Rewriting

The very best form of self-torture.

 

What’s the secret to good writing? Rewriting.

Wait: rewriting while taking a timed AP exam??? What orbiting planet are we on? 

Look, we get it. When you take the exam, you’ll be under a lot of pressure. You just want to go through the prompts, write the essays, and get out of there. But that’s our point: rewriting can actually relieve the pressure. It can take you past writer’s block. And it can—trust us—turn a mediocre test into a perfect score. Here’s how.

 Don’t write. Chunk.

Break your essay into pieces:

  • Thesis 

  • “Artistic” proofs

  • Organization (including Claims & Evidence)

  • Conclusion

Do the thesis first—a single sentence or two. Make sure it responds to the prompt without repeating or summarizing it. The thesis is where much of your thinking goes. Jot down that thinking. Then rewrite it. Take your time. The better the thesis, the easier the rest will be to write. Why? Because the rest of the essay basically backs your thesis. (Plus, the thesis itself gets scored.)

Next, work on your claims—or, in many prompts, one claim. Again, write quickly first time around, then rewrite.

Then, evidence—at least three sources, along with your thoughts about how that evidence supports your claim. At this point, you might be in the flow. If your writing looks good, move on.

Finally, conclusion. Make this “vivid,” as the test makers like to say.

Notice that we didn’t say anything about an outline? 

Definitely do an outline.

Once you have all your chunks, organize them. You may find that just following the steps above counts as an outline. If so, great. But be prepare to reorganize. Sometimes, Jay will write the draft of an essay and then do an outline of that draft; it helps to see whether the organization is the best it can be.

Check off these lists in your head (or write it on paper).

When you have your outline, make sure you’ve covered all the bases.

For the synthesis essay:

  • Thesis responds to the prompt without repeating or summarizing it, and you can defend it.

  • 3 or more sources to support your claim, with commentary to support your line of reasoning.

  • Vivid, persuasive writing, clearly showing you read the prompt well.

For the rhetorical analysis:

  • Thesis responds to the prompt without repeating or summarizing it, analyzes the rhetorical choices, and you can defend it.

  • You show how rhetorical choices in the passage contribute to the writer’s argument, purpose, or message—with specific evidence to support your line of reasoning.

  • Clearly shows you understand the complexities of this particular rhetorical situation.

  • Written vividly and persuasively.

Now write the thing! (Or maybe you don’t have to.)

If you have time, write out a final, polished draft. But if you followed all the steps, you may find yourself with a perfectly good essay already. Congratulations! You qualify as a skilled rewriter.

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