Question:
I don’t know about any burning question, but I have a question that I love
to ask every writer I can:
*What are the specifics of your writing process?
*Do you outline first or just dive right in? Do you write everything out by
hand first? If so, are you picky about paper and pens and things like
that? Is there a specific time of day you like to write at? A favorite
writing spot? Do you have rituals or do you find all of that
distracting? About how many drafts/revisions do you go through before your
writing actually gets published?
-LNLisa
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LNLisa,
I outline to the extent I know (a) the protagonist/sleuth; (b) the victim; (c) who the killer is and why; (d) the set-up, meaning what happens very specifically up to the moment my sleuth (Josie Toadfern) gets involved in the crime. I call this “getting to the !#$%ed body.” Once I’ve done that, I take a day, watch movies and have sushi for lunch. My sushi/movie day is my reward for getting to the !#$%ed body! After that, I start asking myself, “what next steps would Josie and her friends–and the crime professionals–take to solve this murder?” The answer to the crime professionals’ next steps is important even though they are rarely “on stage” because Josie will either be interacting with them–or avoiding them. Then I go from there. I do not do a specific chapter-by-chapter outline. I guess you could call the above method “making it up as I go along, with guidelines.” E.L. Doctorow once said that writing is a lot like driving a car at night in the fog, but with headlights. You don’t know the how the whole trip is going to play out, but it’s enough to get you to the destination.
I do some things by hand. In a regular notebook, I’ll jot notes–scene ideas, possible character names, etc. I jot scene ideas on index cards also. This way I can shuffle the scenes around, add, discard, etc., until it starts to take shape. (This technique is especially useful for the post “get to the !#$%ed body” phase.) I also keep a huge artist’s pad handy, for “webbing,” the technique where you write a core idea in a circle in the middle, and then branch out from there. The actual writing happens on my computer and I also keep a novel journal on my computer. Basically that means that each morning, before I do the “real” writing, I open up the novel journal, whine pitifully about the writing life (Heaven help me if anyone ever reads these journals!), get that angst out of my system… and then I start the real work of the day.
I am not at all picky about paper or pens. I just like to have plenty around!
As to specific time of day, I try to do my fiction writing first thing, after my kids are off to school. I also have “day job” writing that I do–marketing communications freelancing–and I focus on that in the afternoon.
A favorite writing spot: I’m blessed to have an office in my house (justified by the marketing communications freelancing, which is my bread & butter), but one day a week I take the laptop and go to a nearby coffee shop. There, I am not distracted by phone calls, email, the temptation to distract myself with moving a load of wash to the dryer… although I do take my cell phone with me in case my kids have a school emergency. (They know to call that number first, anyway, since I sometimes have to go on client calls for that day job work.) I’m always amazed at how much I get done on my coffee shop days.
My only rituals are: (at home, not at coffee shop!) lighting a candle at the start of the writing session and coffee. Lots of coffee!
I revise the beginning third many times. It’s hard to say how many times because of working on the computer! The middle gets revised, but not as much. And for whatever reason, I find the last third requires very little revision–just a basic edit, usually–and tends to get written in adrenalin rush. (During that part of the novel, all comments about writing schedules get thrown out of the window, and my family gets to fend for itself.)
I hope this helps. Just remember, every writer’s methods/rituals etc. are unique to him or her. Whatever works for you–meaning you’re happy with the final draft!–is what you should do!
Best of luck,
Sharon
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Do you outline first or just dive right in?
I outline first. My outlines are very simple. 2-3 sentences per chapter that allow me to get the clues right and to put characters where they need to be. Then I tend to let it stew in the back of my mind for a bit before I start to write.
Do you write everything out by
hand first? If so, are you picky about paper and pens and things like
that?
No, I compose on the computer and revise with pen and paper.
Is there a specific time of day you like to write at?
Mornings if I can, any time otherwise.
A favorite writing spot?
My desk in my office.
Do you have rituals or do you find all of that distracting?
None.
About how many drafts/revisions do you go through before your writing actually gets published?
5-7 depending on whether it’s fiction or non-fiction.
Jeff
by Jeff
on March 11th, 2006 at 9:40 am
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First, thanks for the question!
I don’t outline in a traditional way. I use the movie arc method. I know the beginning, middle, and end, and as I go along, I fill in the in-between plot points.
That said, I do outline traditionally when I get stuck. It helps to work out the kinks.
I used to write everything by hand, then plug it into the computer. There’s something about putting a pen to paper that jump-starts my creativity. But it didn’t take long for my wrists to start complaining about that method, so now I pretty much type everything. I do have to plot on paper, though, usually in pencil because I change things a lot. And I also have to do revisions on paper.
I tend to write in the mornings mostly, once the house is empty, and I can’t say I have a favorite writing spot. My favorite revising spot, however, is the big comfy chair in the living room.
Distractions? I’m so easily distracted! Computer games, most specifically Freecell and Spider Solitaire, are my downfalls. Email, too. I’m a procrastinator, so I’ll look for anything to put off what I’m *supposed* to be doing.
All told, I’ll have three or four drafts before the book is finally turned in, but then there’s the editor’s revisions, the copy edits, the galleys to read through…
Great questions! Thanks!
~heather
by Heather
on March 11th, 2006 at 10:05 am
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Hello LNLisa! Thanks for writing to us.
I didn’t use to be an outliner, but I am now. I’ll often spend more time on my outline than on the actual prose! It just seems to work well for me that way.
My writing schedule is basically “whenever I can.” I have two young children who are my main “job,” so I have to write around their needs! My main day is Friday, when my mom watches my daughter while my son is at kindergarten. That’s a precious day!
I am one of the fortunate writers who has an office in the house set aside for just me. I have a window to look out at the fields surrounding my house, and a beautiful room to do it in. I work on an iMac and only write by hand when I’m taking notes!
I go through lots of drafts before sending my work in. Once I have a first draft, I go through it again, at least once, then give it to a few trusted readers. Then I work on it again once or twice before sending it to my editor. My first book I must’ve re-written 25 times. I was pretty sick of it! : )
Writing is a very personal process. You find what works best for you, but sometimes it takes a while to figure that out. And sometimes you have to work within a time framework that’s thrust upon you. However it ends up, you write because you must, and because you love it!
Good luck with your own writing!
by Judy
on March 11th, 2006 at 11:06 am
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Wow! Squealing Fan-girl here.
A few months out of the loop to write a book, a measly Maine winter, and the whole world changes! What a super blog this is! I’m adding it to my favorites right now. And then I’m getting right back to the archives. Hope to see you guys at Malice. If Jeff is not still in Puerto Vallarta. Grrr…or as we say in the Great Northern Woods, brrr….
Yours,
Julia
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Julia,
It’s great to see you here! Thanks for stopping by!
If anyone out there hasn’t read a Julia Spencer-Fleming book, RUN to your nearest bookseller.
~heather
by Heather
on March 12th, 2006 at 11:23 am
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Thank you so much for answering my question, or rather, questions! I love to learn about how other people write. Besides getting ideas from them, learning about how other people go through the writing process helps me to understand myself better! I tend to free-write some and outline some, and Sharon’s description, “making it up as I go along, with guidelines” really struck a chord with me!
Thank you again for taking the time to answer my question!
by LNLisa
on March 13th, 2006 at 11:15 am
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Please forgive me if this is inappropriate for this site but I would like to offer my services as a technical consultant in the weapons field, particularly firearms. I am an avid reader and longtime arms enthusiast. Among firearms people the many errors of fact about firearms and their use is a standing joke (”I flipped off the safety of my Smith & Wesson revolver” is a classic) At this point in time I am not necessarily looking for compensation, just another way of enjoying my hobbies. If this is of any interest to anyone please feel free to contact me.
KB
by Kyle Baker
on March 2nd, 2007 at 2:21 pm
