Steps of the Writing Process, Pt. I

1.

Why Steps to Essay Writing?

Following the Steps of the Writing Process:

• Avoids the need to begin an essay with a blank screen, as these steps give you a road map to follow during writing
  
• Takes the guesswork out of writing by pre-planning your approach
  
• Front-loads the process, so that the actual writing of the essay is done more efficiently
• Produces essays that are better organized and more concise

2.

The Steps of the Writing Process

1. Understanding the Prompt
2. Forming a Thesis
3. Prewriting
4. Outlining
5. Drafting
6. Revising
7. Proofreading
8. Publishing

3.

Step 1: Understanding the Prompt

Prompts are directions for writing an essay:

• Read them carefully: Give them the time they deserve—even during a timed-writing. The average time spent reading a prompt is less than one minute
• Annotate them: Be sure to highlight key words and phrases—and repeat them in your essay.
  

Generally prompts are broken into two parts: context and directions.

• The contextual part of the prompt establishes the parameters of your essay, such as the essay’s subject
• The directional portion dictates specific instructions, such as what type of essay to write
  

Occasionally, you may be offered only one of these two parts.

4.

Step 1: Understanding the Prompt

Here is a typical prompt you may encounter:

Inter-faith couples face many unique challenges. They must deal with issues that most same-faith couples take for granted, such as who will officiate their marriage ceremony and how to observe religious holidays. Indeed, the problems these couples face are often not resolved until one person succumbs their beliefs. Couples should save themselves the trouble and stay with their own kind.

Write an essay in which you support, qualify, or dispute the above statement.

5.

Step 1: Understanding the Prompt

Here is one way this prompt might be annotated:

Inter-faith couples face many unique challenges. They must deal with issues that most same-faith couples take for granted, such as who will officiate their marriage ceremony and how to observe religious holidays. Indeed, the problems these couples face are often not resolved until one person succumbs their beliefs. Couples should save themselves the trouble and stay with their own kind.

Write an essay in which you support, qualify, or dispute the above statement.

6.

Step 1: Understanding the Prompt

This annotation highlighted the prompt’s key words (e.g. interfaith couples, unique challenges), but it also noted those words that gave the writer specific directions. In this case, the prompt offered three very different potential routes to take: support, qualify, or dispute. Each of these words lends itself to a very different essay, so it is important to take note of each.