Fair question, really and one that I guess will change from writer to writer but for me it's like this...
I have an idea for a scene, rarely a full story but definitely a scene full of what I think are fully developed characters. I then have to ask myself why. Why this setting with these people? Why are they doing this? After the whys come the hows and whats.
I then set to writing. I don't plan the story. I know some writers that have each story planned on a scene by scene basis but I just can't work that way. As I write I learn about the characters and they behave in ways I didn't expect or say things I never knew they would.
I tend to edit as I go which slows me down considerably. Before the days writing commences I trawl through fixing aspects of what I've put down and then add to it. Once the story is finished it goes into final edits and I beat the story into shape.
After it's in good shape I save and close the file and ignore for at least a week, preferably more, and then re-read. The glaring errors I missed previously make themselves known and another round of edits begins. When that is finished I'll send it to a publisher.
If it is accepted the publisher may want further changes, theEditing Phase as I call it. The first time I went through this process I reacted badly, angrily even. I now look forward to this process, it helps get the story into a condition that makes it readable for others.
Then, if I'm lucky, it's published.
So, what does a writer do? 10% writing, 30% editing and 60% procrastination. I have this blog and Facebook open, both covering the OpenOffice document that contains my work in progress...
I have an idea for a scene, rarely a full story but definitely a scene full of what I think are fully developed characters. I then have to ask myself why. Why this setting with these people? Why are they doing this? After the whys come the hows and whats.
I then set to writing. I don't plan the story. I know some writers that have each story planned on a scene by scene basis but I just can't work that way. As I write I learn about the characters and they behave in ways I didn't expect or say things I never knew they would.
I tend to edit as I go which slows me down considerably. Before the days writing commences I trawl through fixing aspects of what I've put down and then add to it. Once the story is finished it goes into final edits and I beat the story into shape.
After it's in good shape I save and close the file and ignore for at least a week, preferably more, and then re-read. The glaring errors I missed previously make themselves known and another round of edits begins. When that is finished I'll send it to a publisher.
If it is accepted the publisher may want further changes, theEditing Phase as I call it. The first time I went through this process I reacted badly, angrily even. I now look forward to this process, it helps get the story into a condition that makes it readable for others.
Then, if I'm lucky, it's published.
So, what does a writer do? 10% writing, 30% editing and 60% procrastination. I have this blog and Facebook open, both covering the OpenOffice document that contains my work in progress...
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