PrePALS Writing

       PREWRITING

Prewriting is the first stage in the writing process. When using a prewriting strategy, you jot your initial thoughts about a topic down on paper. Prewriting has no set structure or organization; it is usually just a collection of ideas that may find themselves in your paper over time. Prewriting is also a great way to get past writer’s block—that period of time when you find you have no ideas or don’t know how to put your thoughts together.

Many students want to skip the pre-writing stage of the writing process because they see it as unnecessarily burdensome and time-consuming. However, dismissing the pre-writing stage as being completely unnecessary is a critical misstep. Pre-writing is an essential part of the entire writing process because it enables you to begin documenting the process by which the eventual essay will be formed and evaluated.

The term “prewriting” may be a bit misleading because writing can and often does occur at this critical stage. For example, written notes and outlines, including graphic organizers, can serve as a record of one’s ideas and the sources of those ideas. A preliminary thesis or hypothesis could inform the process and the product.

 Many people do brainstorm via their thoughts without recording those ideas and sources in permanent form prior to the next steps in the writing process. Most developing writers, however, need to record their prewriting ideas in permanent form so that those ideas can clearly inform and guide the thinking and writing process, resulting in a coherent, well-organized product or text.

Attribution:

English Composition I. Schoolcraft College. 

License: Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial Share Alike .

Attributions:

"The Writing Process" Youtube, uploaded by Amal Mansour, 2 Oct. 2021, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGImUx4zg64

Permissions: YouTube Terms of Service

Here are a few prewriting strategies that may be used. 

*This is a flexible template—feel free to modify it based on the specifics of your writing project!

Click this LINK to open the same document that is pictured below

A few more options:

Brainstorming

• Generate a list of ideas without filtering or judging them.
• Use free writing to explore thoughts on a topic for a set time.

Mind Mapping

• Create a visual representation of ideas and their connections.
• Start with a central concept and branch out with related ideas.

Outlining

• Organize main ideas and supporting details in a structured format.
• Use bullet points or numbers to create a hierarchical structure.

Clustering

• Write a central idea in the middle of a page and draw lines to related ideas.
• This technique helps visualize relationships between concepts.

Questioning

• Develop a list of questions related to the topic.
• Answering these questions can guide research and writing focus.

Listing

• Create a list of key points, arguments, or themes to cover in the writing.
• This method helps ensure all important aspects are addressed.

Journaling

• Keep a writing journal to reflect on ideas and experiences.
• Regular entries can stimulate creativity and provide material for writing.

Choose a topic and try out one of the prewriting strategies provided!

Possible topic choices:

• hobby
• personal experience
• career
• sport
• personal interest

To check your understanding, we invite you to submit your writing to the Online Writing Center via this online Writing Center LINK.  The link will bring you to a form.  In the form, you may put "Pre-Pals" for the COURSE NAME, "None" for the INSTRUCTOR, and "Unit 5: Prewriting Practice" for the "Assignment Title."  You will receive feedback from the Writing Center.