My Writing Process

While everyone is different, I know we all, on occasion, suffer from writer's block. Some days I feel like I can't find any inspiration or motivation at all. On the flip side, however, there are times when my mind will produce fleeting thoughts and ideas at such a rapid pace that I can hardly keep up. This may be a problem at times since I’m not focused on one thing in particular. Writing assists me in taking a more complete and in-depth look at some of the fleeting thoughts I might have.

Writing helps me with my scattered thoughts

A million different thoughts may flow through my mind throughout the day. At times, it can be exhausting to be unable to focus on one thing at a time or hold on to an idea long enough. So, to get control of those swirling thoughts, I take a moment to jump on my laptop, phone, or grab a notepad and write down all of the many genres of thoughts running through my mind. Then I pick one and flesh it out, not thinking too much about form or grammar.

Writing isn't just a method of communication

Writing down my thoughts helps me focus. It’s a great way for me to organize my thoughts. When I see my thoughts written out, it helps me to think through things in a more rounded manner and, at the same time, process my emotions. Additionally, writing is a personal endeavor for me, and it's important that my own voice remains with the written words. Sometimes, however, that can be an issue.

In trying to keep my voice unique, my mind can sometimes fly off in all of these directions as it keeps trying to come up with new and interesting ways to say the same thing over and over again. Sometimes, it gets to a point where I’m just typing gibberish, trying to keep my train of thought in check before losing all focus on what I was trying to convey in the first place. (It isn't a bad thing, usually.) We'll get to that later. When this happens, I slow down. I dial in on one idea at a time and think about what I want to say, how I want to say it, and how each different thought fits together.

I write down what's known before going where I want

For me, the thought process of writing is not a linear one. It's more like a circuit of interconnecting thoughts, bouncing from one idea to another and then back again. When writing, sometimes I might have a really great idea, but it passes through my mind in a flash, and because I didn't write anything down right away, before I know it, that thought has evolved into something entirely different. To help narrow my focus, it's actually good for me to write down everything that comes to mind, even the gibberish; this is what is called "free-writing." It helps to de-clutter my mind and give perspective to my ideas.

If I spend 10 to 15 minutes writing down all my thoughts on a particular topic, I find that my thoughts come together more quickly and easily when they're out of my head and in front of me. From there, I can choose a point at which I would like to start. This can be especially helpful if my thoughts are scattered but I know where they should be going. The point of my free-writing is simply to get things from my head onto paper so I can better understand them. Also, writing it makes it easier for me to articulate my feelings. Sometimes I may feel something strongly but have trouble conveying or explaining those feelings to others.

Keeping my thoughts focused on a single topic

Generally, keeping on a single topic for long periods of time is not easy, especially if I tend to become easily distracted. When I'm trying to write about something, it's helpful for me if I can at least start out with a general topic in mind. But I find that when I try too hard and force myself down a path that isn't coming naturally, my sentences tend to suffer, and writing is much more difficult than it needs to be. But when I can keep my thoughts focused on one topic as I write, my writing will flow naturally and come across clear and well-formed.

The process of writing shouldn’t be a chore, although sometimes it might feel like one. Still, I look at it as a way to have a meaningful conversation with myself and the person who’s reading it. In the end, writing is just my way of thinking about what I want to say before saying it.