about ESSAY WRITING

1. WRITING
What is planning?
When you write something you plan your writing. Even when you write a short note you plan it by first thinking about it in your head. This
is called planning.
Planning your writing is when you think about it in advance.
Why plan your writing?
There are many benefits to planning your writing. It helps you:
• Record your ideas
• Come up with new ideas
• Organise your thoughts
• Check that you have all the information you need
Can you think of other benefits?
What do I need to think about when planning?
When planning your writing you need to think about why you are writing, what situation you are in when writing and who you are writing
to. Think of the three WWW's
W - Why: Purpose W - What: Context W - Who: Audience
You also need to think about how you are going to plan. There are lots of different methods such as:
• Writing a list
• Drawing a picture
• Thinking about it
What is the purpose of your writing?
When planning your writing you need to think about the three WWWs.
W - Why are you writing: the W - What situation you are writing for: the context W - Who you are writing to: the audience
purpose
There are lots of different reasons for writing something. The reasons you write are called the purpose. For example, the purpose of your writing
could be:
1. To write a sick note about your child for their school.
2. To send a postcard to a friend about your holiday.
3. To write a complaint about a train being delayed.
The purpose of your writing affects:
1. The content: the ideas and information you write.
2. The format: the layout of your writing.
3.The style, or language, used: how formal or informal you are.
Tip!
Formal language is used when writing an official document, such as a letter to a bank. Informal language is used when writing to family
or friends, such as sending a postcard.
For example:
You want to write to a friend to tell them about where you went on holiday this summer. This is the purpose of your writing. The context
is that you are a friend writing to another friend. The audience is your friend.

2. 1. You will write about where you went on holiday, what activities you enjoyed and the weather. This is the content.
2. You have chosen to write a letter, rather than a postcard, as you have a lot to write. This is the format.
3. As you are writing to a friend the language will be informal. This is the style you will use.
What is the context of your writing?
W - Why are you writing: the W - What situation you are writing for: the context W - Who you are writing to: the audience
purpose
You could be writing for lots of different situations. The situation, or setting, you are writing for is called the context. For example, you
could be writing:
• A memo to personnel about your leave at work
• An email to a cousin abroad
• An information leaflet for new members of a community group
The context in which you are writing affects:
1. The format: the layout of your writing.
2. The style, or language used: how formal or informal you are.
Tip!
Formal language is used when writing an official document such as a letter to a bank. Informal language is used when writing to family
or friends, such as sending a postcard.
For example:
You are a volunteer at your local community centre. This is the context, or situation you are writing for. The purpose of your writing is
to advertise a jumble sale at the community centre. The audience is the local community who you want to come to the jumble sale.
1. You have chosen to create a large poster to put up in local shops. This is the format.
2. As you are advertising an event you will use short, snappy writing and the language will be informal. This is the style you will use.
Who is your audience?
When planning your writing you need to think about the three WWWs:
W - Why are you writing: the W - What situation you are writing for: the context W - Who you are writing to: the audience
purpose
Each time you write you may write to different people. The person, or people, you are writing to is called the audience. For example,
you could be writing to:
• The bank manager requesting an overdraft.
• The teacher at your child's school telling them about why they've been off sick.
• All the students at your college for the college newsletter.
Who you are writing to affects:
1. The content: the ideas and information you write.
2. The format: the layout of your writing.
3. The style, or language used: how formal or informal you are.
Tip!
Formal language is used when writing an official document, such as a letter to a bank. Informal language is used when writing to family
or friends, such as sending a postcard.
For example:

3. You are writing to the manager of your local supermarket. The manager is your audience. You are writing as a shopper, this is your
context. The purpose of your writing is to complain about the poor quality of their fruit.
1. You will list your reasons why you are unhappy about the quality of their fruit. This is the content.
2. You will write a letter to the manager. This is the format.
3. You will use formal language as you are writing a letter of complain to someone in business. This is the style you will use.
How do I plan my writing?
There are many different methods you can use when planning your writing. One tool you use all the time when planning is your head!
For example, when sending a text message you would first think it through in your head. You don't always need to use a written plan.
Written methods of planning
There are many different ways you can plan your writing. There isn't a correct way to plan; you choose the method that suits you or the
situation.
Here are some examples of planning methods:
Diagrams
Diagrams are a visual way of planning and organising your writing.
• With spider diagrams and idea maps you can jot down lots of ideas in no particular order to help you organise your
thoughts.
• Flow charts are useful for planning writing that has to follow a step-by-step process, like a recipe.
Lists
Lists are useful for jotting down and ordering all the different points you want to cover in your writing.
• Bulleted lists are a common type of list used on the computer.
• If you put each idea on a sticky note you can then move the different points of your writing around until you are happy with
the order.
Writing frames
These are a guide you can use when planning your writing. They have frames, or headed boxes, with titles to prompt what to write.. You
can use frames as guidance for writing documents which always include the same kind of information, such as a curriculum vitae (CV)
or a birthday invitation.
Diagram example 1: spider map
This is a spider diagram map Michael drew for planning his CV (curriculum vitae). He put the main topic in the middle; himself. The
branches, or legs, from the central point are all of the topics he wanted to include in his CV. He then added extra topics relating to this.

4. Tip!
If you use a spider diagram to plan something you are writing it can be as small or as big as you want to make it.
Diagram example 2: flow chart
A flow chart is a diagram showing a sequence of events; something that happens in a step-by-step process.
This is a flow chart Arif used to plan writing a letter to confirm a holiday booking.

5. Why not use a flow chart like this to plan your writing?
List example 1: bulleted lists
Here is an example of using lists when planning your writing.
Bulleted lists
Maz wanted to create a poster advertising a salsa evening at his local college. He wrote a list of all the points he wanted to include in
the poster:
Salsa Club Open Evening
- Day and time - 8th November at 7pm
- Location - college student bar
- Events during the evening - try your hand at salsa dancing!
- Live salsa band will be there
- The evening is free
- Spanish food to try
- Evening is open to everyone, family and friends

6. - Salsa instructors on hand to answer questions
- Picture of salsa dancers to make poster eye-catching
Why not try using bulleted lists when planning your writing?
List example 2: sticky notes
If you jot down your ideas on sticky notes you can then move them around into the order you want.
At the end of December, Kylie wrote a letter to all her friends and family about what she had been doing over the past year. First of all
she put all the different points she wanted to cover in the letter onto sticky notes:
Then she rearranged them into the order she wanted for her letter:
Why not try using sticky notes when planning your writing?
Writing frame example
A writing frame is a guide you can use when planning your writing. They are often a table, or headed boxes, with prompts such as 'who
are you writing to?'.
This is a writing frame Hilary used for planning her party invitation. She used the writing frame as a prop to help her remember what
information she wanted to put in the party invitation.
Party Invitation Writing Frame
What is the party for? To celebrate my 30th birthday
When is the party? Saturday, 2nd October
At what time? 7.30pm until midnight
Where? College of St Mark and St Johns, Plymouth

7. Will there be entertainment? A DJ called Arion
Will there be food? A buffet. People will need to let me know if they are vegetarian
Is there a place people can buy food? -
Can people buy drinks? Yes, there is a bar
Parking facilities? People can park on campus
Can they bring a partner? Yes, the more the merrier!
Do people need to respond to the invitation? Yes, by Monday, 27th September. I need to know numbers for catering
Any other information? I have details of bed and breakfasts nearby if people will be staying overnight
Writing drafts
What do I do after I've planned my writing?
Once you've planned your writing you come on to the next stage; writing a draft.
A draft is a rough plan of your writing.
There are many benefits to writing a draft. It helps you to:
• Concentrate on the content, the writing, rather than the punctuation, spelling or grammar.
• Check that the writing flows well.
Do you need to move any ideas around? Have you included everything you wanted to say?
• Look at the layout of your writing.
Is it too far up the page? If writing a letter, do you have the address in the correct place?
Once you've written a draft you can then go back and proofread your writing. This is the time to check your spelling, punctuation etc.
(For more information on proofing your writing look at the Proofreading module on Skillswise:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/skillswise/words/writing/proofreading/
How many drafts should I write?
There is no correct answer for this! You can write as many drafts as you like. The amount of drafts you write depends on the situation
and often how much time you have available. For example, how many drafts would you write for a:
letter? magazine article? report for work?