College Writing Myths

Myth: Only bad writers need feedback.

Reality: Good writers seek feedback. Think about all the readers a professional writer consults before publishing: colleagues, reviewers, editors, and proofreaders.

Myth: Good writers write quickly and effortlessly.

Reality: Good writers prewrite, draft, revise, edit and sweat over their writing. When Ernest Hemingway was asked why he rewrote the last page of A Farewell to Arms thirty-nine times, he explained that he was just “getting the words right.” That’s what writers do.

Myth: Good writers know exactly what they want to say before they start writing.

Reality: Good writers develop their ideas as they write, and are open to changing their minds.

Myth: Readers want simple explanations.

Reality: Readers trust writers who recognize and communicate the complexity of controversial issues.

Myth: Straightforward language seems dumb.

Reality: Ornate language or wordy sentences muddy your argument and make readers suspect you’re hiding your lack of ideas behind fancy words. Use concise, direct language.

Myth: Longer is better.

Reality: Stop when you’re done. Readers appreciate not having their time wasted.

Myth: Using I is always bad.

Reality: No universal rule exists on using I. Different audiences and different disciplines have different expectations, so ask. If your audience thinks using I is appropriate, you can use it.

Myth: The 5-paragraph essay format works for every assignment.

Reality: A five-page essay will not fit into five paragraphs. Write a clear thesis, devote each paragraph to a topic, and don’t worry about how many paragraphs it takes.

Myth: Changing your writing style for your audience is selling out.

Reality: Gear your writing toward your audience to get your point across. You would explain the Green Bay Packers’ defensive scheme differently to a group of tourists from China than you would to a group of high school football coaches—not because you’re compromising your intellect, but because you want to communicate effectively.

Myth: Geniuses don’t need to follow rules.

Reality: The goal of writing is to communicate. The rules of format, grammar and punctuation are a set of shared expectations between writer and reader that help your reader understand you.

Additional Online Resources

UWC Handouts
High School to College Writing

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