Essay writing tips

First impressions

Your opening paragraph needs to be good to pull the reader in.

Plan ahead

An outline of what you want the article to achieve will save you from getting halfway through and running out of things to say.

Keep it simple

Don't use five words where you could use two.

It's good to talk

Quotations from people in the know peppered throughout your article will give it a real lift.

Brand new

Avoid lazy cliches at all costs – your own wording holds far more interest.

Second opinion

Ask a trusted friend to read your article through; a second pair of eyes might spot things you've missed.

Faultless performance

Your spelling, punctuation and grammar needs to be accurate, full stop.

The whole truth:

Check and double check that any facts you mention are accurate; 24.56% aren't. Or is that 24.57%?

The last word

Finish your article with a confident, definitive sentence. An article that just trails off is unsatisfying...

Have fun

Writing should be an enjoyable process, so don't stress!