Look at your assignment sheet or writing prompt to find the purpose of school projects. If it’s a question, your purpose is to answer the question. If you’re writing correspondence, your purpose is to update the person about your life, to communicate, or to respond to their writing. If you’re writing a story or poem, your purpose is to entertain.
If you don’t like freewriting, try talking out loud and recording it on your phone, making lists, or a mind map.
If you’re responding to a prompt for an assignment, your main idea should be your answer to the question being asked. If you’re writing a letter, your main idea should be some topic from your life. If you’re writing a story or poem, your main idea should be a plot, theme, or style.
Try to come up with at least three supporting details for each main idea in your writing.
To learn to organize a formal outline, read this article.
Idea web Flow charts Mind maps Lists Diagrams
After introducing a supporting detail, use signpost phrases like, “This displays. . . " or “It’s important to note that. . . "
It’s sometimes necessary to eliminate unnecessary sentences, ideas, points, sections, or even paragraphs to make a piece more effective.
Instead of writing “A big crowd has been lured downtown,” use a stronger verb than “has been. " Try, “The festival lured a big crowd downtown,” replacing the verb with the stronger “lured. " Look for sentences that start with the word “there” for a quick tip to weak verbs.
Instead of writing “The party was super fun and exciting,” write, “The party was thrilling. "
