Introduction
Essay writing, no matter how good a writer you are, can be difficult. And if you’re working on a long dissertation, meeting the word or page count will be even trickier. Nonetheless, as a literature student, I can tell you a way or two that can be beneficial for you. So without any further ado, let’s get started with the tips that can make your essay longer.
How to Make Your Essay Longer?
When it comes to writing a long essay, most people try to increase the word count by adding a lot of fluff. While this is, indeed, a viable trick, it’ll also make your essay look wordy and a little less informative. It might also tone down the overall quality of your writing.
So, here are some other ways that can help you in this aspect.
1: Use Transitional Words
A transitional word is usually used when you are talking about the effect of a cause that you had mentioned in the previous sentence. For example –
‘Aaron didn’t study well for his examination. Therefore, he failed to get good marks.’
In this example, we are talking about the cause, which is all about Aaron not studying for his exam properly. And in the next line, we are telling the consequences he has faced for that.
Now, this helps us with two things.
Firstly, thanks to the usage of a transitional word, we could explain both the cause and effect of an incident adequately. Secondly, the sentence looks wordy yet explanatory.
So, using a transitional word every once in a while can be beneficial for you. Nevertheless, it might not be the right idea to overuse them as the entire essay might look redundant.
2: Always Work on Counter Arguments
When it comes to writing an essay, you should always divide it into two different categories. It must include at least one argument and one counter argument.
Firstly, it will help you state your opinion about a subject clearly. And, by countering it, you can let the teacher know that you have understood the topic properly.
Sometimes, people tend to forget writing a counter argument after they’ve penned down the opinion they have on the subject. This hurts both the quality and the word count of the essay.
3: Don’t Forget to Spell Your Numbers
There are four different editorial styles available – Chicago, AP, MLA, and APA. They’re all quite different, especially when it comes to spelling. Let me tell you an example.
So, if you are following the MLA style, you will need to spell out a number if it’s situated at the beginning. Conversely, in APA, you have to spell each and everything.
So, before you start writing, make sure to ask your professor regarding the assignment rubric and writing style. If it’s APA, you will be the luckiest of the bunch!
4: Examples, Examples, and Examples!
Whenever you are writing an argument, give at least one example. And when you are trying to counter it, make sure to give another one. It can be a great decision due to two reasons –
- Writing examples can make your article look more informative and interesting.
- It can obviously increase your article’s word count to some extent.
However, if you still feel that you’re lacking in words, try to make it two or three. It’ll aid in proving your point and ensure that your essay is looking on point from every direction.
5. Add Quotes
So, your article’s word is still lacking somewhere, right? Well, in that case, you should add a quote or two within the essay to make it even more informative and good to look at.
Using a quote can help you in strengthening your point even more and validate the data your essay contains. Furthermore, it can also increase your word count, obviously.
However, here’s the thing.
You simply cannot write a quote outta nowhere, without any context. You have to introduce it properly, check if it’s adding value to your essay or not, and explain it properly.
Also, keep the length in mind. While writing a two-line quote can increase your word count a lot more, it might not look too well with the structure you’re using.
6: Introduction Should be Eye-Catching
When it comes to essay writing, you’ve probably heard most people saying, the introduction should be catchy and short. And it’s true to some extent.
Your essay’s introduction is something that will catch the attention of the reader. However, it doesn’t mean that you will have to make it short and concise.
The introduction section of your essay will present the ground of the argument you’re trying to present. Therefore, you have to make it informative and intriguing.
So, how do you do that?
To begin with, the introduction section should provide a gist of what you’re going to discuss in the entire essay. Try to include everything there without being too vague.
Don’t give out all the information you’re going to put in later, though. It just should have the amount of data to keep your reader intrigued about what happens later on.
Also, don’t make your introduction look too technical and straightforward. It should be a bit detailed and can contain at least one piece of argument and counter argument.
7: Some Additional Tricks
So, in this section, I have added an anthology of tricks that can be beneficial with making an essay look informative and mature. For example –
- Instead of using double spacing, try opting for 2.5 spacing. It doesn’t generally does not look too different and can make your essay look quite large.
- Expand the spacing between every letter and increase the font size to 12.5 from 12. It is yet another change that might not seem too huge. But, it’s effective anyway.
Finally, you can make all commas and periods 14pt. This will take even more space in your page and ensure that you’re reaching the precise size or word count you want to get to.
The Bottom Line
So, that will be all for this article. I hope I could help you out with whatever you are having trouble with. But, if there’s something you want to know about, comment below. And if you feel like you are unable to write an essay, you can always opt for services like Fresh Essays.
They are fast, efficient, and reliable!