Essay is definitely too long

glassesarechic
Thu, 05 Aug 2010 14:04:06 +0000

The conventional wisdom sets guidelines somewhere between 500 and 750 words.

Let your essay sit for about a week and return to it with fresh eyes. I’m willing to bet that you can cut at least 200 words once you recognize places where you repeat yourself or go on brief tangents that distract from the piece’s momentum.

If it turns out that your final essay is still longer than the traditional guidelines, you should be fine as long as your essay is compelling and each piece is necessary.