Let’s face it: for many students, writing essays, book reports, and research papers feels about as appealing as eating raw liver.
Here’s my theory: students are asked to do academic writing all the time—but why not open the door to all kinds of writing? I’m not saying we should abandon essays, term papers, or analytical writing. These are important. But there are dozens of other forms that can help students demonstrate what they know—forms that might even make them look forward to writing.
In the Lesson Builder, I’ve compiled a list of over a hundred writing formats. Here are just 20:
- News Story
- Accident Report
- Confession
- Bumper Sticker
- Promotional Brochure
- Ship’s Log
- Monologue
- Bubble Gum Cartoon
- Movie Script
- Obituary
- Résumé
- A Diet Plan
- Nominating Speech
- Job Description
- Psychiatrist’s Notes
- Wedding Vows
- Diary Entry
- Lost and Found Poster
- Advertisement
- Apology
It’s easy to see why students might actually have fun with these. When writing becomes playful and creative, it stops being so intimidating. By offering a range of formats, we can help students build confidence, voice, and skill—so when it’s time for the serious stuff, they’re not paralyzed by the pressure.
If we make room for creativity, we might just change how students feel about writing altogether. Like I said, that’s my theory.
