The Process of Writing

There is probably a better place to post this. I'm putting it here because this is where everybody comes.

If you have been around here for a while, you know that I have been a writing teacher for, well, thirty years now, since I've been tutoring since I retired. The writing needs and skills of high school students are different, in many ways, from those of professionals or working to become professionals. There are some general procedures, though, that apply to all of us, I think.

And my thinking is based, not just on personal experience and observation, but scores and scores of workshops, textbooks, and lectures from those with more knowledge and experience than I could ever have managed on my own.

I've learned about many processes that are very different from one another, but one of the points they all have had in common is that writing is a process. The process begins in our heads, with an idea. At the end of most, but not necessarily all, of the processes is a product. The steps in between are not set in stone, but most writing teachers would agree on the basic steps, and that they most often work in a certain order. The steps are sometimes given new names, especially by textbook and workshop developers who are trying to sell a product, and want to convince prospective buyers that they are on to something new.

Generally, though, the steps can be divided into a creating stage, a developing stage, and a finishing stage. (my terms - there are lots of others, including simply a beginning, middle, and end).

The creating stage starts in the writer's head, with that idea I wrote of above. The idea has to be made tangible by getting it on paper, or today, into a computer. some of us, especially those of us who began writing in a pre-computer era, still begin with a pencil and paper, but more and more are comfortable with a keyboard. Whatever, that idea has to be put in a form that can be read first, by ourselves, the writer, and next, maybe a few trusted readers. At this point we are still a long way from a product that we are willing to put out to a general public. It is important to the quality of the finished product, at this early stage, that we are not overly critical of ourselves. We are in the stage that Anne Lamott, in her book, Bird by Bird: Some instructions on Writing and Life, refers to as “sh**ty first drafts.” (If you are like I was, you may feel offended the first few times you read that phrase. Our first drafts are so much better than it implies. She is merely trying to remind us that they are first drafts, and once we have them written down, and in enough of a whole piece, we may want to change the wording a bit.). When we do begin to look over what we are writing, as we move into the developing stage, it is generally agreed that it is a good idea to go from general to specific: That paragraph would be better in the introduction, maybe, rather than so near the end, or hidden in the middle. When we have a feel for the general sequence, then we can start to look at our sentence structures – their syntax, only, though. It’s a bit early for grammar and mechanics. They are part of the finishing. Developing is about sequencing, and adding or subtracting stuff, creating a flow for our ideas as we make them into a story. Once we have the complete story, told in the style and order we feel is most effective, we move from development into finishing. It is only here, and not until we get here, that we worry about the smaller stuff: Are our adjectives descriptive enough? Have we appealed to all of our readers senses that are appropriate to the tone and mood of the piece? Are their still bits where we might show more and tell less? And finally, Have we used the proper mechanics: periods, semi-colons, commas, etc. in a way that makes our intent clear? At this point, if you're on a computer, and most of us are at this stage in this day, it’s okay to run a spell-check. Remember, though, that you can’t rely on it to catch everything. One technique that I learned early on was to go through the piece backwards. Too often, we “see” what we meant to write, rather than what we actually typed.

If this seems to be too cut and dried, an over-simplification, it probably is. I should add that the parts of the process are recursive, and each flows into the other, with no clear line of where one stops and the other starts. some writers, especially with longer works, like to complete the process on bits at a time, some go back and forth, other do better just plowing though the whole creation before looking back at it and reflecting on changes.

At some point in the process, we individually reach our personal point where our writing becomes more reader-directed than writer-directed. The more we move into that “reader-directed” phase, the more we probably ought to muster the courage to share and ask for suggestions. This step is easier for some writers than it is for others. Our first readers function a bit like teachers.

And here, I’d like to shift gears a little, and focus on that function of being an early reader of a fellow writers work. As a classroom teacher, I learned, both from experience and training, that it is important to the writer’s finished product, that we give our advice and suggestions based on (a) where the writer is in the process, and that we focus, first, on (b) what we see as being positive in the writing. After we have encouraged the writer by pointing out the really good stuff, we can be helpful by giving our impression as a reader, of what might need more clarification, or be more interesting if it were presented in a different manner. And we need to be clear in our own minds, when we offer advice that involves making changes, that we have not allowed our own egos to get in the way.

Diversity, we are beginning to learn, is a good thing. Writers have diverse styles, too. The more fluent writers can often be recognized by their unique style. It is not our job as readers to attempt to impose our style onto another’s writing.

Now. All that being said, when a writer wants to be published, and paid for what they’ve written, a point arrives where the work has to go to an outside editor. That editor ought to be someone who understands the markets, genres, and what the average reader will be willing to pay for. To my way of thinking, this is not what most writers, in the WIP stages, are looking for when they first put their creations out to readers. Not everyone has the qualifications and credentials to be an editor, and those who do, generally, I would think, would want to be paid. I think that most of our writers here, when the get the courage to post a WIP or concept, are looking for an early readers’ advice rather than an editors’ advice. Maybe
not, but it might help if we are clear about which hat we are wearing when we give advice, and if we are giving editorial advice, that we share those
qualifications and credentials.

I think more people might be willing to post their work on the writer’s forums and threads if we did so.

Just me

Ann

Ann.

I think many who look for input get shot down too quickly. Are they looking for editing input or if there story is of interest? It may be better if the person making the post provide more clarification.

That, too, Abe.

Ann

Good sound advice Ann.

I'm no expert just a humble writer.
I think we all have different ways of getting our thoughts down during the rough draft phase.
I tend to use a note book and write in pen when writing stories.
For me the important thing is allowing my story to flow out unhindered by the mechanics of plotting or grammer and I find hand writing assists me with that goal.

I write like I'm reading the story for the first time not knowing what will happen on the next page. I let the story live taking on a life of its own.
Often I have an idea to begin with which just becomes a launching pad for my creative process. I think stories are born not created.

The technical stuff comes with the polishing and rewriting phases. But this is just what works for me.

That was a wise post Ann top marks.

David wrote:

Quote :

I think we all have different ways of getting our thoughts down during the rough draft phase.
I tend to use a note book and write in pen when writing stories.
For
me the important thing is allowing my story to flow out unhindered by
the mechanics of plotting or grammer and I find hand writing assists me
with that goal.

I write like I'm reading the story for the
first time not knowing what will happen on the next page. I let the
story live taking on a life of its own.
Often I have an idea to
begin with which just becomes a launching pad for my creative process.
I think stories are born not created.

Yes!

Within that process, we all have unique ways of creating, and as Clarissa Pinkola Estes wrote in The Creative Fire, sometimes the best thing for us to do as writers is "to simply get out of the way."

Ann

Good posts everyone.

Carol

I added Ann's post to Literature & Fiction:

http://shelaghwatkins.wordpress.com

Dear Ann,
You are the voice of reason in chaos. All writers are in wonderland. That is the truth. We are bubbles of thought that burst before we can record, dreams that go on and on, rememberings that hurt and move us toward the unknown catharsis. When we write, we unload our mind. Someone may connect or not. Those old authors who wrote in the light of a candle or lamp knew. It was what your soul needs to do. Connect. There is no template for that. Each person is unique. Wanting to put it all into words makes us writers.

Love,
Betty

Hi Ann
Great thread - it should be made a 'sticky'.....
Hi Shelagh......Please make this thread a 'sticky'...

Luigie,

Good idea.

Carol

Yay! Thanks Shelagh it is a good 'sticky'
A very good reference thread......It would be nice if a few more experienced writers could add to it from time to time.
I'm a newby, an article such as this is enlightening.
And, thanks Ann....Good post, much appreciated.

Thank you for starting the tread and for taking the trouble to write such an informative opening post.



I think the process you describe is largely true of how I work. I begin with a perceived gap in the market; I shape an idea that would fill it and selling that idea to the commissioning editor.



I outline the content. This involves the creation of a series of blank pages (on screen) with short notes on each which encompass the whole work. I spend most of my time filling in those blanks pages. I do this through private conversations between me and the page. I stop the conversation at the level l believe is right for the intended audience. I enjoy some of these ‘conversations’ more than others.



The idea stage may only take a day or three, other times it is brewing for longer. Sometimes filling the blank pages takes four months other times six. I never change the idea when writing the content and very rarely change the outline but instead I save new ideas for another day.



The process is the same whatever type of book I’m writing.

Hi, Mike.

And all of our individual processes follow guidelines that are similar to that basic process.

We can all learn much from each other if we keep sharing how it works for us as individuals.

Ann

Ann,

Brew left a comment for you that you might like to reply to on Literature & Fiction:

http://shelaghwatkins.wordpress.com/2010/02/12/the-process-of-writing/

Ann, your post has set me free. I was struggling with the memoir because remembering does not come in a cronological order. I was trying to remember the past that way. I feel better. I will separate the original draft into sections. School, houses and towns, god-awful stuff, little moments of joy a paragraph long, and then try to put it in a form that makes sense.



Love,
Betty

Good idea, Betty. The form will take shape after you have more of it written down.

Ann

Ann

I get muddled. Writing demands the time to manage the chaos and I’m getting better at it with practice. I firmly believe the best is to come.

Learning and sharing; gets my vote.

Mike

PS where is San Antonio (I’m in St Vincent and the Grenadines) a wonderful place.

San Antonio, Texas, Mike. Ever hear of the Alamo? The nearest I've ever been to St. Vincent was St. John and Virgin Gorda. They were both incredibly beautiful.

Ann

Hi Guys and Dolls

The undermentioned URL's may be of interest.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2010/feb/20/ten-rules-for-writing-fiction-part-one

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2010/feb/20/10-rules-for-writing-fiction-part-two

Wow, Llew! I'm worn out reading all that! I know what I'm doing wrong now -- everything! That's three exclamation points! Oops, there goes another one. I'm doomed.

Couldn't get through it all without becoming more confused.
But, it is good stuff. I'll use a 'grain of salt' when I re-read it.

Okay. Just spent my morning coffee reading all that advice. Sheesh. I feel like I've been told to do this, not that, but sometimes that's okay, sometimes not. I think I need to bookmark the links and come back to it. Way too much to download this morning! (only one exclamation point throughout--I'm learning already!--oops.)

Thanks Llew for posting it.

Hi Helen
It's a pleasure.
As a 'newbie', would be, author, I found it all a bit intimidating......
One bit of encouragement, I gleaned from the comments, was that one must 'keep on keeping on' no matter what.
In one way or another, all the authors seem to have this message.

Hi Llew,

The suggestions from the many authors did seem intimidating--and some contradicted others. But there was a lot of good stuff in there to soak in. And some to just pass over.

Yes, we all must "keep on keeping on" and write and rewrite many times over.