Find Your Process

Linda
Mar 8, 2021
6 min read

Updated: Apr 12, 2021

I’ve talked quite a bit about how to get started writing and what to do when you’re stuck, but what I haven’t touched on is the writing process—how to get yourself organized and a format to help you get your story on the page. After several years of searching and learning about process, structure, framework, I have finally found the Golden Ticket to the writing process.

Just kidding. There is no Golden Ticket. And maybe that’s the secret. You have to figure it out for yourself. Which is what I’ve spent the last several years doing while working on my first novel. There’s no magic answer or one size fits all approach to writing. Indeed, what I’ve come to learn is that there are many approaches and many forms to organize your story ideas. They all have the same components, though they’re often called different things. There are lots of resources out there. I’ll provide a list of books and websites to help get you started in your own search. You just have to find what works best for you.

Let’s talk about the basic approaches to writing: plotting, pantsing, and a combination of those two often referred to as plantser. I fancy myself a plotter, someone who wants to outline the story before writing so I know what happens when. I want a structure or a framework to plan out my scenes and what will happen in the story. I did this with my first novel. The thing is that from the time I started the story idea in my head until the book was finished years had passed. (Yes, years. Life got in the way.) I’d had a lot of time to think and conjure up scenes in my head. Once I found a structure that worked for me, I was able to arrange those scenes in a logical order and write the story. Some people would say that plotting takes all the fun out of writing. You can’t let the characters take you wherever they want. That wasn’t true for me. For one thing, I didn’t have every single scene planned out. For another, I did listen to the characters when they wanted to go somewhere I hadn’t planned. The main plot points were outlined, but I could take some side trips if I wanted to. A panster does just that. They write the story by the seat of their pants with few preconceived notions, letting the characters take them where they will. One writer told me that’s the fun of writing, and they couldn’t see how plotting was any fun. That’s one person’s perspective and opinion. A plantser does a little of both, plans a little and flies by the seat of their pants a little. A hybrid model, if you like.

While my first novel used more plotting, this second novel is more pantsing. I don’t know why. I certainly didn’t plan it that way. Maybe it’s because this story idea is newer and I haven’t had the years to think about it and conjure up scenes. This story idea also isn’t as fully formed as the first novel idea was. But what is the same is the structure I’m using to organize and craft both novels. Even though I don’t know the scenes ahead, and I’m letting the characters lead the way, I am using the same basic outlining format I did for the first novel. I am just filling it in as I go. That way I make sure every scene and sequel is relevant and I’m hitting all the major plot points I need to hit—inciting incident, turning point, midpoint milestone, etc. I have those all marked on my outline and I can tick them off as I go. I create on the fly, but I am also conscious that I have all the parts necessary to create a well-crafted story.

Here’s the process I use as learned from Larry Brooks who did a workshop several years ago for my local RWA chapter. His book Story Engineering: Mastering the 6 Core Competencies of Successful Writing outlines this process. Brooks divides the story into four quartiles. I use one sheet of paper for each quarter with twelve circles drawn on it. Each circle represents a scene and/or sequel. I use post-its with each scene and/or sequel written on them and place them in a circle to organize my ideas. I mark the major plot points that have to happen in each quartile on the paper as well as the word count marks and page numbers. I don’t necessarily stick to those, but they give me an idea of where I should be when. It helps with the pacing and keeping me on track.

I experimented with lots of other story structure outlines, but hearing Mr. Brooks explain this plan just clicked with me. So far, it’s working. Thank you, Mr. Brooks.

So, I guess the take away from all this is find a structure that works for you. Use it until it doesn’t work anymore and then find something else. Or use the same structure in a different way. There is no Golden Ticket to writing the best story you can. You just have to figure it out as you go. I’m still finding that the story structure I first used is working for me but in a different way. Maybe the next novel will be back to plotting or something else entirely, but wherever it takes me I know I’ll have fun writing it and spending time with the characters.

I hope you are able to find a process (or two) that works for you. I hope that as you adhere to that process that you find ways to bend and flex it to make it your own. Good luck. Let us know how you’re doing and if you have any questions. We’re happy to share what we’ve learned with you. Below is a list of books that I have read or found helpful or have heard helped others. I won’t claim I’ve read them all. I’m just offering resources I know have worked for someone. Also, I’ve listed some websites I’ve found that might help you in your exploration of process. Enjoy!

I will keep adding to this list as I discover more resources. Karen and Tana will also contribute. Tana is the podcast queen of the three of us and will have lots of great resources to contribute for your listening pleasure.

Books on Writing Process

Bell, James Scott. Write Your Novel From The Middle: A New Approach for Plotters, Pantsers and Everyone in Between. Compendium Press. 2014.

Bickman, Jack M. Scene and Structure.Writer's Digest Books. 1993.

Brody, Jessica. Save the Cat Writes a Novel: The Last Book on Novel Writing You'll Ever Need. Ten Speed Press. 2018.

Brooks, Larry. Story Engineering: Mastering the 6 Core Competencies of Successful Writing. Writer’s Digest Books. 2011.

Brooks, Larry. Story Physics: Harnessing the Underlying Forces of Storytelling. Writer’s Digest Books. 2013.

Dixon, Debra. GMC: Goal, Motivation, and Conflict the Building Blocks of Good Fiction. Bell Bridge Books. 2013.

Ingermanson, Randy. How to Write a Novel Using the Snowflake Method. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. 2014.

Maass, Donald. Writing 21st Century Fiction: High Impact Techniques for Exceptional Storytelling. Writer’s Digest Books. 2012.

Maass, Donald. Writing the Breakout Novel: Insider Advice for Taking Your Fiction to the Next Level. Writer’s Digest Books. 2001. (workbook also available)

Snyder, Blake. Save The Cat! The Last Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever Need. Michael Wiese Productions. 2005.

Truby, John. Anatomy of Story: 22 Steps to Becoming a Master Storyteller. Faber & Faber. 2008.

Weiland, K.M. Outlining Your Novel: Map Your Way to Success. Pen For A Sword. 2011. (workbook also available)

Websites, Podcasts, Facebook Groups, Etc.

(Many of these are interchangeable among the format-webpages, podcasts, Facebook, and other social media.)

20booksto50K

(12) 20BooksTo50K® | Facebook

Authors and Writers Helping Each Other Grow

(12) Authors and Writers Helping Each Other Grow | Facebook

Author/Publisher/Editor/Book Readers

Author/Publisher/Editor/Book Readers-Facebook Group

The Creative Penn