This document provides an overview of the writing process. It discusses the key steps, which include pre-writing, drafting, revising, proofreading, and publishing. Pre-writing involves organizing thoughts through activities like brainstorming, clustering, and free writing. Drafting is about getting words on paper in an initial form. Revising is re-reading and improving the draft through additions, deletions, and rearrangements. Proofreading is the final check for errors. Publishing is sharing the final work. The document also addresses challenges like writer's block and procrastination, offering strategies to overcome them.

1. Overview of the Writing Process
by Mary Ebejer
Master of Education Candidate
Grand Valley State University

2. First, Please Jot Down …
 Three Words
 Two Questions
 And Draw One Picture
… about “Writing”

3. When I have to write something …
… I say, “Lucky me! I get to write!”
then get started right away.

4. … I’m overcome with anxiety
that doesn’t leave until
the writing is done!

5. … I wait until
the last
minute
because
I work better
under pressure.

6. Question …
What’s the difference between
an accomplished writer and
a novice writer –
besides the mastery of their craft?
– Susan Bell
The Artful Edit: On the Practice of Editing Yourself

7. Confidence.
– or at least the possibility of
confidence.

8. The accomplished writer remembers
from previous experience that
whatever is
can be fixed – with enough time
and thoughtful feedback.

9. In other words,
the first draft is never the final draft …

10. And, just like an athlete …

11. … practice and thoughtful coaching
can make you a stronger,
better writer.

12. So when you really need to sprint,
your writing “muscles” are trained
and ready to perform.
(Okay. Done with the sports analogies for now.)

13. Time to Vote!
I was practically born with a pencil in my hand.
I love, love, love to write!!
1 2 3 4 5 6
Disagree - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Agree

14. Time to Vote!
Reading is my thing.
I love, love, love to READ!!
1 2 3 4 5 6
Disagree - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Agree

15. Time to Vote!
Me? I was born with a CRAYON in my hand.
I would rather draw than read or write.
1 2 3 4 5 6
Disagree - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Agree

16. Time to Vote!
When I was young, I learned to write from the
BEST writing teacher ever.
1 2 3 4 5 6
Disagree - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Agree

17. Time to Vote!
I thought I could write well … until I went to
college. Wow, that was a rude awakening!
1 2 3 4 5 6
Disagree - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Agree

18. Time to Vote!
I didn’t learn to write until I was in the
professional world … it was sink or swim.
1 2 3 4 5 6
Disagree - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Agree

19. Time to Vote!
Yeah, to be honest, I really never learned to
write well.
1 2 3 4 5 6
Disagree - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Agree
*

20. Think and Share
Now, looking at the three words you have
written down, what do you already know
about writing?
What questions do you have about writing?

21. Group Share
Now share those pictures!

22. Time to Vote!
I am a writer.
1 2 3 4 5 6
Disagree - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Agree

23. Time to Vote!
Some people have a knack for writing, while
others will never learn to write well no matter
how hard they try.
1 2 3 4 5 6
Disagree - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Agree
*

24. Confidence
“How confident do you feel about writing?”
Confident Indifferent Undecided Anxious Lonely
32.2% 34.1% 19.5% 7.4% 6.6%
-- Miles McCrimmon, 2005

25. Nature vs. Nurture
“I believe some people just have a knack for
writing.”
Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Disagree
13.1% 33.6% 23.3% 5%
-- Miles McCrimmon, 2005

26.  Those who do not believe in “the knack” tend to
be more confident writers – 38.9% …
 While of those who believe in “the knack”, fewer tend
to be confident writers – 28.3%
-- Miles McCrimmon, 2005

27. Confidence Breeds Success
• Disbelief in “the knack” breeds confidence.
• Confidence breeds success.
-- Miles McCrimmon, 2005
Confidence is built on a sturdy foundation,
not just on a wish to be a better writer.

28. Time to Vote!
I make daily to-do lists, weekly grocery lists,
and holiday shopping lists.
1 2 3 4 5 6
Disagree - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Agree

29. Time to Vote!
I send text messages.
1 2 3 4 5 6
Disagree - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Agree

30. Time to Vote!
I send instant messages.
1 2 3 4 5 6
Disagree - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Agree

31. Time to Vote!
I tweet.
1 2 3 4 5 6
Disagree - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Agree

32. Time to Vote!
I’m on Facebook.
1 2 3 4 5 6
Disagree - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Agree

33. Time to Vote!
I hand-write notes (informal: Post-its® notes;
formal: thank you notes).
1 2 3 4 5 6
Disagree - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Agree

34. Time to Vote!
I send email.
1 2 3 4 5 6
Disagree - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Agree

35. Time to Vote!
I write letters to friends and family.
1 2 3 4 5 6
Disagree - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Agree

36. Time to Vote!
I write letters for personal and school
administration.
1 2 3 4 5 6
Disagree - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Agree

37. Time to Vote!
I write regularly in a journal.
1 2 3 4 5 6
Disagree - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Agree

38. Time to Vote!
I blog.
1 2 3 4 5 6
Disagree - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Agree

39. Time to Vote!
I write for fun (stories, poems, articles).
1 2 3 4 5 6
Disagree - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Agree

40. Time to Vote!
I write other things not mentioned.
1 2 3 4 5 6
Disagree - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Agree
*

41. Time to Vote!
Let’s try this again … I AM A WRITER!
1 2 3 4 5 6
Disagree - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Agree
*

42. Three Modes of Writing
 Personal
 Informational
 Poetic

43. Three Modes of Writing
 Personal (or Expressive)
 “Thinking on Paper”
 Journal writing, list making, note taking, jotting.
 Writing for yourself … no one will criticize or
judge.
 Feel free to experiment and find your voice.
 Loosens up your thinking and stir your
imagination.
 Connects ideas and problem solve.
 Helps you believe you are a writer.

44. Three Modes of Writing
 Informational (or Transactional)
 “Act on the World”
 Letters, essays, reports.
 Writing for an audience of “others”.
 They could judge or criticize.
 Traditionally used in school and at work.

45. Three Modes of Writing
 Poetic (or Imaginative)
 “Creating Art”
 Poems, stories, plays.
 Usually writing for an audience.
 They could judge or criticize.
 Typically done in a creative writing class or
writer’s group.

46. Question: How does your feeling about a particular
mode, context or purpose effect your writing
approach?
For Example …
Are some kinds of writing “scarier” than others?
Are some easier? Which and why?
Are you careful to use correct language and spelling
with some, but correctness doesn’t really matter with
others? How do you decide?

47. Ever tried …
 Just relaxing and “talking” to the paper?
 Suspending the rules of “good” writing
 Trusting your ears for what “sounds” right
… at least for your initial rough draft?

48. Good News:
You already know how to write. You do it all the time
without even thinking.
Even Better News:
If you can speak English easily and well – no matter
which vernacular or dialect – you can learn to write well
with enough thoughtful reflection and practice.

49. Just use your mouth and ears to tap into your
innate knowledge of language. You already know
what “sounds” right.
 Stop
 Listen
 Reflect

50. Free-writing / Discovery
Drafting
Topic: “My Writing Biography”
 Free-writing/Discovery Drafting – 15 minutes

51. Overview of the Writing
Process

52. It Actually Looks More Like
This!

53. Step 1: Pre-writing
Organize Thoughts to Find Out What You Really Know –
And Don’t Yet Know – About Your Topic
 “Brain dump” that helps you decide what to write.
 Chance to explore wide ranging scope of ideas.
 Opportunity to consider what audience needs/wants
to hear.
 List places where you can research information.
 Sets you up to do meaningful/productive research.
 Calisthenics to exercise your “writing muscle”.
 What does your pre-writing process look like?

54. Pre-writing Strategies
• Free-writing
• Brainstorming
• Clustering
• Venn Diagram
• Journalistic Technique

55. Pre-writing Strategies
Free-writing
Jotting down any and all
thoughts you have about
a particular topic before
researching.

56. Pre-writing Strategies
Brainstorming
Listing all of the thoughts, ideas, and fragments in
your head.

57. Pre-writing Strategies
Clustering – Connecting sub-ideas to main idea
Mapping connections between main idea and sub-
ideas or related related issues.

58. Pre-writing Strategies
Venn Diagram
Organizing thoughts, ideas,
and fragments by similarities
and differences.

59. Pre-writing Strategies
Journalistic Technique – Answering 5Ws + H
• Who is involved in the conflict?
• What issues are most clearly in dispute/divide the
parties?
• When did the troubles start, and how have they
developed over time?
• Where does the conflict seem most heated or violent?
• Why have those involved in the conflict found it so
difficult to resolve the situation?
• How might this conflict be resolved?

60. Step 2: Drafting
Just Get It On Paper
 Put the information you researched into your own
words.
 Write sentences and paragraphs even if they are
not perfect.
“For your eyes only.”
 Read what you have written and decide if it says
what you mean and what you want it to say.
“Say what you mean, mean what you say.”
 Show to trusted others and ask for
comments/suggestions.
 Not your final draft.

61. Share Free-writing
Topic: “My Writing Biography”
 Share with a partner and discuss.
– or –
 Read your own over again.
– 10 minutes

62. Step 3: Revising
A Closer Look
 Read what you have written again.
 Think about what others said about it.
 Rearrange words or sentences.
 Take out or add parts.
 Replace overused or unclear words.
 Read your writing aloud to be sure it flows
smoothly.
 How much time do you spend on revising?

63. Step 3: Revising
A Baker’s Dozen of Fat-Cutting Revision
Strategies
– National Writing Project, nwp.org
http://www.nwp.org/cs/public/print/resource/756

64. Revise Free-writing
Topic: “My Writing Biography”
 Take a second look and make changes.
– 10 Minutes

65. Step 4: Proofreading
Now Read for Detail
 Be sure all sentences are complete.
 Correct spelling, capitalization, and punctuation.
 Change words that are not used correctly.
 Then ask someone else to read and provide
meaningful, productive feedback.
 Decide what to accept and what to politely
decline.
Hint: Correct substantive changes, such as
factual errors, unclear or confusing
communication, punctuation and spelling

66. Step 5: Publishing
Sharing the Finished Product
 Send on to requesting/appropriate individual(s).
 Read aloud to a group.
 Create a book of your work.
 Send a copy to a friend or relative.
 Put your writing on display.
 Illustrate, perform, or set your creation to music.
 Congratulate yourself on a job well done!

67. Writer’s Block?
• Talk to yourself … or someone else
• Read something related … or unrelated
• Write something related … or unrelated
• Change your environment … add music …
change chair
• Get physical … for a walk … Dance! Dance!
Dance!
• Surf the web (but can be dangerous!)
• Eat
• Laugh
 What do you do when you get stuck?

68. Procrastination
 Make writing schedule that “chunks” your work into
small steps.
 Create early deadlines and write in your planner.
 Write at your best time of day (early morning, late at
night).
 Show up! Sit at your desk or table and at least plan to
write.
 Set timer for 15 mins. Finish a step or part of a step in
that time.
 Do the hard parts first – or the easiest first for a quick
“win”.
 Give yourself rewards for completing parts of
assignment.

69. Homework
 Free-write for 10 minutes a day to
keep your writing muscles limber
and strong.
 Always stop, listen, and reflect
before you hit “send”.