Love this. My creative process is so damned messy I sometimes despair. I get an idea, write a bit, then decide I need some structure so I work on that, then I get bored and write more. Things proceed along these lines until I reach the end of the draft. But I guess all that matters is that I reach the end!
An idea or a character propels me to write an outline (I wrote screenplays before novels). My outline is a blueprint of my story, but fluid. I can change it at any moment. I write in chronological order. I'm very visual and usually I see the story unfolding in pictures. Once I'm done with the first draft, my process really begins. Normally, I will do two rewrites to get the structure right. Then one for characters. One for pacing. One for dialogue. And two more for the itsy-bitsy stuff, then I will hand it over to an editor/proofreader. It's a long process.🩵
I embraced my inner nerd and brought back the Hipster PDA. I always keep that and a pen in my shirt pocket for these occasions. If I am driving, I use my Apple watch to capture voice memos, then set a reminder to transcribe them (automatically using Word online) when I get home or to the office. I also have a Traveler's notebook in my sling bag for lengthier ideas while I am out and about.
Oh, God, I'm so glad an author with as many books under her belt as you, shares this messy process, too! I keep chalking mine up to inexperience (only 4 books in) or that there is something seriously wrong with me (there probably is, but aside from that...)! I'm marginally improving from being a complete pantster to having some structure, but at that same point in each book, it gets unbelievably muddy, messy, and just plain stinky. Only to emerge as something I'm reasonably proud of 😉 Thank you for sharing!
Love this. My creative process is so damned messy I sometimes despair. I get an idea, write a bit, then decide I need some structure so I work on that, then I get bored and write more. Things proceed along these lines until I reach the end of the draft. But I guess all that matters is that I reach the end!
An idea or a character propels me to write an outline (I wrote screenplays before novels). My outline is a blueprint of my story, but fluid. I can change it at any moment. I write in chronological order. I'm very visual and usually I see the story unfolding in pictures. Once I'm done with the first draft, my process really begins. Normally, I will do two rewrites to get the structure right. Then one for characters. One for pacing. One for dialogue. And two more for the itsy-bitsy stuff, then I will hand it over to an editor/proofreader. It's a long process.🩵
I embraced my inner nerd and brought back the Hipster PDA. I always keep that and a pen in my shirt pocket for these occasions. If I am driving, I use my Apple watch to capture voice memos, then set a reminder to transcribe them (automatically using Word online) when I get home or to the office. I also have a Traveler's notebook in my sling bag for lengthier ideas while I am out and about.
Oh, God, I'm so glad an author with as many books under her belt as you, shares this messy process, too! I keep chalking mine up to inexperience (only 4 books in) or that there is something seriously wrong with me (there probably is, but aside from that...)! I'm marginally improving from being a complete pantster to having some structure, but at that same point in each book, it gets unbelievably muddy, messy, and just plain stinky. Only to emerge as something I'm reasonably proud of 😉 Thank you for sharing!