Learning how to write well in college and anxiety about writing is one of the biggest challenges I discuss with students.
As a teacher of college writing for twenty years, the first thing I tell students is that there is no objective measure for “good” writing – just like there isn’t one for “good” music. Becoming a successful writer depends upon knowing yourself, knowing your audience, and having something to say. Here are a few tips to get started building confidence as a college writer:
Understand Your Audience and Purpose
Writing happens in a social context — it is a means of responding to and engaging with readers. We do not write simply for ourselves. Even if you feel alone hunched over your laptop, you address implicit or explicit audiences. You make rhetorical choices based on who will read your work and why. An aware writer considers reader expectations, writing conventions, appropriate tone, organization, and evidence style. These align with the context and goals for the piece. For instance, a scientific paper follows research conventions like an abstract summarizing methodology. While a magazine article uses colorful language and personal narratives to entertain readers on their morning commute.
Put Ideas into Logical Order
If writing feels isolating, organizing thoughts feels even more so! We assume recording ideas is easy. But the process of structuring concepts linearly involves problem-solving invisible to the reader. Our thoughts arise randomly before forming logical threads. It is through writing itself that we build relationships between notions to create an understandable flow. The act of translating ideas into coherent statements allows us to recognize new connections. An essay with strong flow leads readers smoothly from one concept to the next. Sequences feel natural instead of jarring. Smooth writing relies on ordering devices like transitions and thoughtful paragraph breaks guiding readers along.
Embrace Rewriting
Writing is never one-and-done. We constantly rewrite unconsciously while drafting and consciously while revising. The recursive process helps articulate intentions effectively. As you write, review, and rewrite sentences and paragraphs, your ideas become clearer. You refine arguments and flesh out critical details. circling between the emerging piece and inner intentions. See reworking as an opportunity to bolster impact, not an inconvenience! Each version brings you closer to effectively transforming readers’ views.
Balance Disciplinary Conventions with Individual Voice
Intentionally or not, faculty usually evaluate writing on two levels: does it meet genre rules and standards for their disciplinary audience (i.e., writing for a sociological audience), and does it showcase the author’s unique mindset and perspective?
Striking this balance between conforming to conventions and asserting subjectivity is key. For instance, an APA paper demonstrates mastery of citation methodology showing objectivity. Yet subtly centres the researcher’s hypothesis throughout. Form complements individuality. Use conventions judiciously to lend credibility. Simultaneously, imprint arguments with your viewpoint through tone, phrasing, evidence selection, and bold conclusions.
Writing as Thinking and Discovery
Why does writing matter beyond transmitting ideas? Because the act itself builds critical thinking ability! As writers weigh lexicon choices, we uncover connections. Sentence structures reveal assumptions. The quest for precision prods deeper reflection. Therefore, writing IS thinking – an exploration of what we know and striving to learn more. Through creating coherence, we incrementally expand knowledge of subjects and self. In this sense, good writing is a quest to synthesize insights into revelation that moves audiences. We birth ideas only fully realized through language.
Writing as a Social Process
Finally, understand that writing is a social process. When we think of writers or see them in movies, it’s typically someone in the basement of a library or hunched over a desk, but in reality the best writers involve peers and mentors at all stages of the process. Asking friends or going to the campus Writing Center to test out initial ideas, look at early drafts, or refine final papers, is going to help your writing improve dramatically.