The Writing Process:

From Concept to Composition

Ms. Brown

English 100

Step One: Prewriting

What is prewriting?

Why should we prewrite?

Prewriting Prewriting is a method of writing where

you generate ideas. These ideas may not be written in complete sentences. You may prewrite using key words, phrases, run-on sentences, misspelled words, or even pictures/sketches.

Prewriting is the first step of the writing process, and we should always follow a process when writing.

Using a prewriting method helps the composer generate ideas. These ideas are the raw materials that will help make the final essay stellar!

The most common prewriting methods include:

Brainstorming in a bullet list and writing down every idea that comes to your mind.

Free writing as if you are writing in a journal and writing as fast as you can without stopping.

5Ws are simply using a new sheet of paper to answer each W question: who, what, where, when, why.

Clustering in the shapes of circles or clouds to extend one idea to another.

You have three essay topics to choose from. If you’re having trouble picking one, try prewriting for all and see which one gives you more to write about.

Details

My list is not numbered.

Why is this a benefit to my

prewriting process?

Some ideas may be stronger

than others, but that is

understandable at this stage

of the writing process.

Some ideas may also be

repetitive, but that’s okay.

Do not judge the prewriting

process. Have fun with it!

Be creative. Let loose!

Brainstorming example

My greatest challenge was going to graduate school. Why:

o Expensive ($40k)

o Highly competitive process (MFA)

o I had to quit my first full time job, so I took a risk going back to school.

o My dad, in particular, said this was a bad idea. “Why leave a job to go back to school?”

o Paying for all the application fees

o Time consuming getting the recommendations and submitting for deadlines

o Submitting my best essays for the application took time

o I also had doubts

o I went to a school where I knew no one and had no friends at first.

o I only received $5k in financial aid my first year.

o I had to find part time work to survive, so I combined 3 jobs.

o Working those jobs while maintaining a full time schedule was stressful.

o I was hundreds of miles away from home and nervous.

o I almost quit my first month!

o I had a bad breakup near the end of that first semester, but I pulled through it with the help of new friends I’d made.

o I constantly compared myself to my classmates. Was I smart enough?

Details

Notice the grammar and

spelling errors. Why is this

acceptable during the

prewriting stage?

Free writing example

Going to graduate school was a challenging experience. When I decided to go for my master’s degree, I was already working full time as a magazine writer and web editor. I basically left a job with benefits to become a poor, struggling student again. But I did it because I knew if I wanted to improve my writing and have more doors of promotion, I would need another degree. So I packed all my belongings and sold everything I could to make the move to another city and another school—Mills College in Oakland, CA. First, I had to figure out where I was going to live. And related to that, I knew I’d need to find work in order to pay for my school and living expenses. It didn’t take me long to find a room to rent because this was cheaper than the dorms. Next, I knew my two years of work experience would be better than none, so I approached the campus work study office for assistance. I was able to secure two on campus jobs: one in the marketing office as a student assistant and one in the fundraising office as a phonathon caller. I can’t say I loved these jobs, but they certainly taught me perserverance and I couldn’t have made it through school without this work. Since those on campus jobs weren’t enough to leave me money for food, I went to Craigslist and found one more part time job that had me work on Tuesdays and Saturdays off-campus. Finding a place to live and working was only part of the challenge of going back to school. I then had to prepare myself to study the material. The assignments and the amount of reading were slightly more difficult than my undergraduate years. I made good use of the campus library and got to know the librarians very well. I even studied outside of class with students. Sometimes it was difficult not comparing myself to them (Stanford and Columbia graduates) but I reminded myself that I was accepted for a reason, that I belonged if I believed. Another challenge…

Details

Notice the grammar and

spelling errors. Why is this

acceptable during the

prewriting stage?

Free writing example

Going to graduate school was a challenging experience. When I decided to go for my master’s degree, I was already working full time as a magazine writer and web editor. I basically left a job with benefits to become a poor, struggling student again. But I did it because I knew if I wanted to improve my writing and have more doors of promotion, I would need another degree. So I packed all my belongings and sold everything I could to make the move to another city and another school—Mills College in Oakland, CA. First, I had to figure out where I was going to live. And related to that, I knew I’d need to find work in order to pay for my school and living expenses. It didn’t take me long to find a room to rent because this was cheaper than the dorms. Next, I knew my two years of work experience would be better than none, so I approached the campus work study office for assistance. I was able to secure two on campus jobs: one in the marketing office as a student assistant and one in the fundraising office as a phonathon caller. I can’t say I loved these jobs, but they certainly taught me perserverance and I couldn’t have made it through school without this work. Since those on campus jobs weren’t enough to leave me money for food, I went to Craigslist and found one more part time job that had me work on Tuesdays and Saturdays off-campus. Finding a place to live and working was only part of the challenge of going back to school. I then had to prepare myself to study the material.The assignments and the amount of reading were slightly more difficult than my undergraduate years. I made good use of the campus library and got to know the librarians very well. I even studied outside of class with students. Sometimes it was difficult not comparing myself to them (Stanford and Columbia graduates) but I reminded myself that I was accepted for a reason, that I belonged if I believed. Another challenge…

Details

Notice how each idea is

organized in groups. How

far can each idea take you?

After creating your own

questions, you must answer

them. This is the “raw”

material of prewriting,

which we will later

organize.

5Ws example The 5Ws are useful for clustering:

Who Who challenged me during graduate school?

What What was challenging about graduate school?

What else happened in my personal life to make this challenge even harder (or easier)?

What would I have done differently if I could do it again?

What motivated me? Discouraged me?

What was the process to apply?

What was required to graduate?

What did I learn?

When When did I decide to face this challenge to go back to

school? Did my age make it harder or easier?

When did I graduate? How long did it take me? Did I want to give up along the way?

Why Why was it so important for me to go back to school?

Money? Self-esteem? Self-knowledge?

Where Where did I go to graduate school? How far away was it?

Note:

Clusters require you to

organize your ideas, so this

should not be the first

prewriting activity that you do.

Red = broad topic

Blue = your chosen limited

topic

Purple = 3 different points

about your limited topic

Green = 3 different examples

for each point

I only recommend clustering:

1. If you are a visual person.

2. To help bridge the writing

process from prewriting to

organizing.

Clustering example

PRACTICE!

Choose 2-3 prewriting methods

to generate ideas for the topic.

You have 15 minutes in class! It

is highly recommended that you

do not let your pen stop. Keep

moving! Do not censor yourself

in the first stage of the writing

process.

Prewrite on the following topic:

Choose one of the topics from the Essay

#1 directions and use at least two

prewriting methods on your own.

Choose one or more of the following

prewriting methods for this topic:

Brainstorm list (unnumbered)

Free write

5Ws (who, what, where, when, why)

Cluster (should be chosen last after

picking one of the options above)

Prewriting

What is prewriting?

Why should we prewrite?

Step Two: Organizing and

Outlining

How do you organize your ideas?

What is an outline?

How does it help?

Organizing and Outlining

Organizing your ideas is as simple as eliminating the weakest ideas in your list, free write, answers, or cluster.

You should be left with your strongest points, and these can be organized chronologically, logically, spatially, or by order of importance.

A useful outline will include the following:

A working thesis statement (the writer’s opinion on one of the general topics of the essay: challenge, accomplishment, or a goal)

A variety of subtopics, which are organized into body paragraphs

Points and examples about those subtopics in body paragraphs

Details

Notice how the outline is

not in paragraph form. Why

is this useful?

I have included transitions

to my outline. Why did I do

this?

Outline Introduction: Creative scenario or anecdote

Working thesis: I have faced many obstacles in life, but enrolling in a graduate program was the most challenging yet rewarding experience.

Subtopics for my body paragraphs picked from my prewriting. (chronological order) Applying

Transitioning

Studying and Working

Topic Sentence #1: Applying to graduate school required commitment. Example(s) & Details: To begin with, I worked for a

magazine two years after graduating with my Bachelor of Arts degree in English, but I was not satisfied with my work. Thus, making the decision to apply to MFA programs meant that I was making a firm decision to change my life. That was scary. For example, I knew it would mean walking away from the security of a full time job, but I was willing to take that risk.

The Difference Between Examples and

Details

An Example A Detail

Examples often follow a

support point and

transition.

Examples are specific

elaborations of a support

point.

There are several types of details:

Concrete – specific names, dates, times, etc.

Sensory – uses one or more of the five senses

Humorous – highlights the humor of what is being described

Comparative – uses a simile or metaphor

Quoted – states what has been said by someone

Emotive – explains the emotions associated with what is being described

Organizing and Outlining

How do you organize your ideas?

What is an outline?

How does it help?

Step Three: Drafting

What is the draft?

How can I write the best draft possible?

Drafting

Drafting happens when

you begin writing in the

form of your essay

assignment.

Drafts should not be

perfect, but they must be

complete: introduction

with thesis, body

paragraphs on different

topics, and a conclusion.

Video:

www.macmillanhighered.co

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Drafting

What is the draft?

How can I write the best draft possible?

Step Four: Revising

What is revision?

How do I perform revision?

Revision

Revise is Latin for “to see

again.”

We need to see our work

with fresh eyes by stepping

away from our paper for a

couple of days.

Fresh eyes are also found in

peer critiques when

someone else examines your

work for the first time.

Content of your ideas are

the most important things

to revise:

Topic Sentences

Support Points

Details

Step Five: Editing and

Proofreading

What is editing and proofreading?

How do I perform editing and proofreading?

Editing and Proofreading

This is where you refine

your grammar and catch

errors before turning in

your work.

Catch a STAR

Simplify sentences

Take out unnecessary

descriptions

Add proper punctuation

Rearrange ideas for order

Watch out for COPS

Capitalization

Omitted words

Punctuation

Spelling

Video -

http://www.macmillanhighered.com/launchpadsolo/readwrite/36

58560#/launchpad

A VISUAL OF THE WRITING PROCESS

THE COMPLETE WRITING PROCESS

1. PREWRITING

2. ORGANIZING AND OUTLINING

3. DRAFTING

4. REVISING

5. EDITING AND PROOFREADING

The Writing Process

THE END