The Writing Process
THE UNIVERSITY WRITING CENTER
AT T H E
U N I V E R S I T Y O F A L A B A M A AT B I R M I N G H A M
Overview of the Writing Process
 Pre-writing strategies
 General strategies
 Using requirements as a guide
 Solidifying the plan for the paper
 Writing the paper
 Keeping your focus
 Adjusting your plan
 Revision and finishing strategies
 Reading for content
 Editing techniques
What is the writing process?
 The writing process covers the generation of the
entire paper.
 The main parts of the process are:
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Pre-writing
Writing
Post-writing
 The process is highly customizable, but the general
logic of the process always applies.
Pre-writing
T H E P L A N N I N G S TA G E
Pre-writing: General Strategies
 Purpose
Understand why you are writing. Are you informing,
describing, advocating, observing, or proposing? Some other
purpose?
 Audience
For whom are you writing? Understand the expectations of
your audience and any format or research requirements
necessary.
 Organization
Prepare a flexible writing/researching schedule and decide
upon the organizational method that will work best for the
project.
Pre-writing: Purpose and Audience
 Your reason
 Why are you writing? Why is this topic important?
 What are you trying to accomplish? What requirements do
you need to meet?
 Find a starting point for your research.
 Your audience
 Understand your audience’s expectations.
 Consider what your audience already knows, and what your it
will need to know in order to understand your paper’s content.
Pre-writing: Brainstorming
 Idea and topic generation
 Generate ideas and start to think about addressing the
requirements, purpose, and audience.
 Topic can often be dictated by an assignment, but many times
the writer has freedom to pick a specific angle or subtopic to
expand upon.
Pre-writing: Brainstorming
Brainstorming outside of pre-writing
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Sometimes, an unfamiliarity with the subject means that
picking the topic takes place during the research process.
During the actual writing stage or when reviewing the paper,
the writer may find a logical hole or misstep, or might find that
a subtopic or point requires more support.
Pre-writing: Brainstorming
 Many methods for many minds
 Jotting down ideas
 An outline
 Diagrams of order
 Topics and things of interest within the subject
 Talking about the subject or topic
Pre-writing: Organization
 Planning
 Create a tentative schedule. Include time for stages of
generation, research, organization of materials, actual writing,
and revision.
 Research Stages
 If specific topic is undecided or unknown, survey the general
subject.
 Try to formulate a plan when researching, and understand that
information desired is not necessarily information available.
Be able to adjust.
 Pick sources that fit the topic—or modify the topic to fit chosen
research. Be cohesive.
Pre-writing: Organization
 Keep research organized.
 Note and/or bibliography cards
 Sticky notes
 Traditional notes
 Annotated outline
 Coding
 Using section headers as organizational aids
 Tracking sources early assists in later stages of
writing, when creating accurate in-text citations and
the bibliography.
Pre-writing: Thesis
 Thesis: The main idea of the written work stated in a
declarative sentence.
 When is the thesis written?
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Traditionally, writers are taught to generate a thesis in the
pre-writing stage.
Some writers find it helpful to start with a tentative thesis.
They then modify that thesis to match what they have written.
As long as the paper has a single cohesive point, this method
is perfectly acceptable.
Using Requirements as a Guide
 In pre-writing, make sure your plan and topic match
and fulfill the given requirements.
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Make a check list, and keep it handy throughout the
formulation of the paper.
If organizing by research, notate what information fulfills
requirements.
Consider section headers that specifically cover requirements
(i.e. “Rational,” “Research Design,” “Literature Review”) for
organizational purposes. Headers may be omitted or left in
the final paper, depending on formatting guidelines or
requirements.
Pre-writing: Solidify the Plan
 Before leaving the pre-writing stage, the writer
should have:
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A focus: thesis or tentative thesis
A logical flow of information
Research foreseeably complete
Sources organized
 Time spent planning and organizing often
dramatically reduces the time spent actually writing,
minimizes structural revision, and avoids mid-paper
research crises.
Writing the Paper
G E T T I N G S TA R T E D , S TAY I N G O N T R A C K , A N D
KNOWING WHEN TO ADJUST
Starting to Write
 Establish that the paper is worth reading.
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Why does the topic matter?
What is the paper about? What is the thesis and how will it be
supported?
Why is the thesis/focus of the paper relevant and important enough
to spend time discussing?
What is the context of the paper’s focus?
Literary review
 Field situation
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 Some writers outline these points and revise after the
body of the paper is complete.
 It is better to start writing and revise a subpar
introduction than to procrastinate.
Keep Focused
 Follow the plan. But . . .
 Do not be afraid to delete, reword, or adjust.
 Keep a “scratch” file if necessary so that writing is not lost
during rewriting or deleting work
 If something does not add to the paper’s point, then it distracts
from the point.
 Never have the reader wonder why a topic is being covered.
Clarify logical connections and demonstrate importance to the
topic.
Changing Focus?
Some writers think through their topic as they write.
In these cases, sometimes a writer finds a consistent
deviation from the initial writing plan.
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This requires the writer to “go back” and revise throughout the
paper to make sure that the new or developed focus is
consistent.
Often, the introduction and transition elements of the paper will
require the most revision.
These revisions can take place during the writing process,
during the finishing process, or both.
Writing
 When writing, try to complete a set amount of work
per writing session.
 Periodically refer back to the paper’s requirements.
 Consider using headers for organization, even if the
headers will be deleted in the final product.
 Make sure all sources are given due credit. It should
be clear what thought or material does not originate
from the writer.
Between Writing and Revising
 The line between revising and writing can be blurred
for some writers.
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Some writers prefer to finish all writing before beginning the
revision process.
Others prefer to revise and edit as they write.
 At some point, however, the writing is “done.” This
does not mean that the paper is actually complete.
Post-writing
REVISION, EDITING, AND POLISHING
Revision: Logic
 Have a reason for everything.
 Of the whole paper’s logical flow
 Of each paragraph’s topic and cohesion
 Of every sentence’s necessity
 Of every word choice and inclusion
Revision: Content
 Try to be objective and look at the paper as a
first-time reader.
 The writer must examine the paper and constantly
ask, “Why is this here?”
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If the answer is not obvious or not demonstrated, then make
the connection clear.
If the reason is tenuous, delete.
 Eliminate redundancies.
Editing
 Clarity and proper grammar allow the reader to focus
on the content of what is said instead of how it is
stated.
 Be concise in word choice.
Editing
 Know your weaknesses. Search for them within the
paper.
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Grammatical issues such as: Comma usage, word choice,
word repetition, redundancy, subject/verb agreement,
pronoun/antecedent usage, etc.
Take breaks. Tired writers may find themselves skimming
instead of closely examining the paper.
 Even when you consider yourself “done,” edit once
more.
Editing Tips
 Read the paper aloud, exactly as it is written.
 Mimics the “first look” aspect that a reader will experience.
 Separates what the writer thinks the paper says from what is
actually written.
 Allows for many writers to listen for word order, awkwardness,
and comma errors.
 Read the paper backwards, sentence by sentence,
to isolate grammar from its contextual meaning.
 Print the paper, and edit the printout.
 Edit in stages to avoid fatigue.
Customization of the Writing Process
 The process is intended to provide planning and
divide the whole writing task into manageable
sections.
 Every person thinks differently. Similarly, every
person will find the writing process different.
Review
 Pre-writing
 Have a focus.
 Have support for the focus.
 Prepare research necessary for that support.
 Be sure the focus, supporting points, and research fits any and
all requirements
 Be ready so that when actual writing begins, all information is
prepared to minimize time spent writing
Review
 Writing
 Use the plan developed in pre-writing.
 If modifying the plan, be sure to continue to fulfill necessary
requirements.
 Make or note all sources when they are used to avoid later
confusion.
 Post-writing
 Check the logic of the paper.
 Be sure everything stated is necessary, and everything
necessary is stated.
 Edit closely.