Publishing, Presenting, and Evaluating

The final stage of the writing process is publishing and presenting. Think of publishing and presenting as the payoff that comes after all that hard work. In a way, publishing and presenting is not the end of the writing process, but only the beginning. When you publish your writing, or present it to others, you receive ideas and feedback from your audience. This information may encourage you to revise or edit your work further, or it may give you ideas for other writing projects.

Publishing

Publication can take many forms. Here are some common ways to publish your work:

    Post your writing in class or in school

    Submit your writing to a publication, such as newspaper or literary magazine

    Submit your writing to an online newspaper or literary magazine

    Post your writing on a personal Website

    Read your work out loud to your friends or your class

    Give a dramatic reading of your writing for friends, family, or your class

    Collect your writing in a portfolio (see below for more on writing portfolios)

Ideally, when you are ready to publish your work, you only make changes that affect presentation. Keep in mind who your audience is, and what the best form to present your writing is. Are your ideas best shared as a word-processed document, a PowerPoint presentation, a Web site, or an email communication? When you publish, you return to the beginning of the writing process: thinking about your audience and your purpose for writing.