Help please?

[bela_black]

Oh god, essay crisis.

1) I think I totally missed the point and went all off-topic about something that doesn't even matter in the slightest. But now I don't want to change it because I wouldn't know what else to write about it and it'd be too much work.

2) My language is crap. I don't know how often I've used the same phrases, or trying to avoid

Comments

[proskynesis]

16 PAGES!? O_O

[bela_black]

Er well, the font is large?

No, I don't know, it's supposed to be 10-20 pages, but we're normally given like 9 months to write it. (Only I'm not, because it's for the Greek contest, so whatever)

[vixys]

1) In essays, sometimes it can be a good thing to go 'off-topic', as you put it. There is only so much you can say which is 100% relevant. And it'll be awesome.

2) Your language is not crap. Repetitive sentences doesn't mean that your language is bad: it means either they're awesome sentences, or you're having a bad day. *hugs*

3) Be concise. If you want to say something in ten words, try and use five.

It'll be fine, bb. ♥

[bela_black]

Aw thank you for your advice, I'll try to keep it in mind and not freak out about it.

About 3) THIS is exactly my problem. I couldn't make a text short if my life depended on it.

Who's on your icon btw?

[vixys]

Oh, I used to babble like crazy. But you get better at making things concise - it just takes practise. *hugs*

It's Russell Howard. :D He's a British comedian, and that icon is from a satirical/comedy show called Mock the Week. It's awesome, and he's hilarious. I used it because I figure that everyone who's a little down needs some shirtless!man in their life. :D ♥

[bela_black]

Ah well, as I haven't had enough practice at essay-writing over the years. But you're probably right.

Okay, I've never heard of him, but you're right, shirtless!men are always good. (as long as they're attractive of course XD)

And my icons are lame

[roh_wyn]

One trick that always works for me is to write way more than the limit and then go back and edit big chunks out of my essay.

It's much easier to finish a draft that is too long and go back and edit stuff out than to try to limit yourself to a particular page length in the first place.

Good luck!

[bela_black]

That's a trick a friend suggested to me too and it's probably how I'm going to do it because I don't see another way.

Thanks for your advice :)

[roh_wyn]

Ah, you know it's good advice when more than one person gives it to you! ;)

What is the essay about?

[bela_black]

It's about the symposion by Lukian
(basically a parody of Platon's symposion) and you're supposed to analyze in which way positions of the Ancient philosophy are parodised.

[parisad]

1- To go off-topic is not always a bad idea: but you must try not to lose the major topic. You can make links between two different topics; you must start from the major topic, then link it to topics you think can be useful to understand the different perspectives, then come back to the major topic and try to explain why you made the excursus (the off-topic thing). It must be a "circular movement" closed with a short conclusion
2- Are you writing in english? Actually english has not many words and expressions, compared to italian, for example (that's why most of italian people always use the same words-expressions, because the language is very very difficult). When I read english books, I always find words very repetitive, so that's not you, I suppose...
3- Write what you want to (trying to be concise), then read all your the essay and edit/delete what you think is unnecessary. That's my usual way...