Making Decisions in the Writing Process

As you write, you discover that you are constantly making decisions. Some of these decisions are complex, as when you are trying to shape ideas; other are simple, as when you are trying to select the right words to convey a particular message, a certain way.

Each decision, large or small, affects every other decision you make so that you are continuously adjusting and readjusting your writing to make sure it is consistent, coherent, and clear. You can test the effectiveness of your decisions by measuring them against this dictum:

In every writing situation, a writer is trying to communicate a subject to an audience for a purpose.

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Initially, think of these three elements as prompters or ways to consider what you want to write about and how you want to write about it. And when you move through planning to drafting and revising, think of your prompters as touchstones, ways to assess what you set out to accomplish.

More importantly, think of them as guidelines, ways to control every decision you make throughout the writing process, from formulating ideas to refining sentences.

Selecting Your Subject

Many writers complain that their biggest problem is finding a subject. At other times finding a subject is less of a problem because the subject is obvious, such as: 10 Ways to Perfect Your Craft. In the case of literature or plot-driven novels, choosing subjects is critical to the entire work.

Suppose, for example, you are writing about two characters in a play. The effort does not identify a subject; it merely identifies an area in which a subject can be found.

Whether you are writing a designated assignment or creating a work, you need to take certain steps to find a suitable subject. 

1. First, select a subject you know or can learn something about. The more yo know about a subject, the more likely you are to make it your own, shaping it to your own perspective. If, in addition, you select a subject, such as television, that is familiar to most of your readers, you will know that you share an area of common knowledge that allows you more freedom to explore your personal observations, ideas, and values.
2. Second, select a subject you can restrict. A subject such as television is really a broad category that contains an unlimited supply of smaller, more specific subjects. The more you can restrict your subject, the more likely you are to control your investigation, identify vivid illustrations, and maintain a unified focus. The object in and of selecting a subject is to form judgments about a concrete topic.
3. Finally, as you consider possible topics, ask yourself three questions:  Is it significant? Is it interesting? Is it manageable?

A significant subject need not be ponderous or solemn. In fact, many significant subjects grow out of ordinary observations rather than grandiose declarations. However, you do need to decide whether a specific subject raises important issues appeals to the common experience of your readers.

Similarly, an interesting subject need not be dazzling or spectacular, but it does need to capture your curiosity. If it bores you, it will surely bore your readers. Therefore, you need to decide why a specific subject fascinates you and how you can make the subject more intriguing for your readers.

A manageable subject is neither so limited that you can exhaust it in a few pages nor so vast that lengthy articles or books would be required to discuss it adequately.

Ultimately you must develop your own methods for answering these questions each time you examine the choice of subjects available and as you consider your audience and purpose. When you compare subjects in the context of the complete writing situation, you will naturally prefer some to others.

To help you decide which one will enable you to produce the most suitable subject, measure it against the following guidelines:

1. What do I know about my subject? Do I know about my subject in some depth, or do I need to learn more about it? What are the sources of my knowledge--direct experience, observation or reading? How does my knowledge give me a special or unusual perspective on my subject?
2. What is the focus of my subject? Is my subject too general? How can I restrict it to a more specific subject that I can develop in greater detail?
3. What is significant about my subject? What issues of general importance does it raise? What fresh insight can I contribute to my readers' thinking on this issue?
4. What is interesting about my subject? Why is this subject interesting to me? How can I interest my readers in it?
5. Is my subject manageable? Can I write about my subject in a particular form, within a certain number of pages? Do I feel in control of my subject or confused by it? If my subject is too complicated or too simplistic, how can I make it more manageable?