Personal Writing Tips
General advice:
Write it in the first person.
Make sure that the topic is important to you.
Reflect on people, places and events that have enhanced or perhaps changed you as a person.
Develop characters, places and situations into anecdotes (amusing or otherwise).
Be honest and open, expressing feelings, observations, impressions and insights
Don’t be afraid to expose some weaknesses (i.e. show that you’re human!).
A relaxed, witty tone often reads well but it is not essential, and should be avoided if you find it too difficult to master.
Watch your grammar and punctuation throughout.
Useful techniques:
Use a combination of long and short sentences, e.g. You might think that long, twisting, turning sentences are always the best way of expressing yourself.
They aren't.
Use clear paragraphs.
Use colons and a semi-colons occasionally; they impress examiners and they make your writing more concise, but make sure you know how to use them properly.
Use some similes and metaphors, e.g. His face was like a half-squeezed orange (simile). His face was a half- squeezed orange (metaphor). He caressed the floor with his broom (metaphor).
Write neatly and watch your spelling!
Possible openings:
Question:
Have you ever considered … ?
Did you ever wonder what it would be like to … ?
How many times in your life have you … ?
You might start your answer with a question that includes the word 'you', e.g.: Have you ever looked at yourself closely in the mirror? or if giving advice about how to spend a long summer holiday: Do you get bored easily?
Personal:
In a state of delirium, and to this day I still don’t know why, I put up my hand to volunteer for …
Why I ever decided to do it all alone remains a mystery to me.
In hindsight, of course, I would have been better not even having attempted it, but I simply couldn’t resist.
First Impression:
At first, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.
Only once in my life ever has my jaw literally dropped. I’ll never forget when …
It was the strangest sight!
Write it in the first person.
Make sure that the topic is important to you.
Reflect on people, places and events that have enhanced or perhaps changed you as a person.
Develop characters, places and situations into anecdotes (amusing or otherwise).
Be honest and open, expressing feelings, observations, impressions and insights
Don’t be afraid to expose some weaknesses (i.e. show that you’re human!).
A relaxed, witty tone often reads well but it is not essential, and should be avoided if you find it too difficult to master.
Watch your grammar and punctuation throughout.
Useful techniques:
Use a combination of long and short sentences, e.g. You might think that long, twisting, turning sentences are always the best way of expressing yourself.
They aren't.
Use clear paragraphs.
Use colons and a semi-colons occasionally; they impress examiners and they make your writing more concise, but make sure you know how to use them properly.
Use some similes and metaphors, e.g. His face was like a half-squeezed orange (simile). His face was a half- squeezed orange (metaphor). He caressed the floor with his broom (metaphor).
Write neatly and watch your spelling!
Possible openings:
Question:
Have you ever considered … ?
Did you ever wonder what it would be like to … ?
How many times in your life have you … ?
You might start your answer with a question that includes the word 'you', e.g.: Have you ever looked at yourself closely in the mirror? or if giving advice about how to spend a long summer holiday: Do you get bored easily?
Personal:
In a state of delirium, and to this day I still don’t know why, I put up my hand to volunteer for …
Why I ever decided to do it all alone remains a mystery to me.
In hindsight, of course, I would have been better not even having attempted it, but I simply couldn’t resist.
First Impression:
At first, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.
Only once in my life ever has my jaw literally dropped. I’ll never forget when …
It was the strangest sight!