When a writer sits down to begin his essay, the initial topic may be broad. This is acceptable, as the steps of the writing process will help him refine his concept. When writing for an academic class, potential paper topics may seem endless. It is important that a writer limits the scope of his essay as much as possible and chooses a topic about which she is passionate and knowledgeable.
Brainstorming is designed to help a person overcome or avoid writer's block. There are several brainstorming methods, including creating a web, a list, and free writing. The goal of brainstorming is to record every idea, whether it is good or bad. Although some have the tendency to self-edit as they write, you should avoid this during a brainstorming session. What may seem like an irrelevant idea at first may prove useful during the later stages of writing.
When composing an essay, you are essentially joining a written conversation. It is important to know what others have said about your topic before you try to express your ideas. Thorough research will allow you to respond to previous publications about the topic and present new concepts. Researching a topic and referencing this information in an essay demonstrates knowledge and gives readers a reason to trust a writer's opinions.
Once a writer has collected all of his ideas through brainstorming and other people's ideas through research, he can organize his thoughts. When creating an outline a writer decides in what order he will explain his ideas. Consider beginning the outline by establishing a thesis statement and then listing the topic sentences for every paragraph in the order in which they will appear in your paper.