"A good essay must have this permanent quality about it. It must draw its curtain around us, but it must be a curtain that shuts us in, not out." ~Virginia Woolf
3x3 Pre-writing Strategy
The following strategies can serve as your "GPS" for writing!
Worried about this method being too formulaic? Don't! Like training wheels, this is a basic strategy for those who struggle with writing, or those who need to be guided. Over time, as you begin to develop as a writer, you will learn how to write to the depth and complexity of a more advanced-level writer.
Prompt: Write an essay that explains the impact of gossiping.
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Brainstorm
(list all possible answers) Hurtful
Deceitful Anti-social |
Thesis
People should not gossip because it is hurtful, deceitful and can lead to anti-social behavior.
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Topic Sentences
(1) To begin with, the cliche, "sticks and stones may break my bones, but names can never hurt," is a lie because words can be hurtful when someone gossips about you.
(2) Next, it is very deceitful to talk about someone behind their back instead of confronting them in a mature way with your issue. (3) Also, gossiping can make a person feel so isolated that they develop anti-social behavior. |
Literary Analysis Essay
The following is a fill-in-the-blank template that can help you develop your introduction and thesis statement to respond to any analytical writing prompt:
In ___________ (author's name) ________ (poem, novel, novella, play, short story, memoir), __________________ (title of work), ________________ (summarize the plot). [1-2 sentences of commentary here would enhance your intro.] Throughout the __________ (poem, novel, etc.), ________________ (author) uses ____________________ (diction, imagery, detail, figurative language, tone, mood) to ___________ (verb: reveal, explore, portray, suggest) _______________________ (theme). [This last sentence is your thesis statement.]