The process of writing/ENGA101/The PWR method/Reading2
The writing phase is where you get to flesh out your outline. All the work you have done in the pre-writing phase will pay off in the writing phase. If you have a detailed, well-organised outline, all you have to do is follow the plan and make adjustments along the way if needed.
The structure of what you write will depend greatly on the type of writing your doing (e.g. poem, novel, essay, report). An academic essay, for example, will be made up of an introduction, a body of text and a conclusion, each with a very distinct role to play.
Writing your introduction: The introduction is the first thing your readers will be exposed to. It helps them make a transition between their own world and the issues you will be writing about. It also gives them the tools they need to get into your topic and care about what you are saying.
Consider the following questions:
- How can writing a good introduction help your essay?
- What can you do to grab the reader's attention?
Read Section 1.3.2.1 from the English Composition I course available from Saylor Academy, to learn more about how to create an introduction.
Note that even though the introduction comes first, many people prefer to wait until they've written the main body of their text before writing the introduction. Since writing is a process and ideas may change along the way, they feel it is a better use of their time to write the introduction once they know what they wrote about.
Writing the body of your text: Writing for academic purposes will be the focus of the second micro-course of the English for academic writing 101 course. Suffice it to say at this stage that the body of your essay is where you develop the arguments (ideas) that you listed in your outline. If the outline is the skeleton of your essay, then the body is its flesh.
Writing your conclusion: Just like the introduction, the conclusion is a key piece of your essay. It allows you to have the final say on the issues you have raised, to synthesize your thoughts, to demonstrate the importance of your ideas, and to propel your readers to a new view of the subject. It is also your opportunity to make a good final impression and to end on a positive note.
Consider the following questions:
- What message do you want your readers to leave with?
- What can you do to ensure you've made an impact on the reader?
Read Section 1.3.2.3 from the English Composition I course available from Saylor Academy, to learn more about how to write a conclusion.
