Chapter 1 The Writing Process

The writing process helps your ideas grow.

The Writing Process

1 Use a five-step writing process.
On a good day, when writing goes smoothly, you may feel as though writing is a
single coherent act. On a bad day, it can feel more like hitting your head against
a brick wall as many times as it takes to knock an idea out onto the paper.
Writing is not a single act, but a process composed of several steps. One writer,
Nick, describes the process this way:
I think first. It’s not like it pops out of me; it has to brew for a while. The next thing I
do is begin writing ideas down, good or bad. Once I get the ideas down in rough
form—I wouldn’t call it an outline necessarily—I write it out from beginning to end.
Then the revision process begins, because I’m always unhappy with the first thing I
write. It’s a thorough examination: cutting, connecting thoughts, shifting ideas
around, adding new ideas. I really go back to the beginning, because every time I
revise, I have to think more. Then I write out the second draft from beginning to
end. I don’t worry about punctuation or spelling. I keep revising until I think I’ve got
it; then I start worrying about periods and commas. Then it’s ready for another
reader.
Although everyone approaches writing a little differently, most of us follow a
process similar to the one just described. Nick, the writer in the example above,
is, in fact, following all of the steps in the writing process: prewriting, planning,
drafting, revising, and proofreading.
Prewriting
“I think first.”
Prewriting covers a range of activity from casually thinking about your topic to
sitting down and doing a prewriting exercise to get your thoughts on paper.
Because you are always thinking, prewriting can happen anytime and anywhere.
When you are waiting at a traffic light and an example to illustrate one of your
points pops into your head, you are prewriting. When you realize that a
paragraph isn’t working the way you planned and you stop to figure out another
approach, you are prewriting. Prewriting is thinking, and the more thought you
put into your paper, the stronger it will be.
Planning
“I get the ideas down in rough form—I wouldn’t call it an outline.”
Careful and thoughtful planning makes an essay easier for you to write and
easier for a reader to read. Your plan may include a thesis statement—a
statement of the main idea. Because it states the main idea, the thesis
statement is the cornerstone of your essay. It may change more than once as
your essay takes shape; still, it is important to have a main idea and to keep it in
sight. After all, if you are not certain of your main point, you can be sure that
your readers won’t be, either. Besides a thesis, your plan will probably include
an informal outline. Don’t be afraid that planning will waste your time. Careful
planning—or lack of it—always shows in the final draft.
Drafting
“I write it out from beginning to end.”
Drafting your essay can be easy or difficult. Sometimes your ideas flow freely.
At other times, your thoughts grind to a standstill. Both situations are a normal
part of the creative process. If you get stuck during the drafting process, push
on; write through the problem. If necessary, return to the planning or prewriting
stage.
The best advice on drafting is “don’t procrastinate.” Do your planning and
prewriting early. If you have a project that involves research or outside reading,
do those things early to give the information time to sink in before you write.
Writing is easier if you plan ahead, and getting an early start prevents last-
minute panic. Then if you get stuck during the drafting process, you will have
time to work out the problem rather than going into emergency mode because
your paper is due the next day.
As you draft your essay or paragraph, don’t worry about grammar, spelling, or
punctuation. Stopping to look up a comma rule will only distract you.
Concentrate on ideas and save proofreading for later.
If you are distracted by the red squiggles and green underlines that your word
processing software makes, turn the spelling and grammar checker off until you
are ready to proofread. You will appreciate your word processing software much
more if it does not interrupt you as you write.
Revising
“I’m always unhappy with the first thing I write.”
In its Latin roots, the word revising means “seeing again.” Revising is difficult
because it is hard to see your work with the eyes of a reader. Writers often see
what they meant to say rather than what they really said. Sometimes they take
for granted background knowledge that the reader may not have. To overcome
these difficulties, put your draft aside for a day or so before trying to revise it.
With twenty-four hours between writing and revising, you will see your writing
more clearly. It is also helpful to let someone else look at your work—a friend,
classmate, or relative. Ask the person to focus on the content of your paper
rather than on grammar, spelling, or punctuation. Ask which ideas are clear and
which ones need more explanation. Ask how well your examples illustrate the
points you have made. A reader’s comments can help you see your work in a
new light.
Don’t be afraid of making big changes during revision. Throwing out a whole
paragraph and starting over may keep an essay on track. Changing the
paragraph order sometimes gives your message the emphasis you want. Or you
may find that a first draft contains a seed of what you really want to say. Don’t
be afraid to start over. The first words you write are not written in stone.
One word of advice—if you don’t know how to use a computer, learn. Taking an
essay through multiple drafts and major changes is much easier on a computer.
Once you learn to write on a computer, the essays, term papers, and reports
that you write in college will look less intimidating.
Proofreading
“Then I start worrying about periods and commas.”
Proofreading is the final polish that you put on your paragraph. When you
proofread, consider such matters as grammar, spelling, and word choice.
Replace vague words with specific words, and mercilessly cut words that are
not carrying their weight. Look at connections, making sure ideas flow smoothly
from one sentence to the next. Because the stages of the writing process
overlap, you have probably done some minor proofreading along the way.
Before the final proofreading, set the piece of writing aside for a time. Then
proofread it once more to give it the polish of a finished piece.
Expect the Unexpected
If you think about taking a weekend road trip, the steps involved seem simple
and straightforward. Plan. Pack. Drive. Enjoy. Yet it is never that simple. You
have to set aside enough money (it always takes more than you expect) and
decide where to go. Then, as you drive, you find that traffic is heavier than you
anticipated. You take a wrong turn and have to find your way back to the main
road. Eventually, you reach your destination, but getting there was more
complicated than you expected it to be. You decide that on road trips, you have
to expect the unexpected.
Writing an essay works the same way. The writing process seems
straightforward: Prewrite. Plan. Draft. Revise. Proofread. But it is never that
simple. You have to set aside enough time to write (it always takes more than
you expect) and decide what to write about. As you write, you find that the topic
you chose is harder to write about than you thought. You take a wrong turn and
have to bring your paragraphs back in line with the main topic. Eventually, you
find your way, but writing an essay was more complicated than you expected it
to be. Don’t feel inadequate. Expect the unexpected. It is normal to write and
rewrite, to repeat steps, and even to feel lost. Once you reach your destination,
both processes—taking a trip and writing an essay—are worth the time and
trouble that you took.
Exercise 1-1 The Writing Process
Answer the following questions to review your knowledge of the writing process.
1 The five steps in the writing process are prewriting , planning , drafting ,
 revising , and proofreading.
2 The “thinking step” in the writing process is called prewriting .
3 The part of the writing process that involves correcting grammar and
punctuation is called proofreading .
4 Major changes would most likely be made during the revising step in the
writing process.
5 True or false? The steps in the writing process often overlap. T F
The Writing Process: Carla’s Essay
The next section follows the development of one writer’s essay from start to
finish. In writing her essay, Carla went through several forms of prewriting and
made two different outlines. Earlier, the class had been divided into writing
groups of four or five people who would critique and support one another during
the term. She talked with members of her writing group and her instructor, and
she wrote two rough drafts. (Only the first rough draft is shown here because the
final draft reflects all of the changes made.) Before turning in her final draft,
Carla also proofread the essay from top to bottom and from bottom to top. Then
she asked a member of her writing group to look over the final draft for any
mistakes she might have overlooked.
The steps that Carla goes through are the same steps that you will take as you
learn the writing process. You will also share some of her frustrations. But like
Carla, you will probably find that what seems difficult at first is attainable, one
step at a time.
Carla’s Assignment
Carla’s instructor handed out a list of three essay topics. Carla chose to write on
this one:
Write an essay about one of your roles in life and the emotions it makes you feel.
Discuss positive aspects, negative aspects, or both, but be sure to tie your
discussion to specific emotional reactions.
Carla’s instructor suggested that the students try one or more forms of
prewriting and then make an outline to discuss with their writing group. Then
each student would write a rough draft to bring to an individual writing
conference with the instructor.
Carla’s Prewriting
Working on a computer, Carla turned off the monitor and typed whatever came
to mind. (For more information on Carla’s strategy, called “invisible writing,” and
other forms of prewriting, see Chapter 2.) In this prewriting, Carla did not worry
about grammar or spelling. Instead, she focused on gathering ideas.
Roles, roles. I have many roles in life. I am a student,
a worker, a mother, a daughter, a friend. And I have roles
within those roles. With my daughter I am a teacher,
a doctor, a disciplinarian, a playmate. With my mother I am
sometimes child, sometimes adult. At work I feel competent
and at school I often feel lost. As a modern woman I have
to do it all, work, school, motherhood, the whole bit and
still stay sane. It’s juggling roles that gives me such
headaches. I get so stressed sometimes when I have to study
for a test and I am beat from working all day and Alisa
needs her bath and a story. There is so much to say I don’t
know where to start. And what about the emotions connected
with all that. Sometimes I am happy, sometimes I am too
tired to feel anything, sometimes I am proud of all I do
and sometimes I could just cry from exhaustion and
frustration. I don’t know what else to say and I don’t feel
any closer to getting an essay written. I am afraid this is
not working for me.
Later, Carla followed up her invisible writing by brainstorming, focusing on her
role as a mother.
Role—Mother
Everything I do is for Alisa spending time with her
school making sure she knows her grandparents,
work has a family connection
reading to her working hard so her future can be secure
tucking her in at night want to be someone she can look up to
asking about her day give up a lot but get a lot in return
Carla’s Outline
As she looked over her brainstorming, Carla saw that many aspects of her role
as a mother were focused on her child’s present needs, while still others
centered on Alisa’s future. She also saw a possible connection to the past
through Alisa’s grandparents. She decided to structure her outline around her
child’s past, present, and future.
Outline
Thesis: As a mother, it is my job to see that my daughter is connected to
the past, has her present needs met, and is ready for the
future.Paragraph 1—Connect her to the past:
1 Teach her what I have learned
2 Make sure she is connected to a previous generation through
grandparents
Paragraph 2—Take care of her present needs:
1 Work to see that she is provided for
2 Spend time with her
Paragraph 3—The future:
1 Go to school to take care of her future
2 Make sure her future needs are met and that she can go to college
Carla’s Writing Group Meets
Next, Carla met with her writing group. A transcript of the portion of the session
dealing with Carla’s outline appears here.
Transcript: Writing Group Session, Monday, October 3, 2:10
p.m.
Brenda:
Okay, who wants to go first? Antonio?
Antonio:
Not me. Carla?
Carla:
Well, I just brought an outline. I’ll go first. (Carla
passes out copies of her outline, and the group reads the
outline.)
Antonio:
I like it. I like the way you include past, present, and
future. It gives the outline a good flow.
Carla:
You’re just saying that because I got you off the hook. You
didn’t have to go first. (Laughter.)
Thanh:
I like the chronological order, too. But there’s one thing
I don’t see. Where’s the emotion?
Carla:
What?
Thanh:
Remember the assignment said to connect the role to the
emotions it made us feel?
Carla:
Oh, no! That’s right. Now, after all the work I’ve done,
I’ll have to change it. Maybe I can just go back and put in
how I feel about teaching, working, and going to school.
Kelly:
How do you feel about it?
Carla:
I feel good. It makes me happy to know that I’m doing all I
can for her.
Antonio:
No tough times? No bad emotions?
Carla:
(Laughs.) Plenty. I am always tired—no energy, no money.
Sometimes it gets me down.
Brenda:
Tell me about it. My kids are grown, but I remember. But I
wouldn’t raise a kid today for anything. The world is too
scary.
Carla:
I know. Sometimes I lie awake at night and worry about all
the things that could happen.
Thanh:
Well, why don’t you put some of that in? You know, reality.
Tell us what it’s really like.
Carla:
Okay. I’ll try it. What about my three points? Should I
keep them?
Brenda:
Maybe. Or you could make the emotions your three points.
Antonio:
But don’t get rid of that past, present, and future part. I
like that.
Carla:
Thanks, everybody. You’ve really helped. Okay, Antonio, now
it’s your turn.
Carla’s Journal Entry and New Outline
After talking to her writing group, Carla wrote a journal entry, then made a new
outline.
I can’t believe I forgot that the assignment said the essay should be about my
emotions. Well, let’s see. What are the emotions I feel about being a mother? First
of all, I feel an overwhelming and protective love for my daughter. I never knew I
could feel that way about any living thing. But I also feel discouraged and
downhearted many times. I work hard and just barely get by. I can’t remember the
last time I bought a new outfit for Alisa or for myself. Financial troubles are the
worst. And like Brenda said, it is scary raising a child these days. Some nights I lie
awake terrified about what could happen to her or what could happen to me that
would keep me from taking care of her. I also feel angry when I hear people talk
about single parents not being able to raise their children with the right values. This
is not a perfect world. I did not create it, but I have to live in it and I do the best I
can. If they haven’t walked in my shoes, they can’t judge me.
So far, the emotions I can pick out are happiness, love, discouragement, terror, and
anger. Maybe I can write about some of those.
Carla’s new outline:
Thesis: Since my daughter Alisa was born, I have lived with the joy, the
pain, and often, the sheer terror of raising a child alone.Joy:
1 Seeing her at birth
2 Watching her grow and form a personality
Pain:
1 Being a single parent
2 Not having enough money
3 Working long hours along with going to school
Terror:
1 Something could happen to me—illness or whatever—and keep me
from taking care of her
2 Things that could happen to her
Carla’s Rough Draft with Notes
From her new outline, Carla wrote a rough draft. Then she met with her
instructor for a conference on her draft. Here is Carla’s rough draft, with notes
she made at the conference.
Since my daughter Alisa was born, I have lived with the
joy, the pain, and also the sheer terror of raising a child
alone. Being a single parent can happen to anyone but I
never thought it would happen to me. I had dreams of a
marriage that would last forever and of strong, healthy
children who would always feel secure in the love of two
full-time parents.
Move the thesis to the end of the introduction.
Raising my daughter Alisa is a joy that I would not trade
for anything. The first time I saw her, I thought she was
beautiful even though to anyone else, she probably was not
much to look at. Watching her grow into a real little human
being with a personality that is not mine or her
grandparents’ or her father’s but uniquely her own has been
a delight. Seeing her develop as a person has been and will
always continue to be my chief joy in life.
Add description. What did she look like? How did the sight of her affect me? What
is her personality like? Make the last sentence less wordy.
At first, I was unhappy not having her father to share the
joy of Alisa’s first word or to sit up with me through the
night when she had a fever. But that kind of pain goes
away. What remains is the constant weight of struggling to
keep up financially. I wait for child support checks that
may or may not come, and if they do not come, I do without.
Between school and work, my day often lasts twelve hours.
But I know the rewards of building a life for myself and my
daughter will one day outweigh the pain I have endured.
Add a topic sentence to this paragraph. Add more support about the ways I cope.
Parenthood has brought with it feelings of terror. No
matter how loving and watchful I am, there are so many
things that are beyond my control. Sometimes, I wake in the
lonely hours before dawn and think, What if something
happens to me? What if I die or am in an accident and can’t
take care of Alisa? Worse yet is the thought that something
could happen to her. Every time I hear of a child who is
seriously ill or who has been badly hurt, my heart freezes.
When I see television news stories about trusted scout
leaders, teachers, or pastors being arrested for child
molestation or child pornography, I am reminded that I can
take nothing for granted. Fortunately, the business of
daily living usually keeps those thoughts away, otherwise,
I don’t know how I would stay sane.
No major changes.
Raising a child is a joy even though it is a full-time job,
and it is even harder when money is scarce and the world
seems uncertain. Still, I would not trade the joys
of raising my daughter for all the wealth and security in
the world.
Conclusion is okay.
Carla’s Approach to Writing—and Yours
Carla’s final draft is the product of many hours’ thought and work, and is at least
partly a result of her willingness to listen to the advice and comments of others.
It is also a result of her willingness to discard ideas that did not work.
Writing is a process of trial and error—sometimes it feels like mostly error. Even
experienced writers often find writing difficult, often wonder each time they write
if they have anything worthwhile to say or the ability to say it. In addition, the
very act of writing makes the writer vulnerable. Your words and experiences are
a part of you, and putting them on paper for others’ examination can make you
feel exposed. So why should you bother to write? You should bother because,
at its best, writing can give you power and joy and the ability to move others.
Fortunately, writing is a skill that improves with practice, and if you give it
serious effort, you will amaze yourself. The following list, “Five Quick Takes on
Writing,” may help you put the task of writing in perspective.
Five Quick Takes on Writing
1 Take it a step at a time. Writing is often a slow process, and it always requires
thought.
2 Take it seriously. The ability to write clearly and well will benefit you
academically, professionally, and personally throughout your life.
3 Take it easy. Don’t expect yourself to be perfect.
4 Take it to the limit. Stretch the limits of your imagination. Refuse to limit
yourself by labeling yourself a poor writer.
5 Take it with you. Writing is a vital part of the real world. Make it a part of your
life.
Group Exercise1-1 The Ideal Conditions for Writing
In a group of three or four, discuss the ideal conditions for writing. Think about
questions such as these: What tools do you enjoy working with? Do you write
best with music or in absolute silence? Do you like having others around, or do
you prefer to be alone? Do you need coffee or snacks when you write? Do you
need room to pace, or do you think best seated in front of a desk or a
computer? After each group member has contributed, see what differences and
similarities exist among members of your group. Have a spokesperson report
your group’s findings to the rest of the class.
If You Hate the Thought of a Step-by-Step Approach . . .
This section is for those who rebel at the idea of a step-by-step approach like
the one described in this chapter . Although prewriting, planning, drafting,
revising, and proofreading are identifiable steps in the writing process,
there’s no law that says everyone has to approach them in exactly the same
way.
For some people, a step-by-step approach does not come naturally. These
people have a thinking style that is most often called “right-brained” or
“holistic.” The human brain is divided into two halves, or hemispheres, and most
people are wired to rely heavily on the left hemisphere—the half responsible for
logical, sequential, step-by-step thinking. Some people, however, rely more
heavily on the right half of the brain, the part responsible for seeing the whole,
for thinking in images, and for flashes of insight.
The following questions may help you decide if you are a right-brained thinker.
1 If you were asked to analyze how you write, would your answer be, “I don’t
know. I just do it”?
2 When you are required to turn in an outline, do you do it last, after you have
 written the paper?
3 If you were asked to describe your usual prewriting technique, would you say,
“I never prewrite”?
4 Do you often arrive at the right answer to math problems without following the
steps?
5 Do you have a hard time getting detail into your writing?
6 Are you a “big-picture person” rather than a “detail person”?
If you answered yes to three or more of these questions, you may have
sometimes been seen as a rebel because you don’t always follow a step-by-
step, conventional approach to your work. But chances are that, whatever other
characteristics you possess, you are also a right-brained writer.
Right-brained people are often intuitive, seeing the big picture before others do.
They have a strong creative streak. They sometimes grasp ideas easily without
knowing why or understanding how. But unlike their methodical, list-making,
left-brained brothers and sisters, right-brained people often have trouble with
the details. Planning isn’t in their natures, and they tend not to have systems or
specific steps to rely on. Whatever the task is, they “just do it.”
If you are right-brained, does that mean that the methods in this text won’t work
for you? No. They will work. But you may have to work at them a bit harder. Give
them a chance. Don’t count them out until you have had enough experience
with them to determine whether they work for you or not.
There are additional strategies you can use. Unlike more conventional methods,
the following tips for right-brained writers were crafted with you in mind. These
ideas may give you the extra boost you need to harness your creativity and let
your right-brained way of thinking work for you, not against you. If your thinking
style is left-brained, read on anyway. There may be something here that you can
use along with the logical, step-by-step approach that works so well for you.
Tips for Right-Brained Writers
Find your most creative time and use it for writing.
Some people find that they are at their best in the mornings. Others find that
their creative juices begin to flow around 9:00 or 10:00 p.m. Writing will be
easier if you schedule it during your natural period of creativity.
Use your rough draft as your prewriting.
Because you think in terms of the whole, you may find it easier to do a rough
draft than to prewrite. Consider your rough draft a form of prewriting, to be
extensively revised before you turn it in.
Give your brain an assignment.
When you have writing to do, let your right brain work on it while you are doing
other things. At the beginning of the day, for instance, look over the assignment
for a few minutes. Then come back to it in the evening and reap the benefits of
having worked on the topic subconsciously. Or think about your topic before
you go to sleep at night and write in the morning. This technique can work not
only in prewriting but also in revising.
Realize that doing the grunt work is a necessary evil.
Right-brained people are less likely to put in the time it takes to master the
basics because doing so may be tedious and boring to them. They are also less
likely to plan. But even the most creative people need self-discipline. It’s a hard
lesson to learn, but mastering the basics is essential to creative work. Singers
spend endless time on breath control and scales. Artists learn anatomy and
basic drawing. It is those efforts that set them free to do their best work. The
payoff in mastering the basics is that once you learn them, you can forget about
them. They will be second nature. The same goes for planning. Once you have
made a plan, you are free to do the creative work. Doing the grunt work now
always pays off in more freedom later.
Make a commitment to writing.
Many professional writers are right-brained and face the same resistance that
you do. Invariably, they say that the only way they can maintain the extended
effort it takes to write books, plays, or novels is to have a routine and to write
every day.

Review of the Paragraph

2 Identify the functions of a topic sentence, supporting sentences, and a
summary sentence.
This text guides you step by step through the process of writing an essay.
Before you begin essay writing, take the time to briefly review the single-
paragraph composition.
A paragraph has a topic sentence that gives it direction and lets the reader
know where the paragraph is headed. It has strong support for the topic
sentence in the form of details and examples, all of which contribute to
paragraph unity by supporting the topic sentence. Each sentence flows
smoothly into the next, providing coherence. Often, the paragraph ends with a
summary sentence that restates the topic sentence and brings the paragraph to
a strong close.
The Topic Sentence
A topic sentence does two things. First, it presents the general topic of the
paragraph. Then it makes a specific point about that topic.
Example Topic Sentences
topic specific point about the topic
Balancing school and family life can be difficult.
topic specific point about the topic
My sense of humor often gets me in trouble.
The Supporting Sentences
A topic sentence provides direction—the road map for a paragraph—but
supporting sentences supply the scenery. While topic sentences are broad and
general, large enough to encompass the entire paragraph, supporting sentences
are specific, giving details and examples.
The Summary Sentence
A summary sentence ends the paragraph. Sometimes it sums up the points
made in the paragraph, sometimes it restates the topic sentence, but it always
brings the paragraph to a graceful and definite close.
A Model Paragraph