Many students see prewriting as a waste of time and jump right into drafting.  However, when you skip over the first steps of writing and move straight to drafting, the process of writing may take much more time.

Proficient writers know prewriting is important because it allows you to generate ideas to frame your thinking and provide a broad range of content.

Spending time planning your writing will ensure that the best of your ideas come together in a cohesive way. This will also make the drafting and revising process easier and result in a higher quality finished piece.

In this activity, you will explore prewriting techniques and practice these techniques in your WordPress blog site. If you have not set up your WordPress site, please visit the Submit WordPress URL page.

Directions

Review the grading rubric as listed on this page.

Review Brainstorming.
Brainstorming is a technique of listing as many ideas as possible about your writing topic. The greatest rule of Brainstorming is to keep the process as broad and open as possible. Review the video below about how to brainstorm.

Review Mindmapping.
Mindmapping is similar to Brainstorming, but it is much more visual. It allows you to create connections between ideas. It can be a useful step after Brainstorming, or it may match your style better if Brainstorming seems too random.

Review Freewriting.
Freewriting is a process of simply writing. It helps you get started and can expand your thinking.

Choose one of the prewriting techniques (Brainstorming, MindMapping, Freewriting…or something else?) that fits your style of writing.

Complete a prewriting about the following topic:

Writing Prompt: My Writing Process
Think about the type of writing you did in school.  What are your memories of those experiences?  Do you look back at the type of writing you did with joy or disdain?  Did you love or hate writing in school? Do you carry these same feelings today about writing, good or bad, with you to college assignments? How would you describe your writing process? What are your writing strengths and weaknesses?

When you are finished developing your prewriting, upload an image/copy onto a new blog post at your WordPress site.

Submit the URL of your blog to your instructor.

Grading

Points: 20

Submitting: a website URL