January 2: The Process Approach (and more)

First: your assignment during the New Year's break was to write a first draft of a paragraph concerning "Tea Time" with Pamela (Pam) and Mitch the handyman.

We start from a few ideas about our topic. What ideas did you have at the beginning?

Brainstorming - more ideas:
http://rjdickey-write.blogspot.com/2012/06/brainstorming.html
Idea Webs - http://writefordickey.blogspot.com/2013/12/information-pyramids.html

How did those ideas fit into your first draft paragraph?
Information pyramids - http://writefordickey.blogspot.com/2013/12/information-pyramids.html


I'm pushing you on writing, and your peer editing should be a little less than kind. Really, you are helping your friend when you are less than kind.  We call this "tough love".  See it here:
http://rjdickey-write.blogspot.com/2012/07/peer-editing-tough-love.html

If you want a grammar checker in MSWord, here's how to set it up.
http://rjdickey-write.blogspot.kr/2012/06/msword-grammarcheck-settings.html


The Process Approach
Another version.

There are many opinions about how to do the Process Approach to Writing. Because you are lower-skilled in English and this is a writing class, I'm pushing you to write from the beginning, not to spend too much time with notes. So my version includes more rewrites.

0.  Collect ideas about your topic. (brainstorming, idea webs, research, etc)  Which seems more interesting and useful?

1. Write ideas in narrative. (something like a paragraph)    [REVIEW]

2. Reconsider ideas, re-sort the order?  Re-write.   [REVIEW]

3. Develop further, re-write. (add more content)   [REVIEW]

4. Corrections, re-write for a "Final Draft"   [REVIEW]

5. Make it "perfect" as a FINAL SUBMISSION    [SUBMIT]


The REVIEW could be by yourself, or with a peer, or even by asking a teacher or someone to look at it for you.  Usually native-speakers do the review after the first draft (step 1) by themselves.  We often think that if you can just "step away" from the writing for a day or or so, you will come back to it "with fresh eyes" and can see yourself how to make improvements.

As you develop skills you can reduce the number of re-writes. Some people write very excellent first drafts!