Essay Writer and Proofreader All Rolled Into One - Getting Paid For Writing

The first time I taught VALUES in a writing class, I told my students to go home and write down as many strong experiences as they could think of in their lives. Next to each, they were to write out a strong reversal that was closely related to each strongly positive or strongly negative experience and based on further experiences from their lives or from the lives of people they personally knew.

I provided several examples on the white board so they would be sure to understand, and we discussed those a bit. And I explained that the assignment was to help them identify material they could write about in the several types of essays they would be completing throughout the course of the class. They seemed to 'get it.'

However, before the next class period, two unhappy students came to see me. They were having trouble finding values in their lives that they could reverse.

The first student, Jared, stood in front of my desk and said, 'I don't see what you mean by positive and negative values in my life. I guess I've got a stable but boring life,' he laughed.

I laughed, too, and responded, 'Well, how are your experiences, your relationships, at home? What are the values-really positive, really negative? Just so-so, nothing to brag about or complain about?'

'Just so-so, I guess. We get along okay, actually. No real problems. Nothing really wonderful, either, I guess.'

I chuckled and said, 'Okay, I know what you mean. What about your health? How's that? Great shape, bad shape-what?'

Jared offered, 'Well, my health's okay, too, I guess.' He paused. 'There is one thing, though.' He looked down at his feet. 'I've got diabetes, but it's under control. I eat right and take my insulin at the right times. No big deal.'

Essay Writing - 6 Common Types

Students often have essay writing activities in almost all of their subjects. The initial step is usually to decide on what topic to discuss. But the next big decision that essay writers confront is what type of essay to employ. What technique works for the selected topic? What kind of writing style is suitable? What tone is efficient?

In choosing what essay type is appropriate to use, students need to fully understand the difference between each type. Here are the common types of essays that can help students on their paper writing activities:

1. Persuasive or argumentative essay

A persuasive or argumentative essay makes a claim or position regarding a subject for the main purpose of persuasion. It is usually presented with statistics, expert opinions, and well-supported arguments about a claim or controversy. In using an argumentative tone in essay writing, it is essential that the issue to be discussed is two-sided wherein the writer takes a stand. Also, the main argument must be clear, exact, and highly focused.

2. Comparison and Contrast essay

This type of essay writing takes two subjects and identifies their similarities and differences. A good comparison and contrast paper possesses a valid basis for comparison - a limited focus and catchy information. In writing essay using compare and contrast, it is vital that the purpose for comparing and contrasting the two subjects is made clear. This purpose is crucial because it provides focus to the paper.

3. Descriptive essay

Descriptive essays' aim is to provide a vivid picture of a certain person, place, object, or event. It offers concise details that enable the readers to imagine the subject described. Generally, descriptive essays explain the "what, why, when, where, and how" of a topic.

4. Definition essay

Definition essay writing demands writers to present a meaning of a term that goes beyond the objective definition offered in the dictionary. Essay writers need to provide a more focused and exact description of the term than what is offered in reference sources.

5. Narrative essay

A narrative essay tells a story in a sequence of events. This type of essay is told from a defined point of view, often the author's. It offers specific and often sensory details to get the reader involved in the elements and sequence of the story. Verbs must be vivid and precise.

6. Evaluation essay

The prime purpose of this essay writing style is to form judgment on certain ideas, places, services, etc. basing on clear-cut criteria. An informed opinion is critical to the development of this essay. It is important to use facts, statistics and other authoritative resources to establish and organize the criteria to present a substantial analysis and evaluation.

Essay writing is just one tough kind of various paper writing activities. Students usually ask for professional essay help to assist them on what type of approach or style to use in their composition.

A Guide to the Intricacies of Essay Writing

Essay writing is a piece that serves as an instrument to express an opinion or a point-of-view. But writing an essay is not as easy as it seems. It's not just words that formed instantly. It's not just merely writing it all down. It entails a lot of hard work, logic, and technique.

An essay writer needs to consider a lot of factors like grammar, congruity and consistency. The process of writing starts with a muddled set of ideas waiting to be written in a blank sheet. With persistence and cautious in following the rules of composition, there comes a quality and coherent essay.

Learning the dos and don'ts in essay writing is a must. Here are some useful techniques that serve as guide in the intricacies of writing an essay.

o Choose a suitable design and hold to it.

Writing, to be effective, must follow a basic structural design. This calls for a scheme of procedure. A writer must perceive the shape of the article before it is written. The skeleton of the essay is its design determines the chronology of thoughts that the writer think suits the paper.

o Use the active voice.

This doesn't mean that the writer should totally discard the passive voice. But writing in active voice is more direct and vigorous. Usually, using active voice makes the statement more concise.

o Use definite, specific, concrete language.

This is the surest way to arouse and hold the reader's attention. Be specific to the general, definite to the vague, and concrete to the abstract. Instead of saying "A period of bad weather," prefer "It rained every day for two weeks."

o Omit needless words

Dynamic writing is concise. In writing, every sentence should not contain any unnecessary word or phrase.

o Keep related words together

The positioning of words is vital in showing coherence. Bad placements of words will result to ambiguity and confusion.

o Keep to one tense

This rule is also for cohesiveness. Stick to one tense unless it is necessary in the article to adopt two or more.

o Have a catchy introduction

Having an interesting introduction will grab reader's attention and will persuade them to finish the article. Any essay writer must consider a catchy introduction using different writing techniques.

o Edit

An impeccably written essay is only possible through successive revisions and continuous editing.

With all these guidelines to consider essay writing is indeed vigorous. It requires a lot of persistence and patience from the writer. Essays are not just opinions written on a paper - they are sensible and logical.

Ethan is a school counsellor, educational consultant and a part-time writer for Bestessaytips.com, an online essay writing company that provides full guides for the writing of different types of essays on the net.

Essay Writing Tips - Powerful Introduction and Conclusion

Essay writing is never complete without the two most essential parts - introduction and conclusion. Why? Introductions serve as teasers that establish and convey the relevance of the whole essay. On the other hand, conclusions serve as deal sealers that leave strong and persuasive impressions on the readers.

With such great responsibility, introductions and conclusions have to be as powerful as possible. These paragraphs give the readers the opening and ending statements required that can make or break an essay. Brilliant essay writing has two vital factors - attractive introduction and strong conclusion.

Writing good introduction and conclusion is not done in a snap. It entails squeezing of creative juices and sufficient time to research. But there are some important considerations that can guide essay writers in coming up with hip beginning and ending statements.

In Writing Introductions

The introduction is basically designed to grab reader's attention. It also aims to provide the readers a brief rundown of the essay's main focus and idea. Remember two main points.

1. Begin with a bang. An attention grabber opening paragraph is a sure hit in essay writing. How to formulate such? A lot of means are efficient. Here are some:

o Use startling information 

Employing surprising and revealing information has always been a good way to start an essay. Essay writing is an exciting and brain stimulating activity. Using startling facts make readers curious and excited. Therefore it compels them to read more. However, the information must be true and confirmable.

The Problem With Writing Paragraphs and Essays

"Writing paragraphs and essays makes me ill," says Wendy, a high school student and newly immigrated citizen to Canada. Writing in English takes some work and Wendy was very anxious about her writing skills. Most students are inadequate in their writing skills to communicate effectively and to make themselves clearly understood. They usually begin with weak paragraph structure and move forward to poorly written essays. Moreover, the amount of practice actually done in class is too little for them to master the basic skills of writing. Wendy's problem is two fold as she has a second language barrier as well as the lack of adequate training in the subject.

At first, the task of overcoming the basic fear of writers block and empty pages may seem too much for some high school students to face. Their intellectual and imagination faculties are usually in very poor condition. Early in their elementary school training when daydreaming was a student's favorite pastime, the notion was scolded out of them with threats of punishment. However, that little faculty happens to be one of the most important gems in the writing process. For example, I was working with a grade five student the other day and asked him to write a simple paragraph about his favorite food. You know, he could not imagine himself eating it and therefore could not describe the feeling. Wow! He had lost his ability to pretend and visualize. Imagination is the most important creative element in writing.

As students continue through elementary school and move on to high school, their imagination skills and writing skills get worse. Why? They have been told to stop daydreaming or face severe punishment. They have been told to face reality and stop fantasizing. They have been so thoroughly disabused of creative imagination and so robotically trained to write about other peoples' works that they often cannot develop their own ideas on given topic. Moreover, they lack the tools necessary to help themselves over this frustrating hurtle.

How to Write Essays Quickly on a Deadline

Essays are supposed to give enough information and featured facts. They're supposed to tell the truth with coherence without deleting a logical and unique form.

If you are commissioned to write an essay and/or article or a story for a publication, you have to be serious at this matter. Editors wouldn't like writers who cannot submit on a deadline. They abhor irresponsible writers who are just for a show and making promises, but not submitting on time.

In the Philippines, I have worked with respectable editors like Melba Bartolome of Women's, Dinah Ventura of Tribune, Nancy Reyes - Lumen of Cook, Reynaldo Duque of Liwayway, Danilo Meneses of Dandelion, Mona Gonzalez, Ricky Lo of Philippine Star, Eugene Asis of Peoples, Leoncio Castillo of Buy and Sell, Dave Frias of Wealthline International, and June Ranera of Rogate Ergo, among others; and I thank them all (forever and ever), for teaching me the guidelines of good writing.

It was not easy. It required a lot of patience to write something the editor will publish conforming to the needs of the paper, magazine, or book.

How to Write the Essays Quickly

The writer needs facts. Primary and secondary data can be used for more details. If necessary, a first-hand interview and witnessing of an event would help. The more details one gets, the better. Moreover, the writer has to be sharp to identify what details to include and what to omit. It is not just getting something to write. There must be some insight and/or added knowledge from the new work.

Write clear sentences. Remember the KISS theory of composition (Keep it simple, stupid.)

Organize data as to theme of the paper or magazine, or audience.

You've got to put your soul and heart into your work.

Be ready to rewrite.

A Stock of Subject Matter

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The essay/article writer needs a stock of subject matter. In short, he/she has to be well-read. His/Her senses must be keen and free about the facts of life. Francis Bacon once said, that he took mankind as his field of study; Montaigne and Whitman made use of their lives as the subject of their work. Authenticity and freshness are markers of a good essay.

Theodore Cheney said that an effective essay/article writer needs the skill of the storyteller and the research ability of the reporter.

How To Deal With Essay Writing Rejections

IF YOU want to become an essay writing expert, you must learn how to accept rejections. 

Who says that seeing your teacher grade your essay with "D" is totally a bad thing? It may sound silly, but if you always get negative comments about the essays you write, you are on your way to becoming an essay writing whiz! 

But there are ways to switch this negativity into positive things.

Take a break from your essay writing routines first. If the human body gets exhausted after doing strenuous physical activities, the human mind is not exempted. Writing essays is an arduous task, so it's important to take a break once in a while to "recharge batteries:" Take a walk in the woods, fill your lungs with fresh air, binge with your favorite food, talk to your family or friends, and so on.

Ask yourself some questions. Your teacher is just grading all outputs of the essay writing tasks that he or she assigns to you. So do not blame him or her if your recently-submitted essay didn't pass his or her standards. Ask yourself, "Did I really do my assignment well?," "What went wrong with my work?," etc.

Improve on the worst. If your essays are always getting rejected or your writing style doesn't make the grade, think of the worst thing that would happen: You'll get lower grades in school. Try to improve on the worst by listing possible solutions-such as "I will read a lot," "I will strive harder," "I will seek the help of an essay writing service," etc.-and then pick out the best possible solution.

Try to laugh at your essay writing mistakes. Remember that nobody's perfect, so admit the hurtful truth that you write crap, but that's only for the meantime. Laughing at your mistakes means that you can bravely recognize one of your weaknesses. But you can also be up for the challenge of doing things better. Humor is a wonderful weapon that any writer can use to his or her benefit.

"Next essay please!" The only way to flee from rejection is to do other things which are of value to you. This may have something to do with improving yourself, such as reading more books, picking up on the styles of other great writers or writing about things that you like.

"Trade" your essays. The essay writing preference of your professor is different from the taste of let's say an editor of a daily or glossy. Your essay might be horrible in the eyes of your teacher, but it might be a handsome piece of writing to others. Cliché as it may seem, but there's an opportunity for every difficulty.

Move on! Past is past. If your professor thumped the essays you recently wrote, do not dare to ask him or her why your essay didn't pass his or her standards. "Knowing the truth" behind your recently rejected work will not help.

Above all, believe in the truism that brilliant ideas surface from rejections: Instead of crying over torn-out or thrown-out essay that you previously submitted in school, take rebuffs as a wake-up call, a driving force that will get you going!

Markus Michaels is an English proficiency instructor at a high school in Sligo, Ireland. He also acts as a moderator of language arts circle club, which teaches the basics of essay writing and fiction appreciation among junior and senior high students. Still single at 35, Markus spend his free time by either traveling to different places or playing football with his co-teachers.