(arguably) the most important step in the writing process
go through Terry Heck
If you only teach your students one thing about writing, you could do a lot worse than teaching them how to prewrite effectively.
Of course, there’s more to it. writing process is a set of goals (which also have their own purposes), each with its own applications, utility, and nuances.
Clarifying the purpose of an essay—what it wants to accomplish—is probably where most writing begins, whether it’s a class assignment or something in the “real world.” It all starts with effective prewriting.
purpose of writing
A few years ago, when I was writing a 150-page book, I realized that the content wasn’t quite what I wanted. I write for myself, not for the reader. I spent six months fixing a mistake that could have been avoided by just a few more days of prewriting. I was so eager to write that I veered off track from my intended purpose in the beginning and completely went off the rails in the later chapters.
As a teacher, I often read great essays written by students who completely missed the point of the assignment, and that’s okay because it shows me what that student needs—more effective prewriting—and they’ve already completed the draft effectively.
The way I explain it to my students is to imagine someone painting a house, and they do a great job. It was a beautiful lavender color, beautifully painted – but the homeowner requested blue. I would tell them that the article was well written, but not precise.
Other times, on extended response assessment items, students will again have a well-written answer, answer the “question” incorrectly (or solve the prompt), or not respond to the prompt itself but something closure to the prompt.
See Writing strategies that work for every student every time
author’s purpose
What is the difference between writer’s purpose and author’s purpose?
A writer’s purpose is the primary reason he or she writes—usually a student in a classroom, but the term can apply to virtually any writer. (While one might argue that these terms are the same, the connotation of “author’s purpose” has more to do with analyzing and examining the writing of the actual author who is developing student writers. We’ll explore what educators commonly refer to as “author’s purpose” in another article.)
Some questions to clarify the author’s purpose (or the purpose of the writing product itself) might include:
Why do you write?
What message do you want to convey? If readers don’t understand anything, what do you need them to learn from reading?
What should writing “cause” or produce?
What should a writing product achieve? How do you know if it’s successful?
If the purpose is not achieved, then what is the danger?
How do purpose and audience inform the genre, structure, and other elements of writing so that it is more likely to achieve its purpose?
Of course, purpose has everything to do with the audience: Who are you writing for? Who wants or needs to understand written information/ideas? Who will benefit?
See 25 Ways Schools Can Improve Literacy and Independent Readers
reader of writing
An equally important step in the writing process is establishing a clear audience—who wants or needs or will benefit from the information or ideas contained in the writing. Audience and purpose together form the basis of classroom writing—ideal writing leaves the classroom with a real purpose to a real audience. This is also pre-written.
So, what is the “most important step” in the writing process? Of course, this is subjective and depends on grade level, purpose of writing, experience and skills of the particular student/writer, etc. But prewriting as a concept or definition is simply—anything a writer does to prepare for writing. Drafting without this preparation does not set students up for success.
Ask them if they would drive across the country without a map or try to cook a complicated meal without a recipe. Rhetorical questions like these can emphasize the importance of effective prewriting. Note that it must be prewriting that students understand and believe in—prewriting that they feel confident guiding them, not cursory research and a vague, imprecise outline that is just going through the motions.
Good prewriting provides writers with everything they need to succeed in their purpose. It can also save a lot of time revising papers that are not up to par in key aspects.
This makes it as important as any step in the writing process.
