What Students and Young Adults Can Learn from On Writing Well
Jordan had three hours before the scholarship essay was due and a draft full of sentences like "I have always possessed an innate passion for the pursuit of academic excellence." It sounded like every other essay Jordan had skimmed online while researching how to write one, which was exactly the problem — it sounded like a template, not like a specific person. A friend reading over video call asked the obvious question: what's one time that was actually hard? Jordan started talking about failing a chemistry test, retaking it, and the specific feeling of walking into the retest more scared than the first time. That story had never made it into the draft, because it felt too small next to phrases like "innate passion." Jordan deleted the opening paragraph and started over with the chemistry test, plainly, and the essay finally sounded like it belonged to one actual person instead of a thousand applicants.
The whole book, compressed
This edition works through 4 core lessons — take them one at a time, not all at once.
What's different for your conditions
Tap whichever ones sound like you. Nothing here is sent or saved — it's just for your own noticing.
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The core lessons, applied to you
Clutter is the enemy in your application essays
A student pads a personal statement with words like "utilize," "endeavor," and "multifaceted" because they read as more sophisticated than plain alternatives. A reader skims past the vocabulary without absorbing any specific detail about who the student actually is, and the essay blurs together with a hundred others in the same pile. Practice: After a first draft, circle every word you chose because it sounded impressive rather than because it was the clearest option. Replace each one with the plainest word that means the same thing, and read the paragraph again to see what detail becomes visible.
After a first draft, circle every word you chose because it sounded impressive rather than because it was the clearest option. Replace each one with the plainest word that means the same thing, and read the paragraph again to see what detail becomes visible.
Clarity of writing requires clarity of thought about your actual experience
A student writes a cover letter claiming to be "deeply passionate about data-driven problem solving" without being able to name one specific project where that was true. The vague claim is a sign the student hasn't yet figured out which part of the work they actually found interesting. Practice: Before writing any sentence claiming an interest or skill, write down one concrete moment that proves it — a task, a mistake, a small win. If no moment comes to mind, the claim probably doesn't belong in the draft yet.
Before writing any sentence claiming an interest or skill, write down one concrete moment that proves it — a task, a mistake, a small win. If no moment comes to mind, the claim probably doesn't belong in the draft yet.
Revise ruthlessly, even the night before it's due
A student finishes a first draft at midnight and submits it unedited because there's no time left and the deadline feels more urgent than the quality. The opening paragraph, written when the student was least sure what to say, stays as the weakest part of the final version. Practice: Build in one short cutting pass no matter how late it is — read only the first paragraph and delete anything that isn't the clearest possible entry point into the story. A better opening line, even added at the last minute, changes how the whole piece reads.
Build in one short cutting pass no matter how late it is — read only the first paragraph and delete anything that isn't the clearest possible entry point into the story. A better opening line, even added at the last minute, changes how the whole piece reads.
Personality survives simplicity in your own writing
An essay or cover letter written in plain, specific language usually sounds more like an actual person than one dressed up in impressive vocabulary, and that specificity is often what a reader remembers afterward. The version of a student that shows up in a clear, honest paragraph about one real moment is more distinct than the version buried under words chosen to sound mature. Simplicity doesn't erase a young writer's voice — it's frequently the first place that voice becomes visible at all.
Teachers and templates sometimes reward exactly the inflated language this book argues against, so writing plainly can feel like a risk against a grading rubric. Where you can, write the plain, specific version first to find the real idea, then decide deliberately whether a particular audience genuinely requires more formal phrasing on top of it.
Name one thing, honestly
Think of a piece of writing you're proud of finishing — did the strongest sentence in it use a big word, or a specific, plain one?
Good. Now look back at the "Try this" line under whichever lesson feels most connected to what you just wrote, and treat that as this week's actual assignment — not all 4 at once.
The practices from this edition
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Run this for seven days
Build in one short cutting pass no matter how late it is — read only the first paragraph and delete anything that isn't the clearest possible entry point into the story. A better opening line, even added at the last minute, changes how the whole piece reads.