Let’s be honest - a 10-page essay sounds like a nightmare until you realize it’s just a game of structure, strategy, and survival. Here's exactly how I tackled it without losing my sanity (or sleep):
🗂️ Step 1: Break It Down
10 pages = ~2,500-3,000 words. That’s just:
Intro: 1 page
3 Body sections: 2.5 pages each
Conclusion: 1 page
Chunking it like this makes it way less overwhelming.
🧠 Step 2: Research Before You Write
Don't start writing with a blank doc. Spend 1-2 hours collecting sources, quotes, and arguments. Paste them into a “notes dump” document and group by theme.
📑 Step 3: Build a Strong Outline
Treat your outline like a skeleton - intro, thesis, body section titles, and bullet points for each argument. This will make writing 5x faster later.
⏰ Step 4: Use Timers, Not Willpower
I used 40/10 Pomodoro sessions. One section at a time. After 4 sessions, I had 6 pages done. Not pretty - but done.
✍️ Step 5: Write Ugly, Edit Later
Your first draft is supposed to suck. Just get it on the page. Then fix grammar, flow, and logic the next day.
💡 Final Tips:
Use citation tools like Zotero or Grammarly’s citation feature.
Write your introduction last - once you know what your essay actually says.
Drink water. Stretch. Don’t type through shoulder pain. (Been there.)