1) The Writing Process: An Overview

1) The Writing Process: An Overview

Many people think that being a writer means putting pencil to paper or fingers to keyboard and just beginning to write. But that is not true. Writing is actually a series of steps, or a process. Every writer goes through the same process no matter what he or she is writing. A news paper writer, a novelist, a technical writer and a student all go through the same steps to make their writing clear, informative, easy to read, and enjoyable. This series of steps that writers take to put their ideas on paper is called the writing process. The writing process consists of five steps: prewriting, drafting, revising, editing/proofreading, and publishing.

Many people think that being a writer means putting pencil to paper or fingers to keyboard and just beginning to write. But that is not true. Writing is actually a series of steps, or a process. Every writer goes through the same process no matter what he or she is writing. A news paper writer, a novelist, a technical writer and a student all go through the same steps to make their writing clear, informative, easy to read, and enjoyable. This series of steps that writers take to put their ideas on paper is called the writing process. The writing process consists of five steps: prewriting, drafting, revising, editing/proofreading, and publishing.

 Writing is also a recursive process. This means that you repeat the steps over and over again, though not necessarily every step, every time. The following diagram illustrates the recursive nature of the writing process. Note the arrow at the center of the diagram. It begins in the Prewrite section and works its way around to Publish. As it passes through each stage of the writing process we see the arrow pointing both backward and forward through the process. At any stage of the writing process we might find that we need to take a step or two backward to correct or improve our writing. Only once we have drafted, revised, and edited until we have created the best possible piece of

writing we can, do we move onto Publish. 

 Writing is also a recursive process. This means that you repeat the steps over and over again, though not necessarily every step, every time. The following diagram illustrates the recursive nature of the writing process. Note the arrow at the center of the diagram. It begins in the Prewrite section and works its way around to Publish. As it passes through each stage of the writing process we see the arrow pointing both backward and forward through the process. At any stage of the writing process we might find that we need to take a step or two backward to correct or improve our writing. Only once we have drafted, revised, and edited until we have created the best possible piece of

writing we can, do we move onto Publish. 

A Recursive ProcessA Recursive Process

Blogging the Writing Process: An Introduction:

Blogging the Writing Process: An Introduction:

Stages of the Writing ProcessStages of the Writing Process

1)Prewriting Prewriting is the first stage of the writing process.

Prewriting, as its name suggests, is something you do before you write a paragraph or essay or other written work. The purpose of the prewriting stage is to find a topic for writing, to collect ideas and information, and to do research if necessary. There are many different types of prewriting that help writers generate ideas. The different types of prewriting that we will explore here are: freewriting, brainstorming, clustering, questioning, and Venn diagram.

1)Prewriting Prewriting is the first stage of the writing process.

Prewriting, as its name suggests, is something you do before you write a paragraph or essay or other written work. The purpose of the prewriting stage is to find a topic for writing, to collect ideas and information, and to do research if necessary. There are many different types of prewriting that help writers generate ideas. The different types of prewriting that we will explore here are: freewriting, brainstorming, clustering, questioning, and Venn diagram.

FreewritingFreewriting

 Freewriting is when someone writes freely what comes to mind in sentences or phrases, without worrying about grammar, punctuation or making sense. Sit down with your word processor or pen and paper and start writing whatever comes to mind. You will not be graded on your freewriting exercise and you do not have to share it with anyone. Your goal is to simply generate ideas. You will generate a lot of ideas when freewriting, some you will use to develop into paragraphs and some you will discard.

 Freewriting is when someone writes freely what comes to mind in sentences or phrases, without worrying about grammar, punctuation or making sense. Sit down with your word processor or pen and paper and start writing whatever comes to mind. You will not be graded on your freewriting exercise and you do not have to share it with anyone. Your goal is to simply generate ideas. You will generate a lot of ideas when freewriting, some you will use to develop into paragraphs and some you will discard.

BrainstormingBrainstorming  Brainstorming or listing is when you freely

write down all ideas in the order which they occur to you. Unlike freewriting, this technique requires the writer to record only ideas and phrases. After you finish making your list, you can sort out the ideas you want to use from those you want to discard.

                                                                    

 Brainstorming or listing is when you freely write down all ideas in the order which they occur to you. Unlike freewriting, this technique requires the writer to record only ideas and phrases. After you finish making your list, you can sort out the ideas you want to use from those you want to discard.

                                                                    

QuestioningQuestioning

When you prewrite with the questioning technique, you are trying to find out the How? Who? What? Where? When? and Why? about your topic.

When you prewrite with the questioning technique, you are trying to find out the How? Who? What? Where? When? and Why? about your topic.

ClusteringClustering

Clustering, or mind mapping is a "visual of outlining", putting the main topic in the center of paper and lining it with any new ideas associated. You can also group sub-ideas around this new idea. This strategy allows you to collect ideas effectively and, particularly, understand the logic contained between ideas

Clustering, or mind mapping is a "visual of outlining", putting the main topic in the center of paper and lining it with any new ideas associated. You can also group sub-ideas around this new idea. This strategy allows you to collect ideas effectively and, particularly, understand the logic contained between ideas

Venn diagramVenn diagram

A Venn diagram is used to help visualize the similarities and differences between two subjects. Venn diagrams are very useful when brainstorming a compare and contrast essay

A Venn diagram is used to help visualize the similarities and differences between two subjects. Venn diagrams are very useful when brainstorming a compare and contrast essay

2)Drafting2)Drafting Drafting is the second stage of the writing process. At this

stage, the writer should write a complete first draft using his or her notes from prewriting as a guide. The purpose in drafting is to have a complete draft, not a perfect one, so writers are encouraged to ignore spelling or grammar mistakes and write quickly. During the drafting stage, the writing is often tentative and exploratory because the focus is on the creation and communication of meaning, not on the mechanics. As you start drafting your essay, you need to be sure to follow the regular essay format with an introduction, body, and conclusion.

 

Drafting is the second stage of the writing process. At this stage, the writer should write a complete first draft using his or her notes from prewriting as a guide. The purpose in drafting is to have a complete draft, not a perfect one, so writers are encouraged to ignore spelling or grammar mistakes and write quickly. During the drafting stage, the writing is often tentative and exploratory because the focus is on the creation and communication of meaning, not on the mechanics. As you start drafting your essay, you need to be sure to follow the regular essay format with an introduction, body, and conclusion.

 

3)Revising3)Revising Revising is the third stage of the writing process In fact,

to revise means literally to “re-see” or “re-look” at your writing. When you revise, you look at the parts of your essay and make sure that each part works together to make a coherent whole. Similarly, feedback from others can help you identify those parts of the essay that work well--and those that do not. Revising often includes adding, cutting, moving, or changing information in order to make the ideas clearer, more accurate, more interesting, or more convincing. Often, you will need to go back to the drafting stage and re-work parts of your paper.

Revising is the third stage of the writing process In fact, to revise means literally to “re-see” or “re-look” at your writing. When you revise, you look at the parts of your essay and make sure that each part works together to make a coherent whole. Similarly, feedback from others can help you identify those parts of the essay that work well--and those that do not. Revising often includes adding, cutting, moving, or changing information in order to make the ideas clearer, more accurate, more interesting, or more convincing. Often, you will need to go back to the drafting stage and re-work parts of your paper.

4)Editing4)Editing

Editing is the fourth stage of the writing process. In this stage, you check your text to make sure that there are no errors in grammar, punctuation, and spelling.

 

Editing is the fourth stage of the writing process. In this stage, you check your text to make sure that there are no errors in grammar, punctuation, and spelling.

 

5) Publishing5) Publishing

This is the last stage of the writing process. In this stage, you share the essay you have written with the readers you determined in the prewriting stage. The purpose of publishing is to share and celebrate your finished products. When writers publish their writing, they produce a clean, neat final draft that is free of errors.

This is the last stage of the writing process. In this stage, you share the essay you have written with the readers you determined in the prewriting stage. The purpose of publishing is to share and celebrate your finished products. When writers publish their writing, they produce a clean, neat final draft that is free of errors.