The  Wri(ng  Process  

Keimyung  University  

 Dept.  of  English  Language  &  Literature  /  Prac(cal  Wri(ng  

Summary  

 Why  learn  about  this?  

 Recursive  process   Individual  process   Three  main  parts  to  the  process  (*)  

PREWRITING  

Be  crea(ve  at  the  start  of  a  project;    

be  careful  near  the  end  of  the  project.  

Crea(vity  and  organiza(on  

Prewri(ng  

 Brainstorming  

 Selec(on  and  organiza(on   Making  an  outline  

Brainstorming  

 Many  styles  available  (because  crea(vity  is  personal)  

  The  opposite  of  studying   Write  everything  down,  throw  

nothing  away  

 My  “secret  recipe”  for  brainstorming  

Selec(on  and  organiza(on  

 Follow  the  “three  levels  of  ideas”  philosophy  

 THIS  is  the  most  important  stage  of  the  en9re  process  

 Remember  the  wri(ng  process  is  recursive  

Making  an  outline  

  The  outline  is  for  you,  not  for  the  reader  (usually)  

  You  need  to  know  what  form  you  are  wri(ng  

  The  outline  should  show  the  three  levels  of  ideas  

  The  outline  must  be  done  in  English  (or  whichever  language  you  will  write  in)  

WRITING  

“I’m  not  a  very  good  writer,  but  I’m  an  excellent  rewriter.”  –  James  A.  Michener  

Mul(ple  dra[s  

Wri(ng  for  you  and  others  

 Don’t  start  without  a  plan    The  “marriage”  of  purpose  

and  audience    Remember:  it  is  a  recursive  

process  

  You’re  gaining  control   No  one  gets  it  right  the  first  

(me  

REWRITING  

“The  first  dra[  reveals  the  art,  revision  reveals  the  ar(st.”  –  Michael  Lee  

Revision  and  proofreading  

Revision  and  proofreading  

 Revision:  ge_ng  your  IDEAS  right  

 Proofreading:  ge_ng  your  LANGUAGE  right  

Revision  

 Are  your  ideas  arranged  properly?  Proper  form?    

  Is  there  enough  support?   Did  you  say  too  much?  

 Did  you  meet  your  purpose?  

 Did  you  reach  your  audience?  

Proofreading  

  Pay  more  aaen(on  to  the  “major”  errors  (verb  tenses,  vocabulary  choices,  phrasing).  

  Every  writer  has  a  few  individual  language  weaknesses.  Learn  yours.    

 Don’t  be  lazy.  Lazy  people  give  up  their  power.  

Wri(ng  is  a  skill  

•  In  music,  in  sports,  even  in  cooking,  some  people  have  “natural”  strengths  or  weaknesses.  

•  In  weightli[ing,  in  watercolor  pain(ng,  or  in  baking  cakes,  people  can  (and  do)  improve  their  skill  by  (a)  learning  the  correct  process,  and  (b)  repea(ng  the  technique.    

•  Wri(ng  will  never  be  “easy.”  Ask  any  poet  or  newspaper  writer.  But  it  can  become  easier.