- Write a bad version 1 as fast as you can
- rewrite it over and over
- cut out everything unnecessary
- write in a conversational tone
- develop a nose for bad writing, so you can see and fix it in yours
- imitate writers you like
- if you can't get started, tell someone what you plan to write about, then write down what you said
- expect 80% of the ideas in an essay to happen after you start writing it, and 50% of those you start with to be wrong
- be confident enough to cut
- have friends you trust read your stuff and tell you which bits are confusing or drag
- don't (always) make detailed outlines
- mull ideas over for a few days before writing
- carry a small notebook or scrap paper with you
- start writing when you think of the first sentence
- if a deadline forces you to start before that, just say the most important sentence first
- write about stuff you like
- don't try to sound impressive
- don't hesitate to change the topic on the fly
- use footnotes to contain digressions
- use anaphora to knit sentences together
- read your essays out loud to see (a) where you stumble over awkward phrases and (b) which bits are boring (the paragraphs you dread reading)
- try to tell the reader something new and useful
- work in fairly big quanta of time
- when you restart, begin by rereading what you have so far
- when you finish, leave yourself something easy to start with
- accumulate notes for topics you plan to cover at the bottom of the file
- don't feel obliged to cover any of them
- write for a reader who won't read the essay as carefully as you do, just as pop songs are designed to sound ok on crappy car radios
- if you say anything mistaken, fix it immediately
- ask friends which sentence you'll regret most
- go back and tone down harsh remarks
- publish stuff online, because an audience makes you write more, and thus generate more ideas
- print out drafts instead of just looking at them on the screen
- use simple, germanic words
- learn to distinguish surprises from digressions
- learn to recognize the approach of an ending, and when one appears, grab it.
- Write a bad version 1 as fast as you can
- rewrite it over and over
- cut out everything unnecessary
- write in a conversational tone
- develop a nose for bad writing, so you can see and fix it in yours
- imitate writers you like
- if you can't get started, tell someone what you plan to write about, then write down what you said
- expect 80% of the ideas in an essay to happen after you start writing it, and 50% of those you start with to be wrong
- be confident enough to cut
- have friends you trust read your stuff and tell you which bits are confusing or drag
- don't (always) make detailed outlines
- mull ideas over for a few days before writing
- carry a small notebook or scrap paper with you
- start writing when you think of the first sentence
- if a deadline forces you to start before that, just say the most important sentence first
- write about stuff you like
- don't try to sound impressive
- don't hesitate to change the topic on the fly
- use footnotes to contain digressions
- use anaphora to knit sentences together
- read your essays out loud to see (a) where you stumble over awkward phrases and (b) which bits are boring (the paragraphs you dread reading)
- try to tell the reader something new and useful
- work in fairly big quanta of time
- when you restart, begin by rereading what you have so far
- when you finish, leave yourself something easy to start with
- accumulate notes for topics you plan to cover at the bottom of the file
- don't feel obliged to cover any of them
- write for a reader who won't read the essay as carefully as you do, just as pop songs are designed to sound ok on crappy car radios
- if you say anything mistaken, fix it immediately
- ask friends which sentence you'll regret most
- go back and tone down harsh remarks
- publish stuff online, because an audience makes you write more, and thus generate more ideas
- print out drafts instead of just looking at them on the screen
- use simple, germanic words
- learn to distinguish surprises from digressions
- learn to recognize the approach of an ending, and when one appears, grab it.