The Writing Process

1. The Writing Process (Or, how NOT to just sit and stare at a blank piece of paper, part 2)

2. Objective: We will choose a topic for writing a narrative using three pre-writing strategies: self-inventory, freewriting, and brainstorming

3. Two Types of Writing Narrative: Tells a story Expository: Gives information

4. The Five Steps in the Writing Process Prewriting Drafting Revising Editing Publishing

5. Prewriting • Decide whatyou will write about - A specific topic given to you (earthquakes, Charlotte’s Web) - Your choice, a narrative, a “freewriting” assignment • Decide whyyou are writing - An assignment given by a teacher - A job application; a college application - Your own enjoyment • Decide for whom you are writing - Ateacher - The hiring manager at a company; the admissions dept. of a university - Yourself and other readers

6. Focus on Narrative

7. What if I have to come up with the topic on my own?

8. Use a Prewriting Strategy Self-inventory Freewriting Brainstorming

9. Self-Inventory Choosing the topic allows you to write about whatever interests you.

10. Freewriting Put pencil to paper and write whatever comes to mind. Write without stopping for at least ten minutes, letting one idea flow into the next. After ten minutes, stop and circle any ideas that you like. Then freewrite about those ideas until you hit on a topic that interests you.

11. Student example - Freewrite What a day…I wish I didn’t have to be in school. At least I got to ride my bike this weekend – except for one thing that really bothered me when I rode past the train station. The trash can outside was totally gross and overflowing which made me mad, because it was full of newspapers that could have been recycled, except they were all slimy from the garbage thrown on top of them.

12. Student example - Freewrite What a day…I wish I didn’t have to be in school. At least I got to ride my bike this weekend – except for one thing that really bothered me when I rode past the train station. The trash can outside was totally gross and overflowing which made me mad, because it was full of newspapers that could have been recycled, except they were all slimy from the garbage thrown on top of them.

13. Brainstorming Brainstorming is a way to come up with ideas in a group. For five minutes or so, each member of the group offers ideas for topics while one person writes them down. Don’t criticize suggestions or try to choose a topic yet when you brainstorm – just get ideas down on paper. When the time is up, read over the list and choose the idea you like best.

14. Objective: We will choose a topic for writing a narrative piece using three pre-writing strategies: self-inventory, freewriting, and brainstorming

15. Independent Work Now that you’ve used the three pre-writing strategies – self-inventory, freewriting, and brainstorming – decide on a topic for your own writing. Start writing in class.