1. Process of Getting Ideas Down on Paper before Organizing the Essay
brainstorming
Process of Getting Ideas Down on Paper before Organizing the Essay

2. Freewriting: writing without constraint. .
How it works: With a possible essay topic or idea in mind, get out a pen and a piece of paper, and spend a set amount of time writing about this topic (5-10 minutes is a good timeframe). 
Write down anything and everything that comes to mind, even if you don’t think it is useful or relatable. 
Once you start, do not stop writing; do not criticize or edit what you have written; do not even read what you have written yet.  
Once you are finished, now read what you have written. 
Is there a main idea that has emerged that can become a topic for an essay?  Are there several ideas that relate to a potential topic/thesis and can be written about in more detail in an essay? Are there actual sentences that can be used in an essay, even if they have to be revised? More than likely, the answer to these questions is yes.  If so, you now have a start for your essay.  At this point, you can begin the initial process of developing a working thesis, grouping your ideas together through brainstorming, and/or creating an outline.  

3. Listing: the simplest strategy
First set a time limit for this activity; 5-10 minutes is more than enough.
Then write down as many ideas related to the prompt as you can without stopping to analyze any of them
"After you have generated your list of response to the prompt, review the list and pick one item that you might like to write about. This will become your object.
Now you're ready for the next listing; this time, create a topic-specific list in which you write down as many ideas as you can about the one topic you have selected. These will be the three points for your thesis
Next, take each of the points, and list specifically how they relate to your subject and object
This will be the beginning of your outline.

4. Prompt: Who in your life has been your biggest influence and why?
FIRST LIST: WHO?
1. Mother
2.Father
3. Mrs. Kerr
4. Dali Lama
5. Tricia
6. Bill
7. Ruth
Bernita
Mary
Buddha
Jesus
SECOND LIST: WHY?
Mrs. Kerr
Philosophy of life
Writing poetry to the ocean
Published in the school publication
English teacher
Role model
I became a teacher
I assign POL
I allow students to experience
POSSIBLE THESIS FROM LIST
Mrs. Kerr, my sophomore English teacher,
was the biggest influence on my life because of her creativity, teaching style, and example as the model teacher I wanted to become.

5. Bubble Clusters The subject of the prewrite goes in the middle circle.
Each circle is numbered. The center bubble is the main idea and is labeled #1
The #2 bubbles are sub-headings off the main idea. #2 ideas are the basis for the topic sentences.
The #3 bubbles are concrete details and there must be at least two. They form the backbone of the body paragraphs. Each #3 must be at least 5 or more words.

6. Go on vacation s to Disneyland and the beach 1 Summertime 3
Go on vacation s to Disneyland and the beach 1
Summertime
Barbecues in the back yard
more time to do pleasure reading
Catch up on movies I missed 2
family
daily routine
stay up late and sleep in
see my brothers and sisters more often

7. 1
Summertime 2
family
Daily routine 3
Barbeques in the backyard
See my brothers and sisters more often
go on vacation to Disneyland and to the beach
3 stay up late and sleep in
3 more time to do pleasure reading
catch up on movies I missed

8. Line Clustering Subject: (#1)Spring—my favorite season of the year.
Step 1: LIST
List your ideas in any order. You need 6.
--new leaves and flowers on the trees
--warmer weather during the day and night
--time to clean the house
--school is coming to an end
--Daylight Savings Time comes in April
--baseball season/practice starts up again

9. Line Clustering, cont’d.
Step 2: CATEGORIZE
Categorize your ideas(think of ways you can group ideas together)
Nature (#2)
My daily routine and responsibilities (#2)

10. Line Clustering, cont’d.
Step 3: LABEL
Label each idea by category
A. new leaves and flowers on the trees (#3)
A. warmer weather during the day and night (#3)
B. time to clean the house
B. school is coming to an end
B. Daylight Savings Time comes in April
B. baseball season/practice starts up again

11. Columns/ (#1)My Two Best Friends
(#2)Cheryl
(#2)Joe
(#3) known me since we were in kindergarten
(#3) we have 4 classes together each day
(#3) lives down the street from me
(#3) we will be taking driver’s training together next summer

12. Process of Getting Ideas Down on Paper before Organizing the Essay
Next: The Thesis
brainstorming
Process of Getting Ideas Down on Paper before Organizing the Essay