Chapter 7
Tasks with Writing
Introduction
Spreading It Out: Timing
Thinking It Up: Designing
Getting It Down: Writing
Polishing It Up: Editing
In my situation as Chancellor of the University of Oxford, I have been much
exposed to authors.
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Introduction
The art of writing is the art of applying the seat of your pants to the seat of
your chair.
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A writer must understand the process of writing from first idea to final edit so
that they can perform it competently and efficiently. A linear model for the
process of writing would go something like this – plan, read, think, draft and
edit. In reality, the process of writing is more circular in that these parts of the
process tend to repeat themselves because they are interdependent. For
example, a writer plans their text at the beginning, but will often reorganise it
several times, perhaps many times on a difficult piece, as they repeat the
processes. And, after writing the first draft they may read more, think more,
draft more and edit more. This goes on and on until the writer has finished
what they set out to write.
So, as can be seen, these tasks in the process of writing are not a simple step-
by-step progression as the writer moves down the line performing each task
once and moving on. Certainly the writer goes down
the line, but they also
shuttle back and forth and do back loops as an inherent part of the process.
This bears out the adage that should be given early on to any writer, regardless
of their genre. The real art is not in the writing but in the rewriting. This might
overstate the point for the sake of emphasis, but it also confers much needed
advice.
Spreading It Out: Timing
Begin at the beginning, and go on until you come to the end, then stop.
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Duke of Wellington (1769-1852)
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Kingsley Amis
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