To prepare for a writing assignment usually by finding a good, interesting topics and research a few. I think about myself definatly when choosing a topic, but also about the teacher and the audience it's intended for. That certainly changes the paper a bit. Once I find a topic I like, I'll brainstorm it (to me, that's not a fast-write) then orgaize it so it makes some sense, then I begin to write (hopefully).
My best ideas normally come to me at annoying times. In the shower, right before sleeping, in dreams, while on the phone or talking about something else. I do normally remember the ideas though, so it's all good.
I usually write anywhere I have time to. I have a laptop, so I carry it around when I have a paper due. Or at least I take a pen and paper along for any randon ideas. I like to have some background noise, but it can't be music or TV. If I'm around someone cooking dinner, at a restuarant* or around other people conversing it's all right--that doesn't bother me. I tend to believe that some noise makes a person concenrate on the task at hand rather than sitting in quiet solitude where your thoughts can overpower your concentration.
At first I was like "What's a material?", but I think I get it now... First and foremost would be pen, paper and the ability to write. But for college writing I guess a laptop, a thumb drive, Word, internet access*, library access, and a critic outside of class. Laptops are super helpful because you can take them everywhere you go, so if you have THE perfect 5th paragraph in your mind you can ype it into the computer right there. Thumb drives are cool because it's like a back up system, as we all know. Also if you work on another computer you can just plug the drive in and be able to save it and go back to your computer. Word's cool--who cares? Internet and library access are key in writing college papers. Major parts of the paper's info comes from these sources in almost all student's papers, I believe. I enjoy having an outside critic like my family and friends, the success center peeps, or someone totally random. For me, I have to have it.
Audience is tricky for me. I write for myself first of all--if I'm not happy with it, no one else should be. From there, I think about a general audience--who does this topic appeal to, what interests do they have in this topic, why do they care? That's what I think about and try to answer ina paper. Then, lastly, I think about my fellow classmates and teacher. To be honest the classmates may not give a crap about your topic, so why write solely for them unless that's the assignment? But I do think one has to take them into consideration... because they are the actual one's reading the work. So like I said it's tricky for me.
Once again, I don't know what the hell "strategies" means! Whatever...
I explore topics by using the internet, bookstores, magazines, personal experiences, and specialists on the topic.
First drafts, by me, are brainstormed, organized, then written. I write each paragraph seperately, not being concerned with tie-ins. I like to write it all in one sitting, then come back in a few hours and work on the spelling errors, grammical* errors, and tie-ins.
Revising a paper to me means adding more info, putting sentences where they really belong, selecting different words in the place of the "placeholder words" and I usually like to try and perfect the intro and start a conclusion.
If I develop writer's block for some reason I usually talk to someone about it. It's amazing what some people think of without really knowing the subject at all. I've gotten a lot of ideas that way. Also I will exersice.
I thiknk what is most effective about my writing is my brainstorming and organizing before the paper is written. I know some people just like to start writing then when they get stuck, start brainstorming. I think that's stupid when you could just take some time out in the begining and get it over with and have all the ideas out there.
It seems this semester I not really into English. It's more of a chore than Eng 101. That worries me. So I guess the lack of interest and motivation is worrysome to me. Other than that, when I'm motivated I love to write and I think my writing process is effective overall. Not really sure what I can do to get motivated about this English class--I'm still getting used to having to write paper's during the semester. I haven't for a year, so I guess I just need to get into it, or drop this one and do it next semester... IDK.
My favorite part of the writing process would be the either revising or the final product. Revising is fu because it's like a puzzle and sometimes it works out and other times it doesn't. So it's kind of a rollercoaster. Having the final product inn front of you may seem kind of dumb as the fav part, but I usually think of all the work that went into each paragraph and I think reading your own paper is different from reading just any paper. It's a feeling of accomplishment--something you wrote that no one else will write exactly, word for word again.
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