Writing essays fast is something that a few lucky people seem to be able to do, and the rest of us mere mortals can only dream of doing. Luckily for you, we’ve compiled a few hints and tips from some of the fastest writers we know, and put them all together in this simple 5 minute read.
All you need to do now is work through all 8 tips, and then get ready to speed through your writing like never before.
Create a flowchart on one side of paper
Flowcharts are a tool that are commonly used by expert speed writers, but few people outside of their ranks will have heard of them before. The idea is that you lay out your arguments, and how they follow on from one other, on a single side of paper. You can then refer back to this constantly whilst you’re finding the right words so that you can check you’re headed in the right direction.
Not able to construct a flowchart that outlines your arguments? You need to think about the topic from a fresh angle and then try again.
List your subheadings before you start the introduction
When you decide to Get Academic Help with your essay writing you’ll often be told that you need to write draft subheadings long before your introduction. The mistake mere writing mortals make is trying to start with a word-perfect introduction. All this will do is slow you down, and distract you from the need for a clear framework. Turn your flowchart into your essay’s framework by putting subheadings on your page.
If you include approximate word counts, you’re effectively turning one huge essay into a dozen or so much smaller articles.
Don’t try to make your first draft perfect
No one ever got a great grade on their first draft alone. All of the great writers draft several times. There’s nothing wrong with it, and it’s actually far quicker than trying to write something perfect straight off the bat.
Getting something down on paper, taking a short break, and then reading it back to yourself is always the way to go when you want to make progress quickly. It’ll give you the chance to critique your own work, identify room for improvement, and then make the relevant changes.
Have a working title, not a final title
Everyone should have a working title because it will determine the scope of the question they’re trying to answer. If however, you spend hours agonizing over it, then you’re not going to get anything else done.
Jot down a working title, turn your subheadings into a first draft, and then see how it all fits together. The chances are you’ll already be close, but you just need to make a few subtle tweaks in your second draft. It’s the second draft where you’ll see everything come together really fast, so stick at it and believe in the process.
Proofreading aloud is the best way to speed check your essay
Rushing proofreading in an attempt to save time is never a good idea. You might feel like you’re flying through your work, but you’re just doing half a job. If you want to proofread at speed, then reading aloud is the best way to do it.
The minute you stumble, or something doesn’t make sense, you know that you’ve identified a typo and an area that requires closer inspection. Read it through a second time, and if you don’t see anything, you’ve already found everything!
Listen to classical music to stimulate your creativity
Classical music is a greatly underused tool for writers across all disciplines. It’s the perfect way to relax you and put you in the mood to write, whilst also stimulating the creative areas of your brain. Choose a long playlist so that you don’t get any repeats and aren’t tempted to start fiddling around on Spotify for a new playlist.
Abide by the word count to make the editing phase easy
Word counts are not recommendations, they’re requirements. If you add approximate word counts as guides to each subsection, you’ll be able to stop yourself from being too verbose. Ideal if you want to ensure that the editing phase is as quick and easy as possible.
Use a style of language that you are comfortable with
Finally, don’t try and replicate an extravagant style of language just because you’ve taken a liking to it. If you want to be able to get your essay done fast, without sacrificing quality, then stick to what you know. Develop a style that’s suitable for the audience, and don’t try and go over the top with your language purely for the sake of it.
