How To Understand The Writing Process


I imagine all MouthShut.com writers go through the same agony of writing. Believe me, it is not that difficult for us to just sit down and write these ideas we have wrestled with for quite sometime. We may all have our cliches and ways to handle the onset of creative and innovative ideas. In other words, we sometimes wonder where these ideas come from. For a long time, they were somewhere on our mind. They had no shape, no form. They were navigating in our subconscious, still far away from the reality of being on paper or on screen. Once we finally apply ourselves to transcribing or writing down these ideas, we start wondering what meaning they will have. We care about our audience. Will anybody ever get the gist of my message?

Writing becomes a creation. It is a process through which meaning is created. The ideas will end up being explored by writing them down. As you write every day, you will soon realize that writing is a process of discovery. Discovery in all sense of the words. Most importantly, it is a process of self-discovery. It soon becomes a therapeutic method.

The more one thinks about writing, one may come to the conclusion that the act of writing implies more than a certain pedagogical approach. It is not only a matter of being able to master grammar rules, usage, structure, correct form. There is no doubt that these elements are important. Being able to master them does not automatically translate into writing. There are some fundamental issues. The message needs to be conveyed. Is there one?

To convey the message in the simplest way possible, one must attempt to make it direct and precise. This is why the process of writing also involves rewriting...lots of rewriting sessions until one can be sure of reaching a refined product or output. Once again, we can see how writing involves a continuing attempt to discover what it is one wanted to say. In this act of discovery, a theorist identified some stages: rehearsing, drafting, revising etc. Thus, writing becomes the development of an idea developing. The same theorist adds, ’’writing viewed from this perspective is the process of exploring one’s thoughts and learning from the act of writing itself what these thoughts are.’’

How many times have we found ourselves going back to ideas in order to move forward with them? Revision, rewriting, call it by any other, is what constitutes the writing process. For me, writing is like having a conversation with somebody invisible. What is it for you?

Only God knows how long I have been mulling over the writing of this article. On a few occasions, I thought I pinned it down. The closer I felt I was, the more I had to keep thinking about it. This is the part that most people don’t see. Of course, it is an internal dialogue.

Just like you may have experienced, there is such an overwhelming feeling of achievement, accomplishment once you have completed the writing process. The load is off. You can now breathe! On many occasions, I sensed relief! To me, it is the feeling I can compare to resurfacing after holding my breath under water. Then, I feel freer to go about my other businesses or chores. I can take a break, I can have lunch, I can leave the house for some fresh air. I can even cry, ’’I did it!’’

Now that you know what it takes to write down your ideas, would you not like to patent them? This is probably the way the Internet or Information Super Highway or Revolution is leading us, writers. Ideas are now worth millions or even billions. Ideas have always been compiled in the form of business plans. Current business models are ideas that have been hatched in an incubator, VC or Angels. No matter what, we can celebrate the impact of our ideas in the creation of wealth for many. Shouldn’t our own ideas create wealth for us too? After all, we are the ones who gave them life after so much struggle.

Writing on MouthShut.com Made Easy

1. Select the category under which you want to write your review by narrowing it down.

2. Choose a catchy title to attract readers. But make sure to deliver on your promise

3. Go ahead and check the drop down menu to select whatever needs to be selected.

4. Now start concentrating on the body of your review

5. Make sure to divide your thoughts into paragraphs

6. Use the bold and italics tags to highlight, make your points.

7. The next thing you know, you will start making money. Submit it to the community and the world!