The Writing Process:
Creating, Categorizing and Organizing Your Thoughts

Here is an example of the first stages of the writing process. Starting with a simple prompt (friendship), I brainstormed my ideas in a simple list, categorized my results (via colour coding) and fashioned them into a rough outline.

When brainstorming, you should suspend all judgment. Any idea, no matter how ridiculous, is fair game! When you categorize, you're looking for commonalities, and things that belong (or don't belong) together. It's sort of like that lesson from Sesame Street ! Finally, in an outline, you are asked to present a coherent argument or discussion: an assertion, ideas that support the assertion, and evidence that illustrates the ideas.

As you will see, not all of my initial ideas were used (they were redundant or they didn't fit). Some ideas were revised, and I changed my mind as the process moved along. The basic outline will need to be revised, especially in the order of examples. The outline could form the basis of an extended paragraph or a small essay.


Brainstorming:

 

Friendship

 

-laughing

-loyalty

-sharing secrets

-trusting

-nothing behind his/her back

-Stuart returning my key

-supporting against others

-Bill listening to my ideas

-being honest but tactful

-being relaxed

-forgiving your faults

-interested in your life

-can rely in times of crisis

-making jokes

-doing things together

-lunch hour walks with coworkers

-Gary fixing my air conditioner

-not having to pretend

-built over time

-understanding without explaining

 

Categorization

 

Friendship

 

-laughing

-loyalty

-sharing secrets

-trusting

-nothing behind his/her back

-Stuart returning my key

-supporting against others

-Bill listening to my ideas

-being honest but tactful

-being relaxed

-forgiving your faults

-interested in your life

-can rely in times of crisis

-making jokes

-doing things together

-lunch hour walks with coworkers

-Gary fixing my air conditioner

-not having to pretend

-built over time

-understanding without explaining

 

Basic Outline

 

Friendship is...

 

-relationship built on trust

 built over time

-loyalty

-nothing behind his/her back

-supporting against others

-being honest but tactful

 

-with trust comes…

-laughing (sharing jokes)

-sharing secrets

-being relaxed

-forgiving your faults

-can rely in times of crisis

-doing things together

-not having to pretend

-understanding without explaining

 

-examples of friends in my life

-Stuart returning my key

-Bill and I sharing different views

-Gary fixing my air conditioner