Which of the following best describes the writing process? A linear process that begins with prewriting, followed by drafting, revising, editing, and proofreading. A recursive process that involves prewriting, drafting, revising, and editing, but may move back and forth between the different steps in the process.

I think the answer to this is the second choice: A recursive process that involves prewriting, drafting, revising, and editing, but may move back and forth between the different steps in the process.

This is true. When you write a piece, you always start progressively from pre-writing, drafting, revising and editing. However, in between those stages, you could go back and forth. For example, editing does not happen once only. As you draft and revise, you always have to edit so that your work could be flawless. That is why the process is not linear, or in one direction solely.

Writing is a recursive process which sometimes is, but most often isn't orderly and linear. The writer may jump back and forth, write fragments and then put them together, start writing the end of the story and then return to the beginning, etc. It is never a straight forward process, but a dynamic and creative one. The ideas keep emerging, buzzing, and developing until the final version is done.