Welcome to the MHS Writing Center     |     home

Essay Help   |   The Writing Process   |     Writing Resources   |   Writing Resources (Continued)   |   Student Archives   |   Related Links   |   Meet the Tutors

The Writing Process

There are five steps to the writing process. Do not think of this list solely as a set of linear steps.  Rather, think of it as a set of guidelines to help shape your thoughts and convey what you want to say in the clearest way possible.  

1.  prewriting

2.  writing the first draft

3.  revising

     a.  global revision (content-related revision)

     b.  sentence-level revision (style-related revision)

4.  editing

5.  proofreading

Let's look at each of these steps in more detail…

1.  Prewriting

Outlining is a good way to organize your thoughts, but it is not the only way.  Next time you are working on a project, experiment with different methods of prewriting, such as:

Freewriting:  write a journal entry for five minutes or so on the topic you will write your paper on.  Don't worry about how the content sounds; this is an opportunity to simply get your thoughts out on paper. Try to keep your pen moving the whole time. Even if you are writing sentences like "I don't know what to write," keep writing.

Listing:  write down every fact you know about your topic.  Again, don't worry about order or importance.  For now, just get the list on paper.

Clustering (also known as mapping or webbing):  make a circle on your notebook and write your topic inside it.  From there, make lines (like spokes on a wheel) outward for each point you think of that relates to your topic.  If you think of a detail that relates to your point, have that thought spoke out from the point (not from the main circle).  

2.  Writing the first draft

After you have spent some time prewriting, you are ready to write the first draft.  Do not try to make your first effort your final product. That is too much pressure to put on yourself to get it right the first time.  Also, it inhibits you from exploring what you want to say and how you want to say it.  Although writing drafts might seem like it takes longer, it is actually a more efficient use of your time!

3a.  Global revision (content-related revision)

Once you have written a first draft (step 2) you have a paper to work with.  The first step you want to do is evaluate your draft for global changes you might want to consider.  These global (or content-related) changes may include:

Fixing/adding/changing thesis statements in introduction and conclusion

Shaping introduction and conclusion

Fixing/adding/changing topic sentences at the beginnings (and ends) of paragraphs.

Is there a fact or content missing that needs to be added?

Is there content that needs to be cut?

3b.  Sentence-level revision (style-related revision)

Now that you have fixed the content of the paper, it is time to look at the style in which it is written.  At this stage, you might want to consider the following:

Varying sentence length and structure

Varying sentence beginnings and subject/verb combinations

Getting rid of linking verbs: "to be" verbs, boring verbs

Cutting unnecessary adjectives and adverbs

Avoiding word repetition

Clarifying your paper on a line-by-line basis

4.  Editing

Now we are at the stage that a lot of people consider revising.  It is actually called editing.  Read your paper (which is now, at least, in its third draft!), fixing errors in:

Mechanics

Spelling

Grammar

Punctuation

Word Usage

5.  Proofreading

This is the stage you do right before you fall in an exhausted heap in front of the TV.  Print your paper and grab a pen.  Here you are looking for typos and other final draft issues.  Using the spell check is a good editing tool (see step 4) but can work against you if you choose the wrong replacement.  Ewe no what eye mean?  Fix this little stuff before you pass your paper in.  If you don't find them, your teacher will!