Be a Better Writer

The classic five-paragraph essay is the framework upon which great essay and research writing is built. For most of you, however, that doesn't mean much. The average reader of this blog is a writer far removed from junior high school, looking to increase their freelance income, not a gold star and a passing grade. The truth of the matter, though, is that the basics should only expounded upon, not abandoned. Just because you're writing for a grown-up audience, that doesn't mean you should bypass the schoolhouse training that got you to where you are today.

So, let's take another look at the five-paragraph essay and why it can help you improve your writing overall:

The classic five-paragraph essay starts with a well developed thesis statement, which is effectively the outline for the rest of the essay. This keeps both the reader and the writer on track, ensuring that the communication is effective and efficient. No one wants to hear you ramble on, building paragraphs on fluff just to increase your word count. People know bull when they read it, and if you don't make it a point to stay on track, that's exactly what you're giving them.

So, what do you do? Write all of your marketing copy in the form of a five-paragraph essay?

Of course not, silly! The reason we tend to abandon that model in the first place is because it can be rigid and boring. The idea, though, is to still organize your thoughts in such a manner where your introductory paragraph acts as a type of thesis and then develop your copy within the confines of your 'thesis' so that you deliver just what you promise in the least amount of words possible.

For a quick refresher on the proper way to write a five-paragraph essay, visit How To Write a Five-Paragraph Essay. I hear the author is a literary genius!


To your continued success,

I.C. Jackosn