100 Day Creative Challenge Day 53: Process
Ten years ago I decided to write a book — so I did. I believed that my years of reading voraciously, studying literature and teaching writing qualified me. I wish I’d stayed as innocent as I was then. Writing a book is actually as simple as just writing, but is also as complex as building a house.
Along the way, I’ve had to learn about process.
I always worked until I had something done and I always stopped when I knew what was going to happen next. That way I could be sure of going on the next day. Ernest Hemingway
Figuring our how I work and what works best for me has been a huge learning curve. Refining the process means I’m more productive and focused and relaxed.
- Do you like to sit for hours in one place and write like crazy or write an hour a day in disciplined blocks? (I like sitting for hours, but am trying to be be more disciplined daily.)
- Do you research every single detail before you begin or add details as you go along? (I research before and during)
- Do you like working alone or do you need company? (I need to be alone)
- Do you need a detailed plan or do you like to write from rough notes? (I need a detailed outline, but it’s more like a skeleton)
I do not plan my fiction any more than I normally plan woodland walks; I follow the path that seems most promising at any given point, not some itinerary decided before entry. John Fowles
- Can you work in cafés or do you need seclusion? ( I can work in airport or cafes, but only when I’m on my own. Seclusion is best for concentration.)
- Do you write on paper or laptop? (I write with a pen and get my manuscripts typed up. I edit on screen.)
I prefer the pen. There is something elemental about the glide and flow of nib and ink on paper. James Robertson
Today I created a couple of spreadsheets with goals for the next twenty weeks. Twenty weeks equals twenty chapters of both of my works-in-progress. It feels good to have a plan. Now I can move on in my process!
You might not write well every day, but you can always edit a bad page. You can’t edit a blank page.”
― Jodi Picoult
My friend, Lisa Clifford from The Art of Writing is doing a great series at the moment about her process. You might like to follow her blog as she gives you a window into her writing world. If you get super-inspired you may, like me, end up going to one of Lisa’s retreats in Tuscany and learn from her in person.
