Fun Fact:

Writing is one of the most important professional skills you can develop in college. Unfortunately, many students have learned to dread writing. Why? Probably because they have picked up some bad ideas along the way. This article, written by an English teacher of twenty-five years, explores some common myths about writing and how these myths hold young writers back.

Myth One:

"An essay should be five paragraphs"

There is nothing sacred about the number five when it comes to writing. What if you finish what you need to say in four paragraphs? What if you need seven?

No one knows how the five-paragraph essay started-in the same way no one knows how a zombie apocalypse begins. In either case, patient zero is not pretty.

To simplify writing for students, teachers from both English departments and the content areas teach the five-paragraph essay structure. Composition scholars, however, continue calling for the form's demise. The main critique: it imposes unnecessary and unhelpful limitations on the writer.

Instead of counting paragraphs, ensure that your essay presents the main idea and some supporting details. Importantly, your essay should weave through explanations that tie it all together. There are many ways to do this, too many to explain here, but your college writing class will teach them to you. You'll learn there's no set way to construct an essay. You will not find a single professional writer who only writes five-paragraph essays.

Myth Two:

"I write my best stuff when I start the night before it's due!"

No, you do not. Please trust the overwhelming evidence to the contrary. Think of it this way: who would you trust to perform better: the player practicing for weeks or who just started stretching ten minutes ago? The one who practices will play the game with ease.

Students who think an all-night writing session produces their best results have scant evidence. Fueled by adrenaline, they rush through all the stages of writing, forcing themselves to finish as quickly as possible. Doing the work on time is not the same as doing it well. Merely meeting the due date is a low standard for success. Consider how your writing will be better if you let it develop over time, like stinky French cheese. More time = more funk.

Myth Three:

"To write a good paper, look up the topic on the internet."

An essay is rarely about the "correct" answer to a question; instead, it's about showcasing what you learn. If you ha ve not understood the material leading up to the writing, it is unlikely that you will write well about it. Make sure you understand the assignment. If you want to write better, consider how the activities in the class prepare you to write. A syllabus may assign a draft due after several readings. This indicates that you'll need to pay close attention to the readings and look for ideas relevant to the writing assignment.

Be careful about sourcing your understanding online. Going to the internet to steal and read what others write not only tempts you to plagiarize, but it side-steps your learning and perspective that your writing should elevate. Furthermore, you will not develop your style by relying on others to supply words.

Myth Four:

"Good writing is all about perfect grammar."

Which grammar? The English language has more than one. Grammar can be either prescriptive or descriptive, and many heated word-nerd arguments have been suffered over the merits of each. Suffice it to say that different situations call for different rules in English. Most writing "rules" are heuristics or suggestions and change over time as new technologies, needs, and aesthetics arise.

Every professional writer today suggests that you start by just letting your ideas flow without interruption. Do this in 15-minute spurts, with some breaks to give your mind a chance to rest. Write on your topic, in any way you like, until you have exhausted all your ideas about it. Believe and value this part of the process.

Of course, typos and grammar errors will happen. You may experience the temptation to go back and start correcting errors before you finish thinking about the topic. However, if you start editing right away, you might spend an hour correcting punctuation, grammar, and spelling for paragraphs that, in the end, need to be cut out entirely. Don't waste time proofreading until all your ideas are on the page.

Myth Five:

"Grading writing is entirely subjective; therefore, the teacher cannot grade my ideas."

No, it is not, and yes, they can! Writing standards can be articulated in rubrics. These standards tend to be consistent throughout the culture, even if some conventions change.

Additionally, your teacher is not grading your opinion; they are grading the expression of the opinion, an important difference. How you present and support your ideas matters. Is the focus clear? Are the details sufficient? Are the ideas arranged in a logical order? Is the language appropriate, evocative, or varied? These criteria may not be easily quantified, but that does not mean they cannot be analyzed. A good teacher will explain how well your ideas come across and where your audience may need more clarity. If your writing leaves out essential details, or if it uses bland language, then it is not going to be great.

Pay attention to the rubric and the teacher's comments on all drafts, not just the points or grades.

Bonus Myth:

"I can't write well because I am neuro-atypical/ I have a learning disability/it's not my learning style, etc."

This bonus myth is controversial, but it is extremely important to debunk it. It goes to the heart of education.

Learning disabilities are real and can receive accommodations so all students can access learning. Your school will have a learning center or disability specialist who can support you and your professors. Many neuro-atypical students succeed if they frequently use support systems, such as the writing or tutoring center. Some of my best writers are students with autism or ADHD. They have challenges, but with support, they overcome them, and you can as well.

Accommodations for "learning styles" have been debunked. Ditto for Howard Gardner's "Multiple Intelligences Theory." Unless you have a processing dysfunction, you can learn through all of your senses equally well. Everyone can and should learn through multiple pathways.

Conclusion and advice: the main takeaway here is that shortcuts do not lead to success-in anything, but particularly in writing. Becoming a good writer requires thinking and time. Outstanding writing requires more thinking and time. For best results, do what professional writers do: set aside the same time daily to work on written assignments. Make sure this time is when you are freshest and most energized. Anything you do consistently becomes a habit, so make your habits good ones.