The Basic Steps of Essay Writing

When it comes to writing, it comes together just as many other things do: one step at a time. Each step takes a writer closer to their final destination - an article, novel, or paper that is well written and they can be proud of. In order to have that sense of pride and accomplishment, a series of steps need to be followed: first comes prewriting next will be composition, then the revisions, editing will follow, sometimes a conference will be included and lastly the publication.

Prewriting is the first step in any successful writing. It is also often referred to as Brainstorming. This is when the topic is selected (if it was not already given) and the required information is gathered, whether it is facts or ideas. During this time, the writer also determines the point-of-view that the story will be told in and what audience they are writing to. The primary purpose of the prewriting step is for the writer to put their thoughts in order. This is usually done by gathering and outlining the information into a logical sequence. It also allows for the writer to brainstorm while they organize the information in order to see if they have enough information to support the topic or if they need to collect more data through interviews, internet or library research.

Once the prewriting is complete, the writer then puts all of the notes into words, into sentences. The composition phase, or drafting, is usually exactly that, a draft, a rough draft. Usually good writing requires more than one rough draft. This is the time that the writer free writes and there is no concern for spelling, grammar or mechanics. The writer takes their information and forms their thoughts into sentences. Sometimes while they are writing they will explore additional thoughts and information that they did not realize, or may have missed, earlier. The purpose of the composition phase is to allow for free thought to flow without the burdens of grammar, spelling and mechanics. This time gives the writer the chance to organize their thoughts and form them into organized sentences and a chance to find any information that was overlooked along the way.

After the composition, or rough draft, is written, revisions will be needed. No paper, novel, article is complete on the first try. This step can reoccur multiple times until the paper is acceptable. This is a fine tuning of the writers thoughts and ideas; by adding or moving the sections to be able to work into smoother and logical transitions for a better flow of the substance of the writing. The purpose of this step is needed to ensure that all of the information is correct, that it flows sequentially, and that all of the information is comprehensible and logical before editing begins.

Once editing begins, it could take a few tries to make sure that it is up to the correct standards for the type of writing that is being done. This step is when all of the spelling errors, grammatical errors and mechanical errors are found and corrected. There are several methods that can be used for editing; such as self, peer, teacher/supervisor and/or computer editing. The purpose of this step is to provided the opportunity to prepare for the final draft due with the various proofreading techniques that are being used to ensure correctness and accuracy of the writing. Some writers may use only one of the editing methods while others may choose to use multiple methods as checks and balances.

Sometimes sharing is used as a stepping stone in the creation of a piece of writing and sometimes it is skipped. It is a matter of choice or knowledge of the step. During sharing, the writer will converse with another person to review and discuss the drafts and the notes. This step is most commonly used in school/college where many teachers used guided questions to lead the students in identifying the problems that need correcting. Another way that this can be done is with peer editing. The purpose of this step allows for writers to get sensible ideas and suggestions to improve their writing while being encouraged to recognize their errors to be able to identify them in the future.

The last thing for a writer to do after prewriting, composition, revising, editing and sharing is to publish or submit their work. At this point, the writer has to focus all of their efforts into doing their best writing and making sure that they have all that they have done to this point will create a perfectly written paper for them; whether a story, a novel, an article or essay. They have been encouraged to continue with the proficient attention that they have used to reach this step. The purpose of publication, which is the most rewarding step of all, is to allows the writer to share their work with others and creates a sense of pride and accomplishment on a well-written project that they can be proud of.

There are many ways to accomplish a well-written paper and these are the most commonly used steps to reaching that accomplishment. It may seem like a lot of work, but the end result will be something to be proud of.

References:
Coleman, C. (2001). Balancing Literacy: A Balanced Approach to Reading and Writing Instruction. Huntington Beach, CA : Creative Teaching Press.