by j9robinson | Jul 28, 2008
It is hard to write about yourself. The college essay often asks you to describe who you are, and what is most important to you. Those are tough questions, for anyone. It’s like someone asking you to pick your favorite color. Maybe you really like red, but not...
by j9robinson | Jul 27, 2008
One of the best ways to write about yourself is to start with a little story, also known as an anecdote. Not only are these mini-stories compelling and natural “grabbers,” they are an excellent way to “show” the reader about yourself instead of...
by j9robinson | Jul 25, 2008
I remember wanting to improve my writing in high school, and feeling frustrated by all the “tips” in the popular how-to-write books: “Be concise,” “Use action verbs,” and the all-popular, “Show, don’t tell.” OK,...
by j9robinson | Jul 24, 2008
A strong college admissions essay often involves creative writing. These essays often tell a story, or use an anecdote (a mini story using narrative writing style) to lead into the piece. Sadly, many high schools and English teachers don’t have a lot of time to...
by j9robinson | Mar 6, 2008
Back to my pal Anne Lamott. Another quality that blocks our ability to jump into a writing assignment is perfectionism. Especially if we are readers, we have very high standards of what we consider good writing. When it comes to writing those college essays, I...
by j9robinson | Mar 5, 2008
One of the biggest obstacles in writing anything, especially “essays,” is getting started. The other night, I walked into my 15-year-old son’s room where he sat at his desk, very distraught. He admitted up front that he had blown it. The assignment,...
