Writing an essay without reading the book is a difficult task. Yet, almost everyone at one time or another has had to do this for one reason or another. In high school and college, there were just books that I refused to read but needed to know the general content for a writing assignment. In college, there were also time in which I just couldn't read a book or finish one I was reading. As an English and journalism major, reading was just part of the game, and I often had as many as four or five books, short stories or articles to read in less than a week. However, there are a few keys to writing an essay without reading the book.

If you are a student, attending class helps if there is just no time to read the book. Many instructors will outline the important elements, themes, and motifs of the story and point out the important quotes in the story. While I was taking my British literature class in college, we had to read "The Lifted Veil." I never found the book because I waited too long to purchase it. So, class attendance helped me understand it. One day I plan to read it, but I can tell you the major characters, themes and anything else you want to know about it because of taking notes and class discussion.

Another way to write an essay without reading the book is reading the plot summary in the flap and skimming through it. Have a pencil and paper handy to write down information that catches your eyes. When I started taking graduate level classes, the reading became more intense. Then, we had to write a reader response on at least one of the assignments. Skimming was sometimes the only way I could write a decent response and not be overwhelmed by all of the work.

The Internet is also a way to find out about a book without reading it. Spark Notes, Cliff notes, and, one of my personal favorites, Book Rags have websites that provide extensive general information about literary works. They even give the names of minor character and all of the possible themes in the story. Although I don't like it as a primary source, Wikipedia is good for getting an outline of various books; it even has a section that tells readers the themes in the work. I've even used it for information that I somewhat remember but want to verify certain details.

Worse case scenario is watching a movie if there is one about the book. Personally, I won't do this because movies tend to alter a lot of details found in the book. The tip is only helpful if the writer wants to get a better idea of the characters and has done or plans to do research to see where the movie deviates from the original work.

Of course, it is always better to read the book and make your own notes. Reading on your own is an opportunity to absorb something that other writers may not have thought of before. However, the tips mentioned in the previous paragraphs are useful if you find yourself in a pinch.

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