Writing an Essay on Writing an Essay

A Story by BunnyAcid

Pre - Writing Draft Editing Final Draft/Essay

According to the American Heritage Dictionary, an essay is defined as " a short literary composition on a single subject, usually presenting the personal view of the author." In this essay, I will attempt to explain and elaborate on the four main steps in planning for and writing an essay.

The initial stage of writing an essay is the pre-writing stage. This is the stage where you are required to research extensively on the topic of your essay. Main and supporting points should be organized in a coherent manner. You can either structure the outline of your essay by bullet points, mind maps, sequenced and numbered outlines or any other form of organization you are most comfortable with.

Once the information is gathered and consolidated in a structured way, it is time to begin drafting out your essay. An essay should consist of three main parts; the introduction, the body and the conclusion. In the introduction, provide a concise definition of your topic and state your thesis statement clearly to give the readers a general idea of what the essay is about. You may also include a conclusion if it is a persuasive essay. There are many creative ways to write an introduction. Choose one you are most comfortable with and ensure that the main idea is presented clearly.
The body of an essay should consist of your main and supporting points presented in structured paragraphs whereas the conclusion should summarize the content of the essay to reiterate your thesis statement.

The next step after the completion of your first draft is editing your essay. Proof read the essay for grammatical and spelling errors. Reread the content to ensure relevance of the ideas presented. Omit unnecessary details and make adjustments to clarify points that may seem vague or unclear. It is also not a bad idea to get someone else to read through your first draft and ask for their input. Make the necessary changes and repeat the editing process until you are satisfied with your essay.

The final draft of your essay should show a coherent and extensively researched piece of work free of any spelling or grammatical errors. However, you may notice that in this essay, I have failed to practice what I preach.