Catherine Mobley English 111 28 August 2013 318 words In Chapter 5 of Successful College Writing, McWhorter discusses the

mechanics of writing essays. The first step in forming a proper essay is to decide on a topic. The chapter outlines several methods by which a writer may formulate and narrow their topic. One method which drew my attention was to visualize and sketch the topic. I have a tendency to doodle and sketch out my thoughts. By applying this concept to my pre-writing procedure, I believe I will have a better visualization of the goal of my writing. I also think visual representation will highlight facets of a topic that might otherwise be overlooked.

McWhorter also implores writers to consider their purpose, audience, and point of view when writing an essay. It is important for a writer to consider the message they wish to communicate as it allows the writer to decide the direction their writing will take. Depending on the audience, a writer must decide on the language that is most appropriate. For instance, a formal tone should be used when writing for academic purposes. Point of view also affects the tone and formality of an essay.

Another idea discussed in this chapter is freewriting as a form of inspiration. This idea is appealing to my more spontaneous moments of insight and I believe practicing this technique will improve my writing. The freewriting method is characterized as uninhibitedly transcribing thoughts onto paper. Important ideas can later be identified by rereading the product. Several other devices such as mapping, brainstorming, and questioning force the writer to make associations and connect them to their topic. Writing assertions requires the writer to consider alternative perspectives by writing statements that take a stance on their topic. To conclude the chapter, McWhorter suggests that a writer should thoroughly research their topic. Reading

sources that relate to the topic can provide new inspiration and may also expand your knowledge on the subject.