Simple guide to get started with your essay

The Basic Steps of the Writing Process

Whether you desire to write a narrative essay about a personal experience, a literary analysis of a story, an argumentative essay supporting a particular idea or point of view, or any other possible type of essay, the steps of the essay writing process are basically the same.

·                     Choose your topic. In some circumstances, especially when you are given a particular essay writing assignment, your topic may be provided for you. In other cases, you may have the flexibility to choose the topic you would most enjoy to explore and write about.

·                     Think about your purpose of your essay. Understanding the purpose of your writing can help you develop the necessary content and structure for your essay. For example, if your purpose is to write a personal narrative, this purpose reveals that you should think about the order in which you describe the experience and, therefore, the order in which you present your paragraphs. This purpose also suggests that you should use detailed and vivid language to guide your reader through the description of your experience.

·                     Use free-writing and brainstorming to explore your topic. Before you worry too much about developing a clean and orderly essay, spend some time exploring your topic and ideas. Free-writing is a great way to get started. Take out a blank piece of paper and write whatever comes to your mind related to your topic. Don't worry if the ideas sound unclear or unconvincing. Also, don't worry about your grammar or sentence structure. This technique is simply to help stimulate your ideas. You'll probably be surprised at what you discover through this practice.

·                     Plan an outline of the general structure and content of your essay. After you have spent a good deal of time brainstorming and free-writing, consider the ideas you've discovered so far and start to develop a general outline for your essay. Keep your outline as clear and direct as possible. Try to start with the main idea you will present in your introduction. Then list the most important ideas you want to present in the body paragraphs of your essay. Under each point, provide any specific information you will use to develop the point.

·                     Write your first draft. Using your outline as a guide, draft your essay. Although you could try to draft each part of the essay, the introduction, the body paragraphs, and the conclusion, you should also feel free to draft whichever part of the essay you feel most capable of handling first. You might want to write the body paragraphs first, for example, to help you get a better understanding of how to articulate your main idea in the introduction. At this stage of your writing process, try to remain flexible and relaxed. Do not put too much pressure on yourself to write the perfect essay on the first try. Remember that even at this stage, you might discover new ideas that work better than the ideas you explored previously.

·                     Take a break. It's often very helpful to spend some time away from your writing. The time away allows you regain a clear and objective perspective. It's also incredibly helpful to get another person's opinion about what you've written. Ask a friend, a family member, or even your teacher to read over your draft. When your reader offers you feedback, do not take his or her comments personally. In the end, any comments will help see your writing through another person's eyes and gain a better understanding of what you've actually written.

·                     Reread and revise your essay. Try to allow quite a bit of time for the revising phase of your writing process. In general, you should write at least two to four drafts of your essay before you arrive at your final version. When revising, read through your draft and think about whether your writing meets the requirements of your purpose and assignment. Think about which aspects of your essay are working well and which other aspects are in need of improvement. Don't hesitate to make large changes in your writing. The more open you remain to changes, the more likely it is that your essay will continue to develop and thrive.

·                     Get an outside opinion. Before arriving at your final draft, consider asking a number of people to read and offer feedback about your essay. If you have specific questions or concerns, feel free to ask your readers to focus on those issues. However, it's often most helpful to let your readers respond freely to what you've written.

·                     Add the finishing touches. Take another honest look at your essay, and considering your own concerns and the feedback from readers, spend time identifying any weaknesses and then revising the material. At this stage of the process, you should also pay close attention to your spelling, grammar, sentence structure, and choice of words. To help you identify such problems, read the essay aloud to yourself, sentence by sentence.

I've been to Suhot Cave in Dumalag

Have you heard of the town named Dumalag? What about Capiz? Oh, well, don’t tell me about “aswangs”. Many of my friends are from the province and I haven’t seen them fly at night. There is so much to see than believe and be scared with myths! 

Just before my friend flew to California, we decided to take a trip to her parents’ hometown. I have actually heard a lot of good comments about the place and I couldn’t be more excited to see for myself.

For as much as I love road trips around the island, I think it will be an injustice not to mention the great places I have been to. Seeing countless areas outside the city, there I have also admired this special place from my previous trip. 

Follow the road! Going to Dumalag town proper

An hour or two from Iloilo City by bus, the Province of Capiz in the island of Panay has a lot to offer. From the beauty so natural to the abundant seafood to mountain springs and lush areas, visitors can explore and experience nature at its best. Looking to explore caves or dip in cold water? They have them all.

I have loved one place in particular. This is the municipality of Dumalag that seems to present great gifts. A small town, it is located by the hills and slopes of the mountains blessed with fertile lands and awesome landscapes. Its name is derived from the local term “dalag” which means yellowish. This has been attributed to the river that flows across the town. It is of belief that there is a certain tree growing by the banks which gives the body of water its trademark color. To some, the name came from the word “dumalaga” or spring chicken that dwelt in the area. 

Here finally. Friends and I at the main road to Suhot

Love spelunking? Located in Brgy. Dolores, Suhot Cave, has been considered the most visited tourist area of the municipality. Having ice-cold water by the arched at the entrance, this mountain resort is only about 300 meters from the provincial road. With the cave’s entrance serving as the swimming spot, this has been a part of weekend destinations (including us, from Iloilo City). The soothing water comes from the underground stream that gushes through the formation to its bowl-shaped opening. This does not seem to change despite the hot weather or during the summer season. According to the resort care takers, the cave served as a shelter during the war. Some years after that, it has become a meeting place for local lovers.

Where wonders start. The mouth of  Suhot cave

“Suhot” is a term that means “to go under”. This was considered the most appropriate name for the mountain resort as the cave has area large enough for humans to go in and explore, pairing it with the chance to see the attractive formations inside. Located by the quite dense jungle, the innermost part of the cave is believed to have remained unaffected by modernity. This is despite the efforts and interest of many spelunkers that come along. You will be amazed by the primitive surrounding and caverns.

Where to soak. People enjoying the ice cold water on a hot day!

Going green. The oxygen factory just above the cave.

The area by the cave has awakened the nature lover spirit in me. With the obviously unspoiled hills nearby, friends and I went up for a little hiking. The lush green slopes have been inviting and offers a spectacular sight of the resort below. Seems like the location of Twilight Saga!

Great place to be. Dumalag Plaza's greener pride!

Another site that struck me is the Dumalag plaza. Just beside the old church of St. Martin de Porres, the park has been obviously well taken care of. With the trimmed plants, cultivated flowers and beautifully designed structures, the landscape is undoubtedly unequalled! With much amazement, friends and I decided to have countless pictorials! You know, women thing! 

Religious pride. The town's centuries-old church

When in Capiz, try to stop by Dumalag, too! Who knows? You might love Suhot cave and the town plaza as much as we do!

Sexy backs? Pals and I didn't let any photo ops pass.

*photos taken using Samsung NV11

Probing into the 'sugar daddy" trend

Is Finding Sugar Daddy in? Are there more women chasing men for their money than men chasing women?

While on my habitual net hopping, I saw a question from someone on Yahoo Answers that made me think twice, or maybe thrice. As a member of the site, I have wanted to answer the question in defense of women, but I think there is truthfulness in it that’s quite difficult to defy (I would like to make clear I am not one of them, lol). But, why does it go that way?

Bill shower: Money is the number reason women go for older rich men

The question is like this:

“Why are there more women chasing men for their money than men chasing women? I see this a lot with some of the people I know. I have two cousin’s in the NFL and women are always around them for their money. And its easy to see right through them. And then I have a few friends who play pro soccer and its the same thing with them.”

“The women I know who have money its not the same. They don’t have men throwing themselves at them and laughing at every not funny joke just to get a reaction. But more women do this to men than the other way around. And its sad because some of the men don’t even notice it half the time its happening.”

How I see it

I think this situation exists and isn’t a big surprise. In society where men used to be, or continue to be living with the pressure to make more money than women as part of social status, having rich or successful women is a new thing. It is only until the past few decades that women successfully broke the glass ceiling, and thus, become financially independent and socially competitive. Now, women are as successful as men can be.

Opposite attracts? Luxury can be offered by rich men, and it seems to defy
differences many find awkward. 

Women clinging to men who have financial capacities is undeniably true. It has been said that a successful woman is the one whose husband earns more than what she can spend. This could have been one of the factors why a good number of women concentrate on having a big catch rather than working on their own. Most would think that marrying a rich guy means not having to go to work or even pursue higher education. That perhaps completes the puzzle of why rich men are surrounded by women. These lovely forty-niners (not in all cases, though) are on for the cash and don’t even feel guilty leaving him when the milking is done.

Successful or rich women have an issue on their status as most men find them scary. Being used to patriarchal society, most men are looking for women who are of lesser intelligence or financial capacity compared to themselves. Though there have been some changes as both sexes have enjoyed equality for some periods, men tend to shy away from intelligent women. As some research said, intelligence means power, and men in one way or another didn’t want to position themselves behind women in the social hierarchy. The result? Rich or intelligent women have lesser chances of meeting men for romance than that of an average. Men find average women less ego-threatening creatures. 

It can never be denied that rich men are infested by spongy women far as how rich women are chased by opportunist men. Besides, not all rich men are out to spoil the woman. But as my personal belief, successful women have more chances to meet a guy of the same status. Why did I say so? When women are educated, she will most likely be around an educated circle, or of any profession she’s in. Those who established themselves and are independent are mostly short of courtiers but have the right to choose the kind of men they want to be with. When you are of lesser status compared to the man, it is a privilege for you to make your life better. This, however, doesn’t work with successful, independent women. For us, educated women, the range of his deposits and properties doesn’t rule out his qualification of being able to love and be a life partner. Successful women can earn money, so why chase rich men?

Is chasing a man for his money acceptable for you? 

How to Use the Active and Passive Voices

In most cases and with most styles of writing, the active voice is preferred to the passive voice. The active voice is stronger than the passive, and it therefore produces more powerful sentences.

If the subject of the sentence is the person or thing doing the acting, then the verb is in active voice.

Examples:

My boss made the decision yesterday. Doug coordinated the meeting in Paul’s absence. We proposed the change last week. The computer just crashed.

If the subject of the sentence is the person or thing receiving the action, then the verb is in passive voice. The passive voice is created by writing a form of the verb to be with the past participle form of a verb. Such forms often include a by phrase after the verb phrase to indicate who performed the action. In addition to being less direct, the passive voice is also generally wordier than the active voice.

Examples:

The decision was made by my boss yesterday. The meeting was coordinated by Doug in Paul’s absence. The change was proposed (by us) last week.

Using the Passive Voice

There are times when the passive voice is preferred, however. For example, the passive voice is necessary when the person who acted is unknown.

Examples:

The package was sent to me last week. (We do not know who sent the package.) The company was founded in 1992. Many acts of service were performed without our knowledge.

The passive voice is also a good choice when the doer of the action is unimportant.

Examples:

The roads were cleared early this morning. The mess was cleaned up before we arrived. In the business world, important decisions are made every day. The tickets were sold out last month.

Moreover, the passive voice is appropriate when you want the emphasis of the sentence to be on the action, rather than on the person who performed the action. To shift the emphasis to the person acting, we use a prepositional phrase beginning with by.

Examples:

The message was delivered by John this afternoon. The decision was made by the directors to sell the building. Property in this town has been bought and sold by various investors over the years. Several years ago the company was sold to our competitors by a man from the East.

And finally, the passive voice is useful when you want the doer of the action to remain anonymous.

Examples:

Last night the announcement was made that 300 employees would be laid off. Three million dollars was donated to the foundation on Tuesday. The cookies and other treats were delivered to the children while they were playing outside.

Also see the article entitled “Conciseness.”

Revising Passive Sentences

When changing a passive construction to the active voice, make sure that you keep the same verb tense.

Original:	Every day donuts are bought by our human resources representative.
Not:	Every day our human resource representative bought donuts.
But:	Every day our human resource representative buys donuts.

Original:	That movie was produced by Jonathan Doe, I believe.
Not:	Jonathan Doe had produced that movie, I believe.
But:	Jonathan Doe produced that movie, I believe.

Original:	The decision has already been made by the managers.
Not:	The managers had already made the decision.
But:	The managers have already made the decision.

Again, when deciding whether to use the active or passive voice, think about the purpose of the sentence and the audience for whom it is intended. Then determine which part of the sentence is more important—the action itself or the person or thing doing the acting—and write accordingly.

Okay, so why do we fall in love?

I have been in love several times as anybody else. With it comes happy memories, and at its worst, bitter ones, too. We may have been enjoying the feeling of having someone who makes us happy, and feel more important, if not making us believe we are the most beautiful individuals! Beyond all the great credits we can give to having such times, have you also asked yourself why you fall in love in the first place?

There are countless thoughts about love. Most people, however, would likely agree if we say that this magical four letter word is affection strong enough that it can even outwit the smartest people on earth! Is it really wise to let the mind rule all the time? Or it should be the heart that should lead us to life’s myriad directions? With all the confusions of defining what it is, love exists in many forms. Each type has its own characteristics according to the ways we express it, or with the reason we do it. 

Generally, when people think of “falling in love”, they refer to romantic love. The kind that bonds two grown-up individuals (sometimes even younger than imagined) such as couples, or even husband and wife. There also are many reasons people do so. First, most people believe in finding their soul mate. Many believe that there is someone we are meant to be with. Second, some claimed they have been into the feeling of love at first sight. Here, we think that there is an immediate attraction. It would be perfect if both parties feel the same, sadly, in most cases, it is one-sided. Next is falling into love. This is when two people eventually discover they actually care for each other and develop feelings after some time of togetherness.

I am quite a keeper when it comes to love, but I guess I have completed the three mentioned. Whichever you may have experienced, however, can make you feel strong bonds, or even think that you actually complement each other. Some are lucky to have maintained that feeling in their life time, for some, it only takes years before fading completely. What a sad reality!

No one can ever say that one type is better than the other, but there are similarities most likely. Confused? That’s just fine! Even the brainiest grownups are feeling that way too! Experiencing love is special but too difficult to confirm. As most would agree, I think that if you come across love, hmmm… you‘ll know it!


I am quite a keeper when it comes to love, but I guess I have completed the three mentioned. Whichever you may have experienced, however, can make you feel strong bonds, or even think that you actually complement each other. Some are lucky to have maintained that feeling in their life time, for some, it only takes years before fading completely. What a sad reality!

How to achieve writing with clarity

Readers, like writers, are busy people, and they are unlikely to spend time trying to decipher the meaning of wordy, vague, or confusing text. Therefore, writers should themselves spend the time to ensure that their writing is as clear as possible.

Writing clearly should be one of the most important objectives, if not the most important objective, of good writers. The ability to write clearly is of course a skill that is learned over time, primarily through reading good writing and through the actual act of writing. Like any skill, the more you write, the clearer and more effective your writing will become.

Avoid Jargon

Jargon is specialized language used by the members of a particular field or industry, organization, or other group. Though it may be acceptable and even useful among the members of the specific group, jargon should be avoided when writing to a general audience. Even when used among members of a specific group, jargon sometimes causes sentences to be needlessly wordy. In such cases, the sentence should be revised.

Not:	The director said that by the end of the year they would equip our homes with Wi-Fi, so everyone will have to upgrade from dial-up to a broadband connection and use the same ISP.
But:	The director said that by the end of the year they would equip our homes with wireless Internet connection, so everyone will have to upgrade from dial-up to high-speed Internet and use the same Internet service provider.

Jargon is also language that has been inflated or made flowery simply for the purpose of impressing others. In reality, however, readers are far more impressed by simple, clear, powerful writing. Sentences filled with this second type of pretentious jargon should always be revised.

Not:	In our department, they recently instigated downsizing in order to more efficiently use their human resources by reducing overhead.
But:	In our department, they recently began laying people off to reduce costs.

Avoid Obsolete or Invented Words

In most contexts, it is best to avoid using words that are obsolete and no longer used or that are invented. Invented words (or neologisms) include those that are too new to the lexicon to be standard; many such words are never accepted into the language. In formal writing, a neologism should be used solely if it is the only word that will convey your meaning.

Not:	Erelong they will have to make a decision about the merger twixt themselves and Dairy Soul. Perhaps it is because of his love of literature that he tries to metaphorize everything he says to his co-workers.
But:	Before too long they will have to make a decision about the merger between themselves and Dairy Soul. Perhaps it is because of his love of literature that he tries to use metaphors in everything he says to his co-workers.

Avoid Slang

Slang is nonstandard language made up of usually short-lived, expressive words and phrases. Though some slang words are eventually accepted as standard language, many are not. Because slang words often do come and go very quickly, they lend an informal tone and should therefore be avoided in most types of writing.

Not:	My brother’s start-up company got owned last year. That idea is really out there.
But:	My brother’s start-up company went out of business last year. That idea seems pretty far-fetched.

Avoid Regional and Colloquial Expressions

Regional expressions are sayings used in a particular part of a country, and a colloquial expression is an expression not used in formal speech or writing. (A colloquial style is an informal or conversational, or even folksy, style.) Like slang, regional and colloquial expressions are also best avoided in most writing contexts because such expressions may not be understood by those outside of a particular group and because they lend an informal tone to one’s writing.

Not:	After these meetings, the managers generally stand around just shooting the breeze. Last year, our company had a rough trot.
But:	After these meetings, the managers generally stand around talking. Last year, our company went through a period of misfortune.

Don’t Misuse Words

Though it is admirable to use new words and to work to expand your vocabulary, it is important to make sure that you are using a word correctly before including it in your writing, particularly if the writing will be read by large number of people or by influential people in your field.

A thesaurus, for example, is a very handy tool for finding new words, but make sure when you use it that you do so with care so that you don’t choose words that might cause embarrassment to you or misunderstanding or confusion for your readers.

Not:	My manager said that after slipping on the ice, she laid prostate for several seconds catching her breath.
But:	My manager said that after slipping on the ice, she lay prostrate for several seconds catching her breath.

In the example sentence above, notice that both laid and prostate were initially used incorrectly. The correct terms are lay (past tense of lie) and prostrate (meaning to lie flat on the ground). Lay and lie are two of the most commonly confused words in English. For definitions of these and other commonly confused words, see the article entitled “Commonly Confused Words.”

Use That When Needed

For sentences that contain a that clause following the main clause, including the that often helps the meaning to be more clear by better showing how the sentence parts work together. In some cases, if that is left out, readers may misunderstand the meaning of the sentence.

Not:	The manager was suggesting their termination was inevitable. Each year the employees demand their wages be increased.
But:	The manager was suggesting that their termination was inevitable. Each year the employees demand that their wages be increased.

Use Words with Appropriate Connotations

Many words have both denotations (literal or dictionary meanings) as well as connotations (emotional meanings). For example, the word sweat denotes a salty fluid secreted by sweat glands, but it connotes hard work and dedication. Because of this distinction, it is important to pay attention to both the denotation and the connotation of words. If the connotations of a word do not seem appropriate for the context of your writing, choose a different word. A good thesaurus can help you come up with a suitable synonym if one does not readily come to mind.

Not:	After purchasing her treadmill and using it faithfully every day for a year, my sister became very skinny.
But:	After purchasing her treadmill and using it faithfully every day for a year, my sister became very slender.

Avoid Euphemisms

Euphemisms are milder or less negative words that are used in place of a harsh, blunt, or offensive word. Like jargon, they are often needlessly wordy, indirect, and sometimes even misleading. For this reason, most euphemisms should be replaced.

Not:	Next week we are having a sale on all of our recently acquired preowned vehicles. Our lives are somewhat different now because of our daughter’s special needs.
But:	Next week we are having a sale on all of our recently acquired used cars. Our lives are somewhat different now because of our daughter’s blindness.

In some cases, however, euphemisms are appropriate. For example, we often use euphemisms when talking about death, bodily functions, or other sensitive topics. When euphemisms are used in these instances or in an honest effort to spare someone’s feelings, such as saying that someone is frugal rather than cheap, then they are sometimes preferred.

Use Figures of Speech with Care

A figure of speech is an expression that uses language in a nonliteral way. Figures of speech are most frequently used to compare two dissimilar things in order to reveal unexpected similarities between them. Two common devices for doing so are similes and metaphors. A simile compares two things using the word like or as, as in the expression cool as a cucumber. A metaphor makes a similar comparison, but without the use of like or as. For example, Their home is a museum is an example of a metaphor. Both kinds of figures of speech can be quite useful in helping readers to grasp an interesting or new idea or concept. It is important, however, not to mix metaphors—that is, don’t use a metaphor or simile that evokes two or more images of ideas that just don’t make sense together.

Not:	We set up a foolproof plan to work out the holes in our production process. While her husband was on leave, they tried to bridge the rough patches their separation was causing.
But:	We set up a foolproof plan to work out the kinks in our production process. While her husband was on leave, they tried to bridge the gaps their separation was causing.

Avoid Being Too Formal or Too Informal

Part of analyzing the purpose of your writing and the needs of your anticipated audience is determining the tone you want to use. For most types of academic and business writing, a somewhat formal tone is best. An informal style, on the other hand, is best reserved for personal correspondence with friends and family or communication with other close associates. Once you have determined which style is appropriate for a particular document, be consistent; readers can be easily distracted or even confused by writing that switches between a formal and informal style.

Not:	I heard you’re hiring a few new guys for your latest gig, and I thought I’d see about working there. The party will commence at 7 p.m. We’ll be having barbequed burgers and hot dogs. Feel free to invite your parents, if you like. I would look forward to making their acquaintance then.
But:	One of your employees, Jon Daniels, told me that you are hiring a few new contractors for your latest project, and I would like to apply for a position. The party will start at 7 p.m., and we’ll be having barbequed burgers and hot dogs. Feel free to invite your parents, if you like. I would enjoy meeting them.

I keep plants at home.. why not?

Coloful gift. A friend's present from her hometown. Now sitting in our backyard.

Our former spacious yard has provided more opportunities to plant. Sadly, with our renovations, the battle to keep the space green posted a challenge. I love being with nature and my “green hands” always help me with stress relief. Other than my silent companion and unresponsive conversation partner, the plants’ colors make me happy, and thus make my days vibrant. Whenever possible, I plant, trim or structure them. 

Personal fave. The petals complement the
dark green leaves.

Known to bring natural beauty to our dwelling areas, even the simplest house plants actually provide comfort and welcoming atmosphere to our homes. Just a glance at the green hues around me makes me feel better. More than just a display, they are known to absorb the carbon dioxide and other bad toxins in the environment. This will result to a fresher air to inhale, not to set aside the flowers inviting butterflies for a visit every morning. 

So leafy. Provides good shade when you sit
on the branches at the adjacent side! 

As fatigue reliever, handy oxygen source, and ornament, it is quite difficult to imagine life without plants around us. I have always complained to my father about his habit of pulling my plants out. 

I think plants should be allowed to continuously bloom for the following reasons: 

1. Plants are silent air quality controllers

In cities where people tend to live or work in sealed buildings, indoor plants are the best solutions to keeping air fresh. They help ease sick-building syndrome by converting impurities in the air as food and giving back oxygen in return. Even NASA’s research proved the same! 

Welcoming heart. Sitting by the stairway.

2. Plants are healthy living partner

It is by relieving stress that plants help in reducing cases of high blood pressure and even stiff muscles. When you feel good, your heart rate stays in normalcy.

3. Plants can be an Idea Box

House plants can also foster generating new ideas. This is possible as we are more relaxed in a greener environment. When the mind is clear, we become more creative and can think well. This is the reason I usually write under the shade of the tree just outside our main door. Having a clutter-free mind means healthier and happier days.

Silent onlooker. Hanging by the wooden fence

4. Plants play a role in being a therapeutic matter

Some plants we keep at home don’t exist for nothing. In most cases, as in our ancestors’ experiences, plants have provided remedies for ailments. Burns, itchy insect bites and even baldness are some of the troubles our houseplants are capable of healing.

5. Plants are surely study partners

A study by the Royal College of Agriculture suggests that students studying in a classroom with plants showed higher level of attentiveness, and are more relaxed. In hot regions, indoor plants in the classrooms made it possible for students to limit yawning with the available fresh air. The more students listen, the more they learn more, thanks to plants!

Queenly! Blooming after many years!

After reading an article about how spider plants ensure cleaner air, my sister and I decided to breed more and hang them by our window. Perhaps, plants are good for countless reasons. It creates healthy environment, productive minds, and even natural first aid. With what studies suggest, I think we should try creating greener spaces at home or even in the office. That’s a little effort for bigger returns.