Key Points
When writing an essay, getting started is the most important step. This is where you get a clear sense of what direction to go in, and if you set out on the right track, you'll find it easier to stay focused. The steps of getting started are:
- Figuring out what to write about, where you get familiar with the prompt and what form your essay is going to take;
- Gathering information, where you research and choose a topic; and
- Brainstorming, where you do some exploration, figure out what ideas are in your head, and start to organize them.
From here, the next step is to unite your essay under a central idea that you can communicate clearly to a reader—in other words, the next step is Outlining.