The Writing Process:
Drafting
by
Tarasine A. Buck
Warm-Up Writing
Listen to the story from your teacher’s
life.
Each time your teacher stops, write
down what you would do in this
situation or what you think happened
next.
The Writing Process
Pre-Writing
Polishing
Revising
Drafting
Editing
Finding the Main Idea
Read the second paragraph in the essay
“Y2K and the New Millennium” on the
back of your “Typed Draft Guidelines”
sheet.
What is the main idea of this
paragraph?
Outlines
An outline is like a “skeleton” of an essay.
It shows the “bare bones” or main ideas of
the essay structure.
You can use an outline when you are
reading or when you are writing.
An outline helps you to organize ideas.
Sample Outline
Introduction: What is Y2K?
II. Why people were afraid
III. What really happened on January 1st
2000
IV. Conclusion: What people will do
now.
I.
Practicing Outlines
With your partner, read the essay
“Getting to Know the Other Side of the
World.”
Write an outline of the main ideas of
the essay.
From Pre-Writing to First Draft
Pre-Writing Notes
Outline
First Draft
Sample Pre-Writing
I don’t know what to write about. Maybe about my brother’s boat
accident. We were so scared. We thought he was going to drown.
He was trapped under an overturned boat and didn’t have any air to
breathe. But it ended all right. He was rescued and only had a
broken arm. What else can I write about? Oh! I know. A day I will
always remember was the day I left my country to come to the U.S.
That was a sad/happy day. I felt sad and happy at the same time.
Maybe I should write about something happy. Our family vacation
last summer was fun. We drove to the coast and camped for a week
on the beach. Then there was the day the earthquake happened.
Now that was definitely a memorable event. I will never forget it. I
was at home with my older sister and little brother . . .
Sample Outline
I.
II.
II.
Introduction: Before the earthquake
Body
A.
During the earthquake
B.
Right after the earthquake
C.
Two hours after the earthquake
Conclusion
Sample Essay
Read the sample essay “Earthquake!” on the
handout. Answer the following questions
with your partner or group.
How did the writer organize his ideas?
(How did he decide what to write first,
second, next, etc.?)
What words and phrases does the writer use
to explain what happened first, second, etc.?
Practicing Outlines
Now take your own pre-writing notes
and organize them into an outline.
From this outline, begin writing the
paragraphs of your rough draft.
Read the “Rough Draft Guidelines”
handout for more information on rough
drafts.