Writing is Like Baking: Learn the Process

Writing. It seems like an open and closed thing to just write something down, but it is not.

Writing is like baking -

It is a multi-step process that

takes skills each step of the way.

Students often do not understand. They think there's something wrong with them - that they "can't write". Really, they just need to know that putting the words on the page is only the first step (actually... it isn't even the first step!... )

BEFORE YOU EVER START to do what we call "Writing" there is a pre-writing process with many steps (and sub-steps!)

Pre-Writing Process

• Topic Generation

• Brainstorming

• Research

• Careful documentation of research notes and sources

• Argument Building

• Thesis Statement Development

• Outline - Planning

Then you can write - it is time for the first draft!

Then the editing process takes over:

• Revision

• Editing for the basics - complete sentences, spelling, and ideas

• Editing for commas (this will take many read-throughs)

• Sentence Improvement

• Editing - again!

Then the post-writing phase

• Formatting the paper

• Creating a works cited page

• Adding or tweaking In-text citations

Back to Editing!

• Check it over again

• Edit to the marking rubric

• Get someone else to read it and give feedback

• Fix mistakes

• Edit again

Print your finished Essay!

Sometimes I wonder why we call it the writing process

it seems to be mostly editing! The editing is a huge process- one that most students do not budget time for at all! Editing is the part that makes a good paper a great paper!

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