hihi i hope you don't mind me asking but as a writer myself, i'm curious about how your writing process goes :o it's very evident you do a ton of research for your writing and it got me curious about how you go about research and writing as a whole! thank you for your time and have a wonderful day <3
Hi!! I don't mind at all <3 Thank you for sending this ask, because if there's something I love more than writing, then it's talking about the craft of writing! I'll just break down my general process on how I approach writing below <3 Keep in mind that this is both (1) general advice, and (2) specific to how I approach pieces, so it might not work for everyone! In general, I have four major steps: planning, outlining, writing, and then revising/editing!
Planning
The first thing that really happens is that I'll come up with an idea. For fanfic, this usually means I'll get an idea for a scenario I want to explore, or I'll really want to write about a character, and then I'll come up with several ideas that I think would be fun for them! In this stage, I might write a few notes about the premise, just a few sentences about the overall plot/arc I'm looking at. Additionally, I might come up with some general themes/motifs I want to include, but go more in-depth with them in the outlining stage. I'm a bit strange in the sense I tend to plan stories based on general concepts/themes before I delve into the nitty-gritty of characters and plot details (though this process is a bit reversed when I'm writing fanfiction).
I might also do some general research in regards to the premise: for example, I might look over the wiki to refresh my memories on character beats or miscellaneous trivia, or I'll reread certain pages of the manga/rewatch scenes of the anime/replay parts of the game. If I'm writing about a different culture, then I'll look up aspects of the culture that are relevant to my fic (and as with any research, you want to check that you're using reputable sites for accurate information!) Asking friends for their advice/expertise can also be helpful, especially if they're knowledgeable in areas I'm not.
2. Outlining
After I have an idea, I tend to make a really rough outline for how I want the story to go. I don't like planning every minuscule detail, so I leave my outline vague enough that I can be flexible with what I write. I might just draft the overarching plot beats that I want to hit, but then I might change/rearrange scenes depending on what happens as I actually write. I like having an idea of what might happen, but also I don't want my plot to be so rigid I don't have any freedom to play with it, especially because what I write might end up differently from what I planned to happen!
Additionally, I also tend to map out not just what's happening on the page, but also the themes, character arcs and emotional beats. It's not as daunting as it sounds; these things are generally entwined together, as they influence each other! I'm always thinking of them in conjunction with every other piece of the story.
If that's a bit difficult, you can also think about a general mapping technique: tracking the inner, emotional journey and the outer, physical journey, and how these events influence each other or intersect. What shows up on the page, and what's happening beneath it, that might not be as obvious?
In chronologically disjointed pieces, I tend to have an idea of what the chronological timeline looks like before I break it up and rearrange the scenes. I don't believe there are real "rules" when it comes to writing (things like "don't use adverbs" or "first person should only ever be past tense"); any rule can be broken, but you do need to understand the rules before you know how/when to break them in your piece.
3. Writing
Here's the hardest part of the process: actually writing! I have several different ways I approach writing. Sometimes I'll just follow my outline, in order of the events and scenes I have planned. Other times, I might write "out of order" where I tackle a section that I'm particularly interested in, rather than going by order of events (though this usually means I have to edit and revise a lot because I might write the aftermath of a emotional scene before I actually know the specifics of what happens in the scene).
I think that I sometimes approach writing as something I "have to do." I will make myself write, even if I don't feel particularly motivated or inspired, because I want to build a habit of writing even without that passion fueling me. And besides, writing even a few sentences is better than writing nothing, so I'll congratulate myself if I had one paragraph to my wip. Sometimes, this does help me get into the flow of writing!
I also don't tend to approach first drafts like they need to be perfect. I'm fine if they're sloppy or messy, and I might, say, add a [add transition here] or [expand on his inner thoughts] if I'm on a roll and I don't want to slow down to write that particular bit. It's important to keep the momentum going!
I also keep several wips on hands at all times, and I have a folder in my google drive specifically for my wips. Though I do tend to focus only one to three projects at a time, this helps me in the sense that if I feel tired of one wip, then I refresh my creative batteries by working on a different one. This helps keeps my interest up!
4. Revising/Editing
I know some people skip this step, but to me, it's important that I don't just toss out a fic before I'm completely satisfied with it. Editing is when you go through to proofread and look at surface level things like grammar and spelling, but revising is the real struggle: it's where you look at the piece as a whole. Is it cohesive? Do the scenes make sense in the order they're placed in? How is the pace? Is the characterization consistent?
You can't be afraid to rearrange scenes, to cut sections, to add new ones, or to transform existing scenes. If I need to, sometimes I take a break before I go back to a piece. Maybe I've been looking at it for too long, and in the heat of the moment, I might miss certain things. I might also ask a friend for their feedback and advice on a piece. I want to write things that I'm proud of, that other people will enjoy, so I don't want to half-ass any step of the process. I try to look at most things at least two or three times before I post them, but if they're shorter pieces/don't need thorough revision, I'll only look at it once before I post.
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find the word challenge
rules: share snippets of your work containing each of the words the previous poster selected for you (optional addition: if you can't find the word in your WIPs, or you simply don't have any WIPs, you can just write a sentence around the word)
thanks @the-likesofus for the tag!! very excited to see how many of these words I've used...
my words are: quiet, hold, cover, first, together, and small. unsurprisingly, my fake dating au (currently sitting at almost 30k words like it has been for the past few months...) has all of these words multiple times lol <3
quiet
Buck’s phone rings, and he pulls it out of his pocket, his hands shaking when he reads Bobby’s contact name. He answers before he can even register it. “Pops?” His voice is quiet and terrified.
hold
Hearing footsteps from his spot on the couch, Buck tenses as Nathan comes up the stairs. It’s been so long, but Buck can still recognize the man’s footfalls. He lets out a breath he’d been subconsciously holding when Nathan finally appears and moves towards one of the armchairs across from him instead of the couch.
cover
“Jurassic Park!” Chris yells, and Buck has to cover his ears against the sound, the kid’s excitement causing him to be louder than usual. “Please, Dad, I know it’s kind of scary, but they just put it back on Netflix, and I’ve seen it before! Plus, I’m ten now, I won’t have nightmares!”
first
“I don’t want you to get hurt again,” Eddie says, meeting Buck’s gaze. His eyes are soft and despite his words, they shine with support, and Buck thinks—not for the first time—how lucky he is to have a best friend like Eddie.
together
Nathan’s study abroad had been nearly over when Buck brought up the idea of him going to Los Angeles to fight fires and help people. Nate had just nodded before taking Buck’s hand and kissing him, saying he’d buy the plane tickets in the morning. Buck had assumed they’d be going back together to be together.
small
Eddie glares at Chim when he insists on playing with the station’s small Hildy gadget that they keep in the kitchen. They mostly use it to play music, but Chimney takes the opportunity to ask her a bunch of questions throughout the day and only stops when Eddie threatens to run her over with a fire truck after Chimney starts asking her questions about the 118 themselves.
words for people I tag: home, care, love, make, and dream
no pressure tagging @mooshkat @jacksadventuresinwriting @ty-in-bedlam @lilbuddie <3
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Writing 2024 Plans:
Gibbous 14 Chapter: This chapter is like pulling tooth and nail, ngl. I might be writing some upcoming scenes (Chapter 14 and beyond) out of order and then frankensteining them together. I want to get Chapter 14 out by October 12th at the latest.
Remix Oneshot Fic and Various Oneshots: I still have several one-shots I'm keen on finishing, particularly a remix fic which I was supposed to get finished last February before Things happened. So stay tuned on that
Spoke No More Revision: Ok, okay, listen. Last year, I posted Spoke No More only because it was part of the big bang and I didnt want to let my partner down. But it really wasnt ready to be published. So I'm gonna take this Spring to write it properly and then maybe go further and finish the third fic in the cycle. Here's a sneak peak:
From that point onwards, the knife remains at his side. Safely tucked within the folds of his clothing, ready to be grasped at a moment’s notice. Sometimes, it is not on his person. Sometimes he keeps it wedged underneath the bedframe.
This is because he does not receive mere sponge baths anymore. Rather, now that he can walk to some success again, They have decided to inflict upon him the luxury of an actual bath. Once a week, at a particular day, Patton ushers him into the Prince’s Bath, the water already heated and scented with sage and thyme.
There was only one time that His Eminence granted him a bath. It was in a dark room, with a tub full of something that was cold and sticky and scented with copper. The stench did not leave him for weeks, perhaps months.
These baths leave behind a stench that is…pleasant. His hair dries not into viscous clumps but soft wavy strands. At first, the water stings his healing scars. But gradually, it leaves his skin softer and rejuvenated.
He does not allow himself to enjoy these baths. Not when there is the lurking knowledge it is an amenity that could easily be snatched away. Once he is dried off and tucked into bed with fresh clothing, Virgil waits. -Spoke No More, Part 2: More is Thy Due than More than All Can Pay
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Here's Something Fun for the Characters from Arboriah Lux
Alternate responses to getting stabbed featuring the characters from my book, Arboriah Lux, to be published in April/May.
Cassius Morgenstern: Rude
Elderick Passor: That’s fair
Ephrem: Not again...
Esilas Solani: Are you gonna want this back or can I keep it?
Lux/Luxahliah: I'm not sure if I should be flattered or offended.
Duchess Mareene: Well, I had this coming.
Avaline: ... ouch...
Dargrin Passor: -dramatically falls- oh, Woe is me that my blood shall spill from this wound (His wife Dahliah: darling, that is literally a pin prick)
Dahliah Passor: I'm hurt that you would stab me.
Captain Ailgraym Solani: is this anything new?
Queen Elaine Morgenstern: bold of you to stab me... though that does kind of hurt.
King Claustus Morgenstern: I'm sorry, did you need something?
Eshrik: Beg your pardon? (He's probably the one who did the stabbing)
--I didn't do responses for the twins... you know, considering their line eleven years old--
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heyy, happy last STS of the year!! it's hard coming up with an original end-of-year ask, so I'm just gonna shoot off a bunch of questions, and you feel free to answer whichever you want/haven't already:D
are you satisfied with where you're at right now in your writing journey? where do you hope to be at this time next year? do you have any Must-Accomplish 2024 writing goals? anything new you'd like to try in your writing (technique-wise, story-wise, scheduling-wise, structure-wise, etc.) next year? any stories you'd like to start? end?
Thanks for the ask, Cee!
I'm feeling pretty good about where I am, actually! Got a lot written and helped launch the release! My goal for 2024 is to finish the draft of Arc 3 which feels like a tall order but I'm going to figure it out.
And I haven't been able to find time to write much in the past couple of months between side jobs and the Sunset Patreon (and a new exciting thing tba soon!) so I'm planning on trying out a more structured schedule to block out space dedicated to writing in the new year. Fingers crossed!
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