The writing process
Transcript of The writing process
Ideas and Content
• The purpose of writing could be to inform, to persuade, to
entertain.
• When you prepare o write, first consider possible topics.
• Then decide whether you want to inform, persuade, or
entertain your audience.
• List details that fit your topic and support your main idea.
• Now decide which details are the strongest.
• When you write, put your ideas in an order that will help
readers understand them.
Ideas and Content
Strategies for organizing ideas
• Begin a paragraph with a topic sentence that expresses the
main idea.
• Use order words (first, then, after, finally) so you writing
flows smoothly.
• Use a graphic organizer to help you organize your ideas.
VOICE
• When you write just as when you speak you can choose an
appropriate tone of voice to communicate successfully.
• Your style and your choice of words can make the writing
interesting to each reader.
• If you care about what you write, your writing will reflect your
voice.
S t r a t e g i e s f o r d e v e l o p i n g y o u r v o i c e
• Choose a writing tone that matches your topic.
• Use words and phrases that match the type of writing
you are doing.
• Find your voice by reading aloud things you have written.
Word Choice
• Use exact nouns.
• Use strong verbs.
• Use vivid adjectives.
• Avoid vague words such as great, nice, thing, and stuff
• Create strong images to make your readers use their senses.
• Decide if some sentences that have linking verbs would be stronger
with action verbs.
• Avoid wordiness.
• Use a thesaurus to help you find vivid words to replace ordinary
words.
S e n t e n c e s
• Good writers express their thoughts in lively,
varied sentences. They make reading a
pleasure by using sentences to create a special
rhythm and style.
S t r a t e g i e s f o r i m p r o v i n g s e n t e n c e s
• Write sentences that flow logically form one to the other.
• Vary sentence length by including a mixture of short and
long sentences.
• Avoid sentences that are too long or wordy.
• Avoid writing a series of short, choppy sentences. Use
connectors such as and, but, or, because.
• Include different kinds of sentences to add variety and life to
your writing.
• Usually, sentences will be statements. Sometimes questions,
commands, or exclamations are good choices too.
S t r a t e g i e s f o r i m p r o v i n g s e n t e n c e s
• Try to vary the beginnings of your sentences.
• Avoid beginning all of your sentences with words such as I,
she, he, then, or the.
• Read what you write aloud to yourself. Listen for a rhythm
as if you are listening to a song.
S t r a t e g i e s f o r i m p r o v i n g s e n t e n c e s
Conventions
• A convention is a rule that people agree to
follow. Written language follows special
conventions.
• Conventions also set the rules for spelling and
grammar.
Strategies for Conventions
• Learn the rules for spelling. For instance, add –s to form
the plural of most nouns.
• Use a dictionary or spell-checker to help you with the
spelling of difficult or new words.
• Capitalize the first letter of each word that begins a
sentence.
• Capitalize the first letter of each important word in proper nouns.
• Use punctuation correctly.
• Make sure the verb you use agrees with its subject.
• Check that the verb tenses are correct.
• Check that pronouns are used correctly in subjects and predicates.
• Make sure you use apostrophes correctly to show possession and to
form contractions.
Strategies for Conventions
T y p e s o f E s s a y s
• There are four types of essays exist including:
1.Narration,
2.Description,
3.Exposition,
4.Argument.
N a r r a t i v e
• All narrative essays will have characters, setting, climax,
and most importantly, a plot.
• The plot is the focus of the story and is usually revealed
chronologically.
In writing a narrative essay, remember to:
– Include sensory and emotional details.
– Have the story support the point you are making.
– Write in the first or third person.
D e s c r i p t i v e
• Descriptive essays have text which describes traits and
characteristics of people, objects, events, feelings, etc.
• When you write a descriptive essay, you want to involve
the reader’s senses and emotions.
• The second sentence gives vivid details to make the
reader feel like he is there.
E x p o s i t i o n
• Expository essays can compare, explore and discuss
problems, or tell a story.
• An exposition essay gives information about various topics
to the reader. It: Informs, Describes, Explains.
• In writing an exposition, the text needs to:
– Be concise and easy to understand
– Give different views on a subject or report on a situation or event
– Explain something that may be difficult to understand as you write
your essay.
A r g u m e n t a t i v e
• In an argumentative essay the writer is trying to convince
the reader by demonstrating the truth or falsity of a topic.
• The writer’s position will be backed up with certain kinds
of evidence, like statistics or opinions of experts.
• The writer is not just giving an opinion, but making an
argument for or against something and supporting that
argument with data.
S t e p s t o w r i t e a n e s s a y :
1. Research: Begin the essay writing process by
researching your topic.
2. Analysis: Start analyzing the arguments of the essays
you're reading. Clearly define the claims, write out the
reasons, the evidence. Look for weaknesses of logic,
and also strengths.
3. Brainstorming: Your essay will require insight of your own,
genuine essay-writing brilliance.
4. Thesis statement: Pick your best idea that you can write your
entire essay around. Your thesis is your main point, summed
up in a concise sentence.
5. Outline: Sketch out your essay before straightway writing it
out. Use one-line sentences to describe paragraphs.
6. Introduction: The introduction should grab the reader's
attention, set up the issue, and lead in to your thesis.
7. Paragraphs: Begin paragraphs with topic sentences, support
assertions with evidence, and expound your ideas in the
clearest way.
8. Conclusion: Exit your essay by making a quick wrap-up
sentence, and then end on some memorable thought,
perhaps a quotation, or some call to action.