Writing in a second language is a complex process. Learners are expected to develop an idea—that may or may not be their own—into a fully articulated product while paying attention to linguistic features of the target language that they might not yet possess. Often they are asked to do this on their own without the guidance of their instructor, who expects a polished piece of writing to be turned in later. This article presents several ideas to help jumpstart the writing process; providing students much needed support throughout. These ideas can be used at any level of second language writing instruction to produce more focused writing pieces and aid in making writing more communicative in nature.