Resources for writing better?

[TheCommuterx]

Let me begin by stating that English is not my first language. I'm not very articulate with my wording whenever I write essays. I'm about to begin a BSN program, and to be completely honest I'm absolutely worried about the writing assignments. I'm the type of person who has trouble starting off essays because I can't find the right words. Can anyone offer some suggestions to getting better at writing? How can I practice my writing skills besides writing every day?

[CrunchRN, ADN, RN]

Wow. No worries in my opinion based on what you wrote in your post. I would never have guessed English was not your first language.

[ItsThatJenGirl, CNA]

If you have trouble starting off, don't start at the beginning. Start with an outline - group your thoughts/sources/facts together. Take those ideas and sort them into paragraphs, and go from there.

Find someone who writes the way you wish to and ask them to proofread things you write and interject comments where necessary, and use their feedback to improve.

[Wiggly Litchi]

Hi there OP! I tutor at my local campus, and the majority of my clients come for assistance with their papers.

One of the major things that I see my clients NOT do, is write an outline. Jen mentioned it in her post, and I've seen some really mediocre writers churn out some wonderful papers once they learned to utilize outlines correctly. When written properly, an outline will keep your writing on track and give you an incredibly solid paper. Think of it like a roadmap!

Some other common mistakes are things such as:

• Using colloquialisms - no slang words/phrases
  
• Redundancies to inflate word count - Say it once with feeling, and be concise.
  
• If you make a claim, back it up. Cite your sources. If someone tells me in a paper that the sky is blue, then they have to prove it to me. Avoid conjecture!
  
• Don't be afraid to break out the big guns; use a thesaurus online to see if there's another word that'll help beef things up for you.
  
• Never start out a paper by saying "In this paper I'm going to write about...." We know you're writing a paper, so jump right in! :)
  
• Avoid using 'In conclusion" at the end
  

Your intro paragraph doesn't even have to be written first - you can totally write it last once you've got the body paragraphs taken care of. It might feel a bit backwards doing it this way, but you'll be able to write something catchy that fits the tone of the paper.

I'm not sure if you've taken English Comp1/2. Usually campuses will have some kind of academic support, either on site or online~ Don't be afraid to use the resources if they're available!

That being said, your English is much better than a lot of native speakers, so rock on! I think you'll do fine :)

Edit - almost forgot about this gem: Purdue OWL

The Purdue OWL website has been an absolute lifesaver! Also, if you can find a really cheap copy, Amazon.com: The Little, Brown Handbook, 12th Edition (978