Dear Master’s Programs student,
With Thanksgiving just a couple
weeks away, it’s time to start getting serious about food (at least for those
who aren’t serious about it year-round).
And since many of us are in the mood for food these days, last week we
examined 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)
You’re
probably thinking that this is where the analogy breaks down: writing is
actually the hardest part of the composition process, and baking is pretty easy
(just stick your pan in the oven!)
Actually, if you do all the other steps correctly (brainstorming,
organizing, revising, and editing), writing is little more than converting your
outline or rough
plan 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)
Editing
(as opposed to revision or “re-seeing” a paper) is largely a cosmetic
affair. Just like icing a cake, this
step is about presentation and sweetening things up. Remember that your brilliant insights can be
covered or marred by careless typos and grammatical errors. Taking the extra time to proof your work
carefully results in a better paper—and a better grade.
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
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@usc.edu!
