Understanding the Writing Process: The Seven Steps

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Understanding the Writing Process The Seven Steps

• Great Essays (p.131-138)

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Step One Choose a Topic

• Select from a list of options provided
• Create your own focused sub-topic based on a
  general topic assigned
• HINT Choose wisely! Make sure you have enough
  information, examples, details to provide on the
  topic of your choice

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Step Two Brainstorm

• Write every idea that pops into your head about
  your topic
• Some of the ideas will be good and some will be
  bad write them all!
• Overall goal is to write as many ideas as you can
• Take time to organize your brainstorm after
  youve finished it - circle best ideas, cross out
  ideas that wont work, number them, etc.

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Step Three Outline

• Create an outline
• This can be created from the brainstorm
• After you have the main points, develop
  supporting details (i.e. examples, reasons,
  explanations, definitions, or personal
  experience)
• A technique for thinking of supporting details is
  to ask specific questions about the topic
• EX What is it? What happened? What is it like?
  Why?

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Step Four Write the First Draft

• Use information from brainstorm and outline to
  write the essay
• This draft may contain errors in spelling,
  punctuation, and grammar Dont worry about
  correcting the errors
• Main idea is to put ideas into sentences
• Choose a formal sentence structure/ use academic
  style of writing
• Create sentences that vary in length

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First Draft Tips Some things to remember about
the first draft copy

• The first draft is not the final copy
• good writers do not write an essay only one time
• It is OK for you to make notes on your drafts,
  you can circle words, make notes to yourself,
  cross out words, etc.
• Use a word processing program if possible, to
  make writing and revising easier

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Step Five Get Feedback from a Peer

• Peer editing is important in the writing process
• You do not always see your own mistakes or places
  where information is missing
• A classmate will read your writing and give you
  feedback about your writing
• Take the extra step, and have a writing tutor at
  the WRC read over your work

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Step Six Revise the First Draft

• This step consists of three parts
• React to the comments on the peer editing sheet
• Reread the essay and make changes
• Rewrite the essay one more time

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Step Seven Proofread the Final Draft

• In this step, the writer pretends to be a
  brand-new reader who has never seen the essay
  before.
• Proofread your essay for grammar, punctuation,
  and spelling errors and to see if the sentences
  flow smoothly.
• Turn the paper in to your teacher and hope that
  you get a good grade!