Writing Your First Draft and Getting Feedback

How many times have you written your first draft and wondered if it fulfills the assignment. Surprisingly, most writers and students alike will admit to this sinking feeling of confusion and frustration commonly known as writer’s block. Writing your first draft may be a scary experience at first, but getting the dreaded first draft on paper and utilizing proper feedback helps in the overall process of writing.

After you receive feedback from your peers, professor, or a tutor, you may be even more frustrated than before. Staring at the comments, you my wonder what you should do next. This, too, is a common feeling. Read and re-read the comments to see if they fall into categories like these:

• Thesis Statement
• Paragraph Development
• Introduction and Conclusion
• Audience
• Tone and Voice
• Transitions

Many instructors and writing center tutors alike focus on holistic feedback. Holistic feedback focuses on how all of the components of your paper work together, many of which are listed above. As you work to revise your draft based on the feedback, remember the following:

• Stay positive. Remember that the comments are offered to help you reconsider your work. Read each carefully, follow the links to any recommended resources, and work to adjust your writing in response to the feedback.
• Use resources. Jot down your concerns. Then visit a Purdue Global Writing Tutor, ask a specific writing-related question through our Q & A service, or submit your revision for review. The university’s tutors help you grow your writing and writing process.