Stay on Topic in an Essay or Paragraph

Stay on Topic in an Essay or ParagraphStaying on topic in an essay or paragraph is much more difficult than the writer may believe. Part of the difficulty lies in the fact that the writer has to work so hard to get across her point, and the brain is not equipped to keep track of everything at the same time. Sometimes the 'who, what, when, where, why' gets lost in the shuffle.Of course, there is a certain flow to any creative writing assignment. The words are there in order for the story to unfold. To stay on topic in an essay or paragraph, the writer has to have the words in their proper sequence to make the point.Having the words in their proper sequence is one thing, but keeping the entire story lined up correctly is another. And this is where most writers struggle the most. I know this from experience, and I can't tell you how many times I have heard other writers say the same thing.In other words, they've heard from others that they should have stayed on topic in their story in t heir own life. And they agree with them, as they relate their own personal story about a similar dilemma in their own life. They say they 'knew' what to write to stay on topic in their story. It just came to them without prior thought.In my opinion, the main reason this happens is because people don't consider their own creative juices. It is amazing how much creativity is wasted when people do not bring out their inner writer. Of course, you can use the first draft and then tweak it to make your story better, but sometimes you're better off just rewriting it over until you get it right.While a writer may enjoy reading a story about himself or herself, the writer should always remember that this is his or her story. His or her personality is very much a part of the story and he or she should bring that out to the reader. Otherwise, it will seem like the writer is telling everyone about herself.A good rule of thumb to stay on topic in a paragraph is to keep your paragraphs simple. A simple statement will flow better than a complex story. Even if you don't agree with the first sentence you wrote, keep trying to change it until you find a more suitable opening sentence.Sometimes the sentence in the first paragraph can become repetitive. Sometimes it can become a challenge to change from one paragraph to the next. Sometimes there is an obvious pattern of the story and it's hard to break away from that pattern. And sometimes it is impossible to break away from the story before it's too late.