{"id":6223,"date":"2018-04-09T17:00:00","date_gmt":"2018-04-10T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/blog\/?p=6223"},"modified":"2018-11-20T07:22:37","modified_gmt":"2018-11-20T15:22:37","slug":"what-is-the-writing-process-and-why-care","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/what-is-the-writing-process-and-why-care\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is the Writing Process, and Why Should You Care?"},"content":{"rendered":"

As a student, your time is precious. You want to write a great essay, but you shouldn\u2019t have to put all your other assignments, or your life, on hold just to do it.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s why it\u2019s important to have a system. While \u201csystem\u201d sounds like it sucks the creativity out of writing, it actually gives you the structure you need to be creative and <\/i>focused. And there\u2019s no better system than the writing process.<\/p>\n

You may be asking yourself, What is the writing process? <\/i>Well, that’s what I’m here to explain, so let’s get to it.<\/p>\n

What Is the Writing Process?<\/h2>\n

The writing process is a certain set of steps many students and professional writers use to come up with creative, cohesive essays, dissertations, and novels.<\/p>\n

You can adjust the writing process to fit your particular assignments and writing style, but it boils down to five steps:<\/p>\n

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  1. Prewriting<\/li>\n
  2. Researching<\/li>\n
  3. Drafting<\/li>\n
  4. Revising<\/li>\n
  5. Editing<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    There are a bunch of different ways you can approach these steps. It\u2019s not a formula\u2014more like a roadmap to follow from Point A to Point B to Point C and so on.<\/p>\n

    By following these steps, you\u2019ll be able to remain organized while writing and have a great essay by the time you\u2019re finished.<\/p>\n

    Let\u2019s jump into the first step\u2026<\/p>\n

    Step 1: Prewriting\u2014Putting Your Ideas to Paper<\/h2>\n

    The first step of the writing process, prewriting, is one of the most fun. There are a few different approaches to prewriting<\/a>, and the one or ones you use will depend on what type of essay<\/a> you\u2019ve been assigned and your personal preferences.<\/p>\n

    Unorganized prewriting strategies<\/h3>\n

    Brainstorming <\/b>involves writing short statements, phrases, or even single words related to the prompt. It helps to write the prompt at the top of the page and write any words or ideas that come to mind.<\/p>\n

    Don\u2019t worry about the validity of all of the ideas for now. The important thing is to get it all out there.<\/p>\n

    Freewriting <\/b>is kind of like brainstorming in that it\u2019s a way of getting your ideas onto a page. However, it\u2019s much more stream-of-consciousness. Begin by writing for 10 minutes\u2014without stopping\u2014about the prompt or a specific topic.<\/p>\n

    It doesn\u2019t matter if your spelling or grammar isn’t perfect. No no one but you is going to be reading it anyway. The goal is to see where your mind takes you and what ideas you come up with in the process.<\/p>\n

    Organized prewriting strategies<\/h3>\n

    Outlining <\/b>is my preferred organized prewriting strategy. Once you have a topic picked out<\/a>, you organize your thoughts by listing your thesis, arguments for your thesis, and supporting evidence.<\/p>\n

    It\u2019s okay if you don\u2019t have every single detail at this stage. An outline<\/a> can lead you to the basic structure of your essay.<\/p>\n

    <\/div>\n
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    In the prewriting stage of the writing process? An outline can lead you to a good essay structure.<\/a><\/div>\n

    Click To Tweet<\/a><\/p>\n

    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    Mapping <\/b>is like outlining for more visual learners. One version of mapping is to put your topic in the middle of a page. Your main arguments will branch off the topic, and supporting evidence will branch off the respective arguments.<\/p>\n

    You can use other types of graphic organizers<\/a> to visualize your ideas too.<\/p>\n

    Deciding which strategy is right for you<\/h3>\n

    My suggestion is to use one unorganized and one organized prewriting technique to get the most out of the writing process.<\/p>\n

    Unorganized strategies are great for getting all your thoughts out with little to no interruption in your thought process. They help you figure out what <\/i>to write about.<\/p>\n

    Organized prewriting strategies help you focus on one specific topic<\/a> and write what you know about it in a, well, organized<\/b> way. They help you figure out how <\/i>to write about whatever topic you choose.<\/p>\n

    Step 2: Researching\u2014Getting the Details<\/h2>\n

    Once you have your basic ideas down, including any supporting evidence<\/a> you can think of, it\u2019s time to do your research. This helps you get the specifics you need to properly support your arguments.<\/p>\n

    If you\u2019re writing a literary analysis essay<\/a>, research includes looking for specific information within the book or play you\u2019re writing about. You don\u2019t have to reread the entire book. Just look for the points that relate to your topic.<\/p>\n

    If you\u2019re writing a persuasive<\/a> or research<\/a> essay, your research will involve looking up credible<\/a> articles online or in academic journals, watching documentaries, or looking at government websites\u2014depending on your topic.<\/p>\n

    No matter where your facts are coming from, be sure to note the source, so you can credit the author(s) in your essay. This is important in avoiding plagiarism<\/a> and making your arguments more credible.<\/p>\n

    Referencing Resources:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

    The Stress-Free Guide to MLA Essay Format (8th Edition)<\/a><\/p>\n

    The Stress-Free Guide to APA Essay Format<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

    Remember, your notes should be helping you through the process\u2014which means they should be organized. There are a few ways to do this depending on the type of essay you\u2019re writing and the style of note-taker you are.<\/p>\n

    Here are a few go-tos for students:<\/p>\n

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    1. Old-fashioned pen and paper:<\/strong> There\u2019s nothing wrong with this tried-and-true method. It allows you to have flexibility that isn’t possible when working in a Word document, such as drawing arrows or helpful illustrations. This method is a bit more time-consuming and not great for long periods of time because your hand might get a bit tired. Using index cards <\/a>is a popular strategy with this method.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
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      1. Word document:<\/strong> Whether its Microsoft Word, Google Docs, or some other type of word processing software, you\u2019ll get roughly the same experience. It\u2019s quicker than hand-written notes, but you’re more limited in your creative freedom. You can still add emphasis to different parts of your notes through font and style changes, colors, and highlighting.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
          \n
        1. Note-taking apps:<\/strong> My personal favorite is Evernote<\/a>, but there are several others on the market. Some are free. Some cost a few bucks to download. These are helpful because you can organize your notes into different folders (you can have separate folders for each symbol you\u2019re analyzing<\/a>, for example). You can also use many apps on any device, so you can take pictures with your phone and paste them right into your notes if that\u2019s helpful for you. All your notes sync across devices.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
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          1. Highlighting and annotating:<\/strong> Highlighting and annotating are kind of shorthand versions of the old-fashioned pen and paper method. They’re done right in the text<\/a>, so you know exactly what you\u2019re referring to. This is best for literary analyses because more than one or two books of highlighting and annotation requires more comprehensive notes.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

            Of course, you can find your own way, or use a combination of the ones listed here. The right way is the one that works best for you.<\/p>\n

            Step 3: Drafting\u2014Fleshing Out Your Ideas<\/h2>\n

            Now that you have your topic, a general idea on how to organize your essay, and some specific details you found in your research, it\u2019s time to put it all together in the third step of the writing process\u2014the first draft.<\/p>\n

            Many people think of outlining as a blueprint. If that\u2019s the case, then drafting is like a detailed model\u2014it\u2019s not a perfect representation of the finished product, but an outsider could see the points you\u2019re trying to make pretty clearly.<\/p>\n

            During the drafting stage, you don\u2019t have to get caught up on spelling or minor grammatical errors. Instead, focus on fleshing out all your ideas.<\/p>\n

            This means building your arguments<\/a>, deciding which pieces of research go where, and drafting an introduction<\/a>, thesis statement<\/a>, strong body paragraphs<\/a>, and conclusion<\/a>.<\/p>\n

            When you\u2019re finished with your draft, it should look like <\/i>an essay. But it\u2019s not done yet. It needs revision to turn it into something worth submitting.<\/p>\n

            Need inspiration to get going on your first draft? See how other students have written about your topic<\/a>.<\/p>\n\t

            \n\t\t
            \n\t\t\t
            Stuck on Your Essay?<\/div>\n\t\t\t
            Check out thousands of example essays.<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
            \n\t\t\t\t\t
            \n\t\t\t\t\t\tYes! Show me examples.<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n

            Step 4: Revising\u2014Creating a Decent Document<\/h2>\n

            The revising stage<\/a> is where it really comes together. Enter revisions through the mind of your reader. Here are some questions you might think about:<\/p>\n