Know

that…
YOU
CAN
WRITE
• Write in …

10 minutes!

• Learn about someone through his writing
1. “What should I write?” / “How much should I write?”
> writer needs direction and might have difficulty
beginning a new task without careful instruction
> may have problems with change in the environment and
instead will look for the predictable
> will likely need guidance at the outset of a task and
before taking initiative on anything new

2. How much the person writes during the time period

allowed –
> A mature writer should be able to fill a page in 20
minutes.
> Someone who doesn’t may be shy, have language
problems or just has problems organizing and structuring
ideas in an organized way to put into writing
 > Writing is a high level cognitive task, so it isn’t easy for
lots of people.
>The amount of writing generated in ___ minutes will
indicate that an individual has a certain degree of
reticence for whatever reason that needs a second look.

3. how the individual behaves during writing –-

> special mannerisms that include needing to move around
a lot, asking a lot of questions during the task, having
problems attending to the task
> 10 minutes may be a long time for some people to
concentrate on anything
> if an individual can’t do that, how will that same person
behave in an environment where concentration is necessary?
4. Organization of the writing--
> how one approaches to write on an unlined paper tells
something about his visual organizational skills
> if one starts too high, too low, go over margins or
write haphazardly with frequent self-corrections,
wavy lines, ill-formed letters and irregular spacing and
pressure—
-- likely someone who may be moody or unstable
and whose inner environment may be disrupted for
either physical or emotional reasons
-- also might mean a language disability if the
level of language and expression is otherwise good
• 5. The topic -–
• > about an idea - with creative or higher level cognitive
skills
• > about an object with concrete definitions - likely
interested in concrete feedback and tasks that are objective and
detailed
> something philosophical - likely an individual who will
seek out new ideas and explore them

Writing is a behavior like any other one,

that tells how someone organizes and
completes a task; a reasonable estimate
of how a person may behave
 Importance of
Writing Skills
• Most that is good in life comes from men's ability to
make their fellows share their thoughts and feelings.
But it is not always an easy thing to make others see
how we feel or think. The young child is called an
infant, a word that means unable to speak. Half his
miseries arise from his inability to communicate his
notions. Men are but children of a larger growth, and
much of their misery results from inability to tell
what they think or feel. In a sense the case is worse
for the man than for the child. The child makes
gestures and grimaces to help his meaning out, but
the grown man has to communicate by letters and
other compositions.
• Both in English writing and speaking there are many special laws
that must be observed if there is to be real communication.

• The special laws of spoken language are not so numerous as

those of written language.

• Written language has to be much more careful than spoken; the

writer has no chance of correcting himself on the spot if not
understood.

• All writing consists of sentences that may be defined as series

of words so arranged that they express a thought.

• Sentences are the basis of written and spoken language. Words

do not make sentences unless they are arranged in accordance
with the rules of grammar, logic, or common sense.

• Nevertheless knowledge of how to communicate by written

words is a very great help in communicating orally.
• Writing is a trade in which every educated man, woman, and child
should be skilled.

• Writing is a trade, which any one can master if he goes about it in

the right way.

• It is true that writing skill is often the only trade of some people
like the poets, novelists, newspaper reporters and editors. These
might be called specialists in writing, and writing is their main
occupation and way of making a living.

• Butwriting skill is a universal trade and it is

necessary for every person to know it to a
certain extent.
 Step by Step Approach in
Preparing Oneself to Write
• Main points to consider
• Self awareness: You will need to have a greater awareness of
yourself. This may not seem obvious but being aware of your self,
including strengths, weaknesses and more is an essential starting
point.

• Self awareness of a writer is an understanding of your writing

skills, a knowledge of your literary ability, knowledge of the writing
language (as opposed to the spoken language).

• It involves the finer details of your style of writing, sentence

construction and all.

• Think of what you would enjoy writing about and the depth of
understanding of the subject matter.

• Some abilities can be acquired through learning; the important thing

is to have an interest in writing.
• Target audience: Identifying your target audience
helps you to work on the probable subject matter.

• Theme: Think of your theme. Is it children’s

stories, if your target audience is children? Is it
marketing, if you are targeting the business world,
mathematics if the target is academic? Is it raising
children if family is the target audience?

• Whatever your theme is, get to have a good

understanding of it; of the audience and the possible
degree of interest.

• This brings us to the next point.

• Research: It helps to know what is happening
in your area of interest because you learn
what others have written on the subject.

• Subject: Decide on the subject matter.

Make an effort to gain more understanding of
the subject.

Have a mental picture of the finished article

and message you want to convey bearing in
mind the target audience and theme.
• Writing: Develop a habit of putting ideas on paper
whenever possible.

• Do some notes or write down some points that come

to mind. You will need to carry a notebook with you as
ideas can come randomly anywhere anytime.

• You are not concerned with the logical sequence at

this stage just write ideas as they occur.

• Always have the complete picture of your article in

mind to remain focused.
• You may wish to have a foreword, acknowledgements
if others have assisted you or you have “borrowed”
ideas. Remember that what you write must be
originally your work, written in your own
words. Refrain from copying what others have
written.

• When you finally start writing, be mindful of

sentence construction, tenses, spellings, punctuation,
paragraphs style and the general flow of your ideas
while remaining focused on your theme, target
audience and subject matter.
•
 More Important Tips
• Focus your objective. What is the purpose of the material you
want to write? Writing can help you achieve the five I's: It can
inform, inquire, influence, instruct and incite.
• Focus your audience. Written materials such as reports and
brochures can be valuable positioning tools. They should be
written with a specific audience in mind.
• Focus your content. Make sure that your message is the right
message for the right audience. Don't let unnecessary ideas
intrude on your principal message. To quote Professor William
Strunk Jr., the renowned authority on English usage:
• "A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph
no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing
should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary
parts."
• Focus your organization. A good piece of writing flows like a
symphony. Organize your material so that each topic flows easily
and naturally into the next.
 More Important Tips
• Focus your refinement. Perfection rarely emerges from a first
draft.

“A saint is a dead sinner revised and edited.“--Ambrose Bierce

Great writing is rough copy revised and edited.

• Be your own toughest editor, but don't stop there. Let

others read what you have written before you submit it to your
audience. You know what you meant, but you can't know how
others might interpret it until others have read it.
• Focus your results. Unless results are built in, they don't
happen. Good writing always does four things:
It creates a feeling.
It gives an idea.
It gives the reader a benefit.
It produces a desired response.
 Discussion : Writing as McK Mentors

• Written Requirements in McK?

• What should be the first thing in mind?

• **Writing Activity
• Narrative on a student
• Opening Paragraph : Letter to Parents – Opening in July
 Checking GRAMMAR Skills
• Writing SKILLS\Workshop Outline\V. A. Grammar
Test.doc

• Writing SKILLS\Workshop Outline\TOEFL

Answers.doc

• Writing SKILLS\Workshop Outline\Grammar

Test2.doc

• Writing SKILLS\Workshop Outline\V. C. Subject-

Verb Agreement.doc
 LET’S TALK ABOUT…

• Your personal essays…

• Objective?
• Audience?
• Content?
• Organization?
• Refinement?
• Editing?
• Results?
 SUMMARY
1. Imagine You Are the Reader
2. Break Information Down
3. Focus on the Reader
4. Be Brief and Concise
5. Spelling and Grammar
6. Avoid Excessive Hype.
7. Use Writing Tools
Writing SKILLS\Workshop Outline\
IV. 7 tips.doc
• Anyone can be a writer. As with many
other things in life, if you put your mind
to it, you will surely succeed. Start
where you are and make a deliberate
effort to write something. You will be
surprised at how much you have to offer
and the pleasant realization that you
can write…even for a profit.
• Never regret the time you spend in perfecting your
instrument of expression.

• Work steadily toward the point where you may come

to have an abiding love for that which is lucid and
beautiful in expression by words.

• No matter how practical the life you

plan to lead, the power of writing down
your ideas in good English, in a way that
will leave no doubt as to what you meant
and how earnestly you meant it, will
always profit YOU.
Draft for RMS