I have been writing for many years and have discovered the various types of methods used by other writers to create their works. This is my process.
Every writer has a process by which they tell stories. Some write only after creating an outline while others write without a plan. There are many labels for these types. Plotters and Pantsers, Architects and Gardeners, Macro and Micro Planners…
For the more organized writer, you begin with an outline. Outlining involves organizing your story ideas with enough detail that each scene becomes a manageable order of events. This is useful for chapter breaks and story arcs. Once the outline is complete, you know ahead of time what is going to happen so you plan for each twist as you go.
Research is also a part of outlining. Information is readily accessible online so printing out or copying the data makes for a much more efficient process. Maybe you need to know how bridges are made or how car windows shatter. Thanks to the internet, we have more information at our fingertips than ever before. Research might not always make it into your story, but understanding how things work makes for a better flow in the end.
When you approach the process in an organized manner, research is a godsend.
For those who write with little or no organization, the process is more instinctive. It can be like reaching inside to find every mental block you have ever felt in your mind, then kicking them aside. Writing is the goal and little else. (You inner editors can stand in the corner and zip it!) When writing without a plan, there are no half-measures possible. This process requires commitment. You take your spot in the story and just run with it. The story might be at the beginning or it might be in the middle. Wherever it is, you take the scene and go.
Following the characters becomes akin to taking dictation. The story becomes a movie in your head. (With you as a captive audience.) Research is something that does not happen until after the story is done. If you have someone in your story with a serious wound and blood loss must be treated, you don’t stop to look up what the symptoms are or what must be done. You make a quick note and move on with the story. You can fill in the details later. Don’t know how to clean a gun, but your bad guy does? Look it up afterwards. When the story is done and your rollercoaster ride has concluded, you can let the editors back in. (Preferably a week or so later)
“Editing will be necessary regardless of what method you use.”
Outlining leads to more preparations but edits are always needed. Writers don’t put down perfect words when they sit at a keyboard. Mistakes will creep in. Repetitive words will happen again and again. Plot holes will grow… (Oh, the plot holes...) In the end, no matter what method you use, the story takes shape and the world you created will become your own.
What method do I use?
Honestly? Both. I outline and plan the stories I work on throughout the year. Some will see publication soon and others will take years. I research, plan and outline with all the details I can produce until the story is ready for me to tackle. I especially enjoy finding quotes for the beginning of each chapter, providing the reader a glimpse into what the chapter will reveal.
I enjoy both methods, but then again, I’m a glutton for punishment. I illustrate my own books and book covers. For me, when I write the last page, another part of my process begins. (Ah, the creative life!)
The journey of writing is a worthy endeavor I will always enjoy.
Find your method and work at your craft. The process becomes easier, the stories, stronger. In the end, the worlds you create will find the readers you seek. Onwards!