Writing Tip Wednesday: The Writing Process (pt 2)

Dear Master’s Programs student,

With Spring Break in the rearview mirror, some of us are longing for tasty treats to ease the transition back to work and school. So on the off-chance you weren't assiduously checking the MPO blog last week, take a look at three ways writing is like baking a pie.  This week, we’ll examine steps four through six of the writing process.

Step #4: Writing (or put it in the oven)

This is where it seems the analogy might break down—but it holds up, just like a great meringue. Just as putting a pie in the oven is often the easiest step in baking (the machinery does all the work!), "writing" can be the simplest part of the writing process. If you've already taken ample time to brainstorm your best ideas and organized them to perfection, "writing" is just taking your outline and putting it into complete sentences.

(Writing seems much harder when you sit at the computer and try to invent, organize, type, and edit simultaneously.)

Step 5: Editing (or make it pretty)

The easiest thing you can do to become a better editor is to read your work aloud.  This forces you to read more slowly (since your mouth can’t go as fast as your eyes); it also helps you to “hear” errors (instead of just seeing them).  Many writers also find that editing from a physical piece of paper—rather than from a computer screen—increases the effectiveness of their editing.

Step 6: Submit! (or give it away)

In baking, writing, and most other endeavors, it’s best to keep your goal in mind from the beginning. When you know that you’ll serve up a pastry—or turn in a paper—for someone else’s consumption, you’re more likely to take care at each step along the way to present a product that’s enticing and enjoyable.

A final note:  just as you need to know a guest’s allergies to peanuts or intolerance to lactose, it’s important to keep in mind your reader’s “writing allergies.”  One professor might be especially sensitive to run-on sentences; another could have a bad reaction to poor APA citations.  Know who your reader is, and accommodate her preferences.

Happy writing!

James

P.S.  If there’s a writing topic you’d like to see in the next Writing Tip, please let me know at jhayashi@rossier.usc.edu!