Answer:
The correct answer is that The first step in writing a critical essay is to C. select a topic.
Step-by-step explanation:
It is just plain common sense: when you want to write a critical essay you must first choose the topic or the work you are going to analyze and criticize. If you don't select a topic, you don't know which kind of evidence you must find, you don't even have a primary or secondary bibliography.
Once you select a topic you will know which direction you should go, which bibliography you should choose and you can formulate your arguments on the source materials.