Writing Process 4/4: Writing/Drafting
The most obvious thing that researchers have observed writers do after they’ve chosen a topic, considered the audience, and planned is write, or some would say draft, what is likely to be the first of many copies of their work. Here is where writers juggle a lot of balls because they are trying to stay focused on their topic, audience, and basic organization. If they have a written plan, they are likely going and back and forth to stay on task or revise it as needed. As we all know, the writing often takes control of the writer. The writer might have every intention of writing science fiction but realizes that romance is dominating. If it’s creative writing, the writer might have to stay alert to literary devices, such as imagery or flashbacks. The better the first draft, the less work there is in revision.
There are as many styles as there are writers for getting that first draft done. Some writers are very detailed oriented and may spend time later on elaboration. Some writers see the big picture and double back to fill in the details. Some writers labor over every sentence or misspelled word while others address such matters later. The main thing is to know that while it’s worth knowing how others approach writing and incorporating those aspects that work for you, the truth is that a writer’s style is an extension of his/her personality, and there’s no use trying to write in a way that does not speak to you.
The final thing I’d like to mention, especially to inexperienced writers, is that when writing, a question is always being asked or answered. If a writer gets stuck, he/she can always read what he/she has written and ask a (who, what, when, where, why, how, etc.) question to push the writing along. While it is quite mechanical, it keeps the writer moving back and forth from the general to the specific with some degree of ease, which is a valuable writing skill. Refinement can take place during revision, editing, and proofreading, which we will discuss later.
jcv2016