Writing Process Cornerstone
Your Writing Process Matters.
When a client or student of mine is struggling with any part of their writing, there are five things I examine in order to find the reason behind their difficulties. It’s like a doctor’s screening process, I imagine.
The first place I look to help me diagnose and treat their writing problems - is their Writing Process.
I rarely have to go any further before we find room to make meaningful changes that will immediately and effectively change their writing life and the quality of their work.
Once you have a writing process that works for you and your goals, we can start to work on the other areas to see you reach your potential - without burning yourself out or losing the creative joy you want to feel.
Why Bother with a Complicated Writing Process?
Why use a writing process?
Curabitur arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor at sem. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit.
Porttitor at sem. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit curabitur quam id dui arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor. Curabitur arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor at sem. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit.
Porttitor at sem. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit curabitur arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor. Quam id dui posuere blandit curabitur quam id dui arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor id imperdiet. Accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor at sem. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit curabitur quam id dui arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor.
The truth about writers’ block
Writers’ block is not an obstacle dropped in front of you by destiny.
On that note, neither is creative inspiration bestowed upon artists or writers by some muse or fate.
Stop the cage match
Curabitur arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et.
Porttitor at sem. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit curabitur quam id dui arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor. Curabitur arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor at sem. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit.
Porttitor at sem. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit curabitur arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor. Quam id dui posuere blandit curabitur quam id dui arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor id imperdiet. Accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor at sem. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit curabitur quam id dui arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor.
Project management
Curabitur arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et.
Porttitor at sem. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit curabitur quam id dui arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor. Curabitur arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor at sem. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit.
Porttitor at sem. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit curabitur arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor. Quam id dui posuere blandit curabitur quam id dui arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor id imperdiet. Accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor at sem. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit curabitur quam id dui arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor.
Curabitur arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et.
Porttitor at sem. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit curabitur quam id dui arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor. Curabitur arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor at sem. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit.
Porttitor at sem. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit curabitur arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor. Quam id dui posuere blandit curabitur quam id dui arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor id imperdiet. Accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor at sem. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit curabitur quam id dui arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor.
Skill development
Curabitur arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et.
Porttitor at sem. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit curabitur quam id dui arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor. Curabitur arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor at sem. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit.
Porttitor at sem. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit curabitur arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor. Quam id dui posuere blandit curabitur quam id dui arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor id imperdiet. Accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor at sem. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit curabitur quam id dui arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor.
What do all effective Writing Processes Share?
The 6 Writing Process Steps
Curabitur arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor at sem. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit.
Porttitor at sem. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit curabitur quam id dui arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor. Curabitur arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor at sem. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit.
Porttitor at sem. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit curabitur arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor. Quam id dui posuere blandit curabitur quam id dui arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor id imperdiet. Accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor at sem. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit curabitur quam id dui arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor.
Prewriting
Curabitur arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et.
Porttitor at sem. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit curabitur quam id dui arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor. Curabitur arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor at sem. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit.
Porttitor at sem. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit curabitur arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor. Quam id dui posuere blandit curabitur quam id dui arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor id imperdiet. Accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor at sem. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit curabitur quam id dui arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor.
Accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor at sem. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit curabitur quam id dui arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor.
Drafting
Curabitur arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et.
Porttitor at sem. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit curabitur quam id dui arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor. Curabitur arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor at sem. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit.
Porttitor at sem. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit curabitur arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor. Quam id dui posuere blandit curabitur quam id dui arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor id imperdiet. Accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor at sem. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit curabitur quam id dui arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor.
Revision
Make it make sense.
Revision isn’t about details; it’s not about perfection, or polishing your work to a fulsome shine. It’s an objective process of finding problem areas in the larger shape of the work and recognizing the right solutions.
You’ll be making decisions about the larger, structural changes that you need to make in order to best fulfill the purpose of your project. We do this before the more detail-oriented editing work, because focusing on making individual sentences or words perfect at this stage will lead you to polishing a turd you’ll decide to throw away later. That is a huge waste of time, and you’ll have a harder time making the right editorial decisions if you perceive a greater sunk cost.
RAM method
The simplest way to look at this step - particularly if you are doing it without the help of a professional editor - is to use what we can call the RAM method. Basically, you’re going to work through your writing and make the following decisions:
- Are there redundancies, distractions or irrelevant words or ideas? Remove them.
- Are there any key ideas or supporting information missing? Add it in.
- Will a different order or structure suit your purposes better? Move it around.
You should also take time to recognize areas where something isn’t quite working, but is still a necessary part of the piece. You can then brainstorm and try a few different creative techniques or tactics you could use to bring it the rest of the way.
Authors’ notes and making changes
Whether you are working on your own, or with a pro, you will have to really work on taking that objective criticism and rolling with it to make the right changes for your work - without letting your creative ego distract or derail you.
If you’re working on your own, you’ll be bouncing back and forth between Drafting and Revision a lot in a way that might make more sense if you imagine that you are actually working as a writer and editor separately.
Frame your revision process as an objective, analytical one. You’re acting as a rational mediator between the author and the audience, and so it’s important to do this outside of the drafting step and in a totally different frame of mind. Search for any areas where the purpose is just not being met or where the audience might not understand or care about pieces. Become a diplomat and find a way to meet the needs of the author and the audience without destroying the fundamental creative purpose of the work.
It’s not easy! Particularly if you have the same blind spots as the author - because no matter if you put on an editor’s hat, it’s still your writing and you still already know what you mean.
Substantive and Developmental Editors
This is where professional substantive editors truly show their value (if I do say so myself).
Editing
Spelling, Grammar, Fact-checking and more.
If revision is about making it make sense, editing is about making it right. This is the time to look at every detail and let that analytic fact-checker on your shoulder “Um Actually” its way through your creative work.
Curabitur arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor at sem. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit.
Porttitor at sem. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit curabitur quam id dui arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor. Curabitur arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor at sem. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit.
Porttitor at sem. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit curabitur arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor. Quam id dui posuere blandit curabitur quam id dui arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor id imperdiet. Accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor at sem. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit curabitur quam id dui arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor.
Publishing
Your work leaves your immediate world - and gets into the minds of your readers…somehow.
This step - like all of the others - includes lots of layers and can be made as complicated or as simple as you need. You might be creating a simple tweet or captioning an instagram post - or you might be creating a multi-media project with dozens of moving parts.
Porttitor at sem. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit curabitur quam id dui arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor. Curabitur arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor at sem. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit.
Maybe the medium is the message - or maybe it simply dictates the way your message will be received.
Either way, you need to be very aware of how your reader will be taking in your message, in order to frame it practically and effectively.
You also need to think about getting that message - in whichever form it takes - in front of the right people.
Assessment
Your work leaves your immediate world - and gets into the minds of your readers…somehow.
This step - like all of the others - includes lots of layers and can be made as complicated or as simple as you need. You might be creating a simple tweet or captioning an instagram post - or you might be creating a multi-media project with dozens of moving parts.
Porttitor at sem. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit curabitur quam id dui arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor. Curabitur arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor at sem. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit.
Maybe the medium is the message - or maybe it simply dictates the way your message will be received.
Either way, you need to be very aware of how your reader will be taking in your message, in order to frame it practically and effectively.
You also need to think about getting that message - in whichever form it takes - in front of the right people.
Your Writing Process Should Work for You
Design Your Writing Process
Every effective Writing Process includes those 5 steps - in some shape or form. But not every process will look exactly the same. Some of us require very specific accommodations at one or more of the steps in order to best achieve its goals. Still others require the support of professionals in different fields in order to bring their projects to life.
Knowing what you and your project need is a good starting point from which to design a Writing Process that will work best for you.
You also need to know what you have available to you in terms of tools, skills, finances, and even time.
The way your mind works
Curabitur arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et.
Porttitor at sem. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit curabitur quam id dui arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor. Curabitur arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor at sem. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit.
Porttitor at sem. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit curabitur arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor. Quam id dui posuere blandit curabitur quam id dui arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor id imperdiet. Accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor at sem. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit curabitur quam id dui arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor.
Accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor at sem. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit curabitur quam id dui arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor.
Your lifestyle
Curabitur arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et.
Porttitor at sem. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit curabitur quam id dui arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor. Curabitur arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor at sem. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit.
Porttitor at sem. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit curabitur arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor. Quam id dui posuere blandit curabitur quam id dui arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor id imperdiet. Accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor at sem. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit curabitur quam id dui arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor.
Your goals
Curabitur arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et.
Porttitor at sem. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit curabitur quam id dui arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor. Curabitur arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor at sem. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit.
Porttitor at sem. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit curabitur arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor. Quam id dui posuere blandit curabitur quam id dui arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor id imperdiet. Accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor at sem. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit curabitur quam id dui arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor.
Be flexible
Curabitur arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et.
Porttitor at sem. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit curabitur quam id dui arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor. Curabitur arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor at sem. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit.
Porttitor at sem. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit curabitur arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor. Quam id dui posuere blandit curabitur quam id dui arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor id imperdiet. Accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor at sem. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit curabitur quam id dui arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor.
