How is the more formal nature of a draft different from the informal nature of pre-writing?Steps in the writing process.

Pre-writing, in my opinion the most
important step in the writing process, is the step in which the writer
considers his/her purpose and method of writing by utilizing the following
steps:

1. Creating/asking questions to be
   answered.


2. Brainstorming
   ideas.


3. Narrowing down ideas and brainstorming further by
   adding examples.


4. Organizing ideas into categories or
   lists, and ultimately, an outline.

Each of the
above steps in the pre-writing process can be done using notes and shorthand without
thought to spelling, grammar, and/or technically correct writing conventions.  The most
important part of pre-writing is not the final product, it is creating a
detailed and organized plan for writing the
draft.

A draft, on the other hand, formally utilizes
complete sentences and complete paragraphs.  I always tell my students that if they
spend enough time pre-writing and creating a very detailed outline,
the rough draft almost writes itself.  The rough draft fills in the details and bulk of
the skeleton outline.  While a rough draft does not necessarily need to be free of all
errors (consider revision as another step in the writing process), it is written with a
formal structure.  The rough draft should have a working thesis statement and the
subtopics which support that thesis.  Each subtopic (as its own paragraph or section of
the paper) should be supported with examples and explanation.