<p>So I started writing up my essays this week and I am having a very hard time with them.</p>
<p>As I write I start to dwell on the word count and really end up with a choppy and insincere sounding essay by the time I'm done that doesn't flow quite as well as my longer essays.</p>
<p>I don't feel like I can express some of my thoughts without breaking the word limit.</p>
<p>Anyone else have this problem in applying?</p>
<p>My advice is not to dwell on the word count as you write and to think about it later, when you rewrite. There are many ways to cut down. Look at every sentence, and then every word in every sentence, and think about whether or not it contributes to the essay. Read with it and read without it. If it’s not necessary, cut it out. Look at adjectives. Almost always, well-chosen verbs and nouns are more effective than less descriptive verbs and nouns modified by adjectives. This will not only make your writing shorter, it will also make it more powerful. Adverbs can almost always be eliminated; if you’re using an adverb it’s because the verb it is modifying is weak. Passive tense can also add length and diffuse the power of a sentence. Well-chosen verbs are again a good solution.</p>