Writing essays will save you
The title may be a bit of a stretch but I believe writing essays will indeed improve the quality of your thinking. If you are at a dinner party, a networking event, an interview and you struggle with articulating yourself or expressing your well thought out ideas, then it is because you do not write effectively. I do not think writing is the panacea to all our elocutionary gaps but I do believe it is a corollary to voracious reading and fastidious learning.
Some people have the privilege of speaking and writing eloquently because the habit was cultivated early in their lives through attending great schools, having parents who engaged them intellectually and having additional resources like books, tutors, summer camps etc. This early engagement give kids a precocious talent for speaking and in fact writing.
But for you and I who do not have the above privileges but have noticed that there is a gap between what we know and what we are able to articulate, then it’s important to take the route of writing personal essays.
I am compelled to do so because the more i learn, the more aware I become of the profound depth that one requires to navigate the world with intelligible diction and compelling writing. So, this is equal part a guide for you and selfishly for me as I am preparing for my GRE.
The GRE Verbal section encompasses reading comprehension, sentence equivalence, text completion, and analytical writing (although this is a stand alone section, I am including it as part of the prep process). To succeed, I need to read actively, expand my vocabulary and also write essays. Here essay writing becomes the culmination of my endeavors because a well written essay is indicative of critical thinking and contextual application of retained knowledge.
So, writing going forward on Tumblr will be bifurcated into critical thinking and contextual application of retained knowledge. Think of this as a series on how to be a better writer from a self-proclaimed neophyte who is on her own self improvement journey.
Let’s tackle it one at a time.
Contextual application of retained knowledge: Think of this as connecting the dots between the materials you read and then applying them by writing an essay. For instance, I read an article about Grandma Moses who was an American folk artist. She began painting seriously in her late seventies after a lifetime of farm and domestic labor. She is widely celebrated for her vivid rural scenes, and she became an unlikely cultural icon, challenging conventional ideas about age. Immediately I began connecting the dots to some of the articles I have read about age, being a late bloomer, starting over in life, choosing the right career path etc. But the only way to actually apply this new learning is by first retaining it. To retain, I have learned, requires deep and active reading. It requires taking notes, making connections especially ones that can be connected to present day, the current zeitgeist, one’s personal life. Application in it’s fullest in then expressed through writing.
Critical thinking is the arduous process of consuming a material with curiosity first and then analysis second. You can’t analyze what you don’t understand. You also can’t analyze without fully grasping the author’s intent and that is why curiosity takes precedence. What is the? author’s main idea, purpose, tone? What can I infer? Once you can ask these preliminary questions while reading without judgement, then you can begin making analysis. Writing gives you the freedom to input your thoughts (analysis) on the material. Now you can make judgements, evaluate sources, scrutinize details.
Keep track of the new words you learn and phrases. I endeavor to underline phrases from the books i read. The metaphors, the evocative descriptions to ensure I can imbue them into my speech and writing
Practice speaking without notes on a topic of interest. Make sure it’s recorded so you can read through the transcripts. Identify the gaps, hiccups, filler words, redundancies.
Use language models to refine both your writing and vocal script. Let it identify areas of improvement. Compare your unrefined essay or script to the refined one and spend time identifying areas to improve.
Be patient. Do not overwhelm yourself trying to do it all.
Spend as much recalling and reviewing as you spend learning new things. As you read new articles, write new essays, learn new words, go back and review previous assignments.
Above is my writing. I can boldly say it is quite subpar. So, I want you to see the contrast between my skill and my taste. Not because it’s good, but because, I want you to join me on this journey.
I have run it through an AI chat bot (see below). My next step is to study the changes, and consciously absorb the patterns. The goal is not to sound like an AI bot. The goal is to train my own mind.
Here is the refined version
I asked to retain my style, content and tone
The title may be a bit of a stretch, but I believe writing essays genuinely improves the quality of one’s thinking. Let me paint a picture: you’re at a dinner party, a networking event, or an interview, and you struggle to articulate yourself or express ideas you know are well thought out. More often than not, that gap exists because you do not write effectively.
I don’t believe writing is a panacea for every elocutionary shortcoming, but I do see it as a natural corollary to voracious reading and fastidious learning. When paired together, they sharpen thought, structure ideas, and train the mind to move with precision.
Some people speak and write with ease because the habit was cultivated early in life—through strong schools, intellectually engaged parents, and access to resources like books, tutors, and summer programs. That early exposure often produces a precocious fluency in language and expression.
But for you and me—those of us who may not have had those privileges, yet are acutely aware of the gap between what we know and what we can articulate—the deliberate practice of writing personal essays becomes essential. Writing is how we close that distance.
I feel compelled to do this work myself. The more I learn, the more aware I become of the depth required to navigate the world with intelligible diction and compelling prose. This project is equal parts a guide for you and, selfishly, for me—as I prepare for the GRE.
The GRE Verbal section encompasses reading comprehension, sentence equivalence, text completion, and analytical writing. Although analytical writing is technically a standalone section, I consider it inseparable from the broader preparation process. To succeed, I must read actively, expand my vocabulary, and write consistently. Essay writing, in particular, becomes the culmination of these efforts, because a well-written essay signals critical thinking and the contextual application of retained knowledge.
Going forward, my learning and writing will be bifurcated into two tracks: critical thinking and contextual application of retained knowledge.
Let’s take them one at a time.
1. Contextual application of retained knowledge
Think of this as connecting the dots between what you read and then applying those insights through writing. For instance, I recently read about Grandma Moses, an American folk artist who began painting seriously in her late seventies after a lifetime of farm and domestic labor. She became celebrated for her vivid rural scenes and emerged as an unlikely cultural icon, quietly challenging conventional ideas about age and productivity.
Almost immediately, I began linking her story to essays I’ve read on late bloomers, starting over, age anxiety, and nonlinear career paths. But the only way this learning becomes durable is through retention—and retention requires deep, active reading. That means taking notes, drawing connections to contemporary life, the current zeitgeist, and one’s own experiences. Application, in its fullest sense, is ultimately expressed through writing.
Critical thinking is the more arduous process. It begins with curiosity and only then moves toward analysis. You cannot analyze what you do not understand, and you cannot understand without first grasping the author’s intent. That is why curiosity must take precedence.
What is the author’s main idea? Their purpose? Their tone? What can be reasonably inferred? Once you can ask these questions without judgment, analysis follows naturally. Writing then becomes the space where you test your interpretations, introduce your own perspectives, evaluate sources, and scrutinize details with intention.
Track new words and phrases. I underline phrases as I read—the metaphors, the evocative descriptions—so I can consciously incorporate them into my speech and writing.
Practice speaking without notes. Choose a topic of interest, record yourself, and review the transcript. Identify gaps, filler words, redundancies, and moments of vagueness.
Use language models as refinement tools. Compare your original writing or script to a refined version and study the differences carefully. Improvement comes from noticing patterns.
Be patient. Avoid the temptation to do everything at once. Depth beats volume.
Recall as much as you consume. Review past essays, vocabulary lists, and notes as often as you acquire new material.
Give yourself a goal. Direction sharpens effort.
Here are the tips to improve my writing to read like the improved version.
Reduce repetition
Say each idea once, in its strongest form.
Replace abstract claims with concrete examples
Show what the idea looks like in real life.
Remove hedging language
Cut “I think,” “I believe,” “it seems,” etc.
Strengthen topic sentences
Make the main point clear at the start of each paragraph.
Shorten and tighten sentences
Split long sentences; keep one idea per sentence.
Improve logical flow
Ensure each sentence clearly follows the one before it.
Add clear transitions and signposting
Guide the reader through your argument.
Move from personal reflection to universal insight
Connect “my experience” to a broader principle.
Increase precision of language
Replace vague words with specific ones.
Cut unnecessary adjectives and fillers
Let meaning do the work.
End paragraphs with synthesis
Explain why the paragraph matters.
Read aloud and revise for authority
Fix anything that sounds unsure or awkward.
Separate drafting from editing
Don’t polish while thinking.
Extract lessons for future writing
Identify patterns to improve next time.
Let me know what you think. I am excited for this new series.
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