Explore prewriting strategies and how to use them
By Alissa Dedic
I open a blank document to begin writing. I type my selected topic at the top of the page.
The cursor flashes and flashes. No words come to mind.
I can’t figure out what I’m trying to say. I type some words and delete them. Writer’s block strikes again.
Out of frustration, I either walk away or start to mindlessly look things up. Maybe a Google search will help. Maybe if I look over a certain chapter in a book or reread an article. Historically, I abandon the project.
While I took a break from writing, I never stopped writing. I stopped the habit of writing. Many writers have experienced too. We used to be able to sit down and write and write. Our biggest issue was cutting words in order to follow the word count or page count set out in the writing assignment’s guidelines.
If you’re like me, you may have asked yourself: How did I do that?
I discovered that I had a collection of prewriting strategies or brainstorming strategies.
These prewriting strategies bring three benefits to writing:
- Focus our writing
- Organize our writing
- Prevent writer’s block
The Five Most Common Prewriting Strategies
In the resources section, I have provided a collection of links that offer different prewriting strategies and examples of how to use them. For this post, the focus will be on the five most common prewriting strategies. Many writers may learned these strategies in elementary school but forgot about them. The five most common prewriting strategies are:
- Clustering
- Freewriting
- Listing
- Looping
- Journalism questions
Clustering
Clustering is one of the prewriting strategies I use the most. Clustering is the use of mind maps or Venn diagrams to see how ideas relate to each other or to find supporting information for an idea. Start by writing the topic in the middle of a blank sheet of paper and circling it. Then draw lines from the main topic circle for the ideas that relate to the topic or support the idea you are expressing.
I’m often surprised by the supporting ideas that come up. Also, I find the ideas that need some research to strengthen them or add character to my writing.
I take the clustering and turn it into an outline. I’m ready to begin writing my rough draft.
Freewriting
Freewriting is another great prewriting strategy. First it is recommended to set a 10-minute timer. Next write the topic at the top of the paper. Then write down all the things that come to mind about the topic. When the timer goes off, look back over what you wrote.
My ideas for free writing come from conversations, books, podcasts, movies, documentaries…
Anything that makes me excited or keeps coming back up is a great topic for freewriting. I can explore why I’m passionate about this topic. I write about why everyone is concerned about the topic.
After I am done, I look back over the freewriting for any ideas that were repeated or the strongest ideas. I use this to narrow the focus of my writing and research for an outline.
Listing
Listing is basic and simple. I find it to be the easiest of the prewriting strategies. Write the topic at the top of the paper and then record all the ideas associated with the topic. This is easy for people because we are used to making grocery lists, to-do lists and instruction lists. We do this in writing and speech. It’s natural.
After I have finished the list, sometimes I will use clustering or freewriting to focus my writing project. The list allows me to eliminate the ideas that don’t strongly support the topic. Also the list lets me know where I need to do some research for supporting information or interesting quotes to add character and quality to the writing.
Looping
I have never or rarely used looping. It is used after a freewriting session. If your freewriting session brought out many key ideas, then looping will help focus and organize your ideas. It is recommended go back over that longer piece of freewriting and highlight repeated key ideas.
Then you can do a freewriting session over each of those key ideas.
After these freewriting sessions are complete, the recommendation is to put the ideas together in an outline and follow the steps for finishing up freewriting.
Journalism Questions
Journalism questions are probably taught to us at a young age. Start with the topic or event and ask the questions a journalist asks:
- Who
- What
- When
- Where
- Why
- How
Sometimes the why and how are interchangeable or difficult to answer, but that’s fine. Research or asking an expert questions may answer the why and how. We don’t have to come up with all the answers on our own. Many people are happy to explain their area of expertise with others.
Three benefits of prewriting strategies
As I previously mentioned prewriting strategies provide three benefits to writing: focus writing, organize writing and prevent writer’s block in writing.
Focus
Each prewriting strategy begins with finding the main topic. The writing will no longer wander and ramble as it looks for its main topic. The main topic is already decided.
Organize
The writing becomes organized because the writer can eliminate ideas that don’t strongly support the main idea. The writer presents the ideas that are the strongest supporter of the main ideas. I often make a note to myself about things I need to go look up because I don’t know how I know this or I don’t remember who said the quote. Each prewriting strategy ends with putting the ideas in an outline and then writing the content.
Prevent writer’s block
Writer’s block is prevented because the brainstorming process has given the writer the words to say. It takes time, experimenting and practice to master prewriting strategies. The words for what the writer wants to express will come out because the content has been focused and organized. Writer’s block can happen for other reasons than lack of focus or organization, like being sick or distracted. Maybe you’ve been experiencing writer’s block because the prewriting strategy you are using doesn’t work well for you.
What worked for one writing project might not work well for another writing project. What works for one person doesn’t work for another. What worked in one season of life might not work in this season of life. Check out the resources section below for more prewriting strategies and their explanations.
Let me know in the comments what prewriting strategy works best for you. I would love to hear from you.
Resources
https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/the_writing_process/prewriting/index.html
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