Return to the Craft — Drafting: Part 2
Rough, Not Ready
Is a rough draft the same thing as a first draft? Many believe they are synonymous. To me, any paper with full sentences counts as a draft. Sometimes, I try to start writing before an outline just to get my thoughts and ideas out in front of me—I play with the thesis claim and get some idea of the shape of the argument. It can even be handwritten. That kind of brainstorming is definitely a rough draft. But I will never let anyone see a rough draft. Rough drafts always lead me to bullet points; an outline emerges, then a true first draft begins. Calling it a “rough” draft, however, may help keep things in perspective: whatever comes out of the first attempt, it is not the end. The first draft you turn in to a teacher, to hear suggestions from other readers, may be an early one, but never a rough one. Rough drafts will also influence your outline.
I know. You are probably thinking, “Wait! I thought you said the outline has to come first.”
I did and they do, but sometimes you have an idea and start jotting down claims and possible questions that need answering and a paragraph or two might even jump onto the page if you are a hand-writer who always has a notepad with them like I am. If you are in school, many times you’ll be given an assignment right before class ends and you don’t have time to start a proper outline before needing to write things out lest you forget them during the next class. These are all part of the rough process.
That said, you MUST still make an outline. Writing a little at the same time as creating an outline isn’t necessarily a terrible idea. Rough drafts can be liberating: they can be sloppy, lacking proper spelling, or punctuation. If the initial ideas come out before an organized outline does, that’s fine. When you finish your outline and return to writing, your outline will likely get rearranged and added to: paragraphs, questions, evidence that needs to be found will be discovered. Thus your overall argument will come into focus. Outline and rough draft in hand, it’s time to start the first draft.
Getting to the juicy part: the first draft
A first draft is the next step. It’s after an outline, has full sentence structure—with topic and transitional sentences—and a clear thesis statement. It includes a conclusion, supportive quotes with citations, and any footnotes necessary. It gives you the opportunity to adjust your thesis claim and tests the order of your paragraph topics. It is a full draft. It includes everything you think it needs to be turned in EXCEPT an introductory paragraph.
While writing draft one, more questions might come up, you might be struck with an amazing insight, which might lead to more research, which will rearrange the order and structure of the essay, which might alter your thesis, which means…you do not need to waste your time writing an introduction for a paper that may look completely different very soon. By draft two, you can include an intro. (That does not mean draft two is the end or should be turned in to the teacher; it all depends on the specifics of the assignment.) NOTE: If you are turning in a first draft to whomever assigned the essay, DO include an intro even if it has to change, check (could be on your syllabus) if your teacher minds seeing draft one without it; try showing a first draft—without intro—to someone else for feedback if your teacher requires an intro. Most large projects will have several deadlines to check progress and give notes before beginning another draft. Otherwise, it is very likely that the draft your teacher sees first will actually be your second. If you only get to turn in the final draft, all of your feedback will have to come from elsewhere.
When you are comfortable with your thesis claim—what your paper is all about—it is time for an intro. If you haven’t already, it’s also time to share: you must get feedback.
I mentioned at the start of Drafting-Part 1 (and in A Word on Proposals) that hearing how much work still needs to be done can be disappointing. One of the reasons I’m writing about, well, writing is to prepare people, to help avoid those feelings of disappointment or discouragement if possible. Even if your work is fantastic, your argument is sound, and your evidence is strong, expecting your work to be complete in one draft is stupid. Yes, I said it, stupid. Harsh? Maybe. Geniuses may be able to produce something grand on their first attempt, but I doubt they submit it as their final draft; that’s what makes them geniuses. Correction: that’s what makes a successful genius.
First drafts are often the most challenging. Not only because of difficulties such as procrastination, but because it’s easy to feel like the task is insurmountable. Starting armed with an outline and rough draft will help dampen those feelings immensely.
First drafts can also be the most fulfilling: Once the first draft is done, it’s all about fixing, adding (or subtracting), editing, perfecting, strengthening. First drafts are not throw away drafts, and it’s important to treat them like a finished product—the punctuation, citations, etc.—but they are only “done” in the sense that your scheme, your plan, has been made clear. If you approach your first drafts like they are your best work ever and let that be your baseline, you will only increase your ability to succeed.
May Nerd-dom abound!
katrina pavlovich
revisit my extras section for examples of outlines and changing drafts
Quote-of-the-Day
“Your first draft is a petulant teenager, sure it knows best, adamant that its Mother is wrong. Your third draft has emerged from puberty, realizing that its Mother was right about everything.” —Angeline Trevena