Creating A Writing Process

Writing processes are such difficult things to capture. If someone were to ask me “What’s your writing process?”, I’d shrug and say, “I write.” 

I just do it. 

But of course, there was a lot of buildup to get to the “I just do it” stage. 

A writing process can look like many things. 

1. It could be how to get ideas onto the paper.

2. It could be the routine you set up for yourself.

3. It could be how you start your workday. 

Let’s discuss my writing process from when that first spark of an idea arrives in my brain:

Once that spark hits, I don’t wait. I write that down. I will write until the spark runs out. I don’t like the spark; I like receiving the spark, but I don’t like hanging onto it. If you hang onto a spark, you get burnt. 

By that, I mean, if you stay excited about the story, you’ll write absolute trash which is tinted with rose coloured glasses. 

So, I like to write everything down until the spark disappears. I write different scenes, I write one sentence ideas, I write all the characterisation. Once the spark disappears, I go back and re-read the work. I’ll even write a really loose plan for the novel (I never follow it, but it makes me feel like I’ve got my s*$# together). 

Once I’m back into the slog of it, I go back into my writing routine. 

Now. I’m a big advocate for going with the flow, listening to what you need, and fitting in writing as it fits. 

But I do have a routine. A routine I stick to as it fits. 

And I do find it really valuable. 

In the morning, I wake up one hour before I need to leave for work. I roll out of bed, boil the jug and make myself a coffee - the most important morning ritual. 

Once the coffee is made, I’ll sit down at my desk and open my laptop. I say laptop, but I’m a starving artist, it’s a Chromebook, and it was the cheapest I could find. 

It’s really slow, so I’ll sip my coffee as it loads. 

Then I’ll open Reddit, Medium, Goodreads, and my website to read stories, reply to comments and interact with all the wonderful communities online. 

I’ll then write and post a story to these sites. 

Once I feel satisfied with my socialising for the day, I’ll open my WIP and get writing. This usually doesn’t last for too long, as I have to head into wor,k but I’ll get my word count in, and often I’ll exceed the goal. 

My daily word count goal: One word. 

If my brain is churning with ideas, I’ll often write when I get home from work as well. But usually I try to keep my writing to the morning. Staying sane is hard as a writer, and keeping my imagination to certain hours in the day is one way I try to keep a grasp on reality.

How would you describe your writing process?