When I first began to write primarily for school, I carried the same writing process I was taught during middle school: brainstorm and write. I don’t even think editing was in my teachers’ curriculum at all during this time. There was just a ridiculous, cruel emphasis of thinking about and organizing what you want to say and putting those ideas in the best words possible (without having to go through the messy task of fixing the work you spent so much time planning out). However, these same rules didn’t apply in high school and college. Editing was mandatory and I learned it on my first major high school paper. At first, I did my whole unconventional writing method: I just kept thinking about what I wanted to say on this paper and how can I support what I want to say in a coherent way. Well, I was able to write the paper, although I did have to incorporate a few pre-writing tactics into my writing process, but my teacher informed me there was much editing needed to be done. I realized quickly, I couldn’t edit the same way I began to write. I needed to see my mistakes, to see the irrelevant data in front of me in order to make any changes. At this point, I didn’t have a firm grasp on editing, so I changed a few grammar mistakes, used a thesaurus to replace a couple words, but basically handed in the same paper. My grade reflected the lack of knowledge I had on the editing stage and I was determined to do better next time.
At this point, I was forced to start editing. Fortunately, for me, I loved it. I got a rush out of filling up a paper with red marks (even if it was my own). I started to get “edit-happy” and soon enough, my writing process began to develop. The minute I received a writing assignment, my brain would shoot, like a mechanism, ideas pertaining to the assignment and from there, support to these ideas. The ideas transitioned into words, which turned phrases, then sentences and paragraphs. By the time I finished thinking about the paper, the majority of the paper was done all in my head. This probably had much to do with the prominence my middle school teachers put on clarifying my thoughts before even organizing them on paper, but it worked. However, I became a lazy writer. The more I realized I can come up with a paper mentally, the longer I delayed the writing.
My favorite use of my new writing process came during last semester in my World Literature class. I had to write compare and contrast essay on Homer’s Odysseus moral character with that of Shakespeare’s Iago from Othello. The minute my professor handed out the assignment sheet, I automatically thought how Odysseus had a greater sense of moral because his actions of deceit were carried out for reasons of valor, love, and loyalty as compared to Iago, who’s actions were carried out just out of spite. By the end of that class period, my thesis and supporting paragraphs were set and all I had to do was get the words out of my and onto a sheet of paper. However, being such a lazy student, I waited until the night before to write the paper. I started to doubt what I originally thought and it took me a while to hit my stride when I wrote the paper. I proceeded to print out my paper and again, go crazy with a red pen. I saw mistake after mistake and I realized I couldn’t keep developing all of my ideas in my head. I needed to not only have the physical properties of my paper in the end of the process, but also in the beginning.
So, when I received my next paper in the same World Literature class, I pre-wrote like I’ve literally never done it before. In order to compare and contrast the theme of the individual versus society in the novels The Stranger and The Death of Ivan Ilych, I wrote down all my thoughts and made an outline based on those same concepts. I wrote the quotes I needed on index cards along with an explanation of these quotes. I did whatever I could to get organized and make it easier on myself. Whenever I went back and forth on my thesis, I always had a reference to look back on - what I needed was already there in concrete form. Being able to have a physical form stops me from editing during writing and allows my writing to flow more naturally.
I’d be a liar if I were to say my writing process is the same regardless of who my audience is. I don’t write for myself now, so my audience is primarily my educators. However, I use this specific writing process mostly with English teachers and teachers who I know I won’t be able to bullshit. More or less for my other assignments granted by any other professor, I stick to the basis of my writing process: brainstorm and write. I know editing is necessary, but I feel like I’m a good enough writer where I don’t have to go through the extraneous task of editing a paper the professor will probably just look over to make sure that it’s done. It’s a little lazy, but it hasn’t came back to bite me just yet. I try to be strict and disciplined with my process, but that can’t always be the case. I am a college student (and a sort of lazy one at that), so every now and then I tend to digress from my routine.
I realize there are flaws in my particular process, but as for now, it’s working. Fortunately for me, I’m able to see my mistakes during my process that can help adjust it for the next writing assignment. So, I’m constantly trying to change my process into one that is more dependable, efficient, and especially, one that works every time. One of the main reasons my whole writing process is so effective is because it’s turned into an innate characteristic. When I receive an assignment, my mind immediately starts racing, initiating the mental stage of my writing process. However, over time, I’ve realized I can’t develop a whole paper in my head and expect to remember it by the time I go to write a paper. It’s ludicrous and insensible. Organization is key to becoming a better writer and the more I work on my pre-writing stage and the more I write my thoughts and ideas down, the more developed my writing will become. Like everything else, my writing process is a work in progress.
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