The method which an author creates a piece of writing is referred to as the writing process. Authors may spend an excessive amount of time on one step or even skip a few steps entirely in this highly personalized process. Prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing are the five commonly accepted steps in the writing process.
Brainstorming is another term for prewriting. This is the stage of writing when an author decides what to write about and conducts research on the subject. One of many writing techniques that aid this step is free-writing, in which the author writes nonstop for a set amount of time. After this phase, the author should have all of the information he or she needs to write, as well as a general idea of how to organize it. Writing an outline is a common way for authors to complete this stage.
The second stage of the writing process is drafting. The author should write a complete first draft during the drafting process, using his or her notes from prewriting as a guide. Because the goal of drafting is to produce a complete draft rather than a perfect one, writers are encouraged to overlook spelling and grammar errors and write quickly.
The third step in the writing process, revising, is distinct from editing. Authors move sentences or even entire paragraphs to improve flow rather than focusing on correcting spelling and grammar errors. To vary sentence structure, authors may need to rearrange syntax.
The fourth stage is editing, also known as proofreading. Authors must double-check spelling, grammar, and punctuation during the editing process. Many authors find it difficult to see their own mistakes after working through the other steps. As a result, many authors engage in peer editing, in which coworkers proofread each other’s work.
The work is then published or presented as the final step in the writing process. This could mean having it printed a publisher or copying, stapling, and passing copies out to friends. The goal of this step is to share the writing in the most appropriate manner for the piece. For an elementary student, publishing may entail pinning the paper to the classroom bulletin board. Graduate students may give talks at a conference.
Although the steps of the writing process should be followed in order, a writer may need to backtrack a few steps. This happens a lot when you’re revising. An author may discover that he or she neglected to research an important point after reading his or her first draft. If this is the case, the author must go back to step one, prewriting, to conduct additional research.