The Confident Writer
Chapter 1:
Becoming a Confident Writer
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Adjust your frame of mind.
Schedule time for writing.
Motivate yourself.
Develop your powers of observation.
Read.
Get wired.
How to Be a Confident Writer

Reading & Writing
◦ Operate on two levels
 Literal level: words and what they say
 Critical level: words and what they suggest

Essay
◦ A relatively short piece of writing that may
serve one or more purposes:
 Inform, entertain, persuade, or express an idea,
feeling, or impression
The Reading & Writing Connection

To Read an Essay
◦ Build background before reading
◦ Read actively
◦ Review after reading
Reading enables us to explore ideas and
develop our writing topics.
 The more good writing we read, the better
our own writing becomes!

The Reading & Writing Connection

All of the following are important with
writing and reading
:
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Topic
Purpose
Audience
Thesis (or central idea)
Evidence
Organizational Pattern
Meaning
Writing an Essay: The Basics
Intro
• Builds a reader’s
interest, clarifies
writer’s purpose, &
provides
background info of
topic
Thesis
Statement
• A sentence that
states the writer’s
opinion of the topic
Support
Conclusion
• Evidence (main
ideas & specific
details) is
presented to
support & explain
thesis
• Provokes a
response from
readers
Direction of Development
Who will be your audience?
Consider: age, roles, knowledge, assumptions, interests, values, & culture
What will be your purpose?
Determined why you want to write & what you want your audience to know
What will be your thesis?
What point are you making about your topic? A good thesis controls your
selection of evidence.
What evidence will support your thesis?
Can include: facts, reasons, examples, opinions, and details
How will you organize your evidence?
In analysis, you present all sides of your argument and use an organizational
pattern to present info.
Make Good Choices for Writing
• Readiness
stage
• Use prewriting
strategies
Drafting &
Organizing
• Exploratory
Stage
• Write a first
draft
• Revision stage
• Improve your
essay
Prewriting
Take Control of the Writing
Process
Rewriting
Be a critical thinker!
Be a creative thinker!
•Critical thinking is unhurried, deep
thinking.
•Critical thinking is logical, analytical,
purposeful, active, and self-reflective
thinking.
•Creative thinking is nonlinear and
inventive.
•“Think outside the box.”
Find Your Voice
Be a critical thinker!
Be a creative thinker!
• Find a purpose for writing.
• Define your audience.
• Write an outline.
• Choose an organizational pattern.
• Analyze your topic.
• Choose a topic that challenges you.
• Question your assumptions.
• Write an engaging intro.
• Imagine yourself as part of the audience.
• Select words to create vivid images.
• Take intellectual risks.
Find Your Voice