Writing Process One Size Does Not Fit All

Writing Process: One Size Does Not Fit All

Developing an individual writing process is a key part of becoming a real writer. If you want to learn and grow as a writer then you must work to develop a unique writing process. If you want to be a more productive writer and for your work to improve then you must develop a unique writing process.

While most writing processes contain the same basic elements, each individual writing process is as individual as the writer it serves. Each writing process contains these steps: brainstorming, organizing, writing, revising and editing. Some people condense the essentials into only three parts: brainstorming and organization as one, writing, and then revising and editing as the final step. While you may well end up with some variation of a writing process that is close to the latter I think when you are first individualizing your writing process you should start with the five distinct steps.

How do you begin to develop your own unique writing process? You must write -- a lot -- and you must experiment with different methods and different styles and different variations within each of the five steps. Even if you find the "idea" of one experiment to be uncomfortable or unwieldy then you must still give it a try because that might be the key to unlocking your own successful style.

This is especially important when it comes to the first step in the process -- generating ideas. Experiment with all the variations of brainstorming you hear about from free writing, clustering, questioning, listing and journaling as well as the many other options out there.

After you have spent time brainstorming it is important to begin putting those ideas into some semblance of organization. Sometimes you will need to do this on paper and sometimes it can be done in your head. You may be able to do some rough organization with arrows, numbers or highlighting or perhaps you might need to use note cards or a computer program. Again, experimentation is key to find the method that works best for you.

The actual writing portion of your writing process should be the easiest and least painful. Remember, you will take care of revision and editing later on so you only need to worry about filling your required allotment of pages. Do not slow down your creative process by self editing as you write. Just let it flow and sort it out later.

Some writers combine revision and editing but I like to separate these steps. In my mind, revision is the heavy lifting where you continue to write and rewrite as well as refine and reorganize. Most of my writing involves multiple drafts in the revision stage.

I personally consider editing to deal with those fine, picky details such as spelling, grammar, and punctuation. It might to some extent involve word choice but usually those details are dealt with during revision. Do not forget to read your work out loud at this point to catch awkward sentence and paragraph structure.

And that is how you can develop your own personal writing process. Do not forget: Developing an individual writing process is key to your development and success as a writer.

BONUS : Writing Prompts: Who Needs This Writing Help?

Writing prompts can offer tremendous writing help for writers at every level of experience and expertise. Who can use writing prompts?

Beginners can use writing prompts to help them learn and grow as writers as well as gain valuable experience in the craft. The only sure way to improve your writing is to write regularly and prompts can help you sharpen your skills on a regular basis. Perfection will never be in your writing future, but it is very true that regular practice is the only way to improve your work. While you may have a long list of ideas and projects to work on you may also want to employ prompts from time to time to fill in the gaps in your schedule.

Experienced writers can use writing prompts to stretch their writing muscles to prepare for their writing assignments or each day's work. They can also use exercises and prompts to create a swipe file of ideas for future reference.

Professional writers can use writing prompts to give them a creative jump start when necessary and to experiment with other forms of writing. If you feel your work is going stale or that you need some inspiration, then using prompts can make a huge difference in your creativity and overall work.

All writers can use writing prompts with writer's block and improving their work. No matter what level your word craft may be, every writer experiences some form of writer's block from time to time. Forcing yourself to write through it with a series of prompts can be a very effective way to tear down your writer's block. Many times we fall into a rut with our work and writing prompts can challenge us out of that rut. This stretching can greatly improve your writing. Every day, week, month and year that you work on your craft you improve as a writer.

Whether you are a beginning, experienced, or professional writer you can use writing prompts to help you improve your word craft.