The Writing Process Model:

1
The Writing Process Model

• Add Power
• to Your Writing by Using
• P.O.W.E.R.S.

2
Why Use a Model for Writing?

• Writing is a difficult task for most people.
  Sitting down in front that blank piece of paper
  or computer screen and being expected to write an
  assignment can be intimidating even for
  accomplished writers.
• By learning the six steps of the writing process,
  our job as a writer becomes easier and more
  manageable as the writing task is broken down
  into a series of steps.

3
Six Steps in the Writing Process

• Prewrite
• Organize
• Write
• Edit
• Revise
• Share

4
Prewriting

• In this stage, the writer is looking to generate
  ideas.
• What are some strategies to find ideas?
• Brainstorming-excellent when you need to find
  ideas fast. Say ANYTHING that comes to mind.
  This is a way to overcome the problem My mind is
  blank. There are no wrong ideas!
• Free-writing-Much like brainstorming. Write down
  anything that comes to mind for a set period of
  time (e.g. 5 minutes.)
• Make lists about what you know about your topic.

5
More Prewriting

• Another strategy is to ask your self the
  following questions about your topic
• Who did it?
• What happened?
• When did it happen?
• Where did it happen?
• Why did it happen?
• How did it happen?

6
Organize

• Look for connections between your ideas generated
  in the Prewriting step.
• Link your ideas together to form an introductory
  paragraph that contains your thesis (argument)
  for what you are writing about.
• Remember Your introductory paragraph is the
  readers roadmap to what you will be writing
  about.

7
Write

• This stage is also referred to as drafting.
• This is for you, the writer, to find out what you
  know about your topic.
• Dont worry about spelling or grammar at this
  point, just get your ideas down on paper.
• Tell the reader where your paragraphs are going
  by using topic sentences to introduce each
  paragraph
• The conclusion should sum up your argument, not
  introduce any new information

8
Edit

• Use the spell-checker on your word-processing
  program. Caution spell-check wont find every
  spelling or grammar error.
• Read your essay out loud-You can often hear
  mistakes that you dont see when you are
  re-reading your paper.
• Have someone else look over your paper
• Read your essay backwards to catch errors.

9
Revise

• Ask these questions Are all sections of my
  writing clear? If someone who didnt know
  anything about my topic read my paper, would they
  be able to follow it?
• Does your introductory paragraph still agree with
  what youve written? Sometimes ideas about topics
  change as you are writing about them.
• Dont be afraid to do a major overhaul at this
  point. If it doesnt work-GET RID OF IT!

10
Share

• Also known as publish.
• This is the final, polished version of your
  paper.
• You can share your writing in a variety of ways
  with your teacher, a friend, on the Web, through
  a letter to the editor, etc.
• The whole purpose of writing is to let others
  know what YOU know!

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A Final Note

• Although the model presented today as being in a
  linear form, writers are free to move from one
  stage to another and back again as needed.