The Write Stuff

Exercise: Describe your writing process

List everything you do when it comes to writing a paper, starting from the time you receive the assignment up to the moment you hand in the final draft.  Don't forget to consider things like common outside resources you use and the type(s) of environment in which you prefer to write (e.g. noisy vs. quiet).

A Broad Overview of the Writing Process

Pre-Writing: understanding the assignment, choosing a topic, brainstorming, freewriting, researching, outlining

Writing: multiple drafts

Re-Writing: revising, editing, proofreading

Key Elements of the Writing Process:

• Thesis statements - pg. 24
• Organization - pg. 29
• Research - pg. 33
• Draft writing - pg. 34
• Revising - pg. 36

Undervalued Elements of the Writing Process:

• Making a commitment to a topic - pg. 22
• Preparing your writing environment - pg. 34
• Silencing the critic(s) - pg. 34
• Revising, editing, and proofreading (and knowing the difference between each) - pg. 36

Exercise: Freewriting

As prep for Wednesday's class, you will be writing a 250+ word defense of a public figure who has fallen from grace.  Think former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick or Tiger Woods.  To help you brainstorm ideas and unlock your creativity, we will be freewriting on this topic for 5 minutes.  You must write for the full five minutes, from start to finish.  Don't censor yourself, don't edit your work as you go along, don't put your pencil down, and most importantly - don't stop writing!  No one will see this particular shitty first draft - the goal is simply to write for the whole 5 minutes. 

Assignment for Wednesday:

• Read Everything's an Argument Chapter 1 ("Everything Is an Argument")
• Write a 250+ word defense of a celebrity/politician/sports star/etc. whose image has become tarnished in the public eye.  Responses need to be posted to the Defending Their Lives page by 5:00pm on Tuesday, September 7.