Umm-e-Rooman Yaqoob

Roll # 3

B.S English (4th Semester)

Writing as a Process

Writing:

Writing process involves five major steps. Inspiration is the first step in writing. Choose the topic and then access your audience.

Following are the major steps in writing process.

Pre-Writing Drafting Revising Editing Publishing

Steps of the writing process:

The explanation of the steps of the writing process is as follows:

1. Pre-writing:

Prewriting identifies everything you need to do before you sit down to start your rough draft. Ideas are involved in pre-writing state. There are different techniques in pre-writing stage.

Free writing: Freewriting involves letting your thoughts flow freely on paper or your computer screen. Set aside a time frame like 15 minutes for writing or determine to write and fill a certain number of pages and get down to it. Write whatever comes to your mind. Don’t worry about typos, spelling or any other surface-level issues of grammar and style. Just write until your time is up or your page goal is attained.

Brain storming: Brainstorming is an activity with which most people are familiar. The object in brainstorming is to compile as large a list as possible of potential examples for a given topic. This is a great activity to do in small groups or with the entire class. To generate ideas , to do it effectively , usage of appropriate words and do ask as many questions as you can.

Mapping: Cluster mapping, also called idea webbing, is a great way to show relationships between ideas. Cluster mapping is also part idea generation and part organization, so students will know exactly how to group their ideas once they are ready to write. To begin, write your topic in the center of the page and put a circle around it. Then you can move in one of two directions. With younger children, have them think of questions about the topic.

Clustering: Clustering, also known as idea mapping, is a strategy used to explore relationships and associations between ideas. If you have run out of ideas on a subject or topic, write down the subject in the center of a page. Highlight the subject either by underlining or circling it. Think of an idea that relates to the subject and jot it down on your page. Link the idea to the central subject.

Listing: If you want to write about a specific topic or communicate a certain idea, jot down a list of single words and phrases that relate to the general topic you are thinking about off the top of your mind. Don’t outline or edit at this point. Let the activity be uninhibited. When you are finished listing, group the items on your lists in a logical manner and provide a label for each group. Write a sentence about each group and you will have several topic or theme sentences you can develop. Build on the topic sentences and define associations of the groups to get broader topics or themes with possible points to write on.

Looping: Read through what you have produced in all the freewriting looping cycles and analyze all interesting sentences, ideas or phrases. You will likely discover a recurrent topic idea or theme you are unconsciously thinking about has taken precedence. You can develop this topic idea or theme and use it in your next writing project.

Nut-shelling: Nut-shelling entails discovering and laying out in a few sentences the gist of topic ideas in your head. It helps you distinguish major and minor ideas in your thoughts and identify how the ideas relate to each other. This way you are able to test how different ideas can affect what you want to write about.

Cubing: Cubing is a critical thinking process that involves examining a writing project from six distinct angles to generate ideas for your stalled projects. Describe your project: What is it? What is it like or unlike? What makes up its constituents? How can it be used? Finally, what are its pros or cons or how can you oppose or support it? At the end of the exercise you should have an angle or outline on how to approach your writing topic or project.

Researching:

Visit the library or go to a writing center near you and browse dictionaries, thesauruses, guide books and any other reference texts that you find. You will be surprised at how much background information, little-known facts and golden topic ideas relevant to your writing projects reference books can give.

2. Drafting:

Drafting is the stage when you begin to put the paper in paragraph form. Use ideas from previous step and write a first draft. Write your ideas in order and do not focus on grammar and spellings.

Drafting is the preliminary stage of a written work in which the author begins to develop a more cohesive product. A draft document is the product the writer creates in the initial stages of the writing process.

In the drafting stage, the author:

develops a more cohesive text organizes thoughts explains examples/ideas uncovers transitions discovers a central argument/point elaborates on key ideas

Writing a first draft:

A first draft is just that -- a first try. If you are lucky, your first draft will capture the basic form and content needed to shape the final document. In many cases, however, your draft may be a loose collection of ideas -- a type of directed freewriting. Some first drafts need only fine tuning and editing, while others may have to be discarded.

Strategies for writing a first draft: Review the assignment, your thesis, and your outline. To produce an effective draft, it is important to keep focused on the final product. Make sure that you address the needs of the assignment. Keep your reader in mind as you examine your thesis and outline. Be open to new ideas -- but avoid becoming sidetracked. As you write, one idea will no doubt spark new connections, memories, and associations. To keep your draft focused, review your notes as your write.

Realize that you may come up with many ideas that are interesting but not appropriate for your paper.

A good essay is focused -- it is not simply a collection of everything you have to say about a subject.

Don't stop to make corrections, check facts, or look up words. Your goal in creating a first draft is to get your ideas on paper. If you stop to check spelling or search your textbooks for a statistic -- you may run out of time or

break your train of thought. Underline or circle words you think misspelled or misused. Make parenthetical reminders to check facts or verify quotes. Keep writing and get your main

ideas down. If you run out of ideas, return to prewriting to explore ideas or change topics. If the draft becomes too long, review your topic, thesis, and outline When you complete the first draft, set it aside to "cool" before attempting to revise and edit it. When you return to your writing, review your assignment and goals. Before beginning to correct grammar or adding new ideas, make sure that your draft is on

target.

Techniques for writing a draft:

1. Thesis statement:

At the end of your introduction, write a one-sentence statement that is the basis for your entire paper. A good thesis statement lets the reader know what your paper will cover.

2. Topic sentences:

Each paragraph should begin with a topic sentence that states the main idea of that paragraph. Just like the thesis statement, the topic sentence lets you know what the paragraph contains.

3. Supporting sentences:

Provide enough supporting sentences for the topic sentence, using examples, explanations, facts, opinions, and quotes. Consider the expected text length and go into detail accordingly.4. Conclusion:

The ending (conclusion) should present summative remarks and repeat the text’s key idea or thesis in other words. Try to finish with a strong statement that will have your reader asking for more.

Revise the First Draft:

1. Try to set aside your draft for a day or two before revising. This makes it easier to view your work objectively and see any gaps or problems.

2. Revising involves rethinking your ideas, refining your arguments, reorganizing paragraphs, and rewording sentences. You may need to develop your ideas in more detail, give more evidence to support your claims, or delete material that is unnecessary.

3. Read your paper out loud. This sometimes makes it easier to identify writing that is awkward or unclear.

4. Have somebody else read the paper and tell you if there's anything that's unclear or confusing.

3. Revising:

Revising is finding and correcting problems with content , changing the ideas in your writing to make them clearer , stronger and more convincing .

Techniques of revising:

Revising gives you the chance to preview your work on behalf of the eventual reader. Revision is much more than proofreading, though in the final editing stage it involves some

checking of details. Good revision and editing can transform a mediocre first draft into an excellent final paper. It's

more work, but leads to real satisfaction when you find you've said what you wanted. Start Large, End Small Revision may mean changing the shape and reasoning in your paper. It often means adding or

deleting sentences and paragraphs, shifting them around, and reshaping them as you go. Before dealing with details of style and language (editing), be sure you have presented ideas

that are clear and forceful. Make notes as you go through these questions, and stop after each section to make the desired

revisions. Read passages aloud to see if you have achieved the emphasis you want. Look for places to use

short sentences to draw attention to key ideas, questions, or argumentative statements. If you can't read a sentence all the way through with expression, try cutting it into two or more. Be sure to use spell check. It will help you catch most typos and many wrongly spelled words.

But don't let it replace anything automatically, or you'll end up with nonsense words. You will still have to read through your piece and use a print dictionary or writer's handbook to

look up words that you suspect are not right. Don't depend on a thesaurus. It will supply you with lists of words in the same general category

as the one you have tried-but most of them won't make sense. Use plain clear words instead. Use a print dictionary and look up synonyms given as part of definitions.

Always look at the samples of usage too. Don't depend on a grammar checker. The best ones still miss many errors, and they give a lot of bad advice. If you know that you overuse slang or the passive voice, you may find some of the "hits" useful,

but be sure to make your own choice of replacement phrases. A few of the explanations may be useful. But nothing can substitute for your own judgement.

Revising tips:

o Check to see if the essay fits the thesis. o Make sure each paragraph has a topic sentence. o Make sure there are smooth transitions between paragraphs. o Check for digressions. o Do you have sufficient support in all paragraphs.o Is your paper logical in order. o Do you have an introduction and a conclusion.o Take a break from your draft before attempting to revise.o Imagine yourself as a reader. o Do not attempt showing-off with a fancy word you do not know how to use properly.

Strategies in revising:

Following are strategies for revising a draft.

Putting yourself in the place of the reader. Rethinking your approach Making changes that will improve your case. Proofread for : Spelling Subject/verb agreement Verb tense consistency Mechanical errors Word usage

4. Editing:

Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, visual, audible and film media used to convey information. The editing process can involve correction, condensation, organization, and many other modifications performed with an intention of producing a correct, consistent, accurate and complete work.Editing is finding and correcting problems with grammar , style , word choice , usage and punctuation.

This is the time for all you grammar lovers and nitty-gritty enthusiasts to meticulously scan the text for language accuracy.

• Your sentences should adhere to proper word order rules, each containing a subject and a predicate. Use a variety of verb tenses correctly and appropriately (simple, progressive, perfect, and perfect-progressive tenses).

• Be careful with subject-verb agreement issues.

• Use a variety of language constructions to make your writing more precise and educated (comparative structures, relative clauses, conditional sentences, not too much of the passive voice etc.)

• Use a dictionary or spell checker when not sure about spelling. Reread your text again for problematic homonyms (there-their-they’re).

• Use a variety of punctuation marks accurately and consult a style guide when hesitating between a comma, colon, or semi-colon.

• Edit for text mechanics: capitalization, numbering, italics, and abbreviations.

Editing your text:

o You have overhauled your story. o It’s time to fine tune your manuscript line by line. o Check for repetition, clarity, grammar, spelling and punctuation. o Editing is an extremely detailed process and its best when performed by a professional. o You can hire your own editor or utilized the editing services available. o Nobody wants to read a book that is full of mistakes, and they certainly won’t buy a book that is

riddled with them.

Checklist for editing:

Are your capital letters correct? Have you used your punctuation correctly? Have you avoided run-ons? Are you using verbs , pronouns and modifiers correctly? Have you read your work aloud to listen for problems? Did you check every possible misspelling in a dictionary?

Proofreading:

Proofreading is the final stage of the editing process, focusing on surface errors such as misspellings and mistakes in grammar and punctuation. You should proofread only after you have finished all of your other editing revisions.

SOME TIPS THAT APPLY TO BOTH EDITING AND PROOFREADING:

Get some distance from the text! It’s hard to edit or proofread a paper that you’ve just finished writing—it’s still to familiar, and you tend to skip over a lot of errors. Put the paper aside for a few hours, days, or weeks. Go for a run. Take a trip to the beach. Clear your head of what you’ve written so you can take a fresh look at the paper and see what is really on the page. Better yet, give the paper to a friend—you can’t get much more distance than that. Someone who is reading the paper for the first time, comes to it with completely fresh eyes.

Decide what medium lets you proofread most carefully. Some people like to work right at the computer, while others like to sit back with a printed copy that they can mark up as they read.

Try changing the look of your document. Altering the size, spacing, color, or style of the text may trick your brain into thinking it’s seeing an unfamiliar document, and that can help you get a different perspective on what you’ve written.

Find a quiet place to work. Don’t try to do your proofreading in front of the TV or while you’re chugging away on the treadmill. Find a place where you can concentrate and avoid distractions.

If possible, do your editing and proofreading in several short blocks of time. Your concentration may start to wane if you try to proofread the entire text at one time.

If you’re short on time, you may wish to prioritize. Make sure that you complete the most important editing and proofreading tasks.

5. Publishing:

After the text itself is ready, it is time to work on some finishing touches with aesthetics polishing your text to perfection.

• If you are handwriting your text, use a ruler to create margins on both sides of the page. Remember to double-space if required by a teacher. Write neatly and legibly!

• When using a computer, be consistent with font usage, spacing, and heading levels. Always be on the look out for more tiny errors for last-minute on-screen corrections.

• In academic papers, adhere to the strict citation conventions, dictated by your style manual.

• Consider using indentation for every paragraph as well as larger spacing between paragraphs.

The writing process may seem long and tiresome, but it is a guaranteed path to success. The more you use it, the sooner you will realize how you couldn’t do without it.