A whole library of possibilities.
534 examples and lessons to explore. Find an approach, follow the thinking, and try it in your own writing.
Find the Right Amount of Background
Learn to include just enough background for a reader to understand your next claim, then move on to the evidence or reasoning that supports it.
Develop an Essay Beyond a List of Points
Learn to connect reasons across essay sections so each paragraph develops the argument rather than adding another disconnected point.
Distinguish a Thesis from a Topic Sentence
Learn how a thesis sets a whole-essay direction and how each topic sentence makes a smaller claim that advances it. A fictional school essay shows how to revise a paragraph so its purpose is clear.
Move from a Topic to a Useful Question
Learn to turn a broad topic into a focused, answerable question that can guide a manageable inquiry.
Plan a Descriptive Essay
Choose a viewpoint, decide what impression you want readers to carry, and select and order details that support it. A fictional planning example and revision show how those choices work together.
Read an assignment for its real task
Learn to distinguish an assignment’s topic from its instruction verb and constraints, then turn those parts into a practical writing plan.