Essay+Writing

=Writing Essays= Before you begin writing (or even thinking of ideas!), you will need to have a topic, to determine your purpose, and to figure out who your audience is.

=TAPS—Topic, Audience, Purpose=

AUDIENCE-- For whom are you writing?

 * Are you writing for a class?
 * Are you writing to entertain your peers?
 * Are you keeping in touch with someone who lives far away?
 * Are you writing to an admissions committee or to a human resources department?

PURPOSE-- Why are you writing?

 * Have you been assigned a topic and you need to prove that you have learned about a topic?
 * Are you trying to tell a story about yourself or another person?
 * Are you trying to explain something?
 * Are you persuading someone that your idea/opinion is correct (or, at least, should be considered)?
 * Are you trying to describe a significant influence in your life?
 * Are you trying to analyze a work of literature?



Once you have figured out your topic, audience, and purpose, you are ready to begin thinking of ideas that will lead you to your essay.

=Five Steps of Writing=

Brainstorming
This is just what it sounds like—letting ideas fly around your head and then dumping them onto a piece of paper. People think differently; therefore, different types of brainstorming work for different people. The important thing is that you find //something that works for you.// Here are some suggestions/templates:

Free Writing
Just start writing. Write down anything that pops into your head. (You may give your self a time limit for this.)

Listing
List ideas related to your topic.