Write a 500 word story

During your scholarship applications, you may need to submit a 500-word essay answering a specific question. The theme of the essay can range from personal achievements to political controversies. This means you can adjust your writing style to fit the message of the prompt. This guide will explain how to write a 500-word scholarship essay. We will also provide an example for inspiration.

How to Format a 500-Word Scholarship Essay

The format of a 500-word scholarship essay is similar to a shorter essay. Each paragraph is about 75-125 words, and it consists of 3-5 well-written sentences. If you are writing a story or personal anecdote, the formatting can be more like a novel than a news article.

The main components of a 500-word essay include:

• Introduction paragraph that engages the reader and establishes the thesis. The thesis may be a question that you will later answer in the essay content, or it can be a statement that you support in the body paragraphs. If you are writing a story, your “thesis” may not be as apparent.

• 4-6 body paragraphs that provide evidence to back up your thesis. Each paragraph should be a cohesive element with an intro and conclusion. The body paragraphs should flow well from one point to the next.

• A conclusion paragraph that reminds the reader of the thesis and highlights key points from the body text. The conclusion should answer the question or complete the statement made in the introduction. It should give the reader a sense of closure and resolution

500-word essays do not have to be exactly 500 words, but they should be as close as possible. The essay prompt may say “in under 500 words” or “in at least 500 words,” which would state whether 500 is the minimum or maximum word count. If that information is not specified, write as much as you need to comprehensively address the prompt without frivolous content.

500-word scholarship essays offer more writing flexibility than 250-word essays. With a shorter word count, you are often forced to summarize long-winded thoughts into quick to-the-point snippets. 500 words give you more room to express your opinion. Yet, it is still short enough that it does not need footnotes and cited resources, usually.

500-Word Essay vs. 1000+ Word Essay

Another scholarship essay length you may encounter is 1,000 words. With a 1,000-word scholarship essay, you will need to cite sources and provide detailed references to support your claims. 1,000+ word essay prompts are often used for writing competitions, where you may be asked to create a fictional story. The extra length gives room for extra creativity, but it also requires more time to put the perfect piece together.

You should approach all essays with the same mentality, regardless of their length. Your goal is to compose a piece that clearly guides the reader through your thoughts and reasoning. You may have to adjust how you convey those thoughts based on the length. Your essay should always have a beginning, middle, and end.

GUIDE

Scholarships for High School Seniors

Looking for scholarships for high school seniors? You’ve come to the right place! This handy guidebook will give you all the information (and more) you need to find scholarships for high school seniors. In this guide, you’ll learn about scholarships for different types of students, different scholarships by subject, scholarship applications, easy and weird scholarships, local scholarships, corporate scholarships, fraternity and sorority scholarships, and more. Read on for more information on how you can win scholarships for high school seniors…

READ THE GUIDE

A Step-by-Step 500-Word Essay Example

To help you see how to write a 500-word scholarship essay, we want to show you each section of the essay step-by-step. Use this as a general guide when you write your essay. However, feel free to add your own spin to it. Our writing sample will be in green, and the commentary will be in plain text. So…let’s begin!

TOPIC: Should cell phone usage be controlled in college classrooms?

Step 1 – Create a Thesis

Everything in your essay revolves around your thesis. This is the big point you are trying to make, which is usually an answer to a question in the essay prompt. You will use the rest of the essay to support this thesis.

For the topic Should cell phone usage be controlled in college classrooms? our thesis will be:

“Cell phone usage should be controlled in college classrooms, as long as it does not hinder students’ rights.”

Step 2 – Write the Introduction

The introduction should grab your reader’s attention and prepare for an explanation of the thesis. It usually starts with a general statement related to the topic at hand, followed by supplementary sentences that lead into the thesis. Here is a sample introduction for our essay, including the thesis at the end of the paragraph:

Cell phones have gone from a sought-after luxury to a daily necessity. While these devices provide convenient access to the outside world, they can be problematic for educators. High school teachers can tell children in their classes to put their phones away, but should professors have the same control over adult men and women? The key is to create cell phone usage policies that limit distractions without hindering student rights.

Word count: an Intro paragraph, 70 words.

Step 3 – Write the Body Paragraphs

The body paragraphs should provide support for the thesis. Why do you think this way, and what evidence do you have to support those beliefs? The paragraphs should flow from one to the next like a constant stream of thought. Each paragraph should conclude the statement made at the beginning of the paragraph.

Building on the thesis “Cell phone usage should be controlled in college classrooms, as long as it does not hinder students’ rights,” we will now explain how colleges can control cell phones in class while preserving student rights. If our thesis was that cell phones should NOT be controlled in college, we would explain the dangers of not having access to cell phones.

No matter which side of the argument you choose, you should acknowledge the other angle and negate those statements. As you will see below, we remark on why some students may not want cell phone usage policies. We will also suggest how to get around those concerns. Doing this provides the best possible support for your thesis because it shows you have taken every angle into consideration.

Here is the body for our 500-word essay sample:

The primary argument supporting cell phone control in the classroom is the fact that phones can be distracting. Not only do cell phones distract instructors, but they may also distract students trying to pay attention to the lecture. This is the same effect as a moviegoer looking at his phone in a theater. Even if the phone makes no noise, the light from the screen is enough to catch someone’s attention.

Arguments against cell phone control typically focus on safety concerns. Should a crisis occurs in the classroom, students should have their phones on hand to make a call. If a student has a child, he or she may need a phone in case of a medical emergency. If the student is on call for work, he or she will need access to a phone. The list of exception-worthy scenarios is endless.

The best solution is to create cell phone usage rules that allow devices to be accessible without disturbing other students’ educational opportunities. Students should be permitted to keep their phones in their bags, pockets, or other belongings as long as the phones are on silent in class. Vibrate settings may be permitted if the instructor does not believe it will distract him or her, since the noise of the vibration may not be noticeable in a large classroom. If a student needs to answer the phone during an emergency, he or she can step out of the classroom to do so. This setup would give the students and the instructor peace of mind.

Cell phone restrictions in classrooms should also include specific disciplinary actions for breaking the rules. If a student is caught using the phone in class, he or she should be excused for the rest of the day. Professors should refrain from physically taking possession of a student’s phone because of liability conflicts. If the phone is damaged while in the professor’s possession, the school or the instructor could be held responsible for the repairs. It is safer to ask the student to leave the classroom than it is to take the phone away completely.

Word count: Body paragraphs, 349 words. Total essay is now 419 words.

Step 4 – Wrap It up with a Conclusion

Once you have covered all your points, you should summarize the essay’s contents in the conclusion. This is your last opportunity to convince the reader of your thesis. Touch on the most important aspects of your essay then leave the reader with something to think about. Here is an example of how to conclude our essay:

Each school, professor and student body is different. Colleges must adapt their rules and discipline efforts to reflect the current needs of their students. Eliminating cell phones in college classrooms is an overstretch, but there are ways to balance students’ rights and instructors’ rights. With the right amount of control and flexibility, colleges can create a pleasant learning environment with maximum safety and minimal interruptions.

Notice how our conclusion was definitive but optimistic. We explain that colleges need to adapt their rules to fit the needs of their students. Yet still, confirm that cell phone use policies should be enforced.

Word count: Conclusion paragraph, 65 words. Total essay is now 484 words.

But wait! You’re 16 words short! We know that. The essay covered everything we wanted to without the need for extra words. If the prompt asked for at least 500 words, we would add another sentence to support one of the paragraphs. Since that was not a requirement though, we kept the essay as-is to avoid sounding wordy or repetitive.

The Complete 500-Word Essay Example

Cell phones have gone from a sought-after luxury to a daily necessity. While these devices provide convenient access to the outside world, they can be problematic for educators. High school teachers can tell children in their classes to put their phones away, but should professors have the same control over grown men and women? The key is to create cell phone usage policies that limit distractions without hindering student rights.

The primary argument supporting cell phone control in the classroom is the fact that phones can be distracting. Not only do cell phones distract instructors, but they may also distract students trying to pay attention to the lecture. This is the same effect as a moviegoer looking at his phone in a theater. Even if the phone makes no noise, the light from the screen is enough to catch someone’s attention.

Arguments against cell phone control typically focus on safety concerns. Should a crisis occurs in the classroom, students should have their phones on hand to make a call. If a student has a child, he or she may need a phone in case of a medical emergency. If the student is on call for work, he or she will need access to a phone. The list of exception-worthy scenarios is endless.

The best solution is to create cell phone usage rules that allow devices to be accessible without disturbing other students’ educational opportunities. Students should be permitted to keep their phones in their bags, pockets, or other belongings as long as the phones are on silent in class. Vibrate settings may be permitted if the instructor does not believe it will distract him or her, since the noise of the vibration may not be noticeable in a large classroom. If a student needs to answer the phone during an emergency, he or she can step out of the classroom to do so. This setup would give the students and the instructor peace of mind.

Cell phone restrictions in classrooms should also include specific disciplinary actions for breaking the rules. If a student is caught using the phone in class, he or she should be excused for the rest of the day. Professors should refrain from physically taking possession of a student’s phone because of liability conflicts. If the phone is damaged while in the professor’s possession, the school or the instructor could be held responsible for the repairs. It is safer to ask the student to leave the classroom than it is to take the phone away completely.

Each school, professor and student body is different. Colleges must adapt their rules and discipline efforts to reflect the current needs of their students. Eliminating cell phones in college classrooms is an overstretch, but there are ways to balance students’ rights and instructors’ rights. With the right amount of control and flexibility, colleges can create a pleasant learning environment with maximum safety and minimal interruptions.

Tips for Writing a Great 500-Word Essay

Here are some tips to help you write a great 500-word scholarship essay:

• Give yourself at least two full days to write the essay. You can use the first day to write a draft and do some minor editing. Then on the second day, you can look at the essay with fresh eyes to do your final edits.

• If you have a chance to show your essay to your English instructor or academic adviser, do so. You can use the feedback to improve the essay before submitting it.

• Don’t focus on the word count as you write. Get all your thoughts on paper, and you can extend or shorten the essay during the editing process.

• Write the first draft from start to finish, even if you know your thoughts are out of order. You can re-arrange them at a later time, but the initial run through will be as fluid as possible.

• Re-read the prompt several times before writing. You don’t want to write an entire essay only to find out you were completely off topic.

• Always think about your audience when writing a scholarship essay. What organization is issuing the scholarship, and how can you tie that into your writing? What is the underlying information they want to learn from your essay? Write in a way that shows you are the best candidate for the scholarship.

RELATED ARTICLES YOU SHOULD READ

How to Write a Great 250-Word Essay

Why I Deserve This Scholarship Essay Examples

Financial Need Scholarship Essay Examples

Scholarship Essay Examples – Career Goals

How to Write a Scholarship Motivation Letter

About Yourself Scholarship Essay Examples

So you’ve got your great idea, and you’ve planned the plot. Now comes the hardest (but most rewarding) part – actually writing your story. Here are my top tips on how to get started.

So you’ve got your great idea, and you’ve planned the plot. Now comes the hardest (but most rewarding) part – actually writing your story. Here are my top tips on how to get started.

Don’t forget to enter your finished tale into the BBC’s 500 Words competition!

1. Find a space to write

This could be at the kitchen table, in the library, or even on the bus to school. Michael Morpurgo writes his books in bed! Wherever you choose to write your story, the most important thing to do is start writing.

2. Turn off your inner critic

Every author has a critic inside their head telling them what they’re doing wrong. But if you spend too much time listening to them you’ll never do anything right – or write! Stop worrying about your spelling and punctuation and instead concentrate on getting your story down on the page. You’ll have time to fix up any mistakes you make when you edit your story later.

3. Grab your reader’s attention

Remember, the beginning of your story needs to hook the reader from the very first line. Try to create a dramatic opening that will make readers want to carry on reading to find out what happens next.

4. Show, don’t tell

As you write your story, think about what you want the reader to see. Choose details that help them to imagine the action. Remember it can be more powerful to show how a character is feeling through descriptive details, rather than telling the reader directly. ‘A tear ran down Alice’s face’ works better than ‘Alice was sad’!

5. Craft the perfect ending

This is where you need to wrap up the plot of your story. Whether it’s happy or sad, scary or strange, the ending you choose needs to leave the reader feeling satisfied that they’ve read a great story.

So, what are you waiting for? Get writing!

So you are on a small break or on a short journey and want to read some fiction that can easily be completed in no time, then there can’t be a better option than reading Micro or Flash Fiction which is even shorter than any short story and can be finished in just a few minutes.

Related: Flash Fiction Examples

What is Microfiction?

Microfiction is the shortest form of a story, sometimes as low as 50 words in length, but typically, a short fiction written between 100-500 words is considered Microfiction.

By the way, there is no official definition of microfiction and whatever we know about this short work of fiction is basically it’s flash fiction, but when shorter works of fiction appeared with fewer word counts they started getting a new name and so our microfiction.

Now, according to Wikipedia, a 100-word long short fiction is called a drabble, aka microfiction. 

Related: 101 Flash Fiction Writing prompts

A well-written work of these short fiction can also impact and entertain the readers same as they get amused by reading a short story or a lengthy novel.

---

The Toilet Paper

(500 words)

Little Lilly was so upset after the loss of Pluto, her beloved pet dog.

She was missing him so much, and in grief, she didn’t even come for the dinner and went to sleep without eating.

But later at midnight, something very strange happened, Lilly got awake after hearing a loud peculiar sound.

She soon got shocked to hear the bark of Pluto coming from her wardrobe.

She slowly approached the wardrobe in fear.

Now the bark had stopped.

With her trembling little hands, Lilly opened the wardrobe.

The bark of Pluto had started again.

Soon afterward, she heard a strange voice, “Don’t be scared Lilly it’s me your friend Pluto”.

“Please just come inside the wardrobe, we will have lots of fun together”, the voice said.

Lilly got shocked to hear all this and asked in her trembling voice;

“Are you the ghost of Pluto and how can you speak?”.

“I really don’t know what I am, just trust me and come inside the wardrobe and close it from the inside, then you can see me”, the voice replied.

Somehow, Lilly dared and came inside the wardrobe.

As soon as she closed the doors, she found herself in a completely different world where everything was extremely beautiful and made of colors that she had never seen before.

“Am I in heaven!”, Lilly exclaimed.

“Maybe, but we call it the good world”, a young boy standing behind her replied.

“Who are you now? ”, Lilly asked.

“I am Pluto, my dear Lilly”, the boy replied. 

“How you can be my Pluto? He was a dog”, she asked.

“No, it is really me, right now I’m a boy so that I can talk to you as you know dogs just bark, they can’t talk”, the boy replied with a heavenly smile on his face.

But Lilly was yet not convinced.

She said, “I won’t believe it, If you are Pluto then tell me what was his favorite playing toy?”.

“Its toilet papers my favorite”, Pluto replied.

“Oh my god! It’s truly you Pluto, my Pluto”, Lilly exclaimed with excitement.

“Now you know”, Pluto replied, “Let me take you to a special place, come with me”.

Lilly started following him, but soon got stopped. 

“I know it’s you my Pluto, but yet I’m missing my real Pluto, my dog”, said Lilly.

“Oh!, so I need to turn into a dog again, ok, just put your hands on your eyes, cause I’m feeling a little shy doing it”, said Pluto.

“I’ve closed my eyes, Can I see you now? ”, just after a while Lilly asked.

“No, wait, it’s happening”, Pluto replied, but this time with a strange dog kind of voice. 

“I can’t wait for more, can I open my eyes now”, Lilly was barely holding herself from looking.

“Lill baby got up, you are late for school”, Lilly heard her mom’s voice and promptly opened her eyes but found herself on her bed.

“Was this all a dream?”, she asked herself.

Lilly got up and went inside the wardrobe and closed it again, but this time nothing happened.

“So it was all an amazing dream”, Lilly said to herself in a sad voice, she closed the wardrobe and was leaving the room.

But soon the wardrobe got opened itself and a toilet paper roll dropped with a written message-“Tonight”.

Lilly smiled.

Genre- Young Adult Fiction

——————

My Brother’s Girlfriend

(500 Words) 

————

The Graveyard Guy

(300 Words)

The Haunted Honeymoon

(300 Words)

 ————

Genre– Science Fiction

---

The Fat Queen

(500 Words)

Once upon a time, there was a queen named Alina, who was the fattest woman in the whole kingdom.

Queen Alina was normal before, but because of an unknown disease her weight rapidly increased and she became very fat.

The queen tried every possible way to cure her disease, but she had failed.

Now some people of the kingdom had started making fun of the queen, behind her back they used to call her the fat and ugly queen Alina. 

Wherever queen Alina used to go anywhere, everyone stared at her with surprise and like they were watching a creature.

When king John got to know the behavior of his people toward her queen, he got very angry and ordered every person in the kingdom to eat more and look fat so that no one will make fun of her.

The queen tried to stop the king’s order, but he listened to no one.

King John even ordered his guards to throw everyone outside the kingdom who was not following his orders.

Afraid of the king, most of the people, including children started eating more. 

For those people who were poor and couldn’t afford to eat more, the guards of the kingdom used to provide extra food to eat.

Every month, some guards used measured the weight of every person in the kingdom, and who were not found increasing their weight, the guards used to destroy their houses and displace them from the kingdom. 

After a year and a half, everyone in the kingdom, including children was fat and overweight.

But now the teenager turned princess Bella had started feeling abnormal and odd as whomever she saw in the kingdom looked fat and even her all her friends were so chubby and overweight but she was not.

The princess said to her mother that she also wants to look like everyone else.

Her mother told her that it was a punishment given by her father to the people of the kingdom, not for us.

The princess replied that now all her friends make fun of her as she doesn’t look like them.

The queen didn’t know what to do for her daughter.

Soon depressed Bella also started eating more to look like everyone else and like her friends.

The king and queen tried everything to stop her, but the princess never listened to them and one day she got very ill because of her new overeating habit.

Looking at his own sick and overweight daughter the king realized his great mistake. 

Finally, the king revoked his order and asked everyone to stop overeating.

The queen apologized on behalf of the king to her people and said that just because some people made fun of her obesity, the king punished the whole kingdom.

The people of the kingdom also apologized for their mistake and said now they know how it feels to be fat and overweight and asked the king and queen to forgive them.

After a few months, some became successful in turning themselves into what they looked like before, but for most people, it was so hard to leave their new overeating habit.

The king and the whole kingdom learned the hard truth – “you reap what you saw”.

All Micro-fiction and Flash fiction Examples by Neel Rana, author ”The Drunken Ghost” .

Copyright © Neel Rana

(This literary work can be used for academics purpose only.)

---

---

Skip to content