Tinkering with the Writing Process

 

 

Confession time: I love reading non-fiction books about writing. I am forever tinkering with my writing process, trying to make it smoother and faster and give me a better result. Compared to other professional writers, I write slowly. Four books a year? Hah. I am lucky to get one and a half.

I firmly believe that there is no one true way to write a book. Every writer has a different process. However, I also believe that one can improve one’s process by trying new techniques. You can make your own shortcuts through the hedge maze.

When I was a newbie writer, the process of rewriting was mysterious to me. In school, we made a first draft and a final draft of essays, but the difference lay mainly in improving sentence structure and correcting typos and grammar. My beloved “Guide to Fiction Writing” by Phyllis A. Whitney which taught me reams about characters and outlining and suspense devoted a mere six pages to the topic of revision. Not very helpful.

For many very painful years I went unpublished because I found rewriting tedious and thus would start submitting my work after a mere two drafts. It would, of course, be rejected. By then I would be head down deep in a new project and months would pass before I returned to the rejected manuscript, if I ever did. My early process was entirely haphazard, like throwing paint on a wall and then seeing what sticks. One (unpublished) book of mine was revised eight times and by the end was almost wholly unrecognizable from my original idea.

Slowly, painfully, I learned what worked for me (such as approaching each scene as a unit, with a dramatic question and answer) and what doesn’t. And a funny thing happened. I used to loathe the entire rewriting process from start to end. But now that I know how to make each scene better and can see the results? I actually kind of like it. Except for the tedious polishing bits…

So, I encourage you to play with your writing process and try new things. Some will work and vault your writing to new heights, some will founder. You never know until you try.