Not even the best authors in the world can write a final draft at the first sitting. Good writing takes time -- for reflection, editing, and rewriting.

So, once you're happy with a current draft of your essay, put it aside for a few days.

And while you're trying not to think about it, share the essay with a teacher, parent, or other adult (or several of them) and solicit their honest opnions.

Here are some questions you could ask them to consider as they are reading your essay:

• What is the essay about?
• Have I used active voice verbs wherever possible?
• Is my sentence structure varied or do I use all long or all short sentences?
• Do you detect any cliches?
• Do I use transition appropriately?
• Do I use imagery often and does this make the essay clearer and more vivid?
• What's the best part of the essay?
• What about the essay is memorable?
• What's the worst part of the essay?
• What parts of the essay need elaboration or are unclear?
• What parts of the essay do not support your main argument or are immaterial to your case?
• Is every single sentence crucial to the essay? This MUST be the case.
• What does the essay reveal about your personality?
• Could anyone else have written this essay?

Once the time has past -- and you have some feedback -- it's time to go to the next step: rewriting.

Need help with any of the terms described on this page? If so, find the answers in our High School College-Bound and College Planning Glossary.