Whenever I teach a writing course, many students tell me that they have trouble getting started on academic papers or creative writing. That first blank page can seem so intimidating. We want our words on the page to be perfect—words that grab the attention of our teachers or our peers who will read it. We want to get that A+ on the assignment. We want to pass the course. Writing longer academic papers (or creative writing projects) can seem a bit overwhelming at times, espec

Persuasive writing encourages the reader to do something (support an organization, donate money, buy a product, vote for a candidate, etc.). The language persuades someone to take action. Descriptive writing, however, uses words to paint a picture or relay a thought or feeling to someone. In descriptive writing, you may choose to use more adjectives or more emotions to tell your story.

Everything you write should start with a first draft. That means any creative or academic writing you work on will have to be read through before you turn it in. If you are hoping for an A+ paper, you should write a first draft, revise, edit, and proofread in that order.   Revising   This first step is different from editing. Revising involves writing and re-writing your content. As the author of your work, you are often adding, rearranging, or removing and replacing content

The semicolon is one of the most misunderstood forms of punctuation even though the rules for use are fairly simple. Beware, students—ACT creators loves to test on this punctation mark. When do you use a semicolon? When there are two independent clauses (can stand alone as sentences) on either side. The two clauses are not joined by FANBOYS (coordinating conjunctions: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so). The semicolon is only correct if it could be replaced by a period. A semic

I love being a writing consultant and coach for both teen writers and adults. I believe that we all need encouragement and guidance through the writing process. When I work with teens or adults, I challenge them with writing prompts that are both creative and academic in nature. Why do I use both creative and academic exercises when I am coaching someone? I am asked this question from time to time, and my answer always remains the same: creative writing strengthens our nonfic