Every writer has a process—a plan of attack, if you will. Stories are a delicate thing that must be intricately woven together, and (much like a tapestry) there is more than just one way to design and style them. For example, many authors map out their entire story (including the ending), then circle back to flesh out each chapter; others simply start writing stream-of-consciousness style, letting the creative juices flow, editing only after the first draft of their manuscript is complete; some start with just the ending in mind, and let their characters find their path to those final pages; and the list goes on and on.
It’s important to note that no single technique is better than another. Despite each and every individual author’s unique approach to creativity, style and writing process, the end result is the same: a completed manuscript (that will undoubtedly be edited 9,000 times before it’s truly finished). However, there is something extremely satisfying about discovering the inner workings of one’s creative process. I believe that developing a better understanding of how you work and create allows you to produce higher quality art (in this case, stories).
Some famous authors (Ken Follett, for example) like to plot out and outline the entire work and then go back, adding characters and storylines to flesh it out more fully. This method is great for writers who like to get their ideas organized and down on paper right away, making it easy for them to fill in the blanks with details and content later. Most authors who take this approach have a clear vision and general idea of how their story will end.
Other wordsmiths embrace the idea of stream of consciousness writing (Virginia Woolf is a renowned example). By simply letting ‘er rip, and writing continuously without any editing as they go (including grammar and punctuation), their rough draft is often a snapshot of raw ideas. These authors prefer the purely creative flow of words without distraction from proper grammar, page breaks, or formatting of any kind. Once the writer has completed their first draft, they will then go back and edit the details and grammar.
In my writings, I’ve discovered that deciding the project’s name comes first and foremost. There is no story to be told without a title… but once I have the title, I can see it all in an eye-blink. A great title truly inspires me to write a great story. In fact, I apply this “title first” approach to most everything I write: novels, picture books, emails (sometimes), and even this blog post! I’ve always had a knack for coming up with jingles, taglines (often for others), and branding. This affinity for quickly procuring a name, a tagline or a pitch has served me well over the years.
After landing on an appropriate name, I then use a patchwork of the previously mentioned approaches to weave my words into the tapestry of a story. I usually outline most of the manuscript in my head and then just start writing; however, no matter what, it’s essential to have the title first so I am inspired to continue. For me, it truly is ALL in the name!
So, what about you? What’s your process in creating a masterpiece?
MJ Wallace 