how to write essays based on set books

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English Set Books Essay Writing Skills – Latest Guide

101|3. ENGLISH PAPER 3.

WRITING  ESSAYS BASED ON THE SET TEXT

• Interpreting the question
• Making an outline of your points
• introducing your essay
• Writing the body
• Concluding your essay
• The Dos and Dontsin essay writing.
• Episodes in A Doll’s House
• Questions for discussions.

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Essays on set text are questions that add up to 40 marks in paper three.

Students have met a lot of challenges scoring these marks.

Among the reasons that account for this is poor/inadequate reading of the set books. Without a thorough grasp of the thematic concerns of the set books, you will score less marks. This is because you need a lot of details in your discussion to score mark. Obviously, you cannot get these details without reading the set books at least six times.

Secondly, our attitude towards writing on one hand and paper three on the other also puts the kibosh to our great performance here. We must therefore love writing and be positive.

Lastly, most students don’t understand the writing techniques required here.

It is in lieu of this that we have organized this lesson to take you through essay writing skills.

1.Interpretation of the question

In order to write a good essay, you must first understand what the statement means. Interpretation of the question is pivotal here. You will have failed once you misinterpret the given statement.

➡️The current KCSE setting trends are characterized by questions which encompass two sides. The action(virtue or vice) and the reaction( reward or punishment).

➡️When responding to KCSE essay questions in A Doll’s House and or any other text, always try to point out the *keywords* by *underlining* them. This will help you to have the correct interpretation of the question. Once this is done, you will find writing the essay a walk in the park.

➡️Since the question is two sided, the answer should also bring out the two sides fully.

For instance,

“A selfish individual who only cares about his reputation causes pain to himself and others. Basing your illustrations on Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House; write an essay to validate this statement.”*

While responding to the question above, you ought to first underline the key words; *selfish* and  *pain* then identify selfish individuals and how they only careabout their reputation* Then, you should illustrate *how this selfishness causes pain to the said individual and others.*

➡️ For a candidate to interpret the question well s/he must have a wide range of vocabulary without which the task will be tedious. This will help in writing the introduction/paraphrasing the statement.

2.Making an outline of your points

Planning is key in all our undertakings for it will determine the end results. Therefore, you should master the art of planning as it sets precedence for a good essay. If you get it right from the onset, that is interpretation and planning, you are on the way to great performance.

🔷Come up with at least four characters that will support your argument, this will enable you to plan your essay. This stage helps you come up with complete topic sentences.

In reference to our question on “A selfish individual who only cares about his reputation…, you may sketch down something like this👇🏻 as your outline/plan on the question paper.

a)Helmer doesn’t listen and understand Nora’s sacrifice/predicament

• b) Krogstad is mean towards Nora
• c) Helmer’s selfishness towards Krogstad

d)Mrs Linde’s selfishness towards Krogstad.

You should go a head and brainstorm on the details for each point before you begin writing your essay.

3.Introducing your essay.

🖊️The introduction falls on the first paragraph.

🖊️It earns you 2 marks.

🖊️It should address both sides of the question.

🖊️Should be drawn from within the text.

When writing your introduction you ought to take note of the following;

 🖋️Demonstrate your understanding of the question (What are you going to discuss?)

*what to avoid*

 🖋️Do NOT define terms

 🖋️Do not rewrite any words or phrase in the question; instead paraphrase (use your own words e.g. if the questions says materialism you should use the word greed. Or when the question says sacrifice you may use the word selflessness in your introduction)

*What an introduction should be*

🖊️Should be brief(not  more than 4 lines)

🖊️Should have:

➡️Name of the text

➡️Outline at least 2 points

*Types of introductions*

You can use any of the following ways to write your introduction.

• *Contextualized introduction* which involves using examples from the text.

For example

Helmer’s meanness cause Nora so much stress to the extent that she decides to sever a marriage that she had so much hope in.

• *General introduction*

*For example*

Most citizens suffer when the leaders they voted for forget about their needs and focus on working for their own stomachs. This is brought out clearly In Henrik Ibsen’sA Doll’s House.

• *A paraphrasing*

Focusing on your own individual interest at the expense of others causes so much suffering not only to himself but also others.

• *Listing the points that the essay is going to address*

Krogstad, Helmer and Mrs Linde are so mean in the text that they cause a lot of anxiety and torture to Nora, Mrs Linde and themselves as discussed below.

4.THE BODY OF YOUR ESSAY.

With the outline in mind, consider getting details that will buffer your topic sentence.

The body should include the following:

*The topic sentence(situation)*

*Background information*

*clincher sentence*

*Betrayal leads to disintegration of relationships.*Discuss the validity of this statement with illustrations from A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen.

You need to get details of the following in your paragraphs :

✔Identify who betrays the other

✔Describe the relationships between the two friends or couple

✔Give finer background details on the circumstances/ reason(s) that led to the betrayal.

✔Identify the *action* of the traitor/actual betrayal

✔The *reaction*/ result of the betrayal.

✔ The clincher sentence.

In this case, breakage of/ strain in relationships. ( Betrayal being a vice can only lead to distraction/suffering)

That is the direction we should take when writing essays based on set texts.

*Helmer betrays Nora her husband who she believes loves us so much.* *She tells Dr Rank how devotedly, how inexpressively deeply Torvald loves her and that he would never for a moment hesitate to give his life for her.* *Following Helmers diagnosis of fatigue by doctors and the need for him to go to Italy to rest as a form of treatment, Nora decides to sacrifice to help him get well.* *She takes a loan of 250 pounds without her husband’s consent and against societal norms.* *She has to forge her dad’s signature to get this money.* *Indeed, she feels proud of her deed telling Mrs Linde that her husband has never been sick since then saying that he has been as sound as a bell.* *However, upon realizing the secret, Helmer disowns her criticizing her for being immoral and not mother enough to instill morals in their children.* *He even tells her things will not be alright going forward between them.* *Nora feels so disappointed and decides to leave their marriage.* *Helmer is left begging for forgiveness in vain*. *It’s catastrophic to betray your spouse*.

This is a complete paragraph since it identifies the idea(betrayal), goes ahead to give background details about the relationship between the couple, circumstances surrounding the betrayal, the actual action of betrayal, the reaction and the clincher that summarizes the paragraph.

*Situation*: (The point/betrayal)Topic sentence 1

*Supporting sentences*

• *Background*: Sentences 2, 3 4 and 5 provide background information on the betrayal.
• *Action*:Sentences 7 and 8
• *Reaction*: 9 & 10

* Clincher sentence* 11.

*“Self sacrifice must be rewarded. Citing illustrations from Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House; write an essay to validate this statement.”*

*Situation* : Nora’s sacrifice to save her husband is rewarded.

*Background* : When they get married, Torvald leaves his office work because there is no prospect of promotion. With a view of providing for his family, he works early and late. In the process he overworks himself and falls dreadfully ill. The doctors tell Nora his wife that the only remedy is for him to take a rest in the south (Italy). The trip would cost a tremendous amount of money(250 pounds). Torvald is not willing to borrow. Nora’s cries and entreaties doesn’t change his decision. To make matters worse, he would not accept help from a woman.

*Action* : Nora is forced to borrow 250 pounds from Nils Krogstad and forge a name because a woman is not allowed to borrow without her husband’s consent. She takes Torvald to Italy. They stay there for a year.

*Reaction/ outcome /Values/ reward*

Outcome: Torvald comes back from the trip and he is as sound as a bell.

Clincher sentence: They stay happily without anxiety.

It should be written in continuous prose.

5.CONCLUSION.

The conclusion should be done in the last paragraph.

You can do this by:

• Doing a recap of your points Summary of your points
• Using a relevant proverb
• Or giving a comment

Avoid introducing new points here*

In conclusion, for us to enjoy our relationships, we must never disappoint. OR

Helmer, Mr Linde, Krogstad and Dr Rank suffer because of betrayal.

In conclusion, Nora and Mrs Linde find joy in denying themselves for the sake of others.

6.*The DOS AND DONT’S IN WRITING AN ESSAY BASED ON A SET BOOK*

• Do interpret the question correctly.
• Do always start discussing your points with a topic sentence based on characters, events/activities and episodes from the directed text.
• Do always write your paragraphs in a logical and coherent manner. Tie your points together in a paragraph.
• Do paraphrase or quite your illustrations from the given text. Here, you pick activities related to the question from the text in the exact way they appear.
• Do mention one or two examples of content points in your introduction.
• Do write your essay in well structured and connected paragraphs.
• Do write your introduction as the first paragraph of your essay.
• Do capture the two sides of the question by interpreting the key terms in the question, for example, correctly interpret the terms betrayal and mistrust or disintegration by using synonyms or a paraphrase if the meaning.
• Do write the name of the text and author in the introduction.
• Do write your essay in continuous prose (prose form)

*THE DONT’S*

• Do not write your essay in point form.
• Do not define key terms from the question but rather interpret the question.
• Do not use obscene or vulgar /impolite language
• Do not repeat writing the question or any part of it as it is.
• Do not underline your topic sentence.
• Do not narrate events as they are in the book.
• Do not introduce a new point or idea in the conclusion.
• Do not exceed the required number of words which is usually 450 words.
• Do not get personal or sentimental
• Do not write headings and subheadings in your essay.
• Do not include irrelevant or out of context information in your essay.

Now keenly go through the following essay and take note of the depth of details you are required to give as illustrations in your paragraphs.

*SAMPLE ESSAY*

*Self sacrifice must be rewarded. Citing illustrations from Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House, write an essay to validate this claim with close reference to female characters.*

In Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House, women are portrayed as being *selfless.* They give up their valuable time, comfort and possessions in order to help other people. This does not go *unrequitted.* An example would be Anne, the nanny, who half-heartedly leaves her own child in order to help Nora and her three little children. By so doing, she gets an income and a good place to live.

Nora borrows 250 pounds from Nils Krogstadin order to save her ailing husband’s life (topic sentence). When they get married, Torvald Helmer leaves his job because there is no prospect of a promotion. He then works early and late to provide for his family and soon falls dreadfully ill because of overwork (ill 1). The doctors tell Nora that the only thing that could save her husband’s life is to live in the south (ill 2). Nora then makes a tremendous sacrifice when she borrows a huge amount of money without her husband’s consent. Since her husband would not allow her to borrow the money, she takes this risk for the sake of love. (ill 3) After a year of staying in Italy, Torvald is as sound as a bell and has never be ill since then. Indeed self sacrifice is always rewarded (closing statement).

Nora also sacrifices for the sake of her three little children (topic sentence). At the end when Helmer decides that Nora is not worthy even for her little children, she decides to leaves the home fearing she might corrupt her children. Due to societal expectation, she is convinced that she is a corrupt person as a result of the lies that she has had to exhibit in her marriage (ill 1). She has lied about little things like eating macaroons to serious issues like borrowing money from Krogstad and lying to her husband that she got it from her father (ill 2). Helmer argues that such an atmosphere of lies infects and poisons the whole life of a home thus she chooses to leave. (ill 3). Leaving her children is an incredible act of self sacrifice. Ultimately she achieves her independence from a suffocating male-dominated society and thus moves out to try and understand her role in society (closing statement).

Mrs Linde also plays a sacrificial role in the lives of her mother and siblings (topic sentence). She abandons Nils Krogstad, the man she loves, and marries a rich man who she does not love for the sake of her family (ill 1). Her mother is bedridden and helpless and her bothers depend on her so she has no choice but to leave her penniless love-Krogstad and marry a man of means (ill 2). She is glad that she makes the end of her mother’s life almost free from care. She is also proud that her brothers are now fully grown and independent (ill 3). These sacrifices made for her family qualifies her selflessness and the fact that her mother is afforded good care and her brothers are now fully grown is a reward to Mrs. Linde (closing statement).

Lastly, Anne is also portrayed as a selfless woman who sacrifices her happiness for the sake of Nora and her children (topic sentence). To do this, Anne leaves her own child among strangers (ill 1). Nora wonders how she could leave her child but Anne indicates that she was obliged to if she wanted to be Nora’s nurse since Nora had no mother and indeed Nora confesses that indeed Anne was a good mother to her when she was little (ill 2). As a result, Anne gets a salary and a good place to live (closing statement.

In conclusion, it is true to say that most women are selfless and thus play sacrificial roles in the societies in which they live. There acts never go unrewarded as seen in A Doll’s House.

7.Episodes in A Doll’s House.

How to identify episodes in a text

• a) What is the event?
• b) Who are the characters involved?
• c) What actions or activities are they involved in?
• d) How do the characters react to those events?
• e) What is the moral lesson in that episode?

Preparation for Christmas 1-9

Nora’s reunion with Mrslinde 9-23

Krogstad’s intention of seeing Helmer 23-24

Moral corruption 24-28

Helmer to give Mrs Linde a job 28-31

The blackmail 31-42

Nora’s effort to have Krogstad retained 42-48

Nora’s anxious mood 49-51

The misunderstanding 51-56

Nora begs Helmer again 56-62

Dr. Rank’s confessions 62-71

Letter to Helmer 71-77

Nora’s secret 77-79

Helmer’s mailbox 79-82

The crazy dance 82-84

Mrs. Linde &Krogstad’s second chance 85-91

The borrowed money 91-94

Romantic Helmer 94-96

After the ball 96-100

Helmer goes for his letters 100-102

Nora’s decision 102-120

8.ESSAY QUESTIONS FOR REVISION

1) Women play key roles in the society but more often than not their roles are never recognized.Using illustrations from “A Doll’s House,” support this assertion.

2)The playwright of ADoll’s House communicates that a formed perception about someone is normally too far from reality. Use appropriate illustrations to support this.

3)Many homes are built on lies. Support this using Helmer’s home as presented in A Doll’s House.

4)Choices have consequences. Support this with illustrations from A Doll’s House.

5)Circumstances and situations surrounding an individual have a great effect on the individual’s character. Using Nora and Krogstad in ADoll’s House, support this assertion.

6)Selflessness should have limits, drawing illustrations from the play A Doll’s House, write an essay showing to what extent you agree with this assertion.

7)One needs friends to support him or her in times of need. Support this with illustrations from Henrik Ibsen’s ADoll’s House.

8)Using illustrations from the play, A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen, show how lies and deceit are exposed in the play

9)”Money is the source of all evil.“Support this statement with illustrations from the play, A Doll’s House byHenrik Ibsen.

10)”Never judge a book by its cover.” Using illustrations from the play, A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen,support this statement.

12)’Women are portrayed as loving and self-sacrificing in Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House,’ Write an essay toshow the truth of this statement.

12)Write an essay to show that appearances can be misleading. Draw your illustrations from Henrik Ibsen’s ADoll’s House.

13)Drawing illustrations from Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House, write an essay to justify the statement: All her life, Norah has been treated like a doll to be petted and shown off.

14)Relationships are bound to disintegrate where one party feels superior,’ Using examples from Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House, justify this statement.

15)Preserving the respect of the community preoccupies the characters in Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House. Drawing illustrations from the text, write an essay to show the truth of this statement.

16)Women are generally loving and self-sacrificing. Validate this statement basing your illustrations from Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House.

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How to Write an Essay

Use the links below to jump directly to any section of this guide:

Essay Writing Fundamentals

How to prepare to write an essay, how to edit an essay, how to share and publish your essays, how to get essay writing help, how to find essay writing inspiration, resources for teaching essay writing.

Essays, short prose compositions on a particular theme or topic, are the bread and butter of academic life. You write them in class, for homework, and on standardized tests to show what you know. Unlike other kinds of academic writing (like the research paper) and creative writing (like short stories and poems), essays allow you to develop your original thoughts on a prompt or question. Essays come in many varieties: they can be expository (fleshing out an idea or claim), descriptive, (explaining a person, place, or thing), narrative (relating a personal experience), or persuasive (attempting to win over a reader). This guide is a collection of dozens of links about academic essay writing that we have researched, categorized, and annotated in order to help you improve your essay writing. 

Essays are different from other forms of writing; in turn, there are different kinds of essays. This section contains general resources for getting to know the essay and its variants. These resources introduce and define the essay as a genre, and will teach you what to expect from essay-based assessments.

Purdue OWL Online Writing Lab

One of the most trusted academic writing sites, Purdue OWL provides a concise introduction to the four most common types of academic essays.

"The Essay: History and Definition" (ThoughtCo)

This snappy article from ThoughtCo talks about the origins of the essay and different kinds of essays you might be asked to write. 

"What Is An Essay?" Video Lecture (Coursera)

The University of California at Irvine's free video lecture, available on Coursera, tells  you everything you need to know about the essay.

Wikipedia Article on the "Essay"

Wikipedia's article on the essay is comprehensive, providing both English-language and global perspectives on the essay form. Learn about the essay's history, forms, and styles.

"Understanding College and Academic Writing" (Aims Online Writing Lab)

This list of common academic writing assignments (including types of essay prompts) will help you know what to expect from essay-based assessments.

Before you start writing your essay, you need to figure out who you're writing for (audience), what you're writing about (topic/theme), and what you're going to say (argument and thesis). This section contains links to handouts, chapters, videos and more to help you prepare to write an essay.

How to Identify Your Audience

"Audience" (Univ. of North Carolina Writing Center)

This handout provides questions you can ask yourself to determine the audience for an academic writing assignment. It also suggests strategies for fitting your paper to your intended audience.

"Purpose, Audience, Tone, and Content" (Univ. of Minnesota Libraries)

This extensive book chapter from Writing for Success , available online through Minnesota Libraries Publishing, is followed by exercises to try out your new pre-writing skills.

"Determining Audience" (Aims Online Writing Lab)

This guide from a community college's writing center shows you how to know your audience, and how to incorporate that knowledge in your thesis statement.

"Know Your Audience" ( Paper Rater Blog)

This short blog post uses examples to show how implied audiences for essays differ. It reminds you to think of your instructor as an observer, who will know only the information you pass along.

How to Choose a Theme or Topic

"Research Tutorial: Developing Your Topic" (YouTube)

Take a look at this short video tutorial from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to understand the basics of developing a writing topic.

"How to Choose a Paper Topic" (WikiHow)

This simple, step-by-step guide (with pictures!) walks you through choosing a paper topic. It starts with a detailed description of brainstorming and ends with strategies to refine your broad topic.

"How to Read an Assignment: Moving From Assignment to Topic" (Harvard College Writing Center)

Did your teacher give you a prompt or other instructions? This guide helps you understand the relationship between an essay assignment and your essay's topic.

"Guidelines for Choosing a Topic" (CliffsNotes)

This study guide from CliffsNotes both discusses how to choose a topic and makes a useful distinction between "topic" and "thesis."

How to Come Up with an Argument

"Argument" (Univ. of North Carolina Writing Center)

Not sure what "argument" means in the context of academic writing? This page from the University of North Carolina is a good place to start.

"The Essay Guide: Finding an Argument" (Study Hub)

This handout explains why it's important to have an argument when beginning your essay, and provides tools to help you choose a viable argument.

"Writing a Thesis and Making an Argument" (University of Iowa)

This page from the University of Iowa's Writing Center contains exercises through which you can develop and refine your argument and thesis statement.

"Developing a Thesis" (Harvard College Writing Center)

This page from Harvard's Writing Center collates some helpful dos and don'ts of argumentative writing, from steps in constructing a thesis to avoiding vague and confrontational thesis statements.

"Suggestions for Developing Argumentative Essays" (Berkeley Student Learning Center)

This page offers concrete suggestions for each stage of the essay writing process, from topic selection to drafting and editing. 

How to Outline your Essay

"Outlines" (Univ. of North Carolina at Chapel Hill via YouTube)

This short video tutorial from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill shows how to group your ideas into paragraphs or sections to begin the outlining process.

"Essay Outline" (Univ. of Washington Tacoma)

This two-page handout by a university professor simply defines the parts of an essay and then organizes them into an example outline.

"Types of Outlines and Samples" (Purdue OWL Online Writing Lab)

Purdue OWL gives examples of diverse outline strategies on this page, including the alphanumeric, full sentence, and decimal styles. 

"Outlining" (Harvard College Writing Center)

Once you have an argument, according to this handout, there are only three steps in the outline process: generalizing, ordering, and putting it all together. Then you're ready to write!

"Writing Essays" (Plymouth Univ.)

This packet, part of Plymouth University's Learning Development series, contains descriptions and diagrams relating to the outlining process.

"How to Write A Good Argumentative Essay: Logical Structure" (Criticalthinkingtutorials.com via YouTube)

This longer video tutorial gives an overview of how to structure your essay in order to support your argument or thesis. It is part of a longer course on academic writing hosted on Udemy.

Now that you've chosen and refined your topic and created an outline, use these resources to complete the writing process. Most essays contain introductions (which articulate your thesis statement), body paragraphs, and conclusions. Transitions facilitate the flow from one paragraph to the next so that support for your thesis builds throughout the essay. Sources and citations show where you got the evidence to support your thesis, which ensures that you avoid plagiarism. 

How to Write an Introduction

"Introductions" (Univ. of North Carolina Writing Center)

This page identifies the role of the introduction in any successful paper, suggests strategies for writing introductions, and warns against less effective introductions.

"How to Write A Good Introduction" (Michigan State Writing Center)

Beginning with the most common missteps in writing introductions, this guide condenses the essentials of introduction composition into seven points.

"The Introductory Paragraph" (ThoughtCo)

This blog post from academic advisor and college enrollment counselor Grace Fleming focuses on ways to grab your reader's attention at the beginning of your essay.

"Introductions and Conclusions" (Univ. of Toronto)

This guide from the University of Toronto gives advice that applies to writing both introductions and conclusions, including dos and don'ts.

"How to Write Better Essays: No One Does Introductions Properly" ( The Guardian )

This news article interviews UK professors on student essay writing; they point to introductions as the area that needs the most improvement.

How to Write a Thesis Statement

"Writing an Effective Thesis Statement" (YouTube)

This short, simple video tutorial from a college composition instructor at Tulsa Community College explains what a thesis statement is and what it does. 

"Thesis Statement: Four Steps to a Great Essay" (YouTube)

This fantastic tutorial walks you through drafting a thesis, using an essay prompt on Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter as an example.

"How to Write a Thesis Statement" (WikiHow)

This step-by-step guide (with pictures!) walks you through coming up with, writing, and editing a thesis statement. It invites you think of your statement as a "working thesis" that can change.

"How to Write a Thesis Statement" (Univ. of Indiana Bloomington)

Ask yourself the questions on this page, part of Indiana Bloomington's Writing Tutorial Services, when you're writing and refining your thesis statement.

"Writing Tips: Thesis Statements" (Univ. of Illinois Center for Writing Studies)

This page gives plentiful examples of good to great thesis statements, and offers questions to ask yourself when formulating a thesis statement.

How to Write Body Paragraphs

"Body Paragraph" (Brightstorm)

This module of a free online course introduces you to the components of a body paragraph. These include the topic sentence, information, evidence, and analysis.

"Strong Body Paragraphs" (Washington Univ.)

This handout from Washington's Writing and Research Center offers in-depth descriptions of the parts of a successful body paragraph.

"Guide to Paragraph Structure" (Deakin Univ.)

This handout is notable for color-coding example body paragraphs to help you identify the functions various sentences perform.

"Writing Body Paragraphs" (Univ. of Minnesota Libraries)

The exercises in this section of Writing for Success  will help you practice writing good body paragraphs. It includes guidance on selecting primary support for your thesis.

"The Writing Process—Body Paragraphs" (Aims Online Writing Lab)

The information and exercises on this page will familiarize you with outlining and writing body paragraphs, and includes links to more information on topic sentences and transitions.

"The Five-Paragraph Essay" (ThoughtCo)

This blog post discusses body paragraphs in the context of one of the most common academic essay types in secondary schools.

How to Use Transitions

"Transitions" (Univ. of North Carolina Writing Center)

This page from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill explains what a transition is, and how to know if you need to improve your transitions.

"Using Transitions Effectively" (Washington Univ.)

This handout defines transitions, offers tips for using them, and contains a useful list of common transitional words and phrases grouped by function.

"Transitions" (Aims Online Writing Lab)

This page compares paragraphs without transitions to paragraphs with transitions, and in doing so shows how important these connective words and phrases are.

"Transitions in Academic Essays" (Scribbr)

This page lists four techniques that will help you make sure your reader follows your train of thought, including grouping similar information and using transition words.

"Transitions" (El Paso Community College)

This handout shows example transitions within paragraphs for context, and explains how transitions improve your essay's flow and voice.

"Make Your Paragraphs Flow to Improve Writing" (ThoughtCo)

This blog post, another from academic advisor and college enrollment counselor Grace Fleming, talks about transitions and other strategies to improve your essay's overall flow.

"Transition Words" (smartwords.org)

This handy word bank will help you find transition words when you're feeling stuck. It's grouped by the transition's function, whether that is to show agreement, opposition, condition, or consequence.

How to Write a Conclusion

"Parts of An Essay: Conclusions" (Brightstorm)

This module of a free online course explains how to conclude an academic essay. It suggests thinking about the "3Rs": return to hook, restate your thesis, and relate to the reader.

"Essay Conclusions" (Univ. of Maryland University College)

This overview of the academic essay conclusion contains helpful examples and links to further resources for writing good conclusions.

"How to End An Essay" (WikiHow)

This step-by-step guide (with pictures!) by an English Ph.D. walks you through writing a conclusion, from brainstorming to ending with a flourish.

"Ending the Essay: Conclusions" (Harvard College Writing Center)

This page collates useful strategies for writing an effective conclusion, and reminds you to "close the discussion without closing it off" to further conversation.

How to Include Sources and Citations

"Research and Citation Resources" (Purdue OWL Online Writing Lab)

Purdue OWL streamlines information about the three most common referencing styles (MLA, Chicago, and APA) and provides examples of how to cite different resources in each system.

EasyBib: Free Bibliography Generator

This online tool allows you to input information about your source and automatically generate citations in any style. Be sure to select your resource type before clicking the "cite it" button.

CitationMachine

Like EasyBib, this online tool allows you to input information about your source and automatically generate citations in any style. 

Modern Language Association Handbook (MLA)

Here, you'll find the definitive and up-to-date record of MLA referencing rules. Order through the link above, or check to see if your library has a copy.

Chicago Manual of Style

Here, you'll find the definitive and up-to-date record of Chicago referencing rules. You can take a look at the table of contents, then choose to subscribe or start a free trial.

How to Avoid Plagiarism

"What is Plagiarism?" (plagiarism.org)

This nonprofit website contains numerous resources for identifying and avoiding plagiarism, and reminds you that even common activities like copying images from another website to your own site may constitute plagiarism.

"Plagiarism" (University of Oxford)

This interactive page from the University of Oxford helps you check for plagiarism in your work, making it clear how to avoid citing another person's work without full acknowledgement.

"Avoiding Plagiarism" (MIT Comparative Media Studies)

This quick guide explains what plagiarism is, what its consequences are, and how to avoid it. It starts by defining three words—quotation, paraphrase, and summary—that all constitute citation.

"Harvard Guide to Using Sources" (Harvard Extension School)

This comprehensive website from Harvard brings together articles, videos, and handouts about referencing, citation, and plagiarism. 

Grammarly contains tons of helpful grammar and writing resources, including a free tool to automatically scan your essay to check for close affinities to published work. 

Noplag is another popular online tool that automatically scans your essay to check for signs of plagiarism. Simply copy and paste your essay into the box and click "start checking."

Once you've written your essay, you'll want to edit (improve content), proofread (check for spelling and grammar mistakes), and finalize your work until you're ready to hand it in. This section brings together tips and resources for navigating the editing process. 

"Writing a First Draft" (Academic Help)

This is an introduction to the drafting process from the site Academic Help, with tips for getting your ideas on paper before editing begins.

"Editing and Proofreading" (Univ. of North Carolina Writing Center)

This page provides general strategies for revising your writing. They've intentionally left seven errors in the handout, to give you practice in spotting them.

"How to Proofread Effectively" (ThoughtCo)

This article from ThoughtCo, along with those linked at the bottom, help describe common mistakes to check for when proofreading.

"7 Simple Edits That Make Your Writing 100% More Powerful" (SmartBlogger)

This blog post emphasizes the importance of powerful, concise language, and reminds you that even your personal writing heroes create clunky first drafts.

"Editing Tips for Effective Writing" (Univ. of Pennsylvania)

On this page from Penn's International Relations department, you'll find tips for effective prose, errors to watch out for, and reminders about formatting.

"Editing the Essay" (Harvard College Writing Center)

This article, the first of two parts, gives you applicable strategies for the editing process. It suggests reading your essay aloud, removing any jargon, and being unafraid to remove even "dazzling" sentences that don't belong.

"Guide to Editing and Proofreading" (Oxford Learning Institute)

This handout from Oxford covers the basics of editing and proofreading, and reminds you that neither task should be rushed. 

In addition to plagiarism-checkers, Grammarly has a plug-in for your web browser that checks your writing for common mistakes.

After you've prepared, written, and edited your essay, you might want to share it outside the classroom. This section alerts you to print and web opportunities to share your essays with the wider world, from online writing communities and blogs to published journals geared toward young writers.

Sharing Your Essays Online

Go Teen Writers

Go Teen Writers is an online community for writers aged 13 - 19. It was founded by Stephanie Morrill, an author of contemporary young adult novels. 

Tumblr is a blogging website where you can share your writing and interact with other writers online. It's easy to add photos, links, audio, and video components.

Writersky provides an online platform for publishing and reading other youth writers' work. Its current content is mostly devoted to fiction.

Publishing Your Essays Online

This teen literary journal publishes in print, on the web, and (more frequently), on a blog. It is committed to ensuring that "teens see their authentic experience reflected on its pages."

The Matador Review

This youth writing platform celebrates "alternative," unconventional writing. The link above will take you directly to the site's "submissions" page.

Teen Ink has a website, monthly newsprint magazine, and quarterly poetry magazine promoting the work of young writers.

The largest online reading platform, Wattpad enables you to publish your work and read others' work. Its inline commenting feature allows you to share thoughts as you read along.

Publishing Your Essays in Print

Canvas Teen Literary Journal

This quarterly literary magazine is published for young writers by young writers. They accept many kinds of writing, including essays.

The Claremont Review

This biannual international magazine, first published in 1992, publishes poetry, essays, and short stories from writers aged 13 - 19.

Skipping Stones

This young writers magazine, founded in 1988, celebrates themes relating to ecological and cultural diversity. It publishes poems, photos, articles, and stories.

The Telling Room

This nonprofit writing center based in Maine publishes children's work on their website and in book form. The link above directs you to the site's submissions page.

Essay Contests

Scholastic Arts and Writing Awards

This prestigious international writing contest for students in grades 7 - 12 has been committed to "supporting the future of creativity since 1923."

Society of Professional Journalists High School Essay Contest

An annual essay contest on the theme of journalism and media, the Society of Professional Journalists High School Essay Contest awards scholarships up to $1,000.

National YoungArts Foundation

Here, you'll find information on a government-sponsored writing competition for writers aged 15 - 18. The foundation welcomes submissions of creative nonfiction, novels, scripts, poetry, short story and spoken word.

Signet Classics Student Scholarship Essay Contest

With prompts on a different literary work each year, this competition from Signet Classics awards college scholarships up to $1,000.

"The Ultimate Guide to High School Essay Contests" (CollegeVine)

See this handy guide from CollegeVine for a list of more competitions you can enter with your academic essay, from the National Council of Teachers of English Achievement Awards to the National High School Essay Contest by the U.S. Institute of Peace.

Whether you're struggling to write academic essays or you think you're a pro, there are workshops and online tools that can help you become an even better writer. Even the most seasoned writers encounter writer's block, so be proactive and look through our curated list of resources to combat this common frustration.

Online Essay-writing Classes and Workshops

"Getting Started with Essay Writing" (Coursera)

Coursera offers lots of free, high-quality online classes taught by college professors. Here's one example, taught by instructors from the University of California Irvine.

"Writing and English" (Brightstorm)

Brightstorm's free video lectures are easy to navigate by topic. This unit on the parts of an essay features content on the essay hook, thesis, supporting evidence, and more.

"How to Write an Essay" (EdX)

EdX is another open online university course website with several two- to five-week courses on the essay. This one is geared toward English language learners.

Writer's Digest University

This renowned writers' website offers online workshops and interactive tutorials. The courses offered cover everything from how to get started through how to get published.

Writing.com

Signing up for this online writer's community gives you access to helpful resources as well as an international community of writers.

How to Overcome Writer's Block

"Symptoms and Cures for Writer's Block" (Purdue OWL)

Purdue OWL offers a list of signs you might have writer's block, along with ways to overcome it. Consider trying out some "invention strategies" or ways to curb writing anxiety.

"Overcoming Writer's Block: Three Tips" ( The Guardian )

These tips, geared toward academic writing specifically, are practical and effective. The authors advocate setting realistic goals, creating dedicated writing time, and participating in social writing.

"Writing Tips: Strategies for Overcoming Writer's Block" (Univ. of Illinois)

This page from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign's Center for Writing Studies acquaints you with strategies that do and do not work to overcome writer's block.

"Writer's Block" (Univ. of Toronto)

Ask yourself the questions on this page; if the answer is "yes," try out some of the article's strategies. Each question is accompanied by at least two possible solutions.

If you have essays to write but are short on ideas, this section's links to prompts, example student essays, and celebrated essays by professional writers might help. You'll find writing prompts from a variety of sources, student essays to inspire you, and a number of essay writing collections.

Essay Writing Prompts

"50 Argumentative Essay Topics" (ThoughtCo)

Take a look at this list and the others ThoughtCo has curated for different kinds of essays. As the author notes, "a number of these topics are controversial and that's the point."

"401 Prompts for Argumentative Writing" ( New York Times )

This list (and the linked lists to persuasive and narrative writing prompts), besides being impressive in length, is put together by actual high school English teachers.

"SAT Sample Essay Prompts" (College Board)

If you're a student in the U.S., your classroom essay prompts are likely modeled on the prompts in U.S. college entrance exams. Take a look at these official examples from the SAT.

"Popular College Application Essay Topics" (Princeton Review)

This page from the Princeton Review dissects recent Common Application essay topics and discusses strategies for answering them.

Example Student Essays

"501 Writing Prompts" (DePaul Univ.)

This nearly 200-page packet, compiled by the LearningExpress Skill Builder in Focus Writing Team, is stuffed with writing prompts, example essays, and commentary.

"Topics in English" (Kibin)

Kibin is a for-pay essay help website, but its example essays (organized by topic) are available for free. You'll find essays on everything from  A Christmas Carol  to perseverance.

"Student Writing Models" (Thoughtful Learning)

Thoughtful Learning, a website that offers a variety of teaching materials, provides sample student essays on various topics and organizes them by grade level.

"Five-Paragraph Essay" (ThoughtCo)

In this blog post by a former professor of English and rhetoric, ThoughtCo brings together examples of five-paragraph essays and commentary on the form.

The Best Essay Writing Collections

The Best American Essays of the Century by Joyce Carol Oates (Amazon)

This collection of American essays spanning the twentieth century was compiled by award winning author and Princeton professor Joyce Carol Oates.

The Best American Essays 2017 by Leslie Jamison (Amazon)

Leslie Jamison, the celebrated author of essay collection  The Empathy Exams , collects recent, high-profile essays into a single volume.

The Art of the Personal Essay by Phillip Lopate (Amazon)

Documentary writer Phillip Lopate curates this historical overview of the personal essay's development, from the classical era to the present.

The White Album by Joan Didion (Amazon)

This seminal essay collection was authored by one of the most acclaimed personal essayists of all time, American journalist Joan Didion.

Consider the Lobster by David Foster Wallace (Amazon)

Read this famous essay collection by David Foster Wallace, who is known for his experimentation with the essay form. He pushed the boundaries of personal essay, reportage, and political polemic.

"50 Successful Harvard Application Essays" (Staff of the The Harvard Crimson )

If you're looking for examples of exceptional college application essays, this volume from Harvard's daily student newspaper is one of the best collections on the market.

Are you an instructor looking for the best resources for teaching essay writing? This section contains resources for developing in-class activities and student homework assignments. You'll find content from both well-known university writing centers and online writing labs.

Essay Writing Classroom Activities for Students

"In-class Writing Exercises" (Univ. of North Carolina Writing Center)

This page lists exercises related to brainstorming, organizing, drafting, and revising. It also contains suggestions for how to implement the suggested exercises.

"Teaching with Writing" (Univ. of Minnesota Center for Writing)

Instructions and encouragement for using "freewriting," one-minute papers, logbooks, and other write-to-learn activities in the classroom can be found here.

"Writing Worksheets" (Berkeley Student Learning Center)

Berkeley offers this bank of writing worksheets to use in class. They are nested under headings for "Prewriting," "Revision," "Research Papers" and more.

"Using Sources and Avoiding Plagiarism" (DePaul University)

Use these activities and worksheets from DePaul's Teaching Commons when instructing students on proper academic citation practices.

Essay Writing Homework Activities for Students

"Grammar and Punctuation Exercises" (Aims Online Writing Lab)

These five interactive online activities allow students to practice editing and proofreading. They'll hone their skills in correcting comma splices and run-ons, identifying fragments, using correct pronoun agreement, and comma usage.

"Student Interactives" (Read Write Think)

Read Write Think hosts interactive tools, games, and videos for developing writing skills. They can practice organizing and summarizing, writing poetry, and developing lines of inquiry and analysis.

This free website offers writing and grammar activities for all grade levels. The lessons are designed to be used both for large classes and smaller groups.

"Writing Activities and Lessons for Every Grade" (Education World)

Education World's page on writing activities and lessons links you to more free, online resources for learning how to "W.R.I.T.E.": write, revise, inform, think, and edit.

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Essay and dissertation writing skills

Planning your essay

Writing your introduction

Structuring your essay

• Writing essays in science subjects
• Brief video guides to support essay planning and writing
• Writing extended essays and dissertations
• Planning your dissertation writing time

Structuring your dissertation

• Top tips for writing longer pieces of work

Advice on planning and writing essays and dissertations

University essays differ from school essays in that they are less concerned with what you know and more concerned with how you construct an argument to answer the question. This means that the starting point for writing a strong essay is to first unpick the question and to then use this to plan your essay before you start putting pen to paper (or finger to keyboard).

A really good starting point for you are these short, downloadable Tips for Successful Essay Writing and Answering the Question resources. Both resources will help you to plan your essay, as well as giving you guidance on how to distinguish between different sorts of essay questions. 

You may find it helpful to watch this seven-minute video on six tips for essay writing which outlines how to interpret essay questions, as well as giving advice on planning and structuring your writing:

Different disciplines will have different expectations for essay structure and you should always refer to your Faculty or Department student handbook or course Canvas site for more specific guidance.

However, broadly speaking, all essays share the following features:

Essays need an introduction to establish and focus the parameters of the discussion that will follow. You may find it helpful to divide the introduction into areas to demonstrate your breadth and engagement with the essay question. You might define specific terms in the introduction to show your engagement with the essay question; for example, ‘This is a large topic which has been variously discussed by many scientists and commentators. The principle tension is between the views of X and Y who define the main issues as…’ Breadth might be demonstrated by showing the range of viewpoints from which the essay question could be considered; for example, ‘A variety of factors including economic, social and political, influence A and B. This essay will focus on the social and economic aspects, with particular emphasis on…..’

Watch this two-minute video to learn more about how to plan and structure an introduction:

The main body of the essay should elaborate on the issues raised in the introduction and develop an argument(s) that answers the question. It should consist of a number of self-contained paragraphs each of which makes a specific point and provides some form of evidence to support the argument being made. Remember that a clear argument requires that each paragraph explicitly relates back to the essay question or the developing argument.

• Conclusion: An essay should end with a conclusion that reiterates the argument in light of the evidence you have provided; you shouldn’t use the conclusion to introduce new information.
• References: You need to include references to the materials you’ve used to write your essay. These might be in the form of footnotes, in-text citations, or a bibliography at the end. Different systems exist for citing references and different disciplines will use various approaches to citation. Ask your tutor which method(s) you should be using for your essay and also consult your Department or Faculty webpages for specific guidance in your discipline. 

Essay writing in science subjects

If you are writing an essay for a science subject you may need to consider additional areas, such as how to present data or diagrams. This five-minute video gives you some advice on how to approach your reading list, planning which information to include in your answer and how to write for your scientific audience – the video is available here:

A PDF providing further guidance on writing science essays for tutorials is available to download.

Short videos to support your essay writing skills

There are many other resources at Oxford that can help support your essay writing skills and if you are short on time, the Oxford Study Skills Centre has produced a number of short (2-minute) videos covering different aspects of essay writing, including:

• Approaching different types of essay questions  
• Structuring your essay  
• Writing an introduction  
• Making use of evidence in your essay writing  
• Writing your conclusion

Extended essays and dissertations

Longer pieces of writing like extended essays and dissertations may seem like quite a challenge from your regular essay writing. The important point is to start with a plan and to focus on what the question is asking. A PDF providing further guidance on planning Humanities and Social Science dissertations is available to download.

Planning your time effectively

Try not to leave the writing until close to your deadline, instead start as soon as you have some ideas to put down onto paper. Your early drafts may never end up in the final work, but the work of committing your ideas to paper helps to formulate not only your ideas, but the method of structuring your writing to read well and conclude firmly.

Although many students and tutors will say that the introduction is often written last, it is a good idea to begin to think about what will go into it early on. For example, the first draft of your introduction should set out your argument, the information you have, and your methods, and it should give a structure to the chapters and sections you will write. Your introduction will probably change as time goes on but it will stand as a guide to your entire extended essay or dissertation and it will help you to keep focused.

The structure of  extended essays or dissertations will vary depending on the question and discipline, but may include some or all of the following:

• The background information to - and context for - your research. This often takes the form of a literature review.
• Explanation of the focus of your work.
• Explanation of the value of this work to scholarship on the topic.
• List of the aims and objectives of the work and also the issues which will not be covered because they are outside its scope.

The main body of your extended essay or dissertation will probably include your methodology, the results of research, and your argument(s) based on your findings.

The conclusion is to summarise the value your research has added to the topic, and any further lines of research you would undertake given more time or resources. 

Tips on writing longer pieces of work

Approaching each chapter of a dissertation as a shorter essay can make the task of writing a dissertation seem less overwhelming. Each chapter will have an introduction, a main body where the argument is developed and substantiated with evidence, and a conclusion to tie things together. Unlike in a regular essay, chapter conclusions may also introduce the chapter that will follow, indicating how the chapters are connected to one another and how the argument will develop through your dissertation.

For further guidance, watch this two-minute video on writing longer pieces of work . 

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Tips for Online Students , Tips for Students

How To Write An Essay: Beginner Tips And Tricks

Updated: July 11, 2022

Published: June 22, 2021

Many students dread writing essays, but essay writing is an important skill to develop in high school, university, and even into your future career. By learning how to write an essay properly, the process can become more enjoyable and you’ll find you’re better able to organize and articulate your thoughts.

When writing an essay, it’s common to follow a specific pattern, no matter what the topic is. Once you’ve used the pattern a few times and you know how to structure an essay, it will become a lot more simple to apply your knowledge to every essay. 

No matter which major you choose, you should know how to craft a good essay. Here, we’ll cover the basics of essay writing, along with some helpful tips to make the writing process go smoothly.

Photo by Laura Chouette on Unsplash

Types of Essays

Think of an essay as a discussion. There are many types of discussions you can have with someone else. You can be describing a story that happened to you, you might explain to them how to do something, or you might even argue about a certain topic. 

When it comes to different types of essays, it follows a similar pattern. Like a friendly discussion, each type of essay will come with its own set of expectations or goals. 

For example, when arguing with a friend, your goal is to convince them that you’re right. The same goes for an argumentative essay. 

Here are a few of the main essay types you can expect to come across during your time in school:

Narrative Essay

This type of essay is almost like telling a story, not in the traditional sense with dialogue and characters, but as if you’re writing out an event or series of events to relay information to the reader.

Persuasive Essay

Here, your goal is to persuade the reader about your views on a specific topic.

Descriptive Essay

This is the kind of essay where you go into a lot more specific details describing a topic such as a place or an event. 

Argumentative Essay

In this essay, you’re choosing a stance on a topic, usually controversial, and your goal is to present evidence that proves your point is correct.

Expository Essay

Your purpose with this type of essay is to tell the reader how to complete a specific process, often including a step-by-step guide or something similar.

Compare and Contrast Essay

You might have done this in school with two different books or characters, but the ultimate goal is to draw similarities and differences between any two given subjects.

The Main Stages of Essay Writing

When it comes to writing an essay, many students think the only stage is getting all your ideas down on paper and submitting your work. However, that’s not quite the case. 

There are three main stages of writing an essay, each one with its own purpose. Of course, writing the essay itself is the most substantial part, but the other two stages are equally as important.

So, what are these three stages of essay writing? They are:

Preparation

Before you even write one word, it’s important to prepare the content and structure of your essay. If a topic wasn’t assigned to you, then the first thing you should do is settle on a topic. Next, you want to conduct your research on that topic and create a detailed outline based on your research. The preparation stage will make writing your essay that much easier since, with your outline and research, you should already have the skeleton of your essay.

Writing is the most time-consuming stage. In this stage, you will write out all your thoughts and ideas and craft your essay based on your outline. You’ll work on developing your ideas and fleshing them out throughout the introduction, body, and conclusion (more on these soon).

In the final stage, you’ll go over your essay and check for a few things. First, you’ll check if your essay is cohesive, if all the points make sense and are related to your topic, and that your facts are cited and backed up. You can also check for typos, grammar and punctuation mistakes, and formatting errors.  

The Five-Paragraph Essay

We mentioned earlier that essay writing follows a specific structure, and for the most part in academic or college essays , the five-paragraph essay is the generally accepted structure you’ll be expected to use. 

The five-paragraph essay is broken down into one introduction paragraph, three body paragraphs, and a closing paragraph. However, that doesn’t always mean that an essay is written strictly in five paragraphs, but rather that this structure can be used loosely and the three body paragraphs might become three sections instead.

Let’s take a closer look at each section and what it entails.

Introduction

As the name implies, the purpose of your introduction paragraph is to introduce your idea. A good introduction begins with a “hook,” something that grabs your reader’s attention and makes them excited to read more. 

Another key tenant of an introduction is a thesis statement, which usually comes towards the end of the introduction itself. Your thesis statement should be a phrase that explains your argument, position, or central idea that you plan on developing throughout the essay. 

You can also include a short outline of what to expect in your introduction, including bringing up brief points that you plan on explaining more later on in the body paragraphs.

Here is where most of your essay happens. The body paragraphs are where you develop your ideas and bring up all the points related to your main topic. 

In general, you’re meant to have three body paragraphs, or sections, and each one should bring up a different point. Think of it as bringing up evidence. Each paragraph is a different piece of evidence, and when the three pieces are taken together, it backs up your main point — your thesis statement — really well.

That being said, you still want each body paragraph to be tied together in some way so that the essay flows. The points should be distinct enough, but they should relate to each other, and definitely to your thesis statement. Each body paragraph works to advance your point, so when crafting your essay, it’s important to keep this in mind so that you avoid going off-track or writing things that are off-topic.

Many students aren’t sure how to write a conclusion for an essay and tend to see their conclusion as an afterthought, but this section is just as important as the rest of your work. 

You shouldn’t be presenting any new ideas in your conclusion, but you should summarize your main points and show how they back up your thesis statement. 

Essentially, the conclusion is similar in structure and content to the introduction, but instead of introducing your essay, it should be wrapping up the main thoughts and presenting them to the reader as a singular closed argument. 

Photo by AMIT RANJAN on Unsplash

Steps to Writing an Essay

Now that you have a better idea of an essay’s structure and all the elements that go into it, you might be wondering what the different steps are to actually write your essay. 

Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Instead of going in blind, follow these steps on how to write your essay from start to finish.

Understand Your Assignment

When writing an essay for an assignment, the first critical step is to make sure you’ve read through your assignment carefully and understand it thoroughly. You want to check what type of essay is required, that you understand the topic, and that you pay attention to any formatting or structural requirements. You don’t want to lose marks just because you didn’t read the assignment carefully.

Research Your Topic

Once you understand your assignment, it’s time to do some research. In this step, you should start looking at different sources to get ideas for what points you want to bring up throughout your essay. 

Search online or head to the library and get as many resources as possible. You don’t need to use them all, but it’s good to start with a lot and then narrow down your sources as you become more certain of your essay’s direction.

Start Brainstorming

After research comes the brainstorming. There are a lot of different ways to start the brainstorming process . Here are a few you might find helpful:

• Think about what you found during your research that interested you the most
• Jot down all your ideas, even if they’re not yet fully formed
• Create word clouds or maps for similar terms or ideas that come up so you can group them together based on their similarities
• Try freewriting to get all your ideas out before arranging them

Create a Thesis

This is often the most tricky part of the whole process since you want to create a thesis that’s strong and that you’re about to develop throughout the entire essay. Therefore, you want to choose a thesis statement that’s broad enough that you’ll have enough to say about it, but not so broad that you can’t be precise. 

Write Your Outline

Armed with your research, brainstorming sessions, and your thesis statement, the next step is to write an outline. 

In the outline, you’ll want to put your thesis statement at the beginning and start creating the basic skeleton of how you want your essay to look. 

A good way to tackle an essay is to use topic sentences . A topic sentence is like a mini-thesis statement that is usually the first sentence of a new paragraph. This sentence introduces the main idea that will be detailed throughout the paragraph. 

If you create an outline with the topic sentences for your body paragraphs and then a few points of what you want to discuss, you’ll already have a strong starting point when it comes time to sit down and write. This brings us to our next step… 

Write a First Draft

The first time you write your entire essay doesn’t need to be perfect, but you do need to get everything on the page so that you’re able to then write a second draft or review it afterward. 

Everyone’s writing process is different. Some students like to write their essay in the standard order of intro, body, and conclusion, while others prefer to start with the “meat” of the essay and tackle the body, and then fill in the other sections afterward. 

Make sure your essay follows your outline and that everything relates to your thesis statement and your points are backed up by the research you did. 

Revise, Edit, and Proofread

The revision process is one of the three main stages of writing an essay, yet many people skip this step thinking their work is done after the first draft is complete. 

However, proofreading, reviewing, and making edits on your essay can spell the difference between a B paper and an A.

After writing the first draft, try and set your essay aside for a few hours or even a day or two, and then come back to it with fresh eyes to review it. You might find mistakes or inconsistencies you missed or better ways to formulate your arguments.

Add the Finishing Touches

Finally, you’ll want to make sure everything that’s required is in your essay. Review your assignment again and see if all the requirements are there, such as formatting rules, citations, quotes, etc. 

Go over the order of your paragraphs and make sure everything makes sense, flows well, and uses the same writing style . 

Once everything is checked and all the last touches are added, give your essay a final read through just to ensure it’s as you want it before handing it in. 

A good way to do this is to read your essay out loud since you’ll be able to hear if there are any mistakes or inaccuracies.

Essay Writing Tips

With the steps outlined above, you should be able to craft a great essay. Still, there are some other handy tips we’d recommend just to ensure that the essay writing process goes as smoothly as possible.

• Start your essay early. This is the first tip for a reason. It’s one of the most important things you can do to write a good essay. If you start it the night before, then you won’t have enough time to research, brainstorm, and outline — and you surely won’t have enough time to review.
• Don’t try and write it in one sitting. It’s ok if you need to take breaks or write it over a few days. It’s better to write it in multiple sittings so that you have a fresh mind each time and you’re able to focus.
• Always keep the essay question in mind. If you’re given an assigned question, then you should always keep it handy when writing your essay to make sure you’re always working to answer the question.
• Use transitions between paragraphs. In order to improve the readability of your essay, try and make clear transitions between paragraphs. This means trying to relate the end of one paragraph to the beginning of the next one so the shift doesn’t seem random.
• Integrate your research thoughtfully. Add in citations or quotes from your research materials to back up your thesis and main points. This will show that you did the research and that your thesis is backed up by it.

Wrapping Up

Writing an essay doesn’t need to be daunting if you know how to approach it. Using our essay writing steps and tips, you’ll have better knowledge on how to write an essay and you’ll be able to apply it to your next assignment. Once you do this a few times, it will become more natural to you and the essay writing process will become quicker and easier.

If you still need assistance with your essay, check with a student advisor to see if they offer help with writing. At University of the People(UoPeople), we always want our students to succeed, so our student advisors are ready to help with writing skills when necessary. 

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Blog • Perfecting your Craft

Last updated on Feb 07, 2023

How to Write a Book (with Tactics from Bestsellers)

What’s the secret formula to tapping into your creativity and writing a book? Some authors would tell you there is no single path to authorship , as every writer’s journey is unique. However, almost every bestselling author will have highly effective writing patterns and habits that help them reach their writing goals . In this post, we'll share some of their most commonly used tactics for starting and finishing a book.

How to write a book:

1. Start with a book idea you love

2. research by reading genre-prominent books, 3. outline the story, 4. write the opening sentence , 5. write the first draft, 6. set a schedule with achievable goals, 7. find a good writing space, 8. pick a "distraction-free" writing software, 9. finish your draft, 10. edit the manuscript, 11. publish your book for readers to buy.

There's a long, exciting road ahead. So let's get started.

The one thing you absolutely  need  to write a book is, of course, an idea. If you don't have that, you'll never get past the first page of your draft.

You may already know what you want to write about, or you may be at a total loss. Either way, you can settle on a “big book idea” by asking yourself a few simple questions:

• What do I  want  to write about?
• What do I feel is  important  to write about?
• Who will want to read about this story/subject?
• Will I be able to carry out this idea effectively?

Your answers to these questions will help you narrow it down to your best options. For example, if you have several different ideas for a book, but only one that you're truly passionate about and feel you can pull off, then voilà — there's your premise!

On the other hand, if you  lack  ideas, these questions should steer you in a firmer direction. Think about the kinds of books you love to read, as well as books that have made a significant impact on you. In all likelihood, you'll want to write a book in a similar vein.

Tools to help you find an idea

If you're grasping at straws, consider using creative writing prompts or a  plot generator  to get the ball rolling! You might stumble upon an interesting concept or story element that sparks a “big idea” for your book. (And if you're still uninspired even after trying these tools, you may want to reconsider whether you really want to write a book after all.)

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Once you've found your big idea, the next step is to research your genre. Again, if you're writing the book you like to read , you already have a leg up! Reading books in your genre is by far the best way to learn how to write in that genre yourself.

But if not, you'll want to select a couple of representative titles and analyze them.  How long are they  and  how many chapters do they have ? What does the  story structure  look like? What are the major  themes ? Perhaps most importantly, do you think you can produce a book with similar elements?

Find out what people are reading

You should also conduct market research on Amazon to determine the most  popular  books in your genre. If you want your book to succeed, you'll have to contend with these bestsellers. Go to the  Amazon Best Sellers page  and find your genre in the lefthand sidebar:

Then read those books' blurbs to figure out what really sells. What do they all have in common, and why might readers find them appealing? Does your book hold up to these standards?

Finally, think about how your book can offer something NEW. For example, if you're writing a psychological thriller, will there be a particularly sneaky  unreliable narrator , or maybe a  series of twists  that the reader never sees coming? If you're  writing a nonfiction book , do you have a unique take on the subject, or a particularly deep well of knowledge? And so on.

Going above and beyond is the only way to give your book a chance in today's hyper-competitive market. So don't skimp on the genre research, because this will tell you where the bar is and how you can surpass it.

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If you want to write a great story , you need to outline it first. This is especially important if it's your first book, since you need a solid blueprint to rely on when you get stuck! (Because believe us, you will  get stuck.)

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So how do you go about creating that outline for your book? We actually have a  whole other post on the subject , but here are the essentials:

• Pick a format that works for you.  There are so many different types of outlines: the free-flowing mind map, the rigorous chapter-and-scene outline, the character-based outline, and so on. If one approach doesn't work for you, try another! Any kind of plan is better than none.
• Have a beginning, middle, and end.  Way too many authors go into writing a book with a strong notion of how their story should start... yet their middle is murky and their ending, nonexistent. Take this time to flesh them out and connect them to one another.  Remember:  the best books have endings that feel “earned,” so you should try to be building toward it from the start!
• Consider your conflict points.   Conflict is at the heart of any good book  — it draws in the reader, conjures tension and emotion, and ultimately reflects the themes and/or message you want to convey. You don't have to know  exactly  where your conflict will manifest, but you should have a pretty good grasp of how it works throughout your book.
• Get to know your characters.  If you haven't done much  character development  yet, your outline is the perfect opportunity to do so. How will your characters interact in the story, and how will these interactions demonstrate who they are and what matters to them?

If you'd like to outline your story directly in a writing app, we recommend using the pre-made templates in the free Reedsy Book Editor. Simply create your account with one click below and start creating the building blocks of your story — right away.  

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Let's get into the actual writing and make a dent in your first draft . One of the most important parts of writing a book is  starting the story ! It's no exaggeration to say your first few pages can make or break your book — if these pages aren't good enough, many readers will lose interest, possibly never returning to your book again.

First off, you need an opening hook that grabs the reader's attention and makes it impossible for them to look away. Take a look at the first lines of these hit bestsellers:

“Mr and Mrs Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much.” — Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

“Renowned curator Jacques Saunière staggered through the vaulted archway of the museum's Grand Gallery.” — The Da Vinci Code

“If all the Saturdays of 1982 can be thought of as one day, I met Tracey at 10 a.m. on that Saturday, walking through the sandy gravel of a churchyard, each holding our mother's hand.” — Swing Time

All of these books fall into different genres, yet all their opening lines do the same thing: capture the reader's attention. You can imitate them by making a similarly strong, slightly furtive statement in  your  opener!

From there, your job is to maintain the reader's interest by heightening the stakes and  inciting the plot . You should also make the reader care about the main characters by giving them distinct personalities and  motivations . (Note that “main” is a key descriptor here; never introduce more than a couple of characters at a time!)

Of course, there are infinite ways to write your first chapter. You might have to experiment with lots of different opening lines, even opening scenes, to find the right balance — but it's worth the effort to set the stage perfectly.

If you struggle to write consistently, sign up for our How to Write a Novel course to finish your novel in just 3 months.  

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Many writers believe that the key to writing an amazing book is style: impressive vocabulary, elaborate sentences,  figurative language  that would make Shakespeare swoon.

We're here to dissuade you of that notion. While style is great (as long as your prose doesn't  start to become purple ),  substance  is far more important when writing a book — hence why you should focus primarily on your plot, characters, conflict(s), and themes.

Make sure your book is all killer, no filler

Of course, that's easier said than done, especially once you've already started writing . When you get to a patchily outlined section, it's tempting to  keep  writing and fill out the page with literary gymnastics. But that's exactly what this content is: filler. And if you have too much of it, readers will become frustrated and start to think you're pretentious.

This is another reason why outlining is so important. You need to KNOW your story in order to stay on track with it! But besides outlining, here are a few more tips for making substance a priority:

• Every sentence must do one of two things — reveal character or advance the action.  This advice comes straight from Kurt Vonnegut, and it's 100% true: if a sentence doesn't accomplish one or both of those things, try removing it. If the passage still makes sense, leave it out.
• Be conscious of your pacing.  Slow pacing is a symptom of excess description. If the events of your book seem to move like molasses, you're probably using too much style and not enough substance.
• Use a writing tool to reduce flowery language.  Speaking of great American novelists,  Hemingway  is a fantastic tool to help you write like the man himself! Simply paste your writing into the app and Hemingway will suggest ways to make your prose more concise and effective.

Tell us about your book, and we'll give you a writing playlist

It'll only take a minute!

Keep readers in mind while writing

Want to write a book that people will  really  enjoy (and buy)? Well, this is pretty much the cardinal rule: you should always be thinking about your audience and trying to write “reader-first.”

For example, sometimes you'll have to write scenes that aren't very exciting, but that  serve the overall story arc . Don't rush through these scenes just to get them over with! Even if they don't seem interesting to  you,  they contribute to the reader's experience by building tension and preserving the pacing — and the reader deserves to relish those things.

Create 'fake' people who will want to read your book

When considering your readership, you should also  keep a proto-persona in mind  for marketing purposes. These are constructed personalities that marketers use to better understand their target customers. The more your book can cater to this hypothetical reader, the easier it will be to sell!

Maybe you're writing a true-crime account for zealous  true crime readers . Such readers will have pored over countless criminal cases before, so you need to include unique details to make  your  case stand out, and craft an extra-compelling narrative to engage them.

Let's move on to practical ways that you can improve your writing habits. Word count goals play a huge part in creating an effective writing process, especially if you're trying to finish your book  in a certain amount of time .

You should create word count goals for both your individual sessions and per week — or per month, if that's how you prefer to think about your writing output. For relatively novice writers, we'd recommend the following word count goals:

• 500-750 words per day
• 1,500-2,500 words per week
• 6,000-10,000 words per month

These goals are based on a pattern of 3-4 sessions per week, which is reasonable for a beginner, but still enough to make commendable progress. Even if you only follow our  minimum  recommendations — 500 words per session at 3 sessions per week — you can still easily finish your book in less than a year!

Speeding up the writing process

If you're looking for how to write a book  as fast as possible , your word count goals should look a little more like this:

• 1,500-2,000 words per session
• 9,000-15,000 words per week
• 35,000-50,000 words per month

The figures above adhere roughly to  NaNoWriMo , the event in which participants write an average of 1,667 words/day to complete a 50,000-word book in  one month . It's hard work, but it's definitely possible to write a book that quickly; hundreds of thousands of people do so every year!

But as any author who's done NaNo can attest, it's also a pretty grueling experience. Most authors find it exhausting to write such great quantities for so many days in a row — and they still have to  edit copiously  once they're done.

If this is your first book, make sure you take your time, set manageable word goals, and gradually build to bigger goals.

Use writing sessions to establish a schedule

Having a healthy writing routine is the only way you'll actually hit those word count goals — not to mention it fosters a better relationship with writing overall! To establish a healthy routine, ask yourself these baseline questions first:

• When do I have the most free time in the day/week?
• What time of the day do I tend to be most productive?
• How can I space out my writing sessions effectively?
• Will I realistically be able to balance my writing goals with other responsibilities?

The best way to set up your routine is to take advantage of your pre-existing schedule and natural patterns. So for example, if you already go to the gym on Tuesdays and Thursdays, perhaps the best time to write would be on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Or if you find yourself most creative late at night ( many of us do! ), you can plan late-night sessions over the weekend/before your day off, so you can sleep in the next day.

Ultimately, you just want a well-balanced writing routine that facilitates productivity, yet keeps you from burning out. If you find that writing for several days in a row is too much for you, space out your sessions more or try to shake things up by moving to a new writing space. If you can't keep up with your goals, it's okay to reduce them a little.

Yes, writing a lot is important, but it's not more important than your mental health! Remember that writing a book is a marathon, not a sprint, and that a consistent, healthy approach is absolutely vital. Here are some tips for making the most of your writing routine.

Don't skip more than one session in a row

Life happens, and sometimes you won't be able to make a planned writing session. However, unless it's a serious emergency, you should try to get back in the saddle for your next session. Otherwise, you'll lose too much progress and feel discouraged, which typically leads to skipping even  more  writing sessions, and eventually giving up.

Track your progress

With our free writing app, the Reedsy Book Editor , you'll see the numbers update automatically depending on your activity: you'll see how many words you added  and deleted on any given day. Depending on the overall goal you set for your manuscript, you'll also see your daily targets adjust depending on how much you've written so far.

Use a site blocker to stay focused

Distraction is the enemy of routine, and the biggest distraction in our modern world is the Internet. To that end, download a site-and-app blocker to use during your writing sessions so you won't be enticed by social media or adorable cat memes. We'd recommend  Freedom , as you can schedule block sessions in advance and even keep track of your productivity   within  the app.

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Another major component of how to write a book is  where  you write, hence why it gets a separate section. If you want to complete an entire book, you absolutely must find a calm, focused space for your writing.

This may be in your house, a coffee shop, a library, a co-working space — wherever you can work productively and without interruptions. It should also be a place that you can access easily and go often. Working from home is the most convenient option in this sense, but it may be difficult if you have family around, or if you don't have a designated “room of one's own” (i.e. an actual office, or at least a desk).

What does a good writing space look like?

Try out different locations to see what works for you. Indeed, you may find that you like to rotate writing spaces because it keeps you energetic and your writing fresh! But wherever you go, do your best to make the space:

• Quiet  (noise-canceling headphones can be very helpful)
• Clean  (no clutter, especially if you do chores to procrastinate)
• Non-distracting  (nothing too fun around to tempt you away from writing; turn off your phone so other people won't bother you)
• Your own  (cultivate a nice atmosphere in your home office with posters and plants, or simply take the same seat at your local café every time — truly carve out a “dedicated writing space”)

We've already talked about a few different pieces of software to help you with writing a book. But if you haven't found the right app or program yet, never fear — there's plenty more where those came from!

Book writing software is a topic we've actually  written an entire post about , but it's worth touching on a few of our favorite writing tools here:

Scrivener 🖋️

Scrivener is  the  downloadable writing software of choice for many writers, and for good reason: it has an exceptional interface and tons of useful features. You can outline chapters with its drag-and-drop system, create labels for elements you want to track, and use various templates to plan AND format your book. If you want to feel like a true professional, you can't go wrong with Scrivener — and it's even free to try for 30 days.

Or if you're not much for outlines because your thoughts are all over the place, Milanote can help. The super-flexible interface allows you to “mind map” just as you would longhand, and rearrange different sections as you please. When writing, you can see all your notes at once, so you don't have to stress about forgetting things. It's a very refreshing, intuitive way approach that's worth a try for all disorganized authors.

FocusWriter ✍️

Speaking of intuitive, what's more intuitive than simply writing on a piece of paper, no distractions — just like the old days? Meet FocusWriter, which allows you to do exactly that. The full-screen default interface is a sheet of paper on a wooden desk: no bells, no whistles, no distractions whatsoever. Seriously, this one will get you in the zone.

The Reedsy Book Editor 📖

We couldn't leave out one of the coolest word processing, editing, and formatting tools on the market! All jokes aside, the RBE lets you cleanly format your book  as you go,  so you can watch it take shape in real-time. You can also add sections for front matter and back matter and invite collaborators to edit your text. Plus you can toggle on goal reminders to make sure that you're on track with your writing schedule. Once you finish writing, you can export the files of your book. But don't take our word for it: you can try the RBE for free right here .

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Set goals, track progress, and establish your writing routine in our free app.

Getting into the groove of writing a book can be difficult. When there are a million different things to distract and discourage you, how can you keep going with your writing routine and finish your book?

Based on ours and other writers' experience, here are a few motivational strategies for you to try:

• Make a list of reasons  why  you want to write a book.  Having a tangible reminder of your true purpose is one of the best ways to motivate yourself, so think hard: Do you want to send an important message? Reach a certain group of people? Or do you simply yearn to tell this particular story? Write down all your reasons and keep them as an ace in the hole for when your motivation dwindles.
• Find someone else to write with you.  Getting a writing buddy is another great way to stay motivated! For one thing, you get some camaraderie during this process; for another, it means you can't slack off too much. So ask your writer friends if they'd like to meet up regularly, or join an  online writing community . With the latter, just make sure you exchange progress updates and proof that you're actually writing!
• Reward yourself at important milestones.  Sometimes the best motivation is the prospect of treating yourself. If you respond well to this kind of motivation, set a goal, a deadline, and a reward for meeting it: “If I can write 10,000 more words by the end of the month, I'll go out for an amazing, fancy dinner with all my friends.” This kind of goal is also helpful because you can  tell  your friends about it, and that very act will hold you accountable.

For even more advice on how to staying motivated through the writing process, check out this Reedsy Live from author and writing coach Kevin Johns!

Don't give up

Remember how we said you'd inevitably get stuck? Well, that's what this step is all about: what to do when you hit a wall. Whether it's a tricky plot hole, an onslaught of insecurity, or a simple lack of desire to write, all writers experience setbacks from time to time.

There are countless ways to  overcome writer's block , from freewriting to working on your characters to taking a shower (yes, that's a legitimate tip!). However, here are some of the most effective techniques we've found:

• Revisit your outline.  This will jog your memory as to planned story elements you've forgotten — which may help you find the missing piece.
• Try writing exercises.  It's possible you just need to get the words flowing, and then you can jump get right back into your book. Luckily for you, we have a whole host of great writing exercises  right here!
• Share your experience with friends.  This is another great role for your writing buddy to fill, but you can easily talk about writer's block with your non-writing friends, too. If you're struggling, it always helps to vent and bounce ideas off other people.
• Take a  short  break to do something else.  Yes, sometimes you need to step away from the keyboard and clear your head. But don't take more than a day or so, or else you'll lose momentum and motivation.

Most of all, remember to take setbacks in stride and not let them get you down. As platitudinous as that might sound, it's true: the only thing that can stop you from writing a book is if you, well,  stop writing . So keep calm and carry on — every day brings new opportunities and you'll get through this.

Your aim at this point is not to emerge with an instant masterpiece. The quality almost always emerges in the edit.

You can write all day, all night, to your heart's content... but if no one else likes what you've written, you might end up heart broken  instead. That's why it's crucial to request feedback on your book, starting early and from as many sources as possible.

Begin by asking your friends and fellow writers to read just a few chapters at a time. However, apply their suggestions not only to those chapters, but wherever relevant. For example, if one of your friends says, “[Character A] is acting weird in this scene,” pay extra attention to that character to ensure you haven't misrepresented them anywhere else.

Once your book is finished, you're ready for some more intensive feedback. Consider  getting a beta reader  to review your entire book and provide their thoughts. You may want to hire an editor to give you professional feedback as well. (Find out about the different types of editing, and which type your book might need,  in this post .)

Finally, it might sound obvious, but we'll say it anyway for all you stubborn writers out there: feedback is useless if you don't actually listen to it. Separate yourself from your ego and don't take anything personally, because no one wants to offend you — they're just trying to help.

You’ve persevered to the end at last: brainstormed, outlined, and written a draft that you've edited extensively (based on feedback, of course). Your book has taken its final form, and you couldn’t be prouder. So what comes next?

Well, if you’ve taken our advice about catering to your target readers, you may as well give publishing a shot! We have a  full guide to publishing right here  — and if you’re thinking about traditional publishing,  read this article  to decide which is right for you.

Get help from publishing professionals

Publishing is another rigorous process, of course. But if you’ve come this far to find out how to write a book, you can pretty much do anything! Invest in  stellar cover design , study up on  marketing , or start writing an  irresistible query letter  that will get you an offer.

Whichever route you take, one thing will remain true: you’ve written a book, and that’s an incredible achievement. Welcome to the 0.1% — and may the next book you write be even greater than the first. 📖

13/12/2019 – 15:33

thank you for helping me find a new way to write my book

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Incident in the Park Question

Lack of courtesy between the police and civilians leads to lethal conflicts. Justify the validity of this statement using illustrations from Meja Mwangi’s incident in the park.

Lack of courtesy between the police and civilians leads to lethal conflicts. justify the validity of thisstatement using illustrations from meja mwangi’s incident in the park. (20 marks).

• Across the world, over centuries, the behaviour of some of the police officers has caused dire repercussions. Sometimes this happens due to excessive use of force or simply wrongful application of the law and policies, but majorly this occurs as a result of impolitel interactions between the two parties.
• Incident in the Park shows how city dwellers, hawkers and loafers find themselves in conflicts with the police over flimsy and petty reasons often ending unpleasantly. When the two constables accost the fruit peddler, he gets startled and confused. They demand for his licence and identity card which he obviously doesn’t have. Then he offers five shillings which doesn’t seem good enough as one constable shrugs. This means that at times if the offer were attractive, they would have accepted it and left him.
• The police refuse to listen to the fruit merchant and harshly shove him along the street to the city telling him he will explain to the judge. This complicates matters even more because the fruit- seller fears the judge more, It throws him into more panic as he has a case that is coming up the following week and the judge is a “tyrant”. He explains further that he is selling this time so that he can afford a fine but all his entreaties fall on deaf ears They remain unimpressed saying nothing until he breaks away and flees into the crowded city.
• The situation escalates when the constables chase the fleeing man shouting for help from the passers-by. They actually betroth him unto the mob. A city man intercepts him and another man lunges for him as shouts increase. Tossed here and there as a suspect, the desperate fruit peddler stumbles and falls into a ditch, No one seems to care to find out what really is happening before taking action. No one listens as he pleads for mercy, This is where he meets his Verdict’ which is death. According to the crowd, ‘justice’ is administered. The mob universally condemn him without plausible evidence.
• ​By the time the police arrive at the scene, it is too late. Their action is irreversible and fatal. The mob has already killed him for being a “thief”. They who are supposed to ensure public safety and security have aided the killing of a hardworking hawker by their silly mistake. This should not have happened if they had treated the man politely. An innocent life is so unnecessarily lost. This makes the public lose confidence in the police. After investigations the truth will come out and it will be hard to trust the police.
• ​In a nutshell, wanton conflicts and deaths of innocent citizens could be averted if the police handled matters with courtesy and sobriety

Drawing illustrations from Meja Mwangi's an incident in the park, write an essay to discuss the problems of urbanization

Points of interpretation

• Unemployment
• Overpopulation
• Social injustice/mob justice
• Conflict between the constables and the hawkers
• Unhygienic condition

A man of Awesome Power Question

“When one is given power, he/she should use it only for good but more often than not, people use it for wrong purpose.” Support this statement basing your argument from Nagulb  Mahfouz’s A man of Awesome Power.

• When one is given power, he/she should use it only for good but more often than not people us it f or wrong purposes. Support this statement basing your argument from Naguib Mahfouz’s ‘A Man of Awesome Power’ Many people who are in powerful positions or who have been gifted with some sort of power tend to abuse it. Instead of utilizing it for improvement of the society at large, they use if for their own selfish interests or to punish those that have wronged them, scenario is seen it ‘A Man of Awesome Power through a number of illustrations. We see Tayyib al-Mahdi utilizing the power given to him for revenge. This is not a good a way of power utilization as it causes harm to others. Tayyib realizes that he has power to order things to be and he sets out to utilize the power to change’ his country. However, the first episode where he utilizes this power shows that he is utilizing it to hit back at a person who offends him. The driver of the taxi that he hails suffers his wrath for refusing to stop. When Tayyib is on his way to the heart of the town, he hails a taxi but the driver simply waves a hand at him in haughty refuses. Tayyib’s irritation makes him stare at the rear wheels of the taxi and the two explode suddenly.
• Revenge:   He ignores the voice that reminds him that he should only use his power for good and lets his anger control him. This act of revenge was deliberate since as Tayyib bypasses the driver he feels that he has taught the man a lesson. By utilizing his power to hit back at the taxi driver. Tayyib shows that people with power use it for wrong purposes .
• Stomach pain:  We further see wrong utilization of power where Tayyib causes the man in the bus to suffer stomach pains. Although the man had physically attacked a woman, causing him to suffer stomach cramps not justified. Tayyib encounters a confrontation between the man and a woman in a public bus and the man ends up slapping the woman. Just like the incident with the taxi driver. Tayyib lets his anger control him where he focused it on the man’s stomach and immediately the man suffers severe cramps that cause him to moan and scream in pain. The pain is so intense that an ambulance had to be called to fetch him.
• Slap paisn: Allowing his anger to control him and causing pain to the man who had slapped a woman is a vengeful act which is wrong thus showing how people with power use it for wrong purposes.
• Radio: Beside. Tayyib uses the power bestowed on him to interfere with the radio presentation by causing the presenter to start sneezing. While seated in the café, he hears a radio announcer expounding on the developments that were to be expected in the future. Tayyib feels that the announce should report on what has been achieved yet instead of giving false hopes to the people. Tayyib thus decided to cause some sneezing to attack the announcer since it was the only way to stop him. Soon after, the announcer develops massive sneezes that prevent him from carrying on with the presentation. Tayyib feels happy and victorious after the unexpected conclusion of the announcement. Although his desire is to purify the broadcasting sector, the approach of causing massive sneezing to the presenter is harmful and thus wrong.
• Passion: Lastly , Tayyib is seen to sue the power given to him to satisfy his sexual passion and desires Tayyib utilizes the power to make a woman that he is attracted to notice him. While he is seated at the tea garden planning how to effectively use his power Tayyib notices a beautiful woman approaching the entrance of the garden. The woman does not notice him at first and Tayyib thinks of how through his powers he can cause her to be head-over-heels with him. He then send her a hidden message and she responds to him. He sees nothing wrong with satisfying his desires as a way of repairing himself. He closes his note book and they surrender to fate. This is an immoral act since Tayyib is married to Haniya whom he had remained faithful to throughout their marriage. People gifted with power should strive to use it only for good purposes and not to cause pain suffering to others or for immoral deeds like Tayyib did.

The Neighbourhood Watch

People living on the streets apply wisdom in order to survive the difficult conditions. Write an essay to qualify this statement citing illustrations from Rem'y Ngamije’s The Neighbourhood Watch.

On the streets, conditions are challenging. One needs experience, knowledge, and sound judgment in addition to dedication and effort to survive.

To endure the harsh conditions on the streets, Neighbourhood Watch members use wisdom.

They  are  shrewd  enough  to  get  up  early  in  the  morning  to  go  food  hunting.  Before  the  full  dawn,  Elias,  Lazarus,  and  Omagano  leave.  They  depart  early  so  they  can  find  the  overflowing  trash  cans  behind  eateries,  which  are  the  true  rewards. One  can  purchase  palatable,  semi-fresh  morsels  in  the  early  morning. The  food  begins  to  spoil  in  the  late  morning.  "The  early  bird  does  not  catch  the  worm,"  the  neighborhood  watch  is  aware.  Elias,  Lazarus,  and  Omagano  prolong  their  strides  in  order  to  arrive  on  time. They  are  aware  that  in  the  streets,  time  is  of  the  importance.

The crew is aware that maintaining strong relationships with other people is essential to their survival. The vast majority of the city's kitchen personnel like working with Elias. They call him "Soldier" or "Captain," respectively. For him and his crew, they occasionally leave produce that is nearly rotting away. Elias occasionally found himself lucky enough to receive rotting mangoes, wrinkled carrots, and potatoes with broken skins due to the positive relationship. The employees would be kind enough to provide them the night before's smushed leftovers, such as half-eaten burgers, sauce-drenched chips, or salads. Since the majority of the kitchen staff is underpaid, they frequently have to carry leftovers home to their own families. It is It is amazing that Elias manages to get some food from them.

Because the Neighbourhood Watch team is so clever, they have divided into specialized units. While Silas and Martin are charged with looking for additional necessities, Elias, Lazarus, and Omagano are always on duty. Elias had previously been living alone, but when he met Lazarus, he suggested that they form a partnership because it was exhausting to scavenge for food and other necessities of life on the streets. Lazarus first resisted. The chilly evenings compelled him to cooperate. Since two individuals could cover more ground, it worked for them.

When not out on a foraging mission, the crew is wise enough to secure a safe haven where they can sleep or simply hide. The Neighbourhood Watch considers the underside of the bridge to be valuable real estate. When it rains and on chilly winter evenings, it provides a crucial shelter. The letters NW painted on the columns have the same impact as a leopard's territory bordering musty pee.Other crews are wise to avoid intruding there for fear of bloody vengeance. Additionally, it provides a secure location to store their supplies so they won't have to carry their sparse belongings with them wherever they go. They would move more slowly if they had more luggage while they searched their neighborhoods for food and other necessities. Elias dials their regional command center. He wakes up the rest of the team in the morning, and they all share a can of water to wash their faces. A safe area is essential to a street family.

They might accomplish more in a day if one searched for food and the other for other necessities. They are aware now that women and children make excellent recruits. Some obstinate guards demand a 10 or 20 dollar bribe before allowing them to go through gated containers. Elias typically pays them, but when he is strapped for cash, Omagano takes care of business alongside a guard behind the garbage. On the other hand, the treasures team offers discarded blankets, beds, clothes, reusable shoes, trolleys, etc. While trolleys are practical, they can also be exchanged for more helpful items. Separately working, the two crews come together in the late afternoon. Bread, mashed potatoes, grapes, and water are shared as food. The valuables crew brings newspapers, plastic piping and poorboy caps.

Additionally, the Neighbourhood Watch is familiar with the city and its neighborhoods. Elias requests the group's rest because they will be going foraging in Ausblick tonight. Right now, it's too hot to be outside. The Neighbourhood Watch is better and more profitable at night. The crew is aware that by hitting the bins early, they may be able to find some useful items in Ausblick, such as broken toasters, blenders, water bottles, teflon pots or pans, flat-screen TV cardboard boxes, and even some food. In Ausblick, people still know how to dispose of stuff.

While Martin and Omagano push the cart, Elias, Lazarus, and Silas will scan the area in front of them for valuables. They are aware that Ausblick, like Olympia and Suiderhof, will soon be congested. Previously, Pionierspark was worthwhile, but not any longer. Presently, the Neighbourhood Watch are dissuaded by ocular prowls, canine barking, and patrol vehicles manned by irate, screaming individuals. They are aware that the faster they can arrive at Ausblick, the better.

The neighborhood watch is aware that living on the streets requires a present-focused mindset rather than one that is preoccupied with the past or the future. Each person enters the streets with a history. Lazarus' tattoos are proof of his time spent in jail. Since he was shot at by the South African Defense Forces, Elias does not fear him. They don't have time to reflect on the past because of their hunger or need for food on the streets. Lazarus and Elias both have some street smarts. He claims that there is only now and no future for the streets. "You must eat today. Your need for refuge today. You have today's needs to attend to.

The staff stays away from the streets on Fridays and Saturdays and makes a secure retreat to Headquarters. They take this action to prevent scuffles with police on patrol. Martin can't go with Silas, despite his desire to do so. Elias and Lazarus make fun of the fools who wait by the side of the road in Klein Windhoek and Eros to fix a window, paint a room, install a sink, or lay some tiles because they are too proud to go scavenging for food. They ultimately return home hungry. Martin believes that if those "fools" could occasionally find employment, perhaps things might improve. There is only now, says Elias, and "maybe is tomorrow." To survive on the streets, one must pay attention to the here and now. "Today is every day."

The rest of the team hears Elias and Lazarus' observations from the streets, including how they came to their decision to switch directions. The group discovered that being near people who are striving to survive is not a good way to survive. When foraging in the underprivileged areas, you only find what people don't require to survive.

The Neighbourhood Watch is aware that poor people only discard filthy waste and useless newborns. You had to be prepared to find shit in the impoverished areas: expired food, condoms that had been used, women's items that had been stained with blood, and broken items. Once, while searching for newspapers to start a fire, Elias and Lazarus were horrified to discover a dead infant. They realized that an upgrade was necessary. Only because they had to survive did they go there.

You do everything and travel everywhere to survive. Being picky is impossible. But now they are aware that they need to advance and visit locations where there is enough trash to go around. Such people live in neighborhoods where there are both white people and black people attempting to pass for white. They finally make the wise decision to leave the impoverished who have nothing to discard on their own.

Finally, the Neighbourhood Watch is astute enough to recognize that some neighborhoods must be avoided. They stay away from Khomsadal because it is busy and overly drunken there. Due of his pride and drunkenness, they lost their friend Amos there. He formerly called people names, used foul language, and never asked for forgiveness. Then he was fatally stabbed.

The neighborhood watch is aware of the problem of dead bodies on the streets. Police would essentially ask witnesses to provide explanations. They beat people with batons, caused paperwork headaches, and detained innocent people. Everyone, including Elias and Lazarus, understood they had to flee when Amos died. When the police caught up with them, they had the good sense to stay with their original explanation that they had nothing to do with the murder. They had fractured ribs, swollen eyes, bruises, bleeding, damaged skin, and injured limbs, but that was better than dying. They know enough to stay far away from Khomsadal.

In conclusion, adversity teaches people how to adapt and survive. Survival depends on acuity.

People with admirable traits stand out. Basing your illustrations on Vrenika Pather's Ninema , write an essay to validate this assertion.

Exemplary attributes arouse respect and approval. Ninema is a young beautiful woman whose praiseworthy character makes her the embodiment of magnificence. She stands out from the pack at the market place.

First, Ninema is industrious. She rises early at 4:00 AM to reap her herbs from her garden. She has green fingers and her crops are healthy. She is also an enterprising businesswoman. To earn a living, she sells fresh produce at the Indian market. She learned the trade from her parents. Her business makes good profit. At the end of a long working day, her hanky bulges with notes and coins. Her diligence makes her remarkably superior to others.

Secondly, Ninema is resilient. She is as tough as old boots. She is contented and accepts her situation but does not resign to it. She faces many challenges and wins. She is thus respected.

Ninema is also focused. She does not pay heed to the trifles when people admire her for her physical beauty. She is indeed a beautiful woman with long black hair. Her beauty turns heads. As she walks balancing her baskets on her head, her hips sway from side to side. Her sari drapes around her perfect body kept in place by her high, firm breasts. Her long, toned arms and cinched waist cause men to stop and stare. She faces them with piercing black eyes. Women admire her high cheekbones. She does not pay heed to the attention. She has laser-like focus on earning a living. She doesn’t waste time chatting with other women at the market because she has no time to waste. Indeed Ninema is focused.

Ninema is good-natured and she treats her customers well. She is wise enough to provide genial customer service. She takes extra care of her first and last customer. She says they bring luck. She learned her trade from her parents and thus she believes in the grace and power of generational knowledge. She is also good at accounting. She can count faster than you can utter the word “herb”. She treats all her loyal customers with respect and appreciation. She masterfully handles the stubborn Mrs. Singh and respectfully calls her auntie.

Furthermore, Ninema is affable and the clients like her. Mr. Chimran is always the first to support her. The other women joke that he is in love with Ninema. He is a rich lawyer from the high Brahmin caste. Nonetheless, he is infatuated with Ninema a poor girl from the low caste. She makes his days. He buys too much from her until the mother complains. He cannot fathom the idea of an arranged marriage which will deny him the chance of visiting Ninema's stall. Mrs. Singh is rich but she also enjoys buying her herbs from Ninema. She haggles for lower prizes simply to spend more time with Ninema, away from the boredom of her big lonely house. She lingers bargaining in order to interact with Ninema more. Ninema also takes personal interest in the lives of her customers. She knows whose son is studying medicine in India, whose daughter just got married, and who moved into a new house and where they bought it.

Ninema is self assured and confident. She runs her business with an iron fist. She is her own person – acts independently with confidence. She does not give in to what other people expect of her. This thrills as much as it irks many people. It makes the ladies in the other stands fond of her. They often compromised themselves at work and at home. This makes them angry with themselves. They look up to Ninema. They admire her since she is different though she’s one of them. They want to learn her secret. Mrs. Singh relentlessly bargains for lower prices but Ninema does not budge.

• Ninema is organized and that is why her business flourishes. She has a steady flow of customers. She arranges her herbs appetizingly. The customers are attracted by the look and smell of her stall. There is high demand for Ninema’s herbs. She is always busy at lunchtime when the rich professionals patronize her during their lunch break.
• Ninema is also tough. When an amorous man blocks her way and tries to harass her, she stares directly at him. She defends herself by fighting him so ferociously that the shameless man is left astounded. This attracts cheers and jeers and hearty laughs of approval from the other women at the market.

Lastly, Ninema is prudent. She is a poor girl living a modest lifestyle but she has big plans. She saves part of her money with a view of buying a big house of her own. Currently her house has neither hot running water nor a kitchen inside. She has to wash her face and feet using cold water in the outside tap. However, with the money she’s saving she plans to buy a house with the running hot water and a kitchen inside. It will have a big garden where she can plant fruits.

In conclusion, Ninema is the pinnacle of magnificence. Because of her praiseworthy traits, she seems remarkably superior to her peers. Indeed, exemplary attributes attract respect and make us stand out.

Ivory Bangles by Eric Ng'maryo. Question

Love knows no bounds though it can lead one to misery if not handled cautiously', write an essay to bring out the truth in this assertion basing your illustrations from the story Ivory Bungles by Eric Ng'maryo.

Introduction.

Affection has no limits, however, it can make one suffer if not handled with care. The old man and his wife love each other too much that he fails to give his wife a ritual beating as demanded by the pebblee earning his wife an untimely demise.

• Out of Love, the old man. fails/refuses to give his wife a ritual beating as demanded by the pebbles. Pg 21, "The seer's pebble said someone was going to die. The pebbles said a wife was going to die. The pebbler said the spirits were jealous of a happy wife, a woman unmolested by her husband until old age, until she was called 'Grandmother'. He is over-whelmed by the love he has for his wife and what he can do to avert the beating. (Pg 22) He suggests they could be appeased by any number of goats. He began telling the wife where he had gone but is carried away when she offers the meals and the warmth. He says, "This was not the atmosphere for discussing the words of the pebbles. He delays this until they agree to hatch a plan to counter attack. In the end, he losesr his wife just as the pebbles had prophesied.
• Out of Love, the old man fails to heed to the advice of the ageing chief to get himself another wife.This was shortly after he was made Councillor as a reward for bravery shown in the Battle of Five Rainy Day, he answers mwith a riddle on why he cannot marry other wives. In the end he loses the wife. Pg 22, "He still was the chief's councillor, much respected, but also much talked about because he had only one wife and a councillor was a small chief and whoever heard of a chief with one wife? The old man fails to marry another wife Out of the love and satisfaction he derived from the one wife he had. In the end, he loses the wife and remains a wifeless chief.
• Out of Love, the Old Man goes out of his way to poach an elephant, extract its tusks which he uses to make coweries for his wife. Pg 23, "She is very comely in the many ivory bangles. she wears. I made them, Sir and the ivory was from the elephant I shot with a poisoned arrow. I brought one of the tusks as it is custom. "People say you bought the bangles, He pretends to a carver. The woman pleased him in the bangles. The ones on her hands were etched with mnemonic marks for a long love poem. He had presented the bangles to her when their first born child, now their only son, was given a name. She had looked like a chief's bride. She later becomes the victim of human-animal conflict when The elephants whose tusks she adorns kill her mercilessly. her. 
• The Old Man's wife out of love for the husband remarks that she knows the seer and that he once wanted to marry. She agrees to hatch a plan in order to go to her mbrother's place in pretence that she has been beaten. Then later call for reconciliation by the parents (Pg 24). She deliberately delays her going to the brother and decides to go first weed the garden, In her own words she says his son has beaten the wife to near death. "Why is my son so different ,from his father?" Pg. 25. As she plans to go while weeding her garden, a rouge elephant trumps her down. In conclusion, Love is good. It knows no limits but coupled with defiance or lack of caution can lead us to unforseen misery. This is clearly seen in the lives of the old man and his wife.

Ninema People with admirable traits stand out. Basing your illustrations on Vrenika Pather's Ninema, write an essay to validate this assertion.

•  Ninema is industrious. She rises early at 4:00 AM to reap her herbs from her garden. She has green fingers and her crops are healthy. She is also an enterprising businesswoman. To earn a living, she sells fresh produce at the Indian market. She learned the trade from her parents. Her business makes a good profit. At the end of a long working day, her hanky bulges with notes and coins. Her diligence makes her remarkably superior to others.
• Ninema is resilient. She is as tough as old boots. She is contented and accepts her situation but does not resign to it. She faces many challenges and wins. She is thus respected.
• Ninema is also focused. She does not pay heed to the trifles when people admire her for her physical beauty. She is indeed a beautiful woman with long black hair. Her beauty turns heads. As she walks balancing her baskets on her head, her hips sway from side to side. Her sari drapes around her perfect body kept in place by her high, firm breasts. Her long, toned arms and cinched waist cause men to stop and stare. She faces them with piercing black eyes. Women admire her high cheekbones. She does not pay heed to the attention. She has a laser-like focus on earning a living. She doesn’t waste time chatting with other women at the market because she has no time to waste. Indeed, Ninema is focused.
• Ninema is good-natured and she treats her customers well. She is wise enough to provide genial customer service. She takes extra care of her first and last customers. She says they bring luck. She learned her trade from her parents and thus she believes in the grace and power of generational knowledge. She is also good at accounting. She can count faster than you can utter the word “herb”. She treats all her loyal customers with respect and appreciation. She masterfully handles the stubborn Mrs. Singh and respectfully calls her auntie.
• Ninema is affable and the clients like her. Mr. Chimran is always the first to support her. The other women joke that he is in love with Ninema. He is a rich lawyer from the high Brahmin caste. Nonetheless, he is infatuated with Ninema a poor girl from the low caste. She makes his days. He buys too much from her until the mother complains. He cannot fathom the idea of an arranged marriage that will deny him the chance of visiting Ninema's stall. Mrs. Singh is rich but she also enjoys buying her herbs from Ninema. She haggles for lower prizes simply to spend more time with Ninema, away from the boredom of her big lonely house. She lingers on bargaining in order to interact with Ninema more. Ninema also takes a personal interest in the lives of her customers. She knows whose son is studying medicine in India, whose daughter just got married, and who moved into a new house and where they bought it.
• Ninema is self-assured and confident. She runs her business with an iron fist. She is her own person – acts independently with confidence. She does not give in to what other people expect of her. This thrills as much as it irks many people. It makes the ladies in the other stands fond of her. They often compromised themselves at work and at home. This makes them angry with themselves. They look up to Ninema. They admire her since she is different though she’s one of them. They want to learn her secret. Mrs. Singh relentlessly bargains for lower prices but Ninema does not budge.
• Ninema is prudent. She is a poor girl living a modest lifestyle but she has big plans. She saves part of her money with a view to buying a big house of her own. Currently, her house has neither hot running water nor a kitchen inside. She has to wash her face and feet using cold water from the outside tap. However, with the money she’s saving she plans to buy a house with running hot water and a kitchen inside. It will have a big garden where she can plant fruits.

In conclusion, Ninema is the pinnacle/embodiment of magnificence. Because of her praiseworthy traits, she seems remarkably superior to her peers. Indeed, exemplary attributes attract respect and make us stand out.

A Man of Awesome Power

Lack of sound judgment results in regret. Making reference to A Man of Awesome Power , write an essay to justify this claim.

Lack of good sense results in misguided decisions which may torment us eternally. In A Man of Awesome Power Tayyib al-Mahdi misuses and in turn loses his awesome power due to moments of rash imprudence.

Tayyib al-Mahdi uses his awesome power to punish the taxi driver who ignores him when he hails it. Tayyib al-Mahdi tries to flag down the taxi but the driver ignores him disdainfully. Unlike when this happened in the past, now Tayyib al-Mahdi is filled with greater irritation. In this moment of anger, he makes an impulsive decision to punish the man. He considers that he could make the driver suffer an accident. He decides to shatter the taxi's rear wheels instead. He knows that he should use his powers only for good but his anger results in his recklessness. As he walks by the helpless man, Tayyib al-Mahdi stares at him, resentful and enraged. He feels like he had taught the man a much needed lesson .

Tayyib al-Mahdi hastily punishes the radio announcer only because he is irritated with his views. The announcer was expounding on promising developments expected in the future this is after Tayyib al-Mahdi's memorable services were mistaken for an awakening of the state or outright renaissance. Tayyib al-Mahdi fills a gaping pothole, locks a dangerously hanging electrical box, removes a pile of rubbish and drains a sewer using his awesome power. Tayyib al-Mahdi is irked by the announcer’s promises who talks about the future instead of talking about what has been accomplished. Tayyib al-Mahdy is overcome with fury and thoughtlessly punishes the man with a bout of incessant sneezing. He sneezes uncontrollably until he cannot speak and instead plays a recorded song “Walk Around and See”. Al-Mahdi plans to censor mass media by stopping any talk that annoys him. He would make speakers that displease him to sneeze spontaneously, emit shrill cries like women at a wedding, or suffer uncontrollable diarrhoea. Tayyib al-Mahdi is drunk with happiness and joy.

Tayyib al-Mahdi also misuses his awesome power when he uses it to chase the gorgeous woman at the zoo at the expense of the righteous plans he has. Tayyib al-Mahdi visits the tea garden at the zoo purposely to properly plan how to put his new powers to greater use. However, he instead uses it to seduce a gorgeous and enticing woman that catches his eye. Tayyib al-Mahdi is filled with an inexplicable desire - one that is not ordinary and his inappropriate since he has a tremendous burden of proper planning and awareness of need. This woman does not take notice of Tayyib al-Mahdi until he sends her a hidden message using his awesome powers, instantly setting her head-over-heels. He decides to heal himself instead of repairing the world. This ill-advised move results in the loss of his powers and his vibrant mood. The miracle disappears like a dream because of his selfish imprudence. He will be haunted eternally by an awesome sadness.

Tayyib al-Mahdi also makes the unwise decision of applying his power before properly planning how to use it. First, he performs random miracles. Some are memorable services like removing a pile of rubbish and draining an open sewer. Others are born out of sheer resentment and unwise personal vendetta for example shattering the taxi wheels. He later realizes that he had to consciously plan how to best utilize the powers. He obtains guides to the department of government, factories and private companies coastal among the things he plans to fix our prisons schools and universities commercial markets, then the press etc. He plans to map out every phase deliberately. He intends to quell any clamor, and deter any digression. He plans to fix his country then later the world. However, he fails to remain focused on the plan and is distracted by the beautiful woman at the zoo. He puts his plans on hold as he instead chooses to use the powers to pursue the woman. This imprudent resolve results in the loss of his power end he is forlornly tormented by an eternal sadness.

Truly, poor decisions are preceded by lack of good judgment and Tayyib al-Mahdi learns this the hard way.

Ninema serves as an example of a virtuous woman who should be emulated in the society. Using illustrations from the short story “Ninema” by Vrenika Pather, discuss this assertion.

• V1. Hardwork Ninema works very hard, selling her fresh produce at the Indian market so as to earn a living. She is Independent and does not wait for handouts from anyone but works very hard to earn herself a decent living
• V2. Resilient Ninema is as tough as old boots. Despite the challenges that Ninema faces, she has her eyes fixed on her goal which is to achieve a good lifestyle (buy her own house) after working so hard. We are told that she has never had running hot water and has to make do with washing her face and feet with cold water from the outside tap. She has to contend with boiling water on the open fire to take her weekly bath.
• V3. Generous Ninema gifts her new customers, the last customer of the day, a bunch of mint for free, which makes the customer very happy and she promiss to always shop for her herbs at Ninema’s stall.
• V4. Self-respecting and courageous Ninema does not condone being disrespected by anyone. When an arrogant man pinched her erect nipple at the market, she stood up for herself to the encouragement and cheers and jeers of the other women. She roughed up the man single-handedly for his immoral and unbecoming behaviour. The other women were so encouraged by this courage and cheered her for having stood firm against the disrespect.
• V5. Ambitious and determined Ninema dreams of owning a home so that she does not have to contend with bullying from landlords, a home where she will have hot water and the kitchen will be in the inside. She vows to work hard to single handedly achieve this.
• V6. Humble Ninema is beautiful and she knows it. Everyone admires her beauty. She however does not let the idea of her beauty get into her head or the idea of peoples’ admiration get into her heart as her chief concern is to earn a living.
• V7. Respectful and accomodative Ninema knows her place in the society, as a woman from the lower caste, she does not entertain Mr. Chinran’s infatuation. He is a rich lawyer from Brahmin caste. Ninema however treats him as she treats all other customers, with respect and appreciation. She also takes a personal intrest in each of her customers despite being very busy. In conclusion, the character of ninema as discussed in this essay is truly admirable and all women should emulate and try to be like her. (Accept any other valid conclusion)

Ivory Bangles

Write a composition to illustrate effects of human-animal conflict drawing illustrations from Eric Ng‟maryo‟s „‟ Ivory Bangles‟‟.

Introduction

Confrontation between wild animals and human being is becoming more rampant in the modern world. During such scenarios, the result becomes adverse both for humans and the animals including and destruction of property. Accept any other relevant introduction

• C1: Death of people Human-animal conflict sometimes gives rise to casualties. People may lose their lives during human-animal confrontation. The Councilors’ wife is killed by a bull elephant. As the scouts chased the elephants which invaded the village with noise and arrows, the bull elephant is wounded. Instead of following the cows into the banana grove, the he elephant picks the path up from the stream out of rage. The elephant enters the Councilors’ grove where his wife had been weeding. The bull attacked the woman, lifting her bodily. It then bashed her on trees and banana plants before putting her on the ground and stamping on her repeatedly. In this manner the woman loses her life.
• C2: Destruction of property Conflict between human and animals also leads to destruction of property. When the councilor’s wife goes to the market, she gets to learn that a herd of elephants have invaded the village. The people express fear that the beasts would be devastating to the young plants. The scouts warn people of the invasion by a herd of elephants. The elephants have invaded the area including banana groves. The animals cross river Marwe into Mtorobo village. The scouts shout to warn the people of Mtoboro that five she elephants have invaded their banana groves. The wounded bull also invades the grove where the wife of the chief’s councilor had been weeding.
• C3: Killing of animals Animals are also killed during confrontation between humans and animals. The killing of animals happens for various reasons. On one the one hand, the scouts strike to scare the animals out of their property as in the case of the wounded bull. Also, at the market, the councilor’ wife gets wind that the village has been invaded by elephants,. People however, are somehow relieved because people who know how to use poisoned arrows are already following the herd. They hope that with poisoned arrows, some can be killed. On the other hand, people kill animals for aesthetics and for money. The Chief appreciates the councilor’s wife saying she is comely in the twenty-four bangles she adorned. The chief is privy to the fact the councilor bought them but he is made to understand that the councilor carved them from the elephant he short with a poisoned arrow. This proves that people may kill animals during human- animal conflict.
• C4: Disturbance There is disturbance during conflict between human beings and animals. When the elephants invade the village, people who know how to use poisoned arrows are appointed to follow them. The scouts monitor the elephants and warn the public the whole day. They climb on top of trees and make noise relaying warning from one scout to another. They warn people as the elephants move from Sangeyo across river Marwe to Mtoboro homestead in Bware village. The elephants cause great disturbance to the people disrupting their activities.
• C5: Injuries to the animals Conflict between people and animals leads to animals being injured by people who attack with a view to driving them away. The bull elephant which eventually kills the woman is enraged because it had been wounded. The elephants are also followed by people who are trained to trained to use arrows.

Conclusion Humans and animals sometimes experience strife with far reaching effects. Animal and humans may cross each other’s paths leading to retaliation and counter-retaliation which turn calamitous as lives and property are lost in the duel.

The Sins of the Fathers

Basing your argument on ‘The Sins of the Fathers’ by Charles Mungoshi, show how Rondo’s scars are as a result of his father’s wrongdoings.

In “The Sins of the Father” by Charles Mungoshi, pain from past experiences and childhood trauma affect present lives and events. For example, Rondo's low self-esteem and bitterness emanates from how his father handled him while growing up.

{Any plausible introduction=2mks}

Points of Interpretations

• Si. Rondo at four/an old guitar/ first disappointment Mr. Rwafa destroys Rondo’s guitar when he is four which guts all the courage out of Rondo and destroys his self-esteem.( Pg. 30-31) Rondo’s uncle gives him an old guitar and his father comes home only to find him strumming tunelessly on the instrument. Out of anger, Mr. Rwafa breaks the guitar strings ultimately throwing the guitar into the fire while claiming that no child of his would be irresponsible rolling stones and idle like Mick Jagers and John Whites. The images of the burning guitar gut all the courage in him. The experience is so traumatizing that he even pees in his shorts. As a result, the incident implants fear in Rondo and he grows up scared of his father. Rondo cannot remember of a time when he was close to his father since his past makes him cry. (pg. 31, 40). His father destroying his guitar creates more rift and space between them ultimately becoming his first disappointment.
• Sii. Stammer. Additionally, Rondo develops a stammer and cannot speak freely due to his father’s harshness towards him. . (Pg. 31-32) Rondo’s father is a disappointed man based on many reasons including the fact that he only has one son. He pursues his duties zealously and fails to distinguish being a father from being a minister. Mr. Rwafa seems to be on a mission to destroy his son perhaps in the quest of searching for a duplicate heir. Rondo cannot answer his father’s questions thus develops a stammer due to his father’s angry nature.
• Siii. Rondo at eight/thrashing/neighbors garden/ripe mangoes Furthermore, Rondo grows up with the feeling of powerlessness based on his past traumatic encounter with his father at eight after helping himself to a neighbor’s ripe mangoes. . (Pg. 40) At that formative stage, Rondo is still learning what is right or wrong. As such, he does not see any problem going into a neighbor’s farm to eat ripe mangoes. His mother comes to his defense only to fail to help even after lifting her skirt in the man’s face. Disparaging names are thrown around. Unfortunately, Mr. Rwafa comes with his thick elephant-hide belt and, even without bothering to find out what the matter was, joins in to thrash his son. Although his mother desperately moves from one man to the other pleading for his release, Rondo feels completely uncomfortable. Consequently, the humiliating experience brings with it a sense of powerlessness that continually haunts him even in his old age. Therefore, his father failing to defend him when he was eight affects his personality later as he becomes powerless in handling life issues.
• Siv. Shadow/fool Also, Rondo continuously thinks of his father as his shadow and he has to rely on him on many things such as his new journalism job. He always thinks his father must be right and is too diminished to think otherwise. As such Rondo is even afraid for his mother whenever she has to oppose Rwafa. His father always does everything for him. His failure to think independently reduces him to a laughing stock at his place of work. His friends think he is a fool and he acts as one. His wife Selina also cautions him to stop being under his father’s shadow. His father finds him a job deciding for him that it is time he earned his upkeep money. Rondo also cannot talk against Mr. Rwafa’s sentiments when in the car back “duck shooting.” It is as though his father controls his every move while directing his life. As a result of remaining in his father’s shadow, Rondo feels as though Selina has always been the main decision maker in their marriage. At work, he also feels incapable of being a good journalist. . (Pg. 28, 29, 32, 41)
• Sv. Birthday party Moreover, during Yuna’s and Rhoda’s birthday party, Mr. Rwafa refers to Rondo as an effeminate spineless son of the family who marry into their enemies’ families, poisoning the pure blood of the Rwafa clan. . (Pg. 39, 40) This the watershed and defining moment in the already sour relationship between a father and son. It is like the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back. The disrespect that his father shows him makes Rondo feel dejected and he cannot bring himself to look at his father. Rondo cannot bring himself to his feet to even bid farewell to the departing guests. His father’s rant made him feel ashamed and powerless at the same time.
• Svi. Suspicions Rondo suspects that his father Rwafa could have been the one who orchestrated the murders of his daughters Yuna, six and Rhoda, five; and his father-in-law, Basil Mzamane. Recent events have been driving Rondo insane and making him see something else that he had always taken for granted. This is when his friend, Gaston, ask him whether he knows about the Second Street accidents. (pg 33) Rondo feels trapped by this revelation. However, he now accepts what he had refused to think about why his father left the house in morning and what he did before he returned in the evenings. Consequently, the accumulation of events and the history behind them makes him so numb that he is almost a zombie when he has the butt of a gun pointing at his father.
• Svii. Wedding/ marriage/ignominy Rondo’s father fails to acknowledge his marriage to Selina. His father actually frowns and even spit at it instead thus bringing tension in the whole family. Rwafa is one bombed-out battlefield of scars and cannot forgive his ‘enemies’. He calls it an ignominy of marrying a muNdevere and further chagrins his son for having a granddaughter with Ndevere blood as first in the family. After this marriage, nothing can appease Mr. Rwafa. It is as if his son has been written out, written off, disappeared. . (Pg. 31, 34) This has always brought tears to Rondo’s eyes to see his mother and wife together. Due to this tension Rwafa conveniently leaves town ‘on State Business’ for two weeks and does not attended his son’s wedding. Not surprising, the bill for the couples wedding is met by Basil Mzamane though his mother helps in tears. Another result of this strained relationship is that Rondo has lost touch with his father. He feels more close to his father-in-law, Basil Mzamane and would choose him as his father if he had a choice. {Any 4 well developed points=3x4=12marks}

In conclusion, Rondo’s troubles, bitterness, misgivings, powerlessness and low self-esteem are as a result of what his father did or did not do while he was growing up.

‘War can cause a lot of problems in our society and should be avoided at all costs’ With close reference to ‘Boyi’ by Gloria Mwaniga , Write an essay justifying this assertion.

INTRODUCTION (2MKS)

Conflict destroys family ties and communal bonds. Family members are separated from one another, some are traumatized and others are killed as a result of conflict. In Gloria Mwaniga’s ‘Boyi’ the militia which should protect the community land ends up being the one terrorizing the community they vowed to protect. Below are illustrations showing the challenges the community faced as result of conflict within the community.(It can be general/contextual or both)

• W1 Displacement Conflict causes displacement of people who leave their homes in huge masses to Bungoma and Uganda. The family of the narrator’s friend Chemutai moves to Chwele.The villages of Kopsiro, Saromet, Chepyuk and Chebei are engulfed by a fog of fear. The did not understand the Militia’s motive anymore. The Militia took away girls to go cook for them. People’s heads were chopped off and bodies were thrown into river Cheptap-burbur. The Militia also raped their own relatives resulting to children born who were transparent as plastic bags. The narrator imagines Boyi’s children playing appearing transparent as the plastic bags. This horrifies her terribly. Since school is disrupted by the conflict such thoughts haunts the narrator and she spends most of her time idle under the flame tree at home.
• W2 Family Disintegration Most of the families are disunited from the rest of their members. The Militia demanded 40,000 land protection tax, 10,000 land protection tax and 30,000 betrayal tax. Boyi’s father could raise the amount and suggested giving away his savings, precious radio and hunting gun and promises to give his bull Mtabakaki to raise the cash but the Militia is adamant and threatens to kill his entire family. Therefore resulted to giving away Boyi who is only 15years old until he could raise the amount. Boyi’s mother falls into depression, talking in monologues. She shouts at her husband for giving their son away she tears her Kitenge head scurf and tells him that their son is not cloth that one gives away casually. Boyi’s mother and father’s relationship disintegrated as a result of them losing their son to the Militia. Baba tries to justify his action by saying that he had to give him away otherwise the entire family would have have been tortured to death. He, however, is saddened that the boys who had vowed to protect their land had turned on them like a hungry chameleon that eats its intestines. Conflict really ruined their community.
• D3 Mental anguish. Conflict causes devastation that pushes Boyi’s mother to a state of insanity. The narrator finds the mother seated alone on a kiti moto in the kitchen. She neither looks up nor respond to greetings.She screams at the narrator to leave some tea for Boyi who will return from the caves hungry. The screaming goes on for weeks ‘stupid girl you want to finish tea for your brother and he will come from the caves hungry’, she bawls. She would sit stunned gazing at the wall declaring she envisions her son returning home after escaping from the snare of the militia. After her monologues, she would sit sadly and silently. When her madness takes a walk they would brew tea together with the narrator and would nostalgically reminisce stories about Boyi; about how he saved her marriage being a testament that her womb was not tied by Djinis. Conflict drives Baba to partake in strange tradition of burying a banana stem to drive the spirit of death away and appease Boyi’s spirit. The narrator is surprised by her father turning his back on religion. The mother refuses to be part of the ritual of sending her son’s spirit away. She has lost touch with reality and lives in denial. Boyi’s family was traumatized by the militia.
• D4 Misery In her anguish, Mama is too despondent to eat. She sits muttering to herself without touching her ugali until it would form a brown crust. The narrator would take it and throw it away in the chicken coop. She sits and talks to herself for hours on end lamenting about her suffering. She asks God to tie a rope around her stomach. Boyi’s family was devasted that he had been recruited by the militia by force.
• D5 Work disruption Conflict disrupts work in the village. That December the farmers do not clear their farms for the second planting of maize. The militia steals young crops from the fields and goats from pens. Instead of working, men and women sit and exchange dreadful tales of the horrendous cruelty of the militia. The militia cut people and throw their bodies in rivers, pit latrines and wells. They recruit boys as young as ten years who are forced to kill their own relatives. Instead of protecting the land, the militia goes on an indiscriminate killing spreeand their kins are victims of the aggression instead of beneficiaries. Boyi’s sister has a terrible dream that her brother attacks her and chops her head off into small pieces. She is traumatized by this dream.
• D6 Dehumanisation As result of war, innocent children turn into savages. These young boys are forced to murder or rape their own kinsmen. Boyi has gone from a God fearing young man to a wanted criminal. Chesaina tells his parents that he is now a marked man. The distressing news crashes Boyi’s parents and reduces oth of them to tears. They cannot wrap their heads around the fact that their good son who recited Psalms devotedly is now Matwakei’s right hand man and an enemy of the state. War truly ruins families.
• D7 Killings Boyi’s family is devastated by the news of his killing. The nation newspaper headlines screams coldly ‘Ragtag militia leaders killed by Army Forces’ Baba crumples like an old coat due to shock. Mama is too stunned to cry. She simply laughs. Boyi’s sister is too gutted to cry. War has robbed them of their kin in the prime of his youth. Boyi is murdered brutally after being flung out of a helicopter which was mid air. There was no body to bury or for Mama to slap for that matter. She does not roll on the ground as is custom. She is neither bitter nor sad. She only has eyes of lunacy and a voice of death. She truly is devastated. She sits on Boyi’s bed together with the daughter who weeps uncontrollably, her tears soaking her clothes. Boyi’s family was deeply destroyed by the war.

CONCLUSION(2 MKS)

It is evident that conflict or crisis has no positive outcome. It instead destroys families and communities and should therefore be shunned.

 Essay 13

“War causes a lot of harm and thus should be avoided at any cost.” Validate this statement basing your illustrations from Chimamanda Adichie's 'Ghosts'

INTRODUCTION:

Whenever people engage in some form of conflict and fighting, there are grave implications that follow as is seen in Ghosts' where the civil war that happened from the events of July 6, 1967 causing untold suffering and pain to the people.

• (Si) Displacement of people. Many people are forced to run away from their country and their homes when the civil war broke out. Prof. James and Ikenna's meeting take James down the memory lane where he recounts how they were forced to evacuate Nsukka in a hurry in July 6, 1967 when the war began. Through their conversation, we learn that Ikenna has lived in Sweden ever since the war began and has only come back to Nsukka recently. He discloses that he was flown out on Red Cross planes just like many other children had been airlifted to Gabon. Prof. James did not escape the displacement since he and his wife, Ebere had to move to America when the war broke out. Many people are seen to have been forced to leave their motherland as a result of the civil war.
• (Sii) War leads to loss of lives. Several people had their lives cut short due to the civil war. The return of Ikenna comes as a surprise to Prof, James since Ikenna was thought to have died in the war. It is no wonder that Prof initially thought of throwing a handful of sand at him just like his people did to ensure that it was not a ghost. Actual loss of life is seen through Ikenna's family. While explaining to prof the reason why he never returned to Nsukka after the war, Ikenna tells him that his whole family was killed when Orlu was bombed during the war thus he had nobody to come back to. It is not just Ikenna who lost loved ones but Prof too. His first daughter Zik died in the war. He tells Ikenna that the war took Zik. It is no wonder they named their second daughter Nkiruka which means: what is ahead is better.
• (Siii) Massive destruction and loss of property. When Prof James and his wife first returned to Nsukka when the war ended in 1970, they noticed major destructions that had occurred. Prof recounts how they found their house and items destroyed. His books were lying in front of the gate, his Mathematical Annals torn and used as tissue paper, the bath tab used as toilet and their photos ripped and their frames broken. The massive destruction of their house was too much that they had to be assigned a different house in a different street to avoid seeing their old house. In the process of their house being destroyed, they lose their Piano that belonged to Ebere. Prof also remembers the landscape as he drove back to Nsukka after the war. The massive destruction is recounted by Prof shows how destructive war is.
• (Siv) Psychological suffering. Those who experienced and the memories of it. Prof James is seen to have lived with the memories of the war. He easily remembers every detail of the war as he recounts it to Ikenna. Ikenna has suffered psychologically as is seen from the fact that he lost all his family in Orlu hence the reason he does not return to Nsukka. His psychological suffering is further seen from the fact that he never remarries after the war took his wife. Further evidence of psychological pain is seen where Prof observes how his people avoided the topic of war and if they engaged in it, it was with some vagueness. The naming of their second daughter Nkiruka- what is ahead is better, also shows the pain that Prof and Ebere: were trying to avoid. The people also suffer physical pain. Prof.James remembers how a wounded soldier was shoved in their car on the day they returned to Nsukka.

CONCLUSION:

War causes loss of lives, displacement of people and destruction of properties among other effects. People should thus strive to live in harmony and avoid it at all costs.

A Silent Song

People living with disability may face certain limitations. Using illustrations from Leonard Kibera’s A Silent Song, write an essay to validate this statement.

People living with disability find it more difficult to do certain activities or to interact with the world around them. In the short story A Silent Song, Mbane is visually impaired and disabled, and he finds it difficult to move and to conduct other activities because of his disability. (Any other relevant introduction, 2 marks)

Mbane’s movement is inhibited because of his disability. He gropes slowly towards the door of his hut. He can only crawl weakly on his knees and elbows. He cannot go further since the pain in his spine and stomach gather violence rapidly. The pain pangs paralyze him for a short tormenting moment. The pain soon disappears but with the same savage fury of its onslaught, leaving Mbane cold with sweat. He anticipates another imminent attack. Giving up the fight, he lets go his chin and hits his forehead on the dirty flea-ridden floor. Mbane’s freedom of movement is curtailed by his visual impairment, disability and pain. He is restricted to the lonely hut.

Mbane’s perception of time, day or beauty is limited by his inability to see. Although he is hungry, he does not know what time it is. He wallows in the gloom of his eternal night. Time, day and beauty lie beyond the bitter limits of darkness. He is restricted to feeling, hearing and running away from danger. He is also limited to a world of retreat. Due to his lameness, he can only crawl away. He has no power to hit back. Surely, people living with disability suffer certain restrictions.

When his brother brings him from the streets to his home, Mbane is restricted to his new confinement, the hut. His brother says that he rescued him from the barbaric city so that he could see the light of God. The hut is serene but so suspicious. This is Mbane’s new life away from the streets of the city. His new confinement is devoid of the urban ruggedness and noise. It lacks the quick prancing footsteps of the busy city people. In his limitation, Mbane can never fathom their business. Also, he is restricted to pleading with the people to help him stay alive by offering him some coins.

Due to his disability. Mane had little comprehension or knowledge of the city, though he lived in it. He earns his living on one street only, retreating to the back lane when it was deserted. His condition inhibits him from telling the length, width, beauty or the size of the street. He is just used to the talk of bright weather, lovely morning or beautiful sunset but he cannot take part in the small talk. He feels challenged when pedestrians sing to the blue sky and whistle to the gay morning. In his impediment, he cannot perceive these senses. During the day, Mbane has to endure the overly generous heat of the sun and obstinate flies mobbing the edges of his lips. At night, he cannot escape the hostile biting cold when he retreats to the back lane unsheltered, to surrender to his vulnerability to sleep and is occasionally by some ignoble thieves.

Mbane is constrained in his ability to eke out a living since he is disabled. He is forced to beg on that lonely street of the city. Mbane has come to understand that money is the essence of urban life. He is therefore happy with gay people since they mostly answer his plea. Dull people with heavy tired footsteps and voices have empty pockets. Unlike him, the good men and women of the city have the ability to work in the buildings next to him and more up the street. He has no option but to endure the scorching sun and stubborn flies. At night, he is tempted by the strange rhythms but cannot indulge because of his condition. He is limited to hearing voices cursing and singing and bottles cracking. Mbane is restricted from joining the good men’s women’s merry making after a hard day’s work. Only pimps and whores enjoyed the proceeds of the good men’s sweat.

Mbane’s condition has restricted him from getting married. His brother Ezekiel is married to Sarah. He must have been around Mbane’s age. Mbane would never be able to reach out his hand in fullfilement of his life in the same way. He can only yearn impotently, sadly constrained because of his darkness and lameness. He is overcome by bitter self-pity and can only console himself about his own light and thus he would only smile broadly and bravely. His brother’s wife occasionally brings him some bitter medicine. His condition impedes him from getting a wife of his own and settling down.

Mbane has become accustomed to limited conversation or communication. His brother enters his hut and sits on his bed but for a long time no one speaks. Mbane cannot be expected to start a conversation. All his life, he has been speaking to himself in his thoughts while living on the streets. He had no one to address apart from himself. Occasionally, he would blurt out a mechanical plea of “Yes?”. Now, if anyone speaks to him, he carries the subject on a line of uncommunicative thought in his own mind. When his brother asks if he believes in God, Mbane replies that he does not know, since to him he does not matter.

Mbane’s condition makes him feel alienated and thus he holds a different religious view from his mother’s and his brother’s his mother views men as one stream flowing through the rocks of life. They would twist and turn the pebbles and get dirty in the muddy earth. They cry in the falls and whirlpools of life and laugh and sing when the flow is smooth and undisturbed. Some cry in the potholes of life’s valley, while others laugh triumph elsewhere. Mbane’s condition inhibits him to not only ceaselessly crying but also feeling that he is not even part of the stream. He feels like the bitter fluid in his own throat. His pain gives him no reason to believe in God. No one understands his darkness. God is white cleanliness of eternal light but his life only contains darkness and blackness. He is forgotten and unnoticed. Sometimes, he is cursed and called able-bodied, only crippled by idleness of leisurely begging.

Mbane feels trapped in his unwashed body which reeks of sweat. He craves freedom that he cannot achieve. He dreams of a glorious future away from his pangs of darkness where light lies. Right now he is restricted since his eyes are denied the light. He dreams of a future where someone would understand him and raise the innocence of his cripple life along with the chosen. It gives him hope and he sings his own happy song, silently to himself. He cannot seek refuge in the brothels like other men, so he can only find it in his silent song. His soul has a destination, or so he thinks. But for now, he has to make do with it being incarcerated in his sweaty smelly body, which is unwashed except when in the rain. Surely, disability can be limiting.

Conclusion In conclusion, people living with disability undergo many impediments and limitations that deny them some pleasures or opportunities in life/ unlike those who are not disabled, the disabled people face a lot of limitations and challenges, which deny them the opportunity to enjoy life

An incident in the park

"The efforts employed by different individuals in society barely bear fruits. " Using evidence from the story , "An Incident in the Park." by Meja Mwangi, write an essay in support of this assertion.

Ponits of intepretation

• Identification of a character.
• Explaining the efforts the character employs.
• Show the outcome whihc is inversely proportional to the input.

INTRODUCTION

In our day to day lives, we put a lot of efforts in our endeavors but the outcome sometimes demoralizing since it does not merge with the input. For instance, the Azimio leadership put in place all that is expected to win a presidential election hut the outcome was not only demoralizing but also traumatizing. This is also the case in An Incident in the Park." by Meja Mwangi as explained below.

• Ei) The second ice cream man-sales. When the floodgates open, workers swam down the hill into the park. They pass the first ice cream man but the second one, in an effort to sale, he blocks the only way on to the highway, determined to make a sale that day. The swarm swirls round him and over and away. Irrespective of his efforts, that day. just like the day before, not one bar of ice cream is bought by the hungry ones. His bell to attract customers ring lonely and unwelcome like a lost leper's warning bell. (Page 7) In addition, his cries do not yield to any sales as a few men sitting on the cement bank ignored the ice cream man's cries. (Page 8). He is criticized by the loafer and another man when he rings his bell, they say that he is crazy and that he is always hammering the bell and no one wants to buy his ice cream. In fact they suggest that he should go where children are. (Page 9)
• Eii) The shaggy thin man. From the description, the man has been selling fruits since morning but when he makes his calculation, he looks disillusioned from the returns and falls unceremoniously on his back and covers his rough bearded face with two bony hands. A shaggy thin man sat under a shrub, scratching numbers and letters on his black dry skin with a used match. By his side were the two oversize fruit baskets he had been selling from morning and which he would resume hawking after the lunch break. Now he scratched his head with the matchstick and tried to balance the morning sales. He mumbled to himself, cursed and, rolling up his trouser legs, continued writing on his thigh. Finally, he flung the stick away and, wetting his palm with saliva, violently erased what he had scribbled. Then he fell unceremoniously on his back and covered his rough bearded face with two bony hands. (Page 7-8)
• Eiii) The fishpond board markers. At the fishpond, there is a board with the words DO NOT FEED FISH-BY ORDER. However, a loafer wearing torn slippers sits on it and carelessly tosses debris, tiny bits of grass and soil at the hungry fish. The idler sniggers and throws,more rubbish into the water. (Page 8) A huge piece of rock is added and a flattened cigarette. (Page 9). This is contrary to the board markers instructions that flatly fails to achieve fish feeding.
• Eiv) The fruit-seller-pleas. When the two constables come along, they demand for a licence from him. He is first surprised, he searches himself for a few seconds, shakes his head and helplessly declares that he left it at home. He too lacks his identification card. He tries to bribe the constables with five shillings but he is shoved along. When he is told that he will explain everything to the judge, more pleas follow, "You can't take me to that judge, the man will have me hung this time... I've this other case coming up next week... he will surely have me castrated.... I've ten shillings." He swears and offers all the baskets and the cash but when it looks like the constables won't let him go, he flees. (Page 11) His efforts to save himself comes to a sad end when a mob kills him. Here lay a desperate thief, attired in the unmistakable uniform of his trade- dirty torn clothes and a mean hungry face. (Page 12)
• Ev) The two constables/police. The fellows blatantly refuses to listen to the fruit-seller's pleas and take his bribe. They are all committed to ensure that they take the man to a court of law. One says, "You will explain to the judge. No licence, no identification..." (Page 11). They shoved him even when he offers them ten shillings and offers the two baskets. When he breaks lose, the constables pursue him... The constable shot after the fleeing man across the park shouting for help from passers-by. The shouts from one of the constables instead of making passers-by arrest them and hand him to them, they lynch him thinking that he is a thief. The police feel uneasy and uncertain and leave empty-handed. (Page 12)

In conclusion, efforts put in something must be directly proportional to the output.

People commit unethical acts as a result of lack of care. Citing illustrations from Incident in the Park by Meja Mwangi, write an essay to validate this statement.

• Immorality stems from people’s indifference. Unethical acts like negligence and brutality result from lack of care. Blood thirsty city dwellers brutally murder an innocent fruit seller without batting an eyelid in Incident in the Park. Government workers go about their business ignoring the ravaging effects of the drought on the neglected park. The park is dirty and brown. There was no promise of rain that August. The ground is dusty brown, bare and parched. The ministerial offices, City Hall and parliament buildings and the ominous cathedral are a stone throw away from the pathetic looking park. The ministerial offices are modern fortresses and its occupants conveniently ignore the park which clearly lacks proper care. This is evidenced by the dry bits of grass, dry leaves and thirsty trees. Only delicate flowers, planted like oasis islands at various spots, are watered in a desperate effort to keep the dirty brown park beautiful. The sad-looking boathouse and dirty, muddy water sum up the government's lack of care for the park. Secondly, the park is filled with many idlers who have little care in the world. They waste many hours lying idle in the park. They ignore the city and parliament clocks which strike suddenly, together - reminding them of how much time they had wasted. They care less about being useful. The clocks’ pleas go unheeded. Some insolent loafers simply shake their heads defiantly, curse loudly, face the other way and go back to sleep. Only every now and then, does a misplaced idler heed the clocks nagging disapproval and accusing fingers and walk away. The park people have no intention to go anywhere else but while away. They are here to stay. They have arrived. During the afternoons, the park looks parched and almost dead, dotted with a few loungers. More idlers sit by the lake watching the rowers, day in day out. This unproductive lot is a burden to the city and to society. The neglected pond in the park is another sign of lack of care by relevant authorities. The fish pond is dangerously overgrown with weeds. Colourless weeds choke the yellow, blue and purple water lilies. An ugly mishmash of weeds has replaced the aesthetic blue-green surface of the once beautiful pond. Initially, the pond flowers stuck out buds, thick colorful fingers and proclaimed order but not anymore - the existence of these beautiful fauna has been snuffed out by a riot of unclassifiable intruders and bastard flowers. To make matters worse, the park soil has collapsed, forcing the pond’s murky, brown water and bewildered fish to the deeper, further end. The sorry state of the pond points to acute lack of attention or care. The hairy loafer who feeds the fish is defiant. He ignores the public notice on the board that cautions people against feeding the fish. He carelessly tosses debris, tiny bits of grass and soil at the hungry fish. The fish fight for the useless things but let go when they realize they are worthless. The idler throws in more rubbish and carelessly sniggers - he has no iota of empathy whatsoever. He also drops in a piece of soil at the fish. When he learns that fish feeds on insects, he tries to find some and later decides to throw in a flattened cigarette end when he cannot catch any insects. The big fish that catches the cigarette butt releases it since it is useless. At last, the uncaring idler curses after violently hurling a large rock at the confounded fish. His lack of empathy leads him to defy the order not to feed the fish and as a result he harms the fishes. The police constables are callous. They harass innocent people heartlessly, displaying no shred of sympathy. The two city constables accost the old fruit seller and demand for his license and identification. As fate would have it, he has neither. He cannot afford a licence. The old man nods uncomprehendingly and shakes his head sadly when the police demand for a license. He desperately tries to bribe the constables by offering five shillings; all he had made that day. The policeman grabs him by his old coat and remarks that he would explain it to the judge. The old man swears by his mother. He is devastated because he has another case with the cruel judge. A tyrant who would hang him this time round. The fruit seller cries that the judge is crazy and would castrate him but his pleas fall on deaf ears. He offers the constables a 10- shilling bribe and even his foot baskets. The constables remain indifferent even when he cries that he has a wife and children. They do not care. They match him right ahead. When he realizes that he is talking to a brick wall, he decides to leap and run for it but not before cursing the cops, their wives and their children. The judge is portrayed as being unjust or outrightly cruel. When the police insist on taking him to the judge, the old fruit seller cries desperately. He has no licence and identification. He swears by his mother. He already has a case with the judge and he does not want to be taken back. He believes the judge will hung him. He is selling the fruits in order to afford the fine that was earlier imposed. He pleads with the police men as brothers. He even tells them that the judge is a tyrant - a crazy man who will have him castrated. The allusion to his wife and children does not bear any fruits. He tries to bribe the police with 10 shillings and appease them with his fruit basket but the uncaring constables match him ahead. The fruit seller curses the policemen and their families and decides to bolt. He takes this desperate measure to avoid facing the evil, apathetic judge. The bloodthirsty city dwellers have no regard for human life. Realizing that the city constable were adamant about taking him to the judge, the fruit seller decides to run for it. He leaps, breaking away, leaving the policeman holding onto a piece of his one coat. He runs across the park. The policeman shouts for help. The old man hopes to get protection by disappearing into the city dwellers. That was not to be. The barbarous city dwellers lunge at him trying to nab him. The old man is savagely desperate to escape. When he stumbles and falls into a ditch, the ferocious mob stones him to death. He cries out pleading for mercy. The bloodthirsty crowd leaves him for dead, looking like a broken twisted rag doll, covered in stones and a thick red blood. The crowd mistakenly label him as a thief. Lastly, the injustice witnessed after the innocent fruit seller killed is the height of brutality and lack of care. The constable strives to shift blame. No one looks guilty enough. The constables conveniently withdraw. An inspector confirms that the man is dead. The crowd that stoned him and those that witnessed his savage murder lower their eyes. Unwilling to openly testify, some of the residents hurriedly return to their offices, indifferently. The word ‘thief’ oozes out discreetly from mouth to mouth. They mistakenly condemn the man to be a desperate thief. They judge him by the unmistakable uniform of his trade - dirty torn clothes and a mean hungry face. Even the inspector of police is uneasy and doubtful about his next course of action. The poor man finds no justice even in his death. All and sundry conclude that a thief is a thief. The twisted garbage-strewn dark alleyways are lawlessly governed by one savage unwritten law concerning the fate of apprehended thieves. Ironically, the man is killed before his identity is established. Sadly, he can only be identified by his grieving wife and children in a cold room. An innocent life is cut short due to the heartless nature of idle, uncaring city dwellers and the inept police department. In conclusion, any society that lacks benevolence disintegrates into an abyss of lawlessness and immorality.

Humans are deceitful in nature and can live in pretence before revealing their true nature. Write an essay in support of this. Use the story The Truly Married by Aboise Niol.

• Introduction: Human beings have the ability of keeping appearances without being discovered. This is the case as seen in Ajayi’s wife who keeps appearances until the moment she realized she can do without them. This is seen in the text The Truly Married Woman in the following instances. Body Ayo keeps her husband comfortable before marriage by taking her supportive role keenly. She rises up early to prepare Ajayi his favourite cup of morning tea before serving him his breakfast. After her official marriage she changes and doesn’t do this. She instead tells him to do that by himself. ‘’Get up make yourself a cup of tea’’ (p 48) Ayo is a respectful wife to Ajayi. She does not contradict her husband and does that only when it is absolutely necessary. This state of affairs changes immediately after the wedding and might be the norm as seen in her stand on the issue of making tea. (page 43,48) When told about the visit by the three white missionaries, she makes a few amends in order to disguise their actual state. She borrows a ring, changes her dressing and that of the children and replaces the things in the house and on the walls in order to create an impression of religious family. (Page 44,45) Ayo cleverly presents herself to her husband Ajayi as an innocent naïve woman. It is not until she makes a strong argument against the beating of Oju, their san that Ajayi realizes how his wife informed is. This is one the reasons for his decision to wed her. (page 44,45) Omo for long pretends to be a good friend to Ayo until she learns of Ayo’s planned wedding. When Ayo shows her wedding dress, Omo cannot hide her true nature as she is said to be filled with bitterness and anger. She criticizes Ayo and hopes to dissuade Ayo from using the dress. This instance enable Ayo to learn what type of a person Omo is. Before this Omo had presented herself to Ayo as a good realiable kind-hearted friend who offered her wedding ring to Ayo. (page 45,46) Conclusion: People can have a double appearance as it was with the characters discussed above. (any other relevant)

Life for people living with disabilities may be made better if they are accorded all the support they may need. Referring to the short story “A Silent Song” by Leonard Kibera, write an essay to show how the lives of people living with disabilities can be made worthwhile.

Introduction Life for the people living with disabilities can be traumatising to them. However, it is the duty of everyone in the society to try and make their life better by availing them with all the support and assistance they may require. The short story a silent song tries to show the support we may offer the people living with disabilities in the following ways. (Accept any other valid introduction) Points of interpretation

• Mbane had been living in the streets all his life begging in the city where there was a lot of ruggedness and noise, with quick footsteps of people who would keep him alive with a drop of copper in his hat. His brother rescues him from the streets and brings him to his hut which felt so serene. Mbane no longer had to endure hostile cold nights and the basest of thieves he encountered in the streets.
• After being ‘rescued’ from the streets where he spent his nights on the hard pavement, he recounts how no one spoke to him for a long time. He was accustomed to speaking to himself in his thoughts. Ezekiel and his wife however speaks to him despite the fact that he could not start a conversation after getting so much used to being all alone in streets.
• At his brother Ezekiel’s home, Mbane is offered a bed on which he had tried to accustom himself to since being rescued from the hard pavement he was used to in the streets.
• Mbane was convinced that it was a glorious thing to believe, to cling to a dream of a future life. It was glorious this feeling that far far away beyond the pangs of darkness lay light, bigger and more meaningful than that which his eyes were denied. There, someone would understand and raise the innocence of his crippled life along with the chosen. It gave him hope and sang his own happy song silently to himself, secretly. His soul had a destination.
• Mbane’s brother’s wife Sarah takes care of Mbane and tries to alleviate his pain by giving him medicine. She breaks into his hut, slowly and tenderly raises his head and puts the cup to his mouth. The bitter fluid explodes down Mbane’s throat and another attack of pain tears through his stomach. Sarah then assures him that he would be alright soon and god would be with him. (Accept any other relevant well illustrated point) Conclusion
• We, as the members of society should try to alleviate the pain and suffering that the people living with disabilities might be going through by availing them the necessary need they may require. (Accept any other valid conclusion). Introduction: 2 marks Content: 12 marks Conclusion: 2 marks Language: 4 marks

Some cultural practices do not add value hence should be done away with. Show the truth in this statement basing your illustrations from Eric Ng’maryo’s Ivory Bangles.

Some traditions in our societies have lost meaning and should be done away with/abandoned as seen in the story ivory bangles by Eric Ng’maryo.(accept any other relevant introduction) T1 believe in the seer.

• The only visits the seer considered as the priest of people. (pg. 21)
• He goes the seer because of his superstitious nature. He had to consult the seer since he had noted blood specks on the liver of a goat that he had slaughtered (pg. 21) Tthis is a cultural practice that has lost meaning for its meant to drive a wedge between him and his wife.

T2. Polygamy

• his monogamous state was a concern for the aging chief who told him to get another wife (pg. 23)
• he was still the chief’s counselor much respected but much talked about because he had only one wife (pg. 22)
• this shows that the old man’s society values the tradition of polygamy and one who does not engage is considered a failure.

T3. wife beating/molestation (ritual beating)

• The were jealous of a happy wife. A woman unmolested by the husband until old age. It is not acceptable for a wife to enjoy a comfortable life with her husband in this community.
• The husband is expected to molest his wife to ensure that she doesn’t enjoy happiness. Failure to do so could lead to a disastrous outcome as the pebbles foretell wife’s death.
• The pebbles demand the old man gives his wife a through beating and sent her back to her parents. (pg. 22) This is a practice that does not add any value in the marriage.

T4. Naming of children

• naming of children is seen as an essential practice. twenty-four ivory bangles that the wife wears were gifted to her when their only son was given a name.
• the value of child naming is also seen because the old man’s grandson is named after him. The writer refers to the young boy as her husband. (pg230
• this culture is long overtaken by the modernity

CONCLUSION.

• We should embrace the change and do things that do not harm others in the name of cultural practices. (Accept any other relevant conclusion)

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How to Write a Book: The Ultimate Guide (with Free Book Idea Worksheet!)

by Joe Bunting | 0 comments

You want to write a book. Maybe you have a great story idea. Maybe you have a big idea you want to share with the world. Maybe people have told you, “Your life should be made into a book!” But first, you have to learn how to write a book.

The problem for the first-time author is figuring out how to get started. What are the writing habits you need to finish the actual writing for an entire book? And what comes next for your writing goals: traditional publishing? Self-publishing? Becoming a New York Times bestselling book? A long and illustrious writing career?

Because after coaching thousands of writers to write and finish their books, and also writing fifteen books of my own, I know exactly how much hard work it takes to finish a book.

It's not enough to want to write, you need to know how to write a book.

You need to have the right process. The write process, you might say (sorry, I had to!).

In this guide, we're going to learn everything about how to write a nonfiction book, from how to defeat procrastination and find writing time, all the way to revising and the editing process—and even to the publishing process.

If you've ever wanted to write a book, whether a memoir, a big idea book, or a self help book, you're in the right place.

If, on the other hand, you're a fiction writer and have a main character who you know is going to take the world by storm, we have a complete guide on novel writing here . For you nonfiction writers, though, read on for all our best writing tips.

And that free book idea worksheet ? Here's your FREE download: Book Idea Worksheet

Quick Tip: The Best Tool to Write a Book

Before we get started, here's a quick tip for writing a book, Microsoft Word just doesn't cut it.

My favorite writing tool is Scrivener, a book writing software used by the most successful writers. Scrivener helps you stay organized, set word count goals, and keep better track of your writing sessions. Check out our full review of Scrivener here.

How to Fail Writing a Book

In 2011, I had one of the best years of my life. That year, I wrote my first book, became a full-time writer, got my first book published , became a bestselling author, and had 80,000 people read my writing.

But it didn't happen overnight. I had dreamed about and had been working toward those goals for eight years before that: eight years of failure, of trying to write books and not being able to finish them, eight years of wanting to be a writer but not knowing how to actually do it .

Since then, I've written fifteen books, including one book that recently hit the Wall Street Journal bestsellers list.

You might be thinking, “That's cool, Joe. But you're clearly a talented writer. Writing is hard work for me.”

To be honest, it doesn't come easy to me. In fact, if I told my high school English teachers I'm a writer, they would probably be shocked.

The difference is that I found the right process. It's a step-by-step process that works every time, and it will work for you too.

In this guide, I'm going to share the process that I've used to write fifteen books, become a professional writer, and hit the bestsellers list.

But it's not just me. I've also trained thousands of people in our 100 Day Book program to finish books using this process, too.

It works, and it will work for you, if you follow it.

That being said, if you're still not sure you can actually do this alone, or if you just want some extra help along the way, check out 100 Day Book . In this program, we've helped thousands of aspiring writers turned authors to accomplish their dream of writing a book, and we'd love to help you, too. Click to learn more about 100 Day Book here.

How to Write a Book: 12 Steps to Writing a Book

Here's the process I finally learned after that decade of trying to learn how to write a book and failing, the same twelve steps that have helped me write fifteen books.

1. Come Up With a Great Book Idea

If you're here, you probably have a book idea already. Maybe you have several ideas.

And if that's true, great! Pat yourself on the back. You've made it to step one.

Here's what to do next: forget any sense accomplishment you have.

Yes, I'm serious.

Here's what George R.R. Martin said:

“Ideas are useless. Execution is everything.”

Because the thing is, an idea alone, even a great idea, is just the small step to write your book.

There are a lot more steps, and all of them are more difficult than coming up with your initial idea. (I'm sorry if that's discouraging!)

You have an idea. Great! Next, it's time to learn how to execute the way successful authors do. Let's get started with step 2.

(Don't have an idea yet? Check out this article: How to Write When You Don't Have Ideas .)

2. Write Your Book Idea In the Form of a 1-Sentence Premise

The next step to taking your idea and turning it into a book is to summarize your idea into a single-sentence premise.

But wait, what's a premise ?

A premise distills your entire book idea down to a single sentence. This sentence becomes the foundation of all your writing efforts and will be helpful even into publishing process.

Your premise is also the most important part of a book proposal, so a good premise can actually help you get published.

Here’s an example of a nonfiction premise from my book The Write Structure , which got half a dozen responses from agents.

The Write Structure utilizes The Write Practice’s (thewritepractice.com) award-winning methodology to show creative writers how to write their best novels, memoirs, short stories, or screenplays by following story structure principles used and taught by writers for hundreds of years.

Each nonfiction book premise should contain the following three elements:

• A problem . The problem the book aims to solve (in this case, how to write a good novel, memoir, short story, or screenplay)
• A person . Who is the person sharing the solution to that problem, e.g. you
• A solution . What is your unique process to solve that problem

By simplifying your book down to a single sentence, you create a strong, achievable foundation to your entire book. Not only will this simple step help you during the writing process, it will also help you throughout the publishing process, too, which we'll talk about more in a bit.

Ready to write your premise? To make it easier we have a free worksheet template that will guide you through writing a publishable premise: Download the worksheet here.

Or get a copy of our Write Plan Planner , and have a physical tool to guide you through the writing process. Check out the planner here.

3. Choose Your Publishing Path

When you're writing nonfiction, you have to choose your publishing path earlier than creative writers because most nonfiction books are picked up by publishers before they're written.

In fact, it's a red flag in the eyes of traditional publishers and literary agents if you've finished your book before you pitch them. They want to see a book proposal first, and have a hand in the shaping of the book.

That means, if you're writing nonfiction, and you want to get traditionally published, before you go write your own book, you must write a book proposal.

However, if you're writing a memoir, you may need to finish writing the book before you seek publishing. Memoir exists in something of a gray area in the publishing world, with more self-help focused memoirs requiring a proposal, and more creative memoirs acting more like a novel, where the writer would finish them first.

Which publishing path is right for you? Here are the two main requirements for traditional publishing for nonfiction books:

• Platform . Do you have authority within this topic? Do you have a following, via social media, speaking, podcast, YouTube, an email list, or some other platform of at least 10,000 people?
• A tested idea with mass market appeal . Does your idea line up with your platform? Does it have mass market appeal?

If you can't answer “yes” to both of these questions, then you might consider self-publishing, working with a small press, or hybrid press after you complete your book. Or taking a break from your book to build your platform and target audience, perhaps by building an author website and starting a blog. (For more on this, check out this guide on how to build a platform via a blog .)

You might be wondering, at this point too, how do you write a book proposal?

Book proposals vary across writers and publishers, but here are some of the major components:

• 1-Sentence Premise (see above)
• 2-4 paragraph synopsis
• Outline (Table of Contents)
• Tone and Writing Style
• Platform Description and Marketing Info
• 2-3 Sample Chapters

For more on this, check out Jane Friedman's excellent guide on how to write a book proposal .

Now, once you've chosen your publishing path and you're ready to begin writing a whole book, how do you actually finish it? The next steps will all but guarantee you reach The End of your book.

4. Outline Your Book

Even you if you don't decide to traditionally publish, I still recommend working through most of the elements of a book proposal listed above, especially the book outline because it will make the writing process so much easier.

Your book's outline will vary widely depending on your genre, your writing style, your book's topic, and your method.

However, there are some tried and true structures that exist in nonfiction books. Here are some suggested structures you can use:

Introduction . Most nonfiction books include a short (2,000 to 3,000 words) introduction. They usually outline the main problem you will be focusing on in the book. They may also introduce you as the author and your authority, and outline the unique solution you will be guiding readers through in your book.

8-10 Chapters . Nonfiction book chapters dive deeper into the problem and give principles or steps to solve that problem. Chapters can have a variety of different structures, but here is my personal favorite, used frequently by Malcolm Gladwell:

• Opening story
• Analysis of the story
• Universal principle
• Closing story (may be the conclusion of the opening story)

Conclusion . Conclusions usually restate the problem and show how you solved that problem, often ending with a concluding story and a call to action to encourage the reader to go out and put the ideas you've shared to use.

Easy right? Not exactly, but creating this outline will make the rest of the writing process so much easier. Even if it changes, you'll have a resource to help you get unstuck when the writing gets hard.

If you want a template for your outline, as well as a step-by-step guide through the book writing process, get a copy of our Write Plan Planner . This is the exact process that I have used to write fifteen books, and that thousands of other authors in our community have used to finish their book all in a beautiful, daily planner . Check out the planner here.

5. Set a Deadline

This one might surprise you. Because most people think that once you've got your idea ready to go, you should just start writing and not worry about the period of time it takes.

Nope. Not even close.

The next step is to set a deadline for when you're going to finish the first rough draft of your book. But you might be wondering, how long does it take to write a book in the first place?

How long should you set your deadline for?

Some people use NaNoWriMo, or National Novel Writing Month, to set their deadline for them, writing 50,000 words of book in the thirty days of November. That being said, it's very challenging for most people to finish a book in thirty days.

Stephen King, on the other hand, said the first draft of a book should take no more than a season, so three months. With all due respect to Stephen King, I think that's a little fast for most people.

We give people 100 days , which seems to be just long enough to write a first draft without getting distracted by everything else the world wants you to focus on (looking at you, social media).

So for you, give yourself a week or two to prepare, then set your deadline for about 100 days after that.

There you go! You now have a deadline to finish your book!

6. Break Your Deadline Into Weekly and Daily Word Counts

You can't pull an all-nighter and finish writing a book. Trust me, I've tried!

Instead, you have to break up your deadline into smaller, weekly, and daily deadlines so you can make measured progress over your writing period. This step breaks the work into manageable pieces.

This step also requires a bit of math. Here's how to do it so you can actually stay on track:

• Figure out your book's ideal target word count goal (check out our word count guide )
• Figure out how many weeks until your deadline (e.g. 100 days = 14.5 weeks)
• Divide your book's total word count by the number of weeks (e.g. 45,000 ÷ 14.5 = 3,103 words per week)
• Next, figure out how many days per week you're going to write (e.g. 5 days a week)
• Finally, divide your weekly word count goal by the number of days you'll write to get your daily word count goal (e.g. 3,103 ÷ 5. = 621 words per day)

If you can hit all of your weekly and daily deadlines, you know you’ll make your final deadline at the end.

P.S. You're much more likely to actually meet your deadlines if you take a stand and set a consequence, which I”ll talk about next.

7. Take a Stand

Deadlines are nice, but it can be too easy to follow Douglas Adams' advice:

I love deadlines. I love the whooshing sound they make as they go by.

There are two tricks that will help you actually meet your deadline, and it's essential to do these before you start writing or you'll never finish your book.

The first one is a little scary, but will make a huge difference.

Once you've set your deadline, go tell everyone you know. Post your deadline on social media, saying something like this:

Here. We'll even make it easy for you. Just click the share button below to tweet this and fill in the blank with your deadline:

Don't have social media? That's okay. Just email five friends. These friends will become your accountability partners to ensure you finish your book.

Important: I don't recommend talking about your book idea. Talking about the idea can actually remove some of the motivation to actually work on your book.

But I highly recommend talking about your book's deadline because humans naturally avoid letting each other down. When you make a public promise to do something, you're much more likely to do it!

So go ahead. Share your deadline. You can do this right now. Don't worry, we'll be here when you get back.

Then, move on to the next trick to keep your deadline.

8. Set a Consequence

You might think, “Setting a deadline is fine, but how do I actually hit my deadline?”

The answer is you need to create a consequence. A consequence is a bad thing that happens if you don't hit your deadline.

Maybe you write a check to a charity you hate, like the society for the euthanasia of puppies, you give it to a friend, and you say, “You have to send this check if I don't hit my deadline.”

Or maybe you say you're going to give up a guilty pleasure if you don't hit your deadline, like ice cream or wine or TV or your favorite phone game.

Set a really tough consequence for your final deadline, and then set a couple of less severe consequences for your weekly deadlines.

Whatever you choose, make it really hard to not hit your deadline.

Why? Because writing is hard! If you want to write a book, you need to make not writing harder than writing.

By creating a consequence, you make not writing harder than the actual writing, and this simple trick will make you much more likely to finish.

9. Set an Intention

This is the last step before you start writing, but secretly one of the most helpful.

Set an intention.

Studies have shown that when you have a goal, like working out more or writing a book, and you imagine where , when , and how much you're going to do something, you're much more likely to actually do it.

So do this with me:

• Close your eyes, and imagine your ideal writing space , the place you're going to spend your writing time. Maybe it's a coffee shop or your home office or a chair beside your favorite window.
• Next, imagine what time it is . Is it the morning? Afternoon? Late at night after everyone's gone to bed?
• Finally, picture yourself writing, and watch yourself reach your daily word count goal . Imagine how it feels to accomplish your goal. Great? A relief?
• Then, write all of that down, locking your intention in place . Now that you have a set writing schedule, follow it!

Notice that this is the tenth step.

Most people start here, but without the groundwork you've laid in the previous nine steps, you're setting yourself up for failure.

Don't skip the first nine steps!

Once you do begin writing, keep this in mind:

First drafts are universally bad .

Don't try to write perfect sentences. Don't go back and edit endlessly.

No, instead write as fast as you're able. Get to “the end” as quickly as you can. Use writing sprints .

Try to write as imperfectly as you can, not because you want to write a bad book, but because this is how writing always is: you write a bad first draft and then revise it into a better second draft—and finally, three or five drafts later, you've written a good book.

The difference between aspiring writers and published authors is that published authors know you can't do good writing until you write a bad draft first. Get through it as quickly as you can!

If you're not a natural writer , consider dictating your book into a recorder, and transcribing it afterward. There's no reason you have to physically type out your book. Transcribing it is a perfectly viable way to create a good first draft.

11. Revise, Rewrite, and Edit

After you finish your first draft comes the real hard part.

I know what you're thinking. The first ten steps weren't hard enough?

Yes, of course they were hard. But for some reason, second drafts can be just as hard, if not harder, than first drafts. I've had some of my biggest mental and emotional breakdowns in my life while working on the second draft of a book. There's just something about second drafts that are much more mentally challenging than first drafts.

Here, it's a good idea to get an editor who can give you feedback. (Need an editor recommendation? We have a team of editors we work with here at The Write Practice. Check out our process and get a quote here .)

Once you've finished your second draft, I also recommend getting beta readers, people who can read your book and give you feedback. For more on this, check out our guide on how to find beta readers and use their feedback effectively here .

Depending on your topic, you might also consider recruiting some sensitivity readers to read your book, too.

After you've done all of this, I have one last writing tip for you to ensure you actually finish writing your book—and it might be the most important of all.

12. Don't Stop

Most people want to write a book. I hear from people all the time that think they have a book in them, who believe that they have a story that needs to be shared.

I very rarely talk to people who have finished a book.

Writing a book is hard.

It's SO easy to quit. You get a new idea. Or you read your writing and think, “This is terrible.” Or you decide, “I'd rather be catching up on Netflix, not spending my nights writing.”

Because of this, you quit.

Here's the thing though: the only way to fail at writing a book is to quit .

If you don't quit, if you just keep writing, keep following this process we've outlined above, you will finish a book.

It might not be a good book (yet). But that's what editing is for.

It will be a first draft, and a finished draft at that . You can't write a second draft and start to make your book actually good, actually publishable, until you write the first draft.

So write. Don't stop. Don't quit. If you follow these steps and don't stop, you'll finish.

We'll be here supporting you along the way.

More Resources on How to Write a Book

Still feeling stuck? Have more questions about how to write a book? We've put together a library of book-writing resources. Take a look at the articles below.

Book Writing Tools and Programs

• 100 Day Book . Get a mentor, 100+ writing lessons, deadlines, and accountability and write your book in a program that works. Thousands of authors have finished their books in 100 Day Book, and we'd love to help you too. Click to sign up for 100 Day Book here.
• The Write Plan Planner. Containing everything we've learned about how to write a book over the last 10+ years, this step-by-step guide will walk you through our proven book writing process. Click to get your daily book writing planner.
• Best Book Writing Software . A variety of the best tools for writing, publishing, formatting, and marketing your book.

How to Write a Book Fast Articles

I shared above why I believe that first drafts should be written quickly, in just a few weeks. Still not sure? In the articles below, dozens of other writers share how they wrote fast first drafts, plus you'll get all the tips and strategies they learned along the way.

• How to Write a Book in 100 Days: 10 Steps
• How to Write a Book FAST
• How to Write a Book in 100 Days
• How to Write a Novel in 6 Months
• The First 10 Steps to Write Your Book in 2020
• How to Right a Book in Nine (Not So) Easy Steps
• How to Finish a Novel With a Swim Buddy
• How to Write a Book Using Microsoft Word

How to Write a Book by Genre

Every genre comes with specific expectations that must be fulfilled. Here's how to craft an amazing story in your genre.

• How to Write a Novel
• How to Write a Memoir
• How to Write a Mystery Novel
• How to Write a Suspense Novel
• How to Write a Thriller Novel
• How to Write a Romance Novel
• How to Write an Adventure Book
• How to Write a Coming of Age Novel
• How to Write a Young Adult Novel
• How to Write a Self-Help Book
• How to Write a Book That's Based on a True Story
• How to Write a Book Like Stephen King
• 20 Sci-Fi Creative Writing Prompts and Story Ideas

Okay, no, Stephen King isn't a genre. But he's well worth learning from!

How to Write a Book When Writing Is Hard

Let's face it: writing is hard . Every single writer struggles at some point in their book. The important thing is not to quit . In the following articles, writers share how they persevered through the hard parts, and how you can too.

• How to Write a Book While Working Full Time
• How to Write a Book When You Don't Have Ideas
• How to Write a Book When You’ve Got Writer’s Block
• I Never Thought I Would Write a Book. Here's How I Did It Anyway
• How to Write a Book: The Everest Method
• 10 Obstacles to Writing a Book and How to Conquer Them

How to Write a Book With a Specific Style

Your book comes with its own unique quirks and challenges, especially if the story you're telling is a series, or is told from multiple perspectives. Here's how other writers have navigated these choices.

• How to Write a Book from Multiple Perspectives
• How to Write a Book Series Without Messing Things Up
• How to Write a Novel That Readers Can't Put Down

How to Write a Book and Publish It

Writing is meant to be shared! In these articles, writers break down the publishing process so you can finish your book and share it with the world.

• How to Write and Publish a Book for Free
• How to Write a Book Description That Will Captivate Readers (And Sell Books!)

Publishing Resources

Once you've finished writing a book, how do you get it published. Here are some resources to help.

• Amazon KDP. Self-publish your book on Kindle to the world's biggest book marketplace.
• Book Cover Design . Find a book cover designer among our favorite designers.

Commit to the Book Writing Process, Not Your Feelings

Are you ready to commit to finishing your book?

I don't want you to commit to a book idea. Ideas are seductive, but then you get a fresh idea and the idea you've been working on becomes much less interesting.

You probably have had inspiring moments of writing, when everything feels like it's flowing. But I don't want you to commit to a feeling. Feelings are fickle. They change by the hour.

No, instead commit to the process.

If you follow these steps, you will finish a book. It won't be easy. It will still be a challenge. But you'll do it.

Can you imagine how great it will feel to write “The End” on your own book? Think about the people you will touch because you finished that book. Let's get to it together.

Are you going to commit to writing a book? Let me know in the comments !

The first part of Step Three is to create a 1-sentence premise of your book.

Spend fifteen minutes today to rewrite your book idea into a single-sentence premise. Then, share your premise in the Pro Practice Workshop here.  (and if you’re not a member yet, you can join here ).

Finally, after you share, make sure to give feedback to three other writers.

Happy writing!

Joe Bunting

Joe Bunting is an author and the leader of The Write Practice community. He is also the author of the new book Crowdsourcing Paris , a real life adventure story set in France. It was a #1 New Release on Amazon. Follow him on Instagram (@jhbunting).

Want best-seller coaching? Book Joe here.

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• How One Writer Finished Her Book - The Write Practice - […] finishing a book is hard. Trust me, I know just how frustrating and overwhelming it can […]
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A Step-By-Step Guide to Writing an Essay on a Book

Topic and assignment prompt, essay structure, why is it important.

Outlining Essay Structure

Organizing your essay efficiently is important for making sure it’s clear, concise, and to the point. Before you start writing, it’s important to understand the basic structure of an essay. Most essays are composed of an introduction, body, and conclusion.

The introduction serves as an opening paragraph where you should introduce the topic and provide any necessary background information that readers may need in order to understand the essay. A good introduction will explain why a reader should care about your topic and capture the attention of the reader.

The body is the main section of the essay where you will provide evidence, quotes, and any other relevant information to prove your point. It is important to make sure that each body paragraph has only one main point, and all of the evidence presented in the paragraph supports that one point.

The conclusion is the last paragraph of the essay. It should wrap up all of the points you made in the body and leave the reader with a sense of closure. It should also create a takeaway, or something for the reader to remember about what they have just read.

To make sure your essay is organized and has a consistent tone throughout, it is important to outline what each section should include. Outlining your essay structure before beginning eliminates unnecessary stress and makes sure you don’t forget any important points.

Research Phase: The Importance of Researching the Book

Before you dive into writing your essay on a book, you’ll want to make sure that you have done your research. No matter how familiar you are with the subject, it’s important to conduct research to ensure that your essay is accurate and well-informed.

Research can help you form a stronger thesis statement, better support your arguments, and provide evidence for your claims. It can also help you to organize your thoughts, uncover new ideas and angles, gain a deeper understanding of the text, or even find quotes or references that you can use in your essay.

Research should always come first. It helps to lay a strong foundation for the rest of your essay and it can save you from making any embarrassing mistakes. Have a clear understanding of the book’s themes, characters, and plot before you begin. Read reviews and criticisms, and take down notes for later.

Start by reading the book itself. Take your time and pay attention to details. Make notes, highlight any important passages, and consider different interpretations. After you get an overall gist of the book, expand your research outward into scholarly reviews, biographies, and other texts that can provide an objective, informed perspective.

The more research you do, the stronger your essay will be. Be sure to include all of the sources you used in your bibliography section. Research can be a tedious process, but with enough effort and dedication, you’ll be able to craft a well-informed, thoughtful essay on any book.

Pre-Writing Phase: Planning Your Essay

The pre-writing phase is the most important part of writing an essay on a book. Taking the time to plan your essay and organize your thoughts will help structure your argument and make your writing smoother. The pre-writing phase should involve a few key steps.

• Brainstorm – Before you start writing, spend some time thinking about the book and how it relates to any themes, characters, or symbolism. Jot down your ideas so that you have a better understanding of what you want to focus on.
• Outline – Write down some notes and make an outline of what you will cover in each paragraph. This will help you stay organized while writing and keep everything on track.
• Research – Research any facts or quotes you may need to include in your essay. This will help you back up your claims and make your paper stronger.

Taking the time to plan ahead will help ensure your essay on a book is written clearly and effectively. You’ll be able to shape your argument easily and make sure you don’t miss anything important.

Thesis Formation

The thesis statement is a critical part of any essay on a book. It should be clear, concise, and capture the main argument and point of view of the essay. To ensure that your essay’s thesis statement is well-crafted, it is essential to follow a step-by-step guide.

Step One: Brainstorming Ideas

Before writing a thesis statement, you should brainstorm some ideas related to the book’s content. Consider the key elements of the book and think about how they could be connected into an argument or observation. Write down any ideas that pop into your mind, and use them as a basis for forming your thesis statement.

Step Two: Developing the Argument

Once you have a few ideas in mind, it is time to start developing a coherent argument. Try to make a connection between the ideas to create an original argument. Then, think about why this argument is important and what makes it relevant to the text.

Step Three: Writing the Thesis Statement

Now that you have an argument in mind, you are ready to craft your thesis statement. It should be a single sentence that clearly and concisely expresses your main argument. Generally, it should follow the same structure as any other essay’s thesis statement, stating the primary point of view, the evidence supporting it, and any other relevant details.

Step Four: Proofreading

The final step of crafting a great thesis statement is to proofread and edit it. Make sure that the statement is clear, concise, and captures the argument accurately. Additionally, pay attention to grammar and spelling. A minor mistake can weaken the force of the statement significantly.

Creating an effective thesis statement can help get your essay off to a strong start. As long as you follow these steps, you will be able to form a well-developed argument that can help you write a great essay on a book.

Drafting an Organized Paragraph

Editing: benefits and how to approach it effectively.

When writing an essay on a book, editing is a crucial step in the process. It can often be overlooked or skipped, but it shouldn’t be! Editing offers many valuable benefits, and it’s important to understand how to approach it effectively.

One of the biggest benefits of editing is that it gives you the opportunity to look at your essay with fresh eyes. Once you’ve written the paper, it can be nearly impossible to look at it objectively. Editing allows you to look at it critically and make necessary changes.

Editing also helps you to catch grammar mistakes, spelling errors, and typos. A single error can easily ruin an entire essay, so it’s essential to go over the paper and make sure everything is perfect. This can only be done by editing the paper carefully.

Finally, editing can help you to make sure that the essay is coherent and well-written. After writing the paper , you might realize that the introduction and conclusion don’t match up, or that two paragraphs contradict each other. Editing will help you to identify such issues and make the necessary adjustments.

Now that we’ve discussed the benefits of editing, let’s look at how to approach it effectively. The first step is to read the entire essay through once without making any changes. This should give you a good overview of the paper and allow you to spot any major issues. The next step is to go through the paper again and make notes as you go along.

You should pay particular attention to grammar, spelling, typos, and structure. Make a note of anything that stands out and needs to be changed. Don’t worry if you can’t fix it right away – just write it down and come back to it later. The goal is to get an overall picture of what needs to be done.

Finally, it’s time to make the actual changes. Take your time and read each sentence carefully before you make any changes. Don’t be afraid to delete or add content between paragraphs to ensure that the essay flows naturally.

In summary, editing is an essential step in the essay-writing process. It offers many benefits, including the ability to look at the essay objectively, catch grammar mistakes and typos, and ensure that the essay is coherent and well-written. When approaching the editing phase, it’s important to read the paper through once without making any changes, make notes as you go, and take your time when making the actual changes.

Formatting – Adhering to Academic Standards

Formatting your essay correctly is a critical step in the writing process. It shows that you have taken care to put together an essay that follows the academic standards.

Here are a few tips for formatting your essay according to academic standards:

• Make sure the margins of your essay are set to one inch on all sides.
• Your font should be size 12 Times New Roman or Arial.
• Use double spacing between lines, and make sure there is no extra space before or after each paragraph.
• When quoting direct text, indenting it five spaces will make it easier to read.
• Include a header at the top of your document that includes the title of the essay, your name, and the page number.

Formatted correctly, your essay will present itself as concise, organized, and professional. This is a must when following academic standards.

If you want to ensure that your essay looks even better, check with your professor for specific formatting requirements for your assignment.

By taking the time to properly format your essay, you are showing that you understand the importance of adhering to academic standards. This will help you get the best grades possible!

Understanding the Assignment

Writing an essay on a book can be quite a challenge for many students. One of the most important skills for tackling this task is to understand the assignment. To begin, students should read carefully and take notes on the writing prompt. Pay close attention to all the instructions as they are key to crafting an effective essay. This includes being mindful of any keywords or phrases in the prompt that will require further research.

When interpreting the instructions, it is also important to consider any extra guidelines or expectations the professor may have provided. These can include formatting, length, and specific areas of emphasis such as themes or characters. Questions such as ‘Who is the protagonist?’ or ‘How do the themes interact?’ should be actively considered while writing the essay. This helps produce a focused piece of work that is tailored to meet the requirements.

In addition, consider questions such as ‘What do I need to include?’ or ‘What is the purpose of this essay?’. Answering these questions allows students to identify their main points and develop an argument around them. This is a crucial step for forming an essay that is logical and cohesive.

Finally, students should always use the essay assignment to test their understanding of the book. It is often beneficial to leave time at the end of the writing process to review knowledge and reflect on any unanswered questions. Doing so ensures that the essay is comprehensive and addresses all aspects of the prompt.

Understanding the assignment is a vital step when writing an essay on a book. By paying attention to the prompt and any additional guidelines, students can ensure that their assignment is focused, detailed, and suitable for the task.

Effective Use of Quotes

Make sure your quote is relevant to the main argument of your essay.

Choose a quote that is engaging and thought-provoking.

Include the right amount of detail – don’t use too much or too little.

Explain the quote in your own words and provide context.

Think critically about the quote and how it applies to your argument.

Integrate the quote into your essay so that it flows naturally.

Tools for Writing an Essay on a Book

When writing an essay on a book there are certain tools that can help make the process easier. Knowing some of these basic terms and tools can help you write a better essay and make it much more enjoyable.

Creating an outline is one of the most important steps in writing an essay. It provides structure to your essay, ensuring that each point is made in the correct order and that the essay flows logically. Outlining also helps you stay organized and remember what needs to be included in the essay.

Doing research is important when writing an essay about a book. Read through the text and make notes about any interesting or pertinent information you find. Also, look for additional sources that can provide further insight into the book or the topics it raises.

Grammar and Spelling Checkers

Grammar and spelling checkers can be extremely useful when writing your essay. They can help you identify mistakes or typos that you may have missed. Double-check your work before you submit it to make sure it is as accurate and error-free as possible.

Writing Resources

Finally, there are many great writing resources available online that can provide further advice and guidance on how to write an effective essay. Look through examples of essays written by other students and learn from their techniques and approaches.

Knowing some of these basic terms and tools can help you get off to a strong start when writing an essay on a book. Do your research, create an outline, and use grammar and spelling checkers to make sure your work is as perfect as possible. Finally, don’t forget to look for other writing resources that can provide insight and advice.

Writing an essay on a book can be a daunting task, especially when attempting it for the first time. This guide aims to make the process of writing an essay on a book simple and easy-to-follow. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can make the process of writing your essay much easier.

A good conclusion should summarize the main points of the article, explain how to approach writing the final version, and reiterate why the content was important. To conclude your essay, start by summarizing the arguments and ideas that you presented throughout your paper. Then, move on to discussing why you chose to write the essay and the importance of studying the book. Finally, provide a brief statement that sums up the main points of the essay.

When writing the final version of your essay, there are some key points to keep in mind. First, proofread your work for any typos or errors. Make sure to properly cite any quotes or references that you used in your essay. Finally, consider having a peer review your essay to get another perspective and catch any mistakes that you might have missed.

Writing an essay on a book can be a rewarding experience when done correctly. The most important part of the process is to fully understand the material and the prompt. By following the steps outlined in this article and taking the time to research and plan, you can write an effective essay on a book.

Nick Radlinsky

Nick Radlinsky is a devoted educator, marketing specialist, and management expert with more than 15 years of experience in the education sector. After obtaining his business degree in 2016, Nick embarked on a quest to achieve his PhD, driven by his commitment to enhancing education for students worldwide. His vast experience, starting in 2008, has established him as a reputable authority in the field.

Nick's article, featured in Routledge's " Entrepreneurship in Central and Eastern Europe: Development through Internationalization ," highlights his sharp insights and unwavering dedication to advancing the educational landscape. Inspired by his personal motto, "Make education better," Nick's mission is to streamline students' lives and foster efficient learning. His inventive ideas and leadership have contributed to the transformation of numerous educational experiences, distinguishing him as a true innovator in his field.

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• Knowledge Base
• How to write an essay introduction | 4 steps & examples

How to Write an Essay Introduction | 4 Steps & Examples

Published on February 4, 2019 by Shona McCombes . Revised on July 23, 2023.

A good introduction paragraph is an essential part of any academic essay . It sets up your argument and tells the reader what to expect.

The main goals of an introduction are to:

• Catch your reader’s attention.
• Give background on your topic.
• Present your thesis statement —the central point of your essay.

This introduction example is taken from our interactive essay example on the history of Braille.

The invention of Braille was a major turning point in the history of disability. The writing system of raised dots used by visually impaired people was developed by Louis Braille in nineteenth-century France. In a society that did not value disabled people in general, blindness was particularly stigmatized, and lack of access to reading and writing was a significant barrier to social participation. The idea of tactile reading was not entirely new, but existing methods based on sighted systems were difficult to learn and use. As the first writing system designed for blind people’s needs, Braille was a groundbreaking new accessibility tool. It not only provided practical benefits, but also helped change the cultural status of blindness. This essay begins by discussing the situation of blind people in nineteenth-century Europe. It then describes the invention of Braille and the gradual process of its acceptance within blind education. Subsequently, it explores the wide-ranging effects of this invention on blind people’s social and cultural lives.

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Table of contents

Step 1: hook your reader, step 2: give background information, step 3: present your thesis statement, step 4: map your essay’s structure, step 5: check and revise, more examples of essay introductions, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about the essay introduction.

Your first sentence sets the tone for the whole essay, so spend some time on writing an effective hook.

Avoid long, dense sentences—start with something clear, concise and catchy that will spark your reader’s curiosity.

The hook should lead the reader into your essay, giving a sense of the topic you’re writing about and why it’s interesting. Avoid overly broad claims or plain statements of fact.

Examples: Writing a good hook

Take a look at these examples of weak hooks and learn how to improve them.

• Braille was an extremely important invention.
• The invention of Braille was a major turning point in the history of disability.

The first sentence is a dry fact; the second sentence is more interesting, making a bold claim about exactly  why the topic is important.

• The internet is defined as “a global computer network providing a variety of information and communication facilities.”
• The spread of the internet has had a world-changing effect, not least on the world of education.

Avoid using a dictionary definition as your hook, especially if it’s an obvious term that everyone knows. The improved example here is still broad, but it gives us a much clearer sense of what the essay will be about.

• Mary Shelley’s  Frankenstein is a famous book from the nineteenth century.
• Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is often read as a crude cautionary tale about the dangers of scientific advancement.

Instead of just stating a fact that the reader already knows, the improved hook here tells us about the mainstream interpretation of the book, implying that this essay will offer a different interpretation.

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Next, give your reader the context they need to understand your topic and argument. Depending on the subject of your essay, this might include:

• Historical, geographical, or social context
• An outline of the debate you’re addressing
• A summary of relevant theories or research about the topic
• Definitions of key terms

The information here should be broad but clearly focused and relevant to your argument. Don’t give too much detail—you can mention points that you will return to later, but save your evidence and interpretation for the main body of the essay.

How much space you need for background depends on your topic and the scope of your essay. In our Braille example, we take a few sentences to introduce the topic and sketch the social context that the essay will address:

Now it’s time to narrow your focus and show exactly what you want to say about the topic. This is your thesis statement —a sentence or two that sums up your overall argument.

This is the most important part of your introduction. A  good thesis isn’t just a statement of fact, but a claim that requires evidence and explanation.

The goal is to clearly convey your own position in a debate or your central point about a topic.

Particularly in longer essays, it’s helpful to end the introduction by signposting what will be covered in each part. Keep it concise and give your reader a clear sense of the direction your argument will take.

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As you research and write, your argument might change focus or direction as you learn more.

For this reason, it’s often a good idea to wait until later in the writing process before you write the introduction paragraph—it can even be the very last thing you write.

When you’ve finished writing the essay body and conclusion , you should return to the introduction and check that it matches the content of the essay.

It’s especially important to make sure your thesis statement accurately represents what you do in the essay. If your argument has gone in a different direction than planned, tweak your thesis statement to match what you actually say.

To polish your writing, you can use something like a paraphrasing tool .

You can use the checklist below to make sure your introduction does everything it’s supposed to.

Checklist: Essay introduction

My first sentence is engaging and relevant.

I have introduced the topic with necessary background information.

I have defined any important terms.

My thesis statement clearly presents my main point or argument.

Everything in the introduction is relevant to the main body of the essay.

You have a strong introduction - now make sure the rest of your essay is just as good.

• Argumentative
• Literary analysis

This introduction to an argumentative essay sets up the debate about the internet and education, and then clearly states the position the essay will argue for.

The spread of the internet has had a world-changing effect, not least on the world of education. The use of the internet in academic contexts is on the rise, and its role in learning is hotly debated. For many teachers who did not grow up with this technology, its effects seem alarming and potentially harmful. This concern, while understandable, is misguided. The negatives of internet use are outweighed by its critical benefits for students and educators—as a uniquely comprehensive and accessible information source; a means of exposure to and engagement with different perspectives; and a highly flexible learning environment.

This introduction to a short expository essay leads into the topic (the invention of the printing press) and states the main point the essay will explain (the effect of this invention on European society).

In many ways, the invention of the printing press marked the end of the Middle Ages. The medieval period in Europe is often remembered as a time of intellectual and political stagnation. Prior to the Renaissance, the average person had very limited access to books and was unlikely to be literate. The invention of the printing press in the 15th century allowed for much less restricted circulation of information in Europe, paving the way for the Reformation.

This introduction to a literary analysis essay , about Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein , starts by describing a simplistic popular view of the story, and then states how the author will give a more complex analysis of the text’s literary devices.

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is often read as a crude cautionary tale. Arguably the first science fiction novel, its plot can be read as a warning about the dangers of scientific advancement unrestrained by ethical considerations. In this reading, and in popular culture representations of the character as a “mad scientist”, Victor Frankenstein represents the callous, arrogant ambition of modern science. However, far from providing a stable image of the character, Shelley uses shifting narrative perspectives to gradually transform our impression of Frankenstein, portraying him in an increasingly negative light as the novel goes on. While he initially appears to be a naive but sympathetic idealist, after the creature’s narrative Frankenstein begins to resemble—even in his own telling—the thoughtlessly cruel figure the creature represents him as.

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

• Ad hominem fallacy
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Your essay introduction should include three main things, in this order:

• An opening hook to catch the reader’s attention.
• Relevant background information that the reader needs to know.
• A thesis statement that presents your main point or argument.

The length of each part depends on the length and complexity of your essay .

The “hook” is the first sentence of your essay introduction . It should lead the reader into your essay, giving a sense of why it’s interesting.

To write a good hook, avoid overly broad statements or long, dense sentences. Try to start with something clear, concise and catchy that will spark your reader’s curiosity.

A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay . Everything else you write should relate to this key idea.

The thesis statement is essential in any academic essay or research paper for two main reasons:

• It gives your writing direction and focus.
• It gives the reader a concise summary of your main point.

Without a clear thesis statement, an essay can end up rambling and unfocused, leaving your reader unsure of exactly what you want to say.

The structure of an essay is divided into an introduction that presents your topic and thesis statement , a body containing your in-depth analysis and arguments, and a conclusion wrapping up your ideas.

The structure of the body is flexible, but you should always spend some time thinking about how you can organize your essay to best serve your ideas.

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While Sandel argues that pursuing perfection through genetic engineering would decrease our sense of humility, he claims that the sense of solidarity we would lose is also important.

This thesis summarizes several points in Sandel’s argument, but it does not make a claim about how we should understand his argument. A reader who read Sandel’s argument would not also need to read an essay based on this descriptive thesis.  

Broad thesis (arguable, but difficult to support with evidence) 

Michael Sandel’s arguments about genetic engineering do not take into consideration all the relevant issues.

This is an arguable claim because it would be possible to argue against it by saying that Michael Sandel’s arguments do take all of the relevant issues into consideration. But the claim is too broad. Because the thesis does not specify which “issues” it is focused on—or why it matters if they are considered—readers won’t know what the rest of the essay will argue, and the writer won’t know what to focus on. If there is a particular issue that Sandel does not address, then a more specific version of the thesis would include that issue—hand an explanation of why it is important.  

Arguable thesis with analytical claim 

While Sandel argues persuasively that our instinct to “remake” (54) ourselves into something ever more perfect is a problem, his belief that we can always draw a line between what is medically necessary and what makes us simply “better than well” (51) is less convincing.

This is an arguable analytical claim. To argue for this claim, the essay writer will need to show how evidence from the article itself points to this interpretation. It’s also a reasonable scope for a thesis because it can be supported with evidence available in the text and is neither too broad nor too narrow.  

Arguable thesis with normative claim 

Given Sandel’s argument against genetic enhancement, we should not allow parents to decide on using Human Growth Hormone for their children.

This thesis tells us what we should do about a particular issue discussed in Sandel’s article, but it does not tell us how we should understand Sandel’s argument.  

Questions to ask about your thesis 

• Is the thesis truly arguable? Does it speak to a genuine dilemma in the source, or would most readers automatically agree with it?  
• Is the thesis too obvious? Again, would most or all readers agree with it without needing to see your argument?  
• Is the thesis complex enough to require a whole essay's worth of argument?  
• Is the thesis supportable with evidence from the text rather than with generalizations or outside research?  
• Would anyone want to read a paper in which this thesis was developed? That is, can you explain what this paper is adding to our understanding of a problem, question, or topic?
• picture_as_pdf Thesis

Screen Rant

6 things from the bridgerton books that netflix must not change in season 3.

As Bridgerton season 3 draws closer, it remains to be seen how the story will adapt and change the book it's based on in the original series.

WARNING! SPOILERS ahead for Bridgerton book four, Romancing Mr. Bridgerton, by Julia Quinn!

• Bridgerton season 3 maintains key plot points from the book series for Colin and Penelope's love story to blossom authentically.
• Colin and Penelope's early meeting and shared love for writing are crucial to their relationship development in the upcoming season.
• The show must balance Penelope's reveal as Lady Whistledown with her romance with Colin, allowing for reconciliation and acceptance.

Bridgerton has taken the world by storm since its premiere on Netflix in 2020, and as Bridgerton season 3 approaches, there are some plot points the show cannot change from the story in the books. The TV series is based on the book franchise by Julia Quinn, with a total of eight novels that each track the love story of one of the titular Bridgerton children. Both the books and the TV show are a revisionist history of Regency-era London that turns up the volume on the intrigue, scandal, and drama, making the romances all the more watchable.

It's the first season to deviate from the order of the books, telling the story of Colin (Luke Newton) and Penelope (Nicola Coughlan) from Romancing Mr. Bridgerton , the fourth book of the series.

Season 1 followed the story of Daphne (Phoebe Dynevor) and her love story with the Duke (Regé-Jean Page), while season 2 introduced the amazing enemies-to-lovers romance between Anthony (Jonathon Bailey) and Kate (Simone Ashley). Many fans are sad to say goodbye to Anthony and Kate's steamy love affair, but Bridgerton season 3 will be very different from seasons 1 and 2 . It's the first season to deviate from the order of the books, telling the story of Colin (Luke Newton) and Penelope (Nicola Coughlan) from Romancing Mr. Bridgerton , the fourth book of the series.

The series creators decided to skip over the third book, An Offer From A Gentleman , which encompasses Benedict's (Luke Thompson) story because Colin and Penelope's chemistry was so clear in the first two seasons. However, even though the order of the books has changed, that doesn't mean all the aspects of Romancing Mr. Bridgerton should be. Plenty of moments particularly between Colin and Penelope, must remain unchanged for their relationship to blossom and for audiences to see how much they mean to each other. Their friends-to-lovers relationship is a highlight of the Bridgerton canon.

6 How Colin & Penelope Met

Shown in a flashback, proving they always had chemistry.

In the book, readers gain insight into Penelope and Colin's early relationship and the events that set their love in motion. For the first two seasons, Penelope and Colin are good friends, but Penelope wants them to be more. She privately pines for Colin throughout her life, and he obliviously doesn't see her as anything more than a friend. In the show, it seems as if Penelope has always been attached to the Bridgerton family because of her closeness to Colin's sister, Eloise (Claudia Jessie). Eloise and Penelope are practically inseparable throughout the first two seasons.

It would be easy to assume that Colin and Penelope met through Eloise, but their first meeting is much more impactful. Bridgerton has incorporated flashbacks before, like in Anthony's season when he recalled the death of his father, and providing a look back at Colin and Penelope's first meeting shouldn't be omitted from the show. As teenagers, they meet on a walk, and Penelope's hat flies into Colin's face. In a moment that should be awkward and mortifying, Colin eases Penelope's anxieties and laughs at his misfortune, showing that he is genuinely a good fit for her.

Bridgerton Season 3’s Missing Character Creates A Huge Challenge For Colin & Penelope's Romance

5 penelope & colin bonding over writing, establishing their shared interests and intellectual compatibility.

What brings them together is their mutual love of writing, though they express it in different ways. In the book, when Penelope discovers Colin's writing, she's impressed and intrigued.

Colin and Penelope struggle with how others perceive them throughout the series. Penelope wishes to be taken more seriously and looked at as a romantic prospect by young men instead of an awkward member of a family with a middling reputation. Conversely, Colin wants people to see him as more than yet another charming Bridgerton who has little to offer besides his looks and social standing. What brings them together is their mutual love of writing, though they express it in different ways. In the book, when Penelope discovers Colin's writing, she's impressed and intrigued.

Though there's some concern over Colin and Penelope's romance in Bridgerton and how different it will be from the books, maintaining the throughline of a connection through writing will strengthen their budding relationship. The fact that Penelope is not only a writer but Lady Whistledown herself becomes a major point of tension between the pair. Understanding that Colin is a writer himself and feels jealousy at Penelope's success adds nuance to her role as Whistledown and depicts them as equals. This illustration of her success is vital as Penelope frequently puts herself down and thinks she isn't worthy of Colin.

4 Colin Discovering Penelope Is Lady Whistledown

Eloise shouldn't tell him even though she already knows in the show.

Bridgerton season 3's biggest character change will be Eloise. Particularly the relationship between Eloise and Penelope, since Eloise knows she's Lady Whistedown. The fact that Eloise knows Penelope is Whistledown is a shift from the books, but it was the right move for the show to tell Colin and Penelope's story in season 3. Penelope needs to break away from her friendship with Eloise to figure out who she is away from the Bridgertons. Additionally, her rift with Eloise will allow Colin to stop seeing her as a little sister and start seeing her as a romantic prospect.

However, Eloise must stay out of their courtship and not disrupt how Colin discovers Penelope's secret. Bridgerton season 3 has teased that Colin is going to help Penelope find a match in the marriage mart and slowly realize his feelings for her along the way. As they grow closer, he must discover that she is Whistledown on his own as he does in the books. If Eloise were to tell him and rob Penelope of the opportunity to explain her side of things, it could be disastrous for their relationship and would be a betrayal Penelope wouldn't easily forgive.

3 The Ton Accepting Penelope As Lady Whistledown

She deserves acceptance after being ostracized for so long.

It's in Romancing Mr. Bridgerton that Penelope's identity as Lady Whistledown was made public, but instead of being angry at her and casting her out of society, she was celebrated for her work as a writer. It would be difficult for the show to put off this reveal to another season, as Penelope isn't likely to be a protagonist after her relationship with Colin is chronicled. Extending Penelope's Lady Whistledown plotline past their story wouldn't work for the show. Colin and Penelope must end up married and be honest with each other by the end of the season.

Penelope has been cast aside by her friends and family so far in Bridgerton , and her Whistledown unmasking should be triumphant.

It would be shocking if Colin encouraged her to keep her identity a secret and continue hiding from the ton. Instead, season 3 should allow Penelope to come clean with everyone and receive the recognition she's waited for all these years. It's true that some of what she wrote as Lady Whistledown hurt people she cared about, but it was an important outlet for her and allowed her to discover her strength as a writer. Penelope has been cast aside by her friends and family so far in Bridgerton , and her Whistledown unmasking should be triumphant.

2 Colin Supporting Penelope's Writing And Ideas

Setting aside his jealousy and believing in her.

Penelope has faced humiliation at Colin's hands and has been hurt deeply by his actions. Even if he was never vicious or overlooked her on purpose, that doesn't change how much their relationship has to come back from in season 3. They both have a lot of maturing to do as characters, and the tables have turned so that Colin must prove he is good enough for Penelope instead of the other way around. A change that season 3 must make is having Penelope enter the marriage mart with newfound confidence and the realization that she can live without Colin.

However, she’ll soon discover that she doesn’t want to be separated as Colin evolves and starts to understand her more deeply. This change should be illustrated through his support of her being Lady Whistledown and the realization that she's a talented writer with an incisive voice that adds important insight into the workings of the ton. It's alright if he's jealous or hurt at first, so long as he sticks to the book's characterization of love and support in the face of learning that Penelope is more skilled and wise than he knew.

1 Eloise And Penelope Becoming Friends Again

Forgiving each other and being united as a family.

She and Penelope will be on separate paths in season 3, but this will allow them to heal following their blowout fight in season 2 and for Eloise to gain perspective into why Penelope wrote what she did as Whistledown.

Although Eloise's plotline and romance are bound to change significantly, that doesn't mean her relationship with Penelope should take a different course. In the book, Eloise gets married around the same time as Penelope. Of course, Bridgerton season 3 has moved up the timeline of these events, so it might be difficult to squeeze in Eloise's romantic prospects. However, there's plenty of opportunity for her to heal her relationship with Penelope and for their ending to remain the same. Though Eloise finds out that Penelope is Lady Whistledown differently in the books, she still forgives her and understands.

However, Eloise is much more concerned with who Lady Whistledown is in the show, and season 3 might deviate from Eloise's story for good . She and Penelope will be on separate paths in season 3, but this will allow them to heal following their blowout fight in season 2 and for Eloise to gain perspective into why Penelope wrote what she did as Whistledown. Seeing them grow as characters and come back together as adults who love and respect each other will be just as rewarding a payoff as witnessing Colin and Penelope fall in love.

*Availability in US

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From Shondaland and creator Chris Van Dusen, Netflix’s Bridgerton is based on the romance novels of the same name by author Julia Quinn. The series follows the eight Bridgerton siblings, Anthony, Benedict, Colin, Daphne, Eloise, Francesca, Gregory, and Hyacinth, as they search for love during the social season and navigate life in Regency-era England.

BREAKING: Former NFL star, celebrity criminal defendant O.J. Simpson dead at 76, attorney says

WTOP Book Report: Writing for ‘The Girls’: TV trailblazer Stan Zimmerman discusses iconic career

Terik King | [email protected]

April 7, 2024, 12:56 PM

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Television aficionados and fans of iconic sitcoms have much to feast upon in “The Girls: From Golden to Gilmore” (Indigo River), the new memoir from renowned television writer/producer, and theater director Stan Zimmerman, whose credits include The Golden Girls, Roseanne, The Gilmore Girls and A Very Brady Sequel.

Zimmerman’s memoir delves into his multi-decade career, spotlighting the vibrant women who have played pivotal roles in his professional journey and personal life.

“I always wanted to answer the question, ‘Why me?'” said Zimmerman in an interview with the WTOP Book Report, “And how did I get to write for so many wonderful women?” The idea for the memoir, he said, had been brewing for over eight years. “I (decided to) go back to my old journals, which I’ve been keeping since college,” Zimmerman said, “And luckily I wrote a lot of my journals during each of the TV shows that I was on.”

Zimmerman said he hoped that through writing, he could decipher the reasons behind his unique connection with female characters and talents.

From Detroit to Hollywood

The memoir traces Zimmerman’s trajectory from his upbringing in a small Detroit suburb to his pursuit of a career in the entertainment industry. Reflecting on his childhood surrounded by strong, supportive women, Zimmerman remarked, “I was surrounded by three strong, intelligent women — my mother, my grandmother, and my sister — all of whom supported my imagination and creativity.”

He reminisced about his early forays into theater, noting, “Instead of playing outside, I spent time in my basement directing and acting in plays with the neighborhood kids.”

Zimmerman would enroll at NYU, where he met Jim Berg, a fellow student with whom he quickly discovered he shared a passion for television. “We would walk through the streets in New York making each other laugh,” Zimmerman said.

Recognizing their complementary talents, the duo forged a partnership that would define much of Zimmerman’s career. “We brought both of our talents together, and started writing TV scripts,” Zimmerman explained. 

With their sights set on breaking into the television industry, Zimmerman and Berg embarked on the challenging task of writing unpaid examples of scripts for existing shows — an endeavor commonly known as “writing on spec.”

T hey cut their teeth, writing scripts for shows like Alice , The Facts of Life , Love, Sydney and the Fame TV series, most notably penning an episode of the classic musical series that featured a young Janet Jackson performing the title track of her 1984 album “Dream Street” under the direction of Debbie Allen. However, it was their spec script for the fledgling sitcom “Cheers” that proved to be a turning point in their careers. 

Living Life Like It’s ‘Golden’

“Our Cheers script got to them and we were invited to go in and pitch episodes for a one-time writing assignment on this new show starring four older ladies that live in Miami,” said Zimmerman.

“They had us come in and pitch episodes. And they hated all of them.” That is until Zimmerman, on his way out the door, offhandedly asked the producers, “’What if Rose’s mother came to visit?’ There was a long pause, and they said, ‘Come sit back down.’”

Zimmerman’s tenure on The Golden Girls emerges as a prominent theme in his memoir, with anecdotes and reflections highlighting his interactions with the beloved cast. “Nobody at that time thought ( The Golden Girls ) would be a hit show,” said Zimmerman.

“They knew how lucky they were to be on a hit show at that age, in that climate.” In his interview with the Book Report , he shared free-association insights into his interactions with the legendary ladies: Bea Arthur (“Terrifying, but a pussycat”), Rue McClanahan (“A consummate actress”), Betty White (“Sweet, but complicated”) and Estelle Getty (“A mother and friend”). 

Zimmerman’s memoir also traces his time as a writer on Roseanne , where he and Berg wrote “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” — commonly known as “the lesbian kiss episode” — where Barr’s character is stunned by a surprise kiss from a lesbian character played by Mariel Hemingway. “It was a huge fight to get that on commercial television, (and to prove) that it wouldn’t turn away viewers ,” said Zimmerman, “That’s what they thought would happen.”

Zimmerman said he was intimidate by the atmosphere of the writers’ room on Roseanne, and reflecting on what he would have done differently, said, “I think more than anything, because you want it to be so good … what I would have done differently on ‘Roseanne’ is just embrace my weirdness and just said whatever.”

A stroke of alliterative good fortune would come with the transition to his time on the hourlong comedy-drama The Gilmore Girls , Zimmerman found additional creative freedom in crafting stories centered around the dynamic relationships among three generations of women.

Reflecting on his time writing for the show, Zimmerman remarked, “I just loved that there was a town full of weird, quirky people to go to (for stories).”

Anchoring his glitzy, otherworldly journey is the constant voice of support of his mother, the original primary nurturer of his creativity and imagination. It is there, Zimmerman concludes, that he finds his answer why he was able to effectively write for such durable female TV characters.

“I am attracted to really smart, passionate, intelligent, verbal women, and I love being around them,” Zimmerman said. “And I always have since (I was) a young child … my grandmother, my mother, (and) my sister really created a world where they supported and encouraged my creativity.”

With each chapter brimming with anecdotes and reflections, “The Girls: From Golden to Gilmore” promises to be a poignant testament to Zimmerman’s resilience, creativity, and enduring love for the craft of storytelling.

Zimmerman said his memoir is for “anybody that loves to laugh has watched comedy television in the last 80 years. Anybody that has a mother, anybody that has struggled at a job and thought ‘I’m going to get fired’ or does get fired and (discovers) how they pick themselves up.” 

Zimmerman’s memoir is set to resonate with a wide audience, from die-hard television buffs to anyone navigating the complexities of life and career. “It’s not just my life in show business but just survival skills,” said Zimmerman. “You know, ups and downs, picking yourself up and keep going and rediscovering and keeping life interesting every day, no matter what age you are.” 

“The Girls: From Golden to Gilmore” invites readers to embark on a nostalgic, insightful and laughter-filled journey through the annals of television history.

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Terik King is an Associate Producer for WTOP. Before joining WTOP in 2022 he held roles producing podcasts, unscripted television and content for MTV, the NFL and independent documentary production companies.

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