2. Writing Process
Fundamental Writing Skills
Instructor: Hsin-Hsin Cindy Lee, Ph.D.
What is a writing process?
 Every writer goes through some kind
of ‘journey’ when they write.
 The final ‘perfect’ work of your writing
is the destination of this journey.
 To reach the destination, the journey
often involves several steps.
 Different techniques are needed on
each step.
Why do you need a writing process?
 It can help you to organize your
thoughts.
 It can help you to avoid frustration
and waste of time.
 It can help you to use time
productively and efficiently.
 It can ensure the quality of your final
work.
The Writing Process
Prewriting
Planning
Drafting
Revising
Editing
(1)Prewriting
 Certain strategies commonly groups
under the heading ‘prewriting’ can
help you get started and develop your
ideas.
 Although you may not need all of
them in all writing assignments,
learning how to use them gives you a
box of tools to select the best tools
for a writing job.
Prewriting Strategies


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Free writing
Brainstorming
Clustering
Researching
Free Writing
 In freewriting, you write without
stopping, letting your ideas tumble
forth.
 You do not concern yourself with the
fundamentals of writing, such as
punctuation and spelling.
 Freewriting is an adventure into your
memory and imagination.
 The key is ‘non-stopping’ writing.
Brainstorming
 Brainstorming features key words and
phrases that relate in various ways to
the subject area or the specific topic
you are concerned.
 One effective to get started is to ask
the big-six questions:
 Who? What? Where?
 When? Why? How?
 The key word for brainstorming is
‘listing’.
Clustering
 Write your topic down in the middle of
the page and draw a double circle
around it.
 What do you ‘associate’ with the topic?
 Single-bubble other ideas based on
your association radiating out from the
hub that contains the topic.
Cluster-Example
 Clustering is related to ‘mindmapping’.
 Please get to the website below to
learn more information about mindmapping’.
 http://members.optusnet.com.au/~c
harles57/Creative/Mindmap/
Researching
 Gather ideas from references.
 Find references on the Internet, in the
bookstore, in the library…
 Locate and evaluate research
materials.
 Conducting interviews.
 Ask people’s opinions.
 Do you agree with them? Why? Why not?
(2) Planning – Writing an outline
 An outline is a pattern for showing
the relationship of ideas.
 The two main outline forms are:
 sentence outline
 topic outline
 The topic outline (each entry is a key
word or phrase) is commonly used for
paragraphs.
Planning - Example
Outline for an essay
Outline for a short article
I.
Topic sentence
I.
Major support 1
Introduction
A. Grab attention
B. State thesis
II. Body
A. Build points
B. Develop ideas
C. Support main claim
III. Conclusion
A. Reemphasize main
idea
A.
B.
II.
Minor support
Minor support
1.
2.
Details or examples
Details or examples
Major support 2
A.
B.
Minor support
Minor support
1.
2.
Details or examples
Details or examples
(3) Drafting –
Writing your first draft
 Once you have completed your topic
sentence and outline, you may begin
writing your paragraph.
 The initial writing is called the first, or
rough, draft.
 At this stage, you pay close attention to
your outline and compose your ideas based
on it.
 At this stage, you make sure that the basic
organization of your draft works well.
(4) Revising
 The first draft suggests there will be
many more drafts or revisions.
 What we do beyond the first draft is
revising and editing.
 We make efforts to our composition
to ensure a quality and satisfying
result.
(4) Check List for Revising (CLUESS)

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Coherence
 Did you use appropriate transitional words?
 e.g. “first, second, third…” to indicate ‘time’ order
Language
 Did you avoid using cliché?
Unity
 Did you begin with a good topic sentence?
Emphasis
Did you stress the important ideas by position, repetition or
isolation?
Support
 Did you give relevant and logical examples, reasons, details to
support your main and supporting ideas?
Sentences
 Were your sentences complete?
 Did you use different types of sentence?



(5) Editing – (COPS)
 The final stage of the writing process
involves a careful examination of your
work.
 You look for the following problems:




Capitalization
Omissions
Punctuation
Spelling
 Revising and Editing may happen at
the same time!
Writing Process Worksheet
 For each paper, please complete the
Writing Process Worksheet.
 You may copy the next page in your
own paper.
 Submit the worksheet with your
assignment.
Writing Process Worksheet
Title:
Due Date:
Name:
Student No.:
Assignment: In the space below, write whatever you need to know about your
assignment, including information about the topic, audience, pattern of writing,
length and whether to include a rough draft or revised drafts.
Stage One: Explore – Free writing, brainstorm, cluster, or take notes as directed
by your instructor. Use separate paper if you need more space.
Stage Two: Organize – Write a topic sentence or thesis; label the subject and
treatment parts.
Write an outline or a structured list.
Stage Three: Write – On separate paper, write an then revise your paragraph or
essay as many time4s as necessary for coherence, language, unity, emphasis,
support, and sentences (CLUESS). Read your work aloud to hear and correct
any grammatical errors or awkward-sound sentences.
Edit any problems in fundamentals, such as capitalization, omissions,
punctuation, and spelling (COPS).
-End-
Reference: At a Glance by Lee Brandon