The document outlines a comprehensive 5-step writing process that includes pre-writing, drafting, revising, proofreading, and publishing. Each step is elaborated with strategies, techniques, and considerations to enhance writing quality and effectiveness. It emphasizes the non-linear nature of the writing process and offers various methods for brainstorming, organizing ideas, and finalizing written work.

1. The 5 – Step Writing Process
Dr C J Dubash
Executive Vice Rector
Forman Christian College
Lahore

2. The 5 – Step Writing Process
o Pre – Writing
o Drafting
o Revising
o Editing
o Publishing

3. STEP 1: Pre – Writing
THINK
• Decide on a topic to write about
• Consider who will read or listen to your written
work
• Brainstorm ideas about the topic
• List places where you can research information
• Do your research

4. STEP 1: Pre – Writing
Strategies:
 Drawing
 Talking
 Brainstorming
 Graphic organizers
 Semantic webs
 Listing
 Outlining

5. STEP 1: Pre – Writing
Ways to plan your writing:
o Create a cluster, diagram, or web
o Create a storyboard
o Make an outline
o Identify pros and cons
o List supporting arguments
o Sort and organize note cards by topic

6. STEP 2: Drafting
WRITE
• Put the information you researched into your own
words
• Write sentences and paragraphs even if they are
not perfect
• Read what you have written and judge if it says
what you mean
• Show it to others and ask for suggestions

7. STEP 2: Drafting
Strategies:
 Taking notes
 Playing with ideas
 Expanding an outline
 Organizing thoughts into paragraphs

8. STEP 2: Drafting
Drafts are for the writer:
o Our brain processes information as we write things down. You will find
yourself making connections and discovering new ideas as you are
writing your first drafts.
o Many writers wait to write their introduction until they have finished
the body of the paper.
Drafts are not perfect:
o Because you are really drafting for yourself, to understand your ideas
and put them into words, you might be unhappy with your early
results. Don’t agonize over every word and sentence because you’ll
give yourself writer’s block!
o You can always go back and fix it later ---- that’s what revision is for.
Drafting takes time:
o The more complicated your writing task is, the more time you should
allow yourself for drafting.
o As you discover new ideas and connections, you need the time to
incorporate them into your plan! Don’t procrastinate, and don’t feel
that you have to finish your whole paper in one sitting.

9. STEP 3: Revising
MAKE IT BETTER
• Read what you have written again
• Rearrange words or sentences
• Take out or add parts
• Replace overused or unclear words
• Read your writing aloud to be sure it flows
smoothly

10. STEP 3: Revising
Strategies:
 Peer editing
 Read aloud
 Conferencing
 Mediative questions
 Paraphrasing
 Rest and revisit

11. STEP 3: Revising
Revising for Audience:
o Are my ideas presented in a logical order that will be evident to the
reader?
o Do I use clear transitions to help the reader follow my train of
thought?
o Are my sentences clear and specific?
o Do I say what I mean and mean what I say?
o Is my tone and style appropriate?
Revising for Purpose:
o Is my purpose clearly stated for the reader?
o Do I clearly maintain that purpose throughout the document?
o Does all of my supporting information clearly relate to my purpose?
o Do I organize my ideas to best fulfill my purpose?
Revising for Form:
o Do I follow the established form of the document I am writing?
o Do I separate ideas into paragraphs with clear topic sentences?
o Do I maintain balance among my points, developing each to the same
extent?

12. STEP 4: Proofreading
MAKE IT CORRECT
• Be sure all sentences are complete
• Correct spelling, capitalization, and punctuation
• Change words that are not used correctly
• Have someone check your work
• Recopy it correctly and neatly

13. STEP 4: Proofreading
Strategies:
 Read aloud
 Use a cover sheet and view line-by-line
 Editing checklists
 Get feedback from others

14. STEP 4: Proofreading
While revising focuses mainly on making your content
clear for your readers, proofreading focuses on making
your document meet the conventions of standard written
English.
During the proofreading stage, check the following:
o Grammar
o Sentence structure
o Word choice
o Punctuation
o Capitalization
o Spelling
o Citation and document format

15. STEP 5: Publishing
SHARE THE FINISHED PRODUCT
• Read your writing aloud to a group
• Send a copy to a friend or relative
• Put your writing on display
• Congratulate yourself on a job well done!

16. STEP 5: Publishing
Strategies:
 Read aloud
 Read to a group
 Display
 Print
 Publish on the web

17. STEP 5: Publishing
Ways to publish your writing include:
o Turning in a paper to your instructor
o Entering an essay contest
o Sending a letter to the editor
o Writing for your institution’s newspaper, yearbook, or
literary magazine
o Posting a piece of writing on the Internet
o Writing a letter to a public official or company
o Submitting your work to a young writer’s magazine

18. The Writing Process is NOT Linear
Pre-Writing
Drafting
Editing
Polishing
Revising

19. Pre-Writing Techniques
How do you organize your ideas when
you are preparing to write?
• Brainstorming
• Discussing
• Free Writing
• Looping
• Listing
• Outlining
• Charting
• Mapping

20. Brainstorming
• “Brainstorming” means thinking of as many ideas
as possible in a short amount of time.
• Write down your ideas so that you don’t forget
them.
• Write down everything that comes to your mind;
don’t worry about sorting out “good” and “bad”
ideas.
• Don’t worry about spelling or grammar.

21. Example of Brainstorming
Topic: What would I do with one million dollars?
Travel ---- Europe, Asia, S. America
Pay off our house
Share ---- give a scholarship, donate to charities
Buy a lot of books!
Invest/save and let the interest grow

22. Discussing
• “Discussing” is similar to brainstorming, but you
do it with a partner or group.
• Assign one person to write down the ideas.
• Write down everything that group members say
related to the topic; don’t worry about sorting
out “good” and “bad” ideas.
• Don’t worry about spelling or grammar.

23. Free Writing
• “Free Writing” is like pouring all of your thoughts
onto paper.
• Don’t take your pen off the page; keep writing for
the entire time.
• If you don’t know what to write, write “I don’t
know what to write” until you do.
• Don’t try to sort “good” and “bad” ideas.
• Don’t worry about spelling and grammar.

24. Example of Free Writing
Topic:
Describe the most beautiful place you’ve seen.
I remember climbing to the top of Smolenskii
cathedral in autumn, the leaves of St. Petersburg
on fire, like an ocean of gold red leaving me
breathless with its depth. Stretching out for miles
and miles it was all I could see and suddenly the
grime and sorrow of the city was drowned with
beauty, God’s beauty, God’s love for everyone, his
artistic touch meant just for me at this moment.

25. Looping
“Looping” begins with “free writing.” It can help
you narrow a topic.
• Choose the best idea, word, or phrase from what
you wrote; underline or circle it.
• Take that idea and begin free writing again.
• Repeat the process at least one more time.
• Follow all the rules for free writing.

26. Example of Looping
I remember climbing to the top of Smolenskii
cathedral in autumn, the leaves of St. Petersburg
on fire, like an ocean of gold red leaving me
breathless with its depth. Stretching out for miles
and miles it was all I could see and suddenly the
grime and sorrow of the city was drowned with
beauty, God’s beauty, God’s love for everyone, his
artistic touch meant just for me at this moment.

27. Example of Looping
(from circled part on previous slide)
We had seen hate rejection and fear in that city,
dirt and grime and sorrow where people didn’t
know how clean a place could be, never seen a
different world. On top of the cathedral I saw the
city as it could be, should be, as God sees its
potential, baptized in gold-red fire of autumn
leaves, burning away the outer shell of hardness,
burning through to the hearts of people with truth
and happiness which they did not know, had never
seen a different world. I cried, beauty and
overwhelmingness and I must come down again.

28. Listing
• “Listing” is similar to “brainstorming.” The idea is
to write down as many things as possible.
• Use single words or phrases, not sentences.
• Listing works well for descriptive-type writing.
• Don’t worry about spelling or sorting out “good”
and “bad” ideas.

29. Example of Listing
Topic:
Describe your favorite room in the
house/apartment where you live.
Kitchen/Dining Area
• White tile, walls, countertops
• Flood of sunlight
• Healthy plants
• Sturdy pine furniture
• Glass door ---- view of lawn and trees

30. Outlining
• “Outlining” is a more organized form of pre-writing
than the others we discussed.
• It can be used after you have generated ideas
through brainstorming, free writing, or other pre-
writing techniques.
• It works well for structured types of writing such as
essays.
• You can use complete sentences, but you don’t
have to.

31. Example of Outlining
I. Introduction: Internet “dating” has advantages
and disadvantages.
II. Advantages
a) meet people around the world
b) not based on appearance
III. Disadvantages
a) can you trust them?
b) may be too far away to meet in person
IV. Conclusion: Some success stories, but too risky

32. Charting
• Sometimes you will want to organize your ideas
for writing in a chart.
• Charting works very well for comparison and
contrast writing or examining advantages and
disadvantages.
• You can use many different kinds of charts,
depending on your topic and the kind of writing
you are doing.

33. Example of Charting
Living with
Family
Living with
Roommates
Advantages May not pay rent
Meals
Different ages
More independence
Social interaction
Disadvantages Less independence
Rules
Rent
Cooking/Shopping
Noise

34. Mapping
• “Mapping,” sometimes called “semantic/ idea
mapping” or “webbing,” is another way to
organize your ideas.
• Start with your topic in the center, and branch
out from there with related ideas.
• Use words and phrases, not complete sentences.

35. Example of Mapping
My future
family
Raise healthy,
happy children
Stay close to
my husband
education
work
Eventually
get a PhD
Never stop
learning
Instill a love
of education
in my children
Learn to love
whatever work
I am doing
Use the skills I
have learned in
as many ways as
possible
Stay at home
while raising
children

36. References
The Writing Process
Tarasine A. Buck
http://lewis.cpsb.org/faculty_pages/stacey.blanchard/THE%20FI
VE%20STEPS%200F%20THE%20WRITING%20PROCESS.htm