The Writing Process* An Introduction * Adapted from the second edition of The Penguin Handbook, by Lester Faigley.

Process The word process implies a series of actions performed over time. These actions require different skills and activities. Would you classify biking as a process or an activity?

The Writing Process

The Reason to Write At the heart of all written work is the assumption that certain thoughts, ideas, or details should be saved for later. We also use writing as a way of clarifying our own thoughts or feelings. What is your primary reason for writing?

A Little History Our ancestors expressed themselves by using various writing methods: Clay tablets Hieroglyphs What do you suppose was the primary purpose of ancient writing?

Purpose Every piece of writing tries to achieve a specific purpose. A letter to Aunt Louise thanks her for the graduation gift. An to your friend clarifies plans for the weekend. Effective writers always understand the primary purpose of their writing assignment.

Common Reasons for Writing Express strong feelings or emotions Entertain readers Explain an issue Report information Persuade readers to adopt a particular viewpoint

Three Main Reasons to Write Nonfiction Expression Exposition Persuasion

Writing Today Writing pervades our culture: Reports Stories Essays Letters Poetry Song Lyrics What kinds of writing have you explored in the past?

Zero In on Your Purpose Are you writing for a specific assignment? What is the purpose of the assignment? What are you trying to achieve? Are you primarily expressing feelings or emotions? Are you trying to entertain a person or group? Are you writing to convey what you know about a particular topic? Do you have more than one purpose? If so, what is you primary purpose?

Audience Writers must also consider their audience. How would a letter to your employer differ from a letter written to your best friend? What is your experience of audience?

Audience Checklist Who will read what you write? What do you know about your audience? What values do you share with the audience? How do you differ from the audience? How much does this audience know about your topic?

Audience Checklist What kind of language is appropriate for this audience? How open will the audience be to new ideas and perspectives? How professional should you seem? What don’t you know about the audience? Will more than one audience read your writing?

Context The meeting of reader and text is often referred to as context. Context is influenced by many factors: Time and place Social situations Political factors

Obvious Examples of Context The Diary of Anne Frank Roosevelt’s speech after the bombing of Pearl Harbor Sometimes context must be inferred

Axiom Number One Writers must understand their purpose, audience, and context.