The Writing Process The Writing Process By: Ms. Debbie Earley Prewriting Drafting Revising Editing Publishing

Writing is viewed as a multistage process. However, it is misleading to think of these stages as occurring in a sequential and linear fashion. The stages are interactive and frequently occur simultaneously. The writing process consists of 5 steps, which are: 1. Prewriting / Brainstorming 2. Drafting 3. Revising 4. Proofreading / Editing 5. Publishing 5 Stages of The Writing Process

Prewriting or Brainstorming This is the most crucial stage in the writing process. Just as athletes need to warm up before a game or an athletic event, writers also need to warm up and get ready. Before you begin writing: W WThink about your topic, identify your audience, and a purpose for your writing. W WList words and ideas you might use. W WChoose the best ideas and data to use in your paper.

Before starting the process of prewriting you need to ask yourself some questions. Such as: WWWWWWWWhat should I write about? WIWIWIWIs my topic too broad? WWWWWWWWhat do I know about the topic? WWWWWWWWhere can I find more information? WWWWWWWWho is my audience? WWWWWWWWhat do I want them to know? Starting the Process

The idea of this stage is to get your ideas down without being concerned about spelling, punctuation, and grammar. Always remember: W Your first draft is NOT your finished product. Any piece of writing can be improved. W Revisions will take place during the next stage. W For now, sit back and let your creativity flow forth! Don't worry if you make errors. Have fun and be creative! The Drafting (Composing)

Remember your first draft is a rough draft. Make sure you always: WPut your ideas on paper by writing in pencil. WLeave a margin on both sides and skip a line between each line you write this way you can revise later on in the process. WGet reactions from others. Setting up your paper this way will make it easier to make changes to your draft. Drafting

Now you are ready to make your writing even better. Read your paper out loud in a one-foot voice and ask yourself these questions. W Does my piece say what I want it to say? W How can I make my writing clearer and more effective? W Should I add to, delete, or reorder my writing? W Does my writing make sense? W Will my readers understand my writing? W Am I pleased with my writing? W I have conferred with a number of my classmates. Revising: Still Working...

"Writing, like a potter's clay, only becomes a thing of usefulness or beauty through repeated smoothing and shaping" ~Walshe The purpose of revision is to clarify and shape the meaning and to organize the writing. It is at this stage that the author rethinks what has been written. Revision involves adding, substituting, deleting, and moving ideas and words around as writers rework and polish their pieces. Revising

Read your draft carefully! Look for errors in: W W Spelling W W Grammar usage W W Punctuation W W Capitalization W W Sentence errors Correct errors on your rough draft. You may need to proofread your copy more than once! Editing: Taking Another Look

During this stage use correct spelling, usage, and punctuation. A good writer always proofreads his or her work. I have proofread my work for errors in: WCapitalization WPunctuation WSpelling WParagraph Structure WGrammar WVocabulary WComplete Sentences Editing

This final stage of the writing process is called publishing. Finally, you choose a way to present your work to an audience. You may want to add pictures, read a book or read your work aloud. Publishing: Final Draft

"Half of the world is composed of people who have something to say and can't and the other half who have nothing to say and keep on saying it." ~Anonymous Publishing