The Writing Process I

Venjie Oclaret

Getting StartedHabits That Will Result in

a Poor Paper

• Procrastinating• One-draft writing• Massive self-criticism• Thesaurus abuse• Marriage to first draft

Habits That Will Result in a Successful Paper

• Prewriting• Developing• Revising• Tweaking• Writing Center• Conferencing

Habits That Guarantee Failure

• No Process• No Paper• Plagiarism

Questions for Discussion

• What steps would you need to go through to create something like those ceramic jars from a lump of clay?

• How do you think this is similar to writing an essay?

The Writing Process

Prewriting

Drafting

Editing

Polishing

Revising

Reflec

ting

Prewriting: Session I

Getting Ideas

• Writer’s Notebook or Journal– Strategies:

1. In a given situation (or from memory), make notes about sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and textures.

2. React to what you read.3. Record information that you find.4. Record your significant viewing and

listening experiences.

Could you share other strategies?

5. Record an interesting conversation, occurrence, or situation that you witness.

6. Save articles, pictures, and cartoons on subjects that interest you or say something that you agree or disagree with.

7. As you remember details from your past, record them.

8. Note problems and issues that concern you.

Prewriting Techniques

• Brainstorming • Discussing• Freewriting• Looping

• Listing• Outlining• Charting• Mapping

How do you organize your ideas when you are preparing to write?

Brainstorming

• “Brainstorming” means thinking of as many ideas as possible in a short amount of time.

• Write down your ideas so that you don’t forget them.

• Write down everything that comes to your mind; don’t worry about sorting out “good” and “bad” ideas.

• Don’t worry about spelling or grammar.

• Rapid free association & listing

of ideas about a topic.

• The basic rule: write down all

ideas that come to mind in

single words or short phrases;

omit nothing.

• After initial brainstorming, analyze

the list by doing the following kinds

of things:

– Put asterisks, stars, etc. Next to the

most promising items;

–Number key items in order of

importance.

•Analyze brainstorming by:

–Group related items;

–Cross out unpromising items;

–Add new items.

Example of BrainstormingTopic: What would you do if you won

100 million pesos in a lottery?

• Travel—Europe, Asia, S. America• Pay off our house• Share—give a scholarship, donate to

charities• Buy a lot of books!• Invest/save and let the interest grow• Finish my graduate studies!

Topic for Practice

• Take 5 minutes to brainstorm ideas about the following question:

–What are some of the most memorable experiences of your high school life?

Discussing

• “Discussing” is similar to brainstorming, but you do it with a partner or group.• Assign one person to write down the

ideas.• Write down everything that group

members say related to the topic; don’t worry about sorting out “good” and “bad” ideas. • Don’t worry about spelling or

grammar.

Topic for Practice

• Take 5 minutes to discuss the following question with a partner or group:–What do you think are the most important events in a person’s life? (starting school, getting married, etc.) Why are they important?

Freewriting

• “Freewriting” is like pouring all of your thoughts onto paper.

• Don’t take your pen off the page; keep writing for the entire time.

• If you don’t know what to write, write “I don’t know what to write” until you do.

• Don’t try to sort “good” and “bad” ideas.

• Don’t worry about spelling and grammar.

Example of Freewriting

Topic: Describe the most beautiful place you’ve seen.

I remember climbing to the top of Mt. Pulag last summer; the leaves were on fire, like an ocean of gold red leaving me breathless with its depth. Stretching out for miles and miles it was all I could see and suddenly the grime and sorrow of the scenery was drowned with beauty, God’s beauty, God’s love for everyone, his artistic touch meant just for me at this moment.

Topic for Practice

• Freewrite for 5 minutes on the following topic:

–What makes a friend a ‘true friend’?

Looping

• “Looping” begins with “freewriting.” It can help you narrow a topic.

• Choose the best idea, word, or phrase from what you wrote; underline or circle it.

• Take that idea and begin freewriting again.• Repeat the process at least one more time.

• Follow all the rules for freewriting.

Example of Looping

Topic: Describe the most beautiful place you’ve seen.

I remember climbing to the top of Mt. Pulag last summer; the leaves were on fire, like an ocean of gold red leaving me breathless with its depth. Stretching out for miles and miles it was all I could see and suddenly the grime and sorrow of the scenery was drowned with beauty, God’s beauty, God’s love for everyone, his artistic touch meant just for me at this moment.

Prewriting: Session II

Questions for Discussion

• Think about the prewriting techniques we discussed earlier (brainstorming, discussing, freewriting, and looping).

• Which of these techniques was easiest for you?

• Which was the best for organizing your ideas?

Listing

• “Listing” is similar to “brainstorming.” The idea is to write down as many things as possible.• Use single words or phrases, not

sentences.• Listing works well for descriptive-

type writing.• Don’t worry about spelling or sorting

out “good” and “bad” ideas.

Example List

Topic: Describe your dream house.• Have a view of the mountains• Near a lake• Flood of sunlight everywhere in the

house• A cabin where to put up my study• Beds made of straw• Glass doors

Topic for Practice

• Take 5 minutes to practice listing in response to the following topic:

–Describe your ideal spouse. ^^ haha

Outlining

• “Outlining” is a more organized form of pre-writing than the others we discussed.

• It can be used after you have generated ideas through brainstorming, free writing, or other pre-writing techniques.

• It works well for structured types of writing such as essays.

• You can use complete sentences, but you don’t have to.

Example Outline

I. Introduction: Internet “dating” has advantages and disadvantages.

II. Advantagesa) meet people around the worldb) not based on appearance

III. Disadvantagesa) can you trust them?b) may be too far away to meet in person

IV. Conclusion: Some success stories, but too risky

Topics for Practice

• Spend about 5 minutes creating an outline based on the following topic:–Do you agree with the No

Electronic/CP policy in PIQC? What are its advantages and disadvantages?

Charting

• Sometimes you will want to organize your ideas for writing in a chart.

• Charting works very well for comparison/ contrast writing or examining advantages and disadvantages.

• You can use many different kinds of charts, depending on your topic and the kind of writing you are doing.

Example Chart

Living with Family

Living with Roommates

Advantages May not pay rent Meals Different ages

More independence Social interaction

Disadvantages Less independence Rules

Rent Cooking/Shopping Noise

Topics for Practice

• Spend about 5 minutes creating a chart based on the following topic:

–Friends with similar personalities vs. Friends with varied personalities

Venn Diagram

•A Venn diagram is used to help visualize the similarities and differences between two subjects.•Venn diagrams are very useful when brainstorming a compare/contrast essay

Venn Diagram• Start with the two topics you’re

comparing in overlapping circles.

friendsfamily

• Write similarities in the overlapping space.

friendsfamily

•Write differences in the non-overlapping space.

friendsfamily

Topics for Practice

• Draw a Venn diagram to organize your ideas about the following topic:

–Chinese subjects vs. English subjects

Mapping

• “Mapping,” sometimes called “semantic/ idea mapping” or “webbing,” is another way to organize your ideas.

• Start with your topic in the center, and branch out from there with related ideas.

• Use words and phrases, not complete sentences.

• Start with a bubble in the center of the page, then write your thesis statement in the bubble

Mrs. J is the best teacher ever

• Add supporting evidence or information around the edges in connected bubbles.

Mrs. J is the best teacher ever

Funny

Gives easy work

Awesome musician

Cool room

• Go back around and explain why your evidence makes your thesis true.

Mrs. J is the best teacher

ever

Funny

Gives easy work

Awesome musician

Cool room

Makes class interesting

Weird voices help me remember

Want to pay attention

Makes up songs about school; easy to

remember

Lots of informationHigh avg.

Can focus on material

Want to go to class

Example Map

My future

family

Raise healthy, happy children

Stay close to my spouse

Make them a priority

education

work

Eventually get a PhD

Never stop learning

Instill a love of education in my children

Learn to love whatever work I am doing

Use the skills I have learned in as many ways as possible

Stay at home while raising children

Topics for Practice

• Draw a map to organize your ideas about the following topic:

–How do you see your self 20 years from now?

Credits

• Buck, T. A. (2002). The writing process: An overview [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from Brigham Young University Web site: elcwebtest.byu.edu/classes/buck/w_garden/ppt/process.ppt

• Elbow, P. (1998) Writing without teachers 2nd ed. USA: OUP.• Blau, S., & Elbow, P. (1992). The writer’s craft: Idea to expression. New

York: McDougal-Litell.