prewriting

Disclaimer: The thing about the writing process is there are lots of different ones. In this program I suggest some ways other writers have found helpful, but don't be afraid to work on your own approach to writing. You are, after all, the author.

The (Positively ) PREWRITING Page:

This page has a number of prewriting ideas with more being added all the time (send me your favorites).

Click on the one that you think may help, or just scroll down and skim all of them.

Introductory Remarks:

This is a favorite step for the folk who have discovered the relaxed, playful atmosphere that works best at this stage of writing.

Other folk, panic in abject terror as they face the bloodless white paper or the grinding whine of a blank computer screen.

Believe it or not, there are folk whose innards turn to boiling anguish at the mere mention of writing.

They are frozen in their fear of failure, in their insistence that one is supposed to write correctly the first time.

Bummer!

Prewriting is all about day dreams, about playing with ideas.

Prewriting is where you are encouraged to fool around until a day dream appears.

Prewriting is where, happy little elves and elfettes dance through your mind scattering rose petals of inspiration. (Yuck! I hope this makes the point that while prewriting it's OK not to take the writing seriously.)

Freewriting:

My favorite prewriting activity is freewriting.

I freewrite about whatever it is that I'm supposed to be writing.

The paragraph just before this one is an example:

I just did a freewrite about prewriting and that's what came.

Sometimes I begin freewriting by complaining: "I am really tired and I don't feel like writing, especially for that jerk. . ."

Freewriting frees me from the panic that sometimes comes when I need to produce a piece of writing.

Because in freewriting there are no concerns about grammar, spelling, punctuation or even writing well, I am able to get loose and just let the words flow.

Notebooking:

If you really want to help your writing in general, spend a buck on a small notebook and write in it for ten minutes every day.

This not only improves your ability to write, it often produces ideas for assigned papers.

Any time you get a writing assignment, read what's in your notebook, you may have already begun the assignment.

There may be an observation about spiders that could become a science essay; a memory that could become a narrative essay, a complaint that would be a dynamite thesis for an argumentative essay.

My favorite notebook happens to be a "Moleskine 192 lined pages, 9X14cm, acid-free paper, expandable inner pocket." I like it because it is very cool as proven by the historical fact that Hemingway used to carry one, and because it fits in my back pocket.

It's also useful for shopping lists.

Exploratory Drafting:

There is a special kind of freewriting, "exploratory draft" that can get you started very nicely.

In this freewrite, begin writing about whatever you know about the topic.

If you do not have an assigned topic, write about the fact that you have an assignment, how it feels, what you may fear, what you may hope.

As you write notice any ideas that seem interesting and write about those for a little while.

Often--not always, but often--when I do this I find that I have begun the paper without even realizing.

Somehow I have moved from general ideas to a specific one.

If you are about to begin an assigned writing, begin with "I'm supposed to write about....".

Then let it go.

Complain and whine all you want.

Be silly, be angry, be whatever you feel.

And, most importantly, it's ok to write poorly. There are more suggestions after the writing space.

(If you don't have an assigned writing, write about peanut butter.)

When you're ready to try an exploratory, use your own paper, or use the convenient Generic Work Sheet in this program . . . . . . .

Some folk like to draw pictures.

There are several, useful picture drawing devices to help you get into writing a paper.

Mapping:

Begin with a circle in the middle of a page.
In that circle write a word that relates to your writing.
If you do not have a title, pick out a word that's interesting to you. "Sex" often works as an interesting topic.
Here's an example of a map that began with the word school.

Notice how messy it is.

Prewriting efforts usually are.

Think of it as finger painting, the more mess the better.

Doing the exercise gave me several potential topics for papers

I might write: "Conferences over the internet" "Writing to Teach" "What Makes a Good/Bad Principal".

Next I might try an exploratory draft, and since I know it's just an exploration, I very well may change the topic as I go along.

Neigborhooding:

Here's another kind of map.

This one is useful when you are needing to write a narrative essay.

You draw a rough sketch/map of a neighborhood where you once lived.

As you draw the map, label particular objects where things happened: here's where I first fell off my bike...here's the house where my best friend lived...here's the rock I fell off and broke my arm.

The drawing is of the neighborhood I now live.

If you can, show the map to someone and explain your map to him; describe the neighborhood and what went on.

Another messy one.

But I've got stories: Tracey and the horse, visits from American Indians, priest-in-the-pond.

When you try this, find someone to show your map to; tell him all about the places you included and what happened there.

Great for personal essay assignments.

Outlining:

There is always the old standby: the outline.

If this works for you, wonderful.

It seems to work best if you do a fast and messy outline.

Whenever the assignment called for an outline, I was one of those people who did the paper first and then outlined it.

Outlining after the first draft can be a useful way to begin revision.

But that's on another page: Drafting.

Thesis Writing:

Almost all writing you do for school is supposed to have a point.

You are asked to present an opinion and logically defend it.

That "point" that "opinion" shows up somewhere in your essay, and we call it a "thesis."

Now you know. A "thesis" is the main idea that you wish to present and explain and defend.

This knowledge will not only get you good grades, it will also make you popular at parties. Try it. Walk around saying "I know what a thesis is." "I'll show you my thesis if you'll show me yours." Watch how quickly people respond...

Often, figuring out what your thesis will be gets you quickly into your essay.

BUT (A MAJOR "BUT"!!): Don't let anyone, your teacher, your mother, your kid brother, no one, con you into being a slave to the thesis!

Lots of times I don't know what my thesis is until after I've written the paper!

Even more times, I think I know what my thesis is, but discover, as I write, that the thesis has changed.

Don't be afraid to start writing without being sure of your thesis, and never be afraid to change your thesis as you write.

However (A MAJOR "HOWEVER"!!)

You are likely to come across teachers who insist you write the thesis first. The logic seems sound: you need to know the point of your writing before you can do the writing.

Yeah, yeah.

If this should happen to you. And/or if you personally like to have a thesis before you do the writing, I have provided the "Amazingly Easy Theis Worksheet." It is printer-friendly, so print a copy and have at it.

Also, there's a Topic Generator Page where you can find bunches of topic ideas.

I know there are other ways to get ideas on paper.

There's got to be! So check back here for new ones.

If you've got an idea, please email it to me: I'd love to publish it.