WRITING A

DRAFT OF A
SHORT PIECE
 GUIDELINES IN WRITING A FIRST
DRAFT
• A first draft is a rough stage. When
you write a first draft, just get your
ideas into sentences and paragraphs.
The following are the steps in writing
the first draft of any piece.
 1. CHOOSE THE TOPIC
• Choosing the topic to write on should
be the first thing to do. Once there is a
topic, you can now start writing;
however, there are certain things to
bear in mind in choosing for a topic.
 Generate ideas through brainstorming. It
involves using a loose structure of questions
to stimulate ideas about a topic.
 Limit the topic. This allows you to deal with
a specific area of personal experience,
interest or expertise.
 State your topic clearly and convert it into a
specific problem.
• For example:
Topic: Internet (broad topic)
How does internet impact people’s
lives nowadays?
What are the use and significance
of internet?
• Narrow topics to specifics. This allows the chosen topic to be
effectively covered in the allotted amount of space.
• Determine your audience and purpose for writing. Ask
yourself, who will be reading my work? What is my purpose
for writing? Your language and examples will be based on your
audience and purpose and should suit their interest.
For example:
• Internet (broad topic)
• The impact of internet in this time of pandemic. (specific topic)
2. FORMULATE A THESIS STATEMENT
• Thesis statement conveys the central idea of a
multiple paragraph composition and often indicates
how the main idea will be supported. It states the
purpose of the composition. It is a one- sentence
summary that guides, controls and unifies ideas when
writing a paper. Further, it is a statement of position,
of belief, or of a point of view, either your own, or
that of someone else such as the author.
 How to Write an Effective Thesis Statement
• It should be written in a complete sentence
with a clearly stated subject.
• It should not be too narrow nor too broad and
should contain at least two details.
• Avoid an awkward thesis statement which
states the obvious.
How to Write an Effective Thesis Statement

• Enumerated details should have the same

level of significance. If one of the details
can be classified under another detail, you
can omit it.
• It should not state an absolute fact because
it will not present any central idea that can
be developed further. It should have a point.
 FOR EXAMPLE:
1 . Internet has a great impact nowadays.
• (unsupported thesis statement)
• Internet has a great impact on people’s lives
nowadays: it becomes the source of
information, it allows communication all
over the world possible, and it binds
families. (supported/effective thesis statement)
 3. ORGANIZE AND DEVELOP IDEAS
• The supporting information in a paragraph
should be presented in a logical order and
linked with transitions, repetition of main
words, and in some paragraphs, with a
concluding sentence. Five orders are most
frequently used to achieve a logical flow of
ideas as stated below:
 ORGANIZATION OF
PARAGRAPH
ORDER USE
Chronological (time) Arranges information in time sequence, Gives
a sequence of events; tells what happened
first, second, third and so on.

Spatial (space) Arranges details/information according to

space relationships, from nearest to farthest,
top to bottom, left to right and so on.

Order of Importance Ranks information from least important to

most important of vice versa.
ORGANIZATION OF PARAGRAPH
ORDER USE

Comparison and Presents information

Contrast according to similarities and
differences between items
Developmental Arranges information so that
one point leads logically
to the next.
 4. USE ANY LITERARY
CONVENTIONS OF A GENRE
•There are various literary
conventions of a genre, but this
time let us focus on creative
nonfiction, its three types and
elements.
 WHAT IS
CREATIVE
NON-
FICTION?
• Creative Nonfiction
- is the branch of literature comprising works of
narrative prose dealing with or offering opinions or
conjectures upon facts and
reality such as biography, history and essay.
-
It merges the boundaries between literary art (fiction,
poetry) and research on fiction(statistical, fact-filled
journalism). It is a writing composed of the real, or of
facts, that employs the same literary devices as fiction
such as setting, voice/tone, character development and
etc.
Creative nonfiction should
(1) include accurate and well-researched
information,
(2) hold the interest of the reader, and
(3) potentially blur the realms of fact and
fiction in a pleasing, literary style (while
remaining grounded in fact).
TYPES OF CREATIVE
NONFICTION:
A. Biography- is a factual account of a person’s
life written by someone other than the subject. It
is not, however, a mere chronicle of days or
events; rather, it is an overview, an attempt to
place the subject in time and to explain the
meaning or importance of his or her life.
- Biography are book-length texts that cover the entirety
of another person's life. It examines the same significant
life events, accomplishments and experiences as
autobiographies, but without the intimacy that comes
from the subject himself telling the story.
-You can research the person and their life, and then
write a life story, including details of obstacles and
setback that were overcome, achievements and
accomplishments, significance to the present day.
B. History
- involves writing about past events, such as the
Civil War and World War II. It is writing about
historical people who are now deceased, such as
Hitler, Stalin, Bin Laden, and Martin Luther King.
It is also sharing a story about ordinary events and
ordinary people, providing the story is interesting.
Different ways to write about history:
• Writing a Memoir. It is writing about a period in
the person’s life, not their entire life. Often political
leaders write about their experiences in public office.
Anyone can write a memoir, providing it is interesting
and unique. The writer constructs a true story about a
time or period in his/life, one that had significant
personal meaning and a universal truth. The writer
composes the story using the first person “I.”
• Writing a Short Profile or Biography Sketch.
Instead of writing a biography, many writers write
a biography sketch or profile of a historical
figure, artist, politician, writer, photographer,
even an ordinary person. The sketch is much
shorter than autobiography or biography, usually
between 500 to 2,000 words. Unlike the books of
biography or memoir, the profile or sketch is
published in magazines or newspapers.
• Narrative History
- You can write a creative
nonfiction essay, based on
historical narrative, or a book of
narrative history.
C. Essay
- are generally described as a prose
composition of moderate length, usually
expository in nature, which aim to
explain or elucidate an idea, a theory, an
impression, or point of view.
Different Types of Essays:
• Descriptive essay - It gives a description about a particular topic, or
describes the traits and characteristics of something or a person
• Personal essay- allows you to explore a topic through the lens of
your own, personal experiences, reflections, ideas, and reactions. It can
be one of the most powerful kinds of writing you get to do, both in its
direct connection to you, the writer, allowing you to engage with
material in class at a very personal, complex, and meaningful level, and
also in the amount of latitude that you as a writer are afforded in terms
of style , technique, and form. The writer crafts and essay that is based
on personal experience or a single event, which results in significant
personal meaning or a lesson learned. The writer uses the first person
“I.”
• Reflective Essay
- an analytical practice of describing a real or
imaginary scenes, thoughts and adding a
personal reflection
• Literary Journalism Essay.
-The writer crafts an essay about an issue or
topic using literary devices, such as the
elements of fiction and figurative language.
Parts of an Essay
I. Introductory Paragraph
• The introduction attracts the reader’s interest.
• The thesis sentence states the main idea
advanced in the paper.
• The plan of development is a list of the points
that support the thesis. The points are presented
in the order in which they will be developed in
the paper.
II. First Supporting Paragraph
• The topic sentence advances the first supporting
point for the thesis, and the specific evidence in the
rest of the paragraph develops that first point.
III. Second Supporting Paragraph
• The topic sentence advances the second supporting
point for the thesis, and the specific evidence in the
rest of the paragraph develops that second point.
IV. Third Supporting Paragraph
• The topic sentence advances the third supporting
point for the thesis, and the specific evidence in the
rest of the paragraph develops that third point.
V. Summary or Concluding Paragraph
• A summary is a brief restatement of the thesis and its
main points.
• A conclusion is a final thought or two stemming from
the subject of the paper.
ELEMENTS OF NONFICTION:
• Deals only with real people, events, or idea.
• Narrated from point of view, or perspective of
the author, who is a real person.
• Nonfiction presents facts or discusses concepts.
• It may reflect historical context of the time
period, including references to major social and
cultural information
Literary Techniques - often use symbolism, imagery,
figurative languages such as simile, metaphor,
personification, alliteration, parallelism, irony and many
others. But the most commonly used techniques in fiction
are flashback, foreshadowing, symbol, irony and
imagery.
These techniques are used for the purpose of creating a
more interesting, more meaningful, more authentic, and
more entertaining
story. (Menoy, 2017)
5. ENSURE THAT THEME AND TECHNIQUE
ARE EFFECTIVELY DEVELOPED

Theme - is the central controlling idea or

unifying statement of an entire work.
The theme in a story is its underlying message,
or ‘big idea’. The theme is what the text is
about. (Menoy, 2017 & Marantan, 2016)
SUMMARY
Guidelines in the Writing Process of a First
Draft:
1. Choose the Topic.
2. Formulate a Thesis Statement.
3. Organize and Develop Ideas.
4. Use the Literary Conventions of Nonfiction
Types of Nonfiction:
• Biography
• History
• Essay
Elements of Nonfiction
• Deals only with real people, events, or idea.
• Narrated from point of view, or perspective of the
author, who is a real person.
• Nonfiction presents facts or discusses concepts.
• It may reflect historical context of the time period,
including
references to major social and cultural information
5. Ensure that Theme and Technique are Effectively
Developed.