The Art of Prewriting

Writing well is perhaps the most useful, ubiquitous skill a student will take away from an educational experience. This holds true at all levels of education, from early literacy training in Kindergarten, to compiling a Doctoral thesis in the latter stages of graduate school.

One of the most frustrating aspects of writing for college courses (or any level of education, for that matter) is the relatively little availability of explanation for key terms. As a writing tutor at a community college, I have heard from far too many students that they just don't get it, or the professor has not talked to them in enough detail, at their level, causing a subsequent gap in knowledge.

A common misconception is that there are established rules or eternal definitions (like, say, in mathematics) for key terms when it comes to the writing process. Do not be fooled; all information that seeks to educate a student about writing is, at best, provisional. Sure, authorities exist, but writing is an art; it is a living, evolving set of conventions; writing, and the "rules" that govern it change frequently and, sometimes, seemingly arbitrarily.

So how does a dedicated student who struggles with writing master the process? One way is to begin simply, with one technique, and to get to know that technique intimately so that the skill is mastered-like when learning to swim or ride a bike. No one ever won a triathlon by skipping over the fundamentals.

Prewriting, as the name implies, is one such fundamental. However, within this broad category lies a myriad of technical terms creating a kind of jargon that serves only to frustrate otherwise conscientious students.

With that in mind, one strategy to learning such techniques is to simplify. Within prewriting, one of the most common and talked about techniques is clustering.

Let me repeat that word: clustering.

When a student chooses to cluster, a student is choosing a fundamentally visual technique. Clusters are popular for good reason: humans (as a species in general, but not universally) are visual creatures. We have an amazing set of eyes that perceive subtle differences in hundreds (if not thousands) of colors, hues, and tints; we recognize depth and space with our eyes; and we discover and create recognizable patterns.

Clustering involves writing that does not necessarily involve linearity.

To begin a cluster, write down the most general topic you can think of in the center of a blank sheet of paper. Circle it. Draw short lines from the circle reaching up, down, left, and right, and connect those lines to new circles Fill the circles with related topics, concepts, or ideas. You now have a rudimentary cluster. Continue drawing lines and circles to your hearts desire; this stage of writing encourages creative thinking that often seems disorganized or haphazard.

So far, simple enough, no? The problem comes with the jargon: diagramming, webbing, flow charts, concept trees, all kinds of mapping including, concept maps, idea maps, mind mapping, cubing, chaining, and on and on and on. Most of these technical terms are simply derivatives or cousins of the cluster, expanding on the basic technique to establish more organization or order in the process.

Do not be intimidated. Intimidation is one of a writer's fiercest enemies. Do not let the overabundance of technical terms distract your otherwise sharp, agile mind. Concentrate on mastering one technique.

For many students, this means mastering the cluster, as it is probably the most widespread, easily identifiable concept when it comes to visual learning techniques. Practice using the cluster and be creative. Fill pages with lines and circles containing words or phrases. Never mind the jargon; focus on one well known, widely acknowledged skill. Once a skill like clustering is ingrained, the race to the finish-that is, the final draft-becomes easier and faster through an efficient mastery of the fundamentals.