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Writing Process




Generally the writing process is seen as consisting of five steps:

  1. Pre-writing: planning, research, outlining, diagramming, storyboarding or clustering
  2. Draft: initial composition in prose form
  3. Revision: review, modification and organization (by the writer)
  4. Editing: proofreading for clarity, conventions, style (preferably by another writer)
  5. Publishing: performance, printing or distribution of written material


The Instructional Theory behind the model is similar to New Product Development and Life Cycle theory, adapted to written works. By breaking the writing cycle into discrete stages and focusing on strategies at each stage, it was hoped that writers would develop an appreciation for the process of seeing an idea through to successful completion in a logical way. Rather than presenting written works as divine acts of genius which emerge fully formed, they are shown as the logical fruit of several distinct and learnable skills.