What To Write

What to Write?

Do you recall the last 500-word essay you had to write? Or perhaps the last 500- word essay you had to read? As a teacher, Paul Roberts spent a large portion of his time reading 500-word essays. Paul Roberts found these compositions were uninspired, and done in the last possible minute. Paul Roberts wrote three books to aid you in becoming better writer. “How to Say Nothing in 500 Words” comes from Roberts’ best-known book, Understanding English. “How to Say Nothing in 500 Words” aids you by suggesting what not to say. This exert from Understanding English has 10 mistakes, and possible ways to avoid these mistakes.

The first three sections deal with making your paper interesting. These three sections include: “Nothing About Something,” “Avoid the Obvious Content,” and “Take the Less Usual Side.” In the First section, “Nothing About Something,” Roberts goes through the steps a normal student would take in writing a 500-word essay on college football. You may begin shortly after they receive your assignment. Often times you may start well. But after about one paragraph, you run out of things to say. Therefore, you put it off, which causes you to run out of time. Then you find yourself writing your paper at the last possible moment, which makes it dull. Writing your paper at the last possible moment also fills it with unnecessary information, and oversized margins. After reading through these steps many people realize that this is exactly what they do. Robert tells you this paper would, more like than not, earn you a “D.”

The next two sections, “Avoid the Obvious Content” and “Take the Less Usual Side,” deal with making your paper more interesting. To avoid obvious content do not use the first things that come to mind. The reason for this is because whatever comes to your mind first is what comes to everyone else’s mind, making it obvious. Once you have decided what not to use, make another list of subjects or reasons. From this list pick the most unusual aspect. Roberts says not only will this be the easiest to write about, but it will also be more interesting. Roberts also advices, “it is good manners to avoid personality.” By avoiding personality Roberts means don’t write what you think your instructor wants to hear.

The remaining seven sections deal with word choices. These categories include: “Slip out of Abstraction,” “Get Rid of Obvious Padding,” “Call a Fool a Fool,” “Beware of Pat Expression,” “Colorful Words,” “Colored Words,” and “Colorless Words.