How to Add Length to a Paper

Most essay assignment require a minimum word count. To meet length requirements, most students add fluff, empty words, and just plain garbage. To add length AND to increase the readers’ interest, it is far more effective to show, rather than tell. Compare the following:

a.       He was really happy.

b.      He walked very quickly with a huge smile on his face. He wanted to get home in time to tell his brother about the winning basket he had just made in the club championship game.

The second example allows the reader to come to the conclusion which is expressly spelled out in the first example. The conclusion generally has a more powerful impact if the reader can come to it on his or her own. The same rule applies to emotion--let the reader experience what gives rise to the emotion, rather than explaining your emotion to the reader.  If you want the reader to feel horror, describe the horrible circumstances to the reader. Don’t merely tell the reader it was horrible. Let your reader feel the horror for him or herself. Draw on examples from your own life to rewrite the following sentences so that they show, rather than tell.