Although each of these stages can be identified and discussed separately, in practice they often flow imperceptibly into one another. For example, in drafting, a writer may find and correct minor errors. Another writer may be polishing up one section of a piece of writing while making a radical restructuring or trying to get her ideas together in working on another. Experienced writers find ways of moving from stage to stage in a process that's comfortable for them and appropriate to their projects, but for many student writers, learning that writing can be treated as a process is an important first step. Anxious writers can run into problems if they jump into editing prematurely and cut off the process of developing ideas.
Many students have to learn to leave ample time for editing and proofreading.
All writers can run into problems when they confront new types of writing for which their previous processes may be inadequate. It's important to remember that no writer works through a writing process in isolation. Most writers benefit from thoughtful, effective intervention or collaboration at various stages. In planning your SWC course, you will want to think about how you want to provide your students with such assistance. Return to Designing a Course .