Developing a Writing Process

In order for writing to be the helpful thinking tool I know it can be, I’ve learned that I need to give myself plenty of time to think, read, and write about the subject at hand. Through years of practice of writing long papers that deal with complicated ideas, I’ve found the most helpful way to work my way through these papers is to rely on the writing process I’ve discovered works best for me.

I have to point out, however, that I don’t believe there is one “correct” writing process for every writer to follow. Each writer should experiment to find out what works best for him/her. For some people, that might include a lot of time researching and analyzing what others have said. For someone else, it might include outlines and diagrams or color-coded drafts that symbolize different organizational patterns. And this process will likely change in some way from paper to paper or depending on how much time you have to deliver a final document.

It took me a long time to find a process that works (for me), and I’m sure I will constantly modify it, but here’s an overview of the process I currently use:

• Overall, I need to leave myself ample time to think, write, and rewrite building off what I learn along the way. In other words, I can’t wait until the last minute.
• I usually need to begin by actively reading what others have said about the topic I want to write about. Then, I compose responses to what I read, allowing myself to question what I read, summarize what I read, add my own thoughts, and decide what I still need to find out.
• Then, I keep files of these responses and other notes I write, and these files serve a similar role to rough drafts – they give me a place to work out my thoughts.
• All throughout the process, I constantly move back and forth between what I’m reading and thinking and writing, and I document as much of it as possible so that I have plenty to work from when I’m ready to write my final draft.
• One thing I find most helpful during this process is talking about my ideas with others. Having someone who will listen to my ideas and tell me when they make sense and when they don’t can make a big difference. Not only am I forced to put my thoughts into words (which I may not have had to do yet at that point), but I am forced to acknowledge my shortcomings, such as holes in my logic or ambiguity in what I’m trying to say.
• Finally, I need to leave myself time to write something, let it sit, and then come back to it (an hour later, a day later, a week later – it just depends how long I have to complete the paper) with fresh eyes and perspective. When I do this, I often find that my argument has changed a little or that there are parts of what I previously wrote that aren’t as clear as I thought they were.

So while I’m not implying this process will (or should) work for everyone, I thought it might be helpful to share what works for me. Of course, what might be even more helpful would be for others to add to this conversation and share what they’ve found to work.