ABSTRACT
With broad brush strokes, this chapter lays out the whole prewriting, writing, and rewriting process. Prewriting is introduced using two metaphors: sorting the pieces of a large jigsaw puzzle and an artist’s sketch (but not an architect’s blueprint). The section “Write as you go” uses the metaphor of a growing town to explain why it is difficult for newcomers to write an Introduction. It also gives practical suggestions for writing sections of a paper as you do the research, which will differ from the final order of the paper. The importance of rewriting is emphasized, and a stepwise process I call the 7Cs of Change is introduced. On the other hand, some things are worth doing right the first time, including avoiding common mistakes made by those whose first language is not English, particularly Asian languages that use a non-Roman script. The question of what constitutes plagiarism is also addressed, a major concern for Asian writers because of different social expectations and training.
