By: Chelsea Tamborski
Any individual that has ever been confronted with a writing project knows that preparedness is the key to success. However, how the manner in which one prepares varies from person to person. What works for me might not work for you. In many cases, some people prefer a sense of freestyle, and depend on their creativity in the moment. Other writers prefer a planned strategy that focuses on clearly organized topics and word elements. In either case, it’s important to pursue a strategy beforehand, so any last-minute errors can be corrected without the panic of a due date hanging over you like a black cloud.
Many experienced writers will say that they went through a great deal of struggle, and that it took years for them to find the exact organization approach that suited them best. It does indeed take some time to find and perfect a writing method that is molded to someone’s writing style, but for those of you who lack years to research the subject, here are a few to get you started.
Freestyle
This method is the perfect approach for someone who’s main desire is to get all their thoughts and ideas written down without the added distraction of editing. You’d simply start writing, and not stop until you feel your creative tree has been plucked completely clean. An important aspect of this style is to leave all editing marks and changes until everything has been written down; looking back for any errors will only hinder the creative flow.
Outline/ Bulleting
One method that some may prefer, as it’s somewhat more organized than freestyle, is the bulleting or listing plan. Writers would compile their research on the topic and represent their findings in a formal manner that would later match the layout of the paper. The focus here is to get the general idea and information down, and to worry about additional details or editing later.
Cubing
Inserting a small amount of math into writing can be helpful in some cases, and it’s by the cubing method that writers can search for bonus details that they may have missed earlier on. By cubing, the writer will separate their topic into six different steps that will allow for a well-rounded article. The steps begin by describing the topic and continue with comparing, associating, analyzing, applying, and arguing for or against it.
As these methods are only a small portion of the strategies available, it would benefit every writer to do some research and discover what works best with their personality and writing style. There are many other incredibly useful techniques that can be found through practice, or even online in such websites as “Daily Writing Tips” or “The Writing Center at UNC-Chapel Hill.” Though it’s within the judgement of each writer as to what and how they choose to write, there are many helpful ways that allow both the writer and the article to improve.
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