WHAT IS AN ESSAY

An essay is a written record of the way you think. It is your way of communicating to an audience, the way you are thinking. It is your way of expressing yourself in a literary form. It is inscripting what is in your mind. So that, whatever you are thingking or in the past have in you thoughts, that you have put into words, are sent to a reader. In other words, the content of your essay, is the message that you have written. It is the gists of your writing. But, the presentation of your message is very important. This is for your reader to understand your message. You may choose to write it in the form of a narration, description, exposition or argumentation.

The narration form is actually the easiest to write because all you have to do is tell the story as they took place in the past. It may be in a conversation form between two or more people. Description on the other hand, is an essay where you present a picture of whether a person or a place or an event, etc in your writing. Exposition, is when you write about something to give give information to your reader. Finally, argumentation essay is your critique on an issue or issues.

In most academic essays, the purpose of writing is usually exposition and argumentation. These are meant to inform a reader and to persuade a reader. Hence, your essay may be an informative essay or a persuasive essay.

DRAFTING AND ORGANIZING

Drafting and organizing an essay may not really be easy. But, this is only when you do not take the first step. Some people would say, but, what should I write first? Okay, here is a clue. Everyday, we love to tell story of our life's 'big event of the day' to someone. We like to inform someone of what took place that we can not keep to ourselves. Although we may sometimes seems to be bursting out long before we can relay our story, we always take our time to think and organize the series of events such that our listeners will be there till the whole story is told. So, writing is a way of thinking and telling what you have in your mind. Just remember the details that journalist usually use to give a complete picture of your story.

In the mainstream, before telling a story, you are primed with a subject. So, this is actually your very first step. Then, your mind would endeavor to craft a topic on the subject. This is your second step. But, if you notice, the subject and the topic answers the question what. What are you talking about. What are they talking about? What is the issue? What is the talk of the town? What happened? What will you do? What is important? What was your response? What is up?

After having decided on a subject and a topic, you usually proceed and tell your story the way you believed your listener best understands you and appreciates what you are trying to impart. In ordinary conversational settings, there are conversationalists who are rightly equipped with word or words to be used. That means, there are people who are articulate. Do not be scared. Just use the appropriate terms which comes to mind and edit later. Similarly in writing, just scribble what comes to mind and edit later.

The advantage of writing what is in your mind actually is that you are given plenty of time to choose the words that you may use. Plus, you have ample time to organize as you draft your thoughts.