How do I go about writing? Well, writing for me starts with an idea, typically prompted in school. Before I can even think about writing, I need to do something else that works for me. I tend to do a "prewrite" but I don't consider it to be prewriting (mostly because it is the literal bare minimum of a prewrite). I take whatever the prompt may be and try to divide in into 2 or 3 main ideas. Each of those turn into a body paragraph.
That's it... That's my magical prewriting strategy.
After my extensive prewriting process, I just free write based upon the ideas. If there are any quotes that I can remember, I add them to support my writing. If I cannot think of any, I typically don't add them 'til after my first draft. My first draft is always blocks of writing, no transitions, and minimal quotes.
After this first draft is made, the next step is key!
I will not touch my first draft for at least 24 hours.
let me say it again for the kids in back who didn't hear me.
I will not touch my first draft for at least 24 hours!!!!!!!!!
I don't want to get hypercritical of all the small things that don't work that I had just written. The 24 hour grace period gives me time to just relax and be happy I got a bulk of information down. The next stage is tweaking, making sure my writing fits my thesis, adding an intro and conclusion, along with adding quotes. I basically edit my paper for flow and continuality of the idea. Dependent on time this process can last a couple of hours or a couple of days.
That's it. That's my magical writing process that works for me. It probably won't work for you because everyone's writing process is different.
I saw that my writing process was similar to one described in Spandel's "The right to write badly" where they state "you need to create a lot of garbage to get to the heart of it -- the real message, the thing you want most to say, the voice that is really you" (65). In my writing I accumulate a lot of "garbage" but the trash lets me write what I want to write in a way where you can hear my voice. I was lucky enough to have a strong sense of voice as a writer for most of my writing career (with some loss in my high school years). Voice, in my opinion, is the strongest element one can add to their paper because why wouldn't you want a little bit of yourself to be heard in your writing?!?!
We aren't robots people...
It's honestly okay to suck at writing. It's a skill that needs to be developed and fostered for years and is impossible to master. The article
It's Great to Suck at Writing exemplifies this if you have the time to read.
All in all, write in the way that works best for you, and know that the more you write, the better you'll get. Write on paper, online, on the walls, or where ever works best for you. It doesn't make a difference as long as you write.
Hi Dylan :) I love that you also do the absolute minimum of prewriting. I always feel that, since I'm going to be an English teacher, I'm a terrible person for not making a presentable outline. Leaving your draft for a whole day is such good advice, I do the same! I tend to notice errors better and come up with different ideas that I hadn't considered before. I particularly like how you said that this writing process doesn't work for everyone since everybody is so unique!
ReplyDeleteDylan!
ReplyDeleteIt's so weird, but we have a very similar wizardry in our writing process. Prewriting for me sort of happens during the information dump, and I really like the idea of sitting on it for 24 hours. It works for a lot of stuff - painting, overthinking, creating anything - let it be for a bit and you'll be able to best revise or problem solve.
What about when you're creative writing, do you still go through a few main ideas that you want to express, or do you let the ideas flow out and come back to it after?
-Clare
Hi Dylan,
ReplyDeleteI think the 24 hours point is great. I recently wrote a rough draft for a class that I had to pump out in record time and I just reread it this morning (24 hours later) and although the professor said it was good, i think its absolute garbage lol (or at least needs a lot of work). If I were still highschool me, I wouldve just turned it in right away and not thought twice about editing my work, but college me realizes that I cant procrastinate and expect quality work.
-Krista
Dylan, I really appreciate the Rinaldi piece on embracing one's suck points or perhaps said more gently our "areas for growth". This is a tough practice to enact so I like to keep a collection of articles and essays that in essence remind me that "writing is painful and looks like crap at first". Thanks for adding one more to my collection!
ReplyDelete