On Writing: The Process

In order to give myself a break from editing Better Together, I thought that I would share my writing process. I thought that I would share why I think writing is hard.

Spoiler alert: It is long!

Step 1: Have brilliant idea for a story.
Maybe it starts with a character, maybe it starts with a scene, maybe it starts with a line of dialogue, maybe it starts with a point to make. However it starts, it always seems like the best idea for any story ever.

Step 2: Pre-write.
I'm a plotter, so I do everything. I write the one-line summary, the one-page summary, and the longer-than-one-page summary. I write out the big plot points and the subplot points and diagram the conflict. I summarize character backstory and the story's backstory. I research names and places and any details I may need to know. (For Cass, I looked up the old Route 66 and used Google maps to plot her route. For Cowboy, I researched cattle ranching in northern Colorado.) Everything gets written down and I refer back to it frequently.

Step 3: Write the action draft.
An action draft is the first draft of the story. If the outline is the skeleton, the action draft is the skeleton with muscle attached. Action, emotion, and dialogue are written out, usually in incomplete sentences. Well, the dialogue is usually complete. An action draft is usually written in present tense with an omniscient viewpoint, whereas the final result will be past tense third-person subjective.

Step 4: Write story.
Once the first draft is done, I write the second draft. I write full sentences, change the tense, stop head-hopping, that sort of thing.

Step 5: Rewrite.
Then I fix it. Usually whole sections need to be re-written. Dialogue is altered. Sometimes the point of view changes. By the time I'm done with this step, it's okay, but not ready. Not even close.

Step 6: Editing, round one.
This is usually when I get rid of the passive voice, delete the -ly words, and abandon commas, em-dashes, and semi-colons. (While swearing to stop my abuse of the English language immediately.)

Step 7: Editing, round two.
During this round of editing, I tend to focus on word choices, characterization, tone, voice, and dialogue. I start looking at sentence structures, overall rhythm, and sentence/paragraph length.

Step 8: Hate it.
Hating my work is a vital part of any project. By the end of the second round of edits, I hate every single word on every single page. I hate the characters. I hate the situation. I hate everything about it and I wonder what kind of crack I was smoking when I thought it would be such a good idea.

Step 9: Whine about hating it to anyone who will listen.
I am fortunate enough to have three good friends who are also writers. They understand the process. I think I amuse them when it comes time to whine. I also tend to whine about the writing to my parents. My dad is a photographer so he understands art and my mother just thinks I'm crazy.

Step 10: Editing, round three.
Each word, each sentence, each paragraph, each scene... This is the details round. Is that the right word? Are these sentences too much alike? Can his hand be here? What kind of hat is that?

Step 11: Read it.
I usually wait a few hours or a day between the last step and this one. I try to read it with fresh eyes. I try to read it as a reader and not as the hate-filled god of the world I've created.

Step 12: Give it to beta-readers and editor(s).
While it's off being hacked to small pieces by others, I ignore it. Pretend it doesn't exist. Don't open the file. And I stress and angst and panic about it the whole time. I also usually read it a few more times and make more changes before they send back their notes. Yes, I do mean plural. I send each story off to at least two people and usually four or five, depending on what it's about.

Step 13: Editing, round four.
This round of editing is mercifully short. I go through each beta's/editor's notes and make changes as I see fit.

Step 14: Read it again.
But I still have to read it through one more time as a reader. At this point, I'm usually drunk, so my hate is mellowed by whiskey/champagne/red wine.

Step 15: Angst about it.
Is it good enough? Does it say what I want it to say? Is this the best story I can tell? Is this my story or could it belong to anyone? Why did I write this? Why is it special? Why do I think anyone will want to read this?

Step 15: Publish it.
I shove it out into the world. I'm done. It's ready. It is good enough. It does say what I want it to say. It is the best story I can tell.

Step 16: Have another brilliant idea for another story.