Question: how do writers write? What’s the process that brings something from a blank page to words with meaning and love? First, I’ll give you my finished piece and show you how I got there.

And if you stick with me through the whole process…I’ll give you a gift at the end that is one of my most popular writer treats!

 

Observe

To write, you must decide what you want to write about. First, you need to observe your world and gather ideas. Freewrite in your journal by asking yourself what is most important to you at this moment to write about? Make it good because you’re going to be with this idea or topic for a while.

No idea what to write about? There are things you can do. First, brainstorm ideas in your journal. Then create a mind map or circle cluster ideas together in groups. Set things in order based on key ideas and questions.

Now’s the time to do research! Expand these ideas based on what’s already out there – look through fiction and nonfiction. Go to the library and check out ideas in books you’ve never visited. Read for inspiration. Evolve the idea.

If you’re an organized writer, outline. If you’re not into organization at first, like me, write by the seat of your pants! Freewrite in your journal.

 

 

Reflect

Fine-tune the ideas and find the nuggets that make this a unique piece of work. I go through a longer process because I need to write to find what I’m working on before I can outline…so I write to figure out what I’m trying to say, and then I go through it and outline.

Time for drafting! Get it down fast.

Rewrite the draft.

Cut extraneous ideas, people, and things. If you don’t like cutting, keep it in a file marked ‘drabbles’ and leave it in the corner of your computer…you never know when you might need it for inspiration.

Develop your main ideas. Add supporting details that encourage questions and thought.

 

 

Make

Seems kind of strange that ‘making’ doesn’t happen until now, right? But this is crucial. The first draft is not an end, but a beginning. It’s time to bring out the big guns, the things that differentiate published work from the rest of the slush pile. You ready?

Time to regroup. What’s the biggest point in your piece? As my advisor Victoria Nelson called it, what’s the “heart?” That is the key to determining where your edit will go.

Time for review and revisions. But first, do not, I repeat DO NOT share your work until after the third round of edits. I’ll explain this later.

First, go for the big-world stuff.  How’s the structure? Is the point of view on target, or would it be better from an alternative direction? Look at your piece from different points of view and make sure it’s what you wanted to say. Is the content on track?

Look for the holes. Do necessary research – plug the holes. Does your support lead to the conclusion? Should you revise your conclusion based on the evidence?

How is the tone? Some people are tone deaf when it comes to their own work, and you’ll feel like you want to give it to someone else for peer review, but hold back. Check it yourself first. You’re learning how to listen to your own work. Read it out loud. Take notes as you do and edit on the paper or screen as you go. You will hear things that didn’t pop up before.

Is your message on target now? Think about your audience as you go through the whole process – how can you connect to your reader? Revise with this primarily in mind. Is your call to action on target?

Next, focus on small things. It’s time to get the red (or in my case purple) pen out. Red pens intimidate me. Purple is red plus blue and that makes it less strenuous to edit with. Try it with a pen that’s on your side.

We’re not at line edits yet. Don’t jump ahead. Resist the urge.

Now’s the time to play with words. If you’re a Banangram-playing word geek like me, it will be as much fun as the first draft was. Small things impact like a word bomb. Rearrange sentences and words to suit your artist side. Play with rhythm. Play with consonance and assonance and onomatopoeia. Bang! Your work is coming into focus.

Add description. Light can dance on water. Look for clichés and find new ways to say it. Maybe the light doesn’t dance. What if the light impaled the ice like a sword in a warrior’s hand? This is where your work goes from normal to stellar. Take it up a notch or several. Use your words like an artist would paint. Read it out loud again. Make necessary adjustments.

Okay, you’re at the third draft. Now is the time to get peer or editor notes.

When you work through editing, there are a few ways to go about it. First, edit for yourself.

There are many types of edits. First, do a worldview edit. Look for the links.

Some people call it copy editing, others call it line editing. Either way, you know what I mean. It’s time to write in complete sentences with correct grammar. Work through the mechanics and diction. How is the format? Would it be seen a different way in another font, or is TNR 12 the way to go?

Reread or have someone else reread your work. Read it out loud. Again. Feedback, especially when you’re starting out, is essential, but there are a few things you want to keep in mind. First, who is the source? Is it a trusted friend with writing experience, a writing professor, or is this your sister who hasn’t written a thing and prefers cheerleading? Not all feedback is equal. Weight the feedback accordingly. At the same time, keep in mind that you need to be the author. Now is the time to step up and claim your work: polish per feedback, but keep your goals in mind above all. You have the last say and it’s okay to not agree with feedback.

There is a point in each piece’s life that you know it’s done. There will always be things you can change, words you can play with, and sometimes things just don’t feel right. But there is a moment when all that goes away and you think there isn’t anything else you can do to fix it. At that point, it’s time to finish.

What do you want to do with it? You can keep it to yourself or share it with others. What you do with it is up to you. I’ve hung out with a lot of writers and see several who share it with friends and others who publish their work. Follow your heart.

Keys to the writing kingdom:

Reading.

Learn the craft of writing.

Create a timeline of your work process.

Stick to it.

Persist.

Go write your book.

Darlene

Like the content you see here? Follow this blog for more information and updates!

 

Here begins the process (warning: this way there be dragons!)

 

Do not proceed further unless you really want to know how process works…

I’m serious.

You were warned.

 

You asked for it…

 

Writing Process: How a writer creates a piece of work (how do we do that?)

1. Brainstorm

Blog Entries:

–          Top 5 links of the week

–          Journey

–          Fresh point of view

–          Geek writing

–          Wish I knew about…

–          Writing Craft

–          My retreat

–          Writer sanctuary

–          The things that matter

–          Online retreat for writers

–          Writing with a geeky bent

–          Make a big promise – a big question – and figure out how to deliver on it

To Do:

Write a catchy headline

First paragraph needs a hook and a question

Make a huge promise so people stay…give them one thing to takeaway…but save it for the end so they stick around

Add poppy visual here

Sections with proper subheadings (if needed)

Quotable one-liner or a callout with fantastic quote

Keep it snappy, on topic, and inspirational

End with a call to action: subscribe!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. Figure it out

The Creative Process

Observe: Prewriting

–          Brainstorm

–          Organize

–          Cluster

–          Outlining

–          Key ideas and questions

–          Set things in order

–          Research

–          Journal freewrite (I freewrite a lot)

–          Find the nugget

–          Evolve the idea

 

Reflect: Draft

–          First draft – get it down fast

–          Rewrite the draft

–          Cut extraneous things

–          Develop main ideas

–          Support details

–          Read for inspiration

Make: aka Revising

–          Review

–          Revise for big world stuff

–          Revise for small things

–          Rearrange words and sentences

–          Add description

–          No feedback until the third round

–          Content

–          Structure

–          Point of view

–          Support

–          Tone

–          Message

–          Call to action

Editing

–          Copy edit

–          Worldview edit

–          Line edits

–          Are sentences complete?

–          Grammar correct?

–          Reread or have someone else reread

–          Polish per feedback

–          Prepare the final draft

–          Share with others

–          Mechanics

–          Diction

–          Format

–          Post

–          Submit

–          Mailing

OMG do I really do all that?

Yes, writing. Learning. Process.

Timeline of work process? Ha! I don’t timeline. Should I?

 

 

Drafting

 

Observe

To write, you must decide what you want to write about. First, you need to observe your world and gather ideas. Freewrite in your journal by asking yourself what is most important to you at this moment to write about? Make it good because you’re going to be with this idea or topic for a while.

No idea what to write about? There are things you can do. First, brainstorm ideas in your journal. Then create a mindmap or cluster ideas together in groups. Set things in order based on key ideas and questions.

Now’s the time to do research! Expand these ideas based on what’s already out there – look through fiction and nonfiction. Go to the library and check out ideas in books you’ve never visited. Read for inspiration. Evolve the idea.

If you’re an organized writer, outline. If you’re not into organization at first, like me, write by the seat of your pants! Freewrite in your journal.

 

Reflect

Fine-tune the ideas and find the nuggets that make this a unique piece of work. I go through a longer process because I need to write to find what I’m working on before I can outline…so I write to figure out what I’m trying to say, and then I go through it and outline.

Time for drafting! Get it down fast.

Rewrite the draft.

Cut extraneous ideas, people, and things. If you don’t like cutting, keep it in a file marked ‘drabbles’ and leave it in the corner of your computer…you never know when you might need it for inspiration.

Develop your main ideas. Add supporting details that encourage questions and thought.

 

Make

Seems kind of strange that ‘making’ doesn’t happen until now, right? But this is crucial. The first draft is not an end, but a beginning.

Make:

Revising

–          Review

–          Revise for big world stuff

–          Revise for small things

–          Rearrange words and sentences

–          Add description

–          No feedback until the third round

–          Content

–          Structure

–          Point of view

–          Support

–          Tone

–          Message

–          Call to action

Editing

–          Copy edit

–          Worldview edit

–          Line edits

–          Are sentences complete?

–          Grammar correct?

–          Reread or have someone else reread

–          Polish per feedback

–          Prepare the final draft

–          Share with others

–          Mechanics

–          Diction

–          Format

–          Post

–          Submit

–          Mailing

 

Writing learning process: need a tattoo on the mind about this

 

 

 

(above written as a Nerd Fitness Rebel Challenge…first go 252 words, second was 305 words) I don’t usually track words…but it was for a good cause.

 

Make:

Seems kind of strange that ‘making’ doesn’t happen until now, right? But this is crucial. The first draft is not an end, but a beginning. It’s time to bring out the big guns, the things that differentiate published work from the rest of the slush pile. You ready?

Time to regroup. What’s the biggest point in your piece? As my advisor Victoria Nelson called it, what’s the “heart?” That is the key to determining where your edit will go.

Time for review and revisions. But first, do not, I repeat DO NOT share your work until after the third round of edits. I’ll explain this later.

First, go for the big-world stuff.  How’s the structure? Is the point of view on target, or would it be better from an alternative direction? Look at your piece from different points of view and make sure it’s what you wanted to say. Is the content on track?

Look for the holes. Do necessary research – plug the holes. Does your support lead to the conclusion? Should you revise your conclusion based on the evidence?

How is the tone? Some people are tone deaf when it comes to their own work, and you’ll feel like you want to give it to someone else for peer review, but hold back. Check it yourself first. You’re learning how to listen to your own work. Read it out loud. Take notes as you do and edit on the paper or screen as you go. You will hear things that didn’t pop up before.

Is your message on target now? Think about your audience as you go through the whole process – how can you connect to your reader? Revise with this primarily in mind. Is your call to action on target?

Next, focus on small things. It’s time to get the red (or in my case purple) pen out. Red pens intimidate me. Purple is red plus blue and that makes it less strenuous to edit with. Try it with a pen that’s on your side.

We’re not at line edits yet. Don’t jump ahead.

Now’s the time to play with words. If you’re a banangram-playing word geek like me, it will be as much fun as the first draft was. Small things impact like a word bomb. Rearrange sentences and words to suit your artist side. Play with rhythm. Play with consonance and assonance and onomatopoeia. Bang! Your work is coming into focus.

Add description. Make the light dance on the water. Look for clichés – and find a new way to say it. Light doesn’t dance. It hits like a sword in a warrior’s hand.

that make great impact: rearrange sentences and words for artist

 

–          Revise for small things

–          Rearrange words and sentences

–          Add description

–          No feedback until the third round

Editing

–          Copy edit

–          Worldview edit

–          Line edits

–          Are sentences complete?

–          Grammar correct?

–          Reread or have someone else reread

–          Polish per feedback

–          Prepare the final draft

–          Share with others

–          Mechanics

–          Diction

–          Format

–          Post

–          Submit

–          Mailing

 

Writing learning process

Timeline of work process

 

524

3. (draft continued) The Writer’s Process: A Three-Step Process

 

Add description. Light can dance on water. Look for clichés and find new ways to say it. Maybe the light doesn’t dance. What if the light hit the ice like a sword in a warrior’s hand? This is where your work goes from normal to stellar. Take it up a notch or several. Use your words like an artist would paint. Read it out loud again. Make necessary adjustments.

Okay, you’re at the third draft. Now is the time to get peer or editor notes.

When you work through editing, there are a few ways to go about it. First, edit for yourself.

There are many types of edits. First, do a worldview edit. Look for the links.

Some people call it copy editing, others call it line editing. Either way, you know what I mean. It’s time to write in complete sentences with correct grammar. Work through the mechanics and diction. How is the format? Would it be seen a different way in another font, or is TNR 12 the way to go?

Reread or have someone else reread your work. Read it out loud. Again. Feedback, especially when you’re starting out, is essential, but there are a few things you want to keep in mind. First, who is the source? Is it a trusted friend with writing experience, a writing professor, or is this your sister who hasn’t written a thing and prefers cheerleading? Not all feedback is equal. Weight the feedback accordingly. At the same time, keep in mind that you need to be the author. Now is the time to step up and claim your work: polish per feedback, but keep your goals in mind above all. You have the last say and it’s okay to not agree with feedback.

There is a point in each piece’s life that you know it’s done. There will always be things you can change, words you can play with, and sometimes things just don’t feel right. But there is a moment when all that goes away and you think there isn’t anything else you can do to fix it. At that point, it’s time to finish.

What do you want to do with it? You can keep it to yourself or share it with others. What you do with it is up to you. I’ve hung out with a lot of writers and see several who share it with friends and others who publish their work. Follow your heart.

Keys to the writing kingdom:

Reading.

Learn the craft of writing.

Create a timeline of your work process.

Stick to it.

Persist.

 

 

Blog Entries:

–          Top 5 links of the week

–          Journey

–          Fresh point of view

–          Geek writing

–          Wish I knew about…

–          Writing Craft

–          My retreat

–          Writer sanctuary

–          The things that matter

–          Online retreat for writers

–          Writing with a geeky bent

–          Make a big promise – a big question – and figure out how to deliver on it

 

Catchy headline

First paragraph – open a curiosity hook – as a question

Big promise – state #1 takeaway

Visual here

Main section with proper subheadings

Quotable one-liner

Keep it snappy

End with CTA call to action – subscribe

 

 

 

 

The Creative Process

Observe: Prewriting

–          Brainstorm

–          Organize

–          Cluster

–          Outlining

–          Key ideas and questions

–          Set things in order

–          Research

–          Journal freewrite

–          Find the nugget

–          Evolve the idea

–

Reflect: Draft

–          First draft – get it down fast

–          Rewrite the draft

–          Cut extraneous things

–          Develop main ideas

–          Support details

–          Read for inspiration

Make:

Revising

–          Review

–          Revise for big world stuff

–          Revise for small things

–          Rearrange words and sentences

–          Add description

–          No feedback until the third round

–          Content

–          Structure

–          Point of view

–          Support

–          Tone

–          Message

–          Call to action

Editing

–          Copy edit

–          Worldview edit

–          Line edits

–          Are sentences complete?

–          Grammar correct?

–          Reread or have someone else reread

–          Polish per feedback

–          Prepare the final draft

–          Share with others

–          Mechanics

–          Diction

–          Format

–          Post

–          Submit

–          Mailing

 

Writing learning process

Timeline of work process

 

 

The Writer’s Journey: A Three-Step Process

Darlene Reilley

 

Observe

To write, you must decide what you want to write about. First, you need to observe your world and gather ideas. Freewrite in your journal by asking yourself what is most important to you at this moment to write about? Make it good because you’re going to be with this idea or topic for a while.

No idea what to write about? There are things you can do. First, brainstorm ideas in your journal. Then create a mind map or circle cluster ideas together in groups. Set things in order based on key ideas and questions.

Now’s the time to do research! Expand these ideas based on what’s already out there – look through fiction and nonfiction. Go to the library and check out ideas in books you’ve never visited. Read for inspiration. Evolve the idea.

If you’re an organized writer, outline. If you’re not into organization at first, like me, write by the seat of your pants! Freewrite in your journal.

Reflect

Fine-tune the ideas and find the nuggets that make this a unique piece of work. I go through a longer process because I need to write to find what I’m working on before I can outline…so I write to figure out what I’m trying to say, and then I go through it and outline.

Time for drafting! Get it down fast.

Rewrite the draft.

Cut extraneous ideas, people, and things. If you don’t like cutting, keep it in a file marked ‘drabbles’ and leave it in the corner of your computer…you never know when you might need it for inspiration.

Develop your main ideas. Add supporting details that encourage questions and thought.

 

Make

Seems kind of strange that ‘making’ doesn’t happen until now, right? But this is crucial. The first draft is not an end, but a beginning. It’s time to bring out the big guns, the things that differentiate published work from the rest of the slush pile. You ready?

Time to regroup. What’s the biggest point in your piece? As my advisor Victoria Nelson called it, what’s the “heart?” That is the key to determining where your edit will go.

Time for review and revisions. But first, do not, I repeat DO NOT share your work until after the third round of edits. I’ll explain this later.

First, go for the big-world stuff.  How’s the structure? Is the point of view on target, or would it be better from an alternative direction? Look at your piece from different points of view and make sure it’s what you wanted to say. Is the content on track?

Look for the holes. Do necessary research – plug the holes. Does your support lead to the conclusion? Should you revise your conclusion based on the evidence?

How is the tone? Some people are tone deaf when it comes to their own work, and you’ll feel like you want to give it to someone else for peer review, but hold back. Check it yourself first. You’re learning how to listen to your own work. Read it out loud. Take notes as you do and edit on the paper or screen as you go. You will hear things that didn’t pop up before.

Is your message on target now? Think about your audience as you go through the whole process – how can you connect to your reader? Revise with this primarily in mind. Is your call to action on target?

Next, focus on small things. It’s time to get the red (or in my case purple) pen out. Red pens intimidate me. Purple is red plus blue and that makes it less strenuous to edit with. Try it with a pen that’s on your side.

We’re not at line edits yet. Don’t jump ahead.

Now’s the time to play with words. If you’re a Banangram-playing word geek like me, it will be as much fun as the first draft was. Small things impact like a word bomb. Rearrange sentences and words to suit your artist side. Play with rhythm. Play with consonance and assonance and onomatopoeia. Bang! Your work is coming into focus.

Add description. Light can dance on water. Look for clichés and find new ways to say it. Maybe the light doesn’t dance. What if the light hit the ice like a sword in a warrior’s hand? This is where your work goes from normal to stellar. Take it up a notch or several. Use your words like an artist would paint. Read it out loud again. Make necessary adjustments.

Okay, you’re at the third draft. Now is the time to get peer or editor notes.

When you work through editing, there are a few ways to go about it. First, edit for yourself.

There are many types of edits. First, do a worldview edit. Look for the links.

Some people call it copy editing, others call it line editing. Either way, you know what I mean. It’s time to write in complete sentences with correct grammar. Work through the mechanics and diction. How is the format? Would it be seen a different way in another font, or is TNR 12 the way to go?

Reread or have someone else reread your work. Read it out loud. Again. Feedback, especially when you’re starting out, is essential, but there are a few things you want to keep in mind. First, who is the source? Is it a trusted friend with writing experience, a writing professor, or is this your sister who hasn’t written a thing and prefers cheerleading? Not all feedback is equal. Weight the feedback accordingly. At the same time, keep in mind that you need to be the author. Now is the time to step up and claim your work: polish per feedback, but keep your goals in mind above all. You have the last say and it’s okay to not agree with feedback.

There is a point in each piece’s life that you know it’s done. There will always be things you can change, words you can play with, and sometimes things just don’t feel right. But there is a moment when all that goes away and you think there isn’t anything else you can do to fix it. At that point, it’s time to finish.

What do you want to do with it? You can keep it to yourself or share it with others. What you do with it is up to you. I’ve hung out with a lot of writers and see several who share it with friends and others who publish their work. Follow your heart.

Keys to the writing kingdom:

Reading.

Learn the craft of writing.

Create a timeline of your work process.

Stick to it.

Persist.

 

 

 

(edited)

The Writer’s Journey: A Three-Step Process

Darlene Reilley

Work In Process Pic

 

 

Observe

Index Card

To write, you must decide what you want to write about. First, you need to observe your world and gather ideas. Freewrite in your journal by asking yourself what is most important to you at this moment to write about? Make it good because you’re going to be with this idea or topic for a while.

No idea what to write about? There are things you can do. First, brainstorm ideas in your journal. Then create a mind map or circle cluster ideas together in groups. Set things in order based on key ideas and questions.

Now’s the time to do research! Expand these ideas based on what’s already out there – look through fiction and nonfiction. Go to the library and check out ideas in books you’ve never visited. Read for inspiration. Evolve the idea.

If you’re an organized writer, outline. If you’re not into organization at first, like me, write by the seat of your pants! Freewrite in your journal.

Reflect

Index Card

Fine-tune the ideas and find the nuggets that make this a unique piece of work. I go through a longer process because I need to write to find what I’m working on before I can outline…so I write to figure out what I’m trying to say, and then I go through it and outline.

Time for drafting! Get it down fast.

Rewrite the draft.

Cut extraneous ideas, people, and things. If you don’t like cutting, keep it in a file marked ‘drabbles’ and leave it in the corner of your computer…you never know when you might need it for inspiration.

Develop your main ideas. Add supporting details that encourage questions and thought.

 

Make

Index Card

Seems kind of strange that ‘making’ doesn’t happen until now, right? But this is crucial. The first draft is not an end, but a beginning. It’s time to bring out the big guns, the things that differentiate published work from the rest of the slush pile. You ready?

Time to regroup. What’s the biggest point in your piece? As my advisor Victoria Nelson called it, what’s the “heart?” That is the key to determining where your edit will go.

Time for review and revisions. But first, do not, I repeat DO NOT share your work until after the third round of edits. I’ll explain this later.

First, go for the big-world stuff.  How’s the structure? Is the point of view on target, or would it be better from an alternative direction? Look at your piece from different points of view and make sure it’s what you wanted to say. Is the content on track?

Look for the holes. Do necessary research – plug the holes. Does your support lead to the conclusion? Should you revise your conclusion based on the evidence?

How is the tone? Some people are tone deaf when it comes to their own work, and you’ll feel like you want to give it to someone else for peer review, but hold back. Check it yourself first. You’re learning how to listen to your own work. Read it out loud. Take notes as you do and edit on the paper or screen as you go. You will hear things that didn’t pop up before.

Is your message on target now? Think about your audience as you go through the whole process – how can you connect to your reader? Revise with this primarily in mind. Is your call to action on target?

Next, focus on small things. It’s time to get the red (or in my case purple) pen out. Red pens intimidate me. Purple is red plus blue and that makes it less strenuous to edit with. Try it with a pen that’s on your side.

We’re not at line edits yet. Don’t jump ahead.

Now’s the time to play with words. If you’re a Banangram-playing word geek like me, it will be as much fun as the first draft was. Small things impact like a word bomb. Rearrange sentences and words to suit your artist side. Play with rhythm. Play with consonance and assonance and onomatopoeia. Bang! Your work is coming into focus.

Add description. Light can dance on water. Look for clichés and find new ways to say it. Maybe the light doesn’t dance. What if the light hit the ice like a sword in a warrior’s hand? This is where your work goes from normal to stellar. Take it up a notch or several. Use your words like an artist would paint. Read it out loud again. Make necessary adjustments.

Okay, you’re at the third draft. Now is the time to get peer or editor notes.

When you work through editing, there are a few ways to go about it. First, edit for yourself.

There are many types of edits. First, do a worldview edit. Look for the links.

Some people call it copy editing, others call it line editing. Either way, you know what I mean. It’s time to write in complete sentences with correct grammar. Work through the mechanics and diction. How is the format? Would it be seen a different way in another font, or is TNR 12 the way to go?

Reread or have someone else reread your work. Read it out loud. Again. Feedback, especially when you’re starting out, is essential, but there are a few things you want to keep in mind. First, who is the source? Is it a trusted friend with writing experience, a writing professor, or is this your sister who hasn’t written a thing and prefers cheerleading? Not all feedback is equal. Weight the feedback accordingly. At the same time, keep in mind that you need to be the author. Now is the time to step up and claim your work: polish per feedback, but keep your goals in mind above all. You have the last say and it’s okay to not agree with feedback.

There is a point in each piece’s life that you know it’s done. There will always be things you can change, words you can play with, and sometimes things just don’t feel right. But there is a moment when all that goes away and you think there isn’t anything else you can do to fix it. At that point, it’s time to finish.

What do you want to do with it? You can keep it to yourself or share it with others. What you do with it is up to you. I’ve hung out with a lot of writers and see several who share it with friends and others who publish their work. Follow your heart.

Keys to the writing kingdom:

Reading.

Learn the craft of writing.

Create a timeline of your work process.

Stick to it.

Persist.

 

 

Inspiration: pretty

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