When I was working as a tutor at the university where I earned my Ph.D., I sat beside a student struggling to write an essay about a passage from Thoreau’s Walden. When I asked him which quotes he wanted to use in his analysis and how each supported his thesis, he stared at the page in silent consternation.
Finally, I asked whether he’d read the passage.
He shook his head no.
Throughout my career, I’ve seen students try the same strategy: write an essay off the top of their heads and then retrofit quotes. It never works. If a student doesn’t understand a text, they may write only a few sentences, repeat the same idea in different words, or, in this case, write nothing at all.
I think about that student when someone tells me, “I don’t know how to start.”
Those words can mean several things. A student might be confused about the assignment, worried about getting the writing right, or overwhelmed by everything they want to say. But sometimes, they simply haven’t spent enough time with their subject to write about it.
It’s almost impossible to develop an idea about a text you haven’t read or explain a subject you don’t yet understand. Relying on what you remember from a class discussion can only take you so far. And staring at a blank document won’t fill in those gaps.
My advice to students is straightforward: If you don’t understand what you’ve read, read it again. Ask for help breaking it down. Working through a difficult passage is just as much a part of the writing process as the words you put on the page.
Another student once told me that writing her research essay had been much easier in my class than writing any of her previous essays. I was excited for her and asked what she had done differently.
She said she had done the research first.
That sounds straightforward, but it’s an easy step to underestimate. Students know they have an essay to write, so they sit down and type. The reading, research, and thinking can feel like barriers to completing the actual work. Yet those activities give them material to work with: information, examples, questions, and ideas they can begin connecting. In short, trying to write a finished essay while still searching for something to say is a recipe for banging your head against the wall.
I didn’t sit down and write this blog post from beginning to end. I spent about a week mentally chewing on it while walking on the treadmill, shopping at Costco, and doing dishes. When I finally started typing, I gathered my thoughts into something closer to a list than a fully formed draft.
By then, I had already been working on the article for days.
College application essays require preparation, too. Even when students are writing about their own lives, they may need time to remember details and think about why an experience matters to them.
In the first few sessions, I spend much of our time asking questions and taking notes as students talk through ideas. We might return to a particular moment, work through what happened, or explore why something has stayed with them. As they search their memories, details begin to emerge that weren’t in their first description.
If your teen says they don’t know how to start, pause and find out where they’re stuck. Ask them to explain the assignment and tell you what they know so far. Listen for what they still need: a closer reading of the text, more research, a conversation about their ideas, or time to think.
A polished opening can wait. Reading, talking, thinking, and making rough notes are all ways to begin.
If your teen needs help finding that starting point, I offer writing coaching for school assignments and college application essays. You’re welcome to schedule a free 15-minute consultation at writewithdrleslie.com.