Secrets of the Draft: Step 2 of the 5-Step Writing Process

When writing the draft, the goal is to spew. Open the spigot. Let the ideas flow. This is something you will continually need to remind your students to do. Get the ideas out before you lose them. There will be plenty of time to go back and rearrange, shape, and even throw them out later. For now, get them out. The specific steps for drafting are listed here:

Steps for drafting

1. Don’t think

2. Get it out

3. Don’t think some more

4. Get it out some more

5. Repeat as necessary

Garbage is good when drafting. Rubbish is to be celebrated. Nonsense is to be commemorated. Mishmash, drivel, trash, twaddle, hodgepodge, and poppycock are all joys to behold when writing the draft. In fact, you cannot write well if you’re not willing to first write poorly. When drafting, bad writing is good, and good writing is bad.