Regardless of the method, I always enjoy reading about others' writing processes. The time and effort you put in shows. I rarely take handwritten notes anymore, but I can see how that's a valuable part of the process. I also feel the same way about 'cntrl C' and 'cntrl V' :) Excellent post!
Wonderfully written! I enjoyed reading your process (and that wonderful eating:writing analogy!), and it reminded me of a message I sent my husband on my process the other day after publishing a piece.
- start several drafts of different topics
- scrap each until one seems to work
- write a bunch of stuff
- copy and paste half of it into a different document
- pull content from another draft into the working draft
- feel like this is sh*t and it’s never coming together
- come back to it have an epiphany, feel like this could actually be great, delete 1/4, and write the rest of the post
- email it to myself, read later, delete three more paragraphs, search for synonyms of boring words, read aloud to catch errors
- agonize over whether it is sh*t or actually good
- read aloud again and correct more bits
- publish and feel like I have just launched the worst post into the world
"As my brain unclogs, words fall out of it." YES—I resonate deeply with this. Either running or walking is when my creative juices shine! great post and thank you for sharing your process. I also have papers and notebooks with ideas and thoughts so I won't forget...because I will! One lesson I've learned—with the thought comes in write it down. :)
It's amazing how physical activity can make those ideas come, isn't it?
I used to always think that I'd remember forever all those brilliant ideas I'd had in the middle of the night, or halfway up the stairs, or in the shower. But no: if they don't immediately find their way on to paper, they're GONE!
I hear ya! I have a notebook and pen on my night stand. When I was writing my book I couldn't believe how much came to me in my sleep. I would get up and write it all down.
Excellent article, however in no part of this do you seem lost. : )
I do everything on a computer. I use Scrivener. I could never do to it on paper, my handwriting is terrible.
At first, I had a hard time starting on something new, because I tried to perfect the draft as I went. Then I embraced the term VOMIT Draft. This gives me permission to write the whole article, scene what ever that I know will suck.
The part of my writing process I dislike most, but is the most valuable, is responding for feedback from my critique group. It is hard to take criticism, but it has really helped my work.
Thanks so much, Scott - and you're right, it's been a wee while since I last got lost because I haven't been for nearly enough walks recently. Maybe I ought to rebrand my newsletter until I've got myself lost again!
I find it too tempting to edit as I go along if I start working on screen, but maybe with practice I could make the vomit draft technique work for me! Thank you - I'll have a go and see how I get on.
The feedback part of writing - gosh, yes, that's a really good point. I haven't put any feedback feelers out yet...! :D
See if there are local reader groups that do Critiques. I have been using one for over a year. We have a good process for giving and receiving critiques.
Like this! I dare not reply to your question right away though, because I can’t say I’ve ever taken stock on my pleasure in the different phases in quite this way ... but I’m intrigued to do so, it seems like an interesting way to be more conscious of what’s going on in the writing process. My good intentions are that I’ll circle back to you on this one ... but you know what they say about good intentions!
It's funny, I hadn't ever broken down my writing process into its different stages before - and I guess these six of mine are just informal, practical steps I go through rather than any kind of proper writerly things like outlining, developing characters, and all the rest of it - but it was an interesting exercise.
I think it's interesting (horrifying? disturbing? worrying?) that my favourite part of my writing process seems to be the deletion of most of what I've written...!
Yeah, that last bit is very interesting isn’t it? But I too feel that. I often describe the drafting part of my writing as “barf it out,” understanding that I’ve got to just get a bunch out of my head and onto the page before I can pick through and find the really choice bits. (Ugh, that metaphor gets a little much put that way.) I am going to try to create a graph like yours, but I think my “points” will be a tiny bit different, if only in name.
It surprised me, it really did. But it's nice to have a tangible chunk of text, something - anything - to work with. An editing task is its own starting point, isn't it? I mean, it's something juicy to get your teeth into (sorry - I'm banging on about quiche again), and once it's done then you're almost done!
I'd be interested to see what's in your graph - I guess every writer's stages are bound to be different!
In answer to your question, I like the stage of getting everything down in the beginning. My thoughts are usually fresh on the subject matter and I can type it all out. I've kinda gotten away from using my notebooks right now because I can type it faster into my laptop. Then, I come back the next day and re-tweak it. Give myself some time to sleep on it. The next day, I have thought about more stuff I left out that should have been in there.
When I'm trying to sleep, I think of all kinds of words or phrases that were brilliant, and then I wake up in the morning and I can't remember them. I think to myself, "Oh no. Now what?". I'm going to have to take Julie's advice and leave a notebook and pen near my bed. I can't let this keep happening.
I have used Ctrl X but it has come back to bite me. Then it's Ctrl Z (undo).
Ah yes, Ctrl Z - where would we be without it?! Sometimes I think other things in life need an Undo button, but that's another whole story....!
I think sleeping on a piece of writing is a really good move. It's amazing how my feelings about it can evolve after a night's sleep.
I always have my notebook and pen on me (except in the shower, obvs!), and take them out of my back pocket in the evening to put on my bedside table. I used to fret about scribbling something down in public, like in the queue at the post office or out on a busy street, but these days I really don't care!
I am full of admiration, Rebecca. I tend to think of an idea, write it down, mull it over and write an article in my head, and then bash it out. I have found the best way of catching proofing errors is to hit "Publish" and then tweet it out to thousands of people: never fails!
I LOVE that about catching errors - in my blogging days I would find exactly the same - I'd bung a post onto my website and only notice the howlers once it was up there and being engaged with!
Yes. The other way is to print off 200 copies and give them out at a really important conference. It saves a lot of time. Also, it means you get to see your name in print quicker!
For me there's a point during the writing of the first draft, which sometimes starts with great difficulty, when it feels like things are starting to come together, that's probably favorite part.
It's funny how everyone has their own relationship with the writing process. I feel invincible when I start a draft -- maker of worlds, blank-page whisperer -- but toward the end of a first draft I question everything. Is this good? Is fiction a trivial pursuit? Am I really even a writer? Is today Wednesday? It's not until the rewrites that I start to regain confidence, and that process is slow.
Ah yes, those constant questions that dent our creative confidence at every turn! I love your invincibility at the start of a draft, Pablo - I need to get me some of that!
Yum! That quiche looks sooo good :-P I completely envy your organization when it comes to writing. I should take some notes from you! I'm terrible about planning posts, and then I generally panic when it's near time to meet my (self-imposed) deadline, hammer something out, agonize over whether it's ready enough to send (it never is) and then do it anyway. You've inspired me to try having a plan! :-)
Regardless of the method, I always enjoy reading about others' writing processes. The time and effort you put in shows. I rarely take handwritten notes anymore, but I can see how that's a valuable part of the process. I also feel the same way about 'cntrl C' and 'cntrl V' :) Excellent post!
Thanks, Mark! :D
Wonderfully written! I enjoyed reading your process (and that wonderful eating:writing analogy!), and it reminded me of a message I sent my husband on my process the other day after publishing a piece.
- start several drafts of different topics
- scrap each until one seems to work
- write a bunch of stuff
- copy and paste half of it into a different document
- pull content from another draft into the working draft
- feel like this is sh*t and it’s never coming together
- come back to it have an epiphany, feel like this could actually be great, delete 1/4, and write the rest of the post
- email it to myself, read later, delete three more paragraphs, search for synonyms of boring words, read aloud to catch errors
- agonize over whether it is sh*t or actually good
- read aloud again and correct more bits
- publish and feel like I have just launched the worst post into the world
Oh Holly, this has had me laughing for the last ten minutes - everything you've written here is EXACTLY what I go through too!
"As my brain unclogs, words fall out of it." YES—I resonate deeply with this. Either running or walking is when my creative juices shine! great post and thank you for sharing your process. I also have papers and notebooks with ideas and thoughts so I won't forget...because I will! One lesson I've learned—with the thought comes in write it down. :)
It's amazing how physical activity can make those ideas come, isn't it?
I used to always think that I'd remember forever all those brilliant ideas I'd had in the middle of the night, or halfway up the stairs, or in the shower. But no: if they don't immediately find their way on to paper, they're GONE!
I hear ya! I have a notebook and pen on my night stand. When I was writing my book I couldn't believe how much came to me in my sleep. I would get up and write it all down.
It's the only way! :D
Excellent article, however in no part of this do you seem lost. : )
I do everything on a computer. I use Scrivener. I could never do to it on paper, my handwriting is terrible.
At first, I had a hard time starting on something new, because I tried to perfect the draft as I went. Then I embraced the term VOMIT Draft. This gives me permission to write the whole article, scene what ever that I know will suck.
The part of my writing process I dislike most, but is the most valuable, is responding for feedback from my critique group. It is hard to take criticism, but it has really helped my work.
Thanks for your valuable thoughts.
Thanks so much, Scott - and you're right, it's been a wee while since I last got lost because I haven't been for nearly enough walks recently. Maybe I ought to rebrand my newsletter until I've got myself lost again!
I find it too tempting to edit as I go along if I start working on screen, but maybe with practice I could make the vomit draft technique work for me! Thank you - I'll have a go and see how I get on.
The feedback part of writing - gosh, yes, that's a really good point. I haven't put any feedback feelers out yet...! :D
See if there are local reader groups that do Critiques. I have been using one for over a year. We have a good process for giving and receiving critiques.
Thanks, Scott - that's really great advice! I'll definitely look into it. :D
That's funny that you guys are using VOMIT as your team--when I'm drafting, I'm constantly reminding myself: barf it out!
LOL Tom! To be honest I'd never heard of it until Scott brought it up (pardon the pun!). Sounds like a decent plan, though! :D
Like this! I dare not reply to your question right away though, because I can’t say I’ve ever taken stock on my pleasure in the different phases in quite this way ... but I’m intrigued to do so, it seems like an interesting way to be more conscious of what’s going on in the writing process. My good intentions are that I’ll circle back to you on this one ... but you know what they say about good intentions!
LOL - thanks, Tom!
It's funny, I hadn't ever broken down my writing process into its different stages before - and I guess these six of mine are just informal, practical steps I go through rather than any kind of proper writerly things like outlining, developing characters, and all the rest of it - but it was an interesting exercise.
I think it's interesting (horrifying? disturbing? worrying?) that my favourite part of my writing process seems to be the deletion of most of what I've written...!
Yeah, that last bit is very interesting isn’t it? But I too feel that. I often describe the drafting part of my writing as “barf it out,” understanding that I’ve got to just get a bunch out of my head and onto the page before I can pick through and find the really choice bits. (Ugh, that metaphor gets a little much put that way.) I am going to try to create a graph like yours, but I think my “points” will be a tiny bit different, if only in name.
It surprised me, it really did. But it's nice to have a tangible chunk of text, something - anything - to work with. An editing task is its own starting point, isn't it? I mean, it's something juicy to get your teeth into (sorry - I'm banging on about quiche again), and once it's done then you're almost done!
I'd be interested to see what's in your graph - I guess every writer's stages are bound to be different!
Okay, I made my own little graph and, because I couldn't paste it here, I just created a simple Substack post for it: https://tompendergast.substack.com/p/my-writing-pleasure-meter
It's just a stub for now; I'll add to it and send it out eventually, but this was just for you Rebecca.
Great article Rebecca!
In answer to your question, I like the stage of getting everything down in the beginning. My thoughts are usually fresh on the subject matter and I can type it all out. I've kinda gotten away from using my notebooks right now because I can type it faster into my laptop. Then, I come back the next day and re-tweak it. Give myself some time to sleep on it. The next day, I have thought about more stuff I left out that should have been in there.
When I'm trying to sleep, I think of all kinds of words or phrases that were brilliant, and then I wake up in the morning and I can't remember them. I think to myself, "Oh no. Now what?". I'm going to have to take Julie's advice and leave a notebook and pen near my bed. I can't let this keep happening.
I have used Ctrl X but it has come back to bite me. Then it's Ctrl Z (undo).
Thanks, Matt!
Ah yes, Ctrl Z - where would we be without it?! Sometimes I think other things in life need an Undo button, but that's another whole story....!
I think sleeping on a piece of writing is a really good move. It's amazing how my feelings about it can evolve after a night's sleep.
I always have my notebook and pen on me (except in the shower, obvs!), and take them out of my back pocket in the evening to put on my bedside table. I used to fret about scribbling something down in public, like in the queue at the post office or out on a busy street, but these days I really don't care!
I am full of admiration, Rebecca. I tend to think of an idea, write it down, mull it over and write an article in my head, and then bash it out. I have found the best way of catching proofing errors is to hit "Publish" and then tweet it out to thousands of people: never fails!
LOL, Terry - thanks!
I LOVE that about catching errors - in my blogging days I would find exactly the same - I'd bung a post onto my website and only notice the howlers once it was up there and being engaged with!
Yes. The other way is to print off 200 copies and give them out at a really important conference. It saves a lot of time. Also, it means you get to see your name in print quicker!
Thanks for sharing your process - I love it! and the quiche and salad look yummy!
For me there's a point during the writing of the first draft, which sometimes starts with great difficulty, when it feels like things are starting to come together, that's probably favorite part.
It's funny how everyone has their own relationship with the writing process. I feel invincible when I start a draft -- maker of worlds, blank-page whisperer -- but toward the end of a first draft I question everything. Is this good? Is fiction a trivial pursuit? Am I really even a writer? Is today Wednesday? It's not until the rewrites that I start to regain confidence, and that process is slow.
Ah yes, those constant questions that dent our creative confidence at every turn! I love your invincibility at the start of a draft, Pablo - I need to get me some of that!
I love this, Rebecca, and am wondering if you'd like to post it as a guest post on my newsletter that deals with the writing process? I'd love that.
How lovely, Mary - thank you! I've just replied to your e-mail. :D
Yum! That quiche looks sooo good :-P I completely envy your organization when it comes to writing. I should take some notes from you! I'm terrible about planning posts, and then I generally panic when it's near time to meet my (self-imposed) deadline, hammer something out, agonize over whether it's ready enough to send (it never is) and then do it anyway. You've inspired me to try having a plan! :-)