The Writing Process

In high school, students usually submit their work in multiple stages—from the thesis statement to the outline to a draft of the paper, and finally, after receiving feedback on each preliminary piece, a completed project. This format teaches students how to divide writing assignments into smaller tasks and schedule these tasks over an extended period of time. In college, it is your responsibility to break large assignments down into smaller projects so you do not have an unmanageable amount of work at the last minute.

We should first address the common resistance to form. Beginning writers often protest that imposing formal rules on writing contradicts the notion of writing as a creative art. Sometimes, however, working within a form actually enhances creativity. Approaching the process of writing the same way each time builds facility and ease into your writing. You become familiar with the progression of the project, knowing that each stage has a specific purpose in the creation of a strong final product.  

A Recipe for Good Writing

The seasoned baker no longer pulls out the cookbook every time she wants to bake a cake. In fact, she might charge into the pantry looking for new and interesting ingredients, like chili powder for the chocolate icing. But there was a time when she followed the recipe step by step and by doing so learned exactly what happens when you leave out one ingredient or overdo another. Think of the following chapters as your cookbook for writing a successful paper and look forward to the day when you can focus more on being creative with spices than on learning the recipe.

Here, then, are the steps of the writing process: our "recipe" for good expository writing. As you read them, consider what might be entailed in each step. Imagine what you'll be doing and why it could be useful in creating a successful final paper.

• Step 1: Prewriting and Choosing a Topic
• Step 2: Researching
• Step 3: Outlining
• Step 4: Drafting
• Step 5: Revising
• Step 6: Editing and Proofreading
• Step 7: Completing a Final Review

Can you figure out why you might need each step? Start thinking of some questions to ask as you move forward. Your question might be "Why in the world would I want to spend precious time outlining?" You might ask, "Why does there need to be a step for revising and then a separate step for editing and proofreading?" You might wonder how to approach the drafting phase without feeling overwhelmed, or you might be curious about the brainstorming methods we recommend.

It's important to recognize that writing is a recursive process. Just as you taste when you cook, then go back and add more of something to enhance the dish's flavor, while you are writing you're regularly going back to earlier stages or jumping forward in the process as needed. Though there are reasons for using the particular steps above, they are part of a flexible process that's there to serve you, the writer.

Techniques in Depth

Once we've explored each of these steps, we'll delve deeper into some of the more nuanced techniques involved in creating a strong argument.  

Section 3 examines the process of developing a thesis from the brainstorming stage through to the final statement. Everything in a paper is organized around the thesis statement. How do you know when you have one that is strong enough to hold a paper together?

Section 4 guides you through building a narrative that makes sense for your topic and purpose. The narrative is where the writer creates a kind of magic with the power of persuasion. What are the practical tools behind this mysterious process?

Section 5 looks at the supportive use of quotations and paraphrasing, answering questions about formatting, appropriate use of quotes, and other issues. Is there skill behind the choice of when to use a quote and when to paraphrase, or is it a random selection?

Section 6 addresses the strategy of incorporating into your paper possible objections to your argument. But is it wise to make your opponents' argument for them, and if so, should you weaken their arguments in order to strengthen your own?

Try looking at each stage of the writing process as a necessary ingredient for a cake, and you'll begin to respect each step for what it offers your final product. No one would want to eat flour by itself, but leaving it out of the mixing process would spell disaster for dessert (unless you are making flourless cake). Similarly, while you may find the idea of researching or proofreading distasteful in isolation, you'll learn to appreciate and even enjoy each step of the process for what it contributes to the whole.