Pre-drafting refers to anything a writer does before producing a readable draft of their work. This can include planning, brainstorming, researching, and outlining. Unlike post-drafting, you don’t necessarily have to complete the steps of pre-drafting in order. For example, you might jump back and forth between drafting and outlining or need to brainstorm or research in the revising stage.

Different writers use different pre-drafting strategies. One writer might brainstorm by staring into space for an hour, while another may need to draw an idea web or talk to somebody. Use the suggestions in the following pre-drafting pages to discover what works for you as a writer.

• Planning or understanding the assignment
• Brainstorming or generating ideas
• Researching or information gathering (if it’s a research paper)
• Outlining or idea organizing