This is not your first writing class. You bring to college a personal writing process and work habits developed over time. One of the most important first-year goals for many students is refining those habits to fit college-level work and workloads. While there’s no one-size-fits-all process that works for everyone, we’ll work through some steps helpful to most writers to give you the opportunity to refine your approach to writing and speech prep.
To help you discover and develop your own process, we’ll spend time working with various assignments throughout each unit which include different combinations of the following steps:
brainstorming / invention to find a topic
topic selection
more invention / prewriting
narrowing the topic
research questions (if you’re not familiar with the topic)
planning / outlining and/or research
preliminary thesis (if you are already familiar with the topic)
first rough draft
additional drafts
feedback
revision
editing final draft
What is it / why do it:
Prewriting helps you discover stories that matter to you before you start drafting. Take time to brainstorm, freewrite, or jot notes about the prompts below. You'll connect more strongly with some than others—follow those connections to find your topic. Choose two approaches to the narrative and complete the questions.
Explore times when you...
Found your place - Remember joining a group, team, or community where you felt you truly belonged
Were supported - Recall when others helped you through something difficult or celebrated your success
Helped build something - Think about contributing to a community project, tradition, or cause bigger than yourself
Discovered shared values - Remember connecting with people who shaped how you see the world
Faced your fears - Recall pushing through something that scared or intimidated you
Failed and recovered - Think about a setback that taught you something important about yourself
Stood up for something - Remember when you had to be brave or take a difficult stand
Surprised yourself - Recall discovering strength or ability you didn't know you had
Chose integrity over ease - Think about doing the right thing when it was difficult
Showed respect - Remember treating someone with dignity when others might not have
Pursued learning - Recall going beyond requirements because you genuinely wanted to understand
Made a principle-driven choice - Think about decisions guided by your deepest values
Had assumptions challenged - Remember when someone different from you changed your perspective
Felt like an outsider - Recall navigating unfamiliar cultural territory and what you learned
Built bridges - Think about connecting across differences of background, belief, or experience
Gained new appreciation - Remember discovering beauty or wisdom in an unfamiliar culture or community
As you explore these prompts, ask yourself:
Which memories feel most vivid and significant?
What did you learn about yourself or others?
How did these experiences shape who you are today?
Which stories do you feel most motivated to share?
If you already know which category fits your strongest story, skip to Step 3.
If you still can't decide, complete this decision process:
For each category you explored, write:
Story title/summary (2-3 sentences): What happened?
Excitement level (1-10): How motivated do you feel to write about this experience?
Vivid details test: Can you remember specific conversations, sensory details, or moments from this experience? List 2-3.
Stakes assessment: What did you risk, learn, or gain? Why did this experience matter?
Growth evidence: How are you different now because of this experience?
Compare your two categories side-by-side, then circle your choice:
Which story scored higher on excitement level?
Which has more vivid, specific details you can recall?
Which shows clearer personal growth or change?
Which connects more strongly to who you are today?
Your chosen category: ________________
Now that you've chosen your category, let's develop your story into a focused essay plan.
Answer the questions below with as much detail as possible—the more you work out here, the smoother your writing process will be.
1. Story Summary: Briefly describe what happened in your story. Focus on the key events and moments that matter most to your chosen category.
Write a short paragraph covering the basic plot of your experience.
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2. Why This Story Matters
Explain your motivation for sharing this particular experience:
What draws you to tell this story?
What makes it significant in your life?
How does it connect to your chosen category (Community Connection, Growth Through Challenge, Values in Action, or Cross-Cultural Learning)?
Why might readers find it meaningful or relatable?
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3. Organization Strategy Consider how you'll structure your narrative:
Chronological: Start at the beginning and move through events in order
In medias res: Begin in the middle of the action, then fill in background
Frame narrative: Start in the present, flashback to the story, return to present
Focused moments: Center on 2-3 key scenes that capture the whole experience
Which approach feels right for your story? Why?
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4. Your Central Message Complete this sentence: "Through this experience, I learned/discovered/realized that..."
This is your thesis—the significant insight or takeaway that gives your story meaning. It should clearly connect to your chosen category and reflect genuine personal growth or understanding.
Note: This exact sentence may not appear in your final essay, but knowing your central message will guide every paragraph you write.
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Ready to write? Your answers above will become the foundation for your first draft.