The Writing Process
| How much longer can I stare at that blinking cursor and blank screen before my head explodes? |
Getting started
As most of you have probably figured out, getting started is the hardest part of
writing. We've all suffered through those endless nights of staring at the computer,
desperately hoping that inspiration will fall from the sky as if by magic, making
everything okay again.
The good news is that writing doesn't have to be like this. Sometimes getting started is hard because we have unreasonable expectations of this stage of our process. We've convinced ourselves that we can't write until we know exactly what we're going to say. This causes paralysis, fear, anxiety, and, yes, nightmares.
We need to shift our thinking. Writing isn't only what we do when we know what we're going to say; rather, it can be one way we find out what we have to say. Writing is how we learn what we think.
We should also remember that the writing process begins before we actually sit down to write. It begins with thinking. The great thing about thinking is that it can happen anywhere. Some of us have rituals that we associate with thinking: a long shower, a brisk jog, sitting alone in a dark room listening to the same CD over and over and over. Whatever it takes. We should begin this stage of our process as soon as possible--ideally, as soon as we get the assignment.
This way, when it comes time to sit down at the computer, we will already have begun a significant portion of our work.
Reading
For some assignments (lab reports, information reports, case studies), getting started
means reading our notes carefully, looking for logical ways to organize the information
that we have gathered. Sometimes, we may be able to fit our notes into the format
prescribed for the assignment (a lab report, for example). Sometimes, however, we
have to construct a logical organization that fits the information we want to convey.
Here are some questions to ask yourself as you think about organizing: What does a
reader need to know first? Does a reader need to follow a process chronologically?
Do we need to give a reader background information? Where do we need to introduce
key words or key concepts?
Anticipating a reader's needs often helps writers to find the logic in their many notes.
Freewriting
For some assignments, freewriting maybe a good way to get started. When we freewrite,
we're no longer thinking, "This is going to be the finished product, and it must be
perfect," but, "This is simply a part of the process." Once you know what your assignment
is, sit down at the computer and brainstorm. Follow your ideas wherever they take
you. The trick is not to stop. Free associate. Don't worry about spelling, grammar,
or structure. Simply write.
After fifteen minutes or so, print out what you've produced and read over it, pen in hand. Circle ideas that seem useful and relevant. Scratch out ideas that don't really have anything to do with your topic. Draw lines among related ideas. Having somewhat narrowed your focus, go back to the computer and freewrite some more, this time using your highlighted ideas as a guide.
After a couple of passes through this freewriting process, you'll probably begin to see what your main idea (your main argument) will be. You'll be ready to craft a thesis.
Writing a paper without a thesis is like driving without a destination (though much less