I used to stare at the introduction for hours, trying to craft the perfect opening before I'd written anything else. I'd stress over the hook, the context, the thesis. Then I'd write the rest of the essay, and my argument would shift. My beautiful introduction no longer matched what I actually wrote.
A grad student told me: “Write the introduction last. You can't introduce something you haven't fully figured out yet.” I tried it. It felt wrong at first. How could I start without a roadmap?
But when I finally wrote the intro, it was easy. I already knew my argument. I knew what evidence I used. I knew what my conclusion said. I just had to summarize it.
Now my process is:
For other writers, do you write your intro first or last? I'm curious if anyone else has made this switch.
A grad student told me: “Write the introduction last. You can't introduce something you haven't fully figured out yet.” I tried it. It felt wrong at first. How could I start without a roadmap?
But when I finally wrote the intro, it was easy. I already knew my argument. I knew what evidence I used. I knew what my conclusion said. I just had to summarize it.
Now my process is:
- Working thesis – a placeholder sentence.
- Body paragraphs – write them first, using evidence.
- Conclusion – summarize what I argued.
- Introduction – write it last, now that I know what I'm introducing.
For other writers, do you write your intro first or last? I'm curious if anyone else has made this switch.
