This document provides guidance on how to write a literary paper in 6 steps: 1) Analyze the text and develop a thesis on a debatable topic. Support your thesis with evidence. 2) Outline your essay to organize your ideas and focus your research. Flesh out your outline as you write. 3) Draft the paper with an introduction, summary of the text, examples supporting your thesis, and a conclusion beyond the thesis. 4) Create multiple drafts to focus on the argument, organization, and style. Get feedback from others.