Writing Corner: How I Write - Going with the Flow

Writing, for me, is a very individual endeavour.  I don't mean writing individually versus writing as a duo.  I mean that each writer has their own process, ritual, timetable, schedule, etc.  I've posted before about how I research.  Some writers love to research and spend more than half of their time researching while other writers want to devote their time to creating characters, building worlds, and/or developing intricate plots.  They agonize over the correct words to use to paint pictures in the readers minds, wanting everything to be just right.

I, however, am a full-time student in a doctorate program.  I have a limited amount of time to write so I cannot afford to do extensive research nor other creative tasks, no matter how much I may wish to.  So fair warning, this 'How I Write' is based on my writing process and will not work for everyone.

After I've done my preliminary research, I switch to writing mode.  Anything I may need to go back and research further I put in [ brackets ] or highlight.  I keep writing, I don't stop to look things up while I am writing.  I've found that stopping to look something up slows me down.  If I cannot think of the perfect word at that moment, I'll highlight the passage with a comment about how I need to go back and expand or fill in this area.

If you are in a writing groove but you have to step away for a meeting, family time, school, work, etc., take a paper notebook and pen with you.  You may have the opportunity to continue handwriting.  I've found that while people may object to you typing on your phone, laptop, or computer notebook, for some reason they don't have as big a problem with you writing something by hand.  Go figure.

Sometimes, I know I have to take a significant writing break.  I am a student, so I have to study for exams or I am devoted to medical rotations.  I could also be on vacation with family or friends.  However, if I am on a hot writing streak prior to taking a significant break, then I will do a brief outline of upcoming book events.  I don't extensively outline my work prior to writing, I have general plot points and character arcs, but I don't plan out the minutiae.  When I'm on a role but heading to a hard stop, then I will make bullet points of things that I need to write when I come back from my break.  This allows me to resume very quickly with minimal review of earlier parts of the book.

I have three parts of my writing process.  First is research, world, characters, and plot.  The second is writing, then finally editing.  As much as possible, I try to devote my attention to each section individually.  I don't write while I am researching, I don't edit while I write, etc.  It helps me to keep my roles separate, but that is just me.  If any of this is helpful to your process, then great.  What do you enjoy most as a writer?  Do you outline extensively, or just wing it?  Do you edit while you write?  Maybe you write a chapter, then edit that chapter, then move on to the next?

You can reply to this blog post, contact me via Twitter, or submit an anonymous reply here.