Writing advice for college students: * Dont atomize: Your instructor may give you some specific task to do in preparation for an essay. That doesnt mean that the finished product doesnt have to also be worth reading. See the forest for the trees. * Dont follow the rules: Most of what we call rules were developed by pathetic pedants (ah, the sad sack nature of the poor, wretched English teacher) who, unable to get anything worth reading from their students, developed formulas to make sure everybody at least wrote the exact same thing. * Follow the rules: Usage governs everything. If youve decided to sound like an academic, then follow the rules of academia. If youve decided to write a Pythonesque essay, then make sure you absurdly follow convention. * Embrace the Absurd: Write at least one love letter over the course of the semester to someone in your class--using the classic five paragraph essay format. Immediately follow it with a second letter breaking up with the person using formal academic format. * Be humane: Two and two never equal four in human endeavors. There are emotions, constituencies--People! When you say that todays immigrants are destroying the fabric of America, you are causing pain. When you say those rednecks... , you are doing the same. Write like someone you like is going to read it. * Be humble: We all know by writing. Dont lose that in your essays. There are lessons learned in everything we do. * Be brave: Never play it safe in writing. I know no one who would prefer formula to glorious failure. Your courage will excite your reader. * Wait until the last minute at your peril. * Know when to hold, fold, or run away: (this applies across several academic disciplines) Teachers are people. Some are good at what they do, and they look for that glint in the students eye. Stand by your guns with this instructor--he or she will respect you. Most teachers are decent. They may have some blind spots that you need to identify--pet peeves that will always stand out. Some are awful, rule bound martinets who demand nothing less than a copy of what is in their minds. Run away from this group, and if you cant, then just do what they demand and call it a lost semester. If you follow this advice, not only will you be able to write, but youll also have a lot of fun!
Posted on: Fri, 05 Dec 2014 20:10:22 +0000
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