The Writing Process and Process Analysis – Study Notes (Prewriting, Drafting, Revising, MLA Formatting)

The Writing Process: Prewriting, Drafting, Revising, and Formatting (Notes for Process Analysis)

  • Context and aim
    • Today's topic is the writing process with a preview of unit on process analysis.
    • Emphasis on revising and drafting; prewriting/reading are acknowledged but not the main focus today.
    • Practical reminders for the class: avoid using AI for drafts; if you’re using Safari on a Mac and encounter copy leaks, switch to Chrome; if an upload errors, try Chrome.
    • Next week’s focus will include reading about process analysis; reading section essential for understanding the writing process.
    • Assignment logistics: bring 2 printed copies to class on Friday for feedback; upload twice if required.
    • Formatting reminder: MLA style is expected for rough draft submissions (see detailed MLA checklist at the end).

1) What is the writing process?

  • The process is not a rigid, linear sequence; it’s often messy and non-rational, especially the creative part.
  • Ideal model (simplified) includes:
    • Prewriting: audience, purpose, genre, brainstorming.
    • Reading/reading-related tasks (to inform the draft).
    • Drafting: producing a rough draft.
    • Feedback: getting comments from others (in class on Friday).
    • Revision: revising based on feedback.
    • Final drafting: produce a version to submit.
  • Realistic model (more honest portrayal): procrastination, frantic drafting, last-minute revisions, and sometimes minimal prewriting.
    • A common student pattern: postpone until the deadline, then write quickly; try to salvage something from the rush.
    • A more practical lineage is: draft, review, revise, finalize, and submit — but individuals often skip steps or do them in a condensed way.

2) Prewriting and freewriting: techniques and concepts

  • Prewriting aims to prepare content and direction before drafting:
    • Consider audience and purpose.
    • Decide on genre and form.
  • Freewriting and looping:
    • Freewriting: write continuously to capture ideas without worrying about structure.
    • Looping: read your freewrite, identify emerging patterns or ideas, then freewrite again based on those ideas.
    • Looping creates a more directed freewriting process by constantly revisiting and refining ideas in mind while writing.
  • Outlining: a way to organize ideas after freewriting, bridging prewriting to drafting.

3) Drafting, revising, editing, and proofreading: distinctions and roles

  • Drafting
    • The initial creation of content; focus on getting ideas down rather than perfect language.
    • Big-picture concerns: thesis, introduction, organization, and the overall structure.
  • Revising
    • A broader, higher-level process than editing; rethinking content, structure, and purpose.
    • Questions during revision: Is the intro effective? Do all required parts exist? Is the organization coherent? Does the thesis hold?
  • Editing
    • Focus on language: sentence structure, tone, tense consistency, voice, and style.
  • Proofreading
    • Final pass for typos, punctuation, and minor errors; the most granular level.
  • The common classroom reality
    • Many students skip deep prewriting and revision, focusing on a quick draft and basic proofreading.
    • The most common classroom practice ends up being proofreading or minor edits rather than thorough revision.
  • The professional writer’s perspective (from the reading)
    • Writing is rarely effortless or uplifting in the moment; even successful writers struggle and must work hard.
    • The fantasy of effortless, perfect drafting is a myth; most good writing starts as a terrible first draft.
    • A well-known perspective shared: professional writers often tell themselves, “you have a choice: you can either write or kill yourself” to compel themselves to start and continue.
    • The process is iterative: the best writing often emerges after multiple drafts and deliberate revision.
    • The first draft is typically long, messy, and not final; the key is to keep writing and then prune and refine in subsequent drafts.
  • The classic three-draft metaphor (from the reading):
    • Down draft (first, rough version) → Updraft (revisions to improve clarity and argument) → Dental draft (polishing every detail like checking every tooth)
    • This metaphor illustrates moving from rough to refined through successive passes.
  • A practical takeaway from the professional writer’s experience:
    • Start with something on the page, even if imperfect; let it guide you to the next stage.
    • Allow a period of time between drafts to gain perspective and improve quality.
    • Collect feedback on a more polished draft to ensure feedback is meaningful and actionable.

4) Realistic writing process stories and examples

  • Personal anecdotes illustrating non-linear processes:
    • A student remembers late-night writing in a small apartment with coffee, cigarettes, and a desk by the bed; the workflow included staying up late, proofreading after a couple hours of sleep, and turning in work with minimal revision. Despite such a process, high grades were achieved in some contexts.
    • The instructor’s reflection emphasizes that such a process may work for simpler tasks but fails as assignments become more research-intensive; adaptation is required.
  • A professional writer’s method (food critique example):
    • Field research (out in the world, with friends and feedback) followed by a desk draft; sometimes a lead paragraph is written first; the writing can be messy and overly descriptive before refinement.
    • The point: different writers have different rituals, but the central idea remains: the draft is just the beginning; revision is where quality emerges.
  • Key meta-lesson: the end product is not a direct reflection of the process; the messy in-between is hidden from view by the polished final piece.
  • The value of documenting your process:
    • Understanding your own pattern helps you develop strategies that reliably move you from rough ideas to a usable draft.
    • If you find yourself procrastinating, you can still produce a usable draft by forcing yourself to begin and then iterating.

5) Audience, purpose, and the upcoming reading on process analysis

  • The instructor asks students to consider: who is the intended audience for the professional writer excerpt? (Likely students and writers studying writing processes.)
  • The upcoming reading will present another perspective on how professionals approach starting and sustaining writing routines.
  • The session helps students recognize that process analysis (the next unit) will examine how writing processes work in practice across contexts.

6) Practical classroom and assignment tips

  • Two printed copies for feedback: bring 2 copies to class on Friday for peer critique.
  • Submission readiness: avoid bringing an extremely rough draft to class; provide a version that is sufficiently prepared to yield useful feedback.
  • Revision timing: allow some time between drafting and submitting to enable more thoughtful edits.
  • Formatting and submission (MLA basics):
    • Page formatting
    • Header with last name and page number on every page
    • Student’s name, instructor name, course, and date on the first page, in the day-month-year order
    • Times New Roman, 12-point font
    • Double spacing; no extra blank lines between lines
    • Proper indentation and spacing; no random extra spacing
    • If using Google Docs, be aware that some formatting features differ from Word (e.g., header visibility, spacing controls)
    • Ensure a proper MLA header and pagination are visible when printed as a PDF
  • Common issues during submission checks:
    • Incorrect spacing (single vs double) and accidental extra blank lines
    • Missing or incorrect header information
    • Date format and ordering errors
    • Inconsistent font or page layout across pages
  • Tips to improve feedback quality:
    • Have a more polished draft before submission to receive more targeted feedback.
    • Use feedback to refine the thesis, intro, and structure, rather than focusing solely on minor language tweaks.

7) Key phrases and ideas to remember

  • The writing process is not purely intuitive; it is trained and improved through practice and revision.
  • The first draft is rarely good; the value lies in what you do after drafting (revision and polishing).
  • Prewriting and drafting are connected; looping freewriting helps surface ideas that can inform structure.
  • The end product hides the messy, iterative steps behind it; professional writers also struggle and must work through drafts.
  • MLA formatting basics are essential for submission readiness and credible presentation of work.

8) MLA formatting quick-reference (checklist)

  • Title block: name, instructor, course, date (in day-month-year order).
  • Page header: last name and page number in the top-right corner on every page.
  • Font: Times New Roman, 12-point.
  • Spacing: double-spaced throughout, with no extra spaces between lines or paragraphs.
  • Indentation: standard paragraph indentation (0.5 inches).
  • Title: centered, no special formatting required unless specified by instructor.
  • In Google Docs: ensure the document view shows double spacing and header correctly; verify pagination when converting to PDF.
  • File naming and submission: follow instructor guidelines for file type and submission method.

9) Reflection prompts (to complete for study)

  • What is your own real writing process? Do you tend to procrastinate, draft quickly, or work in multiple stages?
  • Which prewriting and freewriting techniques work best for you? Do you use looping, outlining, or topic lists?
  • How would you revise your own rough drafts to maximize the usefulness of peer feedback?
  • Which MLA formatting steps do you find most challenging, and how will you ensure you meet the formatting guidelines for the assignment?
  • After hearing the professional writer’s perspective, what remains about writing that you find difficult or reassuring?

10) Final takeaway

  • Writing is a skill honed through consistent practice, messy early drafts, and purposeful revision.
  • The most effective approach combines honest self-assessment, strategic prewriting, iterative drafting, and targeted formatting.
  • Remember the core goal of the process: produce a clear, well-structured argument or narrative that communicates your ideas effectively to your intended audience.