Why The Writing Process Trumps Everything

For all of you who follow me on a regular basis, you know my opinion on the plotter vs. panster controversy. Plotter rock and pantster have too many problems. Yes, this is blunt, but you get the idea. With that said, I want to push this point again today with the blog and discuss the idea of "The Writing Process."

If you attended any public or private school in the US, the odds are you discussed the idea of the writing process. You covered it in pretty much any class from about the 4th grade on. If you don't remember it, either A) you had an awful teacher; or B) maybe you should have been listening. O.K. Maybe I'm being a bit harsh and extreme here, but the odds are, unless you were in a cave, you have heard of what I am talking about.

As a refresher, the Writing Process essentially has three phases to it. PREWRITING, DRAFTING and PUBLISHING. Each has a purpose. For far too many authors out there, ignoring the writing process is simply creating far too many problems in that final product you send out to the agents or editors, or more likely, creating problems you could have fixed sooner and reduced your writing time. I should also note that the writing process, in no way, eliminates your "creativity" and "personal voice".

Let's review, shall we???

PREWRITING - During this phase you make your initial plans for the story. This is where you take some time to think about what you want to write about and to plan the whole story out. Now don't get me wrong here. I am not asking for a chapter by chapter summary of your story, but I am asking you to know everything about your story, setting, characters and plot. Failure to do so will result in far too many hours having to revamp the entire story because you "thought of something" at about the 3/4 mark in the book. I honestly have to say, there are story ideas that I know the person didn't do this step. The premise alone tells me they wasted time writing a book that would never sell. Had they thought about their topic, they would have realized it would never sell.

Along the same lines, that pre-planning will make all revisions your editor sends to you go a lot easier. Revision notes now will be dealing with fine tuning, not a complete over-haul of your entire book. Fix a comment a character made here, tweak a scene there.

I have said this before and I will say it again. As the saying goes, "If you don't know where you are going you will end up in someplace you don't want to be." And I am sorry, but don't give me that lame excuse of "discovering something on the journey." If you are professional writer, you don't have the luxury of meandering.

DRAFTING - You need feedback. Simple as that. For those of you othere attempting to write these stories on your own, I wish you the best of luck, although frankly, I don't believe you have any hope at success.

Just recently, I wrote about critique partners and finding the right person to work with. Getting feedback from someone who "thinks" they know what to do is not going to help. You need to find someone who "knows" what is going on.

I went to a local conference several years ago, and I was shocked as to how many people were published (and I use that term loosly) with a single e-publisher. I thought it was interesting until I fully thought about it. They were simply teaching everyone only the material "they" knew. Needless to say, this publisher went out of business and the entire group is now lost and struggling. Why? They were attempting to learn from people who didn't have a clue.

Now, what does this have to do with drafting? Simply put - get feedback, but get it from people who really know.

Time for another side note here. There are a ton of agents and editors who can help. You just need to ask. Will it cost? Maybe! will it be beneficial? YES! (see below for offer).

PUBLISHING - This is the clean it up phase. If you have done all of your work early on, this will be easy. This is when you make it ready to go out. No, this does not mean to pay for an editor to charge you $1000's of dollars to run it through a spell checker. It means to use the tools at your finger tips.

In academia, the rule of thumb is 5 mistakes on the first page of a paper is an automatic F. Publishing works the same way. If I see a query letter with grammar errors, the first pages of a chapter with mistakes, what does this tell me about the person's writing ability? The story may be good, but how much work am I going to have to put in just to make it ready for publication? This really goes for many of you in the international market. If you are submitting to the US, have it US ready!

First impressions say a lot and if you submit garbage, don't expect amazing letter from us. As Hallmark says, "When you care enough to send the very best." Sending garbage to me is not going to cut it.

The point I want to make here is simple. Writing takes time. It is not something that can be done overnight with immediate success. Writing is also something that takes work to achieve something good. If you follow that writing process, I can (almost) insure that editors will love you even more because they know they can count on a story that has all (or most) of the holes filled.

Scott

A NaNo No No

Like many agents and editors, I see both the positive and negative sides of the http://www.nanowrimo.org/ program. Unfortunately, I see more negative elements than I do positive sides of the program.

First of all, I do want to say, I think it is a great inspiration for people to finally get off their butts and write the darn thing they spend all of their time complaining about when they don't do it. Finally, these authors have no excuse and will get motivated to do something. With that said, that is where I have to personally draw the line when it comes to the program.

Now, unlike many agents and editors, who tend to complain the most about the number of bad submissions we will all see in December (which is a hassle), my bigger issue is the lack of true emphasis on the writing process that SUCCESSFUL authors know and use religiously. It is the writing process that tends to yield the best final products and prevents so many headaches for authors that think it is a waste of time. I should also note that the writing process is not something we only use in the academic field. This is something that works in all levels and areas of writing.

First of all, the word process is key. According to the random "Online dictionary":

n. pl. proc·ess·es (prssz, prss-, prs-sz, prs-)


1. A series of actions, changes, or functions bringing about a result: the process of digestion; the process of obtaining a driver's license.

2. A series of operations performed in the making or treatment of a product: a manufacturing process; leather dyed during the tanning process.

3. Progress; passage: the process of time; events now in process.

Now, let us look at the first two definitions in particular. In both cases we are looking at a concept of things happening in a precise order to yield a response. The problem with NaNoWriMo is the encouragement of skipping any element of process. The arguement is to simply write. To throw caution to the wind and pray to God that something will happen in the end that is complete. Not good, just complete.
 
Remember, the writing process has essentially three parts. A Pre-Writing Phase, a Drafting Phase and a Editing/Publishing Phase. If you do the steps in order, when you get to that final phase, your work is really easy. Why? Because you took the time on the front end of the process to think and plan out what it is you are doing.
 
Let's look at each.
 
PRE-WRITING I don't care if you are plotter or a pantster, this early phase is for you to figure out what you want to write about and how you plan to achieve it. This is when you think through all the potential issues and problems that might show up so you don't panic during the writing phase and lose your momentum. This is where you pre-empt any potential issue. This is where you research. This is where you plan.
 
DRAFTING This is, unfortunately the only thing NaNoWriMo does. In this phase you write. Now this is where the problems occur for the majority of the writers in NaNoWriMo. Because they didn't know where they were going to with their story, the final product, if they even get that far, is a jumbled mess of disconnected thoughts, of characters doing things and saying things that might not fit with their GMC's and so forth. Sure, the word count is there but that is about it. All of that fluency and organization that ties those quality stories we love to read is simply not there. If it is, it stems from sheer luck.
 
EDITING It is here that the successful writers understand the value of the writing process. Because they planned things early on. Because they thought through their characters and their actions. Because they understand the conflict in the story, the editorial phase is fairly easy. We're not talking about a serious over-haul of your story here. You knew where you were going to and you took your time to think it through.
 
If, however, you took the NaNoWriMo approach, the amount of time you get to spend on revisions now will be almost doubled. Any writer can tell you that changing full chapters around, or over-hauling a character that goes through the whole book is sheer insanity.
 
Now, I know there have been some writers that have been successful with this program. We cannot simply look to these people. They are anomolies. They are the exceptions to the rule. Heck, maybe some of them took the time during October to do serious planning. Unfortunatlely, for many of you out there, you didn't take the time to do that.
 
For you people, I can only say, I am glad you are motivated, but please - do not complain, whine or moan to the rest of us when you either A) don't finish the NaNoWriMo because of "writer's block"; B) have a complete manuscript that is a complete mess; or C) find out that the final product you send out to editors and agents in December yields more rejections than you imagined. Only remember that I warned you.
 
Scott

Procrastination DOES NOT Create Great Stories

We have all heard this before. In fact, many of you are people who honestly believe in this myth. Procrastination creates pressure but that is fine because, "I work best under pressure." We have a problem here. Yes, we know that people will perform better when there is something at stake, but using procrastination is far from the best way to create that pressure.

I actually heard a published author make a comment a while ago that proved just this. I heard her comment that she was really stressed because she had a deadline of finishing a book in 6 weeks. She had to have the completed project on the desk of the editor in that amount of time. The problem was, she hadn't even started the project. What frustrated me more was that she followed that comment up by using the "I work best under pressure" line. Nope. doesn't work here.

Now I had a couple of problems with this situation. First, I want to know why she only had 6 weeks to write it. If she was literally just finishing another project, then maybe she and her agent need to discuss the writing timeline. Maybe she has to be a bit more honest with herself and know what she can and cannot do. Writers have to have a sense of how fast they can write and be realistic about it. In the end, the editors will want to keep you around longer if you produce high quality work all of the time even if it you aren't producing as much.

Secondly, and this is the bigger one for me, if she did cut herself short on this project, the odds are it will be a rushed job. Yes, writing a book in 6 weeks is possible, but if she is rushing things, then it is a sure sign she will miss things in the story. That depth of storytelling, the great plot that takes time to figure out. The characters that really have a history and really show promise. All of that will be lost because she can only focus on "cranking out a plot."

This is a business that you simply cannot leave things to the last minute. As a professional writer, you have to remember that there are a lot of people, other than your beloved readership, that needs your story. Your editor, the copy editor, the marketing department, the art department, the typesetters, and so forth all need time with the work. To add to this, there are a lot of other people out there also needing these services. Your editor has fought long and hard to get you that slot in the publication schedule and you sending a piece of garbage that might even be late is certainly no way to thank them for the hard work.

Look, if you want pressure, think about creating the pressure of creating something new. Finding a way to drive that book to the top of the review chart. Find a way to sell even more books or sell them faster with an higher quality project. That is a real pressure.

Scott

Writing With a Formula

Romance writers have heard this all of the time in terms of their writing. When they bring up the fact that they write romance, people will often bring up the term of formula writing. In other words, stories have to be done a certain way or there is no getting published. Now, while there are guidelines, using a formula is not in the equation.

Before I go any further, let me remind you all of what I mean about guidelines. In this case, I like to bring up both literature and music. When we mention Baroque music, there are certain time periods and styles that fit that genre/style. The same goes for classical, post modern and so forth. In terms of literature, we see the same thing - Naturalism, Romanticism, Harlem Renaissance - they all see the same thing.

But does writing in a genre such as this mean that a writer has to follow a forumla? The answer is no. A hero doesn't have to look one way only. The chapters are not broken down in a similar format (Chapt. 1 Heroine, Chapter 2 Hero, Chapter 3 conflict...).

With all of that said, though, I want to look at how a writer can really take a look at their writing with a forumla model. Using a personal formula is a great way to increase your writing speed, do your research faster and certainly, be happier with a lot of the final projects.

Sometimes, when I speak to new writers about creating a story for scratch, they often feel terrified by the process? How do they compose a 75,000 word manuscript from nothing? I create a formula for them. Something to break the process down into simpler ideas and certainly more manageable pieces.

For a 75,000 word manuscript, we start first with chapter breakdowns. Assuming a chapter is roughly 5000 words (not rocket science but a rough estimate), this would mean that the book would have 15 chapters. Once we have this, the writer can then plot out what they want to happen throughout the book.

When a writer plots the story out this way, I then return to the "short story" model that shows everything leading to the climax. You all remember that triangle diagram your 7th grade teachers taught you. Same thing works here. So, if I break down the chapters, I want to know the conflict is established by roughly chapter 3 and the climax and dark moment happening by chapter 10. Chapters 1-3 are for character and situation building, chapters 3-10 deal with rising action and layering, Chapters 10-14 are resolution, chapter 15 is conclusion.

With romantic suspense, you might find that certain chapters are when you insert the villain, or the "mystery clues." With Inspirationals you might have chapters when the transformations happen. It really doesn't matter.

I know this is simple, but I think most writers can create a similar forumla for whatever style writing they do. The key is to create a pattern and stick to it. Eventually, the writing you do will happen naturally. The thought process doesn't have to happen with such difficulty. More importantly, the time you used to spend in planning can now be spent with that wordsmithing and character development you do.

Have fun.

Scott

When Reality Gets In The Way of Writing

I am always envious when I hear that writers have unlimited time to write. Now and then, I hear of those people that get up in the morning, have a leisurely breakfast, read the newspaper, maybe get a little work out in and then write. The day is theirs. For most writers though, this is not the case. Reality gets in the way.

If you are one of those writers, understand you are not alone. Others have grocery shopping, house clearning and certainly that ugly word called WORK. But the successful writers have found a way around it.

You may not be able to sit down every day and bang out that needed chapter, but you can always find a way to take some time for your craft. Keep ideas flowing. Take 5 minutes before you "get started with your day" and plot a little, craft a character, send out one query. The key is to do something.

So, why do I bring this up? Today is one of those days for me. My daughter, who has been fighting a running nose is now going on day 3. Cog in the works. The day of excessive calls to editors and proposals to write and submissions to read is gone. So what do I do? I limit. It might simply be the calls to the editor. That is a must do and I can put the other things to the side.

No problem.

Scott

Understanding Complications vs Conflict

Conflict is the element that drives the story. It is that battle we want to see the characters over-come in the story to get us to that happily ever after. For many authors, however, stories completely lack a conflict an are only fillied with complications. The end result, unfortunately, is the story ends up having no point.

Let me explain it this way. Once I see the hero and the heroine and I hear their problems, I want to see how perfect they are but really question how on earth they can and will ever get together. I don't want to see that easy solution at the end of the first 10-20 pages. For example: he wants to get married after returning home from military duties over-seas. She wants to get married now that she has gotten her graduate work done and her business is established. Now they find out they are neighbors with the same interests. Ta Da! No conflict.

But here is what the inexperienced writers would do. The would then fill their story with mindless complications that do nothing more than stretch the length of the story. They give him PTSD. They have her business suddenly going bankrupt. They bring in some random pscyho killer. He had to deal with an ex-wife that is her best friend. They have the military call him back for "special services". The list goes on and on.

The problem with complications is that these pesky little things are the common everyday occurances in eacy of our lives. We don't have conflict in our life. We have complications. The care breaks down, or your run out of milk. For your stories, the only thing you did was make the complication worse by adding melodramatics. Instead of the milk running out, you have it containing some hidden disease that no one knows about that when chilled slowly releases a chemical in the air that turns people in the kitchen into were-puppies.

The key with conflict is to understand from the beginning what would be keeping the hero and heroine together. This is where internal and external conflict comes into play. To make the story successful, we don't want to simply see the problem being an outside force. There needs to be something inside the characters also holding them back. Those two elements should be intertwined to really add the development. For example. The lawyer is arguing for the death penalty for the heroine's brother (not that this would happen since it would be a conflict of interest but you get the idea). It is clear the brother deserves it. the evidence points in that direction but now he has to make a huge decision between the girl and his job. She wants him to drop the charges which he cannot do. He could leave the job, but that would mean he loses his career. If he prosecutes, he loses her. That is conflict.

Remember I said to start from the beginning? Did you do that with your last WIP? Did you establish a true conflict or was it a complication?

Scott