How to Write a Last Minute Essay: 6 Tips for Better Grades

October 6, 2024

how to write a last minute essay explained

Are you stuck in a position where you have to write a last minute essay but you have no idea where to start? You've come to the right place.

Writing a great essay isn’t hard if you have enough time on your hands. If done ahead of when it’s due, you can have enough time to revise and proofread the paper for accuracy and readability.

However, life gets in the way sometimes, and you may find yourself not able to write the essay until when it’s almost due.

Fortunately, you can still write your essay and score good grades even in the last minutes. You just need to know what to do and how.

In this guide, we’ll show you exactly how to write a last minute essay that your instructor will love.

We’ll give you effective writing tips you can use to make your essay focused, easy to read, and comprehensive enough for whatever topic your teacher has asked you to cover.

How to Write a Las Minute Essay

There are two easy ways to get the work done without panicking.

The option you choose depends on how much time you have and how much you think you can write within that period.

1. Write the Essay in One Night

If you already know how to write an essay, and you’re the kind of student who doesn’t panic because of the last minute assignments, you can write the essay in one night.

This approach involves setting aside half or a full day to complete the essay, although it’s best to work on your paper when you’re most productive.

2. Order Professional Essay Writing Service

Even if you know what your topic requires and how to handle the assignment on your own, you may not have enough time to do the work in the last minute.

Should that be the case, you can order an essay to get your last minute paper completed in time.

It doesn’t matter if you’re on a budget or you just need the work written fast. Our team of writers and editors can help your work completed on time. 

Use These Tips to Write Your Last Minute Essay

Don’t worry if you can’t pay for an essay online.

You can follow our practical guide below to write a great last minute essay without panicking.

1. Don’t Panic

It’s easy to stress yourself up when you have only a few hours to submit an essay you haven’t even written yet. But being anxious and panicking can only delay the essay further.

Worse, stress can cause you to write mediocre essays that your instructor won’t be interested in reading.

So the first rule to getting that last minute essay written well is to calm down, and then tell yourself that you can get the work done even in such a short time.

Think to yourself that even if you have only 12 hours left to the deadline, you can still develop a positive mindset and write an essay that will not only be interesting to read but also one that earns you full marks.

2. Create a Conducive Writing Environment

Relaxing is a good way to give your mind the space to develop fresh ideas for your last minute essay. However, that’s not enough.

You also have to choose the right environment to write the assignment.

Choose a distraction-free space far away from people, music, television, your phone, and the internet.

If you must write your essay in a space full of people, be it in a library, at home, or in your dormitory, you can use earplugs to reduce or block out ambient noise.

Block sites and social media apps that may take your focus from writing your essay.

Reschedule your plans for the day and if friends try to pull you from your work, make it clear to them that you have to complete your essay first.

3. Make Sure You Have Relevant Materials to Write the Essay

Gather the materials that will help you write your last minute essay and make sure they’re all in one pace. These include research, textbooks, notes, articles, and your laptop.

Get some coffee to help you stay energized, but this isn’t necessary if you can write well in one sitting without drinking something.

If you’ll be pulling an all-nighter, make sure you set your mind early enough as staying up late can leave you exhausted and less focused.

The first rule to pulling an all-nighter well is never to write your last minute essay in bed.

Instead, use a desk in a study room to get the writing started and completed in good time. Save some caffeine for the moment, but don’t drink a lot too early because it can cause you to lose concentration.

If you decide to write your essay at night, try to get enough sleep the following day to recover from lack of sleep.

4. Prewriting

If done right, prewriting can give you a solid foundation to write your first draft.

Start by reading the guidelines in the prompt to understand what your instructor expects to see in the essay. Doing so will help you answer important questions like:

  • In what format should my essay be?
  • What’s the word limit for the essay?
  • Does the prompt allow me to make an essay longer?
  • What type of essay does my instructor want me to work on?

If anything, the key to writing a last minute essay is to first read and understand the prompt.

Now create an outline and use it to write down the main points that you intend to use to make your essay.

5. Work on Your Thesis

Your thesis statement is the last sentence of the introduction to your essay and it communicates the main point in your essay.

Formulate a strong, arguable thesis that convinces your readers to read your essay to understand your argument(s).

6. Write Your First Draft

Use the outline you created in prewriting to write your first draft. Your essay should have an introduction, the body section, and the conclusion paragraphs.

The most important rule to remember is that each paragraph in your essay should address one main idea.

If it helps, recheck the prompt to be sure you didn’t skip anything important.

About the author 

Antony W is a professional writer and coach at Help for Assessment. He spends countless hours every day researching and writing great content filled with expert advice on how to write engaging essays, research papers, and assignments.

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