Find the Path

A college student contacted me recently for help with an essay. It was almost the deadline and she was overwhelmed. I asked her to write the exact wording of the assignment at the top of her draft. She didn't. I asked her again to send me the assignment. She tossed off, "Analyze the story." After insisting, she finally sent me the assignment, and there, in clear language, was her specific purpose, but she had not read it carefully and was not following instructions. The first step in writing a paper is to "find the path," so if you are not sure where to begin, look very carefully at the parameters of the assignment. That's your starting point.

Start—and stay—with your purpose.

This may seem like a no-brainer, but once you get rolling, it's easy to get lost, especially when crafting a complex document. Be clear about your goal and check in occasionally to make sure you stay focused. If it's a class assignment, copy and paste the exact wording to the top of your document. (Delete it once you have your final draft.) If it's a research paper, keep your thesis in front of you. If it's a business letter, it's the take-away. Ask yourself often: What am I doing? What do I want to say here?

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