THE WRITING PROCESS
LET’S TALK ABOUT THE WRITING PROCESS!
Step 1: Watch and Read
- Watch the following video on the Writing Process (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaMEzd_Vh80&t=5s). As you watch, pay attention to each step and think about how long a process like this might take. Is it something we can do in one day? Consider taking some notes or watching more than once if needed.
- Review the information below:
Writing well takes time. Writing well does not mean just sitting down and beginning to write sentences until you reach the page limit. Starting writing the night before your assignment is due doesn’t give you the time to make the writing say what you really want it say! Before writing, you need to understand what it is you’re actually doing—what is the subject and purpose and who are you writing to— then you need to come up with ideas.
While all writers have their own routines and processes for writing, researchers have found that successful writers follow some variation of the steps below, usually working on the project over several days, even weeks. We refer to these steps as the writing process.
The Writing Process is like an interconnected web rather than a line or circle because the steps are recursive—you can return to any point in the process multiple times over the course of a writing project. For example, you may review and revise multiple times, you may need to do more research or pre-write for more ideas after your first or second draft.
Prewriting
- Understand your assignment
- Why are you writing – what’s the purpose? (for example, analysis, argument, narrative, description)
- Who are you writing to (the audience)?
- Are there other requirements (for example, a particular topic or genre)?
- Make a plan for getting it done by the due date
- Come up with ideas
- Brainstorm or List ideas as they come to you
- Cluster (mind map or bubble chart)
- Freewrite
- Talk to someone
- Choose a topic based on your purpose and audience
- Organize your ideas (using an outline or graphic organizer)
