Writing Tips

The best advice for getting started is to make yourself comfortable where you are. Many people have a routine when they get to writing - maybe they change into more comfortable clothes, they check their email, they grab a snack, etc.  This doesn't have to be super complicated, maybe it's one step, or three, but it shouldn't really ever be more than 5. When you get into the routine of something, it gets you into the mood to finish the whole routine, including the task you want to get done. 

Researching can be hard, depending on the topic. To start, have an idea in mind. Read the brainstorming techniques tab if you're having trouble with coming up with ideas. Then, look for sources, via google search or google scholar, and looking for resources through the SLPHS media center website will also be helpful. Make sure to ALWAYS cite your sources, and if you're having trouble citing them, the SLPHS media center also has sources for citation machines, like easybib or noodletools. If you're having trouble keeping track of your sources, keep them all in the document you're using to write the essay. Be sure to annotate the citations as well, so you know what information comes from what source.   https://sites.google.com/slpschools.org/slphs-media-center/research-tools 

Prewriting is the messiest stage in writing, because the whole reason you do it is about organization. First, pick a general topic (if you're stuck, check out brainstorming techniques). Then, consider the audience the paper is being written for. Is it for a teacher? A classmate or fellow scholar? Next, remember why you're writing this. To analyze a separate piece of text? For research? Once you have all of these down, create a plan on how you're going to write your essay.  This is a very personalized thing, and it depends on your essay purpose and audience. The easiest way to start an essay is just to put the ideas on paper, and narrow down your essay ideas and to get the general topic. It's not supposed to be pretty or organized, it is just about getting the ideas on paper. 

The main idea of drafting is to get ideas onto the paper. It's supposed to have a loose structure, while having a bit of organization.  This is different from the prewriting phase in the sense that it has more structure. Paragraphs should be formed, but not perfect-looking.  When in the drafting phase, the main thing you should be thinking about is the loose structure. You already got all of your ideas and research on the paper in the prewriting phase, so now it's time to organize them a bit more. Going back to the thinking about how the paper is structured, try finding or writing an example of the thing you're trying to write. This can help with knowing what the general structure of the thing you're writing should be. If you're stuck, ask someone for help brainstorming what a paper should look like. The whole point of a draft is to have an informal outline, but still having one in the first place. Remember, this is the first draft. It is NOT supposed to be your first and last, it is supposed to be IMPERFECT. 

There are 2 types of revision: global revision, and sentence-level revision. 

1. Global revision - Think of this as restructuring and adding context to the piece of writing. The main point of global revision is answering the question, "Will the audience be able to follow my writing and understand what I've written?" Out of the two, this is the most organization-heavy. There's 2 main kinds of global revision - organizational revision, and developmental revision.

• Organizational revision - This kind is revising the structure of the essay - think moving sentences or paragraphs, or even checking to see if the format of the writing adheres to the rules (like a research essay) or just making sure the structure makes sense for the reader. 

• Developmental revision - This is making sure that the ideas presented in the essay make sense. For example, making sure all of your ideas connect back to your thesis, making sure to connect related ideas, adding missing context to an essay, and checking for plagiarism. This is mainly making sure the writing is coherent to the reader in a general way. 

2. Sentence-level revision - This is where grammatical revisions take place. These can include taking parts of a sentence out for improper word use or wordiness, fixing typos and grammatical errors, and varying sentence styles to make the paper more interesting to read. When revising for grammar, you can have someone help you if grammar/spelling isn't your strong suit. Generally, to improve grammar, it helps to look for error patterns in your writing, such as not using uppercase I's or forgetting to use commas. If you want a more interesting essay to read, ask yourself, "Do I talk like this?". Another way to make it a more interesting read is to go over each word to determine if it's really necessary. When checking for improper word use (diction), see how many times you use the "to be" verb compared to other, more interesting verbs. You could also try rewriting a sentence that doesn't feel right to get another perspective on writing it. A big part of sentence-level revision is noticing error patterns that you make in your writing, which you can correct. 

A tip for checking these is to read it out loud. It doesn't have to be a talking voice, but you can whisper it as well, so long as you can hear what you're saying. This can help you spot errors easier by looking at a paper from a different perspective.  

If you get anxious about writing, the first thing you should do is to express every anxious thought you have before writing. It can be to a friend, a family member, or even a teacher, to any trusted adult, really. Just know that any emotion you feel about writing is a valid emotion to have, no matter how irrational it might be. Making sure you know the directions is a good first step. One way to lessen the anxiety might be to break down the process into smaller bits, which is extra helpful if you have a large essay due. Making sure you know what to do and making the process less scary by breaking it down are the 2 biggest things you can do to help with anxiety. Go easy on yourself as well, especially during the revision process. 

1. Don't use generative AI. This will not help your writing process at all. It may help sometimes, but if you ask it to generate an entire essay, you are not improving your writing (because you're not doing it in the first place!). You are not using your analysis, critical thinking, or creative problem solving skills, and you're not growing as a writer because you didn't do anything. Not to mention its effects on the environment. 

2. When writing digitally, save drafts of the paper to show that you have grown as a writer. Google Docs does have a feature that shows previous versions before an autosave which can be used as evidence of growth, but if you're writing on a separate document, use that as well. 

3. Check for plagiarism. Even if you didn't do it consciously, it is good to get in the habit of making sure that your writing is not copied from another and making sure that your ideas are your own and put in your own words. 

4. Annotating sources before you write the essay with a summary of their information is useful to make sure you use the right citation for the correct information.