How To write your first Essay?

January 28, 2022

Let us overcome the resistance to write

How To write your first Essay?

In this article, I am going to share my views on 'How to write your first Essay?'

The essay paper is an important part of the UPSC exam. It has the scope for people to score 160+/250. Your ability to express your ideas and thoughts improves through an essay. A higher chance of getting a rank would be an outcome of learning how to write essays.

Unfortunately, many students believe that essay does not need much practice. They think that with minimal practice they will be able to do well.

There is no single book to study and get better at writing essays

Here are some reasons why students struggle to make actionable progress with essays.

  • Reason #1: Fear of writing bad essays (The Perfectionist Mental Block)

  • Reason #2: Memorizing facts might help in GS answers but will not suffice for the essay paper.

  • Reason #3: Some believe that an essay needs a complex structure and flowery language.

  • Reason #4: Lack of a peer group to review your essay and give feedback

You can overcome these issues and get started with your first essay. Here's how to step by step:

Step 1: Read 5-10 Essays written by previous year Toppers

This is necessary to understand the importance of simple expression.

I read the essays of Anudeep Durishetty and Vikram Grewal. These helped me to understand the importance of having a good structure. The language they used was simple and clear.

Step 2: Become a curator of interesting anecdotes, quotes and facts

You will experience the real benefit of this step only when you begin to write essays. Your speed will improve and your essay will be unique. Work backwards to identify content for topics, by referring to previous year questions.

Step 3: Write and share your Essays on a Public platform to get feedback

So many students write essays but never share them with anyone to get feedback. Some might feel that others will judge them.

I used to share my essays on the Insights IAS Website. You can identify any coaching institute which provides such a platform.

This helps you to see others essay and understand that most aspirants are at the initial stage. This becomes your peer group and helps you to overcome your fear of writing your first essay.

"If I waited for perfection, I would never write" - Margaret Atwood

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If you liked this, you can check out my previous articles below:

Kaliedoscope - A breakdown of the answer writing process.

Kaliedoscope - What is your biggest fear while preparing for this exam?