Ever sat down to write and stalled because you weren’t sure what to do next?
Writing is a challenging activity. It’s no wonder that most of us have experienced that frustrating, distinct feeling of being stuck.
Imagine you had a reliable strategy for conquering those creative blocks.
Here’s where a 3×3 writing process might make all the difference.
What is the 3×3 Writing Process?
The idea of the 3×3 writing process is that the writing process is split into three distinct phases, each with its own set of tasks.
Coursehero divvies the 3×3 writing process up like this:
- Prewriting: planning, research, outlining
- Writing: putting ideas into words, composing first drafts
- Revising: proofreading, checking for clarity, adding new ideas
For me, the power of a writing process is that removes a lot of the resistance that can come along with writing. Instead of feeling intimidated and confused, I understand what is expected of me at each stage. Because each step is broken down into specific tasks, I spend less time figuring what to do next.
Let’s look at how you can apply the 3×3 writing process.
1. Prewriting
Prewriting is the first stage in the process.
During this phase, you’ll define your writing goal, plan your arguments, and do the necessary research to back up your ideas.
There are a few prewriting strategies you can use to start off strong.
Questions to focus your article
The Purdue Online Writing Lab suggests asking two questions when you begin a writing project:
- What is the purpose of my article – why am I writing this?
- How am I planning to achieve this purpose?
Deciding on your focus and goal this early will direct your research efforts. It also forces you to clarify what you want to accomplish.
Writer Henneke Duistermaat recommends asking these questions as part of the content development process:
- Who are you writing for? What are their concerns and goals?
- What action do you expect your reader to take? What is the purpose of your content?
- Why should they believe you? What makes your content credible? A track record? Research?
Research
The level of research you need to depends on your existing knowledge of the topic. For example, if you already have a deep understanding of the subject, you may only need evidence to back up the arguments you intend to make.
It’s easy to get stuck in this stage. That’s why I cap my research time. When I know I have enough to start writing, I stop researching. Remember that you can always return to this stage if you need more information later in the process.
Potential research sources include:
- Conversations with customers or colleagues
- Industry papers
- Podcasts
- Social media comments sections
- Product reviews
- News articles
- Google Scholar
Freewriting
Once you’ve determined the purpose of your post, get some ideas down onto the page (or screen).
Freewriting is a prewriting strategy pioneered by Peter Elbow. It’s the act of writing non-stop for 10 minutes. I’ve used this at different points in my writing process, including prewriting and drafting. If the topic is new to me, I’ll do research before freewriting.
Outline
Many people benefit from using outlines. I have written about outlines in this piece. By using an outline, you can organize your thoughts before your start writing.
Note-taking
Since reading How to Take Smart Notes, I believe note taking is an effective prewriting method. In that book, Sonke Ahrens said everything we do should be done with goal of writing.
I like to think of this approach as having a journalist mindset. A journalist reads a report or attends a meeting with a single goal: to write an article on the key observations. You’ll begin to hear quotes in conversations and hooks as people tell their stories. I’ve started using the Zettelkasten method recommended in the book. Here’s a summary of this knowledge management approach.
2. Drafting
Now comes the time to put your ideas into words. Some people call this stage writing, but, for clarity, we’ll refer to it as drafting.
If you used an outline, your points may already be organized. Freewriting may have helped you to come up with rough ideas. You’ll now build out those thoughts into full sentences.
Drafting is a great word because it “contains the awareness that you will have other drafts in the future” – this means we know we’ll be able to revise and edit our draft, according to MIT’s resource on writing process:
“Do write complete sentences and paragraphs, and try moderately to use proper grammar, accurate wording, and transition words to link your ideas as necessary.”
If I’m applying the 80/20 rule to writing, I don’t invest too much effort into a first draft. While I am more careful with my words than I am while freewriting, I avoid too much self-editing because I know I can return to my work to make revisions. I view it as an opportunity to get my ideas onto the page to see whether they hold up to scrutiny.
Here are useful drafting tips from the University of Kansas:
- Put your research into your own words
- Write full sentences even though they’re not perfect
- Read your work to evaluate whether it captures your meaning
3. Revising
The final stage in the 3×3 writing process is revising.
This is my favourite part of the writing process. In the past, I called this stage refine because I refined my ideas and sentences. Sometimes, the point of my post changed completely during this stage.
Your goal here is clarity. What are you trying to say? Does your evidence back it up?
The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill makes the case for revising like this:
“Revision literally means to “see again,” to look at something from a fresh, critical perspective. It is an ongoing process of rethinking the paper: reconsidering your arguments, reviewing your evidence, refining your purpose, reorganizing your presentation, reviving stale prose.”
The Writing Center provides the following tips for revising:
- Wait before you review your draft. Even just one day can make a difference
- Assess the focus of the article. Evaluate whether you need to change your angle or headers based on the edits you have made.
- Determine whether you still agree with your thesis.
- Make sure your article introduction states what readers will gain from the piece.
Use a 3×3 Writing Process to Remove Resistance
Once you find a system, a set of steps you can easily repeat, you’ll find writing far less overwhelming. Naming each of the stages in the process gives you a clear guide for how to write original, useful articles. Working through each of these stages has a powerful benefit: you have a playbook for writing, well-researched, original articles.
Of course, what works for me, might not work for you. Depending on your preferences, you may want to tweak the process. The key is to find a way of writing that makes the process easier– and more enjoyable.
Featured image by Pablo Lancaster Jones on Unsplash
