The Pre-Writing Process: An Overview

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The Pre-Writing ProcessAn Overview

• by
• T. A. Buck /additions by Mrs. Schofer

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Warm-Up Writing

• Task
• Create something with the lump of clay on
  your desk.
• When you are finished, take 3 minutes to write
  about what you created and why.

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Questions for Discussion

• Look at the ceramic vase. What steps would you
  need to go through to create something like this
  from a lump of clay?
• How do you think this is similar to writing an
  essay?

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The Writing Process
Pre-Writing
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The Writing ProcessPre-Writing Techniques

• Pick the right technique or techniques for you.
  You may use a different one every time.

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Pre-Writing Techniques
How do you organize your ideas when you are
preparing to write?

• Brainstorming
• Discussing
• Free Writing
• Looping

• Listing
• Outlining
• Charting
• Mapping

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Brainstorming

• Brainstorming means thinking of as many ideas
  as possible in a short amount of time.
• Write down your ideas so that you dont forget
  them.
• Write down everything that comes to your mind
  dont worry about sorting out good and bad
  ideas.
• Dont worry about spelling or grammar.

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Example of Brainstorming

• Topic What would I do with one million dollars?
• Travel--Europe, Asia, S. America
• Pay off our house
• Share--donate to charities
• Buy a lot of books!
• Invest/save and let the interest grow

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Topics for Practice

• Take 5 minutes to brainstorm ideas about the
  following question
• What are some of the most memorable experiences
  of your life?

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Discussing

• Discussing is similar to brainstorming, but you
  do it with a partner or group with each person
  writing down the others ideas.
• Assign one person to write down the ideas at a
  time. Each person takes turns.
• Write down everything that person says related to
  the topic dont worry about sorting out good
  and bad ideas.
• Dont worry about spelling or grammar.

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Topics for Practice

• Take 5 minutes to discuss the following question
  with a partner or group
• What do you think are the most important events
  in a persons life? (starting school, getting
  married, etc.) Why are they important?

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Free Writing

• Free Writing is like pouring all of your
  thoughts onto paper.
• Dont take your pen off the page keep writing
  for the entire time.
• If you dont know what to write, write I dont
  know what to write until you do.
• Dont try to sort good and bad ideas.
• Dont worry about spelling and grammar.

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Example of Free Writing

• Topic Describe the most beautiful place youve
  seen.
• I remember riding on a camel in the desert in
  front of the pyramids of Egypt. The pyramids were
  so huge, like pictures but more majestic than any
  picture. Here was a moment in time captured
  forever.

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Topics for Practice

• Free write for 3-5 minutes on the following
  topic
• What is the most frightening experience you have
  ever had?

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Looping

• Looping begins with free writing. It can
  help you narrow a topic.
• Choose the best idea, word, or phrase from what
  you wrote underline or circle it.
• Take that idea and begin free writing again.
• Repeat the process at least one more time.
• Follow all the rules for free writing.

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Example of Looping

• Topic Describe the most beautiful place youve
  seen.
• I remember riding on a camel in the desert in
  front of the pyramids of Egypt. The pyramids were
  so huge, like pictures but more majestic than any
  picture. Here was a moment in time captured
  forever.

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Example of Looping (from circled part on
previous slide)

• We had seen many poor people in that city,
  people who had to beg to make a living. The
  pyramids seem like a symbol of what people can do
  if they aspire to something greater. At least
  once, a long time ago in history, people tried to
  reach for the stars.

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Topics for Practice

• Look at what you wrote during the freewriting
  exercise. Choose the best idea, word, or phrase
  from what you wrote. Write about this for 5 more
  minutes.
• Repeat this step one more time.

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Summary of Today Write answers on your exit
ticket.

• What are three types of pre-writing techniques we
  discussed today?
• Describe one of these types of pre-writing in
  detail.
• Which one seems to be your favorite type so far?

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Warm-Up Writing (1)

• Think about the pre-writing techniques we
  discussed yesterday (brainstorming, discussing,
  free writing, and looping).
• Which of these techniques was easiest for you?
• Which was the best for organizing your ideas?

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Questions for Review

• What are the steps in the writing process?
• What pre-writing techniques did we practice
  yesterday?

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Looping

• Looping begins with free writing. It can
  help you narrow a topic.
• Choose the best idea, word, or phrase from what
  you wrote underline or circle it.
• Take that idea and begin free writing again.
• Repeat the process at least one more time.
• Follow all the rules for free writing.

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Example of Looping

• Topic Describe your favorite season and why you
  like it. (by Tarasine A. Buck)
• Spring is daffodils blooming bright and bursting
  with yellow sunshine in their petals they make me
  want to sing with joy. The grass is green and
  thick and I love walking barefoot feeling each
  blade against my skin. The sky is blue with soft
  white clouds, I like to lie on my back and see
  pictures in them, not feeling hurried or rushed
  but free.

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Example of Looping (from circled part on
previous slide)

• I love to take my time in spring, not to worry
  about deadlines or appointments or assignments
  due, just wandering through the beauty of nature.
  I love to lie on my back in the grass and just
  soak in everything around me, the sky, the sun,
  the scent of the flowers, the warmth of the air.
  As a child I felt very free to spend time
  enjoying the spring, feeling the joy of new life
  bubbling through my spirit. I remember feeling
  immensely happy, turning my eyes to heaven and
  shouting for joy.

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Topics for Practice

• Look at what you wrote for your warm-up writing.
  Choose the best idea, word, or phrase from what
  you wrote. Write about this for 5 more minutes.
• Repeat this step one more time.

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Listing

• Listing is similar to brainstorming. The
  idea is to write down as many things as possible.
• Use single words or phrases, not sentences.
• Listing works well for descriptive-type writing.
• Dont worry about spelling or sorting out good
  and bad ideas.

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Example List

• Topic Describe your favorite room in the
  house/apartment where you live.
• Kitchen/Dining Area
• White tile, walls, countertops
• Flood of sunlight
• Healthy plants
• Sturdy pine furniture
• Glass door--view of lawn and trees

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Topics for Practice

• Take 5 minutes to practice listing in response to
  the following topic
• Describe your bedroom in the house you grew up in.

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Outlining

• Outlining is a more organized form of
  pre-writing than the others we discussed.
• It can be used after you have generated ideas
  through brainstorming, free writing, or other
  pre-writing techniques.
• It works well for structured types of writing
  such as essays.
• You can use complete sentences, but you dont
  have to.

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Example Outline

• I. Introduction Winter is the best season for
  me.
• II. Activities and sports are the most fun.
• a) I can ski, which is my favorite sport.
• b) My family goes ice skating.
• III. Winter is more beautiful than other seasons.
• a) The snow is so magical when its falling.
• b) Ice makes crystals on the windows.
• IV. Conclusion Winter is my favorite season of
  all.

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Charting

• Sometimes you will want to organize your ideas
  for writing in a chart.
• Charting works very well for comparison/ contrast
  writing or examining advantages and
  disadvantages.
• You can use many different kinds of charts,
  depending on your topic and the kind of writing
  you are doing.

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Topics for Practice

• Draw a chart to organize your ideas about the
  following topic
• List some emotions. Now think of a memory which
  triggered each emotion.

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Example ChartMemory Chart
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Mapping

• Mapping, sometimes called idea mapping or
  webbing, is another way to organize your ideas.
• Start with your topic in the center, and branch
  out from there with related ideas.
• Use words and phrases, not complete sentences.

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Example Map
Raise my hand to answer questions
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Topics for Practice

• Draw a map to organize your ideas about the
  following topic
• What are some things that you have learned in
  your life so far?