Essay: an "essay" for adults

We are taught to write essays since childhood, since first grade. You may not have realized it, but those very essays on free topics ("How I spent my summer," "What I want to become," "What school is for me") are the first try of a novice essayist. The first experience you probably have.

Writing an essay is not difficult if you follow the rules of the genre. But before you get acquainted with the rules, you need to understand what an essay is.

So, in translation from the French essai means "essay, sample, attempt". The word comes from the Latin exagium, "weighing".

In the "Great Encyclopedic Dictionary" essay means a genre of prose - philosophical, journalistic, literary and critical or historical and biographical. The Concise Literary Encyclopedia directly calls an essay (in the broad sense of the word), and the Explanatory Dictionary of Foreign Words calls it an essay. All the definitions emphasize the key features of an essay - free form, individual interpretation and subjectivity.

The main attributes of an essay:

1. Small volume: two or three or ten pages - it's up to you. The main thing - to disclose the topic. And, of course, do not aim for an epic - no one will appreciate your efforts.
2. Free form: up to the colloquial speech. The essay does not claim to be scientific, does not require an introduction and a conclusion, it is not divided into chapters and paragraphs. Regarding the stylistics the author is left with full freedom of creativity. However, to switch to slang and make speech errors is still not worth it. Especially if you learn a linguist.
3. The presence of a specific topic, which the essay reveals. The topic can be anything from "What I want to be when I grow up" (you remember those essays) to "The main reason for the employment problems of a young professional." If you want to be published in the local newspaper, choose a specific question. If you're writing on a given topic, be kind - disclose exactly that topic.
4. Subjectivity: The personality of the author is key. Remember: you are not claiming to be the absolute truth. You are expressing your personal opinion. And no one is obliged to expose the topic to the end.
5. Novelty: say a new word on the subject. The main thing is that this word should be yours. You don't need to be a proverbial truth. Believe me, your readers have long been sick of "college is a second home," "my main dream is world peace" and similar phrases.
6. Honesty: record your thoughts and emotions on the subject. Of course, if you hate your native university, or if you get a job at a big company just for the money and perks, your honesty is unlikely to be appreciated. In other cases, a subjective view will be much more interesting to readers than eulogies.

Who are essays written for?

Let's leave aside the grabmyessay  of publicists, philosophers, PhDs, and writers. These heights are still to be reached. On the student's agenda is an essay as a test paper at the university and as an alternative to an interview.

Thus, the main (sometimes the only) reader is a teacher or an employer.

What is assessed in the essay?

Being able to articulate your thoughts and write without mistakes is certainly a good thing. Moreover, it is a matter of course. An employer might overlook one or two mistakes, but a text that is written casually, even without checking in Word, will not characterize you in the best way.

Form and style for essays are rather secondary. Yes, the employer may like the creativity. But if the text contains only elementary truths, your efforts will be wasted.

The content is the main thing. Your ideas, thoughts, emotions - that's what interests the reader. That's what you write an essay for.

The essay describes you, your personality, your skills, your temperament and character. Accurate handwriting (if you submit your work in writing), absence of mistakes, perfect style will characterize you as a responsible, diligent person. Unusual form shows your creativity. Clear structure and consistent thought will indicate rationality, ability to concentrate and logic. Finally, a grain of negativity will tell the employer about your honesty and courage.

Is it worth learning how to write an essay and how to do it properly?

It may seem surprising to a student not to be able to write on a given topic. But there is such a thing. If all your school essays were ordered for money or safely rolled off the Internet, an essay may seem like an unattainable pinnacle. Don't despair. Write it the way you would do it for a blog. Reread it, fix whatever needs to be fixed, give it to a friend for review.

It's only worth ordering an essay writing services if you don't have time and the topic is depressing. Essays are not always read into, alas. Sometimes written papers are needed "for a tick". However, it is precisely on such papers that it is worth learning - the ability to state your thoughts competently will come in handy.