The strategies and techniques that a person uses are the ones that enable you to write excellent papers. There are no rules on how an essay should be written; the only expectations are to get your main message across to your audience. Whether you are writing a persuasive essay, an informal essay, a literary essay, an argumentative essay, or a compare and contrast essay, whatever you call it, there is always a purpose. An individual can follow a linear process, modify it and start everything with the following steps. Your classmate may have a different way of writing or even have similarities. Writing takes time, patience, and overall practice. Just like how Hairston connects writing to top athletes. Athletes are not born the best, but through practice, time, criticism and reinforcement it can lead them to become the best.