1. Sources: The University Writing Center, Texas A&M University Writing Studio, Vanderbilt University Writing Center, University of Richmond Writing Lab, Indian River State College

2.  Use the present tense when writing about literature  Characters  Plot events  This also includes the Bible, artwork, and movies  We write about literature as if the events in the book are happening now, even though the authors may be long dead.

3.  At the end of Of Mice and Men, Lennie sees an enormous rabbit that scolds him, making him think of George.  In “The Story of an Hour,” Mrs. Mallard whispers “free, free, free!” after learning of her husband's supposed death.

4.  Literature is assumed to exist in an eternal present.  Every time you open a book it seems as though the events are currently happening.  Every time you read an essay it is as though you are currently speaking to the writer.

5.  “How (and Why) Do I Write in Literary Present Tense?” ▪ Source: Vanderbilt’s Writing Studio

6.  Paragraphs are blocks of text that organize information  Typically, a paragraph should contain one idea  Topic sentence  Evidence/Support  Effective paragraphs contain unity and coherence

7.  A unified paragraph will have a clear focus  No tangential or off-topic material  Coherence: Every sentence should somehow be connected to what has come before, yet also move the reader forward with new information.

8.  Repetition  Repetition of the same word shows lack of imagination  Use “elegant variation”: the same idea that is reworded ▪ Civil War: war between States, prolonged conflict, hard-fought war  Transitional words and phrases ( See handout)  Consistent point of view and tense  Maintain a single perspective (i.e. third person)  Keep verbs in the same tense

9.  There’s no hard and fast rule about when to start a new paragraph: it’s up to the writer.  Basic guidelines:  To introduce a new idea  To emphasize a point  To break complicated info into smaller segments  To create a transition between key ideas

10.  Paragraph length varies greatly  In general, paragraphs these days tend to be shorter than they once were  Ultimately, the deciding question isn’t how long the paragraph is, but how compelling it is.  If it feels skimpy and not persuasive, it needs more info.