My Writing Process

The writing process can be time-consuming and personal. When I started writing, I was convinced there was some secret formula for creating the perfect manuscript. There is not. Tips and advice are priceless, but in the end, the only one who knows how to write your WIP is you. You know your world, characters, arcs, and dialogue better than anyone else, even if it feels like you don't.

A look into my writing process may not be the antidote you're looking for to tackle a creative deficit. It might, however, provide some insight that you could sprinkle into your own method. Remember, what works for me may not work for you.

1. Inspiration.

This one I struggle with most. It's the catalyst behind every storyline. You need to know what has driven you to write in the first place. A lack of inspiration can be frustrating when you have an increase in motivation. While you may want to push through, I would advise you to wait. Uninspired stories can stick out like a sore thumb.

So, how do you jump-start inspiration? Of course, make sure you have had plenty of sleep, water, and food. A myth I want to expel is that inspiration is always an external phenomenon. All of a sudden, you have an epiphany that led to the best idea in the world.

Personally, I don't think that's 100% true. Your mind, your creativity, and your experiences are what drive motivation in the first place. I can tell you to go for a hike in nature every day, but unless you focus on its meaning, it won't help.

Instead, look for inspiration inward. I think about an out-of-character thing my friend said. About a miniature ecosystem in a puddle. Or how my train of thought might differ from someone else. For example, say I question someone's thought process. Now I have a broad topic I can dissect further. Ask what-if questions.

What if someone's thought process is different from mine due to AI interference? Or them being another species? Or them being from space? The more you question the world around you, the more opportunities you can find. It's possible to be inspired by something externally, but it makes it harder to conjure that feeling on demand.

2. World-building.

This may be an unpopular opinion, but I like to get world-building out of the way before characters. If your character is a hero, how do you know what they are saving if you don't know the dangers? If your character is a healer, what events have made them necessary outside the occasional fever?

This isn't easy. Many things need to be considered: societal structure, climate, clothing, food, nature, and the interactiveness of it all. I find that creating a world helps you find a niche for all your characters. I have a post on my page about interesting settings you can read for pointers.

Once you know how this world works, it can be easier to discover character traits. Social class and family life help develop a character's mentality; establishing it via world-building makes the setting more consistent.

3. Creating your characters

I always envision character building as creating a sim, but there's more to it than appearance. A piece of advice I've heard cannot be overstated. "Show don't tell." This is crucial to having believable, well-rounded characters. There's a clear difference between your character saying they're angry versus your character rolling their eyes when no one is looking.

In my own experience, I find that I rely on other characters to realize each other's personalities. In a way, it makes sense. Most of us understand how social interactions can be telling of someone's personality.

Recently, I've been trying to use the environment to convey my characters to the reader. Is your character one to kick a rock down the hiking trail or pick a worm off the sidewalk and put them in the grass? Would your character warn others about an uneven walking space? Having characters be observant of the world helps blend the two.

Find out where they fall in society. Putting more nuances to a character's place in society can change their outlook on life. Maybe your main character is rich but is associated with a group that is detrimental to their reputation. Maybe your character could belong to more than one faction where they are both respected and feared.

There is a superabundance of tests online to determine the taker's personality type. Try one from your character's point of view. Once you get the results, you can research how they would interact with the world around them.

4. Plot

My old nemesis. The plot. Some people will plan out their story before characters are envisioned. Others will spend years writing something without planning (self call out.) This one is up to the writer. Having restrictions on the process can be stressful, as can going in blind.

I flip-flop in this part, to be honest. What I can say is that your characters should be driving the plot. An action, a want, or a need is the spark of the story. For me, focusing on solidifying that first domino is what makes the rest of the story fall into place. Having a realistic character with contradicting and intricate goals can encourage you to add more to the story itself.

This is a shortened version of my writing process. Don't wait for inspiration. Cultivate it by questioning the world around you. Get to know your created world. Create characters for this world and understand them. Know their personality, their place in society, and their relationship with the environment. Make sure your characters are what is driving the story forward. Find out if plotting everything first helps or hurts you. Best of luck, happy writing!