For developmental writing

1. Karen S. Wright

2. The
Writing
Triangle Purpose
Topic
Voice
Audience

3. Ask the Right Questions Before
You Begin to Write
•What am I trying to say?
•What effect do I hope to
achieve?
•What main point do I
want to make?
•What form/type of writing
will I use?
•What is my purpose?

4. Your strategy becomes the purpose and
the goal you wish to reach with your paper.
Description Narration
Compare/Contrast Process
Argument

5. A Narrative tells a
personal story
The narrative is told from
first or third person point-
of-view
It’s important to follow
a clear sequence of
events.

6. A descriptive paper will put into
words what you want your reader to
see in his or her mind.
Using concrete examples are very
important in a descriptive essay.

7. Process
A process paper says what is to be
done and in what order.
The process paper will include
the steps necessary to reach a
goal.

8. Compare/contrast papers can present
one side at a time or it can present point
by point.
If you were writing an essay
comparing city traffic to small town
traffic, you would begin with a
general statement and then compare
one type of traffic then the other or
present it point by point.

9. •All of our lives we have tried to
persuade someone to do
something or to think like we
do…that is the beginning of an
argument paper.
•Your reader won’t believe you,
just because you say something
is true.
•Most usually, the argument
requires research to support
your thinking.

10. Voice is the identity the
writer adopts and his/her
credibility as an authority.

11. Do you want to--
…tell a story …
be descriptive … tell
how to do something …
compare and contrast ideas
…be sincere
and persuasive

12. A piece of writing is
often judged by how
effectively it reaches its
intended audience.

13. Here are some questions to consider
about audience:
1. Who are your readers (age, sex,
income, belief systems, potential
biases)?
2. Are your readers novices or experts on
the subject?
3. What are your readers likely to know
about your topic?

14. The writing process involves the way you
define and combine the various components
of the writing situation: your purpose for
writing, your voice or how you wish to come
across to your readers, and your audience.