Stages of the School Essay Writing Process

As much as we would like to be able to sit down one afternoon and write a compelling, 100% grammatically correct, and enticing essay in a matter of no time we have to be honest with ourselves, it just won’t happen. Think of your essay like a stage play; there are dozens of stages that go into making the perfect play. Luckily, writing an essay does not involve dozens of stages, but it does involve some. If you are looking to write a 5-star essay for school then follow the stages below.

Stage 1- Brainstorm

This is the most important process of essay writing. Keep in mind that brainstorming does not happen in one day. Keep a small notebook around with you in case you think of something related to your essay topic, you can write it down before you forget. Come back a revisit the topic after a few days to get a fresh prospective.

Stage 2- Outline

Create an outline for your essay. It does not have to be fancy, just something that makes sense to you. This gives you the ability to get more thoughts on paper while keeping them organized. Many times you will start thinking about your topic and your brain becomes flooded with ideas and different perspectives; it is crucial to get all of that down on paper.

Stage 3- Research

Many people make the mistake of doing the research while they write the essay. This more than doubles your essay writing time! Use your outline to do your research separately. Gather all of your research material and make notes on what you plan to use before you even start writing. Keep it all organized according to your outline; even if you change the direction of your outline and topic placement you will still have the info at your fingertips.

Stage 4- Writing

This may be tedious but if you have the right tools it won’t be so bad. Make sure you have your material organized; you have time to re-write your essay, you have someone to edit your essay, and have an extra set of eyes to read it and give their opinion. Do not rush this process and feel free to take breaks in between sections. Once you write it, have it checked over and make your revisions.