Why Essays Fail #2

You Started at the Beginning This seems like a ridiculous proposition; of course you start at the beginning, right? Well, not exactly. As a TA, I marked hundreds of essays and the vast majority had an excellent introduction. After that, things tumbled downhill quickly. If you start with your introduction, you'll edit it over and …

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Why Essays Fail #1

You didn’t understand the assignment. Before starting an essay, make absolutely sure you understand the assignment and the type of essay required. If you are not completely certain, ask your instructor or TA. If your school has a writing centre, go to them. At the very least, ask your classmates or friends, just be wary …

The Efficient Essay is HERE!

Available on Amazon and only $18.95 for the hardcover and $9.95 for the Kindle version. Stop worrying about getting your essay done on time. This book takes you through the entire process from choosing a topic, through researching, writing, and finally editing an essay. It provides a formula for success and keeps you on track …

English Basics: verb tenses for gin lovers

There are so many tenses in English, it gives people tension, and what better way to ease tension than drinking a lovely gin and tonic, martini, or gin smash. Many of us use tenses without really knowing what they are or how to use them properly. Whenever we use the PERFECT tense we must use …

English Basics: me, myself, and myself?

There is a saying in English that we're never alone because we are always with "me, myself, and I." These are three common pronouns to denote ME as the subject and object of a sentence, yet they are commonly misused by English speakers. Let's have a brief look at how to use them properly. I …

5. Intangible benefits of travel writing

In the previous four entries of this blog, I focused on activating non-visual senses while writing, on stories instead of places and things, on using writing as a means of committing a trip to memory, and on discussing reliving those memories over and over again, especially when we are quarantined inside during a global pandemic. …

4. Relive your entire experience

This is the most beneficial aspect of writing about vacations. A few months ago, I read my travel story from our first trip to Hawaii. This trip was back in 2001 and I was instantly transported back to Diamond Head, Hanauma Bay, and beautiful Kawaii. The picture of me sitting on Secret Beach, in Kawaii, …

2. Focus on stories

One of the most beneficial aspects of writing about travel is that it forces you to focus on stories instead of things and places. Don't get me wrong, things and places are important; I would never advocate going to Paris and NOT seeing the Eiffel Tower, but you start to think about places as settings …

1. Pictures don’t capture everything

I have taken a lot of pictures on vacations over the years and while they help jog memories of locations, they're a little static. I must first qualify that I am not a professional photographer, just a practiced duffer, but regardless of how accomplished you are as a photographer, the camera is visual medium and …