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ELA · Writing Lab
The Writing Process
Great writing is never finished on the first try — it takes a Process! Writers move through five steps: Prewrite, Draft, Revise, Edit, Publish.
🔄Five Steps, In Order
1🧠PREWRITE
Brainstorm ideas and make an outline. Plan before you write!
2✍️DRAFT
Get the words on the page without worrying about perfection.
3🔁REVISE
Make the big changes — move paragraphs, add details, improve flow.
4🔍EDIT
Fix the small errors — spelling, punctuation, and grammar.
5🎉PUBLISH
Share your final masterpiece with readers!
⚖️Revise vs. Edit — Don't Mix Them Up!
🔁REVISE = BIG changes
- Move whole paragraphs around
- Add details & examples
- Improve flow and ideas
🔍EDIT = SMALL fixes
- Fix spelling mistakes
- Correct punctuation
- Clean up grammar
💡First Get It Down, Then Polish
✏️ Two jobs — done in two passes!
First, draft fast — just get the ideas down.
Later, revise & edit to make it shine.
Even famous authors rewrite many times!
🔑Key Terms
🧠Prewriting Brainstorming and organizing ideas before you start writing.
✍️Drafting Writing the first rough version — get ideas down, no perfection needed.
🔁Revising Making big-picture changes — content, organization, ideas.
🔍Editing Fixing small errors — spelling, grammar, punctuation.
📝Outline An organized plan of the main ideas and supporting points.
💬Feedback Comments from readers (peers, teachers) on how to improve.
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Remember: good writing happens in stages, not all at once — first get your ideas down, then revise and edit to make them shine!