How I Stopped Dreading Essays (It Wasn’t What I Thought)

I used to hate essays. Like full-on procrastinate-until-midnight hate.

What changed wasn’t my writing skills overnight — it was how I approached them.

Here’s what helped:

- I stopped trying to write the intro first.

- I allowed myself to write a messy draft on purpose.

- I treated the first draft like “thinking on paper,” not a final product.

- I split the work into 30–45 minute chunks instead of one long suffering session.

The biggest shift? Realizing essays aren’t about sounding smart. They’re about making one clear point and supporting it.

Now I don’t love essays… but I definitely don’t dread them.

What made essays easier (or harder) for you?