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Wordsmith: A Guide to College Writing
Chapter 2  Preparing to Write
Exercise 1 Brainstorming
Brainstorm on one of the following topics; then see if you have a focus
for a possible essay. Feel free to explore more than one side of your idea.
Answers will vary.
1. Do credit cards do more harm than good?
2. Is it better to be a leader or a follower?
3. Are good manners necessary in the modern world?
4. Do video surveillance systems protect people or violate their privacy?
5. If two people are in love, should large differences in their ages matter?
Exercise 2 Freewriting
Freewrite on one of the following topics; then see if you have a focus for a possible
essay. Answers will vary.
1. children
2. friendship
3. morality
4. television
5. physical appearance
Exercise 3 Focused Freewriting
Do a focused freewriting on one of the following topics. Answers will vary.
1. What kinds of risks are good to take?
2. Why are people superstitious?
3. What kinds of music do you enjoy?
4. What one characteristic is most important in a friend?
5. Is family more or less important than it was in your grandparents’ day?
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Wordsmith: A Guide to College Writing Page 3
Exercise 4 Invisible Writing
If you have access to a computer, do an invisible writing on one of the following
topics. Then see if you have a focus for an essay. Answers will vary.
1. transportation
2. competition
3. grades
4. newspapers
5. littering
Exercise 5 Clustering
Do a cluster diagram on one of the following topics. Answers will vary.
1. managing anger
2. fitness
3. making sacrifices to reach a specific goal
4. automobiles
5. bad habits
Exercise 6 Outlining
Choose one of your practice prewritings and make an outline for a paragraph or
essay. Answers will vary.
