Idea. Collect. Focus. Draft. Clarify.

Late last month, Roy Peter Clark filled up his writer's toolbox with Writing Tool #50: The Writing Process.

Clark credits journalist and writing teacher Donald M. Murray with changing his life with five words: Idea. Collect. Focus. Draft. Clarify.

Until he heard Murray, Clark believed great writing was unattainable to him. After he heard Murray, Clark learned that writing is a step of rational steps--steps we all can use:

In other words, the writer conceives a story idea, collects things to support it, discovers what the story is really about, attempts a first draft, and revises in the quest for greater clarity. . . . Finished writing may seem magical to the reader, but it is the product of an invisible process, a series of rational steps, a set of tools. (Clark)

Clark played with Murray's basic model for over 20 years and presents his own version (with explanation) in Writing Tool #50:

1. Sniff around.
2. Explore ideas.
3. Collect evidence.
4. Find a focus.
5. Select the best stuff.
6. Recognize an order.
7. Write a draft.
8. Revise and clarify.

Sniff. Explore. Collect. Focus. Select. Order. Draft. Revise. These are words for a writer to live by.