Before You Write a Single Word
By Verbatim Editorial
Before You Write a Single Word
The most productive writing sessions begin hours before you open your document. What separates students who submit confident work from those who panic the night before the deadline isn’t talent — it’s protocol.
The Pre-Writing Audit
Before each writing session, answer these three questions:
- What is the single claim I will advance today? Not a topic. Not a theme. A claim.
- What evidence do I have ready? If the answer is “I need to look it up,” you’re not ready to write. You’re ready to research.
- Where does this fit in the larger argument? Writing without knowing where your words land is how you generate content that gets cut.
The Environment
Your writing environment communicates to your brain what kind of work is expected. Separate your research environment from your writing environment — even if that means moving to a different spot in the library.
Eliminate every notification. Close every tab that isn’t your document and your outline. Your thesis deserves your full attention, not the scraps left after WhatsApp and social media have taken their share.
The First Sentence
Don’t try to write a good first sentence. Write an honest one. State what you’re about to argue, plainly. You can refine later. The goal of the first session is momentum, not perfection.
Preparation is invisible work. But it’s where the real writing happens.