Step 1: Prewriting (Brain Drain) In this step you gather your ideas. You must first determine your T.A.P. (topic, audience, and purpose/tone/voice). Then you must apply at least 2 prewriting techniques. One technique should be an idea generator and the other should be an organizer. Prewriting techniques that generate ideas are: brainstorming, listing, freewriting, 5 W’s & How ?s, sensory detail questions, Writer’s Journal, etc. Prewriting techniques that organize are: outlining, webbing, clustering, charting, categorizing, classifying, grouping, 4 , etc. Step 2: Drafting (Sloppy Copy) This step of the writing process requires that you put your organized ideas into a standard written form. This is an imperfect copy and will be re-visited often. Your rough drafts demonstrate whether you have enough information and if you have it organized properly. Step 3: Editing and proofreading (Wise Eyes) In this step of the writing process, your mission is to find any errors that are present in your draft. Your first job is to carefully read your draft and find your own errors. You then will correct (revise) the errors that you found. Then have another set of “fresh eyes” proofread your work and check for errors. Step 4: Revising (Goof Proof) Steps 3 & 4 are interchangeable and you will go back and forth between them quite frequently. In the revising step, you are to correct the errors that were found in Step 3. You will also revisit the drafting stage as needed as well. Step 5: Publishing (Neat Sheet) Step 5 produces the final copy for sharing with its intended audience. It should be error-free, neat, and complete.
