Chapter Two
Process
Chapter Objectives
In this chapter, you will learn
● how to prepare for the writing of an essay
● how to organize the actual writing steps
● how to conclude the writing of an essay
Before putting anything on paper, it is important for the writer to work out a plan and prepare to write. The writer should approach writing as a process during which they must decide upon a topic, prepare materials, comb through ideas, clarify logic, sharpen thoughts, determine writing style, refine structure and polish language. Some of the key elements of an essay first appear in the preparation period.
The writer should approach the writing project by reading and collecting materials. Then they select a topic according to the purpose of the essay and the writing materials gathered.
Ultimately, the writing process comes down to personal style and preference.
2.1 Pre-writing Phase: Forming Ideas
During the pre-writing phase, it is important to prepare adequately to make the writing process straightforward. A good starting point can be to ask journalistic questions like when, what, how and why. Another useful method for preparation is to brainstorm and then make a list of the materials most relevant to the task.
A writer may consider the following steps to prepare for the writing of an essay.
2.1.1 Brainstorming
Before beginning an assigned essay, it is necessary to be clear about what the task is; that is, there should be a clear purpose as this will make any objectives achievable. The writer needs to ask themselves questions like this: What is the writing task about? What is it designed to fulfill?
Do I need to tell a story, describe a person, explain a process or make a claim for or against a statement?
After clarifying the purpose, it is much easier to decide on the subject matter of the essay.
There are many ways to do this, and brainstorming is particularly useful when ideas are compiled as the process generally creates a wider scope by triggering many different ideas. The writer may ask questions like this: What ideas do I intend to convey? What subject matter fits the writing context? What topic may serve the purpose of the writing task?
When choosing a topic, it is important to remember not to choose anything too broad or vague because it can be difficult to handle, particularly for a relatively short essay. More often than not the topic should be narrowed down to make it fit the word count and time limit of the writing task. The topic also needs to fit in with the type of essay being written. On the whole, it is advisable to choose a topic that is focused and manageable.
Preparing to write also requires considering the target audience. Determining the target audience is of great significance as it will determine the language of the essay, the tone of the writing, and the approach to the ideas. At this point, the writer may ask questions like this: Who might be the potential audience of the writing task? What may they know about the topic to be discussed? What may interest them to read on? How can I convince the audience to support the ideas to be developed in the writing?
Following this, it is possible to choose the materials that are most likely to fit in within the context of the subject and the main focus of the essay. Adequate writing materials are essential as they serve as indispensable support to develop the ideas that are to be illustrated in an essay. At this point, the writer may ask questions like this: Did I experience any event that impressed me greatly? What factors account for the phenomenon being explained? Does this claim fit in with the context of the intended writing? Could I effectively develop the central thesis by using the arguments at hand? Will the materials contribute to conveying ideas intended for fulfilling the writing purpose? How will I use the materials to support my perspective in the essay?
Whatever comes to mind may be put down on paper, but not everything will be useful and suitable for the writing. Brainstorming is used to stimulate the ideas relevant to the topic, but it is the writer’s job to decide on the points relevant to and appropriate for the writing purpose and eliminate unnecessary points. Proper application of brainstorming helps to cluster ideas for the next step of the writing process, namely freewriting.
