All writers, whether they are students or working professionals, occasionally struggle with getting started on a writing project. While no two people follow exactly the same process, here are some tips to help get you started:

• Make sure you understand the parameters (or directions) for the assignment. Read all the materials the instructor has provided, and ask questions if anything is unclear. 
• Take notes as you read through the directions.
• Find examples of the type of writing assignment you must complete. Ask the instructor for examples when available. 
• Begin your project by using a prewriting strategy such a creating an outline, mind-map, cluster, list, or web. (These techniques are discussed in detail below).
• Consult a tutor. Professional tutors who work for Baker College Tutoring Services are knowledgeable about the projects you are assigned in your courses. It is very helpful to plan a project with a tutor before you begin writing. 
• Some writers find it helpful to discuss their writing project with a friend or family member. Talking about an assignment can lead to new ideas. 
• Do not overlook the need to investigate, research, and analyze as part of the process. It can help to investigate what type of scholarly sources are available on a topic by using the databases housed within guides.baker.edu
• Create a thesis statement and begin prewriting and planning.

WRITING PROCESS

When we talk about the "writing process," we mean that writing is recursive: it can, and should, be continuously revised. The writing process consists of multiple steps, but most important are the following: pre-writing (brainstorming), drafting, revising, and editing. Here is a helpful document for understanding and utilizing the writing process:

 A Step by Step Guide Through the Writing Process 

Methods of Prewriting 

Below is a helpful video overview of several forms of prewriting.

• Additional Modes of Invention and Prewriting 

  Here are some other methods of planning your writing project. This is often called the invention stage of the writing process.

• Knowing Your Audience 

  Many writing projects include directions to write for the "appropriate" audience, but what does that mean? This brief handout explains the concept of the audience as it pertains to writing and composition.

Drafting any form of communication is a big step. It means have you made it past the pre-writing and brainstorming stage and are ready to tackle the communication in whole. Something to keep in mind, however, is that drafting means just that "it is a draft." It is not polished and ready to be finalized. 

When drafting, the important thing is to get your ideas down. Your sentences do not have to be perfect, you may have some errors with spelling and punctuation; however, you will be getting your ideas onto the page and focusing on audience and purpose. Key point: all first drafts are rough and they are all considered a work in progress.  That is the goal of drafting: you are fine-tuning your ideas and making them coherent. 

The goal is to make the process of drafting work for you, and your style and pace.

Writing is a process of discovery or rather "trial and error." In other words, you don’t always produce your best communication when you first get started. So, revision is a chance for you to look critically at what you have written to see:

• if it’s really worth saying,
• if it says what you wanted to say, and
• if a reader will understand what you’re saying.

In life, there are times when you wish you could have "do-overs."  Writing provides that opportunity. Please keep the following ideas in mind:

• The first draft is not the final draft.
• Many view writing as a continual process, one that sometimes is recursive as opposed to linear.
• You may go back and change a sentence or a paragraph when you have written only a page. 
• You may find yourself deleting full paragraphs or pages once you have completed a draft, going back to change the content or organization. 
• You may discover you have written sections of your essay that are off topic. If so, remove these from your essay, and copy and paste them into a new document. You may be able to use this "off-topic" idea in the future for a different writing assignment. 
• Most writing professional writing projects include numerous rounds of editing and revision. Engaging in revision will prepare you for work in the professional world.

Below are some additional resources to assist with the revision process:

Revising for Cohesion 

Steps for Revising your Paper 

Revising for Concision