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Successful writers usually write about something that is important to them, so they have to choose the best way to express it. Your exam grade depends on what you write, so make it your business to be interested in the topic you get asked about. You may feel confident reading a text, but can you write one?
In the exam,you will be asked to write one or two non-fiction texts for yourself. There are essentially four steps to writing any piece of non-fiction: the question, planning, composing and checking.
The question
a) Read it and understand it
This may sound obvious, but it's probably the single most important piece of advice we can give you.
- Read the question twice. Underline key words to reinforce your grasp of the task and to make sure you understand exactly what you are being asked to do.
- Whatever you do, make sure you answer the question. More marks are lost by writing off the point than anything else.
b) Answer it
Think about what you are being asked to do. To do this, all you need to do is apply the same checklist we have mentioned elsewhere - remember genre, audience and purpose?
Once you've read the question, work out:
- Genre: what format or layout is being asked for.
- Audience: who you're writing for.
- Purpose: what you are being asked to write - what's the purpose of the text.
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