The key to developing your personal writing process is to remember that all writers need to accomplish several tasks to produce a paper. Take some time to think about what techniques work best for you as an individual writer. Then consider the tips below to learn how you might be able to make your current writing process more effective. In addition to thinking about the assignment, you also need to think about your topic. Thinking carefully about your assignment and topic is the first step in producing a successful piece of writing.
Many writers find it helpful to get their initial thoughts down on paper before they begin to write.
Making a list, brainstorming, mind-mapping, freewriting, or outlining will help you to remember your ideas, and may even lead to the formation of new ideas. You might experiment with different types of prewriting to find out what works best for you. Once you have some notes or preliminary writing on paper, you might find it helpful to see what you have and to begin to plan how you'll organize your thoughts. Organize For a short paper or essay response, numbering the ideas in your notes may be enough to get you organized. For longer, more detailed papers, however, you may find it helpful to spend a few minutes organizing your thoughts in more detail before you begin to draft the paper.