Prewriting

By Tammie, Brooke, Preston and Jonai

How is it different from writing a rough draft?

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Do you have a paper and don’t know where to start?

Are there too many ideas flowing through your head?

Are you experiencing writer’s block?

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You should try…

Prewriting:A way to organize your thoughts, focus

your ideas, and filter your mind.

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There are many ways to prewrite:

•Clustering/Webbing•Freewriting•Listing•Outlining•Research•Dialoguing

Let’s try to find one that not only interests you but also works for you!

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What is

Clustering/Webbing?•Begin with a word that represents your main idea and

circle it

•Write down a related word and circle it

•Allow one word to prompt another and watch as your

ideas take on a pattern

Clustering/Webbing

For example, if you are doing your paper on nature in Romantic poetry, you would write “nature” and circle it. From here you can write down each word that strikes you, from names of poems to poets or whole phrases.

Example of

Leaves of

Grass

Pastoral Poetry

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Another choice is

Freewriting

Write down whatever comes into you head as you are thinking about your topic.

Don’t reread what you’ve written until after you finish.

Think of it as your MIND DUMP!

Do not think before you start; just pick up a pen and write on the topic. Write sentences, but don’t

worry about correct punctuation, grammar, or spelling.

The point of this kind of writing is flow.

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Listing•Focus on your topic and make a list of your ideas and thoughts

•Freewrite paragraphs; list shorter or fragmented ideas

It’s like writing your grocery list!

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OutliningPlace ideas into an organized, plotted outline. An outline will provide you with a brief overview of information and where you plan to place it in your paper.

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Research•Gather information in order to get acquainted with your topic •Use secondary sources to formulate ideas or find a general direction to follow •Try clustering or freewriting about your research

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Dialoguing•Imagine two people or two opposing sides of your argument

•Write questions passing between the imagined sides regarding your topic•Have the two sides raise points and generate ideas you will cover in your paper •Don’t worry about sounding correct or rehearsed

Dialoguing would be like such:

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Prewriting is a very free and creative process.

Feel free to combine any of the methods together to create your own individual process.

After prewriting is finished, you can begin to draft your ideas into a paper.

Dialoguing + Freewriting = Kermit’s Prewriting Process

How does a rough draft differ from prewriting?

• Prewriting is the informal creation of ideas for your paper while drafting is the formal crafting of your paper

• Drafts have some type of organization as well as a thesis, introduction, body, and conclusion.

• Drafts have a purpose and address an audience