CUNY WriteSite

Writing Projects » Stages of Writing » Getting Started

Figuring out how to begin can be the hardest part of writing, but we can help. Follow the links below to explore some different ways of generating and organizing ideas for your writing project. Of course, not all of these techniques will suit everyone; try experimenting until you find one or more that work for you. If you have a fairly good idea of what you want to say and how to organize it, you might want to proceed directly to writing the first draft.

Freewriting - Let you fingers fly. Categories and Clusters - How do your ideas relate? Pre-draft Outlines - Getting your project into shape Find the Key Words - Figure out the purpose of your assignment Listing - Roll call for ideas Reporters' Questions - Who, What, Where, When and Why? Define Your Audience - Who are you talking to?

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