The Writing Process: Step #1

8:00 a.m. on a Tuesday morning. I sit at my desk, staring at my computer, then back at the writing assignment. What lies ahead of me seems daunting. But I've learned that when I break up the process into four parts, it becomes much more bearable. These parts include pre-writing, the rough draft, revising, and the final draft.

I believe that pre-writing, if done right, is the longest part of the writing process. If the paper I am soon writing requires research, I would begin by looking up articles that I could use as sources. When I have found an article that contains useful information, I make bullet pointed notes, in my own words, as I read. This makes my life easier once I actually begin writing because I don't have to take the time to think about how I would say something in my own words. I've already done it for me! So, save yourself the time later, and paraphrase in the beginning.

After I find a substantial number of sources, I take a short break, and then begin outlining. This is where I would start if I didn't have to look up any outside information. During this sub-step of step #1, I write, in bullet point format, what information I want to include in my introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. This often takes me quite a bit of time because I include as many details as possible. But, by spending the time on essentially constructing my paper now, I give myself more free time later.

Once I am finally pleased with the outline I have created, I take a break from the assignment for a few hours, or even a whole day, time permitting. It's important to let your mind rest before proceeding to the next step. However, sometimes procrastination gets the best of me, and I'm left panicking about how in the world I'm going to get my paper done in time. In those cases, it's best to stay calm and trust that you'll manage to get it done.