An Introduction to My Writing Process

Phase One: Outlining the Story

The initial phase of my writing process involves creating a broad outline of the narrative. This stage is vital as it lays the groundwork for the entire story, ensuring a coherent structure from beginning to end. During this phase, I draft a high-level outline, consisting of a couple of sentences that encapsulate the essence of each chapter. The primary aim is to sketch out the overarching plot and establish a logical flow, without delving into specific details or intricacies.

By focusing on the narrative arc, I ensure that the storyline maintains a consistent direction. This method helps in identifying any potential gaps or inconsistencies early on, thereby providing an opportunity for adjustments before the writing process becomes more detailed. The outline serves as a roadmap, guiding the progression of the story and helping to maintain a clear vision of the final work.

Resisting the urge to get into specifics at this stage is crucial. The outline should remain simple and high-level, capturing the main events and turning points that will drive the narrative forward. This approach not only streamlines the writing process but also fosters creativity by allowing flexibility within the established framework. It is, essentially, the skeleton upon which the flesh of the story will later be built.

In sum, the outlining phase is an indispensable part of my writing process. It ensures that the story has a solid foundation and flows logically from one chapter to the next. By keeping the outline broad and focusing on the big picture, I can maintain a coherent narrative structure, which is essential for crafting a compelling and engaging story.

Phase Two: Writing the First Draft

During the second phase of the writing process, the primary objective is to draft each chapter using the initial outline and the knowledge you already possess. This stage prioritizes the natural flow of words, emphasizing the importance of capturing your core ideas and scenes on paper without aiming for perfection. The first draft is inherently rough and unpolished, yet it serves as the essential foundation of your work.

As you embark on writing the first draft, resist the urge to pause and research any missing details. Instead, make a note or add a comment in the document to revisit later. This approach prevents interruptions and maintains your writing momentum. If new characters emerge during this phase, ensure they are consistently developed by keeping a separate document for their backgrounds and details. This practice aids in maintaining continuity and depth throughout your narrative.

It's important to allow creativity to guide you, which may result in the introduction of new elements or scenes that were not part of the original outline. Embrace these changes as they can enrich your story. The focus remains on completing the draft, even if it means glossing over certain aspects that require further refinement. By not getting bogged down by minor details, you ensure steady progress and a sense of accomplishment as each chapter takes form.

Ultimately, the first draft is about translating your initial vision into a tangible form. It is the stage where your narrative starts to take shape, albeit imperfectly. This phase lays the groundwork for subsequent revisions and refinements, setting the stage for transforming a rough draft into a polished piece of writing. By prioritizing completion over perfection, you pave the way for a more structured and effective editing process in the later phases of your writing journey.

Phase Three: Adding in the Detail

During the third phase, it's time to go back to your notes. I go through and one chapter at a time, look through the notes and fill in the gaps that were left during the first draft. Also during this phase, I add in additional detail that I didn't take the time to do the first go around. Sometimes you're in a good flow and you don't want to lose the story that is spilling out. Now you can go back and add in the relevant details. What is the character feeling, seeing, smelling, etc. What are the other characters doing? These details help immerse the reader in the story. I often go back to this phase multiple times throughout the editing phases. As you read through, some things just won't feel right, or you could feel they could be ready. From this phase on, take the time to fix them. You will likely not catch everything on the first go.

Another key point to this phase is looking for story continuity. Make sure that the flow of each chapter makes sense and that there are not any inconsistencies within the chapter and between other chapters. Inconsistencies can remove the reader from the story. The key is trying to stay consistent with elements. I am not perfect but it helps if you give an intentional look into staying consistent within the story.

Phase Four: Editing, Editing, and More Editing

This phase can take quite a while, but don't be discouraged. If you are not an experienced editor, this step is better left to a professional. There are several different types of editing that will give you different end results, and sometimes you need all of them, depending on how polished your story is, or how experienced of a writer you are. This step will take a quick internet search to find several editing companies that will assist in getting you the editing that you need. Prices vary, but this step, it's worth paying a little more, the results will be evident.

The key to this step, if you decide to use a professional editor, is to find one that specializes in the genre that you are writing in. There is a huge difference and a really good non-fiction editor may not be a very good science fiction editor. The comments and suggestions can be wildly different because the readers are so different.

Another alternative, or final check that has become more prevalent and capable recently is the use of AI such as ChatGPT to provide reviews or edits of content you have written. (Yes, they can write for you as well, but then it's not your story.) I will use this as a final check to grammar and punctuation. Do not accept all inputs automatically. Everything needs to pass the human test and it is not perfect, but it can catch errors that have been missed by several human reviews.

Phase Five: The Finishing Touches

Now is the time for the finishing touches. The book content is perfect but not yet formatted. The book will need to be formatted. This will depend on what service you are using to publish, i.e. kindle, paperback, hard cover, etc. There are several templates online that can guide you through this process to make your book look professional. Another way to make it look professional is to look on websites like Fiverr for someone that can take your manuscript and put it in the formats that you need. This step is important because it can be distracting and a turn-off for readers. There are many different 'details' that often go missed when you're reading a book, but when they aren't there, they are very easy to notice and they don't look good.

Another finishing touch is a great book cover. This is an extremely important step. This is what is going to catch the readers attention. How many times do you scroll through books and skip one because the cover is just so-so. It very well could have been a great book. If you are not artistically inclined, go to a site like Fiverr or many others to find someone who does this professionally. It is also important in this step to pick someone that specializes in the genre you are publishing in. They have the market research to back design choices and have a better idea of what catches the eye of someone looking for your type of book.

This phase is also where I add in any graphics, dedications, forwards, authors notes, or extras that aren't neccessary for the book, but are like the title of this phase is called, finishing touches.

Phase Six: Publish

The final phase, get the book out there. Everything is ready, all of the prep work has been done. Now it is time to publish. There are many different approaches to this and many different sites you can publish too with pros and cons to each. Do your research on this step and make the decision for what's best for you.