How to Find Your Writing Process

Creating a writing process can take a lot of trial and error in order to figure out what works best for you. Although there are no rules to writing process, there are ways to create a process that makes the most of your own workflow and is most effective for helping you navigate your project!

RELATED VIDEOS

TIMESTAMPS
0:00 - Intro
1:25 - Identifying your work style
2:24 - Studying your workflow
3:44 - Identifying problems
5:44 - Keep trying new things
6:06 - Be prepared to change things
7:20 - Knowing what your project needs

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[RodneyBuxton]

Oh my gosh I feel better to know I'm not alone. There are hundreds of blogs that say to write everyday. I find myself writing everyday for a week or so and then feel completely drained. So I take a few days off, two or three then get back to it. But I always felt bad, like I should be writing everyday. When I wasn't writing I was thinking about where the story would go next. What the characters would do or say. When I sat down with the laptop again I was recharged and ready to go. It's just nice to know I'm not alone.

[amy-suewisniewski]

I tried outlining my last project and loved it, and when I got to writing I realized I could have outlined SO MUCH MORE. I spent so much time humming and hawing, staring at a blank page. It's like I knew how to get from A to C in my outline, but not A to B then B to C. And I've still managed it this way, and done a lot of "discoveries" about my story along the way. But I think for the next project, I'm going to outline even more. I worried for a bit that without "discovery" writing parts that I would lack creativity, that my story would be uninspired and formulaic. But it's all coming from the same mind, all I'm really doing is changing when I brainstorm and taking it in steps. Instead of brainstorming then and there and getting it all on the page, I'm brainstorming before hand as step one before writing. I think doing this for my next project will be much better.

[acsmith]

I've written two books, currently working on a third.
Book 1: I created a loose outline. It wasn't done with "beats" or a three act structure at all. I just had a list of what needs to happen at each point, and sort of pantsed my way between each of them. This process worked okay for me, but did not result well (of course, it was my first book.)
Book 2: I followed a three act structure and used a beat sheet. It was written linearly, which afterwards I felt somewhat hindered my progress at times. Like, I had motivation to write but the particular scene in front of me wasn't an especially exciting one. At other times that did serve as a motivator. It was like, okay, all I have to do is get through this part and the next scene is going to be really fun. Worth the effort! This process worked alright, but again I've switched.
Book 3: Currently only about 15% of the way completed. What I'm doing this time is, it's based on a three act structure with beats, less "ironed-out" than book 2 was. So there's a bit more pantsing between events. This time, though, I'm not writing linearly. So, the whole thing is planned out, but I'm jumping around to whichever scenes I'm "feeling" at the time. Eventually I'll just have to fill in the gaps. I expect this to result in a lot more revision at the end than book 2 required, but we'll see!

[perryedwards]

I wish I'd have seen you 30 years ago... Your doing a wonderful thing!

[sumayyahkhan]

I concentrate more when i am writing at the night for some odd reason
I use the heros journey to structure my book
I add a twist to the structure to make sure its not the same as any other book
I add a dynamic character
I do certain types of mystery to make the pkot more inteesting
For your next video can you please do how to write an adventure story
I would really appreciate you doing this
Not that i dont appreciate what your doing now
Your videos are the best and nearly 18.9 thousand people love you

[authorEE_ESE]

My writing process has been a number of different methods. I actually learned the hard way to not try something new on a different area of my life, so I definitely took that as a lesson and applied it in my writing.

Until just this New Year, I have always been a mixture of a plotter and a pantser. I would have a minor idea developed but then I would fly by the seat of my pants. That worked for a while, but then I decided to switch things up and the current project I am working on has been following a cemented outline with room to grow. This project NEEDED to follow set plan. I strongly feel that this project would not have reached where it is if I did not stick with my outline and plan.

[kimwicks]

As always great advice! I'm currently working with a mixed process where I make a more general outline, with some ideas for scenes etc but nothing very detailed. I pin point the main plot lines and work freely between those. For now it's going well :)

[maggiepfob]

I can't tell you how much I enjoy your videos! They help me make sense of what I'm going through in trying to improve my craft. So validating - AND helpful, too.


I wonder if you would do a video someday addressing what seems to be my biggest weakness. I often wonder if I'm the only one who finds the Big, Fat, High-Action Climax Scene to be the hardest part of a novel to write. I mean, it's probably because I really don't enjoy that kind of thing as a reader, either. When I come to The Inevitable Acrophobia Scene or the Big Bloody Battle in movies, I often use it as a chance to take a bathroom break.


But readers dig this stuff, and Story Structure demands it, so you gotta write one. Right? I literally spend more time trying to write a decent climax than I do on the entire rest of the novel. Should I maybe write it first next time? What would you suggest?

[_antonia]

Hi, beautiful soul :)
Thank you for always being there.

[andyweb]

My process is PANIC that I'm not getting enough done then write from 23:00 to 00:45 in a trance-like state... If it works it works! :-D

[Citi_lightss]

I think reading new titles like Three dark crowns, Voyagers of hell help me improve my writing style.

[milestrombley]

Pretty much my writing process is trying to complete a 1, 000 word chapter each day with a skeleton outline. Right now it is slowing me down.

[worldwarwitt]

Dont be afraid to do it wrong, especially since it is not your process

[ZACHTHECAVEMAN]

Well I'm fairly new at it so I make it up as I go

[dcle]

When you don’t outline, are your storylines tight or are they meandering and you can take out a few scenes without affecting the storylines?

[Waedmenalnass]

My proplem is that everything I write seems meanless.