1. The Stages of Writing Your Essay

2. You are a writer.  Get busy.  Start writing.  Have a quiet place to write.

3. A Topic is Given…  Think about the topic.  Pre-write  Write first draft  Walk away  Revise first draft  Walk away  Revise and edit until it’s time to turn in your first draft in class

4. The Writing Process Continues  Peer Response (in class)  Revise draft again  Walk away  Revise and edit as many times as you can until it’s time to turn in your final draft in class.  Graded & Returned  Review comments & score

5. Pre-write: Generate Ideas  Free writing : Writing without stopping while focusing on the topic.  Brainstorming : Generating a list of words or phrases related to the topic  Clustering (map/web): Create a circle in the middle of your paper with your topic in the middle.  Questioning : Journalistic approach by asking Who, What, When, Where, Why, How.

6. Write Your First Draft  Once you have completed your prewriting, you may now begin your first draft.  Write as much as possible.  If you are stuck on your opening paragraph, start with the body of your paper.  Take short breaks.  Save your essay, and print out a copy.

7. Working on First Draft  Work on your draft as much as possible.  Take breaks from it.  Read it aloud.  When you are writing, focus only on your writing.

8. Peer Response  Your peers will review and respond to several of your essays this semester.  The goal is to offer writers positive feedback regarding their writing.  All comments are to be respectful as well as thoughtful.  When you go home, review the peer response sheet and decide what changes you can/should make.

9.  Time and energy are required to write an essay.  There is no short cut. In case you didn’t know… It is your job as a writer to revise and edit as much as possible before any draft is due.

10. MLA  Make sure you are following the MLA format for all of your English essays.  Review the MLA section in The Little, Brown Handbook.  Follow the guidelines exactly as instructed.  If you have questions, please ask.

11. Avoid Procrastination

12. Avoid printer issues; print your essay early.

13. Last Steps…  Review your essay before turning it in.  Make changes if necessary.  Read your paper aloud.  Turn in your Final Draft, First Draft with Peer Response, and Prewriting.

14. While you are waiting for your essay to be graded, keep up on your reading. Read ahead when you have free time. To be a better writer, you should read as much as possible.

15. And remember…  You are a writer.  Writing is a process.  Practice writing to become a better writer.  Time and effort are required.  All writers struggle.  You are a writer.