How to Write an Excellent Essay on a Book: List of Prompts

Many teachers consider writing an essay on a book as an interesting task for their students. This kind of assignment is called a literary essay, and can be devoted to any work of literature. Therefore, students often do not know what book to choose and how to start the paper. The list of prompts below describes the steps that help organize your ideas and allow you to write an excellent paper.

Starting from Scratch

Getting started is always challenging. Once you have selected a book, everything becomes clearer. Some teachers may offer students a list of options to choose from. The next thing to do is to determine the paper’s length. Normally, it should be no less than 500 words, so you will have enough space to describe the subject and analyze the main ideas. Then, check the formatting requirements. It is likely that you can pick either the MLA or APA writing style.

Reading the Book and Understanding the Background

Since you understand the details of the task, it is time to read the book carefully. Take notes while you are reading and mark interesting quotes. A good idea is to study the story behind the book. For instance, learn the biography of the author and look through the reviews. You may find an appropriate quote, and use it to emphasize a certain point of view. Visit literary communities online, and search for comments of others about the work of literature.

Writing the Main Essay Elements

An excellent essay consists of an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. First, start writing an effective introduction. Literary essays usually begin as being quite straightforward. You need to present the book at first. Tell the reader the title of the book you read, as well as its author. Then, put down several sentences describing the background of the story. The last sentence of the introductory paragraph should be designed to be the transition to the second one.

Use quotes to develop the main idea and support your conclusion. Do not forget about the correct formatting, according to the chosen style. The conclusion summarizes your view of the book, states something you have learned, and provides discussion points.

Looking for Mistakes

This part of work is also important, so do not underestimate its significance. When everything is written down; you have to proofread the text, make certain the grammar is correct, and there are no misprints. Print the essay and read it aloud. This simple technique helps you find mistakes so the paper will not look careless.