PetraWice
New member
What's up, everyone? 
I spend most of my time with circuits and equations, not words. But guess what? They still make us write essays. Labs reports, project proposals, even the occasional "reflect on your learning" nightmare.
For years, I struggled because I was doing all the classic things not to do when writing an essay. But I've finally figured out a system that works for us non-writers, and I'm here to share:
Do not stare at a blank page waiting for inspiration. Inspiration is a lie. You will be staring forever. Instead, just start typing nonsense. "I am writing about X because Y. The first point is Z." You can fix garbage. You can't fix nothing.
Do not edit as you go. This was my biggest mistake. I'd write one sentence, then spend ten minutes tweaking it. By the time I got to the end of the page, I was exhausted. Now, I write the whole terrible first draft without looking back. Editing comes later.
Do not ignore the rubric. Professors literally tell you exactly what they want. Points for thesis? Points for sources? Points for format? Just do the thing on the list. It's not a mystery; it's a checklist.
Do not submit without reading it out loud. Your brain fills in missing words when you read silently. Reading out loud catches all the nonsense.
Trust me, if I can write decent essays, anyone can. What are your best tips for reluctant writers?
I spend most of my time with circuits and equations, not words. But guess what? They still make us write essays. Labs reports, project proposals, even the occasional "reflect on your learning" nightmare. For years, I struggled because I was doing all the classic things not to do when writing an essay. But I've finally figured out a system that works for us non-writers, and I'm here to share:
Do not stare at a blank page waiting for inspiration. Inspiration is a lie. You will be staring forever. Instead, just start typing nonsense. "I am writing about X because Y. The first point is Z." You can fix garbage. You can't fix nothing. Do not edit as you go. This was my biggest mistake. I'd write one sentence, then spend ten minutes tweaking it. By the time I got to the end of the page, I was exhausted. Now, I write the whole terrible first draft without looking back. Editing comes later. Do not ignore the rubric. Professors literally tell you exactly what they want. Points for thesis? Points for sources? Points for format? Just do the thing on the list. It's not a mystery; it's a checklist. Do not submit without reading it out loud. Your brain fills in missing words when you read silently. Reading out loud catches all the nonsense.Trust me, if I can write decent essays, anyone can. What are your best tips for reluctant writers?
