Get Down to Writing

I hope by today you are settling down to begin writing your paper! It would be my highest hope that this is something you have been looking forward to doing. I imagine you people creating a party atmosphere in which to write your paper! If you wrote an outline, you are well on your way. Here are some things I want you to suggest that you keep in mind.

Write your introductory paragraph last. This is just a suggestion, guys; I'm sharing with you the way I do things. Here's why: I have perfectionist tendencies, and I can get really bogged down with trying to have the perfect introductory paragraph. In the past, I have spent so much time crafting those first sentences that I would really have to hustle to get the rest of the paper finished on time. So, if you're like me, save that paragraph for when you can have the most fun with it, which will be when you have the rest of the paper completed.

Be sure you have a strong topic sentence for each paragraph. As you are writing your paragraph, then, you can go to that topic sentence and be sure you are focused and on track with what that paragraph is supposed to be about. Use personal examples to prove your points, or use a quote from one of the books. Develop each paragraph carefully around its focus: your topic sentence.

Go for smooth, svelte transitions. You want one paragraph to flow naturally into the next. Just as you develop your topic sentence, pay careful attention to the ending sentence in each paragraph. Not only is it concluding that point, it is leading the way into the next. Use transitional phrases, and it will be easy!