The process for writing is not set in stone. The basic steps are the same (prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing), but how these steps are used varies greatly from assignment to assignment. The process you use may even change as your life experiences change and shape you; however, once you understand the purpose of each step and how it affects your writing, you can learn to adapt and individualize the process to suit your needs for each and every assignment, even if that assignment is a timed standardized exam essay.