Brainstorming helps to develop content by giving birth to any number of ideas that can become major portions of a writing assignment. Brainstorming begins with writing down any idea or thought that comes to mind regarding the topic. Putting down phrases, nouns, sentence fragments, adjectives, research ideas, people to interview and even full sentences as they relate to the topic creates a reference point for writers they can later use. Depending on the project, brainstorming can take several days; carrying around a notepad of ideas helps to flush out ideas.
Outlines assist in creating content namely because they help in organizing the structure of a paper. Outlines allow students to list items they will address in a paper with headings and subheadings, much like they would in paragraph form. They also help students see topics that don't work or don't contain enough supporting material to remain in the paper. Outlines help students new to the writing process because they transfer easily from outline to essay, and papers become less cluttered and more focused. Many instructors think of an outline as a "working plan" or "blueprint" for a paper and require them as part of the assignment.
Taking students on a field trip to a nearby location expands writing content by forcing them to pay attention to details. A trip to a farmers' market, shopping mall or a nearby park allows students to take part in observation exercises in which they develop adjectives for plot, setting and characters. Students can observe body language, sounds and appearance. Instead of writing "a man in a dark blue suit," students should write "a towering man with silver hair, a blue pin strip suit and orchid tie." Students begin to learn quickly the importance of details in the writing process and should come back with dozens of examples. Instructors shouldn't force students to use them, rather adapt what they learned in their own writing.
Peer editing allows students to read the work of their fellow students to make it better and stronger. This also gives students the chance to see the writing of their fellow classmates, especially technique and word choice. The process can begin with the instructor listing a set of goals such as looking for transitions, finding out if paragraphs support the topic and checking to see if the introduction and conclusion connect. Students often will talk to each other differently than they will talk to their instructor, and peer editing gives tense students more ease in the writing process. Peer editing takes place in advertising and other businesses where written communication skills play heavily in the workforce so teaching this at a young age puts students into practice early.