Write a bad draft.
Many people struggle with the first few words of an essay. They can put it off until the very last minute because of how uncomfortable it makes them feel to see their imperfect initial ideas.
It is therefore important that you embrace the idea of a “bad draft”.
A bad draft is a start. It can easily become a good essay, but it’s easier to start when the expectations are low.
When you’ve convinced yourself that it’s okay to write a bad draft to start, you can begin writing.
Production and editing are separate, and it is important to keep them that way.
When you infect your production with the process of editing, you can really impair yourself. This is because each interferes with the other. The purpose of production is to produce. The function of editing is to reduce and arrange. If you try to do both at the same time then the editing stymies the production. It’s not faster to combine them, nor is it better, and it is bound to be frustrating.
Your first draft can be relatively quick and dirty. You can use your notes, extensively, and rough out the essay. If you get stuck writing anywhere, just move to the next outline topic. You can always go back.
Once you have completed 10–15 sentences for each outline topic, you will have finished your first draft. Then it’s time to edit.