Pre-Writing

1. Pre-Writing What To Do Before You Do What You Need To Do

2. Why Can’t I Just Start Writing? When it comes to taking a timed writing test, you have to make sure you’re prepared to give the best product you can in the shortest amount of time. When you’re racing the clock, it might make sense to want to jump right in and get to work, right?

3. Why Can’t I Just Start Writing? However, the problem is that, in the case of most writers, you need to know what you’re writing about before you start writing! How can you respond to a question if you don’t actually take the time to come up with an answer?

4. Before Pre-Writing • A good tactic to use before pre-writing is to analyze the question. Take note of what’s important in it. Answer some questions about it: • What’s the format? • Who are you writing to? • Why are you writing? • What do they want me to include? If you can write on your prompt, do so! Mark it up!

5. Before Pre-Writing Writing Situation:After years of trying to convince your parents to get you a pet of your very own, your parents have finally agreed. However, they want to make sure that you will behave responsibly with your new pet. Your parents feel that it is important that you make a good choice. Writing Directions:In a five-paragraph essay, write about the pet you want. Discuss three reasons why this animal would make a good pet for you. Convince your parents that you are making the right choice. What do I mean by “mark it up?” Well, here’s an example of a writing prompt:

6. Before Pre-Writing Here’s that same prompt, but marked up:

7. Strategies for Pre-Writing • There are lots of ways to pre-write. Doing it in the way that you do best can help you come up with ideas and organize them before you begin. Some ways of pre-writing include: • Brainstorming • Mind-Mapping • Free Writing • Listing/Outlining

8. Brainstorming In Brainstorming, you simply write down everything that flows off the top of your head. This is probably the easiest one to do, but may not help with organization. You can even try to just answer the questions you came up with when you marked up the question!

9. Brainstorming • For instance, let’s say the topic for your paper was “What factors should be considered when purchasing a pet for the family?”You’d simply jot down everything that came to mind. • What animal would you want? Cat, dog, fish, hamster, snake, spider, lizard, lion? • If a dog, what type? Husky, Golden Retriever, sheepdog, poodle, spaniel, terrier, boxer? • If a spaniel, why? Physical characteristics, temperament, breeding, buying, feeding, grooming?

10. Brainstorming Writing Situation Your principal would like to add a new class that is not currently offered in your school. The principal has asked students to make recommendations about new classes. Decide what class you would recommend for your school. Directions for Writing Write a letter to convince the principal that your new class is the best one for the school. Be sure to include detailed reasons. Let’s try it together:

11. Mind-Mapping Mappingis a way of drawing your ideas out like a spider web.  The main idea goes in the middle, and you expand your thoughts out from there. 

12. Mind-Mapping Writing Situation In some countries, students are responsible for the basic cleaning of their school buildings. Fifteen minutes is set aside each day for all students to sweep, dust, and clean their classrooms and hallways. Think about what your class could do to clean the school. Directions for Writing Write a letter to your teacher explaining your solution for cleaning the school. Write a letter to convince the principal that your new class is the best one for the school. Be sure to include detailed reasons. Let’s try it with another topic:

13. Free-Writing With free writing, you put your ideas onto paper in the form of sentences as quickly as possible. Unlike the final essay, in free writing you don't worry about spelling, punctuation and grammar.  Get your ideas on the page while they're buzzing around in your brain.  Imagine that you're talking to yourself on paper.  If you hit a rough patch, just keep writing whatever comes into your head.  Soon some more topic ideas will come, and you can add them.

14. Listing/Outlining This involves taking your ideas and placing them in an order that makes sense and will be the guideline for the rest of your paper. The other strategies can loosen the clogged ideas in your brain and get something onto blank paper. This puts those scattered ideas into a manageable order.

15. Listing/Outlining • Main Topic • Your Position • Reason 1 • Reason 2 • Reason 3 • 1st Reason • Support A • Support B • Support C • 2nd Reason • Support A • Support B • Support C • 3rd Reason • Support A • Support B • Support C • Conclusion • Idea 1 • Idea 2 • Idea 3

16. Listing/Outlining Now let’s try it with the last map we made!

17. Now You Try On Your Own Writing Situation Your principal is considering hiring fast food restaurants to provide meals to serve at lunch. A group of parents is concerned that fast food lunches are not well-balanced meals. Some students, however, would like to be able to eat fast food for lunch. Directions for Writing Decide whether you think fast food restaurants should or should not provide lunch in your school. Write a letter to your principal expressing your position on serving fast food for lunch at school. Support your position with convincing arguments and specific details.