Write Topic Sentences, and Draft the Body of the Essay

When you start to draft your essay, use your outline to write complete sentences for your primary support points. These sentences will serve as the topic sentences for the body paragraphs of your essay.

As you write support for your topic sentences, refer back to your outline, where you listed supporting details. Turn these supporting details into complete sentences, and add more support if necessary. (Prewriting techniques can help here; see Chapter 2.) Don’t let yourself get stalled if you are having trouble with one word or sentence. Just keep writing. Remember that a draft is a first try; you will have time later to improve it.