My writing “process” (so far)
There’s no one writing process.
And there’s no “right” writing process. Which is why writing is so freeing. The only cardinal rule of writing, is just to write. That’s it. Get something on the page, and voila! You’re a writer.
But writing and coming up with an interesting plot for a novel, i.e., thinking multiple steps ahead, keeping track of characters and subplot points…requires a bit more forethought and isn’t something you can just sit down and bang out (usually, but what do I know? I’ve never done this before).
While my first nugget of an idea just came to me and I wrote like mad, for other plot inspirations to fit and start to take the shape of an actual complex story with layers, I did have to put in the work and extra thought behind it. It doesn’t just magically come to you.
But once your mind is in the right mindset, and you know what you’re looking for, you just don’t know what it is exactly…that’s the perfect frame of mind to be in (I think) as a writer.
So for example. When I started my book. I knew I wanted X to happen eventually, but I had no idea what caused X. I just knew that X had happened, and that’s where my story begins.
Ok. I could work with that. So I started there, knowing I would have to revisit the “why” part later. I didn’t worry it at the time. I just wrote what I thought made sense and what I liked. Then later as other plot points came to me, I was able to back-track and figure out the exact “why” and figured out the entire exposition of my story.
When you first have a “light-bulb-genius” book idea, you usually don’t know the exact details yet. I didn’t even know the setting of my book, not exactly. I knew what time period I wanted but that was it. I didn’t even have the setting fleshed out which is usually one of the first things a writer establishes. I knew who my main protagonist was, my rough idea for a plot/source of conflict, and a time setting. That was it. That’s all I started with. But it was enough to get me going. And once I ran with it, little by little, all the other details started to “magically” fall into place.
I would know the right idea instantly whenever it came to me. Right away. No hesitation. Because it made sense. As soon as I get the “right” thought (because you get many bogus ideas, too, of course) I become instantly very excited and grab my phone or notepad or whatever’s closest to me and jot down my idea like mad so I don’t lose it.
Lately, I’ve become very attached to the Voice Memo app on my phone. I use it constantly. When I’m driving and get a burst of inspiration, it’s especially helpful. I can just start recording myself and my thoughts are recorded as I’m thinking them out-loud; then later I can revisit and listen to myself and only type the relevant/good notes from it. Occasionally I’ll talk out-loud an entire dialogue scene I’ve envisioned in my head for a particular set of characters.
That’s also one of the best parts of talking out-loud while figuring out your book and characters. Doing this has helped immensely with “hearing” my characters. I’ve read from other authors that have said that the only times they truly get “stuck” writing, is when they a) haven’t figured out exactly how to get from A to B, but they know they really want both A and B to happen, or b) they know they need X character and X character is very important to the plot…but they don’t know that character well enough yet, and can’t “hear” them, and therefore can’t write them well enough in that character’s voice.
If you’re not a writer or a creative-type, that all might sound like lunacy to you, but it makes such perfect sense to me and I resonate with all of those feelings.
For example, I finally “heard” one of my characters for the first time the other day. It just came to me. I don’t recollect what I was doing at the time. But I was alone — almost all of my character or plot epiphanies happen when I’m alone with my thoughts (so usually late at night or early first-thing in the morning).
I woke up one morning, and I heard a character’s voice in my head that had been evading me. I wasn’t even close to writing a scene he was about to be in yet or anything, I just knew he was important to the plot and I knew I needed to figure him out soon, but I didn’t worry it because I had time — he wouldn’t need to appear for several chapters.
But he just came to me. Don’t ask me how. I cannot tell you. I have no idea. Closest I can describe is literally like a lightening bolt of inspiration and a key in your mind clicking as it turns in the metaphorical lock. You finally have a thought — and it just fits. And you know. You know!
Yes!
That’s it. That’s who this character is. This is their backstory, which explains their behavior and mannerisms and why they behave this way. Yes! This fits. This is it. Done.
For a different character, two days ago I think, I was able to visualize one of my secondary characters, who are notoriously harder to hear, because, let’s face it, they’re not super crazy important. They play a minor role.
So I was incredibly excited when I heard that character, just out of the blue! I had been writing, going through my Character Notes doc, stumbled upon his name, and just let myself rethink through who I thought he was, with newfound knowledge from everything else about the plot I’d figured out since I’d last created him. And all of a sudden I had a much clearer image in my mind of who he is. So clear, I actually did a Google image search of an actor that had the features that looked like what I was envisioning in my mind. I saved the photo that resembled the character in my head and added it as a link in my character note’s doc, so in case for some reason I get amnesia, I won’t forget what I’d originally pictured this secondary character looking like.
Then! To my complete surprise and delight, I was able to hear him. So much so that a catchphrase came to me, that I want this character to overuse when I finally get around to writing him. This also, just fit. I can’t explain it any better than that.
I can go over my note-taking and organization style in a different piece perhaps, but while this topic was fresh on my mind, I wanted to attempt to explain what my writing process is like, for all those who wonder, “But how can you actually write an entire book??”
Well, before I had this idea, I couldn’t have. You need a solid story idea you’re passionate about first. And characters you’re invested in and are willing to develop into very full, well-rounded characters (can’t forget flaws).
Once you have the first building blocks…to me, writing is the easiest thing in the world. I didn’t even set out to write this blog post today. It just came to me. I haven’t paused in my typing once and I think it’ll have minimal edits.
Good writing just flows.
And so far my budding novel has been flowing (*cough* gushing *cough*) like a waterfall out of me. That’s why I’m so excited. And I can’t wait until it’s finished and you all get to read it.
In the meantime, I will keep you in eager (I hope) suspense.
Thanks for reading,
Kim
P.S. to my fam who worries that I’m blogging more than writing my book — please chill. This took me literally 5 mins to write. :)
