<p>I realize this is a very broad question, but I need to know. What is considered interesting writing, versus non interesting writing? The reason I ask is, I often find my own writing interesting. However, when I give it to a friend, they look like they’re going to fall asleep. What makes an essay interesting, and how do you change a boring essay into an interesting one?</p>
<p>sage advice I received from an English/History teacher: use active verbs.</p>
<p>superfluous adjectives, adverbs, etc. are sleep material. Verbs and nouns are where its at.</p>
<p>Tell a story. Look at how journalists write in magazines. </p>
<p>[One</a> Hacker’s Audacious Plan to Rule the Black Market in Stolen Credit Cards](<a href=“http://www.wired.com/techbiz/people/magazine/17-01/ff_max_butler]One”>One Hacker's Audacious Plan to Rule the Black Market in Stolen Credit Cards | WIRED)</p>
<p>Here’s an example article from my favorite magazine. Look at how the author uses language to display a scene “Settling into his chair and resting his fingers on his keyboard like a concert pianist, Butler began his attack.”</p>
<p>You want to do more showing, rather than telling in your essays.
Bad: “Tom got an A on his test and was excited to show it to his mom”
Good: “Skipping on his toes like a kangaroo, Tom came home holding a piece of paper that had a smiley and a big A next to his name”</p>