The Writing Process

The writing process breaks the complex act of writing into manageable parts. Learning the process helps students understand that writing takes practice and that their writing will improve with each step. It is helpful when teachers explain that the process is not linear and that writers will often move back and forth between the steps.

Point your class to the student Writing Process page for an overview of how it all comes together.

Click on a step in the process for a quick tutorial.

	PREWRITE Start by choosing a topic to write about. Gather details about your topic and learn as much as you can about it.

	WRITE Write your first draft. Try to get all your ideas on paper and don't worry about making your first draft perfect. Use the details you collected during prewriting. Your writing should have a beginning, middle, and an end.

	REVISE Review your draft. Are your ideas strong? Is your draft organized in a way that makes sense? Do you sound interested in your topic? Do you vary your sentence beginnings? Ask someone else to read your draft and offer suggestions too.

	EDIT Check your draft for punctuation, capitalization, spelling, and grammar errors. Ask someone else to check it too. Prepare a neat final copy.

	PUBLISH You are ready to share your final copy with others. Think about adding it to your portfolio, submitting it for publication, or sharing it with friends.

Expert Advice on the Writing Process

My students want to stop after writing a first draft. How can I help them see the value of revising?

 

Read the answer

See also:

Forms of Writing

Peer Editing

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