By Mujeebat Moyosore IDRIS
I have won two national essay competitions and a university level competition, but I have also lost quite a few. There were times I submitted an essay already knowing I probably wouldn’t win because I knew it could have been better or that other entries would likely be stronger, but I still wanted to write, so I did.
Having compared the essays I won with the ones I didn’t, I have picked up a few things that I think can help if YOU WANT TO KNOW HOW TO WIN ESSAY COMPETITIONS:
1. READ THE INSTRUCTIONS.
Before you start thinking about your argument, read the rules. Word count. Font. Spacing. Deadline. Referencing style. Submission format. These things may seem insignificant, but they are often the first test of whether you can follow instructions.
2. UNDERSTAND THE QUESTION BEFORE YOU ANSWER IT.
Don’t rush to start writing just because you have an idea. Personally, I sit with the topic. What exactly is it asking? What position do you want to take?
3. FIND YOUR ANGLE.
This is one of the biggest things I have learnt. You are probably not the only person writing about that topic. Hundreds of people may be answering the same question. So what will make the judges pause at yours? Your essay does not need unnecessarily big words or complicated sentences. A clear and distinct perspective will do.
4. WRITE LIKE A HUMAN BEING.
You do not need to sound like a thesaurus.
If there is one thing I have learnt over time, it’s the fact that good writing is not about how many big words you can fit into one paragraph. It is about clarity and being able to communicate your ideas in a way that keeps the reader with you.
5. RESEARCH PROPERLY.
Don’t build an entire essay on your opinions. Read widely. Look for authorities. Find statistics, cases, studies, reports, examples and arguments that strengthen your position.
6. STUDY THE JUDGING CRITERIA.
If the organisers tell you what they are looking for, believe them. Originality. Relevance. Structure. Research. Clarity. Argument.
Those criteria are basically a roadmap. Use them.
7. OUTLINE BEFORE YOU WRITE.
Know where you are going before you start moving.
I usually find it easier to organise my introduction, major arguments and conclusion before writing the full essay.
It saves you from discovering halfway through that your essay has three introductions and no actual argument. 😂
8. EDIT. THEN EDIT AGAIN.
Your first draft is not your final essay. Read it after writing. Read it again the next day if you can.
Cut unnecessary sentences. Strengthen weak arguments. Check your transitions. Fix your grammar. Check your references. Sometimes, the difference between a good essay and a winning essay is in the editing.
9. USE AI CAREFULLY.
AI can be useful. I use it to test arguments, identify gaps, improve clarity and catch things I may have missed, but I would not hand over my thinking to it.
Your ideas should be yours. Your research should be yours. Your voice should still be recognisable in the final piece. Another thing I’ve noticed is that some essay competitions do not prohibit the use of AI, so it’s better to disclose any use of AI before they subject your work to an AI test.
After several competitions, these are some of the things I have learnt to take seriously.
And perhaps the biggest lesson is that you become a better competition writer by writing.
Write. Submit. Get rejected. Read better essays. Try again. Improve.
Eventually, you look back and realise that the writer who won your first competition is not the same writer who won your latest one. And that, for me, is the real win.
If you are preparing for an essay competition, I hope this helps.
Go write something worth reading.
*Mujeebat IDRIS is a First Class graduate of the prestigious Bola Ajibola College of Law, Crescent University, Abeokuta. She is founder of The Emem Effect, a writing agency that helps people bring their ideas to life through words*
