BOOK called: A Writer’s workbook 3rd edition by BOB BRANNAN 2010 BRANNAN, B. (2010). A Writer's Workshop: Crafting Paragraphs, Building Essays (3rd ed.). New York, New York : McGraw-Hill Companies. Chapter one Practicing the Writing Process These climbers prepare for their journey by consulting a map. What other steps have they taken to ready themselves? In what ways can you prepare yourself to begin the writing process? © Andersen Ross/Blend Images/Getty Images Key Topics · How do we begin to write? · After breaking ground—into the writing process · Steps in the writing process · Discovering ideas · Organizing ideas · Drafting · Revising · Editing · Proofreading · Diagnostic writing assignments Linking to Previous Experience : How Do We Begin to Write? The first step in beginning to write is to think of yourselves as writers—not necessarily easy to do. Many view the act of writing as mysterious and think successful writers have lucked into their talent. But, just like you, accomplished writers have to work hard at their craft. They can be confused at first, uncertain about where their ideas will come from. Often they produce some genuinely bad writing in their early drafts and agonize over the final shape of their words—and what others will think of the work. Whatever your past experiences with writing, you share in the common experience of everyone who seeks to commit words to paper. When you write, be it a brief paragraph or long essay, you are a writer, with all the hard work, the aggravation, and the satisfaction that come with it. How do writers get started? To focus your efforts, ask yourself several questions. Questions to Ask at the Start of a Writing Project 1. What is my purpose? People write for many reasons, often having several for the same project, although one purpose usually predominates. Primary reasons for writing are to entertain, explain ideas and information, and persuade. There are, of course, other reasons for writing, such as to express emotions or explore ideas. 2. Who is my audience? Most student writing is done for teachers. However, in “real-world” writing, you need to be able to communicate effectively with different readers, ranging from fairly general audiences to very specific ones. Knowing who your audience is will help you decide what and how much to say. 3. What, exactly, is the project? Writing out your goals will help you to focus your thoughts. In class your instructor will give you an assignment guide, or you will follow the assignment instructions in the text. Determine what the project calls for: purpose, audience, overall organization, length, and draft due dates. 4. How can I develop a real interest in the project? Avoid taking a passive attitude, an “I don’t care, whatever” approach; instead, seek a connection with the assignment and topic. Sometimes you will have to write to specific requirements, sometimes not. When a topic is assigned, you can still find some part of i ...

1. BOOK called:
A Writer’s workbook 3rd edition by BOB BRANNAN
2010
BRANNAN, B. (2010). A Writer's Workshop: Crafting
Paragraphs, Building Essays (3rd ed.). New York, New York :
McGraw-Hill Companies.
Chapter one
Practicing the Writing Process
These climbers prepare for their journey by consulting a map.
What other steps have they taken to ready themselves? In what
ways can you prepare yourself to begin the writing process?
© Andersen Ross/Blend Images/Getty Images
Key Topics
· How do we begin to write?
· After breaking ground—into the writing process
· Steps in the writing process
· Discovering ideas
· Organizing ideas
· Drafting
· Revising
· Editing
· Proofreading
· Diagnostic writing assignments
Linking to Previous Experience : How Do We Begin to Write?
The first step in beginning to write is to think of yourselves as
writers—not necessarily easy to do. Many view the act of
writing as mysterious and think successful writers have lucked
into their talent. But, just like you, accomplished writers have
to work hard at their craft. They can be confused at first,
uncertain about where their ideas will come from. Often they

2. produce some genuinely bad writing in their early drafts and
agonize over the final shape of their words—and what others
will think of the work.
Whatever your past experiences with writing, you share in the
common experience of everyone who seeks to commit words to
paper. When you write, be it a brief paragraph or long essay,
you are a writer, with all the hard work, the aggravation, and
the satisfaction that come with it.
How do writers get started? To focus your efforts, ask yourself
several questions.
Questions to Ask at the Start of a Writing Project
1.
What is my purpose? People write for many reasons, often
having several for the same project, although one purpose
usually predominates. Primary reasons for writing are to
entertain, explain ideas and information, and persuade. There
are, of course, other reasons for writing, such as to express
emotions or explore ideas.
2.
Who is my audience? Most student writing is done for teachers.
However, in “real-world” writing, you need to be able to
communicate effectively with different readers, ranging from
fairly general audiences to very specific ones. Knowing who
your audience is will help you decide what and how much to
say.
3.
What, exactly, is the project? Writing out your goals will help
you to focus your thoughts. In class your instructor will give
you an assignment guide, or you will follow the assignment
instructions in the text. Determine what the project calls for:
purpose, audience, overall organization, length, and draft due
dates.
4.

3. How can I develop a real interest in the project? Avoid taking a
passive attitude, an “I don’t care, whatever” approach; instead,
seek a connection with the assignment and topic. Sometimes
you will have to write to specific requirements, sometimes not.
When a topic is assigned, you can still find some part of it that
is appealing. When you can choose a topic, take time to find an
interesting one, rather than going for the seemingly easiest one.
If you can commit to the project, you are more likely to enjoy
the writing process—and to end up with a better grade.
Good writing is not easily accomplished; it takes time. To
achieve the best results, first gain a clear overview of the
project, and then apply effective study skills.
Key Study Skills
1. Listen carefully in class, ask questions, and take notes,
especially when your instructor writes on the chalkboard, uses
the overhead projector, or posts information online.
2. Take handouts home to study or complete.
3. Participate fully in class activities and discussion.
4. Pay attention to any instructions your instructor gives you to
clarify writing projects in this text.
5. Study the textbook’s student models for further guidance.
Hint
These key study skills will help you understand every writing
assignment.
After Breaking Ground—into the Writing Process
We all have gone through steps to produce written paragraphs
and essays, so we all have a writing process. For some of us,
that process has worked well; for others . . . not so well. The
rest of this chapter explains the writing approach many of us
already unconsciously use. However, the writing process varies
with individuals, and you should freely adapt it to what works
best for you.
Steps in the Writing Process
Gathering and shaping ideas and putting words on paper are a
natural sequence for most of us, but writers seldom move
through this process like a train moving on a track, beginning at

4. one point and progressing to the final destination. In fact, you
will often find yourself brainstorming for ideas in the middle of
a paper, editing as you notice an error, and sometimes
substantially reorganizing when the work seemed nearly
complete.
The Writing Process
1. Discover ideas
2. Organize ideas
3. Draft
4. Revise
5. Edit
6. Proofread
Discovering Ideas
How many times have you been faced with a writing project and
found that you have nothing to say? It is a common, frustrating
occurrence. Instead of smacking your keyboard or simply giving
up, why not try one or several of the following methods for
discovering ideas?
Freewriting
Freewriting is rapid, uncensored writing. Fast drafting or
freewriting lets you get ideas on paper—some of which may be
usable. To practice this method, set aside time—say, 5 to 10
minutes—and write nonstop, without censoring ideas or
worrying about grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Even if you
run out of thoughts, keep writing or typing.
If you have no idea of what to write, freewriting can help you
uncover ideas. Freewriting for this purpose may begin with or
include sentences like the following:
English Review Note
While freewriting, don’t worry about grammatical errors. Leave
a blank if you can’t think of a word in English.
Hint
Focused freewrites can give your writing direction.
Keep producing words even when you do not seem to be getting
anywhere. Although no one has been able to explain why, the

5. mere act of writing triggers more words and, often, usable
ideas. Then, with a topic in hand, you can try focused
freewriting—uncensored writing on a general topic:
Brief Focused Freewrite
In this freewrite, the author discovers several ideas for a
descriptive paper. The backyard, the tree house, or the author’s
former house might make interesting subjects to explore.
Activity 1.1. Focused Freewriting
Select a topic from the list below and write nonstop on it for 5
minutes. Remember, don’t worry about grammar, spelling, or
punctuation or whether ideas get tangled.
airport
gym
subway
attic
interstate
swimming pool
beach
kitchen
wharf
cafeteria
library
woods
football field
restaurant
zoo
Clustering
Clustering is another good prewriting technique. With this
method you write a single word in the center of a page and then
jot down around it any words it brings to mind. After linking
several words to the original word, you connect more words to
the second set. Keep extending your network of linked words
until you find a grouping that seems interesting.
Sample Cluster

6. If the author wanted to select the “home” cluster to begin a
more focused cluster, the next step might look like this:
Sample Focused Cluster
Now the author has arrived at the tree house as a possible topic
for his description paragraph. He might choose to cluster again
for specific details, or he might try another method for
generating ideas, like brainstorming or listing.
Activity 1.2. Focused Clustering
Select a topic from the list in Activity 1.1 (or continue with the
one you have already chosen), and create a focused cluster like
the one preceding. Work for 5 minutes, trying to fill a page with
word associations.
Activity 1.3. Working Online.
Making Online Clusters
As an alternative to Activity 1.2, visit http://bubbl.us/edit.phpto
create your own cluster (or idea map) online. You can color-
code your cluster and choose from a variety of “bubble” shapes
and structures. When you’re done, save and post or print your
cluster. Return to this site when you’re brainstorming your next
paragraph or essay assignment.
Brainstorming (Listing)
In brainstorming, either by yourself or with others, you list in a
word or phrase every idea that occurs to you when you think
about a general topic. If we extended the tree house topic from
the clustering activity, we might end up with a list like this:
Sample List
If we focus the list, we can concentrate primarily on generating
the specific words and sensory details that make up a good
description. (For more on description, see Chapter 5.)
Sample Focused List
Hint
Try a focused brainstorming list to generate details about your

7. topic.
After you have created a list that is somewhat focused, you will
likely have a rough outline that you can use to develop or
rearrange ideas.
Activity 1.4. Brainstorming (Listing)
Choose a new topic from the list in Activity 1.1 (or use the
topic you have already chosen), and create a list of descriptive
phrases that apply to it. Include words that help you visualize
the place or that suggest sound, touch, taste, or smell.
Hint
Journalist’s questions provide the framework for news articles,
especially the lead paragraphs.
Journalist’s Questions
After you have a fairly clear idea of your writing topic, you can
ask yourself the classic journalist’s questions who, what, when,
where, and why. You should also add how and what was the
result. To continue with our tree house example:
Sample Questions
Activity 1.5. Journalist’s Questions
Select a topic from the list in Activity 1.1 (or continue with the
one you have been working with), and create a list of answers to
the preceding questions.
Patterns of Development
Another way to generate material for your paper is to turn the
patterns of development into questions and then apply them to
your topic.
· Narration: telling a brief story to make a point
· What kind of story could I tell to show my reader the tree
house?
· Description: using vivid details to paint a picture
· What details do I remember that could help my reader
visualize the tree house?
· Illustration: giving examples to illustrate some point
· What examples could I give to explain the importance of the
tree house?

8. · Comparison/contrast: showing how your subject is like and
unlike similar subjects
· What could I compare or contrast the tree house to that my
reader would know?
· Classification/division: putting your subject into a group,
breaking it into parts
· What group does the tree house fit into? What are the parts of
the tree house?
· Cause/effect: telling what actions can affect your subject and
what effects can flow from it
· How did the tree house come about? What were its effects on
me?
· Process analysis: telling how your subject works
· How did the tree house work? What regular activities did I do
there?
· Definition: telling the essential characteristics of your subject
· What makes the tree house unique?
· Persuasion: trying to convince someone to agree with you or
to perform some action
· How could I persuade my reader of the value a tree house can
have for a child?
Activity 1.6. Patterns of Development
Select a topic from the list in Activity 1.1 (or continue with the
one you have been working with), and create a list of questions
like the ones preceding. Next, answer each question in a
sentence or two.
Browsing for Ideas
If you’ve chosen a topic but aren’t sure how to focus it, try a
quick online search for relevant images, articles, quotations,
and sites that will get you thinking. As you go, note URLs you
might want to return to later. This prewriting method can
provide quick inspiration, but limit your browsing time to 5–10
minutes; otherwise, it may prove more distracting than helpful.
As shown in the following pages, a Wikipedia search on tree
houses might remind the student writer of his experience
building the tree house with his brother. Looking at the images

9. and following links to other, more focused sites could serve to
trigger memories and give the writer ideas to focus on. Note:
Wikipedia is a great place to start your browsing search, but
because the site’s content can be updated by any user, be sure to
double-check the information presented here.
Sample Browse
“Tree house.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 3 Sep 2008,
16:23 UTC. 27 Oct 2008
<http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tree_house&oldid=
236053135>. All text is available under the terms of the GNU
Free Documentation License. Wikipedia© is a registered
trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a U.S. registered
501(c)(3) taxdeductible nonprofit charity.
Sample Wikipedia Page
Opportunities for Further Browsing
Activity 1.7. Working Online.
Browsing for Ideas
Using Wikipedia or a search engine, such as Google, choose a
key word or words from your focused freewrite (in Activity 1.1)
or cluster (in Activity 1.2). What sites do you find, and are they
interesting and relevant to your topic? If so, how might they
help you focus or further explore it? Limit your browsing to
under 10 minutes.
Journal/Blog Entries
A journal or blog in which you write for a few minutes every
day can be a good general source of ideas. If you decide to keep
a personal journal (paper or online), or your instructor assigns
one, this additional daily writing can give you valuable practice
in organizing and expressing your thoughts. You can also gain
some insights into yourself and the world around you.
The suggestions for Journal/Blog entries that appear throughout
Units Two and Three can help you complete major writing

10. assignments. If you respond to them thoughtfully, the entries
you write will help you discover, focus, organize, and develop
your ideas. Remember, your ideas are what count most. While it
is never a bad idea to edit your work (even in your journals),
grammar, spelling, and punctuation should be a low priority.
The Feedback component provides opportunities for
collaborative thinking and input at all stages of the writing
process.
Considering Your Audience
While we sometimes write only for ourselves, more often we
write for others. These “others” may be a relatively general
audience, or they may be quite specific. And we may direct our
work toward several kinds of readers, often a more specific
group within a larger secondary audience. When you consider a
writing topic, you will usually find that knowing who you are
writing to will help you generate and select interesting ideas.
If you were describing an action/adventure film like
Armageddon to two friends—one a sci-fi fan and one who
prefers more serious, “literary” films—which of the following
two paragraphs would you be likely to use with each friend?
Hint
Let what you know about your audience help focus your
material.
Hint
While much of your writing will appeal to a fairly large
“general” audience, within it you will usually be able to appeal
to a smaller group.
Clearly, the details in version A should capture the attention of
the sci-fi fan while the details in version B should interest the
friend who favors more serious films. Writers must constantly
generate details and then select the ones that will interest their
particular readers.
Ways to Describe and Define Your Audience
age
education

11. particular knowledge of a subject
sex
political affiliation
level of intelligence
race/ethnicity
religion
wants
country
social groups
needs
region
hobbies
goals
city
sports
prejudices
neighborhood
special interests
personality
occupation
general knowledge
expectations
If you develop a sense of your audience, you are more likely to
write in an engaging way—and come closer to enjoying the
process of the writing.
Activity 1.8. Considering Your Audience
Assume that you have rented the film The Wizard of Oz for the
evening and are trying to persuade two friends to watch it with
you. One friend doesn’t mind children’s stories but thinks a 60-
year-old movie will be boring. The other friend doesn’t like
children’s stories but does like horror and supernatural films.
List three points you could make or examples you might choose
to convince each of your friends to watch the movie with you.
(If you have not seen The Wizard of Oz, choose any film you
have enjoyed, list two friends who might not like it for different
reasons, and then list three examples/points that would help

12. persuade each person.)
Organizing Ideas
If you have tried prewriting, you should have some ideas for
your paper. Before moving ahead, though, you must decide on a
central point—a rough topic sentence for a paragraph or a
working thesis sentence for an essay. Your topic or thesis
sentence should consist of your topic plus a statement that
expresses an opinion, attitude, or feeling about it. For instance,
in the tree house description, the author might want to focus on
enjoyment:
Once you have a central point, you could just plunge into the
draft, writing furiously and hoping for the best. Sometimes this
approach works well, especially if the material falls into a
natural order or if you happen to have a “feel” for the best
organizing method. Often, though, you will not be sure what to
do with all the words in front of you. In that situation, you need
to reconsider your purpose (to entertain, explain, or persuade),
review the assignment instructions for suggestions, and try
some informal or formal outlining.
Hint
Help focus your paper with a central point.
Rough Outlines
A rough outline usually consists of a simple list of ideas. For
example, if you chose to describe a place, you might try a
spatial method for organizing (moving from one side to another,
inside to outside, top to bottom, or front to back) and then
create a rough or “scratch” outline. After reviewing the
brainstorming lists for the tree house example (see pp. 7–8), the
author might choose to arrange the descriptive details about the
tree house from bottom to top, creating the following rough
outline:
Once this structure is set, the writer can add more details from
the brainstorming list or from additional brainstorming, such as
the chalky smell of the brick, the rough feel of the bark, and the

13. deep yellow of the rope.
Hint
To see a detailed informal outline for an essay, turn to Chapter
12.
Activity 1.9. Creating Rough Outlines
Look back at your list from Activity 1.4 and rearrange the
examples/details, moving from one side of your place to
another, inside to outside, top to bottom, or front to back.
English Review Note
Review carefully the organization of formal outlines in English.
Formal Outlines
Formal outlines have numbered and lettered categories and
subcategories. They are particularly useful for longer writing
projects, such as essays. Here is the pattern of a formal outline:
Thesis Statement (Controlling Idea of Essay)
(This pattern continues for the length of the essay.)
Hint
Use a formal outline to help plan an essay.
Activity 1.10. Working Online.
Using the Outlining Tutor
Create a formal outline based on your list in Activity 1.9. For
help, download the Outlining Tutor at www.mhhe.com/brannan.
Or use the site’s Outline Template to create an outline in
Microsoft Word.
Drafting
With the ideas and details you have discovered in hand and the
overall shape of your paper determined, you can confidently
begin the first draft.
Hint
Remember that more drafts will come.
In a paragraph, describe your ideal work space.
© Steven S. Miric/SuperStock
Preparing a Work Space

14. Before jumping into the writing, consider your surroundings. If
you feel comfortable working in a noisy environment, any
environment will probably work for you. If you need quiet to
concentrate, though, find a place where you will not be
disturbed. Set aside ample time to complete your writing goal;
perhaps 30 minutes is enough, or perhaps several hours. Then
decide what you need to be comfortable: soft music, a window,
a glass of juice, a relaxing chair. Are you more productive
curled up in bed, or do you get more done in the computer lab?
Create an environment that will help you work efficiently.
Moving Ahead
As you begin to write, focus on your main idea (topic or thesis
sentence), purpose, and audience. The goal of the first draft is
to create material for the coming revisions, so grammar,
spelling, and punctuation should not be major concerns (though
writers occasionally backtrack to correct minor errors as they
go). Focus on getting ideas on paper. If you continually stop
writing and then start again, you can lose your train of thought
and end up with unity problems. However, rereading your work
in progress, especially for content, can also keep you connected
to each unfolding idea.
Try to keep at your work for the scheduled time, but feel free to
go beyond the time limit if the words are coming easily. Resist
the impulse to be negative about the draft. There will be ample
time to look more critically at your writing later. Finally, if you
have difficulty resuming a draft in a new writing session, try
leaving an idea or even a sentence unfinished and then
beginning at that point.
Solution
s for Breaking Out of Writer’s Block
1. Return to your central point. Be sure you have written out a

15. rough topic or working thesis sentence at the top of the page,
and reread it frequently as you compose.
2. Try any of the discovery methods discussed in this chapter.
3. Talk to yourself on paper. Begin a written “conversation”
about your writing problem.
4. Talk to yourself out loud, or speak with another person.
Often, simply verbalizing things can help you clarify a fuzzy
idea or give you a new direction.
5. Read what others have written. A Writer’s Workshop offers
many models for your assignments. See how other writers have
solved the problems you face.
6. To get around the “perfection syndrome” that sometimes
freezes writers, let yourself produce clunky, awkward
sentences. You might be surprised at how many usable ideas
and even sentences result.
7. If you are writing an essay and the introduction is a problem,
start writing the body paragraphs. If your first body paragraph
is not working, move on to the next.
8. Take a break. Sometimes a 10-minute trip to the kitchen is
just what you need. Other times you may need a break of a day
or so, thinking about the paper occasionally to let the ideas sort
themselves out.
Hint
In drafting, keep self-criticism to a minimum.
Hint

16. If you are a fast writer but find that your draft is becoming
scattered, slow down and reflect. If you typically write slowly,
try freewriting to speed the process up.
Activity 1.11. Drafting
Following the “Breaking Out of Writer’s Block