You’re staring at the blinking cursor on your screen, hoping for inspiration to strike. After all of your hard work in class, volunteering at the local animal shelter, and getting elected as class treasurer, you thought that an essay about yourself would be easy. Don’t worry. Writer’s block happens to everyone, so we’re here to give you some suggestions for how to handle some of the most common causes of college essay writing woes. Learn how to generate ideas, explore new perspectives, get support, and have fun so that everything that is impressive and unique about you can shine through.
Start with the right prompt. At the core of most college essay prompts is a question designed to elicit a narrative about how you became, well, you. Sometimes that formative change or growth is the byproduct of adversity, while others are shaped more by a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Students struggling with writer’s block often get stuck because they choose the prompt that instantly conjures up a classic inspirational story: winning the big game, a mission trip to a foreign country, or the club you started sophomore year. There’s nothing wrong with those topics. Still, if you don’t give yourself the time and space to consider all of the possibilities—to think outside the box—then you might find yourself getting lost along the way.
Brainstorm like crazy. Don’t just read through the list of prompts, pick one, and start writing your first sentence. Impressive essays that don’t lead to dead ends begin with brainstorming. You don’t have to generate ideas for all of the prompts, instead narrow down the list to your top three. Create a document or open a notebook and start writing down anything that comes to mind, including images, feelings, the order of events, and lessons learned. Aim for candidness, vulnerability, humor, keeping in mind that no detail is too small. Choose the prompt and the essay topic that strikes the best balance between authenticity and attractiveness to admissions committees.
Freewrite and have fun. Once you’ve chosen your prompt, the temptation is to jump right into the beginning of the essay, right? Not so fast. The opening paragraph tends to be the first place students hit a brick wall because it has to be everything all at once: it has to sum up the answer to the prompt while being creative and memorable. Push past the temptation to be perfect and instead try freewriting. Read the prompt again, review your brainstorming notes, and just write everything that comes to mind. When you’re done, you will no longer have a blank canvas but a rough sketch that you can build upon. Feel free to have fun, too. Instead of trying to write for admissions officers, write for yourself first. Tell your story in your own voice and let your personality shine through.
Seek inspiration. Another way to start out with a solid foundation is to read sample college essays, which can either be answers to the prompt you’ve chosen or be any example of a good essay. As you are reading through examples, think about which essays you most enjoyed reading and which applicants seemed to speak with a voice similar to your own. Did a particular narrative structure seem like it would match your writing goals? Did anyone’s choice of topic surprise you in a way that opened up a new way of approaching your essay? You are not stealing ideas or a specific turn of phrase; you are immersing yourself in good narrative storytelling in order to get a feel for a tone or structure that would be a jumping off point for your own essay.
Invest in introspection. College application essays are a much more personal form of writing than most students are used to: you’re being asked to reflect on your life and your achievements and reframe those experiences as a complete narrative. Whether you’ve already chosen a prompt and topic or are still struggling to figure out what to write about, ask questions that go deep to pull out the details that are the most meaningful and memorable. Go beyond what happened and instead consider what it was about your experiences that shaped who you are and dig into what drives you. If you want to study biology, for example, think about your first memory of getting excited about the natural world. Was it a field trip to a zoo? Planting seeds in a garden? A personal or family illness? As an aspiring student of international relations, was it a trip to a foreign country or a love of languages that sparked your interest?
Get some perspective. Writer’s blocks often happen when students start second guessing themselves, trying too hard to impress admissions officers and overthinking each word. If you get to a point where the thought of opening your laptop fills you with dread or you keep editing the same two sentences over and over again, it’s time to seek out new perspectives. First, it’s always worth it to get a second opinion. Ask a friend, family member, teacher, or anyone you trust to read through your draft and share their feedback. Chances are you will either get the validation you need to keep going or a new way to approach an especially troublesome part of your essay. It also never hurts to literally move to a different location to write. Ditch the computer and write in a notebook under a tree, take your laptop to a local library or cafe, or simply experiment with a different room at home.
Take breaks, but don’t get distracted. Whether you’re dealing with time pressure or not, when writer’s block sets in, sometimes the best thing to do is to give yourself permission to take a break. Staring at a blank screen or rewriting your opening paragraph for the fifth time is only going to generate anxiety and waste your time. Breaks can be as short as fifteen minutes or as long as a day or two. The important thing is that you give yourself a chance to recharge. Maybe you skipped breakfast or sitting at a desk using up mental energy depleted your battery, so grab a snack, clean your room, go for a walk, or read a book and return to writing refreshed. Don’t get too distracted, though. Always write in a quiet and clean space, turn off your phone, and set time limits for writing and for breaks (e.g write for 45 minutes and break for 15 minutes).
How A+ Can Help
Unlike the academic essays students are used to writing, the college application essay is one of the few times you are the center of attention. Introspection is hard, and it can take multiple drafts to find your voice, which is why the most potent antidote for writer’s block is having someone who can walk through the process with you. At A+ Test Prep and Tutoring, we offer College Essay and Editing Services that pair students with tutors who will guide your student through the process of brainstorming, crafting, and revising his or her college essay. With our help, rather than getting stuck in your head, second guessing and self-editing, you will be able to tell your story clearly and with confidence.
At A+ Test Prep and Tutoring, our practices are based on the latest developments in educational theory and research. We have an excellent team of tutors who can help you with standardized testing, executive functioning, or achievement in any other school subject. If you want to find out more about our services, contact us here.
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