Creating an Essay: How to Speed Up the Writing Process

You do not have to spend more time writing your essay than it is actually needed to make it right. However, if you feel that it is just what you keep doing on a daily basis, if you often miss your deadlines or lack time for a proper rest, here are some tips for a more efficient approach:

• Skip the introduction. It is usually the most difficult part to write. Jump up to writing your thesis statement and return to the introduction not until you reach the end of your first draft.
• Outline your main points. This is really crucial for speedy writing. When you see what you will be writing about next, you waste no time staring blankly at the screen and guessing it.
• List your pieces of evidence as bullet points. As you proceed, expand them into complete sentences.
• Use ready examples for you introduction and conclusion. After you are done with body paragraphs, browse the web for samples of introductory and concluding sentences. Choose the ones that you feel are the most suitable. Modify them according to your needs. The result may be less beautiful than a brilliant sentence you come up with on your own, but using this technique will definitely save you time.
• Leave proofreading for the last. Do not aim at a perfect first draft. Just keep writing till you reach the end, regardless of any minor errors you may be making. However, do not eliminate proofreading completely. Check your grammar and spelling thoroughly after you finish – it can make the difference between passing and failing, and it does not actually take much time.

If you use all the tips above but are still frustrated with your writing speed, here are more recommendations from professional writers:

• Separate the research and writing process. Never interrupt your work half-way to look up a quotation or insert a figure. Just leave brackets with a note at that place. After you complete your first draft, go down your text and insert the necessary quotes and images. Another method is to prepare beforehand all the quotations and figures you are going to use. Put them in a separate word file so they are close at hand when you need them.
• Set a timer for no more than 10 minutes and write non-stop until the signal. It is the so-called “end effect” – an amazing increase in your ability to focus your mind when you just have a few minutes. See if you can use this effect constantly to think and write faster than ever.