Ambition “Ambition” is a difficult trait to pin down because it is so human: On the one hand, we want to reward ambition, yet on the other hand, we want to warn against it. Literature, especially, has taken the latter interesting approach to examining ambition; however, the term itself was originally relatively neutral, coming from… Continue reading Literary Themes Ambition
Tag: Adam and Eve
Final Advice on Rewriting
» Whenever possible, get feedback from a trusted reader- In every project,* there comes a time when the writer has gotten so close to the work that he or she can't see it clearly. A talented roommate or a tutor in the campus writing center can tell you what isn't yet clear on the page,… Continue reading Final Advice on Rewriting
Revising
A writer rarely—if ever—achieves perfection on the first try. For most of us, good writing is largely a matter of revision. Once your first draft is done, you can—and should—turn on your analytical mind. Painstaking revision is more than just tidying up grammar and spelling. It might mean expanding your ideas or sharpening the focus… Continue reading Revising
Writing a Rough Draft
Seated at last, you prepare to write, only to find yourself besieged with petty distractions. All of a sudden you remember a friend you had promised to call, some double- A batteries you were supposed to pick up, a neglected Coke (in another room) growing warmer and flatter by the minute. If your paper is… Continue reading Writing a Rough Draft
Developing a Literary Argument
Once you have finished a rough outline of your ideas, you need to refine it into a clear and logical shape. You need to state your thesis (or basic idea) clearly and then support it with logical and accurate evidence. Here is a practical approach to this crucial stage of the writing process: Consider your… Continue reading Developing a Literary Argument
Prewriting: Discovering ideas
Topic in hand, you can begin to get your ideas on the page. To generate new ideas and clarify the thoughts you already have, try one or more of the following useful prewriting strategies: m Brainstorming- Writing quickly, list everything that comes into your mind about your subject. Set a time limit—ten or fifteen minutes—and… Continue reading Prewriting: Discovering ideas
Writing About Literature
If one waits for the right time to come before writing, the right time never comes. —JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL Assigned to write an essay on Hamlet, a student might well wonder, "What can I say that hasn't been said a thousand times before?" Often the most difficult aspect of writing about a story, poem, or… Continue reading Writing About Literature