How to Win at Literature Essays (Spoiler: Plan First)

Let’s be honest.  Watching your child tackle a literature essay, whether under exam pressure or not, can feel like navigating a literary obstacle course.  But here’s the secret: with a solid plan, they’ll breeze through faster and with fewer bumps along the way.  And yes, I mean an actual plan - not just the, “I’ve read the book, I’ll figure it out” confidence that comes from being good at chatting about the text, but not so confident when it comes to getting those ideas structured into an essay.

As an examiner, I’ve seen students scribble plans at the end of their essays, which shows they know planning is important - but not why.  So, let me break it down:

Planning: Your Secret Weapon

Examiners aren’t mind readers.  We want to see a clear, evolving argument, like the satisfying twist in a good mystery novel.  Without a plan, your child risks going off track.  (By the way, the exam question is NEVER “Tell me everything you know about Lady Macbeth” no matter the level - GCSE, A Level, or IB).

In that dreaded exam hall, five minutes spent mapping out key points and choosing the right quotes makes all the difference.  They’ll start to see links and ideas they hadn’t noticed, and writing that all-important thesis statement becomes easier.  Examiners love structure.  A strong plan means we’ll reward your child’s effort, even if the argument isn’t ground-breaking.

Timing Is Everything

“But they don’t have time to plan!” I hear you.  Here’s the kicker: students who plan write faster.  They avoid the panic of going off-topic mid-essay (like veering into a discussion about Ophelia’s flowers when the question is about Hamlet’s madness).

Conclusion

Poor conclusions often reveal poor planning.  Students run out of time just as they run out of steam, offering a weak summary at best.  Planning ensures they finish strong.  More on how to nail conclusions in a future post.

The TL;DR Version:

1. Understand the question: Break it down, find the keywords. Plan using those terms.

2. Thesis statement: What’s the main argument?  They’ll know after taking time to plan.

3. Develop the argument: Structure is key.  Stick to the plan.

4. Conclusion: A clear direction means a strong finish.

In short, if your child is preparing for upcoming assessments and just dreading essay-writing weekends - planning really is the secret to success.  At The LangLit Studio, we offer online sessions focusing on planning, structure, and everything they need to secure the grades they deserve in English Language and Literature exams.  Get in touch thelanglitstudio@gmail.com, and book in a 20-minute free online consultation to see how we can help.