Explanation:
The first step to effective prewriting is this: understand why you are prewriting. When you are first taught to prewrite, most teachers require proof of prewriting activities. It is all too easy to quickly sketch out a concept map after your paper is written, just to receive credit.
Prewriting consists of four main steps: choosing a topic, considering a purpose, identifying the audience, and gathering and organizing ideas (Schweiker-Marra 102). Effective prewriting makes the rest of the writing process easier and less stressful.
The more time and effort you put into prewriting, the less time you will have to spend on the rest of the writing process. If you develop a plan before you start writing, your writing will start with a purpose and a structure. You won't slog your way through an agonizing complete draft and then realize that your topic isn't fleshed out, you have no purpose, and you dislike your stance. When you prewrite, you can create a projection of your final project before you even start. "At a glance, you can see where you're heading, and if you don't like it, you can change it in the prewriting stage, before you've invested a lot of time and effort" (Raymer 25).
The benefits of prewriting are not limited to the English classroom, or even to writing. Prewriting teaches organizational skills. It teaches students how to apply thinking, planning, and organizing skills to other learning tasks (Go 5). Acquiring these skills reduces anxiety, not only from writing, but from all testing in general. Getting in the habit of using prewriting activities changes the way people approach a project of any sort, whether it be a research paper, an engineering project, or even an art project (you brainstorm ideas, select an appropriate form, research technique, and create an outline, or visual plan, before you start on the final product).
Prewriting activities can save you a lot of stress. If you haven't had much success with prewriting in the past, don't worry. There are a lot of prewriting techniques. Experiment with them a bit, personalize them, and you're bound to find a strategy that works for you.
