Hello! It has been a couple of weeks since I’ve posted anything on my blog, and I wanted to start back with some tips for the creative writing process. One of the reasons I have not been posting as regularly as I want to is that I have been working on writing/editing my own books. So this seems like a fitting topic to jump back in with.

As someone who absolutely loves to write, especially fictional books, I have a couple of methods for what a good creative writing process looks like. Personally, I have a relaxed flow and try not to be too rigid with myself and my work. I think a big part of creative writing is keeping it enjoyable and making it something you look forward to. If you make too many rules for yourself, writing can quickly lose its fun and magic. I encourage you to build some structure for yourself, but in a way that doesn’t make writing seem like a chore or some big, overwhelming task. I’m in the process of editing a small town romance/enemies to lovers YA book right now. I’ve been pretty chill with the writing process, and I got in my “zone” so much so that I finished the first draft in about a week and a half. That is definitely a record for me, especially considering that it is a decent-sized book. I love the story and my characters and can’t wait to get it published eventually. I just finished my first edit, so I’m going to move on to more revision. One of my goals is to write at a good speed, getting it all down quickly as it comes to me. Another one is to have fun with every step of the process. Here are some of my tips for creative writing:

Brainstorm

As ideas come to you, write them all down on paper. This means the good, the bad, the weird, and even the crazy thoughts you don’t intend on using. Anything and everything has the potential to turn into a great concept or major part of your story. Getting your thoughts onto paper is a great way to organize yourself and start making your ideas reality. I have several brainstorming notebooks, and I’ll jot down names, plot ideas, character details, key themes, and anything else that comes to mind. Sometimes I’ll have a good old brainstorming session where I sit down and write down a bunch of different ideas I have, uninterrupted and without many expectations. Personally, I like to use lots of color and add some little pictures or fun lettering. I guess you could call this a mind mapping approach, but it is a good way to get your thoughts down and help them take form. A cool thing about brainstorming is that even if you don’t use an idea or concept you thought of, you can save it for later or come back to it on a different story.

Don’t pressure yourself to figure it all out

This is a big one for me. I used to get this idea in my head that before I started writing, I had to have an entire foolproof plan. It didn’t work well for me because I would overwhelm myself or get stuck on parts that weren’t that important in the bigger picture. All before even starting the actual first draft. When people ask me how I write, I like to say that I go with the flow. Yes, I have basic ideas, themes, and characters when I start a book, especially after brainstorming a bit. But I figure it out as I go, often riding the writing wave and seeing where I end up. The book I mentioned above had no complete outline, and I actually just thought a lot of it up as I went. It turned into one of my best stories so far. This is just a personal preference, though. I know that a lot of writers do create full plans and outlines before they start. I’ve practiced using outlines and different structures, because I still believe it is important to stretch yourself as a writer and try new techniques. There is a lot to experiment with, such as the Hero’s Journey and Three-Act Structure. Whether you want to have a detailed plan before you start or just go with it, make sure that you don’t pressure yourself into having it all figured out. This can make writing more stressful and also make it harder to get things down as they come to you.

Perfect it later

When I write, my goal is to get my thoughts down before they’re gone or I get too far ahead of myself. If I’m in my writing flow, I type and type until I’m fully engrossed in my story. I love to forget about the real world for a little while. Yes, I’ll try to get the spelling and punctuation right as I work, but I save the rereading and editing for later. My primary focus is putting the conversations, images, and little movies in my mind into words. Sometimes I explain what writing is to me by comparing it to reading a new book. I’m experiencing it in full for the first time, so if I stop to perfect or reread the last line or paragraph, then I’m stopping the creative rush and smooth experience. I have so much in my mind that blocking it up by fixing typos and grammar mistakes annoys me and slows me down. So I highly recommend going back to edit or fix mistakes after you’ve written without stopping for at least a couple of minutes. This was actually an exercise a professor in an English class I took assigned us early on in the semester. We were supposed to start a timer for five minutes and not stop writing – no reading it over or correcting mistakes. Then, we went back and started editing. I found this very helpful and kept the strategy in my writing toolbox for everything from my books to nonfiction articles and essays.

You do you!

There are so many resources and guides out there that give you a lot of different opinions and suggestions for how the writing process should look. The most important thing to remember is that as a writer, you are in charge. Figure out what works for you and dismiss what doesn’t. Try new strategies or routines and adapt your process and structure to fit what you want and need. I think that remembering there is no “right way to do it” can be comforting and release you from some of the pressure. If you do creative writing, I imagine that it is something you are passionate about and enjoy. That’s why most people get into writing – it is something they truly want to do. Why else would you author an entire book or spend hours on your laptop writing on your own free will? I know that it’s challenging advice, but try not to overwhelm yourself or take the fun out of writing by trying to be perfect or get it all right. You are in control and are literally the one steering the ship/story. I wish you luck as you figure out your creative writing process and what works best for you!