Samweed Knightly

I thought that it would be interesting to hear what everyone's writing process is. Are you the type of person to dive right into the story? Or do you like to have the whole story planned out before you start?

So, what's your style?

follow the sun

Thanks for the new thread idea!


For me, I usually have some ideas about what I'm going to write beforehand, but tend to really write it in the moment. If it's a new chapter in my series, I'll have key plot ideas to put in, but most of the chapter just comes together as I go through the process of writing. That tends to be the way I write one-shots, too. I'll have some ideas on the plot, setting, etc. and maybe some other elements to include, but it mostly just comes to me as I write.

There have been chapters where I had written some notes, and even long bits of dialogue beforehand, when I was earlier in the series, and then wrote the rest of the chapters around those parts I already had mapped out.

I also write my stories directly onto Word. I go over it a lot as I am writing, and make changes as I go along. I've tried writing on paper first, but that just doesnt work for me.



What about other people?

Samweed Knightly

I always like to have an ending to the story when I'm writing it. That way I know where I'm going with it or else I wander around too much in my stories.

Yeah, I do that too. I'll always have parts that I want to happen in the story and I'll quick write them down as they come to me.

Really? I have to write them on paper, or else I'll change things too much and then I'll spend all my time re-reading and re-writing, and no time just getting the things down.

CarmenJessicaLP

For me, once I get an idea in my head for a story. I want to dive right into it . I try to craft a scene before Im even aware of how I want the story to begin or end. When I write my stories even if I do have the beginning of the story in mind I always start in the middle and work my way back to the beginning and lastly I craft the ending of the story.

Sometimes I do try to plan out what I want the story to be like, scene , by scene, but I can never stick to order, what ever scene seems the most interesting, and sparks my imagination the most, thats where I start.

Im always writing, when something comes to my attention for a story, I write it down, on paper , in my phone, on my comp.

The hardest thing during the writing process for me its expressing characters emotions through their actions or facial expressions. I really get stuck there. So If im writing a dialogue, I kinda just write what I want them to say first and later on go back and feel in how they say things, and what they are doing when they say them.

Anyone know how I can get help with that? Thnks.

Ron_Beckett

A lot of times it depends:

About 80% I can write in the moment and just let my mind go. Then there is 10% where I have an idea in mind. And the other 10% I'll have both the beginning and ending and just need to work on the middle.

follow the sun

I agree that I don't always write in the same way, but I usually just try to get a good opening that I find captures attention, and then let the story flow from there

autumnfoliage24

I have a horrible habit of keeping all of my ideas bottled up in my brain; I have a tendency to forget them. But when I do get struck with a particularly intriguing idea, I will write a succinct outline of all the characters and their part in the plot. Usually after that, I just start to write straight onto Word. Not deliberately, I write a skeleton and then fill it in with details and descriptions every time I read it over. I always find myself reading over whatI have every few paragraphs, adding small little words or sentences in between. Sometimes when I'm really motivated and the idea is just spinning my head, I'll binge-write and won't stop typing after pages.

Samweed Knightly

I can so relate to that. When I'm on a role I can just write forever it seems. Unfortunately that hasn't happened to me in a long time. I also keep ideas bottled up, or I think of them when I'm laying in my warm bed and I just don't care to get up to do anything about it.

I don't know if this stays on topic but, how do you guys go about re-writing? When you've completed the story, do you find yourselves changing a lot of the plot lines, or things that just aren't working or irrelevant to the story?

autumnfoliage24

Same!

I change anything I need to. Sometimes, if it's something major, I'll at first be lazy but then I'll push myself to fix it anyway.

CarmenJessicaLP

All of my stories are still in progress, so I havent completed them, but before I post a completed chapter I do alot of revison to make sure my story is consistent and follows along with my previous chapters. Sometimes I just write spontaneously and off the top of my head when Im working on new chapters in then I find that it strayed away from what I originally had planned for the story and I have to delete alot of stuff.

twilight15

I actually have no planning process.
If i get an idea i really like i'll run to my computer, throw on some music, and just start typing at what's in my head, extending it from there. Normally when I do this i'll write a couple chapters.
Then, if i still like it, i'll re-read it and see where i can either trash some stuff or change it around or add stuff.

MrsEdwardCullen

I first like to think of the general plot and coupling. I write it down, who I want with who and their descriptions. I put that notebook to the side that way I don't forget. I usually then just dive right into it. Around page 50 or so I realize that it's either crap or it's decent enough to continue.

I'm so behind...

I honestly dont know what my writing process is. I think it might be different with every story.

But when I had to write for classes...well you know how it is. They demand you to write about a certain thing and that messes up my ability to write when I am given limits.

My ultimate weakness is that I have a hard time just sitting down and getting to work. I have less writer's block with fanfic writing because I know now to only write stories were I know the whole beginning middle and end. These days it's getting easier for me to develop plot bunnies and make them strong because I take many months for them to grow in my head. Some only take a day or two if it's one I think is a super good idea and then all the sudden I'm at the computer writing.

My weakness is my wanting to rush my work to display. I usually miss out on adding good details or sentences to the story I add in my head later or I forgot were in my head when I was writing. My most recent fic I posted I took a little time and difficulty writing cause I was having problems sleeping and the lack of sleep was messing up my head.

I fear writing multichaps now...even if I know exactly where they're gonna go in future chapters, I fear I will write a few chapters and then my mind will wonder away from the story for months...most of the time years. (I have a few unfinished fics from years back cuz of my mind's wondering )

Still there are many situations (especially lately) where I'm surprised that I was able to flesh out something (without a whole lot of writer's block) and get it done!

hairsprayX12

well...I sit in front of the computer and...well start with the disclaimer, start with a phrase or dialogue that won't leave my brain and then pray it all makes sense when I'm done...

Once in a great while I'll write snippets in a notebook but then I always end up tweaking it so...

I guess I'm just not very organized

Nonna

I usually have some ideas and then I'll write little notes about things I want to happen or if I think of something I want a character to say I'll write it down so I won't forget it. I rarely ever dive into a story, I always need to brainstorm and sometimes I'll think of things I want to happen in future chapters before the chapter I'm actually working on will come to me