ADMN 233 — The Writing Process
Source: “The Writing Process” by Dr. Glen Farrelly (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
A 5-step framework for producing professional messages and documents — applicable to anything from a short email to a full report.
flowchart LR P[Step 1: Preparing] --> O[Step 2: Organizing] O --> W[Step 3: Writing] W --> PO[Step 4: Polishing] PO --> R[Step 5: Revising] R -.->|revisit as needed| P
Step 1 — Preparing
Before writing, do four things:
| Sub-step | What it means |
|---|---|
| Scope the message | Define deadlines, medium, word limits, legal/org constraints |
| Target your audience | Analyze demographics + psychographics; choose a “you” focus |
| Determine the goal | Pick ONE overarching goal from the 5 goals |
| Generate ideas | Research + brainstorm (mind mapping, cluster diagraming, freewriting) |
“You” focus: Professional writing serves the reader’s interests, not the writer’s. Adapt vocabulary, tone, and content to what the audience needs — not what you find easiest to write.
Step 2 — Organizing
Poor structure is the most common student writing weakness. A clear structure prevents going off-topic, repetition, and loss of credibility.
How to organize:
- Group ideas into categories and sub-categories (mind mapping helps)
- Choose ONE ordering pattern — sequential, chronological, cause/effect, general→specific, topical, geographic, alphabetical, or by importance
- Build an outline: thesis/goal statement → numbered sections → key points (1–2 lines each)
- Cut anything that doesn’t fit; never force points in; never repeat
Prioritize your strongest points first and last — especially in persuasive writing.
Step 3 — Writing
Draft using your outline as a continuous guide. Key techniques:
- Introductions and conclusions are mandatory — even for short messages. Intro orients the reader (topic, goal, importance, roadmap). Conclusion restates key points + next steps.
- Use signposts — transitional expressions (however, consequently, next, in contrast, additionally) that guide the reader through the structure and link major points.
- Facilitate skimming — headings, bullet lists, bold key passages, shorter paragraphs, varying sentence length. Assume busy readers will skim.
- Avoid plagiarism — mark others’ words with quotation marks immediately; use consistent citation style; cite sources even in professional (non-academic) writing.
Step 4 — Polishing
Improve the visual appearance of the document:
- Correct paragraph structure, section headings, line spacing
- Use visual aids where helpful
- Ensure accessibility (legal requirement for public-facing documents)
Appearance signals quality and credibility. See “Effective Document Design” reading.
Step 5 — Revising
Two distinct processes — don’t lump them together:
| Process | What it addresses |
|---|---|
| Editing | Content: Complete, Concise, Coherent, Clear (the 4 Cs) |
| Proofreading | Mechanics: spelling, grammar, capitalization, punctuation, accuracy |
The 4 Cs of editing:
- Complete — no essential fact, step, or point is missing
- Concise — cut repetition and tangents; anything cuttable should be cut
- Coherent — ideas flow logically from one point to the next
- Clear — everything is easily understood by the audience
Proofreading priorities: client/supervisor names, product details, numbers, dates, policy decisions, legal implications, company facts.
Tips: Give yourself time between drafting and revising. Read with fresh eyes. Have someone else proofread if possible (check academic rules first).
Key Takeaways
- Plan before you start writing
- Know your audience and write for them
- Make a structure; organize points logically
- Stay on topic; never repeat
- Avoid plagiarism from the start
- Include all required components (intro + conclusion)
- Appearance matters — polish it
- Budget time for editing and proofreading