Writing Process

= The WritingProcess = The writing process varies for each author. Whether writing as an English major, math major, college student, elementary student, or a professor there is a process that everyone follows while writing. Writing is an art. No matter how detailed or brief, each writer does at least a few steps before turning in a final copy.

Topic
Before starting to write, an author must understand the assignment, or the purpose for writing. Author’s purpose is a writer’s goal: to explore, to express oneself; to entertain; to demonstrate learning; to report; to persuade; and so on. Purpose is one element of the Rhetorical situation (Lunsford 714). When picking a topic it does not have to be specific. Over the course of research and prewriting strategies one will be able refine and narrow the purpose for writing into an exact topic. When the writing piece is an assignment the prompt must be carefully read and reread. This will be the writer’s guide through the writing process. The prompt serves as instructions to make sure all of the guidelines are being met (Loudon). Rhetorical situations must be kept in mind when writing any piece. Rhetorical situations are the circumstances that affect writing or other communications, including purpose, audience, genre, stance, media, design, and context (Lunsford 718). '' See Rhetorical Situations. ''

Generating Ideas
Before starting a piece, a writer must collect his or her ideas. When exploring ideas for writing it is very helpful to write or draw what the mind is thinking. Often times authors by doing quick activities to begin to get the mind thinking about the topic. Brainstorming is writing out a list of key words or phrases that are relevant to the topic. Clustering is writing one word on paper with a circle around it that helps summarize your topic. The rest of the page is filled by connecting related words or ideas to the original word and drawing a circle around them (Lunsford 26). It helps to use lines to connect the circles, so the writer can begin to see a relationship between ideas. Free writing is when an author writes whatever coming into his or her head without stopping for predetermined amount of time. Looping is an extension of free writing (Lunsford 26). Once an author completes a free writing session he or she will pick a phrase or sentence that best describes the topic from the work already written. The writer will then start a new free write starting with the sentence chosen. This process can continue once or until the author feels that he or she has generated enough ideas to start a draft. Drawing or sketching is sometimes useful for writers who are visual learners. It allows the writers to picture the topic. Questioning is also a useful technique for writers. The author thinks about the topic as a news story and asks questions such as: Who? What? When? Where? Why? How? This approach allows for questions about the whole piece to be answered before writing that part of the paper (Lunsford 24). No matter what prewriting strategy a writer uses he or she must remember to not limit him or herself and to write as freely and openly as possible. Keeping an open mind will allow for endless possibilities on what a writer can do with a given topic.

Drafting
After doing one of the activities above, see topic, a writer will begin a draft. Drafting is the process of putting words on paper or screen. Writers often write several drafts, revising each until they achieve their goal or reach a deadline. At that point, they submit a finished final draft (Lunsford 702). After writing a draft, the writer must closely read the piece. The author must look closely to review his or her purpose, thesis, and audience throughout the piece (Lunsford 27). The next step in drafting for authors is getting a response from others. In high school or college writing courses a peer review is often done during class. Revising is key to ever writer. Revision is the process of making substantive changes, including additions and cuts, to a draft so that it contains all the necessary information in an appropriate organization. During revision, a writer generally moves from whole-text issues to details with goals of sharpening the focus and strengthening the argument (Lunsford 718).

Editing
Once the piece is finished as a whole, the writer must edit and proofread. Editing is the process of fine-tuning a text by examining each word, phrase, sentence, and paragraph. It occurs to be sure that the text is correct and precise and says exactly what the writer intends (Lunsford 702). Proofreading is the final process of writing. It is when a writer checks for correct spelling and punctuation as well as for page order, missing copy, and consistent use of typefaces and face (Lunsford 714). When a writer feels the piece is done, the author is able to show his or her intended audience. Writing does not have to be difficult. Any person at any writing level can follow this writing process or make one that works for his or her writing style. Writing is an art, using the writing process can help any person become a writer.