Novel What's Your Writing Process?

To give an idea of my pace. I am now at 173 pages of double spaced manuscript. (52,500 words)
So I am definitely not perfecting as I go. Sometimes, I do stop for a day or two, if I am feeling creatively inhibited. Then I do other things, read, study, whatever.

Zaphod, IMO, you need some kind of plan. After I wrote my first book which is not final drafted. I sat down one day and started "spitballing" some ideas for another book. I was wriging a paragraph to a page of story summary, to see what I thought had some potential. Obviously, if I can't write a page on it, it's not a very good concept for a book, now is it? In fact, I took the concept that I wrote out. Then I sat down and started creating a rough draft of chapter outlines. It may be a two step process. Enlarge from a paragraph, to 10 chapter ideas as the story flows. Then I start writing. It may flow down a different path, change some, ,and then at some point, I will have an apifany I hope. More ideas will come, ways to expand or improve the story. I write them down, and the whole iterative process continues-

Ironically, Larissa, I am still a computer programmer by trade (day job)

So, I have written about 50 pages in 2 weeks. My story is not done yet. I am in a slight creative slump last day or two. I did write a page yesterday. Today, I have read and done other things. I have a few chapter outlines left. But I will wait until my juices flow to write. I need to review the chapters I have left as planned, against what is written, and see where I head from here. But my story unless it takes some new turns is not to far from complete.

 

Before I started trying to actually write a book (7 months ago) I would just open my lap top up and start clacking away. But then I went back and looked at some of the stuff I'd written that way . All my fan-fictions and short stories and what not. They weren't as good as I thought they were. At least I didn't think so when I started comparing them to the writings of others. I know as writers we shouldn't compare but I was genuinely impressed with the amount of time and effort some people would put into their stories and I wanted to be like that too. Somebody who not only wrote well and spun interesting stories but who did research to make their writing better.

Now it takes me forever to turn out chapters of anything. lol Which is frustrating but I find like the results a lot more than I used to. I typically start by writing everything out on paper. First I do an outline. Do a little research if it's required, then start my rough draft. Then after several days of staring holes into it and thinking about it, I start editing which takes a few more days. XD

THEN...I type out the edited version and edit it some more as I go. XD

And THEN...I finish and submit and hope people like it.

Through all this---both the writing and the editing I have music playing for inspiration and to give me ideas.

 

Here's my process

1. Reading books on how to write
2. Thinking that I should try to write something
3. Staring at a blank bristol board
   
4. Reading books about grammar
5. Slogging through the tutorial of a trial version of Scrivener
6. Staring at blank index cards
   
7. Thinking about how writing would make a great hobby
8. Surfing this writing forum
   
9. Reading just one more book on writing...

 

I get up in the morning, turn on the computer and continue from where I left off.

 

I rather plan my book beforehand. For example, with my first book, I planned half of it then when I got to the half part of my book then I planned the rest of it.

 

I first like to sit upon that place whereupon most must sit at least once every thirty-six hours, usually while enjoying my respite at work; then I slide out my phone's qwerty keyboard and begin tack-tack-tacking until I have no more time.
Later, I hope that the disjointed bits are related enough to be conjoined into a coherent plot.


Addendum: Do not do what I do. I'm -- bad, I'm a bad writer.

 

Let's say I want to write a novel.
First, I set a theme. A theme is basically what I want my novel to be about: an idea I want to play around with in the story.
After that, I set up a character list.
Then, I begin writing. The opening of a novel is one of the most important parts, so I usually start with a description of the setting. I usually use my area since I know much about it and its looks; also, it is good to write from a place you are familiar with. For example, ever notice that a lot of John Steinbeck's openings are him describing Salinas Valley?

 

I sit down and write!

Then I edit.
Then I edit again.
Then I edit one more time.
Then I edit a couple of more times.
Then I edit a several, couple of times.
Then I edit a couple of more times, yet again.
Then I edit a several, couple of more times, yet again.
Then I edit some several more, couple of times, yet again.

Then I rewrite.

 

I think you have a problem.

. . . but editing ain't one of 'em.

 

I just have so many ideas floating around m brain and they are often a big old mess. They start out as little things that I come up with, little gimmicks to my story, such as what "special power" my character will have.

They start to take form when I listen to music. It somehow allows me to channel my emotions and whatever the mood of the song is whatever the mood of the scene I am imagining. Listening to something aggressive will make me imagine a fight scene or, occasionally, a planet being totally destroyed. Something happy makes me imagine the end, when the villain is vanquished and everyone is happy (even, sometimes, the villain). Something sad makes me think of a scene when someone dies.

From this I then start to piece together when everything happens. This can be when I am listening to music or when I'm just sitting down and thinking. I have an awful habit of never writing down my ideas because I never seem to need to - my mind stores every slither of information.

After this, if an idea catches my attention enough and singles itself out as being special, I start to fill in the gaps. This is when I actually start to develop characters and even plan whole chunks of dialogue or, on rare occasions, description. Still all in my head.

Once I have planned it I start writing it. This is when I smooth over all the cracks, finally get down to the business of putting my ideas on paper\Word document. Admittedly, I haven't got past that yet but I know what will come next - give it to Mum. She has an eagle eye for errors in either the story or my grammar.

 

I don't know that I have a set process yet.

I've been writing for years and years and years, just little bits at a time, but never got anywhere.

About 5 years ago after getting laid off the first time, I decided that if JK Rowling could get rich and off welfare by writing, why not I? I certainly had better ideas than Harry Potter.

About a month or so after that, I discovered that it wasn't as easy as all that. I floundered for a few months but kept at it. I discovered that though it was hard work and that I wasn't going to be rich any time soon, I was going to keep at it.

It's now almost 5 years, six novels and almost 500k words later, and I still feel like a newbie. My writing group published a book of short stories and I've had several looks (but no bites) from agents/publishers. I continue to work at this almost every day, all while holding down a real job, three kids, recovery from addiction/alchoholism, and terminal procrastination.

I don't have a set writing process.

What I do have is an evolving set of guidelines that I try to follow. Some are relatively new, some have been in place for awhile. Being a part of a regular writing group helps; it's a group of people that I can not only run my current prose by, but with whom I can talk about the writing process in a manner that I can't with everyone else. If something is not working, I figure out what that something is and change it. In short, the following is my current process. It may change soon.

1) I keep a running file of cool ideas. Often while I'm working on something else, an idea will come up. I don't want to lose it, but I don't want to stop working on what I'm working currently. Some of these are ridiculous; some stay.

2) I usually start out by using the first little bit of "The 90 day novel" by Alan Watt. I don't use the whole thing, but his process of gathering ideas to start a book with intrigues me. I follow it 'till it seems counter-productive. This encompasses what I believe would be called "pre-writing". There's a lot of background material and character work. By the time I'm done with this phase, I know my story and my characters pretty well.

3) I try to have a rough outline together. It's been loose at times, but it's getting more specific. (note: I tried writing completely 'seat of the pants' recently; it was a complete disaster for me, but it did show me that I'm not a discovery writer. No opinion on it, it just didn't work for me)

4) I write my first draft almost to exclusion. I write very little else during this time period. This can take me anywhere from 3 months to about 9 months.

5) I leave it completely alone for about 3 to 6 months. I want to have a completely new experience with it when I come back to revise it. I don't always wait that long, but whenever I don't, I discover pretty quickly why I made that rule, and I stop soon.

6) I reread it and see where the plot holes are. I sketch out an outline, fixing those holes.

7) I rewrite it completely, fixing any plot holes.

8) I repeat steps 5 through 7 as often as needed.

9) At some point, it just becomes copy-editing. I know when this point is. I cant' describe how I know, but I know.

10) I find a few dedicated beta readers and have them go over it, giving me detailed reports.

11) I go over the responses, usually following steps seven through nine.

12) Time to shop it!


Like I said, this is an evolving process. I am NOT one of those authors that can make a first draft so good that it barely needs editing. I have some folks in my writing group like that. I tried to emulate it and got nowhere. I just don't have it like that. The best advice I can have is to try a bunch of things and make your process yours. DO NOT listen to people who tell you "it must be like this, this is THE WAY to write". In fairness, it may be 'THE WAY' for them, but I can almost guarantee that it won't be for you. People that have their process down, that can write and barely edit, that know what they 're doing, they've come to that process usually by years of trial and error. This ain't a quick thing. Find your process. Stick to what works for you, and only change that when it isn't working. It may take awhile, but you'll find your process.

 

Well, the usually. I carefully think the plot of the story.
I think of the characters that the plot requires.
After I write down the main ideas on a sheet of paper, that way I don't forget. Once you do that, start writing the beginning of my story. Beginning with the first chapter -prologue, began,
or whatever. I read it prudently and edited if necessary.

I think that will do the whole process. Not is a big thing, but it helps me.

 

I'm glad you posted this thread because I am fairly new myself and am leaning heavily on a couple of book to write my first novella. Right now I'm working on developing a set of characters, but most people seem to do things quite differently. I think I bit off more than I can chew by attempting a novel right off the bat, so I sat down today and wrote my first story. I didn't want to get too complicated, I just wanted to complete something.

I did the following:

1. Thought of a topic I was knowledgeable on, to save me from having to do a lot of research on my first short story.
2. Thought of the tone and the main characters sense of humor and decided it would be a comedy.
3. I brainstormed and thought of some real life experiences.
4. Got to writing.

Anyways, I encourage you to take more established peoples advice as far as process, I'm still learning myself. I'm glad you posted this because I had a similar question swimming around in my own mind.

 

I really enjoyed reading through these posts. It's been very insightful.

The one thing I've learned when writing a longer piece is just to keep writing to completion. You would rather have 30 chapters written once as opposed to 1 chapter written 30 times. I'm still trying to figure out the best process for myself, too. I can't seem to write anything for very long, because I copiously edit as I write--and then I get stuck.

I also find that outlines can useful, especially if you're writing a mystery novel and you need to lay out all the pieces. Likewise, don't let your outline determine your story. Your characters may develop differently while you're writing that no longer match your outline. Design the outline to the characters, not the other way around. -- And there are lots of ways to do an outline. There's the traditional school format, or you can write out scenes and try connecting them. I went to a book review once who the author did this, and the author would post the scenes on index cards across a wall until she felt she had all the gaps filled out. And then, she would write out the story.

 

Yours is a conventional writing process in the 21st century.

Let me share with you my organisational writing process, as follows.

Writing is difficult for beginners, due to distractions elsewhere. In that case, why not write stories that capture your current real life? You can start off with your current position in real life, and then imagine where you want to start adventure.

Advanced writers multitask a lot, which is why they can handle divided attention. They think simultaneously over complex and unrelated issues, which is why they write well outside their comfort zone.

So start positioning within your comfort zone.

A) PREWRITING

Plot
I think about my lifelong issues. What do I want to do about them? How do I deal with them? What strategies are there?

Setting
What is my ideal world? How can I change the current world to suit my ideology?

Characterisation
What are my imaginary heroes? Imagine, who is your favourite person, in whatever category. Use that inspiration to develop your protagonistic characters. Think about your least favourite person, in whatever category. Use that inspiration to develop your antagonistic characters.

Language
Don't first stumble over grammar, precision and coherence. Instead of rewriting, just list words that suit your writing intent, and then you will string together into sentences, paragraphs and pages.

Themes
Look for interrelated meanings that emerge in your writing. This usually takes place during Writing and Revision stages, though. Where there are similarities and differences, look for ways to unify.

B) WRITING

Come back to that, once you master Prewriting skills.

C) REVISION

Come back to that, once you master Writing skills.

I hope, that helps.

 

Not everyone is the same, and, with that said, as you may come to find, no particular process is applicable to all when it comes to writing. You have to experiment. I have come to enjoy more than one type of process, but, admittedly, what I call my lazy process is just writing freely what is on my mind, only to then go back (in the editing phase) and structure such writing for its intended purpose.

That's my 'two cents' as a freelance editor (and former librarian).
Patricia Konarski
Owner of Patricia Konarski Literary Services of Tucson

 

We all do it differently but don't be afraid to go back and change something, edit it, play with it. Your first draft is not set in stone, you are allowed to go back and alter anything you want, add bits in, take out something that doesn't fit anymore etc.

I once saw a very apt quote that went something like: Writers don't have to get it right the first time, it's not like we are brain surgeons!

 

My writing process mostly comes from my film background. I write screenplays as well as novels but the process remains the same for both.

In film you only have a limited time to tell your story, so we outline VERY heavily to make sure we make the most of it. My process for all writing goes as follows.

1) Write 1 page synopsis
2) Write in depth treatment
3) Write in depth outline for individual scenes/chapters
4) Create in depth outline of characters motivations & development
5) Begin writing until complete
7) Re-write
8) Edit round 1-3
9) Final polish
10) Sleep

And that's my general routine for when writing long form.

 

To continue, now it is time as advanced writer.

Enchiridion

1. Introduction
2. Journeys
3. Adventures
4. Wars
5. Issues
6. Intelligence
7. Arts
8. Justice

1. Introduction

Architectural Terminology

Conventional
I.Texts
II.Language/Structure
III.Images

Architectural
I.Intertextuality
II.Design
III.Usage/Interactivity


2. Intelligence


Exploratory Connections

Aesthetics


Dynamics

Environmental
I.Lighting
II.Acoustic
III.Thermal​

Intertextuality


Spatiality​

Information


3. Arts


Semiotics

Diagrams
I.Points
II.Lines
III.Shapes
IV.Annotations

Visuality
I.Areas
II.Shades
III.Colours
IV.Variation

Verbality
I.Spelling
II.Grammar
III.Punctuation
IV.Tone

Textuality
I.Paragraphs
II.Pages
III.Format
IV.Organisation​

Semantics

Intentionality
I.Agenda
II.Vision
III.Issues
IV.Authority

Authoriality
I.Personality
II.Age
III.Gender
IV.Ethnicity

Elements
I.Plots
II.Setting
III.Characterisation
IV.Themes

Integrity
I.Identities
II.Relationships
III.Conflicts
IV.Values​

 

@Azurisy, I can't figure out what you're talking about. This thread is about your writing process - in other words, how you get from the story idea in your head to a finished manuscript.

How do your posts here relate to that?

 

Please refer to my blog entry Azuris (Illustrative Novels in progress).

It is my extension of the Art of Critique with interdisciplinary architectural terminology.

Is that okay?

 

Really helps me conceptualize the organization ideas and the process of fleshing them out/building them up into a story. This helps me think about starting with a single thought, then slowly turning it into an entire world.

I think this is not only related to writing process, but it's a wonderfully complex explanation of how to go from start to finish. It reminds me what all the elements of story are and how to arrive at a place where they're all included in the story.

(It's about the mental process rather than the physical typing on the keyboard)

 

great article

 

I don't have an order in which things happen, and I try not to think about what my process is because I'm afraid then it won't work.

For the record, there is no "right" or "wrong" process. However you get started on a story, whether it be a small note on toilet paper or a full paragraph intro, it doesn't really matter does it? As long as you tell your story, I don't see why it matters how you get there.

 

prewriting if needed(Like for my New Earth series for example)
writing
SPAG check
critique of first draft
Rewriting after spelling, punctuation, and grammar check
SPAG check again
critique of 2nd rough draft
etc. till I have my final draft
Critique by my family after I do the SPAG check
If a no than I repeat what I did before.
If a yes than I publish it.

Now none of my works so far have passed the publishing phase but they have passed the SPAG check of 1st rough draft and the prewriting and some are still in the writing phase.