What is WRITING?

What is Writing?

Writing is the process of

using symbols to communicate
thoughts and ideas in a
readable form.
What is Writing?

To write clearly, it is essential to

understand the basic system of a
language. In English this includes
knowledge of grammar, punctuation
and sentence structure. Vocabulary
is also necessary, as is correct
spelling and formatting.
Benefits of Writing

Writing is essential. It brings

about a lot of advantages
since it helps to:
• express one’s personality;
• foster communication;
• develop thinking skills;
 Benefits of Writing

• make logical and persuasive

arguments;
• give a person a chance to later
reflect on his/her ideas and re-
evaluate them;
• provide and receive feedback; and
• prepare for school and employment.
As Walsh (2010) says:
Writing is important because it’s used extensively in
higher education and in the workplace. If students
don’t know how to express themselves in writing, they
won’t be able to communicate well with professors,
employers, peers, or just about anyone else. Much of
professional communication is done in writing:
proposals, memos, reports, applications, preliminary
interviews, e-mails, and more are part of the daily life
of a college student or successful graduate.
Creative
Writing
Creative Writing
• Creative writing, a form of artistic
expression, draws on the
imagination to convey meaning
through the use of imagery,
narrative, and drama. This genre
includes poetry, fiction (novels, short
stories), scripts, screenplays, and
creative non-fiction.
Creative Writing
• It can be considered as any type of
writing that is original and expressive of
oneself.
• In this sense, creative writing can
technically be considered any writing of
contemporary, original composition - it's
bound by no standard conventions and
uses a whole range of elements in its
Creative Writing
• In an academic setting, creative writing
is typically divided into fiction, poetry,
or scriptwriting classes, with a focus
on writing in an original style, not
defined by pre-existing structures and
genres.
Principles of Creative Writing

Know your audience- All great

stories begin with a target
audience in mind
Write what you know- drawing on
knowledge you have about
different elements of our lives
Principles of Creative Writing

Creativity is key-Think outside the

box
Push your imagination- relies
heavily on your own interpretations
Plot a loose story arc - Story arcs are
critical at giving your writing
direction and purpose
Techniques used in Creative Writing

Character development- The

process of creating a well-
rounded, realistic character with
depth, personality, and clear goals
or motivations.
Techniques used in Creative Writing

Plot development - The story of

your piece of writing - how it
develops, unfolds, and moves
along in time.
Techniques used in Creative Writing

Point of view - The perspective

from which a narrative is told. It
indicates who is telling the story
and how the information is
conveyed to the reader.
Techniques used in Creative Writing

Dialogue - Refers to the speech

and conversations characters use
to speak to one another. Dialogue
and the language choices a
character makes can be pivotal in
helping define their personality.
Techniques used in Creative Writing

Literary devices - Such as

metaphors, similes and alliteration
to make creative writing more
imaginative and descriptive. These
are used in a myriad of ways by
writers to make their writing more
vivid, interesting and engaging.
Definition of
Paragraph
What is a Paragraph?

A paragraph is a series of sentences on a

specific point or topic. A well written
paragraph must have a topic sentence
which states the main idea: what the
paragraph is about. The rest of the
sentences in the paragraph support,
elaborate, and/or further explain the main
idea expressed in the topic sentence.
Paragraph Structure

A paragraph is made up of a topic

sentence, the developing details,
and a concluding sentence. The
key to effectively communicate
your ideas is to organize your
thoughts into paragraphs.
Paragraph Structure

Like most papers, a good

paragraph should have an
introduction, evidence, and a
conclusion. In addition, it should
focus on a central theme, idea, or
subject.
Three Elements of a Paragraph

1. Topic sentence- The topic

sentence is typically the first
sentence of a paragraph, and it
should clearly state the main idea
that you will develop throughout
the paragraph.
Three Elements of a Paragraph

2. Supporting Evidence
The supporting evidence
composes the body of the
paragraph.
Three Elements of a Paragraph

This element should consist of detailed

information that is directly relevant to and
further develops the main point presented
in the topic sentence. It is standard to have
anywhere from two to five concise
supporting sentences, which is generally
sufficient to develop the main point and
keep the paragraph focused.
Three Elements of a Paragraph

3. Concluding or Closing statement

The concluding, or closing,
sentence essentially restates the
main idea of the paragraph in the
context of the supporting
evidence.
Three Elements of a Paragraph

3. Concluding or Closing statement

The concluding, or closing, sentence
essentially restates the main idea of the
paragraph in the context of the supporting
evidence. It can also be used to transition
into the main idea of the next paragraph,
which improves the overall flow of the
paper.
Ways to develop and support your topic

1. Use examples
2. Tell a story illustrating the idea
3. Compare and Contrast
4. Give data (such as facts,
statistics, etc.)
Ways to develop and support your topic
A good way to think of a
paragraph and how it is
structured is like a sandwich.
The topic sentence is the top
layer of bread, the concluding
sentence is the bottom layer,
and all of the developing
details in-between are the meat
and other goods of the
sandwich.
Qualities of a Paragraph
A good paragraph is like a miniature
essay. It has a clear beginning, middle,
and ending. Strong paragraphs
combine focus and attention to detail
to develop a single idea thoroughly,
and they help the reader transition
from one idea to the next.
Qualities of a Paragraph
1. UNITY - singleness or "oneness" of
purpose. All the detail sentences clearly
point to or support the topic sentence.
2. COHERENCE - all the sentences and
ideas in the paragraph flow smoothly
together to make clear and logical points
about the topic.
 Coherence
Coherence can be achieved through the
use of:
A. A natural or easily recognized
order:
Time Order (Chronological) -
arranging details or sentences as they
happen according to time; usually used
in writing narratives
 Coherence
Space / Direction Order (Spatial) -
arranging evidence in relation to space,
direction or location
Importance Order (Emphatic) - arranging
details in order of importance or emphasis
Step-by-Step (Sequential or Procedural) -
arranging information according to
numbers.
 Coherence
B. Transition Words and Phrases - used to
show the connection from one sentence to
another, or to signal a new train of thoughts.
Some common transitions:
a. For continuing a common line of
reasoning: consequently, clearly, then,
furthermore, additionally, and, in addition,
because, besides that, in the same way, also,
in the light of...
 Coherence
b. To change the line of reasoning:
however, on the other hand, but, yet,
nevertheless, on the contrary
c. For the final points of a paragraph or
essay: finally, lastly
d. Transitional chains, - first, second,
third...
- generally, furthermore, finally
 Coherence
e. To signal conclusion: therefore, this,
hence, in conclusion, indeed
f. To restate a point within a paragraph in
another way or in a more exacting way:
after, afterwards, as soon as, at first, at
last, before, before long, finally, in the first
place, in the meantime, later, meanwhile,
next, soon, then
 Coherence

C. Repetition of Key Words -

important words or phrases (and
their synonyms) may be repeated
throughout a paragraph to connect
the thoughts into a coherent
statement.
 Coherence

D. Substitution of Pronouns for

Key Nouns - use a key noun in
one sentence and then use a
pronoun in its place in the
following sentences.
 Coherence

E. Parallelism - use of the same

grammatical structure in several
sentences to establish coherence.
The use of similar phrasing helps
tie ideas and sentences together.
Qualities of a Paragraph
3. PARAGRAPH DEVELOPMENT -
Support and evidence provided by the
writer can be explained in different
ways. These details can be provided by
giving or using:
a. narration – telling a story
b. description – painting something or
someone by use of words
Qualities of a Paragraph
c. comparison – showing how two subjects are
similar
d. contrast – pointing out how two subjects are
different from each other
e. example – providing illustrations or
representatives of an idea or topic
f. classification – organizing or grouping
together subjects with the same
qualities or characteristics
Qualities of a Paragraph
g. division – taking out a part from the whole to fully
discuss or emphasize how the part is integral to the
whole
h. definition – giving the meaning of a term, idea, or
concept
i. process analysis – telling how something is achieved
or came to be; or
telling how to do something
j. cause and effect – showing reasons/results of a
phenomena/process