My Favorite Parts of the Writing Process

Writing a book is a long process, taking years for some people (like me). But thankfully, that process involves a lot of different steps, so (most of the time) things don't get boring.

Today, I'm sharing my favorite parts of the writing process with you. And later, I'll probably do a least favorite parts follow up. Because, believe me, I have parts I don't enjoy very much.

The Idea Stage

This is the stage even before pre-writing. Where all you have is an idea, two characters, and a pocket-full of vibes.

I love this stage because at this point, your story could be anything. It could have any combo of characters you want. You could create a new world or set it in history. The options are endless.

Daydreaming and allowing my mind to run wild with possibilities is so fun for me. I love exploring the different story paths and figuring out which one is best. Then you have to actually pin down the story and start making decisions. Which is important and fun too, but it lacks that shiny soap bubble of a fresh new idea with no substance yet.

Drafting

Some people love editing, while others prefer drafting. I'm the latter. I'd rather write new material all day than edit it into something presentable.

When writing, I can let the ideas flow. I'm pretty good at turning off my inner editor and just letting myself write during drafting. (My inner critic comes back with a vengeance during editing.)

Every day isn't a great writing day during drafting. But with a strong outline at my back, I can sit back and follow the path I've set up like sending a marble down a run.

Outlining

This is when I finally get to see what kind of story this is going to be. I'm a thorough outliner who covers every scene in my novel in detail. My outlines can be thousands of works long, but like I said in the drafting section, this frees up my mind to just write when it comes time. I don't have to worry about what needs to happen in this scene because I already know.

I've especially enjoyed using scene cards lately. They don't only cover what happens in the scene, but things like the point of the scene, what changes for the character, and how that affects the next scene.

During the outlining phase, I take all the ideas I've curated so far and assemble them into the rough sketch of what my story will become. My ideas change as I write and edit, but this gives me a strong foundation to stand on.

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As you can tell, I prefer the stages where my imagination gets to play. I know editing is important, but it's much harder for me.

What are your favorite parts of the writing process? Do we share any? Tell me in the comments.