How To Be An Effective Writer

During my senior year of high school, my good friend Brian and I both applied for a scholarship sponsored by the company where our parents worked. The application required a short essay with the prompt: "Who is your biggest inspiration?"

I really wanted this scholarship. It was a substantial amount of money, and I was determined to do whatever it took to win it. So, I decided to write the application in a way that would please the reader as much as possible.

My mother worked for a large corporation that manufactured commercial vehicles like semi-trucks worldwide. With this in mind, I wrote an essay about Thomas Edison. I wrote about how he hadn't failed but "found 10,000 ways that won't work," and how "genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration." I discussed how this spirit put America on the map in the 20th century and paved the way for American industrial greatness. Finally, I explained how he inspired me to work hard and aspire to do great things with my l…