Page 46 - Wordsmith A Guide to College Writing

statement—a statement of the main idea. Because it states the main
idea, the thesis statement is the cornerstone of your essay. It may

change more than once as your essay takes shape; still, it is important

to have a main idea and to keep it in sight. After all, if you are not

certain of your main point, you can be sure that your readers won’t be,

either. Besides a thesis, your plan will probably include an informal

outline. Don’t be afraid that planning will waste your time. Careful
planning—or lack of it—always shows in the final draft.

Drafting

“I write it out from beginning to end.”

Drafting your essay can be easy or difficult. Sometimes your ideas

flow freely. At other times, your thoughts grind to a standstill. Both

situations are a normal part of the creative process. If you get stuck

during the drafting process, push on; write through the problem. If

necessary, return to the planning or prewriting stage.

The best advice on drafting is “don’t procrastinate.” Do your planning

and prewriting early. If you have a project that involves research or

outside reading, do those things early to give the information time to

sink in before you write. Writing is easier if you plan ahead, and
getting an early start prevents last-minute panic. Then if you get stuck

during the drafting process, you will have time to work out the problem

rather than going into emergency mode because your paper is due the

next day.