The chart that follows shows the four stages of the writing process, all steps you will follow to write well, whether you are writing a paragraph or an essay. Keep in mind that you may not always go in a straight line through the four stages; instead, you might circle back to earlier steps to further improve your writing.
THE WRITING PROCESS
Generate ideas
CONSIDER: What is my purpose in writing? Given this purpose, what interests me? Who will read this paper? What do they need to know?
Draft
CONSIDER: How can I organize my ideas effectively and show my readers what I mean?
Revise
CONSIDER: How can I make my draft clearer or more convincing to my readers?
Edit
CONSIDER: What errors could confuse my readers and weaken my point?