The Writing Process

Life teaches us a lot of things which we can write about. We are fortunate to be blessed with memories,
ideas, emotions, questions and experiences. Every writer must always consider the situation. Writing critically
and thoughtfully shapes the ideas that one wishes to express. This process gives form to our ideas and enables
us to communicate them to others. The following model shows the four components that must be considered in
every writing activity.
Purpose – all kinds of writing require specific goals. This is the crucial part where you have to maintain a clear
and specific objective, regardless of the piece/type of writing you are working on.
Audience – writing is effective only when the readers receive and understand what the writer intends to send.
Subject – when you write, you subject is about someone or something. Sometimes, you write about
yourself: your own interests, feelings, experiences, values and others. Your subject must be well-
developed and explained to inform and communicate your views to your audience effectively.
Writer – your identity or personality as a writer is revealed by your words, tone, approaches and attitudes in
writing. Your characteristics as a writer will influence not only what is written but also your intended readers.
Drafting and the Writing Task Despite the many different writing methods, the basic steps in the writing process
remain constant:
1. Generating ideas/finding a topic
2. Stating the main idea or thesis/finding your topic
3. Organizing ideas
4. Drafting/writing the draft
5. Proofreading, editing and revising
Writing starts with identifying your topic or subject. At this stage of generating ideas, a number of
strategies are useful, such as brainstorming, clustering and free-writing to stimulate your creative thinking.
The following may help you generate ideas:
1. Brainstorming is exploring your mind with ideas and all you have to do is write whatever comes into your
mind.
Steps in brainstorming
a. Write your topic at the top of a piece of paper.
b. Jot down words and ideas as they come to you.
Sample Topic:
Getting a Bachelor’s Degree
Set my goals Don’t procrastinate
Put education before social life Do and submit all school requirements
Have determination and patience Don’t be frustrated with school assignments
Be motivated Self-discipline
Improve study skills Attend classes o
Be focused

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What’s In
Use brainstorming to explore ONE of the following topics.
1. The biggest challenge in life that I must confront…
2. Effects of the global economic crisis…
3. English proficiency is important because …

Generating Ideas 2.

Clustering – is similar to brainstorming and involves putting them in circles. Generate and
connect other ideas from the original topic. Use arrows to make the connections.
Steps in clustering
1. Write your topic or key idea in the middle of the paper and circle it.
2. Concentrate on the idea in the circle. Around it, write other ideas that come to your mind.
3. Circle each of those ideas and connect them with the main idea.
4. Concentrate on each new idea you have written and see what other ideas emerge.
Write these ideas, circle them and connect them with an arrow to the circles they relate to

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Stating the Main Idea
The thesis statement or topic sentence states the topic and the controlling idea. Notice that the thesis
statement includes all of the sentences in the supporting sentences. This is called the essay map.
However, some writers still indicate the ideas to be discussed in the body of the essay to give their readers a
clear preview of what to expect in the body of the essay.
Example: Thesis Statement: Elections can be very disappointing because cheating and vote-buying are
rampant; the electoral process is a big hassle; and the candidates who are popular lack the competencies to lead
the country.
Supporting Ideas:
A. Vote-buying activities make this democratic process rather disappointing.
B. The complex electoral process discourages the voters to exercise their right to vote.
C. The candidates who have the high probability of winning barely possess the minimum qualifications
of competent public servants
Proofreading is identifying errors in your paper while editing is correcting these errors. The first draft is
just a starting point. Some writers need multiple drafts to increase the levels of effectiveness; others can
get things done in good shape quickly. Revise your drafts as clearly as possible. Check the spelling,
punctuations, sentence forms, paragraph divisions, transitions, etc.
If you decide to revise your own work, consider the following questions which could help you as you
write your draft.
1. Have I stated my main idea clearly?
2. Have I proven my point to my readers? Do I have enough information and examples?
3. Do I need to rearrange any of my ideas to help my audience understand my paper more easily?
Writing is effective only if readers understand the writer’s ideas. As you write your draft, keep in mind
the reader’s needs and expectations. Begin with your main idea and stick to it. Get adequate specific evidence,
connect your evidence, and write a conclusion. You can connect ideas by using transitions, words or sentences
that show the relationship between ideas
What is an essay?
An essay is a piece of writing that usually has five or more paragraphs. An essay is written about one
topic that has several main points. The main points are introduced in an introductory paragraph and supported
in body paragraphs. The conclusion is the last paragraph.
An essay is a short non-fiction, non-imaginary work about a subject. It may be classified by tone and
style as formal or informal. It has many purposes depending on what the writer wants to write about and how
he/she wants to affect the readers

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