Writing is not easy. It is one of the most difficult things you will do as a student. It is a highly complex intellectual endeavor that requires great deal of thought, organization, creativity and time. Part of what makes writing so challenging for many people is that they tend to see writing simply as a process of putting down on paper something they’ve already thought about. While this is true for some writing tasks, is rarely true for academic writing. Thinking of writing this way can often lead to frustration, feelings of inadequacy, procrastination, and even a hatred for writing.
Writing as a Process of Discovery
Rather than thinking about writing as a product of something that you’ve already figured out, think about the act of writing as a process of discovery. Discovering what you know and think about a particular topic and how you can best talk about it to a particular audience. When we engage in the act of writing, we’re not simply recording something we’ve already thought about. We are figuring out what we have to say and how to say it, discovering new ideas, making new connections, and constructing new meanings. As we write, we are actively thinking, understanding and learning.
Recognizing writing as a process of discovery can be liberating for some writers because it gives them a little intellectual and creative breathing room. Knowing you haven’t already figured everything out when you sit down to write gives you permission to learn as you write. It also helps you keep an open mind. Seeing writing in this way might even make writing a bit more exciting. Who knows what new ideas and connections you will make when you sit down to write.
What is the Writing Process?
The writing process is generally defined as a series of steps a writer takes in order to create a piece of writing. These steps often include planning, freewriting, developing, editing, and publishing. Most writers will tell you that each writer has their own unique writing process. Some writers freewrite, revise and edit paragraph by paragraph as they move through a section of writing and don’t move on until it’s finished. Other writers complete an entire draft before considering any revisions at all. Many writers will also tell you that the writing process is not linear. This is, you never necessarily completely finish a step and then move on to the next. More often than not, writers tend to move back and forth between stages, as they discover new things and make different connections.
One of the advantages to thinking about writing in stages is it can help make the task a bit more manageable and keep you from doing everything at once. For instance, if you find it difficult getting some ideas down on paper during the freewriting phase because you are constantly editing for grammar and punctuation, then it may be helpful to remind yourself to wait to make these corrections during the editing phase. Some writers turn off their internal editor by turning off their computer screen or by placing a piece of paper over the monitor. Others write on a device that limits their ability to edit, like a phone or tablet.
If you’ve figured out your own writing process, then I encourage you to continue refining it, discovering what works best for you. If not, I recommend that you consider starting with the writing process on the following page and begin to build your own.
Step One: Planning
This step in the writing process is important, though it is often overlooked. Having a clear plan for how you will write—how much, when and where-can directly your affect your writing experience. Here are some areas to consider when making a plan.
When will you write? Like most students, you likely have very busy schedule. Think about the due date and set aside time in advance dedicated to writing. Be sure to clear you mind before you begin and commit yourself to the writing for at least 30 minutes at a time.
Where will you write? In a quiet place? Noisy? Where you write depends on your preference. Some people like to read in noisy places as it forces them to concentrate. Others prefer absolute silence. Plan ahead and pick an environment that is right for you.
How will you write it? Will you write an entire draft all at once or break it up into chunks? If it’s a short assignment , it’s recommended that you write an entire draft one sitting. If it’s a longer assignment, you may want to break it up into 20-30 minute writing session.
How will you finish before the due date? Many writers find it helpful to plan how much time they will spend on each stage of the writing process before they begin writing––especially if they have a deadline. It’s helpful if you start with the deadline and work your way backwards. You should try to edit at least one day before your writing is due. It’s also helpful to stop working on it for a day before you edit so you can see your work with fresh eyes. Here’s an example of how you might use planning for an assignment that is due in one week.
| Mon | Tues | Weds | Thurs | Fri | Sat | Sun |
| Planning 20 mins | Freewriting 30 mins | Freewriting 30 mins | Developing 45 mins | Visit Literacy Lab | Developing 45 mins | Break |
| Editing 30 mins | Publish |
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Step Two: Freewriting
One of the biggest obstacles many writers face, especially beginner writers, is getting something written down. As they begin a new writing task, many writers find themselves staring at a blank page thinking and waiting for the perfect thought so they write it down. What keeps many of them stuck in this creative limbo is the internal critic. This is the voice inside every writer’s head that is constantly editing every thought and correcting every word they write down. This voice is useful during the editing stage of the writing process — as you will see later—but it is rarely helpful anywhere else. This voice is often the cause of writer’s block—that state of paralyzes where the writer struggles painfully and fails to write anything at all. The unfortunate longterm affect of this kind of dreadful experience is that it conditions writers to develop an intense hatred for writing. If you’ve ever procrastinate getting started with a writing assignment, it may be because you’re trying to avoid this frustatating situation. Fortunately, there’s some good news. It is possible to avoid this dreadful experience altogether and turn off the internal critic completely. Listed below are a range of freewriting strategies that are all designed to do one thing: help you get something written down. As you practice using these strategies, keep in mind that turning off the internal critic takes time and practice. The more you practice using these writing strategies, the easier getting started shoudl become.
Strategies for Getting Something Written Down
Simply Think. Take some time to contemplate the task. What is it about? How much do you know about it? What don’t you know? Give your brain a day or two to contemplate these questions. Keep a notebook or your laptop with you and write ideas down as they pop into your head. You can also use a graphic organizer like Popplet.com to record your ideas.
Talk it out. Many people find it useful to talk with others about their topic during prewriting. In fact, some writers prefer to do all of their brainstorming through conversations. One of the tools that can help you talk it out is the cognitive coaching method. For this strategy, the writer sits down with one or two people and talks about what they know, don’t know and different possible topics they might write about. The listeners usually don’t offer advice. Instead, they listeners use pause-paraphrase-probe to help the writer think through the topic. Of course, you can ask the listeners for suggestions if you want. Writers who use this strategy often use it multiple times with different people. Once they have a clear idea about what they want to say, they begin writing.
Inquiry. If you know a little bit about the topic or not much at all, one place to start is to write down all the questions you have about the topic. You might even ask others what questions they have about the topic—depending on the writing task. You can organize your questions into categories using a mindmap like Popplet.com or an outline. You can then use your graphic organizers as a guide to help you conduct research by adding new information as you learn.
Timed Writing. Timed writing means writing nonstop without worrying about organization, spelling or punctuation for a set period of time—usually 10 to 20 minutes. The trick is to not stop writing. Set a timer and let yourself go. Anything you write down counts during timed writing—anything. If you find you have nothing to say, simply repeat the last phrase you wrote until something pops into your head. The trick here is to get something written down. Once your session is over, you can read through what you’ve written and keep what works and throw away the rest. Timed writing can help you discover what you know and don’t know about the topic—what you have to say.
Blind Freewriting. If you find yourself using the delete button or stopping to think about what you want to stay during freewriting, then try blind freewriting. Blind freewriting works just like freewriting, only with blind freewriting you turn off your computer screen (or put a piece of paper in front of it) while you’re writing. This helps turn off the internal critic who is constantly looking for errors. The internal critic is very useful during the editing phase of the writing process, but it can disrupt or even block writing during the prewriting phase.
Record It. Talk out loud into a recorder or your laptop using transcription software (all Macs with Maverick OS have transcription software; most smart phones do as well).
Research It. If you don’t feel like you have anything to say about a topic, try reading about it. Track bits of information you gather as you go in a notebook—including responses from your interacting voice. When you’ve gained some knowledge about the topic, try freewriting about it.
Collect It. Collect your ideas or research as you gather them using a notebook, notecards, Post-its or a mapping tool such as Popplet.com. Some writers find it helpful to collect small pieces of information or ideas separately to take off the pressure of writing a full rough draft at one time.
Putting it Together
After you have completed some writing, step back and take a look at what you have. Try to see how the different parts fit together. Are there different pieces that fit together? Try moving things around. Use the cut-n-paste function on your computer, or, if you’re a kinesthetic learner, print off what you have and cut it into parts (paragraphs or sentences) using scissors. Try arranging the parts in different ways to see what works best. Be sure to read it out loud each time you rearrange it. As you do this, don’t be afraid to throw away the things you don’t like. Some writers have a hard time doing this. If you don’t like deleting things, copy them into a separate file and name the file “save for later.” If you feel like you have enough for a rough draft, then you’re ready to move on to the drafting phase. If you don’t feel like you have enough, try some more freewriting or try using one of the strategies below. Organizing what you have with a graphic organizer can help you think more closely about what you’re trying to say. It can also help you identify things that may be missing.
Outlining. Create an outline from your freewriting and organize your ideas in a hierarchy.
Graphic Organizer.
Try using a concept map, web or online tool like Popplet.com to help organize ideas.
Advanced Organizers. Try organizing advance organizers like SEEC are especially helpful in helping you identify things you need to find to make your ideas complete
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How do you know you have enough to move on to the develop stage? This depends on how much time you have, how comfortable you are sharing rough work with others or whether or not you feel stuck. If you have a very rough draft and are comfortable sharing your draft with others, you may want to move to the drafting stage and try using a feedback strategy like Listening with No Response. Sharing our writing with an actual audience sometimes helps us see things we missed. If you’re stuck getting your ideas down in writing, moving to the drafting stage and getting feedback from peers is sometimes the only next step.
Step Three: Developing
The develop stage is generally defined as a process of revising a piece of writing to make it better. To revise means to re-see or re-think what you’ve written. When most writers revise, they tend look at two things: what they’re trying to say and how they’re trying to say it. Although many writers revise their work on their own, most find it much more helpful to include others in the revision process. One of the ways you can do this is through writer’s workshop. While writer’s workshop works well in any of the stages of the writing process—using the ‘Talk it Out’ strategy in the freewriting stage, for example—it is the most important tool you can use during the drafting stage. Here are the basic steps of a writer’s workshop:
- Share a draft with a group of peers by reading it out loud
- Get feedback using a feedback strategy
- Revise using feedback from peers
You can repeat these steps as often as you need. How many times you do depends on a variety of things. Most writers find that the amount of time they can spend in this stage is determined by a deadline—imposed by a publisher, teacher or themselves. Sometimes writers decide to stop revising simply because they get tired of working on piece of writing.
The Two Levels of Revision: What & How
What you’re trying to say. Most writers begin the develop stage by focusing on what they’re trying to say. This is the first level of revising in the develop stage. When we read something we’ve written, we often realize that it doesn’t say what we wanted it to say. Perhaps something is missing, doesn’t fit, or isn’t explained clearly. It’s fairly common for writers change their minds about how they see the topic or discover new ways of thinking about. Remember as we write, we are actively thinking, understanding and learning. We are discovering new ideas, making new connections and constructing new meanings. It’s important to be flexible here and open to changing how you think. Most writers find they have to delete some things before the piece says what they want it to say. Or they discover that they have to conduct more research in order to figure out more clearly what they’re trying to say. Sometimes a writer’s thinking changes so much that they find they need to throw away an entire draft and start over. This is revision at its most extreme.
As you revise what you are trying to say, think about the following:
- What are the points you are trying to convey?
- Are they stated clearly?
- Do you provide a thorough explanation of your points?
- Do you need examples or evidence to illustrate your points?
How you’re trying to say it. When a writer is somewhat satisfied with what they’re trying to say– or at least what they think they’re saying–they begin to take a look at how they’re trying to say it. This is the second level of revising in the develop stage. Working on the how usually involves thinking about the reader—your audience—and how your thoughts will be read or understood by people other than yourself. Feedback from readers during a writer’s workshop is particularly useful for this level of revising. One of the most common ways of revising the how is to improve clarity. Improving clarity usually involves looking at organization, sequencing of ideas, cohesion, coherence, topic sentences, transition statements, transitions, voice, word choice. A writer works on these things in order to better communicate meaning. As you revise, you may discover that: moving a sentence from the beginning of a paragraph to the end makes the meaning clearer or the argument stronger; adding or removing a sentence helps improve the logical sequencing; certain words need to be change because they convey the wrong attitude towards the topic; or transition words or phrases are needed to help the sentence flow together better.
One of the biggest changes that writers make near the end of this level of revising is to their thesis and topic sentences. More often than not, the thesis and topic sentences we created at the beginning of the drafting stage are no longer accurate. This is because as we write what we think about a topic and how we write about it changes. Remember that the thesis statement and topic sentences tell the reader what you will talk about and how you will talk about it. The thesis tells the reader this information for the entire piece of writing and the topics sentences do it for each paragraph. As you are about to finish the drafting stage and move into the editing stage, be sure to check your thesis and topic sentences to make sure they accurately describe what each section discusses.
Stuck? Unsure about what you’re saying or how you’re saying it? Try these strategies:
Do More Research. Sometimes we don’t know what to say next because we need to learn more about our topic. Do some more research. Read more material or talk to some friends.
Verbalize It. Read your essay out loud – to yourself in the mirror, your dog or an imaginary audience
Teach Someone. Try explaining your ideas to someone—someone in your class or a younger sibling.
Summarizing – set your essay aside and try summarizing it to someone who is not familiar with your topic. If they give you a confused look, you’ll know exactly which parts need a little more work.
Letting Go – It’s hard to throw things away, especially if you are trying to meet the word requirement for an assignment. However, cutting out unnecessary parts or parts that sound good but just don’t quite fit is really hard to do. Create a separate document called “notes” and cut-n-paste those parts there. Tell yourself that you can always put them back in your essay if you really need to later.
Take a Break. Sometimes stepping away is all we need to get a fresh perspective.
Fresh Start. Sometimes we can’t see beyond certain ideas and get stuck seeing the same things. Give yourself a fresh start by opening a new document and starting over.
Step Four: Editing
The edit stage of the writing process usually occurs for most writers just before they are ready to publish a piece of writing. Because what we know and how we think about a topic is constantly changing, we can always improve our writing. Unfortunately, most of the writing we do has a deadline. This means that at some point we have to stop working on improving ‘what’ we’re trying to say and ‘how’ we’re trying to say it and prepare the piece for publishing.
Some writers spend weeks editing a piece of writing, and they usually get help from someone like a publisher. For students, the editing process usually occurs a day or two before the deadline. In the previous stages of the writing process, you were asked to turn off the grammar, spelling and punctuation critic. The editing stage is the place where you turn that critic on. And it is also the place were you should turn off the ideas generator—the critic in your head that focuses on the ‘what’ and ‘how.’ This means that no more work should be done on what you’re trying to say and almost no work on how you’re trying to say it. In the editing stage, we shift our attention to sentence structure, checking spelling, punctuation, subject-verb agreement, and other features of usage. We also focus on checking our MLA formatting and citation.
TIP: Before you begin editing, it’s helpful to print out a paper copy of your work. This is an excellent way to keep yourself from working on what you’re trying to say.
Steps in the Editing Process
There are four steps in the editing process. You should try to complete all four steps to ensure you’ve thoroughly edited your work. It’s helpful to focus on one area at a time as you edit. For example, you might want to read your writing once focusing solely on spelling. Then read it again focusing solely on grammar and punctuation. If you have teacher feedback from previous assignments, you should look through that feedback and identify common mistakes you make. Then read through and edit your writing focusing solely on these mistakes. The last area you should address is MLA citation and formatting. Here is a list of areas you can focus on—one at a time.
Areas of Focus (one at a time)
- Grammar, Punctuation, Spelling
- Teacher Feedback from Previous Work
- MLA Citation & Formatting
Here are some strategies you can use to help you during the editing stage of the writing process:
1. Read it Aloud. Print a copy of your writing and read it aloud to yourself or someone else like a writing center coach. Circle problems you encounter as you read. Don’t try to fix them as you read. Instead, fix them after you’ve finished reading it.
2. Read it Backwards. Read your writing backwards from end to beginning one sentence at a time. You may do this silently to yourself or aloud. We recommend doing it aloud. Start with the last sentence and continue reading one sentence at a time until you reach the beginning. This forces you to focus on the grammar and punctuation rather than the “what” and “how” you worked on during the drafting stage.
3. Have a Friend (or coach) Read it aloud. Print two copies of your writing. Ask a friend (or a writing center coach) to read it aloud. As they read, you should circle any problems you see or hear.
4. Copy Editing. Print a copy of your writing. Ask a friend (or a writing center coach) to read it and circle any problems they find.
Step Five: Publish
While most writers would agree that a piece of writing is never truly finished and can always be improved. Unfortunately, there are deadlines. Remember that you can always revise a piece of writing even after you’ve submitted it. The publishing stage for most students means turning something into the teacher for a grade. There are other ways, however, to publish a piece of writing for a class. Consider the following opportunities to share your work:
- Ask your teacher to conduct a writer’s workshop where participants share their writing with the class.
- Read your writing during an assembly like It’s Speaking Time at IST.
- Submit your writing to Writers’ INK. If you’re interested in strengthening your college application, this is an excellent way to do it.
If none of these options interest you, consider publishing your piece Online. Here are a few places you might want to consider:
- figment.com
- authonomy.com
- youngwriterssociety.com
- createspace.com
- ywp.nanowrimo.org
- tellingroom.org/get-published/places-publish
- fictionpress.net
- writerscafe.org
- fanstory.com
- blurb.com
Source: Learning In Strides, 2018 by Joe Schaaf