Drafting Your Essay
Once you’ve organized your thoughts, begin drafting your essay. Don’t worry too much about making it perfect on the first try. The goal is to get your ideas down on paper. Each essay should begin with an engaging introduction that clearly states your thesis—the main argument or point of your essay. However, you don’t have to start writing your essay at the beginning! Wherever you start, remember:
- Each body paragraph should focus on a single idea that supports your thesis.
- Make sure to use topic sentences to introduce these ideas and transition smoothly from one paragraph to the next.
- As you write, keep your audience in mind and aim to communicate your ideas as clearly and concisely as possible.
After you’ve completed your first draft, take a break before revising. This break will give you fresh eyes to see where you might improve clarity, logic, and flow. During revision, check for any gaps in your argument, and make sure each paragraph contributes to your overall thesis. Pay attention to your word choice and sentence structure, aiming for variety and precision. Finally, proofread carefully to catch any grammar, punctuation, or spelling errors. Writing is a process, and each draft brings you closer to a polished, finished essay.
Getting in the Writing Mindset
Everyone has their own writing happy place. Find a location that minimizes distractions—somewhere where you can focus entirely on your writing.
Before you begin writing, I also recommend you take a few moments to clear your mind and set up your space. You might try deep breathing exercises or a brief meditation to help center your thoughts. This can help reduce anxiety and improve concentration, allowing you to engage more fully with the writing process. I find helpful to set clear intentions or goals for my writing sessions when I do this; you might decide on what you want to accomplish, whether it’s completing a full rough draft or completing a specific section.
As you write, try to stay present in the moment. If you find your mind wandering or feel overwhelmed, pause and take a few deep breaths to refocus. Experiment listening to music or wearing noise canceling headphones. Whatever you do, the goal is to create a space both physically and mentally where you can write with intention and clarity. If you enjoy guided meditation or would like to try it I recommend this energizing five-minute meditation by Kimine Mayuzumi.
Revising while You Draft
Revising is the first stage of refining your draft and involves looking at the big picture. When you revise, you focus on the overall structure, content, and clarity of your essay. This is the time to ask yourself questions like:
- Does my thesis clearly express my main argument?
- Are my ideas logically organized?
- Does each paragraph support my thesis with strong evidence and analysis?
During revision, you may find that you need to reorganize paragraphs, add more detailed examples, or even rewrite entire sections to better convey your ideas. Revising is about enhancing the substance of your writing, making sure your argument is coherent and your ideas are fully developed. As long as you don’t get too bogged down by the minutiae, it’s not a bad idea to do some minor revising while you draft, as things like moving around paragraph order can help us see new components of our ideas.
Compared to revision, editing is about polishing the finer details of your essay. This process involves carefully checking for grammar, punctuation, spelling, and formatting errors. Editing is where you fine-tune your word choice, improve sentence structure, and ensure that your writing is clear and concise. Unlike revising, which may involve making significant changes to your content, editing is more about perfecting what’s already there. It’s the final step before submitting your essay, where you ensure that your writing is polished and free of mistakes so it is best to leave this level of detailed work until you are done drafting and revising your essay.