The document provides an overview of the writing process. It discusses prewriting techniques like free writing, journaling, and brainstorming to generate ideas. Understanding the assignment parameters, purpose, audience, tone, and point of view are also important early steps. Developing a limited subject and conducting research allows the writer to organize their ideas into an outline before drafting the essay. Prewriting makes the writing process easier by getting ideas on paper before worrying about perfecting the final draft.

1. The Writing Process- getting started
French for “trials” or “attempts”essais.
Never be satisfied with the first draft.
Keep “essaying,” keep trying.
Some are naturals, but all can learn.
E. B. White: “Writing. . . is a chore
closely related to acid indigestion.”

2. Prewriting

Like warming up before running or
exercising
-
ignore the critic in you- don’t worry about errors
-
saves time later
you can learn to write
- prewriting makes random associations
-

3. Keep a journal (write 3-5 times a week)
Henry David Thoreau: our lives would be
enriched if we “employ[ed] a certain
portion of each day looking back upon the
time which has passed and in writing down.
. . [our] thoughts and feelings.”
 Journaling fosters awareness of our own
lives
 Pros and cons of the topic


4. Understand the boundaries of the
assignment
Clarify the type of paper the instructor
has in mind. If you’re not sure, ask.
 What are the parameters?
 How long?


5. Determine your purpose, audience,
tone and point of view


Purpose- What do you want the essay to
accomplish? (inform, explain, convince,
persuade, entertain)
Audience- who are your readers?
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
Age, gender, education?
Political, religious beliefs?
Interests and motives?
Prior knowledge?
Biases (about the writer or the subject)?
What values do we share?

6. Tone
Tone- emotional state (enthusiasm, anger,
resignation
 Integral to meaning
 Determine tone early because that helps
determine word choice and sentence
structure


7. Compare the two tones


During the 1960s, many inner-city minorities
considered the police an occupying force and
an oppressive agent of control. As a result,
violence grew against police in poorer
neighborhoods, as did the number of residents
killed by police.
An occupying force. An agent of control. An
oppressor. That’s how many inner-city
minorities in the ‘60s viewed the police.
Violence against police soared. Police killings
of residents mounted.

8. Point of View

Compare:
◦ “Today is my birthday. I’m eight. Grandpa died an
hour before I was supposed to have my party.”
◦ “My grandfather died an hour before my eighth
birthday party.”
FIRST PERSON:
Appropriate for personal experiences/observation
Not appropriate “I believe that…” “In my opinion…”
Do NOT use in objective presentation

9. 
Second person (you)
some advantages, but usually not
appropriate for formal writing

Third person
most common
best choice
objective (outsider) point of view

10. Discover your essay’s limited
subjects

For example:
Education > computers in education >
computers in elementary math classes
Transportation > getting around in a city>
the transit system in Philadelphia
Work > planning a career > getting an
internship

11. Question or Brainstorm
Assignment: We live in a world that is
hostile to children.
Who is to blame? Parents, media, schools…
How have schools contributed? Need
counselors..
Why do children feel frightened? No one to
talk to.
Where do they go to escape? TV; games…
What dangers could that bring on? Apathy,
poor grades, on-line predators….


12. GENERATE MATERIAL
 Free
write on the limited subject
jotting down in rough sentences
everything that comes to mind
 Brainstorm your limited subject
list every idea, fact and example that
occurs to you about the subject
 Mapping (diagramming, clustering,
webbing)

13. Patterns of Development


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
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Description
to detail what a person,
place, or object is like
Narration
to relate an event
Illustration
to provide specific
examples or instances
Division/classificationto divide into groups
or related categories
Process analysis
to explain how
something is done or
how something happens

14. 

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Comparison- contrast
point out
similarities and
differences
Cause-effect
analyze reasons
and consequences
Definition
to explain the
meaning of a term
or concept
Argumentation-persuasion to win people
over to a point
of view

15. Conduct research

Primary research (do it yourself)
◦ Interview
◦ Conduct your own studies
◦ Compile your own statistics
• Secondary research
- find articles, books, other research

16. Organize the raw material
Scratch list or outline
 Re-read your points
 Cross out anything you can’t use or don’t
need
 Add points that add support
 Relate similar items
 Develop groupings
 Determine paragraphs
