Next Steps - First Draft of Your Final

Now that you've handed in your outline, thinking about how you want to organize your paper, and you've started collecting data for your final paper, it's time to start thinking about what you're going to say in your final. This is where your first draft comes in.

Well, technically what you'll be handing in isn't exactly a "first draft," as the idea is that you'll be handing in something that's as close to finished as possible. You may not have all of the data you'd like by the time the draft is ready to be turned in, and that's okay. However, spend your time getting your draft as close to finished as you can. If you have to omit things because you either don't have the data or can't draw any conclusions, that will be fine. However, if possible, think of this as an opportunity to get your final done and out of the way, only making minor edits to be handed in afterwards.

Below, I'm going to write out some tips for both finding the motivation to write when perhaps the motivation can't be found, as well as tips to help you submit an incredibly successful first draft.

First Draft Instructions

• As I mentioned above, don't think of this as technically a first draft, but as a first submitted draft. Read and re-read for clarity before submitting it. 
• You will submit it to me in the Dropbox folder on Laulima, and I will submit it back to you there once I have edited your draft.
• You will also send your draft to your peer partner, who will also be giving you feedback. Send them an email and cc me on the email, so I know that this was accomplished.
• If you haven't already, or if you'd like even more feedback, submit your draft to the No‘eau Writing Center. If you still need to complete this assignment for the 30 points, forward me the confirmation email you receive after your paper is submitted.
• Please submit your draft on time in order for both your peer and I to give you detailed feedback. 
• This "first" draft is due on April 7th, and should be as complete as possible.

Tips for Motivation and Writing

• My other jobs, besides teaching these college courses, is writing and editing for two magazines, one about the Big Island, and one about the island of Kaua‘i. I never saw myself as a writer before, and I still struggle with this label since writing has never come naturally and has been something I've always had to work at. I'm sure you've noticed grammatical and awkward mistakes in my blog postings, but it doesn't stop me from trying again next time.

• I mention all of this because you may find yourself in a similar boat - you may not consider yourself a writer, you may find writing hard, and/or you may lack the motivation to sit down and just write. You are not alone. 😃

• What helps me is to think about what I want to write before I actually sit down and start writing. I map out my stories or my work in my head in advance. Then, I sit down at the computer and start typing out those ideas. I move things around if they don't work where I thought they might work. I plot out the direction by writing outlines. I keep thinking and plotting and planning.

• I read and reread what I've written. Now that I'm a copy-editor, as well as an instructor of a Writing Intensive class, you really can't re-read your work enough. You may not catch every little mistake, but you will catch a bunch. Catch as many as you can before you hand in your drafts, as this will make editing (both for me, your peer, the No‘eau Writing Center, and yourself!) much easier.

• I recently saw a saying that said something to this effect: "Words don't bleed - cut out the ones you don't need." Re-read not only for grammar and spelling, but also for clarity. Are you saying something in more words than is necessary? Cut out some words. Does the sentence make sense if you were to read it aloud? If not, try to fix it. This is not the job of those of us who will be editing your work - it is your job as the writer to make things as clear as possible for your readers.

• Try not to wait until the last minute. Sometimes a deadline helps me stay motivated, but you need time to be able to revise, including the first draft you'll be submitting. If you write it 5 minutes before the deadline, you won't have enough time to give it a re-read before it goes out into the world. Your peer and I will send you lots of feedback that will take lots of time to fix, and you'll have a ton more work to do later. By taking a little extra time in the beginning, you're saving yourself a lot of work at the end. And trust me, you'll thank me later during the last week of class when you only have a few spelling errors to fix instead of re-writing your entire paper.

• If all else fails, just start writing. Write one sentence, and see where that goes. Write a paragraph. Write out of order. Write your final sentence if it helps you navigate your paper. Write your thesis, and make sure it's strong. Just start writing something, even if it's not how you normally start.

As always, please reach out if you have any questions or concerns. As I mentioned above, the first draft is next Sunday, April 7th. I'll have another blog this week about what this paper should look like, but in the meantime, check out the "Sample APA" paper in the Resources folder, as this will give you the best idea yet of what your paper will be looking like.