The Writing Process

All writers go through a similar writing process. The five basic steps are examined below:

 1. Coming up with an idea: Generating raw material, freewriting, journal exercises, reading, life experience, choosing the gem among the rocks, (expanding and exploring the idea), getting stuck and moving on.

• Every time we get stuck in a piece of writing, it is helpful to go back to this step 

2. Writing the first draft: Composing and structuring, experiment with technique, decide on a genre, decide on the best structure to tell the story. write.


3. Revising: developing meaning, rereading your work to look for a deeper meaning, sharing your work in a readers’ circle/workshop, getting feedback and response, revision: transforming, rearranging, expanding, cutting.

• Often writers will revise as they write their first draft. It is a good idea at some point to focus ONLY on revision. Professional writers often revise a draft upwards of 10-20 times, if not more.

4. Editing: Fine cutting (cutting unnecessary words and paragraphs), line by line editing, reviewing word choice, proofreading for errors.

• Again, writers often edit while composing. Editing is making strong decisions as to what to include and what to cut. The craft of writing, grammar skills, and writing skills are helpful during this process.

5. Publication: Preparing the manuscript for public perusal, sending your manuscript out to publishers, The rejection letter/the acceptance letter, working with an editor/agent/publisher, publication.

• Writers hope to reach this stage, but realize that not all pieces may find their way to publication. Until then, they circle the revising/editing/drafting/brainstorming stage. 

Please note and learn this process. We will be discussing it all year and for the rest of your life.