Managing Ideas in Writing

I.                      INTRODUCTION

Writing is one important skill that must be learnt.  The importance of writing is not only for academic area but also for daily life. All writing has a purpose. We write to explore our thoughts and emotions, to express ourselves, to entertain or to communicate with others. Writing can be a job or communicating tool (Bullock, 2006). Writing can be a media for expressing feeling that can help us to feel better.

Writing is a thinking process. Writing needs idea and idea comes from our thought. Idea expresses our purposes in writing. The purposes can be to persuade audience of something, to explore our thought on a subject, or to entertain the readers. Our thought or our ideas will show the purposes of writing. So, it is very important to manage the ideas into good paragraphs of writing.

Managing idea is really important when we write. If ideas in our writing do not connect each other, it will make the reader confused. What is the importance of idea management in writing? Bullock in “The Norton Field Guide to Write” state that all good writing revolves around ideas (2006). The idea you write will be not valuable if it does not manage well. We have good idea in our mind but we cannot share it properly without managing the idea when we start writing or in the revising time.

In writing, we have to use our left and right brain. Right brain is for exploding ideas in our mind and left brain is for managing the ideas that burst from our mind to be more meaningful (DePorter, 2007). In this writing, the writer will explain more about the using of two sides brain that have different function in writing actually in managing idea.

So far, there are many smart and fun ways in managing idea when writing that be discovered by some writers in the world. But in fact, there are still many beginner writers who do not manage the ideas well. So, this some ways of managing idea should be introduced to the beginners. Using some methods in managing the idea will bring the better writing.

Realizing the importance of writing, and the difficulties faced by the students in writing especially unmanaged idea, the writer is interested in investigating about the ways in managing idea for the beginner writer, because it can be one of the solutions in overcoming the difficulties of managing ideas in writing. 

II.                BODY: MANAGING IDEA IN WRITING

A.                Difficulties of Managing Idea

“Writing is communicating, planning, thinking, imagining, remembering, collecting information, accessing information, or storing ideas in memory” (Moore-Hat, 2010, p.1). Writing is a thinking process. Some people want to write but we cannot deny that there are many problems in doing it. Problem in managing idea when we write is one of problem that should be solved. There are some problems in managing idea those are unrelated idea between one idea and another, and exploding idea in brain that cannot be decided what we should write (DePorter, 2009).

1.                  Too Many Ideas

Idea is important in writing. Idea is pillar of our writing. Idea shows the quality of writing itself. As in introduction, writing revolves the idea. But, idea can give trouble for writers when it is over exploded. Sometime we feel there are many ideas in our mind but we do not know how to begin the writing. Sometime when writing, ideas suddenly burst from our brain and it broke our concepts which we have made before.

Most writers feel the situation when suddenly the ideas are over exploded from their brains in the middle of writing. The effects of this situation are not finishing the writing because the writer wants to write other things and unmanaged ideas because the writer betrays the concept.  Over exploded ideas should be solved in order to get the exact writing purposes.

2.                  Unrelated Idea

The second problem of managing idea is unrelated idea. Relation of ideas is very important in writing. Without relation, the reader will be confused of our topic. The paragraph is related or coherence when the writer has succeeded in guiding the reader through the text (Pharr, 2010). If you are 'coherent' in the way you write it means everything in your writing is logically connected. If it was an essay, one thing leads on to another, for example one paragraph leads on to another. The main ideas of each paragraph seem to connect but still make sense (Langan, 2001). This makes the reader feel that the writing is constantly flowing. It also means you are very consistent in your writing. Consistently and continuously through your writing you can connect each paragraph somehow, that you can consistently write concisely as well. You can also consistently write in formal English. You can express yourself clearly and continuously through your writing.

Connectives allow us to be more precise about the relationships between statements in a sentence or between sentences. But connectivity always becomes a problem. It is a big problem in writing because without coherence, the writing cannot show the purposes exactly. Without connection of paragraph, the idea cannot be delivered well to the readers. This problem should be solved by managing the idea (Jonru, 2008).

B.                             Ideas’ Order

In managing idea, we have to know well about paragraph’s body. Paragraph is component of some sentences which are tied intact and consisting of meaning. Paragraph consists of main idea and supporting idea. When we conduct a paragraph, it depends on us to put the main idea in the beginning or in the end of the paragraph. There are two kinds of paragraph based in the main idea’s position. They are inductive paragraph and deductive paragraph.

1.      Inductive

Inductive paragraph is a paragraph begun with mentioning specific events and going to the main conclusion. In inductive paragraph, the writer firstly tells about specific things that will lead the reader to get the conclusion. Induction is explained as a thinking method that begins from the specific to general information. Specific information is about example and general information or main idea is about conclusion. We can say that inductive paragraph is developed from the examples to the conclusion. In other word, inductive paragraph is paragraph which puts the main idea in the end.

            After knowing the structure of inductive paragraph, we should be aware of the conclusion. We should be aware in withdrawing the conclusion in inductive because the main idea is the soul of paragraph. In order to get a good main idea and relate with the specific information, we have to notice the specific information and collect accurate references.

The characteristics of inductive paragraph are telling about the specific event in the beginning, withdrawing the conclusion based on the specific events, main idea or conclusion is in the end of paragraph.

Other names of inductive are generalization, hypothesis-theory, and analogy. Generalization is a reasoning process based on some individual phenomenon for making a general conclusion which covers all phenomenon. Hypothesis is a set of thought about some facts to research about another fact and the validated hypothesis will be unified by a theory. Analogy is a reasoning process based on two special events which have similarity each other, then it will be concluded that what is available in one event will be available in another. From the explanation above, we can say that inductive is from the specific to the general, from the supporting idea to the main idea (Keraf, 2003).

2.      Deductive

Deductive paragraph is a paragraph which the main sentence is in the beginning and completed by supporting sentences as complement. This paragraph is begun by general information and followed by specific information. Deductive means deduction. Deductive paragraph is a paragraph started from general information, and then it will be led down or developed by using specific information. Specific information can be an explanations, details, examples, or proofs. Because the paragraph is developed from the general information to the specific information, we can say that reasoning of deductive paragraph walks from the main to the detail.

Deductive paragraph puts the main idea in the beginning of paragraph. The main idea or general information is stated in the beginning followed by the supporting detail or specific information. In deductive paragraph, the ideas had been formulated in a sentence are managed with general inspiration put in the beginning and followed by specific inspiration. This regulation can be realized by showing the theme sentence in the first then continued by explanatory sentences (Keraf, 2003).

3.      Ideas in a Paragraph

Main idea is a sentence that becomes a core or basic of a paragraph. If the sentence is erased, the content of the paragraph will also lose. Something like that does not happen to the supporting sentences which have a function as explanatory. Main idea is a conclusion of a paragraph that is deep perspective from writers’ idea or purpose in that paragraph. Writers should focus on main idea to develop the paragraph. It is forbidden to have two main ideas in a paragraph. We just can add some related information to support the idea.

What kind of supporting information can we add to our paragraphs? There are some types of support we can give to your main idea. Those are explanation, expansion, illustration, evidence and application.

Explanation is a statement or account that makes something clear, a reason or justification given for an action or belief. The explanation can support our main idea. Clarifying our point of writing is one example of explanation. We also can define important terms related to our writing. Other examples of explanation are rephrasing what we said and explaining through any difficult or confusing concepts.

Expansion is the action of becoming larger or more extensive. We can give expansion by giving details of idea, giving additional information related to our main idea, and build a bigger, broader understanding with specific information.

Illustration is an example serving to clarify or prove something. Main idea can be illustrated by giving some examples to make the idea clear. We can use real incidents, recorded activities or anecdotes in giving illustration to figure out what we want to tell exactly. Quoting the experts is also good idea in illustrating the main idea of our writing. Another way to illustrate the idea is by comparing or contrasting our idea or concept to other ideas.

Evidence is the available body of facts or information indicating whether a belief or proposition is true or valid. In other word, we can also say evidence as a proof. The ways to give evidence to the readers are giving facts, statistics or a chronology of events. Quoting the experts is also one way to proof something, because an expert surely had done research before making theory.

Application is the action or process of making such a request. This kind of support is helped the reader to understand how the idea works. Application is also about the effect of our topic.

One think to be remembered is only one main idea in a paragraph. We can add supporting ideas as many as we can. But, in supporting the main idea, we have to notice about the coherence, connectivity and relation among the sentences. Related ideas will create a good paragraph in writing (Bullock, 2006).

C.                            Important things in managing idea

1.      Focus

Focus is the centre of interest or activity. Focus in writing means the centre of our writing topic, main point, theme, position statement, and controlling idea.  Focus is very important in every activity and also in writing itself. Focus will help us in managing idea because it will clear the topic.

To focus our writing, we'll need to know how to narrow our focus, so we do not overwhelm our readers with unnecessary information. Knowing who our readers are and why we are writing will help you stay focused.

Our audience and writing purpose will help us determine the focus. While it may seem obvious to include certain details, our audience may require specific information. Further, the reason why we are writing will also affect what information we present.

a.      Purpose

Purpose is the reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists. Purpose of writing is the reason or the goal of writing. Before writing, we surely have reason why we want to write about the specific topic. It may be to persuade, to entertain, or to give information for others.

Even though our purposes may be many, knowing our core purpose can help us shape our writing and understand how to proceed with it. Knowing the purpose will help us focus on the writing topic because the purposes guide us to do what important things to write (Bullock, 2006).

b.      Audience

“Who will read (or hear) what you are writing? It is seemingly obvious but crucially important question. Your audience affects your various ways” (Bullock, p.5, 2006). Different audiences require different ways of focusing.

There are some important things to think about audience that will help us in focusing our writing. The first is whom we want to reach. It is about the person or target of your writing.

The second is audience background. If our writing is for known audience, we need to know about the audiences’ background. It may be important for our language use when we are writing.

The third is audience interest. This point is particular in making us keep on track. The audiences’ interest will help us keep focusing on the writing. By identifying the interest, the writer will focus on the audiences’ need (Bullock, 2006).

c.       Genre

“Genres are kinds of writing. Letters, profiles, reports, position papers, poem are genres. Genres have particular conventions for presenting information that help writers write and reader read” (Bullock, p.9, 2006).

Genres help us write by defining features for conveying certain kinds of information. Genres give readers clues about what kind of information they will find if they read the writing.

Defining genre affects many things for our writing. It affects the language we use, the tone of our writing, and also the information included in the writing that also affects our idea.

2.      Important Things in Focusing Topic

Focusing topic is a step in shaping our writing. Focus does not mean that our writing is broad or too narrow. Focus is forming the topic not expanding or limiting the topic.

A broad focus covers too much about a topic. It never discusses the fine details necessary to adequately present a topic and keep readers' interest. A good way to narrow a broad topic is to list the subcategories of the topic. When we list subcategories, be careful not to narrow our topic too much, otherwise you will not have enough to write about it.

A narrow focus covers too little about a topic. It gets so close to the topic that the writer cannot possibly say more than a few words. Be careful not to make your focus too broad as a result.

So, when focusing our topic, we have to think carefully that our topic will be broad or too narrow. Either too broad or to narrow is not good in writing. Broad topic or narrow topic will give a problem in idea management (Moore-Hat, 2010).

D.                Ways in Managing Idea

Besides knowing about the paragraph’s body, there are some ways in managing idea when writing. We can manage our ideas before writing or after writing.

1.      Prewriting

            Managing idea before writing is writing planning or prewriting. During prewriting stage, writers discover their idea and rehearsal activities.

“Another way to consider the process suggests that writers discover their idea and topic, collect information to use with their writing, rehearse and think about the plans, and gather a focus on the important points of their writing” (Clark in Moore-Hat, 2010, p. 13).

Through the process of thinking and problem solving, the author will make up their mind and imaginations to see idea that may be ignored. It sometimes help to transform the writers’ idea become a written language.

There are some ways of prewriting. They are listing idea, mapping concept, outline, questioning, cubing, looping and freewriting.

a.       List of Idea

The first is listing idea. This is an easy way in collecting and managing our ideas before writing. We can list our idea crossed from our left brain in a piece of paper. We can write all of related things with our topic. Writing down as many as we can will help us to develop the writing.

After writing all the ideas, eliminate the ideas that will be useless for our writing. We need to choose what should be the main ideas. The ideas chosen as main ideas can be tagged with bold sign. In eliminating the ideas, we use our right brain.

After that, choose the supporting detail that can support our main idea. The supporting idea will be detail information of what will we write about later.

Next, we can order the idea what should be the first, second, and the last. The order is very important. We have to think what information we should tell in the beginning. Order is connected with reader desire and needs. Readers’ need have to be ordered well to make clear the writing purposes (DePorter, 2009).

b.      Mapping Concept

The other way to manage idea is mapping concept. From the word “Map”, we can imagine about map of world in picture form. Mapping concept is also picture of our ideas that connecting one another. Mapping concept is done in the beginning of writing. It is like chart making in brainstorming or we can say that mapping concept is another version of brainstorming but this way makes the ideas more organized.

This strategy can be used to collect the best ideas.  Mapping concept is a process in collecting ideas, figures, and feeling related to the key word or main idea (DePorter, 2009).

In mapping concept, we write the words and ideas crossed in our mind. Every word we write will bring out many thoughts. This process will enrich our idea and word list to write. This process also helps us to see scheme in developing our ideas.

The first step of mapping concept is writing main topic in a piece of paper. This topic will be main point of our writing. In other word, this main topic is what we want to inform to our reader. We put the topic in the middle of paper and give it a circle.

The second step is writing down all ideas related to the topic. We write it around the main topic. Make circle in every word or idea we write. Draw line connecting the ideas to the main topic.

The next step is writing down the second ideas crossed because of the ideas before. Write it around each idea before. Again, do not forget to circle the ideas and connect it by using line to the ideas before. It will help us to manage the ideas. We can repeat this step until our ideas run out.

The last step is managing. After expending our ideas, we can organize it into a paragraph planning. We choose the idea that must be written first, next and the last. According to research, it is time to use our left brain for organizing the ideas exploded by the right brain. Remember, the order is very important. So, we have to think carefully about the order.

c.       Outline

Next way to manage idea is outline. Many writers use outline before they write their writing. Outline helps us to manage our idea so when we are writing, we did not lose our purposes. Many writers resist outlining because they think that it is unnecessary, time-consuming, and difficult. But, outline is not bad as the some writers think. Outline helps writers in organizing the ideas before writing. Outlining can ensure the success of an essay and make drafting easier (Clouse, 2004).

There are three kinds of outlining. Those are formal outline, tree outline and scratch outline.

1)      Formal outline

Formal outline is the most detailed and structured outline. A format outline shows hierarchy of writers’ ideas through a system of identifying, numbering, and lettering. Writing out a formal outline can be helpful when we are dealing with a complex subject.

The format of formal outline is like this way:

Thesis statement

I.                    First reason

A.     Supporting evidence

1.      Detail of evidence

2.      Detail of evidence

B.     Supporting evidence

II.                Another reason (Bullock, p.203, 2006).

2)      Tree Outline

Another kind of outline is tree outline. Tree outline helps us in visualizing the ideas. It shows us the relationship among the ideas. To develop a tree outline, firstly we write the thesis statement. Then, place the first branches of tree using main ideas. Each idea of the first branches will be the main idea in one or more paragraph. We can build the tree by adding additional branches. The additional branches will be the supporting evidence of the main idea. We can repeat this step as long as we have many ideas in our brain (Clouse, 2004).

We can study our tree outline to determining what detail is needed. If we thing one of the ideas will not developed our writing or the idea does not relate with the purposes of our writing, we should eliminate it.

3)      Scratch Outline

            Scratch outline is a plan or blueprint to help you achieve a unified, supported, well-organized composition. When you are planning a traditional essay consisting of an introduction, three supporting paragraphs, and a conclusion, a scratch outline is especially important. It may be only a few words, but it will be the framework on which our whole essay will be built (Clouse, 2004).

            The difference between formal outline and scratch outline is seen by the detail. Formal outline has more detailed than scratch outline. If the formal outline consists of reason, supporting evidence, and detail evidence, the scratch outline only consists of main idea and supporting idea. If we use analogy, the scratch outline is like wearing clothes without accessories. It is more simple and easier. But it is good enough in conducting a simple essay.

d.      Questioning

WH question is surely familiar in people’s ears. It is about 5W+1H question words “What, Who, When, Where, Why, How.” This question words is very useful when we want to write. We can manage idea by using this question words. Good writing should be included the answers of the question words above.

“One method of exploring a topic is asking question as if the topic were a play” (Bullock, p.202, 2006). This method is particularly useful for organizing ideas, exploring literature, history, the arts, and the social sciences. We can start with the question “what”. “What” is about the topic we choose. For example, what happens?  . Question word “who” shows the doer or character related to the topic. Examples of question are “who are the actors?”, “who are the participants?” or “who are the spectators?”.  Word “when and where” figure about the time and place of the topic. We can ask the question like “when does the action take place?” or where does the action take place?. Cause of the topic is shown by the question word “why” for example, “why did this happen?”. The detail process of the topic will be figured by question word “how” for example “how does the action occur?” (Bullock, 2006).

By applying the questioning steps, we already have a writing framework and it will be easier to develop and managing our paragraph. The next step, we just need to develop our writing to be lines of words which are easy to be understood by the reader. Surely it will be easy to be understood because we have organized our writing by questioning.

e.        Cubing

Cubing is a writing exercise used as a prewriting technique. Cubing, forcing a writer to think and re-think a topic, allows a writer to explore various aspects of that topic. We all know that a cube has six sides. If you had to describe that cube, you would try to discuss each side of the object. Of course, you would have to change your perspective in order to examine and write about the cube's six faces. This exercise challenges you to examine various perspectives of an object or idea.

Just like a cube, this technique also has six sides. They are describing, comparing, associating, analyzing, applying, and arguing. Describe: Examine the topic closely.  Can it be described physically in colors, shapes, sizes, and so on?  List its characteristics, its parts, or it qualities. Comparing is about what is the topic similar, what it can be contrasted. Comparing is about the explanation about the similarities and differences in particular detail. Associating is about what makes you think about this topic, what reminds you. In associating, we have to list the things with which you associate it and what ways it is associated with them. Analyzing is identifying and categorizing the topic’s characteristics, its parts or its qualities.

Analyzing is explanation how its components fit together. Applying is about how the topic can be used, what it can be done with. After that, we can apply it to some situation, person, or concept. Arguing is taking a stand for or against the topic.  In arguing, we should list as many reasons to justify your position as you can.  Then take an opposing view and build an argument supporting it (Bullock, 2006).

f.       Looping

Looping is a more focused version of prewriting. It can help us in exploring what we know about the subject we write. We stop, reflect on what we have written, and then write again, developing our understanding in the process. It is good for clarifying our knowledge of a subject and finding a focus. Looping is a technique that helps the writer to increase focus and narrow ideas.

The first step of looping is writing for 5-10 minutes. In this step, we freely write about what we know about our subject. In this process, we do not have to worry about the organization of writing.

The second step is reading over what we have written. We read what we wrote and then write a single sentence summarizing the most important and interesting idea. We can try to complete the sentence “I guess what I was trying to say was…” or “What surprises me most in reading what I wrote is…”. This will be the start of another loop.

The next step is writing again for 5-10 minutes using our summary as our beginning. Then, read it again and capture the most important idea. Keep going until we have enough understanding about our topic (Bullock, 2006). If we have enough understanding about the topic, we definitely can share our thought through writing to the reader clearly and managed well.

g.      Freewriting

            Freewriting or in other reference named fast writing is an informal method of exploring a subject by writing about it. Freewriting or fast writing has meaning as the name. We freely write down the ideas in our mind. It is helping us in focusing our mind and broadening our creativity. So, we can write fast and it feels easier.

Freewriting only needs simple steps. We just have to write fast the idea in our right brain without checking it first. Imagine that we are browsing in the internet and surfing from one page to other pages. Write down all the interesting information. Remember to not make a check first. Just write fast what is crossed in mind. If we have constraint, we can just write “I do not know what to write” until we get ideas to be written again. Write until we do not have idea anymore.

After using our right brain to write so many ideas, now we can use our left brain to manage the ideas. Read over what we have written and underline the passages that interest us. Then repeat the first step by using the underlined passage to get a usable topic (Bullock, 2006).

2. Revision

The ways of managing idea above are done before we start writing. Surely, we have purposes before writing something and plan about it. But, writers usually betray their plan and concept in the middle of writing. Our brain has unlimited imagination to create new idea that sometime helps us in writing or sometime destructs our concept and makes it unrelated one another.  It is also problem we should solve. So, the step to do is revising.

Revising is reviewing process of what we have done. In writing, revising is important to know that our idea have managed well or not and to know that our purpose has delivered or not.

There are some steps in revising the writing. The first is reseeing the writing. Look at our writing and think “does it deliver the purposes?” or “does the writing say what we want to say?” The second step is clarifying. Read carefully the writing and clarify that it makes a sense or not. The writing makes a sense if the content is logically accepted. The next step is seeking feedback from peers (Moore-Hat, 2010). Comment from our friends usually helps much in knowing the weakness of our writing. So, we do not have to be shy about asking our friend to give comment about our writing. The last is reorganizing writing. After knowing the weakness, it is time to reorganize the writing. Revise the unrelated things in the writing and it will be a good writing.

III.             CONCLUSION

Writing is a media to explore our thoughts and emotions, to express ourselves, to entertain or to communicate with others. All writers have their own purposes when they are writing. The purposes are related to the ideas we write. If the ideas do not managed well, the writing will be lost the purposes.

So, to manage the ideas we can do some steps. The first step is done before writing or prewriting. Some ways of prewriting are listing idea, mapping concept, outline, questioning, cubing, looping and freewriting. The second step is revision time.

By doing the steps above, the writer hopes that we can manage our ideas well. The good writing is shown by the ideas and good ideas will never be delivered well without good management.

References:

Bullock, R. (2006). The Norton Field Guide to Writing. New York: Norton & Company.

Clouse, B.F. (2004). The Student Writer: Editor and Critic. New York: McGraw-Hill.

DePorter, B. (2009). Quantum Writer: Menulis dengan mudah, fun, dan hasil memuaskan. Bandung: Kaifa.

Jonru. (2008). Menerbitkan Buku Itu Gampang. Solo: Tiga Serangkai.

Keraf, G. (2003). Argumentasi dan Narasi. Jakarta: Gramedia.

Langan, J. (2001). English Skill. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Moore-Hart, M.A. (2010). Teaching Writing in Diverse Classrooms K-8. USA: Pearson.

Pharr, D., & Santi, V.B. (2005). Writing Today. New York: McGraw-Hill.