One of the most challenging tasks any student faces is having to complete a large number of writing assignments in a short period of time. This can be overwhelming and scary, especially for students who don’t feel confident in their writing abilities. However, with a little planning and a lot of perseverance, writing can be far less painless and maybe even a little bit fun. To make writing projects manageable, students should divide their work into three stages: planning, drafting, and revision.
The planning stage of a writing project is all about determining what to write about in the time allotted. The goal should be to find a topic that the writer is interested in and knowledgeable about, but that will also meet the requirements for the assignment at hand. A writer can use a number of techniques, called brainstorming, to help discover the perfect topic. Freewriting is often the first step of the planning stage, as the writer sits down at the computer or with a pen and paper and writes non-stop for a certain amount of time, usually around 10 minutes. The goal is to think of every potential paper idea and write down whatever comes to mind. It’s important to set the writing aside for a while before reviewing it because only then will the best ideas truly stand out. So, after a period of at least half an hour, and ideally only after a good night’s sleep, the writer should return to the freewriting and select the three most promising paper topics. From there, the writer can begin conducting research, if required, or else freewriting and outlining ideas related to each of those three hottest topic choices. The topic that lends itself to the best research or the easiest flow of ideas during brainstorming and outlining is the topic that should be chosen. Often, the writer will know that’s the one because it’s the topic that feels the most exciting, the one where the ideas really start to flow.
The drafting stage comes next. Ideally, a writer will not begin to draft until s/he has done a good deal of research, if research is required, or at least until the writer has created a preliminary outline with a thesis and the major supporting points the writer wants to use to defend that thesis. Armed with topic knowledge and a good plan, the writer can sit down at the computer and simply write, following the outline when it is helpful, but skipping sections when the ideas stop flowing and adding new sections when new ideas and connections arise, as they certainly will in the writing process. The drafting stage is all about getting ideas down on paper, even in rough, unfinished form.
After drafting comes revision, the stage where writers make the finished product truly shine. In the revision process, writers fill in any blanks left unfinished in the drafting process. Additionally, the revision stage is where the writer really looks for problems in the draft, for issues to be fixed. The first order of business in revision is to find problems with the content and the structure itself. The writer should look for any contradictions, any lapses in logic, or any areas where the essay is unclear or unconvincing. Organization is also important at this stage. The writer should ensure that all ideas flow logically from one to the next, without repetition or gaps. Last in the revision stage comes the proofreading and editing, polishing the language and tone to ensure that the essay is engaging and reader-friendly.
Writing is scary for even the most talented experts. It is even more frightening for students who may be faced with lots of writing to do in a very little time. With patience, practice, and planning, however, writing does not have to be a terror. It can be an efficient and even an enjoyable process. All that is needed is a strategic approach and the will to stick to it, an approach that follows the clear and important stages of planning, drafting, and revision.