My writing process consists of lots of activities and items that can keep me focused for the maximum amount of time possible. I always attempt to finish the writing assignment in one sitting, as I believe I do my best work this way due to the fact that everything is fresh in my mind. In order to accomplish this task, I always attempt to put myself into the same circumstance and situation every time.
Before I start writing, I isolate myself as much as possible from any distractions, so I can focus solely on the writing assignment. I have to make sure I am alone in a room, so I won’t be distracted by anyone or be tempted to have a conversation with anyone. My workplace needs to be clean and organized, so I can feel comfortable working there for a long time. In order to further increase my focus, I play music at a low volume in order to soothe the feel of the environment and relax my nerves. After all of these preparation steps are complete, I can begin my writing.
I start the writing portion of my process by researching the topic and taking notes on main concepts and quotations I can use in my essay. After thoroughly researching the topic, I then create a rough outline of my essay, incorporating the main ideas and quotes I obtained. After spending the time researching and creating the outline, I often take a quick mental break and eat a quick snack in order to prepare myself to write for an extensive amount of time. I then begin writing my essay, and don’t stop until I finish the assignment, or until I am so mentally drained that I can not write anymore. After I finish the writing assignment, I review my work, and check for simple mistakes. The only steps in between my writing process from when I start until I finish is a couple short breaks consisting of small snacks and quickly checking my phone.
My entire writing process revolves around the use of my laptop. I use google docs to take notes and create an outline of my assignment, and then continue to finish the assignment on my laptop. I keep my phone out of reach in order to minimize distractions, therefore making me get out of my seat in case I want to use my phone as a break. A habit that I often notice in my writing process is that I often listen to the same songs over and over, as they promote the most energy and focus.
I attempt to use this method every time I write, however for longer essays, I have to break my actual writing portion of the process into multiple days, as my mental capacity can’t stay focused long enough to finish the essay in one sitting. It is difficult to represent my on the spot thinking portion of my writing process, as I often deviate from my outline because of a better idea. This process works extremely well for me for short to medium length assignments, as I am normally able to efficiently write and produce quality content in a reasonable amount of time. I research my topic and then almost immediately write my assignment, increasing my retention of information, and therefore strengthening my argument.
One thing I would change about my process is allowing more time to revise. My revision often just consists of a proofread after completing my essay, as I am often mentally drained from nonstop writing. Eli review was extremely helpful this quarter, as other individuals are looking for ways to revise for me. However, I can not rely on this for the future, and I should incorporate a way to find time to revise my essay efficiently.
Smartphone Addiction 