The Many Aspects of My Writing Process

“Notebook Pen” by Negative Space/ CC0 1.0

Ah, the writing process. Authors new and old look at this oft-used phrase with varying expressions of horror, delight, panic, ease, or confusion. Some might even shrug their shoulders. ‘Writing process? What’s that? Never heard of it.’

But even that means something about the way they write. We writers really aren’t all that complicated. Put a means of writing in front of us and spark an idea in our head, and words will flow—however and wherever and whenever. But we make it more complicated, or perhaps life does. I’ve often thought if I could just have zero interruptions or responsibilities, I could write gold every day.

I think many writers feel the same and that is why you get so many posts on the writing process and so much advice on a writing routine and endless lists of dos and don’ts. We have to write about something, after all. And I’m not trying to discount this type of writing or say that we can’t benefit from wisdom gleaned from others. I raise my hand, guilty of the charge of reading many a ‘how to’ book, asking questions of those far smarter and more experienced that I am, and living in community with the encouragement of other slaves to the pen.

But rather than tell you what to do here—for this post is not sharing wisdom, but sharing a story—I simply want you to know the way I do it. That will tell you far more about me and what you can expect in books from me than any kind of list.

It all starts with an idea, of course. But I often think of myself like a coffee percolator. Ideas need to bubble and fizz inside my head for a long time before I’m ready to write them. Sometimes it’s because I don’t have time or energy, but mostly, I think it’s because I don’t know how to write that particular story yet. I need to spend time thinking about it and almost writing it inside my mind first. The downside to this is that the draft I write in my head is so much better (I feel) than what I finally get out. So many brilliant turns of phrase lost to a good night’s sleep. I am so annoyed that my brain writes best when I’m trying to turn it off for bed. So when I do have a spark of an idea or anything pertaining to it afterward, I keep a word document where I can write it all down for later. Then it won’t be lost.

When it finally does come time to write, I often lose some of my excitement. Because I am a plotter and I don’t wing things. I need a plan, to be organized, and I want an outline before I start to write. This means doing boring things like having all the research done and out of the way. It means doing the hard work of figuring out a structure and what needs to be written. Obviously, this can be tweaked and will be, as I go along, but I like to do the hard work first before I start playing with my word toys. I find it helps me keep track of details and ensures I don’t contradict myself. Hopefully anyway.

And I like to have all the things in one spot. I typically have a main word document, a spreadsheet with an outline, and another word document with research in it, something I can cut and paste from into the main one. This is helpful because I need to write chronologically. I want to start at the beginning, even if it’s a cool scene or image from the end that I’m most excited about or sparked the whole piece. That has always been the way my brain works and I’d like to think it keeps the plot holes from sprouting up, since I develop as I go rather than having to remember everywhere I changed something.

And once I have an outline, I break the writing up into manageable chunks, writing so much per day. Write this scene, finish this chapter. That way, I’m not stressed by deadlines because I started from it and worked backward to give myself plenty of time. I can also feel accomplished each day when I finish that one thing and can work on other things if I need to. And if the muse keeps me writing, that’s just a bonus. Either way, the work gets done.

Because it isn’t all planned out. It can’t be. In every story I’ve ever written, I’ve had what I call the ‘clicking moment.’ It’s when, all of a sudden, things fall into place. I suddenly get the villain’s motivation or how the backstory prompted a pivotal moment or why things need to be a certain way. If I have to re-write to that, I will, but mostly, it happens within the framework I already have and maybe because of that framework. And it’s a jolt of delight every time.

The physical act of writing is different based on what I’m writing. I don’t need a special time or place or anything like that. I’ve never been the type who could write with a lot of distractions or while playing music. Going to a coffeeshop is right out. However, if I’m in a situation where I can only do two things, write or something else disagreeable, I can get ridiculous amounts of writing done.

Typically, I type directly into the computer while writing. But it needs to be my computer, not my phone or a tablet. The keyboards or touch screens are too small and finicky and it takes forever. I also reason that it has to all be electronic eventually anyway so I’m going to save myself time instead of typing everything up after it’s handwritten. If I only have paper and pen, I’ll use that. And I do concede there is a greater connection between the brain and a pen, that is lacking in electronics. I’m fairly sure there’s an actual better chemical response in the brain that comes from the visceral act of using a pen. So I do journal a lot by hand when I’m trying to process through things. This blog post, for instance, was initially written by hand.

As far as style goes, I tend to lean toward the lyrical, whimsical, and nonsensical. Writers like LM Montgomery and, in recent years, Ann Voskamp, unlocked my own literary desires and I yearn to somehow use words to reveal the beauty I see in ink. Especially as an early writer, I think I was a bit like a parrot sponge. I soaked in things and then mimicked back their style in my own words. Once I realized I was doing that, I thought I didn’t have any original ideas of my own, and laid down any hope of a professional career. But I have since discovered I do have ideas of my own and how to write with my own voice, although I do have to tone down my use of ‘big’ words. In my defense, these are words etched into my brain from extensive reading and my husband can attest to the fact that it is how I actually talk. The only time this seems to be different is when I’m writing dialogue and getting another (imaginary) person’s brain to do the talking. Especially banter. I do love good banter. My characters tend to have a certain zing I sadly cannot claim in real life.

In the end, I suppose it’s a good thing I am also an editor, so I can full-fling myself into the fantasies of inspiration while writing, but more easily clarify my intent and meaning through the editorial process. Though I firmly believe that someone else also needs to edit any writer’s work. We are our greatest blind spots, if only because we truly understand what we meant to say.

In so many words, these are my thoughts on writing, particularly my own. It’s a joy, blending the ecstasies of inspiration and the hair-pulling frustrations of a blank mind. It will never fully leave any writer alone. Thank goodness, for the world needs stories more than ever. And I am eager to oblige.

Stay tuned for some more announcements next month!