Haha, something we've all done sooner or later, right? Well, it's something that I think more people should understand how to do. Knowing how to write a good persuasive paragraph or research, can lead to perhaps a job writing proposals for companies, or even publishing a paper. But what's the best way to write a paper?


1. Know your enemy!

Yep, you heard me. In order to write a good paper, you need to spend time getting to know your new best friend. Be it a type of disease, a desire to go to a certain college, or how you encountered your first big wave. Go hop onto Google, bike or walk to your local library, or take a small self-exploring sit-down to better understand your topic. The internet can hook you up to other resources (book exchanges, maybe?) that you can use, and most of all, it's free.

At your library, you can also look at actual articles both on a slide viewer or their catalogs. It may take some hunting if you're doing a research paper on a historical event from ancient history, you might not find anything. That's when you have to hunt through the encyclopedias.

If you are writing a reflective piece, think about what event you're doing. When was it? How did it change you? Did it change your view on your life, or change it? Write down your questions, and then answer them.


2. Organize the chaos!

This may take some doing, considering you might be one of those sporadic people like me. There are a few ways to better your paper this way, too. Draw out a web, centering around your main idea or topic, and create three bubbles. Fill these in with either three supporting points, events that happened chronologically, or more detailed information. Stem out from the smaller ones with the stronger points that you don't want to forget.

3. Write the first draft.

Your first draft will NOT be your prettiest. From my years working on newspaper in high school, I've learned two things. ONE: Coffee is the cure to fatigue behind the computer screen, and TWO: the editors are your friends and will make your writing better. Give it to your teacher to read through, or a friend. Or two. Or five! Print out multiple copies of it, and have people edit them. Compare what they said to change, and if you disagree with something, ask them about it. This is only your first draft, so continue to work on it!


4. Make the changes.

Yep. Now it's time to hunt for that one misspelled word, or that run on sentence that needs to be tackled into three. A dirty job, but someone's got to do it! By now you've thought about your topic inside and out, and know it as well as you know your big toe. Did you think up a new way to start it? Find a paragraph that can be rewritten in a much cleaner way? Write it out, and get fresh eyes to take a gander at it. If it works, keep. If no, go back to the old one.

5. Beautify it!

Yes. It's finished now. It didn't take too long, either! But now it has to appeal both literally (ahaha, a pun on words. So witty.) and aesthetically to your reader. Take into consideration these things:

• Who is reading it? A teacher, a friend, a newspaper... parents, maybe? Each person is going to look for a certain thing that will lock them in. And for each one, it will be different. Know your audience!
• What were the requirements for it? Double spaced in size 12 font? Ariel font? Open-ended? If there has been a previously outlined way of writing it and how it should be turned in, follow those directions. If it requires a cover letter, center the text both in the middle of the paper horizontally and vertically. Don't use capitals in your name, the title of the essay, or any other information. If your paper is going to be read by a newspaper, keep the headline to a minimum. Name, date, section the article will fall under. Make sure it's properly formatted so the editor doesn't get pissed off.
• How organized is it? Do you know who's going to read it, and will they be able to follow your line of thought? If not, reorganize things.
• Is it gold-frame work? Or in other words, is it something you would put into a $600 gold frame on display at the school or entry hall of your workplace? Would you want your parents to read it, or pastor/clergy to see it? If you don't want your name on your work, there's something wrong with it. Your writing should be something you're proud of! Not scared of.

Maybe you might be the type of person to get scared by an essay or paper.. never fear however! They can be your friend.