There’s really no secret to learning how to write a rough draft. it’s just about knowing what a rough draft is supposed to accomplish and learning the best ways to write one that supports your final written work.
So, let’s begin by answering the question; What is a rough draft?
What Is a Rough Draft?
A rough draft is an initial, incomplete piece of writing that is the first attempt at getting all your ideas on paper. It acts as the framework for the final version.
A rough draft is never intended to be perfect. It’s going to be full of grammatical errors, poor word choices, and structural issues. The idea is to get a large portion of your article written and worry about fixing the problems later during your editing process.
Often, it’s the longest and most effortful phase, involving most of the actual writing. Writing a rough draft is very similar to freewriting, but with a little more structure.
What Should I Include in My Rough Draft
A rough draft is essentially a raw version of the soon-to-be-published article. Everything you’d include in the final article should go into the rough draft.
A rough draft should be about as long as the final version. Many writers tend to make their first drafts lengthy. This can actually work in your favor, giving you more usable information to work with.
Also remember that the rough draft is for the writer’s eyes only, so no one will stop you if you need to skip some sections or gloss over others. I have found myself many times, either rewording or removing parts of the rough draft as I’m plugging everything into WordPress.
How To Write a Rough Draft
For starters, a rough draft is not the first step in the writing process. The brainstorming and freewriting process is crucial for organizing all your thoughts you want to put in your writing. As you progress through writing a rough draft, more than likely you’ll come up with new ideas to add into it, but it’s always best to stockpile as many as you can before you start.
After brainstorming comes the outlining phase, which is essential for structuring your content and putting everything in a logical order. You can think of your outline as a blueprint of where everything goes.
I use a simple outline when building out my rough draft. My outline ensures I cover all the bases regarding all the information I need. It looks something like this.
With the brainstorming and outline taken care of, you can begin your rough draft with confidence. The goal of a rough draft is to get all your research and ideas documented; not to write everything perfectly on your first try.
The most important tip for writing rough drafts is to give yourself permission to write sloppily. If you’re focusing on finding the right words and phrases or making sure your grammar is correct, it means you’re not focusing on the big picture.
Instead of nitpicking, just focus on solidifying your raw ideas. Follow your outline as best you can, but also keep an open mind for new ideas. Do that and I guarantee the first pass of your rough draft will be full of inspiration!
Wrapping It Up
Once you have finished your rough draft, you may want to step away from it and take a break. Allow your eyes and brain to reset. Maybe you go for a short walk or do another activity where you do not have to think about the content you’ve just written.
You can then come back to it with fresh eyes, read through it, and start working through your editing process. You will likely notice issues or problems to fix in your rough draft much easier if you take some time away from it. Hope this article helped and good luck writing your rough draft!
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