Drafting
Introduction:
Drafting is the stage of the writing process in which you develop a complete first version of a piece of writing. Even professional writers admit that an empty page scares them because they feel they need to come up with something fresh and original every time they open a blank document on their computers. If you have completed the first two steps in the writing process (prewriting and selecting a topic), you may have already recovered from empty page syndrome.
This “draft” is your first attempt to bring them together into a somewhat cohesive whole, into a structure that begins to make sense, just as if you were starting to put actual bricks together into a building. Writers often work out of sequence when writing a research paper. If you find yourself struggling to write an engaging introduction, you may wish to write the body of your paper first. Writing the body sections first will help you clarify your main points. Writing the introduction should then be easier. You will likely have a better sense of how to introduce the paper after you have drafted some or all of the body.
Drafting can also be a very cyclical process, and it’s important to separate revision from drafting. Drafting includes getting all of your ideas on paper. Revision is going back with a fine tooth comb and switching up the organization and structure of the message you’re trying to deliver. Editing is even more granular; you are searching for grammar, tone, and style while combing through with an editing lens. Keeping each of these items as a separate process will help you in mastering each step in the writing process.
Goals and Strategies for Drafting
A draft is a complete version of a piece of writing, but it is not the final version. Your objective at this stage of the writing process is to draft an essay with an introduction, conclusion, and paragraphs that break down the concepts that you will be reviewing.The step in the writing process after drafting, as you may remember, is revising.
During revision, you will have the opportunity to make changes to your first draft before you put the finishing touches on it during the editing and proofreading stage. A first draft gives you a working version that you can later improve.
If you are more comfortable starting on paper than on the computer, you can start on paper and then type it before you revise. You can also use a voice recorder to get yourself started, dictating a paragraph or two to get you thinking.
Making the Writing Process Work for You
The following approaches, done alone or in combination with others, may improve your writing and help you move forward in the writing process:
Begin writing with the part you know the most about. You can start with the third paragraph in your outline if ideas come easily to mind. You can start with the second paragraph or the first paragraph, too. Although paragraphs may vary in length, keep in mind that short paragraphs may contain insufficient support. Readers may also think the writing is abrupt. Long paragraphs may be wordy and may lose your reader’s interest. As a guideline, try to write paragraphs longer than one sentence but shorter than the length of an entire double-spaced page.
Write one paragraph at a time and then stop. As long as you complete the assignment on time, you may choose how many paragraphs you complete in one sitting. Pace yourself. On the other hand, try not to procrastinate. Writers should always meet their deadlines.
Take short breaks to refresh your mind. This tip might be most useful if you are writing a multipage report or essay. Still, if you are antsy or cannot concentrate, take a break to let your mind rest. But do not let breaks extend too long. If you spend too much time away from your essay, you may have trouble starting again. You may forget key points or lose momentum. Try setting an alarm to limit your break, and when the time is up, return to your desk to write.
Be reasonable with your goals. If you decide to take ten-minute breaks, try to stick to that goal. If you told yourself that you need more facts, then commit to finding them. Holding yourself to your own goals will create successful writing assignments.
Keep your audience and purpose in mind as you write. These aspects of writing are just as important when you are writing a single paragraph for your essay as when you are considering the direction of the entire essay.
Of all of these considerations, keeping your purpose and your audience at the front of your mind is the most important key to writing success. If your purpose is to persuade, for example, you will present your facts and details in the most logical and convincing way you can. Your purpose will guide your mind as you compose your sentences.
Your audience will guide word choice. Are you writing for experts, for a general audience, for other college students, or for people who know very little about your topic? Keep asking yourself what your readers, with their background and experience, need to be told in order to understand your ideas. How can you best express your ideas so they are totally clear and your communication is effective?
You may want to identify your purpose and audience on an index card that you clip to your paper (or keep next to your computer). On that card, you may want to write notes to yourself, perhaps about what that audience might not know or what it needs to know, so that you will be sure to address those issues when you write. It may be a good idea to also state exactly what you want to explain to that audience, or to inform them of, or to persuade them about.
Summary:
In summary, keeping your purpose and your audience at the front of your mind is the most important key to writing success. The drafting process will enable you to consider your audience and how you might approach a topic given the various perspectives that you are considering. Drafting (getting ideas on the paper) can be a cyclical process, followed by revision (organization and structure) and editing (grammar and syntax). It is important to approach each of these steps in the writing process as a separate entity in order to maximize your foundation for a strong research paper.
Sources:
“Drafting.” by GSU Perimeter College English Department. Retrieved from: http://gsuideas.org/SCC/Drafting/2.3%20Drafting.html Licensed under: CC-BY 4.0. Adapted by The American Women’s College at Bay Path University.
“Writing Your Draft.” by GSU Perimeter College English Department. Retrieved from: http://gsuideas.org/SCC/WritingDraft/4.7%20Writing%20Your%20Draft.htmlLicensed under: CC-BY 4.0. Adapted by The American Women’s College at Bay Path University.
