Chapter 2: The Writing Process
I)
Introduction:
a. For many people, writing is a process that involves the following steps:
i. Discovering a point—often through prewriting.
ii. Developing solid support for the point—often through more
prewriting.
iii. Organizing the supporting material and writing it out in a first
draft.
iv. Revising and then editing carefully to ensure an effective, errorfree paper.
1. As we continue through the text, we’ll understand that there
are four clear-cut goals to aim for in your writing—unity,
support, organization, and error-free sentences. (Pg. 16)
II)
Prewriting:
a. Technique 1 – Freewriting:
i. In freewriting, you write on your topic for ten minutes. You do not
worry about spelling or punctuating correctly, about erasing
mistakes, about organizing material, or about finding exact words.
ii. You just write without stopping. If you get stuck for words, you
write “I am looking for something to say” or repeat words until
you think of something.
iii. Freewriting will limber up your writing muscles and make you
familiar with the act of writing. It is a way to break through mental
blocks about writing. (Pg. 17)
b. Technique 2 – Questioning:
i. In questioning, you generate ideas and details by asking as many
questions as you can think about your subject. Such questions
include Why? When? Where? Who? How? In what way?
ii. Asking questions can be an effective way of getting yourself to
think about a topic from different angles.
iii. The questions can help you generate details about a topic and get
ideas on how to organize those details. (Pg. 19)
c. Technique 3 – Making a List:
i. In making a list, also know as brainstorming, you create a list of
ideas and details that relate to your subject.
ii. Pile these items up, one after another, without trying to sort out
major details from minor ones, or trying to put the details in any
special order, or even trying to spell words correctly. (Pg. 20)
d. Technique 4 – Clustering:
i. Also known as diagramming or mapping, it is another strategy that
can be used to generate material for a paragraph. In clustering, you
use lines, boxes, arrows, and circles to show relationships among
the ideas and details that occur to you.
1. This method is helpful for people who like to think in a
visual way.
III)
Writing a Topic Sentence/Scratch Outline:
a. As with any other aspect of writing, however, a working topic sentence
can and often should be revised for clarity and exactness.
i. See more in Chapter 3.
b. Once you have composed a topic sentence, you should prepare a scratch
outline, which can be the single more helpful technique for writing a good
paragraph.
i. Though a scratch outline usually comes after you have written a
working topic sentence, it may even emerge as you complete your
freewriting, questioning, or other type of prewriting activity.
c. In a scratch outline, you think carefully about the point you are making,
the supporting items, and the order you will arrange those items in.
d. Tip: Chances are that if you do enough prewriting and thinking on paper,
you will eventually discover the point and support of your paragraph.
IV)
Writing a First Draft:
a. Make sure that each item you outline supports and develops the main point
in your working topic sentence.
b. New details and ideas may pop into your mind as you write. That’s only
natural.
i. Just add the new information to your draft. Remember that writing
is a process: You discover more and more about what you want to
say as you work.
c. Tip: You will benefit if you can allow some time between finishing and
starting to revise. (Pg. 26)
V)
Revising:
a. One starts to become a writer when he or she realizes that revising a rough
draft three or four times is often at the heart of the writing process.
i. 1st: Set your first draft aside for a while.
ii. 2: Work from typed or printed text, preferably double-spaced, so
you’ll have room to handwrite changes later.
iii. 3rd: Read your draft aloud. Hearing how your writing sounds will
help you pick up problems with meaning as well as with style.
iv. 4th: As you do all these things, writing additional thoughts and
changes above the lines or in the margins of your paragraph. (Pg.
27)
b. There are two stages to the revision process:
i. Revising Content:
1. Is my paragraph unified?
a. Do I have a main idea that is clearly stated at the
beginning of my paragraph?
b. Do all my supporting points truly support and back
up my main idea?
2. Is my paragraph supported?
a. Are there separate supporting points for the main
idea?
b. Do I have specific evidence for each supporting
point?
c. Is there plenty of specific evidence for the
supporting points?
3. Is my paragraph organized?
a. Do I have a clear method of organizing my paper?
b. Do I use transitions and other connecting words?
ii. Revising Sentences:
1. Do I use parallelisms to balance my words and ideas?
2. Do I have a consistent point of view?
3. Do I use specific words?
4. Do I use active verbs?
5. Do I use words effectively by avoiding slang, clichés,
pretentious language, and wordiness?
6. Do I vary my sentences in length and structure?
iii. Revising: Student Example on pg. 28
VI)
Editing:
a. The last major step in the writing process is editing—checking a
paragraph for mistakes in grammar, punctuation, usage, and spelling.