I'm writing an application essay--where should I start?

When you're sitting at the computer with a blank page in front of you, it can impossible to get started. What should I say? How will I write it? What could I write to convince them I deserve a space at their school?

I have three words of advice: just get started.

When we write, we often overthink things. We try to tell them everything, with elaborate examples, and our voice and tone shift to something we're not. But the best way to write an application essay is to be yourself. Your story. Your voice. Just you.

Let me remind you of the power of simple words:

I do.

We're expecting.

Congratulations, graduate!

He's gone.

You're fired.

With the right words, a whole world can open up. Reading over the list, my mind flashes from image to image like flipping through a photo album, stories complete in just in a few syllables.

I picture my own wedding this past July, I think of those I’ve attended, and I imagine those I will go to in time, as friends and sisters meet their matches. I remember my graduation ceremony and the joy of celebrating friends and family as they walked across the stage, too. I hold the sadness of the news of my grandfather’s passing and the joy of a friend’s pregnancy announcement.

There is so much said in so few words. That is the power of communication that is excellent, effective, and honest.

One of my best tips for writers as they approach projects like a personal statement or an application essay is to write a lot. Write way more than you actually need to. Ignore the word count. Then set it down. Go for a walk.

Finally, come back and delete a lot. Take out the fluff. Reread where you’ve added superfluous words that purpose not merely to communicate your musings but to flaunt your intellectual prowess…and write for your audience, simply and straightforwardly.

Read everything you wrote down and pare it down. Write less—but write it well—and your words will shine.

Let me share an example.

Picture this. I recently went to the botanic gardens and enjoyed exploring a new orchid exhibit. My family loves botanic gardens, too, so I took several pictures for them. In photographing the flowers, this idea about less>more became clear to me. When we try to do everything, say everything, and use as many words as possible to make our brilliant stories and ideas seem even more fantastic…it looks like this. You get the idea: I’m in a garden. But it’s pretty chaotic.

But then I zoomed in and took this picture, knowing the framing would help capture the elegance and the beauty of the flowers before me. I cut some of the context, I ignored the other flowers in the room, and I centered on what was most important to me and I focused the photo on that.

It’s so much better.

Writing less>more is like moving from haphazardly photographing a room (because EVERYTHING FEELS IMPORTANT) to focusing on a simple, powerful detail. It’s worth the work to zoom in, frame well, and focus on what’s most important.

To write a successful application essay, focus on writing a great story that is fully you. Then use less words, but make them better. Often this takes intention, refinement, and clarity. This works for both writing and speaking. When you use fewer words but your message is clearer and more memorable….your communication is more successful. That’s what it’s all about!

Starting a project and want to talk about your ideas? Let's connect! Schedule an intro call today.