I receive requests from students: “How to get better at writing essays?” all the time. That’s why I structured the whole step-by-step plan on how to stop writing bad essays and start getting an A+!
The secret is actually really easy: clear structure, strong arguments, and regular practice.
In my experience, once you understand these basics, writing becomes much easier and faster. Today, I am willing to share with you all the keys and strategies that will uncover a professional essay writer within you. If you are here to improve, let’s begin!
Many students tell me the same thing: essay writing feels confusing and stressful. The biggest challenge with academic essays is that they require several skills at once.
You need to understand the essay question, build a strong thesis statement, organize your ideas, and support your argument with evidence.
That’s a lot to handle, and I understand why students think it’s impossible to do it without AI tools. But you do not need them to write a good essay!
1️⃣Firstly, you can always hit EduBirdie with the message “do my essay” and get the assistance you need.
2️⃣Secondly, you can identify the problem and then solve it!
Here are the most common reasons why writing essays feels hard:
Other reasons may include poor preparation or trying to sound “smart”. Such essays fail because they lack clarity and focus. Especially in essays for college, where structure and resources are checked more rigorously.
So how do you fix this?
Start by simplifying your writing process. Before you begin your academic essay, take time to:
Actually, the answer to the “how to write a proper essay” question is pretty simple: stop guessing and start following the structure. Once you build that habit, your writing experience will change completely.
But let me explain how to do it one step at a time!
The first thing you must do is become serious about how to get better at writing essays. Concentrating on your schedule and discipline will help you make better progress in essay writing. When this is done, you are ready to move on to the steps to writing an essay!
Most problems start at the very beginning: students read the assignment too quickly and miss the real task. Then the entire essay feels confusing.
Thus, I recommend breaking the essay question into parts:
This step may feel basic, but it’s the foundation of good essays. Skip it, and your paper will lack focus.
Your thesis is your main point because it answers the question and guides your entire essay. I often see weak theses that sound too general. But what is a good thesis, then? Check the quick example below:
| Weak Thesis | Strong Thesis |
| Social media is bad. | Social media negatively impacts students’ productivity by reducing focus and increasing procrastination. |
| Exercise is good. | Regular exercise improves mental health by reducing stress and enhancing cognitive function. |
See? A strong thesis is specific and clear. It doesn’t over- or under-explain. It shows in one sentence the exact idea behind your whole essay. That’s why if your thesis is clear, you’ll understand how to write an essay fast.
For more ideas, check our topics for descriptive essay to see how a clear thesis can be structured into an essay.
Many students seek a quick essays outline online to save time. Even though it may help you to save a few minutes, it can actually cost you hours of writing and rewriting an essay.
Here, the same rule applies: do not overthink it. A simple outline helps you organize ideas before you start your first draft. It also makes your essay structure easy to follow.
You don’t need anything complex. Just map your ideas:
I believe these three basic steps can change everything, not only about how to start off an essay, but also about how to improve essay writing. When you get confident with them, you are ready to work on your writing.
I know you’ve heard it loads of times, but I must make sure you know it: your body paragraphs are where your argument lives. A golden rule: each paragraph should focus on one main point and clearly support your thesis.
A simple structure works best:
To improve your essay, keep your sentences clear and avoid passive voice. Strong paragraphs make your entire essay easier to read and understand.
There are different types of writing. And when some can be built only on your opinion, essays can not. Good essays are not just opinions. You need evidence to support your ideas. That’s why you should use:
More to that, you should explain your evidence. Also, pay attention to your language. There is a specialized list of words to avoid in essays, which includes weak or unclear phrasing. When you write in English, it is of high importance to also avoid jargon, slang, and conversational language.
Thus, learning the basics of academic writing is also a thing I usually recommend to my students when they ask how to make an essay better.
Last but not least, on how to make your essay better: a good conclusion matters. Your conclusion is your last chance to leave an impression. Conclusions are not about just repeating everything. Instead:
Usually, after I show the step-by-step plan on how to make a good essay, the next question is: how long will it take to get better?
Let me be honest: improvement doesn’t happen overnight. But it also doesn’t take years! Most students see progress in a few weeks with regular practice. So, to see results faster:
If you stick to a plan, you will quickly notice better structure, clearer arguments, and a stronger writing style.
To boost your progress even more, focus on small habits. I usually give 10 tips that are really small, but very effective, especially for college students who write a lot of academic essays! Honestly, I stick to them myself, and I can confidently say: they actually work.
The more you write, the better your skills become. Even short paragraphs help you improve over time.
Reading shows you what good structure and argument look like. Pay attention to how writers build ideas and guide the reader.
Learn new words, but use them correctly. Clear language always works better than complicated phrases.
Use an active voice to make your sentences stronger. This makes your academic writing more direct and easier to read.
Your first draft is never perfect, which is okay. What’s important is knowing you must edit it. Check your spelling, structure, and clarity.
If you write in English, different tools can provide writing an essay help when you need it. Below, I will give you the list of my favorite tools.
Another person can notice something that you’ve missed. Feedback is one of the most helpful ways to grow your skills.
Don’t leave your essay for the last moment. Good time management reduces stress and helps you focus.
A clear idea is always better than overexplaining.
Look at past essays and understand what went wrong. This is the fastest way to improve.
If previous tips were more about how to start off an essay, the next strategies are about improving the essay’s quality. This is where you actually show your essay writing skills!
Once again: everything starts with the way you think. When you write, ask yourself, why something matter and how it connects to your main point. Some questions I love to ask when I am writing:
These questions help you transform your essay from a simple description of some topic into a structured analysis.
Copying someone’s ideas is not what helps in how to properly write an essay. If you do so, you deprive yourself of the opportunity to show your unique perspective. With a unique argument, you can:
Attention: it doesn’t mean you need something completely new. It just means your argument should feel personal and clear.
As I’ve mentioned before: language matters. Your writing style should be formal but simple. You should avoid C2 vocabulary, avoid informal words, and keep your sentences clean.
Instead, focus on:
Your essay should read smoothly and be easy to follow. Each paragraph should connect to the next. For that, use transition words like:
Basic writing explains ideas. Strong writing goes deeper.
To improve, always:
It is good to know how to write a proper essay, but it is also important to understand how not to write a bad one. There are a few common mistakes that I usually notice in students’ essays.
| Mistake | Why It’s a Problem | How to Fix It |
| No thesis | The essay lacks direction | Write a clear argument at the beginning |
| Weak structure | Hard to follow | Use a simple outline before you start |
| Repetition | Ideas feel boring and unclear | Avoid repeating the same words and points |
| Lack of evidence | Not convincing | Add examples, research, and support |
| Poor grammar | Reduces credibility | Proofread and check spelling |
These mistakes often happen when students rush their first draft or skip editing. However, when you know about them in advance, it is easy to avoid them. So, the next time you write an essay, just check the table above, and everything will be simple to fix.
As I promised, I’m sharing my favorite tools that help me figure out how to do an essay in a better way.
These tools won’t replace your own thinking, but they make the writing process faster and more accurate!
It feels like a lot of information, but I understand it. It’s actually all easy to remember when you start writing. Check these essay paragraph examples.
📝#1 Example
Social media affects students’ academic performance by reducing their ability to focus. Studies show that frequent phone use during study time leads to lower productivity and weaker results. As a result, students who limit distractions often perform better and manage their time more effectively.
📝#2 Example
Regular exercise improves students’ academic performance by increasing energy levels and reducing stress. Research shows that students who stay physically active tend to have better concentration and memory. As a result, they can complete tasks more efficiently and stay focused during long study sessions.
Why does this work? These paragraphs are clear and focused on one main point. They start with a strong topic sentence, add evidence, and explain the idea. The sentences are simple, the argument is logical, and the reader can easily follow the point.
So, how do you write an essay that gets good grades? The best advice I can give you is to focus on the basics! You don’t need complex words or perfect skills from the start. What matters is practice, consistency, and a clear writing process.
And remember: whenever you struggle with academic essays, EduBirdie is always ready to help!
After reading this guide, I am sure you are ready to write your next essay. Only this time, the results will be much better. Good luck!
