Post 206: Do all writers follow the Writing Process when they write?

Post 206: Do all writers follow the Writing Process when they write?

As you know, the Writing Process consists of Pre-Writing, then Writing, and finally Re-writing. As  you can see from this graph. Pre-writing consists of finding a topic, brainstorming a topic, writing a thesis statement, and then writing an outline. Then Writing consists of writing your rough draft while Re-Writing consists of revising your rough draft.

Do most writers use The WRiting Process when they write?

No, some writers go back and forth between pre-writing, writing and re-writing as they write.

I have had some students tell me that they don't come up with their main idea until after they have written their body paragraphs, yet the Writing Process stipulates for students to write their main idea first, and then write their body paragraphs.

Every writer has a different thought process when it comes to writing and the Writing Process is simply just the most common way most writers cognitively write a paper.

Not all writers can write in such a strictly linear fashion. Like I said, some students write their body paragraphs first, then their thesis. Others write their conclusion paragraph first and then the rest of the essay takes shape.

I tell students that if they get stuck on their thesis statement, then I tell them to write out their body paragraphs first and then summarize their body paragraphs for their thesis statement.

Many students who do not write in a linear fashion find the Writing Process to be paralyzing because that is not the way they think.

I tell students there is no right way or wrong way to write a paper as long as it is a process they are comfortable with.

Also, some students find they have to revise their thesis statement many times or through the course of their research, they find themselves changing their minds on their topics completely and it is okay to revise your thesis statement and to do the Writing Process out of order. Revising the thesis statement is a natural part of the research process I tell students. This is the reason why in ENGL 498, Senior Seminar Capstone class for English majors, in the middle of the class, I devote an entire week to asking students how their research process is going.

Students feel like if they do not follow The Writing Process, then they are writing the essay wrong or that there is something wrong with them, and I tell them that it is alright to revise their thesis, or to write the thesis last, and this makes them relax and finish the paper.

Just because I happen to write like the Writing Process does not mean it is a one size fits all for everybody. You just have to go with the flow. Ernest Hemingway used to revise his chapter 39 times for each chapter. He was constantly pre-writing, writing and re-writing all at the same time all the time. So even famous writers have their own style of writing!