So, I run a Creative Writing club at work and one of my students asked me to put down my writing process in words. It ended up being a lot longer than I expected so I figure I might as well put it out into the world - rather than just have it sit on my laptop!

So, here it is. Hopefully somebody out there will find it helpful?


My entire process goes a bit like this…


Pre Production

1. Random idea pops into my head. Sometimes it’s a scene, sometimes it’s more of an overarching plot, sometimes a character. Sometimes it’s inspired by something I’ve seen or read, sometimes it literally comes from nowhere.

2. I write something. Maybe just a scene. Maybe a few chapters. There isn’t really anything planned. I’m just running with the idea to see if it starts sparking off new ideas. If it doesn’t, then I put the idea aside. If it does...

3. I start planning!


Planning

1. I think of a beginning, a middle, and an end. I think of what I want to have happen at those points, and then I pad around them. Usually I am just writing paragraphs of stream of consciousness. It probably isn’t cohesive, but it gets my mind whirring. Then...

2. A lot of authors these days seem to plan scene by scene and, to be honest, I think that’s probably a good way to go. But I have always planned chapter by chapter. I take my ‘Beginning’ and I start breaking it down. I don’t number the chapters at this stage, because I’m not thinking about quantity. The reason I like to do this is because it helps me make sure that each chapter is interesting and has something going on in it. It also helps me maintain an overview of how everything flows together. I then do the same for the middle and the end.

3. Special note – I am not a very organised person. Back in the day, I’d write my notes all over the place and would then waste time finding where I put notes down. These days I type everything up (even if I planned on paper) and I immediately save everything into my google drive. Google is a bit of a monster, but it’s so handy because then your notes are available to you wherever you are as long as there is internet access.


And now I write! First Draft!

1. This is entirely a me thing, but I write my first draft by hand. I like pen and paper for one thing, but I also get very easily distracted by my laptop. Writing by hand allows me to really sink into my own world without getting distracted.

2. With the first draft, I use my chapter plan and I just go for it. Even if the writing is terrible, I keep writing. When I get writers block, I try to just force my way through it (though this doesn’t always work – sometimes, you need to just take a break).

3. The most important thing to note in my first draft is that I do not hold myself to my plan. If I change my mind, then I just roll with it and amend the coming up information while I go.

4. When I finish, I do a little dance and cry a bit. Also guys...I never actually properly finished an entire first draft until I was 23. Just putting that out there! (The students I work with can be as young as 17)

5. IF you are planning on writing a series – then this is a good time to think ahead to the future. You do NOT want to just wing it, because people will realise. Just as an example – my current WIP is a planned quartet. Book 2 is already planned chapter by chapter. Books 3 and 4 have all the main plot points planned out. I don’t have to stick to this plan, but at least I have a goal in mind. This also helps if you are the sort of writer that wants to drop hidden clues and hints to the future in book 1...

6. Important step – then I take a break! Don’t immediately jump into rewriting. Don’t leave it too long, but maybe a week or so.


Second draft – I AM THE WORST WRITER IN THE WORLD

1. I love the second draft because I put so little pressure on myself. Essentially, I type up the handwritten stuff and I do so while singing musical soundtracks at the top of my lungs because concentration? Who needs it!

2. I DO edit while I go, but I don’t analyse in great detail. I only edit the things that jump out at me.

3. This draft is fun because it takes less brain power, but it’s also the ‘I AM THE WORST WRITER IN THE WORLD DRAFT’ (hence the overdramatic soundtracks to get out all that emotion) because I’m reading a first draft that is likely full of terrible writing and gaping plot holes. I try to just...ignore that.

4. I don’t do any fancy editing at this point because I might burn it all down anyway.

5. Print it off and feel proud!


Third draft – brain, don’t fail me now.

1. Ok, so here is where you need to bring the brain back. Now, you don’t HAVE to print off your manuscript, but I find it much easier to focus reading off of the printed page, plus you can avoid laptop/internet distractions this way.

2. Read the whole thing, and read it all together as quickly as possible. With regards to editing, don’t worry about typos or little details yet. This time around you’re looking for plot issues, inconsistencies, character issues. You’re looking for the big things. And when you see them, HIGHLIGHT. And then read on. Don’t hang around and lose the rhythm of your read through.

3. Optional step – when you finish reading your manuscript, flick back through to all of the parts you highlighted and list them out with brief descriptions. Having the list can be handy for the next stage (if you have planned for future books, bear those in mind too), which is...

4. Figure. The. Issues. Out. Do not start the next write up without knowing what your problems are, and how you are going to fix them. This is always a good time to bring in a friend to just talk these things over with, even if they haven’t read the work! Fresh eyes and minds help. It can be incredibly frustrating. Maybe you are really attached to a plot point? Well, if it doesn’t work...CUT IT. Put something else in. Change it up. You have to be really hard on yourself.


Third draft – part 2…

1. Write the whole thing all over again! I do this by hand again, but that’s just me. One thing I will say is DON’T directly edit your previous word doc. Why? Because doing so makes you lazy (well, it makes me lazy). You’ll find yourself losing focus, skimming over paragraphs and missing out a chance to improve your work. Type the WHOLE thing from scratch.

2. I still wouldn’t worry too much about the small details and the technicalities BUT if you do spot those sorts of issues, then you might as well edit them – right?

3. IF you used your handy list and figured out your issues, then this shouldn’t be too stressful. Just input your fixes into your story. And don’t be too hard on yourself if the quality isn’t that high. If these fixes are entirely new scenes then they are technically a first draft, and we all know that the quality of first drafts does not matter!

4. When you finish this manuscript – buy yourself something nice, because you’re getting there!


Fourth and (potentially) final draft! (I’m pretty sure I have/will always end up doing more than four, but I think four is a good target to aim for initially)

1. Print it off again! Cuddle it, show it some love...because you are about to tear it apart.

2. Yes, this is the point where you need to put your best brain on. This is the revision step where you need to read EVERY single word with a critical eye. By this stage, you should have the plot and the characters all lined up so that means it’s time to polish the actual WRITING. *gasp* I hate this part. It’s very satisfying when you are finally happy, but getting to the point of happiness? Ugh.

3. Cut out useless words. If it isn’t needed, throw it out. Don’t worry about word count, if half of your manuscript is useless adverbs, work needs to be done.

4. Of course, you might notice a new issue or have a new idea – what then? Well, you just rinse and repeat draft three until you’re happy!

5. If you do have any friends/family members that are willing, or that you’re willing to share with, then this stage seems as good as any to get their thoughts!

6. And if you are really, really struggling? Or if you are starting to hate your story? Step away from it and write something new. I used to avoid this, because I feared that coming up with something new would negatively impact my current work. But in 2012, before I self pubbed my first book, I was in a pit of despair. I hated writing all of a sudden, so I put The Wolf’s Cry to the side, and decided to write ‘what I wanted’. My break lasted a month. In that month I wrote the first scenes of what is my current WIP, and by the end of that month I was ready to go back to The Wolf’s Cry. Now? I always have two projects on the go at once – one in the writing stage, one in the planning stage. Definitely worth trying!


And that’s really all there is to say. It’s a tough, tough process. I often wish I could just click my fingers and come out with magic. Sadly, it doesn’t work that way. I will be very cliché though, and say that practice does make perfect.

Planning, writing and revising my current WIP has been much easier than anything I have done before (though, I’ve been working on it for over two years – still not exactly speedy!). You learn with every day that you write, so don’t beat yourselves up if you’re struggling.
As I mentioned, I always think of it like doing four full drafts...but certain chapters or certain scenes will end up being drafted wayyyyyyyyy more than four times. That’s okay. Honestly, I think four drafts is the MINIMUM anyone should aim for.

As you can see, my process is a bit more scrappy than Susan Dennard’s (I am constantly reccing Dennard's writing tips to them!) but there are definitely some consistent themes.

Don’t rush! Or...at least, don’t rush the finished product. Don’t be scared of rewriting. It is VERY important. If you’re struggling to edit/rewrite, print off your manuscript and break out some marker pens. Create handy lists to help you keep track of issues!

You’ll get there eventually!