1. Prewriting Strategies
Professor Danielsen

2. Reading: Shitty First Drafts (Anne Lamott)
In groups of 5, please discuss the following:
What are Lamott’s views on first drafts? What does she call them?
What are her views on second drafts? What does she call them?
From what Lamott has to say, is writing a first draft more about the product or the process? Do you agree in regard to your own first drafts? Explain.

5. What do you do when you can’t think of something to write?
Warm Up Question:
On a piece of paper or in a notebook, take a few minutes to write a response to the following question:
What do you do when you can’t think of something to write?

6. Prewriting: Step 1 of the Writing Process
Why do we prewrite?
To get out ideas (even if they are bad or good)
To organize our ideas (sequentially or otherwise)
To refine our ideas

7. Important Tips for Prewriting:
In the prewriting phase,
do not worry about:
spelling or grammar
making mistakes
using sophisticated vocabulary
having good or perfect ideas right away
having the perfect outline

8. Generating Ideas and Text
Freewriting
Looping
Listing
Clustering
Questioning
Outlining
Cubing
Keeping a Journal

9. Strategies for Prewriting
Freewriting
Write as quickly as possible without stopping (this includes nonsense thoughts)
Looping
Write for 5-10 minutes on everything you know, then stop and write a summary sentence of that text. For the next loop, use the summary sentence as your thesis or focus.
Listing
Write a list of potential ideas

10. Strategies for Prewriting
Clustering
Write topic in the middle, branch out with supporting ideas.
Questioning
Who? What? Where? When? How? Why?
Cubing
Describe, Compare, Classify, Analyze, Apply, Argue.

11. Strategies for Prewriting
Outlining
Informal Outline: keywords, macro structure of essay
Formal outline: Numbers, Letters, hierarchy of importance
Keeping a Journal
Carry around a notebook for any ideas that may inspire you, or write about your daily life.

12. ACTIVITY:
Take 10 – 15 minutes and pick two techniques from the prewriting list and start working on ideas for the following prompt:
Freewriting
Looping
Listing
Clustering
Questioning
Outlining
Cubing
Keeping a Journal
Prompt: If you won the Powerball Lottery, how would you spend the money and why?