Writing Process can help beat writer’s block
Develop a writing process to take the pain out of your
education. I’m talking about the steps you should
take, much like a cooking recipe, in order to write what ever you’ve been
assigned.
Writers use process learned from education to ensure repeat writing success
Educators typically break out writing processes into distinct steps. The
University of Purdue’s writing lab suggests breaking your process into the
following six steps:
• Invention. This is the writing phrase where you pick a topic by brainstorming.
I recommend picking a few (top 3) that you can take with you to your next step.
Stay with the topic you find the easiest to write about.
• Collection. This is the writing phrase where you research your topic and get
your sources. Books, magazines, newspapers, and the Internet are all good
sources for your writing. Use an online search engine like Google or you can
also find directories of articles where you can search on your topic.
• Organization. This is the writing phrase where you process your information
into a high level outline. You need an introduction, a body with three to five
points, and a conclusion.
• Drafting. This part of writing should now come pretty easy to you since you’ve
already worked out what you are going to write about and how.
• Revising. After you are done writing your paper, read through it to ensure you
have down on paper what you had in your head and in your notes. Does your paper
follow what you meant to write?
• Proofreading. Never turn in writing that hasn’t been proofed. Spell-checkers
can’t catch correctly spelled words that are incorrectly used.
If you need more help developing your process for writing, look into a
distance learning course. Educators
at colleges appreciate the need for a process in place and can help you get your
writing groove.
Pre-writing Sources
- magazines/newspapers/periodicals/CD-ROM
- conduct an interview based on your topic
- media ; radio, tv, internet
- experiences
- film ; movies and documentaries
- music
- visual art ; observing or creating
- dreams
- memories
- discussion and brainstorming
- responding to literature
- role playing
- research
- imagination
- personal interest inventories
- class interest inventory
- free writing
- journaling
- image streaming
- lists
- visualization
- brainstorming ; individually or as a group
- webbing/mapping/clustering
- graphic organizers
- topic or word chart
Here are some tips when you are ready to go from PREWRITING to WRITING
- Be selective in the ideas that you include. You don't have to include
everything that was in your prewriting! Pick your best ideas. Make sure they
relate to each other and your topic.
- WRITE! WRITE! WRITE! Don't stop once you start writing. Revising and editing
come later. Just let the ideas flow.
- Don't count words, look at content. When YOU feel that you have completed your
ideas, you are then ready to go to the next stage.
- HOLD IT! Before going to the next stage, make sure you have enough content to
work with. If you feel that you are lacking content, go back to your prewriting
for more ideas and details.
Revising is . . .
- making decisions about how you want to improve your writing
- looking at your writing from a different point of view
- picking places where your writing could be clearer, more interesting, more
informative and more convincing.
METHODS
A.R.R.R. - This method allows you to make four types of changes.
- Adding What else does the reader need to know?
- Rearranging Is the information in the most logical and most effective order?
- Removing What extra details or unnecessary bits of information are in this
piece of writing?
- Replacing What words or details could be replaced by clearer or stronger
expressions?
WHAT IS EDITING?
Editing is . . .
- spelling
- capitalization
- punctuation
- grammar
- sentence structure
- subject/verb agreement
- consistent verb tense
- word usage
METHODS
Self Edit
- Read your own work backwards.
- Read the last sentence, then the second last sentence, etc.
- Does each sentence make sense when you read it on it's own?
- Do you see or hear any errors in the sentence?
Editing services from the best in the business. Order Now!
Related Article(s)
see also
writing paper
|
