There are several metaphors to express the writing process. But so far, the best one I've heard starts with one little seed.
The Seed
You need to find a seed. Find an idea.
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There is no specific way to do this. Let it come naturally. Walk outside. Look around. Read other books. Or, if your imagination is tired, use a life changing memory or a moment of strong emotion. It doesn't have to be complex.
Germination
Give it water. Give it thought.
Sketch out a rough story line. Then, develop your main characters. Make sure you know what they look like and how they behave before starting on the next step. That way, you'll be able to describe your characters without much trouble!
Cotyledons
These are the first leaves of the seedling. It's time to start growing your idea.
Drafting time! It's alright if you read over the last few paragraphs and they seem terrible. Just keep on writing! If you have a sudden change of plot and the characters seem to be taking the story on a whole new direction, skew the previous story line and write a new one that is more detailed and planned.
Growth
This is the longest part of the process. Revision.
Cut out and paste in parts to make the whole piece flow together. Add in details and transitions. Read your whole piece over and over again. Create different versions of the story if you need to. This is especially easier on a word processing program. Have someone read over your piece and give you constructive feedback!
Flowering
The writing process is almost finished. But not yet.
It's time for the final finishing touches, as well as fixing grammatical errors.
Fruit
It's "finished"! A story is never truly finished- you can always add more and continue on. If you're a well known author, you may publish it. If not... celebrate!
I like to celebrate by making a cover for the story. Also, food is a good idea.
I will post tips for each part of the writing process over the week!
You need to find a seed. Find an idea.
There is no specific way to do this. Let it come naturally. Walk outside. Look around. Read other books. Or, if your imagination is tired, use a life changing memory or a moment of strong emotion. It doesn't have to be complex.
Germination
Give it water. Give it thought.
Sketch out a rough story line. Then, develop your main characters. Make sure you know what they look like and how they behave before starting on the next step. That way, you'll be able to describe your characters without much trouble!
Cotyledons
These are the first leaves of the seedling. It's time to start growing your idea.
Drafting time! It's alright if you read over the last few paragraphs and they seem terrible. Just keep on writing! If you have a sudden change of plot and the characters seem to be taking the story on a whole new direction, skew the previous story line and write a new one that is more detailed and planned.
Growth
This is the longest part of the process. Revision.
Cut out and paste in parts to make the whole piece flow together. Add in details and transitions. Read your whole piece over and over again. Create different versions of the story if you need to. This is especially easier on a word processing program. Have someone read over your piece and give you constructive feedback!
Flowering
The writing process is almost finished. But not yet.
It's time for the final finishing touches, as well as fixing grammatical errors.
Fruit
It's "finished"! A story is never truly finished- you can always add more and continue on. If you're a well known author, you may publish it. If not... celebrate!
I like to celebrate by making a cover for the story. Also, food is a good idea.
I will post tips for each part of the writing process over the week!
-The Nocturnal Writer
*If you were wondering, the pictures are stages of different plants. A strawberry plant's flower is not yellow.
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