Today's post is the introduction to a short series I'm planning. The topic: the pre-writing process!
I'm sure we all have very different processes that we go through when beginning a new project. I'm just going to share my own process, and I'll go into more depth on each phase in later posts this week and next week.
Personally, after an idea strikes, I'll usually write a few pages to get a feel for the voice, etc. and then I start my three-phase pre-writing process.
Phase One: The Flash Fiction
I write a flash fiction piece for the project, which gives me a very broad, very basic outline of how I want the story to go. It gives me my definite beginning, middle, and end. It also gives me a lot of starting points to get the brainstorming going for Phase Two.
Phase Two: The Mind Map
This is something new I started with my current WIP. I'm using the free option on mindmeister, which has all the capabilities I need for a writing project. The mind map will be something fluid and continually changing as I'm working on my WIP.
Phase Three: The Outline
AKA, The Dreaded Outline. I've done very minor outlining in the past, so this is also something semi-new that I started for my current WIP, but I'll talk about that in more detail in my Phase Three-designated post.
So there's a very brief overview of my pre-writing process. Stay tuned for more in-depth posts on each phase!
What's your pre-writing process?
The idea.
ReplyDeleteThe hook (usually the opening paragraph, but once it was how the story ended).
Research, research, world building and research.
I find that tons of my plot ideas come out of my research and world building.
I really like the idea of writing a flash fiction piece of the story. I'll have to try that!
ReplyDeleteI like mind-mapping, too! It's a great way to brainstorm and come up with numerous ideas.
Suzi - I also get a lot of ideas from my research, too. I think research is so important. I don't really consider it a phase of my pre-writing, though, because I research during all stages of the project. It's such a continuous thing for me.
ReplyDeleteLaura - Yeah, I'm really glad I discovered mind mapping. It's been a HUGE help with this project so far. I discovered the flash fiction process helped me a lot with the last project to get an idea for the voice, and then a general outline of how I wanted the story to go. It was fun, so I decided to keep doing it! :)
My pre-writing work is as follows -
ReplyDeletewalk with headphones and map it in my brain. IF I have a good idea of how the whole story will lie I'll write a few one or two word phrases in order and then start writing underneath the ones I want to work on first.
Thanks for sharing, I love hearing the process of other people because there are always ways to improve my own.
We have a very similar process, except for the flash fiction. That's an interesting idea though and one I should try sometime. Thanks for the idea :)
ReplyDeleteI wish I were as prepared as you! But I usually just write out some rough ideas and then get to work, and hope it urns out okay. I like the mindmesister idea you gave. I'll go have a look.
ReplyDeleteI wish I was prepared but mine goes:
ReplyDelete1.The idea/dream that wakes me in the middle of the night.
2.Write rough idea down and go back to sleep.
3.Start writing.
4.Think "I should really plan this"...then go back to pantsing.
Love the idea of the mindmeister though. I'll have to check that out :)
I don't outline I'm more of a pantser, but I will brainstorm potential scenes and write down notes about plot points.
ReplyDeleteJolene - That's a good idea about writing down a few phrases and working from there. It would definitely give you a good jumping point! :)
ReplyDeleteTiana - I'm really glad that I got the idea to write the flash fiction piece. It's been a lot of help. If you try it, let me know what you think. :)
Amy - It's a lot of work to get all of this together and to get prepared, and sometimes even then I don't feel prepared! I really only do this process for the projects that I feel really confident about. Anything else, and I just kind of go at it and see what happens.
Lindsay - I actually had the first "wake me up from a dead sleep" inspiration with my newest project. I kind of had a general idea going, and then in the middle of the night, I woke up and thought "that's it!" It was a very eureka! moment. XD
Patti - I've done the whole pantsing thing in the past, and I still do it for some projects, or smaller projects. Sometimes it's a lot of fun to dive right in unprepared!
That is so cool that you're using a mind map. I'm actually doing a post on my blog about mind mapping this Sunday. I definitely have to check out this mindmeister thing.
ReplyDeleteThanks for a great post!
Hey Gabi! I'll definitely have to check out your post. :) And so far, I've been really happy with mindmeister.
ReplyDelete