Writing Process Terminology

noun a preliminary version of a piece of writing, a plan, or a document

verb to prepare a preliminary version of a piece of writing, a plan, or a document

adjective referring to something preliminary or in the process of being finalized

preposition used in phrases like 'draft of' or 'draft for' to indicate the purpose or subject of the draft

• The committee reviewed the initial draft of the proposal before making any revisions.
• I'll need to finish up this draft before I can relax for the evening.
• I whipped up a rough draft of my essay last night.
• She felt like a rough draft of herself until she found her true calling.

noun a noun is a word that represents a person, place, thing, or idea. In this case, 'first draft' is a noun phrase that refers to the initial version of a written work.

adjective an adjective is a word that describes or modifies a noun. In this case, 'first' is an adjective as it describes the type of draft being referenced.

• The author submitted the first draft of the manuscript to the publisher for review.
• I just finished my first draft of the essay, it's not perfect but it's a start.
• I banged out the first draft of my story in one sitting, it's a real rough draft though.
• Creating the first draft of a painting is like laying down the foundation of a building, it sets the tone for the rest of the work.

verb to reexamine or make corrections to something, such as written work or a plan

• Before submitting your final report, make sure to revise it for any errors or inconsistencies.
• Hey, can you revise my essay for me before I turn it in?
• I need to revise my presentation before the big meeting tomorrow.
• Sometimes in life, we need to revise our plans in order to achieve our goals.

noun a rough or preliminary sketch of a design or plan

• Before submitting your final report, make sure to review and revise your rough draft.
• Hey, can you take a look at my rough draft and give me some feedback?
• I just whipped up a rough draft real quick, wanna check it out?
• Life is like a rough draft, you have to keep editing and improving until it's perfect.

noun a preliminary sketch or outline of a work of art or literature

verb to make a preliminary sketch or outline

• The artist began with a quick abbozzo of the composition before refining it further.
• I always start my sketches with a rough abbozzo before adding details.
• Let me just do a quick abbozzo of the design before we finalize it.
• The initial plan was just an abbozzo, we need to work on the details to make it perfect.