OUTLINING AND DRAFTING: THE WRITER'S FIRST STEPS
Outlining and Drafting: The Writer’s First Steps An outline is, in essence, a to-do list for writing . Nothing is more mysterious than that. It gives you a sense of direction, a roadmap for what you wish to say. Once your outline is sketched, you move on to the first draft—el borrador —where you begin to give shape to your ideas. The First Draft: Writing “en sucio” The first draft, also known as a rough draft , is the stage where you simply write down your ideas as they come. You may follow your outline closely or discover, as often happens, that new ideas appear while you write. If so, let the outline bend. It exists to serve you, not restrain you. A rough draft ’s purpose is to organize and develop thoughts , not to shine. When drafting, you should avoid stopping to polish your style. Do your best, of course, but resist the temptation to revise while writing. As Google aptly puts it: first drafts don’t have to be perfect; they just have to be written. The Second Draft : Shaping...