5) Even better – TELL your story to a friend.
Your college essay is not a final exam that you should keep to yourself. Don’t be shy! Find a gentle reader or two – a friend, a relative, a neighbor – and bounce some ideas off of them. Gaining their perspective may help you hone your message.
The topic next week? How to write a strong conclusion to your college essay.
For more information on one-on-one college essay coaching, email me at wwfinephrases@gmail.com, or check out: https://www.finephrases.com/college-essays.
Previous posts in the College Essay Tips series include:
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Great insights here! I’ve definitely struggled with that blank-page moment before. Brainstorming freely first also makes sense, it helps ideas flow more naturally before structure comes in.
This post really captures how overwhelming writing can get, especially when you’re stuck trying to make your ideas flow. I’ve seen the same kind of pressure with students tackling technical subjects like math, where one tough problem can throw you off completely. Getting structured help, like from a Maths Assignment Service UK, can really make a difference in understanding how to break complex tasks into manageable steps instead of just focusing on the end result.
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This article on Struggling with Your College Essay? Here are 5 Tips to Free Yourself from Writer’s Block is a practical and inspiring guide for students facing creative hurdles. The tips are easy to follow and focus on breaking mental barriers, organizing thoughts, and finding motivation to write effectively. Just like designing embroidery name patches requires careful planning and attention to detail, crafting a great college essay needs patience and strategy. By applying these tips, students can overcome stress, unlock their creativity, and produce essays that truly reflect their personality and strengths. A must-read for anyone aiming for academic success.