Hanging around here, I've gathered that some of my fellow members are writers. I write myself (not professionaly, just as a hobby) and I'm always interested in hearing how other people go about it. The way I see it, no method is the right way to do it; there are certainly some broad approaches that everyone falls into, but every writer has their own particular quirks about it.
So...what process(es) do you use when you write?
I'll write until it gets late or until my hands are about to fall off from typing. I do that until the basic story is out. Then I go back over it time and time again, fleshing it out, fixing plot holes, making sure everyone is in character, etc.
I use a notebook. first I dot down ideas and write a small story for what I want to write; list characters and anything else I need to keep in mind.
then I try to break it into a outline (for each chapters) this is estimated, often times you'll feel if the chapter is nessary or you need to add another. I think I've added 30 more chapters in my first book...
Then I try to write notes for each outline/chapter and try make the chapter stick with the notes.
Then when I'm stuck (writer's block) I jump a chapter or 2.
I've been writing stories since I could write ~ I have written a book and several scripts, started in longhand, progressed to a typewriter and now a PC. Writing anything ~ like reviews for Andrew ~ lets me exorcise my demons, such as they are and I find writing very therapeutic.
Whether my writing is good or not, isn't for me to say. :wink: :smile:
When I used to write stories I'd just come up with some characters and then see what happened to them. I liked having the characters firmly established in my mind, and then I could fashion a story that those people would probably get involved in. Rewrites would result in large chunks getting chopped out because I was just meandering around looking for a direction when I wrote them. My stories were full of smells and sounds and telling details - I really loved establishing a strong atmosphere and making people feel like they were right there inside my environments. I think describing stuff was my favorite part of writing.
Honestly it usually just pops in my head and I write it down frantically. Then of course later I have to go back and re-edit things so it'll make sense...sometimes though I'll get some whole other tangent or other story or poem come popping in my head and I feel the urge to write it down and then have to come back and re-edit again.