I know it must sound crazy, but I actually enjoy writing essays for my Open University courses. So far I have completed 13 and am currently working on the 14th. Altogether they come to a total of about 25,000 words.
The one thing I have learned is to plan properly before putting fingers to keyboard. I often end up with about 12 pages of A4 handwritten notes and plan diagrams before I even start writing, and when I do write the essays I always write them out in handwriting first. OK, so this means I am duplicating work, but it also allows me to chop and change and develop ideas as I go along.
The current essay is a problem essay where I have to give advice as to the likely sentence to be given to a burglar. The legislation which affects the sentencing in this case is the Criminal Justice Act 2003 and the Judge would have regard to the Sentencing Advisory Panel's guidelines, and the Judge would also consider guideline judgements in the Appeal Court, House of Lords and, since it's replacement of the House of Lords as the highest court in the UK, the Supreme Court.
Anyway, when I was studying my first course, my tutor at the time told me that his challenge for that summer was to stop me from writing too much. He'll be pleased to know that I have finally managed to come within the word limit every time in this course. However, this is achieved more by the knowledge that the word limit is absolute with no grace.
So, call me mad if you will, but I enjoy writing essays.
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