Sarah Vitarisi

UWRIT 1104

Malcolm Campbell

25 January 2019

Studio 1 – Writing Process

Step 2

Free Writing

My writing process is very similar to both authors. I normally try to start the assignment

early as I know I will procrastinate. I start every assignment by changing the font, text size, and

spacing. This way I know exactly how much I have written and how much I have to go. Getting

started is always the most difficult. To help me, I make an outline with all the points I want to

make. This helps organize my thoughts and makes sure everything is talked about. From the

outline, I write, finding a way to connect one point to the next. While writing, I get easily

distracted. I will check my text messages, respond to snaps, get a snack or go to the bathroom.

I’m usually at a loss for words when these things happen. Writing sometimes could take days

due to my amount of procrastination. Once I have a first draft, I send it to either my mom or a

friend. They have fresh eyes and can see my grammatical mistakes or where something does not

make sense. Using their comments, I create a second draft. I try to write it a day or two before

the deadline. This allows me to come back one more time before submission to reread it and fix

anything.

My writing process involves much procrastination. Because I know myself as a writer, I

try to start as soon as the assignment is assigned. I may start an assignment over a week before it
is due, if the teacher provides the prompt. I always start with the mechanics of my paper: the

font, text size, spacing, and margins. By doing this, I know the amount of writing I have

completed, and the amount of work left to do. I always have to write while listening to music. It

provides background noise that helps me to focus. My writing gets easily interrupted by my

phone notifications or friends. This causes my writing process to take longer than it should.

I always start writing with an outline. It includes all the main points I want to make in

the paper and quotes I have found to enhance my argument. By doing this, I can make sure all

my thoughts have made it into the paper and I do not go off topic. The outline also allows me to

connect one point to another. I never write a paper in chronological order. I find introductions

and conclusions hard to write when the body is not completed. I do not know where the paper is

going so I do not know how to summarize it. When I finally finish my first draft, I send it off to

someone I trust to read it. They find any grammatical mistakes and unclear parts. With their

comments, I create my second draft. I read that draft one more time, normally the day before it

is due. This gives me a break from the piece and to come back with fresh eyes. If there is

nothing more to do, I submit the paper. I always try to complete this step well before the

deadline.

Step 3

One change I can make to improve my work is not getting distracted. I should be more

focused and more committed to my ideas. I do understand that taking a break and coming back

with fresh eyes is an important part of writing, but the number of breaks from writing should be

limited. My goal is to write for a certain amount of time before taking a break. My plan is to put

my phone on Do Not Disturb and set a timer. During that time, I will continuously write. When
the timer goes off, I take a quick break before returning back to my work. By setting the timer, I

can completely focus on my writing. My work should be more focused and coherent.