Many students want to find the quickest path to the last stage of the writing process: Publishing. However, as you have learned, a lot happens behind the scenes when it comes to writing. We are used to seeing, and reading, finished works: books, course materials, online content, but we aren’t often exposed to all of the preparation and elbow grease that goes into the creation of those finished works.
It helps to recognize that incredibly successful people put just as much time into those behind-the-scenes efforts as the rest of us: maybe even more time. As you watch How to Write a Joke, consider the amount of time it took Jerry Seinfeld to create a single joke. Of course, some works of creative genius take longer than others. Unfortunately, deadlines are generally a lot tighter than that for most college writing.
The writing process is a tool that will help you through many large projects in your college career. You’ll customize it to fit the way you work, and find that the process will change, depending on the project, the timeline, and the needs you have at the time. Through this process, you will discover an efficient path to quality published writing.
Attribution:
English Composition I. Schoolcraft College.
Attributions:
"The Writing Process" Youtube, uploaded by Amal Mansour, 2 Oct. 2021, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGImUx4zg64
Permissions: YouTube Terms of Service
Publishing your writing is the final step of the writing process. Before you share what you have created, take a moment to consider these final reminders.
Does my writing clearly respond to the prompt or assignment?Do I have a clear thesis or central idea?Have I supported my main points with relevant examples, facts, or reasoning?Have I stayed on topic throughout the essay?Does my introduction hook the reader and introduce the main idea?Are my body paragraphs focused on one main point each?Do I use transitions to guide the reader between ideas?Does my conclusion recognize the main idea of the essay and reflect on the topic?Have I used specific, vivid, and appropriate language that fits the purpose and audience?Have I avoided vague phrases like “a lot,” “things,” or “stuff”?Have I eliminated contractions if this is a formal piece of writing?Have I checked for grammar, punctuation, and spelling errors?Are all sentences complete—no fragments or run-ons?Have I reviewed formatting (font, margins, spacing) to match guidelines?Have I cited all sources I used?Is my Works Cited or References page complete and correctly formatted?If someone else read this, would they understand and connect with my ideas?Am I proud of this work? If not, what can I revise before turning it in?Whether you're printing it on paper, submitting it to Blackboard, or emailing it to your intended audience, publishing is the last stage of the writing process.
Before you hit "submit," take a moment to ask yourself:
👉 Am I proud of what I’ve created?
👉 Does it represent my best effort?
👉 Would I feel confident sharing this with others?
Writing is a form of expression. Make sure your final draft is something you’re excited to share with the world.
