from "shitty first draft" to un-shitty first draft

I hope you found the process of writing a "shitty first draft" helpful as you approach this first essay. Whether or not you incorporate it faithfully into your writing process in the future, the SFD offers an opportunity to approach the topic unencumbered by the pressures of grammar, clarity, and structure that so often contribute to writer's block.

With deadlines looming, the present task is to move from your shitty first draft to something that looks more like a real essay. Your impulse is perhaps to scrap the SFD entirely and return to what you consider your "regular" essay process. I'd discourage you from doing so, at least for the short term. Instead, follow the steps below: